Alex Colas

Professor Alex Colas is a Professor of International Relations at Birkbeck, University of London, within the School of Social Sciences' Department of Politics. He joined from Sussex University in 2003 and holds administrative roles including Director for Postgraduate Research Students and Undergraduate Dissertation Coordinator.

His education includes a Politics degree from Bristol University, followed by an MA and PhD in International Relations from the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE). He directs the MSc programs in International Security and Global Governance and Food, Politics and Society. His teaching focuses on Global Politics, Food Systems, and historical transformations in global politics.

Research interests include Food Politics, Empire/Imperialism, International Historical Sociology, and Geopolitics. His work spans journals like International Affairs, Review of International Studies, and European Journal of International Relations. He has published books on topics such as capitalism’s maritime dimension and food systems.

Recent publications emphasize colonialism’s impact on political structures and maritime capitalism. He has supervised 9 current doctoral students researching food security, imperialism, and social movements. His 2024 work analyzes the Spanish Civil War through colonial lenses, while 2023 studies maritime temporalities and capitalism.

He coordinates the Isaac and Tamara Deutscher Prize Committee and has advised on projects ranging from Benin’s food policies to Moroccan sovereignty debates. His research bridges historical materialism with contemporary global issues.