Politics in a changing world
Loughborough expert leads the way in a rapidly changing global political landscape
Geopolitics has rapidly emerged as a new focal point for research, teaching and impact at Loughborough, and students on our undergraduate Politics and International Relations courses have the opportunity to be taught directly by world-leading experts in this area.
Geopolitics research explores pressing contemporary political issues in the context of geographical space. This includes security studies and international relations but is a much broader endeavour than simply those two fields. Geopolitics involves the study of space across all spheres of domestic and international politics such as political economy, urban studies, gender studies, intelligence and strategy, and postcolonial studies.
Geopolitics expertise at Loughborough concentrates on the Arctic, Antarctica, and Middle East as three focal areas of research in line with the heightened interest in these spaces as the Poles melt and the Middle East quite literally hots up. Climate change, geography and politics are all connected more closely than at any other time in history.
Dr Duncan Depledge leads the geopolitics group at Loughborough jointly with Professor Caroline Kennedy-Pipe. After education at the University of Sheffield and Cambridge, Duncan built up a vast array of experience working with government, parliamentarians, think tanks, international organisations, and militaries.
This included working in Parliament with the All Party Parliamentary Group on the Polar Regions, acting as special adviser to the Defence Committee during its inquiry on UK Defence in the Arctic, contributing to the writing of NATO’s regional study on the Arctic out to 2050, and assisting Ambassador Jari Vilen with the drafting of the EU’s European Political Strategy Centre’s Strategic Note on EU Arctic Strategy.
All of this activity means that Duncan can use his research and activities to inform his undergraduate teaching. He teaches on the module War in the 21st Century which looks not only at the long war in Afghanistan but investigates the effects of climate change on war and the way in which heat and heat stress affects urban operations. Students on this module write policy briefs to problem solve issues such as how to protect civilians from conflict and how the UK can contribute to peacebuilding.
Ellen and Nikki both took the War in the 21st Century module as part of their undergraduate degrees. Being taught experts like Duncan is something that stood out in both of their university experiences.
Duncan is a great lecturer and seminar leader where he keeps all members of the group engaged and interested in such important topics. It is beneficial for students to be taught by academics like Duncan as their real life experience helps to narrow down larger topics to teach the most relevant and practical subcategories. Due to their expertise in their subjects, many academics will have real-world connections in their field and will be happy to help students maximise their career opportunities. For example, Duncan and other members of the team invited us regularly to Geopolitics and International Affairs webinars which were held by leading experts in the security field.
University isn’t just a place to be fed recycled old material. Given the pace at which the world is changing and developing, it is now more than even important to be as current as possible. Duncan’s passion for climate challenges in security really comes through in his teaching, and his ground-breaking research ensures that students gain real applicable knowledge and understanding of the world today.
To learn more about Duncan's recent research activity, and learn more about the latest developments in geopolitics, check out his Twitter account:
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