Institute of Commonwealth Studies (ICWS)

Description

The Institute of Commonwealth Studies (ICWS) is the sole postgraduate academic institution in the United Kingdom dedicated to the examination of the Commonwealth and its member states.

It proudly houses the longest-running interdisciplinary and practice-oriented human rights programme in the UK. In addition to its esteemed historical research, the Institute focuses on the pressing challenges faced by Commonwealth states and societies, offering well-founded policy recommendations to address contemporary issues.

Founded in 1949 and now part of the School of Advanced Study at the University of London, the Institute sits at the crossroads of research, policy, human rights practice and international relations. Its aim is to lead impactful research, education and collaboration on challenges to strengthen democracy, human rights, and the rule of law in the modern Commonwealth and globally.

The Institute has four research clusters: Environmental justice and climate breakdown; Minorities, Indigenous Peoples and Stateless Persons; Multilateralism and international law; and Rule of law for human rights and development. Its Library is an international resource with particularly strong Caribbean, Southern African and Australian holdings, with over 190,000 volumes and 230 archival collections.

Currently active

Yes

Offers funding

No, this infrastructure does not provide funding.

Founding year

1949

Contact details

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Categorisation

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University affiliation(s)

University of London
London

Partner Infrastructures

Institute of Philosophy (IP), School of Advanced Study

The Institute of Philosophy is a member institute of the School of Advanced Study at the University of London. It was established in 2005 through a generous private donation and matching funding from … read more about Institute of Philosophy (IP), School of Advanced Study

London

Minority Rights Solidarity Network

The network composes of a group of academics and practitioners working in the field of minority rights (in different ways and in different disciplines). Many but not all of them are currently based in… read more about Minority Rights Solidarity Network

Brighton

Additional Partnerships

Commonwealth Secretariat, UK; Commonwealth Lawyers Association, UK; International Commission of Jurists, Switzerland; Global Campaign to Decriminalise Poverty and Status, International; GLOBALCIT observatory of citizenship law and practice, Italy; Institute on Statelessness and Inclusion, Netherlands; Bhalisa network, South Africa; Tom Lantos Institute, Hungary; Ludovika University of Public Service, Hungary