- Centre for the Study of Democracy
- Climate Change, Energy Policy and Sustainability
About me
I am Professor of International Relations at the University of Westminster. I joined the University in September 2009 as head of the Department of Politics and International Relations. I was Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities (2013-15) and then Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Education) (2015-19). I was previously Professor of International Relations at the University of Edinburgh (1995-2009); International Fellow at the Department of International Relations, Tbilisi State University, Georgia; Faculty Fellow at the Geneva Centre for Security Policy (2000-02); and Research Associate at the International Institute for Strategic Studies (1992-5). I am a Principal Fellow of the Higher Education Academy. My research revolves around the area of security studies and international relations with a regional focus on Russia, Central Asia and the Middle East. I also have an interest in the engagement of historical sociology in International Relations.
Teaching
BA Teaching
I am the module leader of 5PIRS018W Doing Political Research: Project management in the Social Sciences which is a second year core module for all students doing Politics and International Relations. I also contribute to teaching on:
- SPIR605 - Themes in Global Politics of Energy
PhD Supervision
I am also an experienced PhD supervisor and am interested in supervising students in the following areas: security studies; the international relations of Russia, Central Asia and the Middle East; international politics of energy; and the contribution of historical sociology to International Relations.
Research
Interests
My research interests are broadly in the area of security studies and international relations with a regional focus on Russia, Central Asia and the Middle East. My research can be broken down into four main parts.
- Security studies and understanding international security in the post-Cold War period.
- The domestic and foreign policy of the Russia Federation as it applies to its domestic Muslim communities and to Russian foreign policy towards Central Asia and the Middle East.
The international politics of energy and energy security.
- The contribution of historical sociology to international relations theory.
Current Research
I am currently working on a third edition of my book 'International Security: the Contemporary Sgenda'. I am also co-editing with Wojciech Ostrowski a handbook on Oil and International Relations.
Research Grants
2009 EU Commission FP7 Grant, POLINARES (Policy for Natural Resources), University of Westminster as an Institutional Partner - £98,992
2007-9 ESRC Grant RES-181-25-0020 on 'Radicalisation' and Violence: the Russian Dimension. Principal Investigator, £202,732
Appointments
Member of REF2021 Politics and International Studies Sub-Panel (UoA 19)
Publications
For details of all my research outputs, visit my WestminsterResearch profile.