Faculty of Social Sciences - Research and Expertise
Discover the research in our schools
Making a difference: Research with impact
Our research provides the evidence and inspiration for new policies and practices across the public, private and voluntary sectors. See how research from our four schools is making a positive impact on society, locally, nationally and globally.
Working across disciplines
Much of our research is interdisciplinary in outlook and collaborative in approach. We draw together experts from across the Faculty and the wider University, bringing social sciences expertise to bear on a wide range of pressing societal challenges.
Leeds Social Sciences Institute (LSSI)
LSSI supports researchers across the University, fostering interdisciplinary, developing collaborations with international partnerships and external stakeholders, and building research capacity.
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The Global Food and Environment Institute (GFEI)
Researchers in the Faculty of Social Sciences work through the GFEI, addressing the legal, sociological and political economy of food, tackling global challenges related to food and food production.
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Leeds Institute for Data Analytics (LIDA)
LIDA brings together researchers from various disciplines, including social and computer scientists, to raise the bar in standards of data quality, access, protection and interrogation.
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Leeds Arts and Humanities Research Institute (LAHRI)
LAHRI supports researchers across the arts and humanities, creating opportunities for collaboration and interdisciplinarity by supporting research projects, workshops, seminars and public events.
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The Centre for Disability Studies
The Faculty hosts the Centre for Disability Studies, an interdisciplinary research centre that brings together researchers from across the Faculty, united by their commitment to developing research and impact to help achieve equality and social justice for disabled people, globally.
ESRC Vulnerability & Policing Futures Research Centre
The Vulnerability & Policing Futures Research Centre, jointly led by the University of Leeds and University of York, is one of six Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) centres of excellence: the first of its kind dedicated to understanding how policing can better service the needs of vulnerable people.
Social Research Methods Centre
Social Research Methods Centre is a hub for sharing our diverse methods across the Faculty of Social Sciences. The centre runs monthly informal events, and provides a community for social scientists within the University to share ideas and discuss their work.
Research projects
Our research expertise is driving solutions to societal issues, shaping policy making and influencing our future. You can search and read all our impactful, innovative, multi-disciplinary projects in our Research directory.
Research and expert commentary on COVID-19
Covid-19 is accelerating existing societal inequalities. Researchers from the Schools of Education, Law, Politics and International Studies, and Sociology and Social Policy are helping to unravel the complex societal challenges posed by the pandemic.
They are contributing to evidence-based policy and offering expert opinion, through official channels and in the public sphere.
The Graduate School
The Graduate School supports the four schools in the Faculty to provide an excellent experience for postgraduate researchers in an interdisciplinary research environment. We work closely with staff in schools, to discuss and implement policies and initiatives in support of PhD researchers in the Faculty.
Visit our school pages for more information on research degree opportunities.