Dr Robin Archer

Robin Archer teaches political sociology at LSE, and is the director of the postgraduate programme in that subject. His first degree was in physics, mathematics and philosophy at Sydney University where he received the University Medal. A Commonwealth Scholarship enabled him to come to England to do a DPhil in politics at Balliol College, Oxford. Prior to coming to LSE, he taught political sociology, comparative government and political theory for over a decade at Oxford University, where he was the Fellow in Politics at Corpus Christi College.

Key expertise: Labour movements, Labour politics, Social movements

The study of labour movements and labour politics are a central focus of Robin's research interests. In addition, he has a longstanding and continuing interest in a wide range of other social movements, in questions of social and political philosophy (particularly questions concerning liberalism, socialism, freedom and democracy), in questions of comparative political economy (particularly concerning industrial relations, and the development of welfare states), in questions of political culture (particularly those concerning the impact of liberal, racial and religious ideas), and in the effects of political institutions. He has specialist knowledge of a range of European countries, as well as of India, Australia, and, especially, the United States.

Robin is currently working on new projects in two general areas. The first concerns the roots of American political culture, and the second concerns the future of the left. He is also interested in exploring the potential of comparative and historical approaches to the study of politics and sociology.

Robin has been a Visiting Fellow at Princeton and Columbia Universities in the United States, at Sydney University in Australia, at the Jawaharlal Nehru University and Delhi University in India, and at the Institute for Human Sciences in Vienna. He has been invited to speak at many universities and research institutes in the United States, Europe, Australia, India and Africa, and has been commissioned to do research for international and government bodies, as well as for independent think tanks, in a number of countries.

Robin is part of the Politics and Human Rights research cluster.

Robin directs the MSc Political Sociology programme. He convenes courses on Political Sociology and Politics and Society.