Research - Keele University
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Politics, International Relations & Philosophy

International Relations Research

Research in Politics and International Relations has a long and distinguished history at Keele, dating back to the 1950s, when Professor Sammy Finer founded the Department of Politics, and the 1970s, when Professor Alan James founded the Department of International Relations. Many distinguished International Relations scholars have worked at Keele since then, such as David Campbell, Costas Constantinou, Andrew Linklater, Matthew Paterson, Hidemi Suganami, John Vincent and R.J. Walker, and our current research continues to follow their example. In particular, we maintain our commitment to interdisciplinary work based on joint research projects with colleagues in working in various areas of the humanities and the natural and social sciences.                                                                     

Current research in International Relations is largely, though not exclusively, based on the following three research clusters of staff and students within The Research Centre for the Study of Politics, International Relations and Environment (RC-SPIRE):

In recent years RC-SPIRE has attracted significant funding for research projects from the ESRC, the British Academy, and the Leverhulme Trust and several staff have served as members of government advisory, UN, NGO and voluntary sector and professional academic bodies. Members of RC-SPIRE offer their expertise to institutions of national and international governance, civil society organisations, national and international media and, where appropriate, to business.

Selected publications by staff

IR books

  • Parr H. 2006. Britain's policy towards the European community, 1964-1967 Harold Wilson and Britain's World Role. Routledge.
  • Gokay, B and Walker, R.J.B, Eds, 2003. 11 September 2001, War, Terror and Judgment. Frank Cass and co.
  • Ryan, B.J., 2011. Statebuilding and Police Reform. Routledge.
  • Lloyd L and Berridge GR. 2010. A Dictionary of Diplomacy. (3rd ed.). Palgrave Macmillan.
  • Lobo-Guerrero L. 2012. Insuring War: Sovereignty, Security and Risk. Abingdon: Routledge.
  • Bretherton, C. and Vogler, J., 2007. The European Union as a Global Actor. Routledge.
  • Gokay, B. and Fouskas, V. 2005. New American Imperialism: Bush's War onTerror And Blood for Oil. Praeger.