Professor William Brown

Professional biography

Dr Brown has published in the field of International Relations with a particular focus on Africa, and on the international politics of development co-operation and aid. Dr Brown was a founder of the British International Studies Association (BISA) Africa and International Studies Working Group.

His current research explores the international relations of African development. This includes recent work on UK policy towards Africa, in particular on UK Labour Party policy (‘Labour, international development and Africa: rethinking policy in opposition’, in Beswick, et al (eds) Britain and Africa in the twenty first-century MUP (2019)) and a book chapter (‘Navigating uneven and combined development: Britain’s Africa policy in historical perspective’) in Alex Anievas and Kamran Matin’s (2106) edited volume Historical Sociology and World History. Dr Brown also contributed to a special issue of Third World Thematics on Frederick Cooper’s concept of ‘gatekeeper states’ (‘Still one size fits all: U&C Development and African gatekeeper states’ Third World Thematics 3(3) 2018).

Other work has focussed on the issue of sovereignty in aid relations ('Sovereignty Matters' African Affairs, April 2013) and African agency. The latter work included the book, African Agency in International Politics co-edited with Sophie Harman (Routledge, 2013) and article 'A Question of Agency: Africa in International Politics' Third World Quarterly 33(10) 2012.

Past research has included theoretical work ('Africa and international relations: a comment on anarchy and statehood' Review of International Studies vol.32 no.1 2006) as well as contemporary political developments (such as 'The Commission for Africa: results and prospects for the west's Africa policy.' Journal of Modern African Studies vol.44 no.3 2006). He has written in particular on aid relations between UK/EU and Africa including the article 'Reconsidering the Aid relationship: International Relations and Social Development' which appeared in a special issue of the journal The Round Table (vol.98, no.402, 2009) which he co-edited. He is also author of a history of European Union relations with Africa: The European Union and Africa: restructuring north-south relations (IB Tauris 2002).

PhD supervision

William Brown's areas of possible PhD supervision include Africa's international relations; relations between western aid donors and Africa.

A repository of research publications and other research outputs can be viewed at The Open University's Open Research Online.

Dr Brown has contributed over many years to the OU’s teaching in Politics and International Studies. He led the production of the new level 3 module DD313: International Relations: continuity and change in global politics which won the BISA Excellence in Teaching International Studies prize in 2016. He was centrally involved in the creation of its predecessor, A World of Whose Making? for which he co-edited the module books Making the International and Ordering the International (Polity Press 2004) and was qualification director for International Studies for ten years. He has contributed to numerous other modules including DD316 Modern Political Ideas and DD319 International Environmental Policy; TD223 International Development; DD306 Living Political Ideas; and DU311 Earth in Crisis? for which he co-edited the module book Environmental Issues and Responses.