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Queen Mary Politics students go behind the scenes at Parliament
Politics students from Queen Mary's School of Society Environment visited Parliament this month for a Q&A with politicians and parliamentarians.
Date added: Thursday, December 11, 2025
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SSE Publications Dec 2025 - Jan 2026
Academics and researchers at the School of Society and Environment (SSE) produce world-class research, this is a selection of articles published over the period December 2025 to January 2026
Date added: Tuesday, January 27, 2026
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SSE In the media December 2025 - January 2026
SSE's academics work with journalists and media outlets to lead the conversation on contemporary topics and issues covering everything from political thought to the climate crisis. SSE's research makes the headlines and informs ground-breaking journalism that educates and informs the public. Here is a selection of where our academics and their work was featured for December 2025 - January 2026.
Date added: Tuesday, January 27, 2026
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Military Victory Beyond the Battlefield: Interview with Author Mirko Palestrino
Mirko Palestino is a senior lecturer in International Policy Sociology in the Department of Sociology, Politics and International Relations. His new book, Military Victory Beyond the Battlefield: Outside Wartime, has just been published with Oxford University Press.
Date added: Monday, February 2, 2026
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New book brings new methodology to political theory
'Derrida, Deconstruction and Political Theory' takes a unique approach presenting deconstruction as a methodology for political theory.
Date added: Monday, February 2, 2026
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SSE in the media Jan – Feb 2026
National and international coverage for SSE's academics and researchers across a range of media, from media, to online, to national broadcasters and press outlets.
Date added: Friday, February 27, 2026
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SSE Publications Jan-Feb 2026
SSE brings together expertise in social sciences, humanities, and environmental studies to explore the connections between people, communities, and the natural world through world-leading research.
Date added: Friday, February 27, 2026
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History and AI: Why Microsoft and the World Economic Forum get it wrong
According to Microsoft, AI is going to replace historians. Historian Leslie James writes how this just will not be the case in a world where knowledge exists in song, dance, and parchment, not just as digital data.
Date added: Friday, February 27, 2026
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Gardening Club: Taking on the challenges of sustainability for Climate Action Week 2026
Giulia Carabelli is a Senior Lecturer in Social Theory and is a founding member of Queen Mary Gardening Club. For Climate Action Week 2026 the club organised an event that got participants rediscovering their connection with land and plant-life.
Date added: Tuesday, March 3, 2026
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Parliamentary Reception celebrates success of students and alumni working in public affairs
Students and academics from SSE met with MPs and Peers met on 4th March at the Houses of Parliament for a parliamentary reception celebrating the success of Queen Mary’s current and former students working in public affairs.
Date added: Thursday, March 5, 2026
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Q&A with Niharika Pandit: How militarisation becomes part of everyday life in Kashmir
Niharika Pandit is a Lecturer in Sociology in the Department of Sociology, Politics, and International Relations. Her new book, Occupying the Everyday: Militarisation and Gendered Politics of Living in Kashmir, has just been published with Oxford University Press.
Date added: Wednesday, March 11, 2026
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SSE Publications April - May 2026
SSE brings together expertise in social sciences, humanities, and environmental studies to explore the connections between people, communities, and the natural world through world-leading research.
Date added: Wednesday, April 29, 2026
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SSE tops the rankings in NSS Results for 2026
In the 2026 National Student Survey (NSS) survey, The School of Society and Environment’s (SSE) departments achieved top rankings in an impressive range of NSS measures for both Russel Group Universities and London Universities.
Date added: Tuesday, August 11, 2026
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Alumni Profile - Helen Rose
Helen graduated with a degree in Geography in 1980 and is now retired with 40 years of teaching behind. In this alumni profile she talks about here career and how the interdisciplinary programmes at Queen Mary set her out on a fascinating career path.
Date added: Tuesday, August 4, 2026
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Full programme of lab, field, and management on Cairngorms Geography fieldtrip
Students from the Department of Geography and Environmental Science (GES) went on a week’s field trip in the Cairngorms to learn about the issues facing a range of environments and to gain on-the-ground skills that take academic work outside the classroom.
