Political Theory is a specialised research area within the Politics and International Relations postgraduate research programmes (MPhil), offering a strong and internationally recognised environment for advanced study in political thought and theory. The School has a well-established research culture, supported by prominent research centres such as the Collingwood and British Idealism Centre, and regularly hosts visiting scholars from around the world.

The programme benefits from a significant concentration of expertise in political theory and the history of political thought, enabling supervision across a wide range of topics. These include areas such as contemporary political theory, distributive justice, global justice, human rights, nationalism, liberalism, multiculturalism, and environmental politics, as well as more specialised areas such as British idealism, the European Enlightenment, historiography, and ideological critique. Research also engages with global issues including international law, humanitarian intervention, and globalisation.

Students are part of a dynamic and intellectually rich research environment, with access to diverse perspectives and interdisciplinary approaches. The breadth of expertise within the School supports the development of rigorous and original research, contributing to key debates in political theory and related fields.