• Interior of Scottish parliament

    Politics

    Our researchers are among the very best in their field. We welcome visiting scholars, postdoctoral researchers and often invite external speakers to take part in our seminar and lecture series.

The School of Government and Public Policy has a long history of producing world-class research. We're one of the founding members of the European Consortium for Political Research (ECPR), the largest organisation of its kind in European political science.

Politics and international relations at Strathclyde was ranked number 11 in the UK in the 2014 by the Research Excellence Framework, the official assessment of the quality of research in UK higher education institutions.

We have a strong research culture that focuses on both individual and team-based research. We host three research centres:

Our research is supported by a number of grants from a variety of funding bodies, including research councils, national governments and international bodies, such as OECD and the EU.

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Improving the quality of policy making & governance

We review and explain variation in performance in public policy making and governance, mainly through international comparisons.
Protesters in Greece

Public policy & governance in times of austerity & post-austerity

We look at the challenges posed by 'austerity politics' to the making of public policy, the performance of public policy programmes and prospects for a post-austerity world.
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Public opinion & political behaviour

We work with the Centre for Elections and Representation improving research on public opinion and political behaviour.
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Representational processes

This research programme focuses on aspects of institutions and processes that change policy demands into policy outputs.
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International relations & international organisations

We seek determine causes and consequences of interstate behaviour, both cooperative and conflictual, by examining the relationships between states and their relationships with international institutions.

Discover more about politics

Graduate school

A leading UK centre of postgraduate research.

Female graduates celebrate

Politics at Strathclyde in top 10

Politics at the University of Strathclyde makes the UK top 10 position after jumping 25 places in the Guardian’s annual University Guide league tables.

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professor john curtice

Strathclyde academic made British Academy Fellow

Professor John Curtice, Strathclyde academic and renowned political commentator, has been named a Fellow of the British Academy in recognition of his outstanding research.

Online referendum debate explored

Dr Mark Shephard explores the quality of online debate around Scotland's Independence referendum

lights bouncing over the globe
Professor John Curtice, of Strathclyde’s School of Government and Public Policy, receiving the Political Studies Communicator award at the Political Studies Association’s (PSA) annual ceremony in London on 1 December

Strathclyde politics academic lands top award

Professor John Curtice, of Strathclyde’s School of Government and Public Policy, received the Political Studies Communicator award at the Political Studies Association’s (PSA) annual ceremony in London on 1 December.