Founded in 1970 by Professor Trevor Smith, the School of Politics and International Relations was set up with a clear mission - to diversify the teaching of the subject. Since then, we have become a large, inclusive, and exciting environment. One where our students’ curiosity is encouraged by expert-led teaching, and where our research analyses the most pressing challenges of our time.
While maintaining a global outlook, we take full advantage of our London location to engage with policymakers and the media via our dynamic research centres, such as the Mile End Institute, the Centre for the Study of Race, Class and Empire and the Centre for Governance and Democracy. We are passionate about sharing ideas with our students and the public, and our academics are regularly called on by the media to comment on the major issues of the day.
Our founding mission continues in the present. Today, our bold and innovative research interests span British politics, and the dynamics of conflict in the Middle East, and explore areas such as race and racism in politics, while remaining rooted in communities of practice. We are proud to count BAFTA, ARIA, and Leverhulme prize winners among our staff, who each bring expertise to their teaching to help shape the thinkers of tomorrow.