Date added: Friday, May 1, 2026
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Zombie Rubbish!
A team from the QMUL-led Resilience of Anthropocene Coasts and Communities (RACC) project spent a weekend at the Green Man Festival talking to festivalgoers about old landfill waste, coastal erosion and climate change.
Date added: Tuesday, September 29, 2026
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SSE in the Media and beyond: Sept - Oct 2026
SSE's academics regularly contribute to global discussions, shaping narratives and providing expert insight to the press, new media, and at academic and non-academic events, . Read a selection of what they have been saying, writing, and talking about this month.
Date added: Tuesday, September 29, 2026
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SSE Publications and Academic Outputs: Aug - Sept 2026
SSE brings together expertise in social sciences, humanities, and environmental studies to explore the connections between people, communities, and the natural world through world-class research.
Date added: Tuesday, September 29, 2026
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Double Recognition for SSE academics at the BISA awards 2026
The British International Studies Association (BISA) awards recognise excellence and achievement through research and teaching in the field of International Studies, and are announced at BISA's annual conference.
Date added: Monday, June 8, 2026
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New interactive research shows full extent of landfill leakage at Jurassic Coast site
The research maps erosion at the Spittal Lane Landfill site in Lyme Regis, and found that 9576 cubic metres of waste were released into the surrounding environment between 2006 and 2010.
Date added: Tuesday, June 16, 2026
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Alumna Interview: Mathilde Adland-Dale
Mathilde graduated in 2025 with a BA in Politics and International Relations, and she now works for Norwegian Broadcaster TV2. She talks about highlights of studying at Queen Mary, and how students often have more work experience and skills than they think.
Date added: Friday, June 26, 2026
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SSE in the media April - May 2026
National and international coverage for SSE's academics and researchers across a range of media, from media, to online, to national broadcasters and press outlets.
Date added: Wednesday, April 29, 2026
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Alumni Profile – Olivia Stocks
Olivia obtained her BA in History in 2025, after which she transitioned into Civil Service fast stream in the area of international policy. She tells us how her positive experience with staff, and wide variety of modules studied, prepared her for a career in the public sector.
Date added: Monday, October 19, 2026
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New research project investigates Electoral Integrity in Africa
The Africa Elections Study (AES) is a pioneering research programme that will bring new insights and understanding into electoral integrity in Africa through evidence-based research, policy engagement and public outreach initiatives.
Date added: Wednesday, August 26, 2026
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SSE in the Media and beyond: Oct - Nov 2026
SSE's academics regularly contribute to global discussions, shaping narratives and providing expert insight to the press, new media, and at academic and non-academic events. Read a selection of what they have been saying, writing, and talking about this month.
Date added: Tuesday, October 27, 2026
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SSE Publications and Academic Outputs: Oct - Nov 2026
SSE brings together expertise in social sciences, humanities, and environmental studies to explore the connections between people, communities, and the natural world through world-class research.
Date added: Tuesday, October 27, 2026
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Alumni Profile – Mary Ojo
Mary completed a Bachelor's Degree in History, and is now Tech and Data Project Manager at TFL. In this Alumni Interview, she talks about how studying at Queen Mary helped her in her career to come, and how the diversity of the learning environment developed her professional skills.
Date added: Friday, July 10, 2026
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New project to research AI’s impact on migrant access to welfare
Digital Welfare Borders (DIGIWEB) is the first interdisciplinary and international study to systematically and comparatively analyse how AI connects welfare governance with migration management.
Date added: Tuesday, October 6, 2026
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New Publication Celebrates Years of Collaboration with Latin American Geographers
'Building Dialogue Across Borders' is a recent publication and wider research initiative that brings together several years of collaborative work on mentorship, translation and dialogue between Latin American and Anglophone geographers.
