Interview with Professor Jason Ralph on teaching international relations

Professor Jason Ralph has been featured in a new interview with Teach IR, where he reflects on his teaching philosophy and the objectives that guide his approach to teaching International Relations.

Drawing on years of experience of teaching in the School of Politics and International Studies, Professor Ralph highlights that supporting students in achieving strong academic results is not at odds with inspiring deeper, long-term engagement with the subject. Instead, he sees it as the essential starting point for helping them develop curiosity, confidence, and a meaningful connection to the discipline.

He goes on to discuss the need to help students engage critically with a discipline that is continually reshaped by global developments. As he puts it:

...recent developments once again illustrate how students must be equipped with the skills to understand how their world is changing from the one that gave them the subject matter of the discipline. We must talk about the subject matter as a living and evolving organism and help students understand the processes of change. In that context, an education that encourages critical thinking and a commitment to sympathetic dialogue is crucial to maintaining the social cohesion of associated living. 

You can read the full interview here.

Professor Jason Ralph has taught International Relations at the University of Leeds since 1998 and is currently the Director of the MA International Relations programme.

Teach IR is a pro‑bono initiative dedicated to improving the teaching of International Relations (IR). According to its website, Teach IR “ignites excellence in International Relations teaching through interviews that spark critical dialogues, unite global educators, and shape innovative pedagogical practice.”

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