The School of Humanities and Social Sciences is a lively and friendly community of research students, practitioners, and academic researchers – many of whom are world leading in their field.
In the Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2021, we were awarded world-leading status for research submitted under four categories: History; English Language and Literature; Communication, Cultural and Media Studies; and Sociology.
We work closely with our affiliate research institutes – the International Policing and Public Protection Research Institute (IPPPRI), StoryLab and the Global Sustainability Institute (GSI) – on a range of projects.
We also have smaller specialist areas of research concentration that encourage and support staff and research students to explore new topics and interdisciplinary connections.
Broadly speaking, our School has a commitment to address the theme of 'social inclusion and marginalised communities'.
This theme links to our research focus in addressing the lives of marginalised peoples of the past and present; seeking social inclusion and social justice; examining migration and heritage (including language, literatures and communication) and also finding creative and collaborative ways to explore, celebrate and commemorate the experiences of a variety of communities.
The impact of our research focusses on innovative and interdisciplinary responses in relation to the pressing challenges facing communities today, and public engagement in policy and education, to better understand and address such challenges.
Below is a quick summary of our work and current research specialisms.
For information on individual supervision offered by our academics, please view our staff pages.