Date added: Monday, October 26, 2026
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SSE’s Internationalisation takes off with visit to Vietnam with SPIR’s Jean Francois Drolet
Professor Jean-Francois Drolet visited Vietnam last month as part of a delegation from HSS, where he gave presentations at the Vietnamese Ministry of Justice and six leading universities in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. The delegation attended alumni events and graduate and undergraduate student fairs in both cities to discuss the establishment of new research collaboration partnerships.
Date added: Friday, May 1, 2026
Deconstructing Politics: Interview with Author Lasse Thomassen
Lasse Thomassen is a Professor of Politics in the Department of Sociology, Politics, and International Relations. His new book, Derrida, Deconstruction and Political Theory, was published earlier this year with Edinburgh University Press.
Date added: Wednesday, July 1, 2026
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Slow thinking in the age of AI
Unrestrained AI use impacts how students learn, understand and engage with complex and new ideas. In this article, Irine Kurtanidze writes how AI encourages System 1 thinking and she draws on her experience to share how to counteract the impact of AI on student learning.
Date added: Monday, October 26, 2026
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Alumni Profile - Cameron Dasgupta
Cameron completed a degree in Politics and International Relations with a Year Abroad in 2023, and is currently a Senior Account Executive in International Affairs at Burson (a WPP company), where he advises foreign governments, embassies, and global firms on strategic communications, reputation management, and geopolitical issues.
Date added: Tuesday, August 4, 2026
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SSE in the media March - April 2026
National and international coverage for SSE's academics and researchers across a range of media, from media, to online, to national broadcasters and press outlets.
Date added: Thursday, March 19, 2026
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Author Interview: Joe Hoover on his new book 'Living just enough for the city'
Joe Hoover, Reader in Political Theory at SSE's SPIR, talks about his latest book 'Living just enough for the city: Experiments in Urban Political Theory', where he takes a new approach to political theory through the lens of the 'city'. In this author Q&A Joe talks about architecture, justice, and the art, literature and music of cities - where the book's title originates.
Date added: Friday, September 25, 2026
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SSE Publications and Academic Work: May - June 2026
SSE brings together expertise in social sciences, humanities, and environmental studies to explore the connections between people, communities, and the natural world through world-class research.
Date added: Monday, June 1, 2026
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China and African Parliaments - interview with author Innocent (Ib) Batsani-Ncube
Ib Batsani-Ncube is a Senior Lecturer in African Politics in the Department of Sociology, Politics, and international Relations at Queen Mary University of London. He is the author of China and African Parliaments (Oxford University Press, 2025), which was recently shortlisted for the L.H.M. Ling Outstanding First Book Prize.
Date added: Monday, April 27, 2026
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SSE Researcher Joe Strong wins Anne Shepherd New Investigator Award 2026
Dr Joe Strong, who received the award from British Society of Population Studies (BSPS), is a Leverhulme Early Career Fellow at the School of Society and Environment’s (SSE) department of Sociology, Politics and International Relations (SPIR).
Date added: Wednesday, July 8, 2026
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Assessing Student Learning in the Generative AI Age
Every university is grappling with the challenge posed by generative AI. Our entire learning model – students read, think, talk, write and slowly understand – is threatened by a raft of tools that shortcut each stage of the process. AI can instantly generate quick summaries of academic literature. It can short-circuit the research process.
Date added: Friday, September 25, 2026
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SSE in the Media and beyond: June - Aug 2026
SSE's academics regularly contribute to global discussions, shaping narratives and providing expert insight to the press, new media, and at academic and non-academic events, . Read a selection of what they have been saying, writing, and talking about this month.
Date added: Thursday, August 27, 2026
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SSE in the Media and beyond: May - June 2026
SSE's academics regularly contribute to global discussions, shaping narratives and providing expert insight to the press, new media, and at academic and non-academic events, . Read a selection of what they have been saying, writing, and talking about this month.
Date added: Monday, June 1, 2026
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SSE Publications and Academic Outputs: June - Aug 2026
SSE brings together expertise in social sciences, humanities, and environmental studies to explore the connections between people, communities, and the natural world through world-class research.
