Department of Politics and International Studies

The Department of Politics and International Studies at SOAS University of London offers undergraduate, postgraduate and PhD degrees in Politics and International Relations, and is home to nearly fifty academic staff and more than 1,000 students. 

The Department provides expert grounding in the study of Politics and International Relations through deep engagement with the historical legacies and political realities of Africa, Asia, and the Middle East, and is unique in combining unparalleled regional expertise with an approach to world politics that foregrounds perspectives from across the Global South. 

What is Politics and International Studies at SOAS?

Politics and International Studies examines the political organisation of societies around the globe and the relationships, of both conflict and cooperation, between them.

At SOAS, we study politics and international studies through deep regional expertise across Africa, Asia and the Middle East. Students learn from academics whose research is grounded in long-term engagement with the societies they study, bringing regional knowledge and language expertise into the classroom. 

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At SOAS we aim is to tackle the World's biggest challenges through academic collaboration and cooperation. In our latest series, academics from the Department of Politics and International Studies discuss climate change and human rights issues. 

One of the world's best for Politics

SOAS is ranked 5th in the UK and 16th in the world for Politics, and 3rd in the world for Academic Reputation in Politics (QS World University Rankings by Subject 2026).

Study politics from a non-Western angle

Teaching draws on expertise across Africa, Asia and the Middle East, challenging conventional assumptions and bringing a wider range of political experiences, histories and perspectives into the study of world politics.

Learn in central London

Study in one of the world's leading political and diplomatic capitals, with opportunities to attend public lectures, policy events and discussions hosted by embassies, think tanks, NGOs and international organisations across the city.

Strong research impact

In the Research Excellence Framework (REF 2021), almost 90% of the department's publications were rated world-leading or internationally excellent, ranking 7th in the UK for research impact.

Learn from leading researchers and practitioners

Staff research includes projects on transitional justice after atrocity, migration governance and diplomacy, anti-corruption initiatives, Pan-African political identities, and the historical foundations of democratic constitutions.

Teaching is informed by research into politics, international relations and political change across Africa, Asia and the Middle East. Key areas of expertise include:

• International relations and diplomacy: power, security, foreign policy and cooperation in a changing global order. 
• Political economy and development: how states, markets and international institutions shape economic development, inequality and social change.
• Conflict, migration and justice: the causes and consequences of conflict, displacement, human rights violations and efforts to build peace. 
• Democracy and governance: political institutions, constitutions, representation and the exercise of political authority. 
• Global South perspectives: alternative approaches to politics and international relations informed by the histories, experiences and political realities of Africa, Asia and the Middle East. 

Our graduates have gone on to roles including Senior Research Analyst at the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, Roving Conflict and Humanitarian Policy and Advocacy Adviser at Save the Children, Research Analyst at the National Assembly of Pakistan, and Consultant at UN Women. More broadly, graduates work across government and diplomacy, NGOs, media, business, consulting, law, and research, with recent employers including the United Nations, UNICEF, BBC World Service, Bloomberg, Channel 4, Financial Times, Eversheds LLP and the British Council. SOAS is ranked top 15 in the UK for Employment Outcomes (QS World University Rankings 2027).