Department of Politics and International Studies
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About
Home to nearly fifty academic staff and more than 1,000 students across a mix of undergraduate, postgraduate, and PhD programmes, the Department provides expert grounding in the study of Politics and International Relations through deep engagement with the historical legacies and political realities of Asia, Africa, and the Middle East.
The Department is unique in combining unparalleled regional expertise with an approach to world politics that foregrounds perspectives from across the Global South. In the latest QS world rankings (2024), the department ranked 4th for Academic Reputation and 18th overall.
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Ifyouwanttostudypoliticsfromanon-westernangle,thisistheplacetobe.Mostofouracademicsspeakoneormoreofthelanguagesintheregionstheystudyandspendsubstantialperiodsoftimeintheircountriesofexpertise.
Thisenablesustoproduceworld-leadingresearch.Italsoinformsourteaching.Togetherwithourstudents,weexplorepoliticsintherichandcomplexworldsofAsia,Africa,andtheMiddleEast.
Tackling the World's biggest challenges
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.
Around the department
Courses
Search our Politics and International Studies degree programmes