Date added: Thursday, August 27, 2026
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Alumni Profile – Maleeha Malik
Maleeha graduated with a BA in Geography, which propelled her into a Planning Officer role. Her experience at Queen Mary provided her with key skills for success at the North Hertfordshire District Council
Date added: Monday, October 19, 2026
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Mile End Institute joins new British Election Study
The Mile End Institute will provide academic expertise and support to the UK’s longest running record of electoral behaviour and political change
Date added: Tuesday, October 13, 2026
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International Political Sociology Symposium at SSE brings artists, historians and ritual practitioners together
The day’s activities include roundtables on religious and magic rituals and rituals in our everyday social lives, plus an intervention by London-based performance artist group Plastique Fantastique.
Date added: Monday, April 20, 2026
SSE Publications March - April 2026
SSE brings together expertise in social sciences, humanities, and environmental studies to explore the connections between people, communities, and the natural world through world-leading research.
Date added: Thursday, March 19, 2026
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China and African Parliaments shortlisted for L.H.M. Ling Outstanding First Book Prize
Congratulations to SSE's Senior Lecturer in African Politics, Ib Innocent Batsani-Ncube for making the shortlist in the L.H.M. Ling Outstanding First book Prize 2026.
Date added: Wednesday, March 18, 2026
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Dr Andy Russell appointed to the Office for Environmental Protection’s College of Experts
Dr Andrew Russell, SFHEA, FRMetS, is Reader in Environmental Science and Policy, and Director of the Environmental Change and Communities Research Centre. Andy co-leads a £2.9m UKRI and Defra project looking at the impact of climate changes on coastal sustainability and is examining the policy implications. From September 2024, Dr Russell is seconded for 3 days a week to the UK Parliament as the Thematic Research Lead for Climate and Environment, supported by a £250k ESRC Fellowship.
Date added: Tuesday, October 27, 2026
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Leverhulme Grants awarded to academics from all three SSE departments
Many congratulations to Sam Halvorsen from Geography and Environmental Science (GES), Liesbeth Corens from History and Karl Pike from Sociology, Politics and International Relations (SPIR), who have all received funding awards from the Leverhulme Trust. In a double win, Sam has also received a grant from the British Academy.
Date added: Wednesday, March 25, 2026
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SSE Researcher Jonjo Brady wins Outstanding Thesis Award from Ulster University
Jonjo Brady completed his thesis in 2024, which looks at theory as a dramatic performance that brings concepts to life, intensifying them enough so that they engender dynamic affects and provocations.
Date added: Friday, June 12, 2026
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Politics and International Relations student, Kali's parliament placement experience
Kali, a Politics and International Relations student at Queen Mary University of London, shares their experience of the Parliamentary Studies Internship.
Date added: Thursday, May 7, 2026
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SSE Launches New Professors of Practice Scheme
Professors of Practice at the School of Society and Environment connects high profile professionals from all industries and areas of public life with our student body. Each year we select three individuals to join our cohort of Professors of Practice.
Date added: Tuesday, September 29, 2026
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Marie Skłodowska-Curie fellow Rinan Shah joins SSE to research water scarcity in the Himalayas
Dr Rinan Shah talks about her how she successfully applied for the Marie Skłodowska-Curie grant supported by Queen Mary, and her research aims for her fellowship.
Date added: Friday, March 20, 2026
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Music, networking, and interdisciplinary discussions at SSE’s Inaugural Alumni event
The event brought alumni from Geography and Environmental Science (GES), History and Politics and International Relations together for discussions and networking at Queen Mary’s newest academic school.
Date added: Wednesday, May 13, 2026
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Alumni Interview: Lucia Rodriguez Bai
After graduating with a BA in Politics and International Relations, Lucia went on to work as an intern for Rachel Reeves MP. In this alumni interview, Lucia talks about how Queen Mary inspired her to think differently, and to bring this knowledge into her professional career development.
Date added: Wednesday, October 14, 2026