Dr Stephen Hurt

BSc, MSc, PhD (Warwick)

Reader in International Relations

School of Law and Social Sciences

Role

Stephen is Reader in International Relations and Programme Director for the MA Degrees in International Relations and the MA in International Security. He joined the Department in September 2003. He lectures on international development and South African politics.

Teaching and supervision

Modules taught

Undergraduate

  • INRL6008: Global Development, Justice and Sustainability (Global Development pathway) (level 6)
  • POLI6011: South African Politics: From Apartheid to Democracy (level 6)

Postgraduate

  • INRL7003: International Development
  • INRL7017: International Development (DL)

Supervision

Stephen has supervised the following PhD students to completion:

  • Duncan Green 'Active Citizens and Effective States: Definitions and Interactions - A Critical Review' (2010, PhD by Publication)
  • Miguel Otero-Iglesias 'The Euro vs. the Dollar in the Political Economy of Global Monetary Governance: Perceptions from the Financial Elites in China, the GCC and Brazil' (2011)
  • Abilene Pitt 'New Forms of Power in the World Bank's Post-Washington Consensus Development Policies: Understanding the application of the Comprehensive Development Framework to context specific lending strategies for Argentina 2000-2010' (2016)
  • Kavi Thakore 'Exploring Liberal Cosmopolitan Paths towards Global, Regional and
    National Financial Regulation (2008-2018): The Case of the European Union Financial
    Transactions Tax (EUFTT)' (2022)

He is keen to supervise promising research students and would particularly welcome projects on South African Politics, South African Foreign Policy, European Union Development and Trade Policy and UK-Africa Relations post-Brexit.

Research Students

Name Thesis title Completed
Kavi Thakore ‘Cosmopolitan’ Financial Transaction Tax 2022

Research

Stephen has broad research interests in critical international political economy and development, especially with regard to Africa. More specific interests are in the political economy of post-apartheid South Africa, the trade and development policies of the European Union and UK-Africa trade policy post-Brexit.

Research grants and awards

  • 2013-16 Economic and Social Research Council, Co-Investigator, Seminar Series on 'British Africa policy after Labour: Coalition, austerity, continuity and change'. Awarded £26,956 (Ref: ES/L000725/1).
  • 2006 British Academy, Overseas Conference Grant to attend the International Studies Association 45th Annual Convention in San Diego. Awarded £500 (Ref: OCG-41945).

Research impact

In December 2017 Stephen submitted written evidence to the House of Commons International Trade Select Committee’s ‘Continuing application of EU trade agreements after Brexit’ inquiry. View the final report of this inquiry.

In October 2019 Stephen submitted written evidence to the House of Lords International Relations and Defence Select Committee's 'The UK and Sub-Saharan Africa - prosperity, peace and development co-operation' inquiry. View the final report of this inquiry.

In January 2020, Stephen co-organised a parliamentary symposium, which was attended by over 160 participants including parliamentarians, policymakers, academics and a range of stakeholders from the UK and Africa. Following the symposium, he has produced a Policy Briefing for the All Party Parliamentary Group for Africa which outlines the challenges and opportunities for UK-African trade after Brexit and concludes with a series of policy recommendations.

In January 2022, Stephen was invited to give expert comment to a meeting organised by the European Economic and Social Committee on its draft opinion on ‘A new framework for free trade agreements, economic partnership agreements and investment agreements that guarantees the real involvement of civil society organisations and the social partners and ensures public awareness’.

In February 2022, Stephen submitted written evidence to the House of Commons International Trade Select Committee’s ‘UK trade approach towards developing countries’ inquiry.  This evidence was cited a number of times in the Committee's letter sent in November 2022 to the Secretary of State for International Trade.

Projects

Publications

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Professional information

Memberships of professional bodies

Stephen is a member of the International Studies Association, British International Studies Association, Political Studies Association, Chatham House, Royal African Society and the African Studies Association of the UK.
Stephen is also a member of the Centre for Global Politics, Economy and Society and takes an
active role in the work of its International Political Theory research group.

Areas of expertise

Trade and development, post-Brexit UK trade, labour rights, civil society, EU Free Trade
Agreements. Stephen is a member of The Trade and Public Policy Network.

Other experience

Consultancy

Reviewer for LSE Public Policy Group of Special Reports published by the European Court of Auditors on development policy issues (2009, 2010, 2012).

Further details

Stephen was interviewed live on BBC Radio Oxford on 1 July 2005 about the forthcoming G8 Summit in Gleneagles. In November 2010 Stephen was interviewed for the World Politics Review website about EU-South Africa relations. In March 2014 he took part in a discussion on EU trade and development policy for Radio Študent who are based in Ljubljana, Slovenia.

In the summer of 2017 he was interviewed for a series of podcasts on Post-Brexit trade scenarios published by the Trade Justice Movement. Stephen's contribution to this series was focused on trade, development, and the EU's free trade agreements with countries in the global south.

In January 2020 Stephen was interviewed live on Sky News TV about the UK-Africa Invesment Summit.

Further information