Research

We are passionate about research and where it can take us. With over 300 active researchers we pursue high-quality research and impact that enriches the social, economic, cultural and environmental well-being of people and places.

The 2026 Times Higher Education Global Subject Rankings place us 35th in the world and 8th in the UK for research quality. Our skills, curiosity and creativity are used to deliver novel, rigorous, transformative understanding that makes a difference in the world. We pursue answers and solutions to challenging questions and problems across the Social Sciences and Humanities, extending into Environmental Science. We provide an inclusive research environment where postgraduate, postdoctoral and academic researchers work closely together to develop their research careers.

The 海角社区 Centre for Sustainable Transitions: Energy, Environment and Resilience (STEER)

Launched at COP28, STEER is a 拢150M+ research centre empowering vulnerable populations in the Global South to shape and benefit from the transition to sustainable energy.
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Centre for Research in Communication and Culture (CRCC)

Established in 1991, CRCC is the largest research centre of its kind in the UK, focusing on language and social interaction, political communication and media, memory, history.
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Centre for Research in Social Policy (CRSP)

Over the past 40 years, CRSP has built a reputation for high quality applied policy research, including the Minimum Income Standard which is used to set the UK Living Wage and replicated in other countries seeking to establish benchmarks for acceptable household income levels.

Research spotlights

A film projector with the words 'The BBC's First Homosexual' composited next to it.

The BBC鈥檚 First Homosexual

Lost BBC documentary on homosexuality brought to life in new film
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Geographies of Example

拢1M Leverhulme Fellowship explores why some human lives are valued more than others
a legal marijuana shop on Sukhumvit Road, Bangkok

Transnational Research Centre on Emerging Drug Markets

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Post-school support for young people with SEN

UKRI policy fellow improving post-school support for young people with special educational needs
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Real-time news auditing of elections

Increasing the accountability of major news providers for their election coverage
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Digital Communities and Inclusion

How 鈥榯he digital鈥� is creating new online communities

Postgraduate Research

Doctoral researchers are integral partners in our research, working on exciting projects across the social, political and environmental sciences and humanities.

Find out more

Departmental research

Communication and Media

Top 25 in the world (Shanghai Ranking, 2025) with 100% of our research environment and research impact rated 鈥榳orld-leading鈥� (REF2021)

Criminology, Sociology and Social Policy

100% of research impact rated 鈥榳orld-leading鈥� or 鈥榠nternationally excellent鈥� (REF2021)

English

Over 50% of research outputs rated 鈥榳orld-leading鈥� (REF2021)

Geography and Environment

Top 3 nationally for research impact with over 80% rated 鈥榳orld-leading鈥� (REF2021)

International Relations, Politics and History

100% of research impact rated 鈥榳orld-leading鈥� or 鈥榠nternationally excellent鈥� (REF2021)

Law

The UK鈥檚 newest Law Department with world-leading expertise in socio-legal research.