Teaching

As a result of dramatic economic and social changes over recent years, the study of inequality has rapidly developed as one of the most important areas of inter-disciplinary social scientific study.

The MSc Inequalities and Social Science is a comprehensive and wide-ranging programme, providing an introduction to a range of interdisciplinary approaches to the social scientific analysis of inequality. The MSc programme, co-organised by the International Inequalities Institute and LSE's Department of Sociology, includes expertise from leading academics across LSE, giving students the opportunity to study inequalities from a wide range of perspectives.

A limited number of fully-funded places on the MSc are available to successful applicants of the Atlantic Fellows for Social and Economic Equity Programme (AFSEE). AFSEE is an innovative Fellowship bringing together policy-makers, activists and movement-builders from around the world to explore and challenge the root causes of inequality.

Programme Director: Dr Sam Friedman

See here for information on the programme and how to apply.

Read about our MSc students' experiences and graduate destinations.

Atlantic Fellows for Social and Economic Equity (AFSEE) is a fully-funded programme that brings together mid-career activists, policy-makers, movement-builders and social change leaders from around the world to the LSE to work across disciplines and borders to understand and address the root causes of inequality.

Our fellowship programme includes Residential Fellows and Non-Residential Fellows. Residential Fellows will undertake a full-time, one-year MSc in Inequalities and Social Science at LSE, in addition to particpating in the four AFSEE Modules. Non-Residential Fellows are offered a unique opportunity to investigate inequalities over a period of 12 to 18 months via a set of distinct, comprehensive AFSEE Modules, and practice-based project work.

Find out more about the Atlantic Fellows for Social and Economic Equity programme.

Applications for the sixth cohort of Atlantic Fellows for Social and Economic Equity are now open and will close on 10 January 2022. Apply here.

For 2021 entry, LSE is offering a minimum of three new prestigious studentships for PhD study in a Department whose research addresses 'Analysing and Challenging Inequalities'.

Students will apply to specific Departments and will also be affiliated to LSE’s International Inequalities Institute. They  will be part of a dynamic research culture exploring the links between the economic dimensions of inequalities with their social, cultural and political aspects to systematically assess whether and how inequalities might be hardening in mutually reinforcing ways.

As well as being supervised by experts in their home Departments, they be actively mentored by a group of leading scholars who all have outstanding records of research on escalating inequalities. 

Further guidance for applicants: LSE PhD Studentships on 'Analysing and Challenging Inequalities'

There are three previous cohorts of students already funded by the Leverhulme Trust and three previous cohorts of LSE-funded ‘Analysing and Challenging Inequalities’ developing research on this theme. 

Deadline for application is 14th January 2021

Due to the late advertising of the awards for 2021, applicants who have already submitted their applications to Departments and would like to be considered for these awards should contact their Department to notify them of their interest and submit a statement explaining how their research relates to inequalities as indicated in the notes for applicants.

Each academic department will stipulate their own application deadlines.

Applications must make reference to where their research will fit into the theme of 'Analysing and Challenging Inequalities'.

Selection process

The relevant academic departments are invited to select candidates who fit the research theme and nominate them to be considered.

Nomination process

Departments nominate candidates using the application for admission. When nominating students, departments will need to appraise the applicant for outstanding merit and research potential.

Nominations must be made via a nomination form and be returned to the Financial Support Office by the deadline. They will then be processed in order to be considered by the specialist Postgraduate Research Awards Panel.

Responsibility for selecting recipients for these awards will fall to specialist Postgraduate Research Awards Panel. The Panel will make the awards purely on the basis of academic merit and research potential. 

These awards are for intended for new applicants only. The Panel will not consider any continuing students.

The III Doctoral Seminar is an interdisciplinary seminar for students holding "Analysing and Challenging Inequality” (ACI) Scholarships, alongside a select group of doctoral students from across the School with funding from other sources who are also working in the area of inequalities. All ACI scholarship holders are expected to attend, and applications are invited from any other enrolled MPhil or PhD students from across LSE, regardless of year of study.

The seminar is a forum for the exchange of ideas and for discussion of research questions and methods across a School-wide community of (junior and more senior) researchers interested in inequality, its causes, and consequences. It brings together people working in disciplines such as economics, political science and political economy, sociology, anthropology, law, philosophy, and psychology. The overarching aim of the programme is to increase our understanding of the mechanisms that link the economic dimensions of inequality with their social, cultural and political context.  The programme is led by Professor Francisco Ferreira, Amartya Sen Chair in Inequality Studies and Director of III and Dr Luna Glucksberg, Research Fellow at III.

Seminar Structure

There will be 10 fortnightly seminars over the course of the academic year. Early in Michaelmas Term (MT) the seminars will combine informal teaching and discussion. Leading III researchers including Prof Francisco Ferreira, Prof Mike Savage, Prof Alpa Shah and Prof David Soskice will present their perspectives on different methodological approaches to the study of inequality, and interdisciplinary discussion will be strongly encouraged. The seminars provide a great opportunity to meet III researchers in person and connect with like-minded peers. All cohorts of the doctoral programme are invited to the MT seminars.

In the latter part of Michaelmas, and during Lent Term, the seminars will be based on student presentations. Pre-arranged peer discussants and guest faculty will be at hand to comment. We will begin with presentations from students in the later years of their PhD programme, and gradually offer opportunities for second and first-year students to present early work or preliminary research ideas. Being a cross-departmental seminar, these sessions should be seen as an opportunity to receive friendly and constructive feedback from a broad range of peers and established scholars.

The fortnightly seminars will take place on Thursdays at 12.00-2pm in the PhD Academy teaching room. The first session will take place on Thursday 7th of October. 

How to apply

To apply, candidates are invited to write a statement of no more than one page explaining how their plans for doctoral studies link to the concerns of the III Doctoral Seminar.

Candidates will also need to obtain the support of their supervisors who need to write no more than two sentences of support.

Applications and all enquiries should be directed to Dr Luna Glucksberg at l.glucksberg@lse.ac.uk . The deadline for applications is Tuesday 5th October 2021.  

Please note that becoming part of this cohort means that you continue to be based in your home Departments - it entails that in addition to all normal Departmental expectations you have the opportunity of Cross-Departmental support and engagement, but must commit to attending the Thursday lectures in the first year. 

Read about current doctoral students participating in the programme here.