Anthropology and International Relations

Anthropology and International Relations at Aberdeen is a great partnership, exploring what it means to ‘be human’ within the context of understanding how organisations, states and governments interact in an ever-changing global and economic context. You will gain the unique insights, perspective and skills to understand the issues, challenges and opportunities of the world today, opening up a range of very exciting career options.

Anthropology will give you a thorough grounding in humanity, the differences in human cultures and communities and how they have developed. You will gain insights into behaviours, beliefs and attitudes all over the world, exploring connections between aspects of life such as family, economics, politics and religion. International Relations will set this in the context of our fast-moving world, as you study how organisations work, how states interact, the connection between global wealth and poverty, why and how we have inequality in our world and the ever-present concerns of conflict and peace.

You will be taught by internationally renowned academics with strong track records in publishing international papers and articles and who appear regularly in the media, analysing and explaining world events from the viewpoint of their own area of expertise and research. You will gain the perfect foundation for a wide range of careers, including local and national government, politics, journalism, NGOs, global business and international development.

Anthropology at Aberdeen is ranked 6th in the UK by the Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2023.
Anthropology at Aberdeen is ranked 3rd in the UK for overall student satisfaction in the 2022 National Student Survey.
We are ranked 4th in the UK for International Relations and 8th in the UK for Politics by the Guardian University Guide 2023.