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School of International Studies

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The_School_of_International_Studies_(SIS)_is_a_premier_institution_for_the_study_of_International_Relations_and_Area_Studies_in_the_country._Established_in_1955,_SIS_is_currently_celebrating_its_seventieth_anniversary_this_year._In_the_seven_decades_of_its_existence,_SIS_has_made_a_pioneering_contribution_to_promoting_the_study_of_International_Relations_and_Area_Studies_in_India_and_advancing_knowledge_and_understanding_of_international_affairs_through_theoretical_and_inter-disciplinary_lenses.

 

History:_Of_all_the_Schools_of_the_University,_SIS_lays_claim_to_the_longest_history_as_it_was_established_in_1955_as_the_Indian_School_of_International_Studies_(ISIS)._The_need_for_an_institution_devoted_to_the_study_of_international_and_global_developments_was_felt_in_the_early_post-independence_years_as_India_prepared_to_define_and_assert_its_position_in_the_global_system._The_Indian_Council_of_World_Affairs_(ICWA),_which_traced_its_roots_back_to_1943,_was_then_the_only_institution_in_the_country_concerned_with_analysing_foreign_affairs_and_it_recognized_the_need_to_foster_and_promote_the_study_and_interpretation_of_global_political,_social_and_economic_developments._A_committee_headed_by_Pandit_Hriday_Nath_Kunzru_recommended_the_setting_up_of_the_ISIS,_which_was_established_in_October_1955,_with_Dr_A._Appadorai_as_its_first_Director._While_it_was_affiliated_with_the_University_of_Delhi_in_its_initial_years,_ISIS_became_a_part_of_the_Jawaharlal_Nehru_University_(JNU)_in_June_1970_as_the_School_of_International_Studies_(SIS).

 

Academic_Programmes:_In_its_early_years,_the_only_degree_awarded_by_the_School_was_the_Ph.D._Soon_after_the_School_became_a_part_of_JNU,_the_M.Phil._curriculum_was_introduced_in_1971-72._In_the_following_academic_year_(1973-74),_the_School_started_offering_a_two-year_M.A._programme_in_Politics_(Specialization_in_International_Relations)._In_1995-96,_a_new_and_unique_M.A._programme_in_Economics_(Specialization_in_World_Economy)_was_introduced_by_the_erstwhile_Economics_Division_of_the_Centre_for_Studies_in_Diplomacy,_International_Law_&_Economics_–_now_the_Centre_for_the_Study_of_the_World_Economy_(formerly_Centre_for_International_Trade_and_Development)._A_third_M.A._programme_in_International_Relations_and_Area_Studies_was_introduced_in_the_academic_year_2016-17,_with_a_specialized_focus_on_Area_Studies._A_fourth_M.A._programme_in_International_Relations_-_West_Asian_Studies_has_been_introduced_in_the_academic_year_2025-26_by_the_Centre_for_West_Asian_Studies.

 

Each_of_these_courses_has_attracted_interest_from_students_all_over_the_country_and_abroad_and_every_year,_the_admission_process_has_become_increasingly_competitive._The_M.Phil._programme_was_discontinued_in_the_year_2021;_in_a_period_of_five_decades,_a_total_of_4,707_M.Phil._degrees_were_awarded_in_SIS._As_of_2024,_a_staggering_2,053_scholars_have_been_awarded_a_Ph.D_degree_in_SIS. 

 

Programmes_of_Study:_The_14_centres_of_SIS_include_five_functional_centres_and_nine_Area_Studies_centres:
Functional_Centres:
  • *_Centre_for_Comparative_Politics_and_Political_Theory
  • *_Centre_for_International_Legal_Studies
  • *_Centre_for_International_Politics,_Organization_&_Disarmament
  • *_Centre_for_the_Study_of_the_World_Economy_(formerly_Centre_for_International_Trade_and_Development)
  • *_Chattarpati_Shivaji_Maharaj_Centre_for_Security_&_Strategic_Studies
Area_Studies_Centres:
  • *_Center_for_African_Studies
  • *_Centre_for_the_Study_of_the_Americas_(formerly_Centre_for_Canadian,_US_and_Latin_American_Studies)
  • *_Centre_for_East_Asian_Studies
  • *_Centre_for_European_Studies
  • *_Centre_for_Indo-Pacific_Studies
  • *_Centre_for_Inner_Asian_Studies
  • *_Centre_for_Russian_and_Central_Asian_Studies
  • *_Centre_for_South_Asian_Studies
  • *_Center_for_West_Asian_Studies

 

 Additionally,_there_are_two_cross-cutting_thematic_study_programmes:
  • *_Human_Rights_Programme_(Integrated_with_the_Centre_for_International_Legal_Studies)
  • *_Energy_Studies_Programme_(Integrated_with_the_Centre_for_the_Study_of_the_World_Economy)

 

Faculty:_The_backbone_of_SIS_is_its_faculty,_whose_profiles_can_be_viewed_under_the_"Faculty"_tab._Faculty_members_of_the_School_have_contributed_to_the_advancement_and_dissemination_of_knowledge_in_International_Studies,_not_only_through_their_teaching_and_research_supervision_but_also_through_extensive_publications_and_engagement_with_public_policy._Besides,_the_School_faculty_are_sought_after_as_consultants_to_various_government_agencies_as_well_as_non-government_organisations_for_their_specialised_expertise._They_are_also_audible_and_visible_in_radio_discussions_and_television_programmes_on_subjects_relating_to_international_affairs. Activities:_The_School_as_well_as_its_Centres_hold_national_and_international_seminars_on_a_regular_basis_on_important_aspects_of_area_studies_and_international_relations._Annual_International_Studies_Conferences_have_been_organized_by_SIS_on_a_grand_scale,_bringing_together_the_International_Relations_community_(including_academics_as_well_as_practitioners)_across_the_country:
The_School_also_organizes_a_series_of_extension_lectures_every_year_–_the_"Hriday_Nath_Kunzru_Memorial_(Extension)_Lectures_on_International_Relations"_–_on_a_contemporary_theme._The_School_has_its_own_YouTube_Channel_and_it_has_a_robust_presence_on_the_social_media

 

Journal:_The_School_publishes_a_quarterly_journal_by_the_name_of_International_Studies._Founded_in_July_1959,_this_journal_has_acquired_an_international_standing_as_the_leading_Indian_academic_journal_in_the_field._It_publishes_original_research_articles_on_contemporary_issues_and_problems_as_well_as_theoretical_readings._Being_a_referred_journal,_it_attracts_contributions_not_only_from_SIS_faculty_and_other_Indian_universities/research_institutions_but_also_from_scholars_all_over_the_world.

 

 Prof._Amitabh_Mattoo
Dean
School_of_International_Studies
Jawaharlal_Nehru_University
New_Delhi-110067
011-26704328,_26742592
amattoo@mail.jnu.ac.in,_amitabh.mattoo@gmail.com,_dean_sis@jnu.ac.in