International Relations research at Sussex has a long standing international reputation, reflecting the critical and diverse perspectives of its research staff and students.
Currently the Department offers a vibrant and productive environment in which to conduct and present research, with a high level of community interaction at each stage. We are committed to critical and interdisciplinary perspectives, encouraging intellectual interaction with other research groups in the University and beyond. As such, not only do staff and students endeavour to engage new research critically, but they also develop and change in a self-reflective manner.
The 2008 Research Assessment Exercise concluded that Sussex International Relations is amongst the top three dedicated IR departments in the UK, and one of the top seven Politics and International Studies departments. Ninety five percent of our research is deemed world class, internationally leading or internationally recognised – no Politics and International Studies department in the country has a higher proportion of such research. The Research Assessment Exercise is the UK government’s mechanism for assessing research quality across all UK higher education institutions. RAE 2008 considered research from 2002 to the end of 2007. Sussex IR was one of 59 departments submitted into the Politics and International Studies section of the RAE. The RAE is considered not only the primary marker of research quality; it is also used as a basis for allocating government funding.
Our key research work is clustered around three areas:
Critical and Historical International Relations Theory
At the same time, we are developing new and innovative work on globalisation, global civil society and social change, global environmental change and other emerging issues in the field. The Department has had considerable successful in gaining external funding for research projects dealing with many of these cutting-edge areas of IR.
The Department is also an institutuional member of Chatham House - the UK's largest international affairs think-tank, with research programmes dedicated to Energy, Environment and Development; International Economics; and Regional and Security Studies.
The department of International Relations at Sussex offers wide opportunities to pursue advanced research leading toward MPhil/DPhil degrees. Please refer to our Postgraduate study section for further information.