Politics PhD

University of Liverpool

Study a PhD in Politics at Liverpool and you’ll be joining a vibrant and international department, offering PhD supervision in subjects across British politics, political science, international relations, comparative politics, and political theory.IntroductionStaff in the Department of Politics are world-leading experts in their respective research fields and are happy to share and impart their knowledge through training and mentoring PhD researchers. They publish in high-impact academic journals, publish and edit books and collections, engage with national and international decisionmakers and policymakers in national governments and international organisations, and disseminate their views and analysis of current events through national and international media outlets.Join us as a PhD researcher in politics and you’ll be mentored to join this international and vibrant world of research, analysis, networking and knowledge exchange. All Politics PhD researchers are assigned two supervisors, a primary and a secondary supervisor, who will mentor, train and guide you through regular meetings, readings of draft chapters, and support for endeavours like attending conferences or preparing publications. In your first year, you’ll also attend training sessions in research methods and research design. This grounding in essential research skills will ensure you develop the tools needed to undertake independent research successfully.Research topicsPhD researchers are encouraged to develop their own proposals but ideally, they reflect and fit with the expertise we can offer for supervision. The below list indicates the core areas of staff expertise, but the list is not exclusive.The politics of security and terrorismGender and sexualityParties and electionsPeace and conflictRefugees and migrationInternational organisationsAnti-slavery and human traffickingAnti-colonialism and raceDevelopmentPopulism and nationalismIdentity and citizenshipPolitical ideologiesDemocratisation and sovereigntyAuthoritarian politicsInternational political economyDevolution and local governmentGlobal governanceRhetoric and communicationMediaEthicsInequality and minoritiesSecularism and multiculturalismPublic policyMental health policiesEnvironmentMedia and public opinion.Note: Politics MPhil also available