School of Global Affairs

Committed to creating an equitable, ethical and sustainable future

Group side silhouette men and women of different culture

Our values and ethos

The Lancaster School of Global Affairs takes a bold and distinctive place-based approach to addressing the complex and multi-dimensional problems facing humanity. Our strength comes from our multidisciplinarity approach, knowing that creative solutions to these problems will draw upon our core disciplines: History, International Relations, Languages and Cultures, Philosophy, Politics and Religious Studies. Bringing these areas together helps our students, staff and partners think with purpose about a transformative, inclusive and equitable future.

We are research-led and much of what we do relies on in-house expertise in the history, politics, languages, and cultures of different parts of the world. The research synergies across the School of Global Affairs cover area studies, migration, authoritarianism, health and poverty, security, technology, gender and decolonisation.

We partner with international agencies, governments, think tanks, academia, charities, business and global trade and humanitarian organisations to confront the planetary challenges of our times. We are a respected voice in national and international debate and have influence on the critical issues. The School acts as a host for challenging and open debate on current regional, national, and international events.

Our students deepen their disciplinary knowledge while also exploring professionalisation and their career pathways through experiential learning, placements, and internships with our partners.

We are committed to equitable, ethical and sustainable futures - in which human qualities and differences have clear value.

These are the Global Affairs in the School at Lancaster:

  • exploring peace, security, and war from an interdisciplinary perspective
  • connecting the local and regional with the global
  • the negotiation of environmental futures
  • thinking and acting on medical and health challenges
  • critical and informed engagement with all truth claims – against the general backdrop of a new global security environment
  • the exploration and regulation of Artificial Intelligence

We are a place of academic excellence, engaged in the highest quality research. We also believe there should be spaces for creative, playful and quick thinking. We attract students with a sense of purpose, who want to make a difference through ethical leadership and interdisciplinary knowledge and expertise.

Two women sat together talking, one is holding a book in her hands.

A place of distinction

The Lancaster School of Global Affairs has developed a purposeful, ‘place-based’ approach to research and education. This approach places an emphasis on understanding and addressing the unique social, economic, cultural, and environmental characteristics and challenges of England’s North West. We have fine castles, the world-famous Lake District, and other beautiful preserved landscapes. We also have nuclear power plants, renewable energy, military and security infrastructure - all within our corner of England.

North West England is a place of co-creation and innovation, one where we see aspects of the world in our place, and our place within the wider world. Our work emphasises this complex interconnectedness of space and of humanity; one that values a rich array of purpose and possibility.

Wastwater in the lake district, view of still lake surrounded by mountains

Purposeful by design

Our students are driven by a sense of purpose; they see the changes needed in the world and they are people determined to make them. To understand global affairs, students will receive a strong grounding in global cultures and languages, history ranging from trade and imperialism, war and diplomacy, and decolonisation, philosophy and its insights on humanity and society, politics, policy, and international relations, and religious studies. Together these demonstrate how complex human relations, power relations, and our societies are.

The School of Global Affairs offers a range of programmes, each of which provides distinctive opportunities to develop the skills, knowledge, relationships and partnerships needed to meet the global challenges of our time and in helping students realise their future goals. Through internships, placements and engagement with external partners, our students will develop their career-readiness so that upon graduation they are ready to hit the ground running.

Our most recent suite of Global Leadership programmes are built around a shared ethos and interconnected learning architecture. Programme-specific modules build in-depth knowledge of your chosen topic, while cross-programme modules offer global leadership skills and practical collaborations with strategic external partners.

Teaching, research and engagement activities are integrated across the programmes, while opportunities to critically engage with global affairs, the environment, AI and health are embedded throughout. All three programmes address these key themes through the lenses of the arts, humanities and social sciences.

Valuing people

We are committed to creating a fair and inclusive environment for our staff, students, partners and visitors. Equality, diversity and inclusion is an integral part of the School’s plans and activities.

Athena Swan

We are part of the University-wide effort to encourage and nurture gender equality and diversity in Higher Education.

As well as our Institutional Athena Swan Bronze award, Lancaster is very proud to have achieved Athena Swan awards in all our Departments and Faculties, recognising our commitment to advancing gender equality within higher education and research.

  • Languages and Cultures (awarded 2019)
  • Politics, Philosophy and Religion (awarded 2019)
  • History (awarded 2021)
Athena Swan
Athena swan bronze

Blogs

A conference poster with images of tongues

School of Global Affairs Hosts International Medical Humanities Event

Based around the theme of Tongues: Medical Humanities across Linguistic and Cultural Frontiers, Lancaster University's School of Global Affairs was host to the 7th annual international Northern Network for Medical Humanities Research Congress. David Murphy reports from the conference proceedings which highlighted the importance of linguistic and cultural diversity within the medical humanities.
A woman sitting in front of a doorway.

Promoting Implementation of UN Resolution 47/8

What does it take to implement a UN Resolution? Professor Charlotte Baker discusses how implementation of Resolution 47/8 on the Elimination of harmful practices related to accusations of witchcraft (July 2021) is only just beginning, but it is already having an impact.
A yellow background with drawing.

Clandestine Poetry, ‘Other’ Militaries and Conversations at the CAMeNA

Cornelia Gräbner reports back from a research trip to the Academic Center for the Memory of Our América in Mexico City.
Two statuesque figures (one blue, one red) shaking hands.

The power of transcultural friendly agreement

As we celebrate the 120th anniversary of the Entente Cordiale between France and the United Kingdom, we are reminded of the importance of transcultural understanding.
Critically high river waters flowing through Bewdly Bridge

Environmental Change in Our Place and Time

‘The next few years are probably the most important in our history’, stated Debra Roberts, co-chair of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Working Group in 2018, with an urgency that has since only intensified and been lived through by millions of people affected by extreme weather events with fire, floods, hurricanes, or drought. 
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The AI Delusion

Artificial Intelligence is a contradiction that is defined by many smaller but related contradictions. If we consider the words artificial and intelligent, then it turns out AI is neither.

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Latest News

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Lancaster hosts British Association for South Asian Studies conference

More than 161 delegates from the UK and from across the subcontinent, Europe, Canada and the US are set to attend the British Association for South Asian Studies (BASAS) annual conference at Lancaster University next week. 
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University project keeps young people’s ‘SeaSights’ firmly in focus

From coastal snow in Barrow to stunning sunsets in Morecambe, photographs taken by local young people capture the very essence of what is important about Bay life to a younger generation.
The Ancient India, Living Traditions Exhibition at The British Museum

Ancient India, Living Traditions: an earnest effort to show how the art of Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism is sacred and personal

In an article for The Conversation, Professor Ram Prasad explores The British Museum’s Ancient India, Living Traditions exhibition, bringing together exhibits on the sacred art of Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism.
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Gaza is starving – how Israel’s allies can go beyond words and take meaningful action

In an article for The Conversation, Professor Simon Mabon discusses the growing number of Gazans affected by hunger and malnutrition, as the Israeli military operations continue.

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Lancaster Professor informs Government on climate change effects on maritime security

A report and toolkit, raising awareness and understanding of the cumulative effects of climate change on maritime (in)security, were recently presented across the whole-of-government at a seminar in London and a workshop at Lancaster University.

Muyiwa Oki with the Chancellor the Rt Hon Alan Milburn

Honorary degree for the President of the Royal Institute of British Architects

Muyiwa Oki has been awarded the honorary degree of Doctor of Science at the July graduation ceremonies.

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