News

The Department of Politics and International Studies (POLIS), in partnership with Trinity College, Cambridge, is delighted to announce the winners of the 2026 R.A. Butler Prize.The R.A. Butler Prize for essays in politics and international studies is an annual competition open to students in Year 12 or Lower 6th (or equivalent). It was established …

The Department of Politics and International Studies is thrilled to announce the winners of this year's PhD Fieldwork Photography Competition! Each year, this competition celebrates the incredible visual work our PhD students capture during their fieldwork, showcasing the diverse and profound ways they engage with their subjects and the communities…

It is with great sadness that we share the news of the death of Dr David Potter. Dr Potter was a Cambridge alumnus whose Foundation’s benefaction (alongside his wife, Elaine) created the David and Elaine Potter Lectureship in Governance and Human Rights, leading directly to the establishment of the Centre of Governance and Human Rights (CGHR).The i…

Warmest congratulations to Dr Ange La Furcia, who completed her PhD in Latin American Studies and has been awarded the 2026 LASA/Oxfam America Martin Diskin Dissertation Award. A well-deserved recognition of her doctoral research.You can read more about Dr La Furcia's award on the Centre of Latin American Studies website.

The Department of Politics and International Studies is delighted to announce that Say Jye Quah, PhD candidate in POLIS, has been awarded two prestigious prizes by the International Studies Association (ISA).Quah’s research has been recognised across categories, receiving both the ISA Asia-Pacific Region Best Graduate Student Paper Award and the In…

The newest edition of 'This Week in POLIS' featuring news, publications and events is now available on our 'This Week in POLIS' newsletter page.

The Department of Politics and International Studies (POLIS) is delighted to announce that Dr Farhana Afrin Rahman has been awarded the 2026 Global Division Outstanding Book Award by the Society for the Study of Social Problems (SSSP).Dr Rahman received the accolade for her monograph, After the Exodus: Gender and Belonging in Bangladesh's Rohingya …

The Department of Politics and International Studies is delighted to announce that Dr Glen Rangwala has been awarded the 2026 Aaron Rapport Teaching Prize. This annual accolade, determined entirely by student nominations, recognises outstanding dedication and excellence in teaching within the Department. Each year, POLIS invites students to nominat…

Everyone at the Department of Politics and International Studies was deeply saddened by the recent loss of our beloved colleague, Dr Harriet Sturdy. As the PhD Administrator for the Centre of Development Studies, Harriet brought both brilliant intelligence and immense kindness to her work and to our community. The Centre has written a beautiful tri…

The Department of Politics and International Studies is delighted to announce that Dr Alena Drieschova, Associate Professor of International Relations, has been awarded two prestigious prizes by the International Studies Association (ISA).Dr Drieschova’s work, Representants and International Orders: The Staging of Political Authority (Cambridge Uni…

Date: Tuesday, 05 May 2026Time: 16:15 – 19:00 (UK time)Location: OnlineOpen to both UK & International students in Year 12 England/Wales (Year 13 Northern Ireland, S5 Scotland or equivalent, including mature students).Detailed DescriptionThis Masterclass will be delivered virtually by academic staff and current students. Attending this Masterclass …

This year is the 10th anniversary of the abduction and murder of Cambridge PhD student Giulio Regeni.  In January 2016 the 28-year-old was murdered in Cairo, Egypt while conducting his doctoral research (Centre for Development Studies and Girton College). We remember Giulio Regeni as a symbol of intellectual courage and will continue to honour his …

The Department of Politics and International Studies (POLIS) is pleased to announce the publication of a new book by Dr James Wood, Associate Teaching Professor in Political Economy, titled States of Innovation: Driving the American Economy in the 21st Century (Bristol University Press).In 'States of Innovation', Dr Wood challenges the conventional…

We are sorry to announce the passing of our esteemed colleague and friend, Dr Philip Towle.Philip retired from Cambridge’s Department of Politics and International Studies in September 2012, but remained active in the Department through the examination of theses.  Philip joined the then Centre of International Studies in 1980 and subsequently becam…

Dr. Ilias Alami, Assistant Professor in the Political Economy of Development at the Department of Politics and International Studies (POLIS) at the University of Cambridge, has been awarded the British International Studies Association (BISA) – International Political Economy Working Group (IPEG) 2025 Book Prize for his co-authored work, The Spectr…