Research in politics and international relations
Theoretically pathbreaking, empirically rich, socially relevant.
Politics at York leads with ideas. Problem-driven, agenda-setting and action-oriented – our research is at the forefront of the discipline.
We're shaping global debates and breaking new ground to address the most pressing challenges the world faces today.

The Research Excellence Framework 2021
- We’re ranked in the UK top ten for the quality of our research outputs and our research environment - the support we give to our researchers - according to the Times Higher Education’s ranking of the latest REF results (2021).
Research strengths
Our vibrant community of academic staff, research staff and PhD students is organised across four research clusters. Research clusters provide disciplinary focus. They also encourage a high level of collaboration across areas in which we have outstanding strength.
Through Ideas Labs, Work-in-Progress sessions and research seminars with external speakers, research clusters act as hubs for research excellence, promoting research ideas from inception through project development and publication into impact.

Impact and engagement
Our research enhances critical understanding, sparks action and influences policy. We regularly engage with the general public, policymakers, service providers and practitioners to get our ideas out into the world.
Highlights
- Documenting the experiences of Afghan military translators
- Conflict resolution in protracted territorial conflicts
- Security and protection of human rights defenders at risk
- Enhancing the capacity of community health workers to deliver women’s health rights during epidemics
- The role of economic security in welfare reform around the globe

Centre for Applied Human Rights
Centres
We collaborate with partners – academic and non-academic – throughout the University and worldwide. Our interdisciplinary research centres provide the perfect platform for these exchanges and for wider collaboration around research themes and large research programmes:
Networks
Our networks provide a forum for cross-cutting research collaboration and discussion:
