Politics and Sociology

Politics and sociology are natural partners in the study of human societies. Sociology examines how social structures, institutions and inequalities shape collective life, while politics investigates how power is organised, contested and exercised, and how decisions affecting whole communities are made. The relationship between the two runs deep: political change cannot be understood without attention to the social and economic structures from which it emerges, and sociology without politics risks ignoring the most consequential mechanisms through which social arrangements are reproduced or transformed.

At Queen Mary University of London, this four-year full-time programme draws on a range of political and social theories to examine why, in an era of rising material living standards in many societies, so many people feel disenchanted, alienated and excluded from the political process. You will study political theory, comparative politics, international relations and public policy alongside sociological perspectives on class, inequality, race, gender, culture, identity and social change. The degree develops your ability to think theoretically and empirically about the social and economic foundations of political life, examining both democratic and non-democratic contexts and drawing on case studies from across the world.

Queen Mary's location in one of the most diverse and politically significant cities in the world gives your studies a rich and immediate context.

Graduates from Politics and Sociology programmes go on to careers in the civil service, policy research, journalism, NGOs, the third sector, social research, teaching, public affairs, law and management. The combination of social analysis and political understanding is valued in any organisation that needs to navigate complex social and institutional environments. Further study in politics, sociology, social policy, international relations or social research methods is a common next step for those who want to pursue specialist or academic careers.