Research profile

The Research School of Social Sciences (RSSS) at The Australian National University is Australia’s major institution for theoretical and empirical research in the Social Sciences. The School has a very high national and international profile. This has been recognised in both international assessments of our disciplines, with both Philosophy and Political Science and International Relations being ranked in the top 20 Departments in the world. In addition, the academic staff within the School have received recognition within Australia and beyond. As such, we have two Federation Fellows, 17 members of the Academy of the Social Sciences of Australia and the Australian Academy of the Humanities and a number of academics who are members of prominent international Academies.

The Research School consists of four disciplinary Schools:

• the School of History;
• the School of Philosophy;
• the School of Political Science and International Relations; and the
• School of Sociology.

In addition, RSSS also hosts three multi-disciplinary centres:

• the Centre for Aboriginal Economic Policy Research;
• the Centre for Arab and Islamic Studies; and
• the Centre for Policy Innovation.

It is also the institutional location for the National Institute for Rural and Regional Australia.

Visiting Fellowships

RSSS hosts the largest program of international academic visitors in Australia across the Social Sciences. These visitors are from highly regarded institutions and pending 2013 visitors include:

• Professor Lawrence Peskin (Morgan State University) School of History
• Professor Paul Bartha (University of British Columbia) School of Philosophy
• Professor Ira Berlin (University of Maryland) School of History
• Professor Alison Light (Oxford University) School of History
• Professor Todd Donovan (Western Washington University) School of Politics & International Relations
• Professor Christopher Kam (University of British Columbia) School of Politics & International Relations
• Professor John Williams (University of Leeds) School of Philosophy
• Professor Anna Stilz (Princeton University) School of Philosophy
• Professor Catherine Lu (McGill University) School of Philosophy
• Professor Philippe Mongin (CNRS and HEC School of Management) School of  Philosophy
• Professor Scott Poynting (Manchester Metropolitan University) Centre for Arab & Islamic Studies
• Dr Robin Archer (London School of Economics) School of History
• Professor Bruce Jentleson (Duke University) School of Politics & International Relations
• Dr Caitlin Milazzo (University of Exeter) School of Politics & International Relations
• Dr Susan Schneider (University of Pennsylvania) School of Philosophy
• Dr Tahu Kukutai (University of Waikato) Centre for Aboriginal Economic Policy Research
• Dr Trude Lappegård (Statistics Norway, Research Department) Australian Demographic & Social Research Institute