Research areas
Ali Watson was made Professor of International Relations in 2008 and has been Managing Director of the award-winning Third Generation Project since co-founding it in 2016. Originally trained as a macroeconomist at the University of Dundee, Ali's focus in teaching and research is based around an examination of the rights of marginalised actors and communities. This includes a specific focus on the place of children in the international system, where Ali's work has been described as 'foundational', and upon education and child welfare practices; as well as over a decade identifying, documenting and examining the impact of historic injustices on marginalised communities. Related to this, since 2013 Ali has been co-developing, with Ben Collins (University of Aberdeen), a research and teaching approach focused upon 'doing IR differently' working to unpack and then challenge the ways in which academia reinforces existing structural power relations, including with projects based in North America and East Africa. This work has been funded by the British Academy, National Geographic, the Global Challenges Research Fund, and the Sir Halley Stewart Trust, amongst others.
In 2016, Collins and Watson created the Third Generation Project (TGP), a think tank that focuses upon social and climate justice education. In addition to working directly with community partners, TGP specialises in developing student community engagement initiatives. This work has been recognised nationally and internationally by the UK Green Gown Awards 2021 (Student Engagement: Winner), the International Green Gown Awards 2022 (Student Engagement: Highly Commended); and the MacJannet Prize for Global Citizenship 2021 (Finalist) and 2024 (Honourable Mention).
Having grown up in an economically and socially deprived area of Aberdeen, Ali recognises the importance of educational opportunity, and works to create inclusive and supportive learning environments, whether in the classroom or beyond. In 2019 Ali was awarded an OBE for Services to Education.
PhD supervision
- Sagha Ahmed
- Iliana Ilieva
Selected publications
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Watson, A. M. S., 13 May 2025, In: Critical Studies on Security. 13, 2, 4 p.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Comment/debate
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Open access
Collins, B. & Watson, A., 1 Oct 2024, In: Journal of International Political Theory. 20, 3, p. 296-308 13 p.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
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Watson, A. M. S. & Collins, B., 9 Nov 2023, Children, childhoods, and global politics. Beier, J. M. & Berents, H. (eds.). Bristol: Bristol University Press, p. 210-224 16 p.
Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter
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Open access
Collins, B. & Watson, A., 1 Feb 2023, In: The International Journal of Human Rights. 27, 2, p. 380-402 23 p.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
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Watson, A. M. S., 14 Jun 2020, Discovering Childhood In International Relations. Beier, M. (ed.). Palgrave Macmillan, p. 243-261 19 p.
Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter
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Open access
Climate Change and Marginalised Communities Workshop Contributors, 2020, In: Scottish Geographical Journal. 136, 1-4, p. 41-48 8 p.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
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Open access
Watson, A., 6 May 2019, In: Peace and Conflict Studies Journal. 26, 1, 3.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
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Watson, A. M. S., Collins, B. & Ochalla, N., 2017, The Indigenous World. IWGIA
Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter
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Collins, B. & Watson, A. M. S., 29 Dec 2017, Ethnographic peace research: approaches and tensions. Millar, G. (ed.). Cham: Palgrave Macmillan, p. 89-113 25 p. (Rethinking peace and conflict studies).
Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter
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Collins, B. & Watson, A. M. S., 2016, The Palgrave Handbook of Disciplinary and Regional Approaches to Peace. Palgrave Macmillan, p. 206-219
Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter