School of Social and Political Science

Research interests

Welcome!

I'm Andrew Neal, Professor of International Security. When I'm not researching or teaching, you'll often find me cycling around Edinburgh's beautiful (if hilly) countryside.

Working with PhD Students and Collaborators

I warmly welcome enquiries from prospective PhD students and researchers interested in critical security studies. I'm particularly excited to work with students and collaborators who want to engage with our groundbreaking National Security and Defence Documents Dataset - there are countless fascinating questions waiting to be explored in this rich collection of materials.

My approach to supervision emphasises regular engagement, collaborative thinking, and supporting students to develop their own academic voice. The dataset offers unique opportunities for innovative research in areas such as:
- How states communicate about security
- The evolution of security threats over time
- Regional patterns in security discourse
- The relationship between economic status and security priorities
- The emergence and spread of non-traditional security threats

Current Research

I lead a major project that has created what may be the largest database of national security and defence documents ever assembled. The National Security and Defence Documents Dataset (1987-2024) contains 607 documents from 119 countries, offering unprecedented insights into how states articulate their security priorities.

What makes this dataset special is its comprehensive scope and accessibility:
- All documents are machine-readable with translations where needed
- Rich metadata covering around 50 different variables
- Sophisticated semantic search capabilities
- Cloud-based computing platform for collaborative research
- Open access through the University of Edinburgh

Our analysis has revealed fascinating patterns, such as the shift from traditional military threats to non-traditional security challenges, and striking differences between Global North and South approaches to security. The dataset has been supported by multiple funders including the Scottish Council on Global Affairs, the BA/Leverhulme Small Research Grants, and the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office.

Research Interests

My work bridges critical security studies with practical political questions. I'm particularly interested in:
- How security policy has become more open and public since the Cold War
- The evolution of security discourse and threat perceptions
- Parliamentary approaches to security
- The politics of securitization
- Scotland's security landscape

My recent book "Security as Politics: Beyond the State of Exception" (Edinburgh University Press, 2019) explores these themes in depth.

Teaching and Collaboration

I teach international security and international relations theory, bringing theoretical insights into conversation with contemporary challenges. I'm an active member of the security studies community, serving on the editorial board of Security Dialogue and maintaining strong international connections through visiting positions at the Universities of Copenhagen, Melbourne, Australian National University, and Queensland.

Get in Touch

I'm always keen to discuss research ideas with prospective students and collaborators. Whether you're interested in working with our security documents dataset or exploring other areas of security studies, please feel free to email me. I particularly welcome enquiries from PhD candidates who want to contribute to this exciting field. 

Keywords: International security, War on terror, Discourse theory, Sociological theory, Political theory, UK, Britain, Critical theory, Critical security studies, Securitisation, Constructivism, Poststructuralism, Scotland