Personal profile
Biography
My work is oriented around the relationship between history and theory, with a particular interest in global historical sociology.
I apply this interest to the study of revolutions in three books: Anatomies of Revolution (2019), Negotiated Revolutions: The Czech Republic, South Africa and Chile (2005), and On Revolutions: Unruly Politics in the Contemporary World (2022), co-authored with Colin Beck, Mlada Bukavansky, Erica Chenoweth, Sharon Nepstad and Daniel Ritter.
I also apply my interest in history-theory to debates around global modernity, most notably in a book (co-authored with Barry Buzan) that charts the ways in which a range of important dynamics in contemporary international relations have their roots in the 19th century ‘global transformation’.
More details of my work can be found on my CV here.
Research interests
- Processes of radical change, especially revolutions.
- Historical Sociology, especially analysis of global modernity.
- International Relations theory, especially the relationship between history and IR.
Education/Academic qualification
International Relations, PhD, Negotiated Revolutions: The Czech Republic, South Africa and Chile, The London School of Economics and Political Science
Award Date: 30 Sept 2003
Research student supervision
- Registered to supervise
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Collaborations and top research areas from the last five years
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Introduction
Goddard, S. E., Lawson, G. & Sending, O. J., 2025, The Oxford Handbook of International Political Sociology. Goddard, S. E., Lawson, G. & Sending, O. J. (eds.). Oxford: Oxford University Press , p. 1-28 28 p.Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter › peer-review
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Revolutions are Back!
Lawson, G., 27 Nov 2025, In: American Journal of Sociology. 131, 3, p. 684-696 13 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Literature review › peer-review
Open Access -
The Oxford Handbook of International Political Sociology
Goddard, S. E. (Editor), Lawson, G. (Editor) & Sending, O. J. (Editor), 2025, Oxford: Oxford University Press . 912 p.Research output: Book/Report › Edited Book › peer-review
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Vision and method in global historical sociology
Go, J. & Lawson, G., May 2025, In: Social Science History. 49, 1, p. 203-228 26 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Review article › peer-review
Open Access4 Citations (Scopus) -
‘Looking back, looking around, looking forward : ANU’s Department of International Relations at 75’
Lawson, G., 2025, In: Australian Journal of International Affairs. 79, 1, p. 1-9 9 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Editorial › peer-review
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Women, Gender and Revolution in the Asia Pacific
Tanyag, M. (PI) & Lawson, G. (CoI)
13/08/21 → 31/12/22
Project: Research