Our inspirational graduates, if you decide to join Durham University, you’ll be in good company.
SGIA 2017 graduate Amarvir Singh Bal founded the ‘Dimova-Cookson award for academic excellence in social criticism’.
A £100 scholarship is awarded to a third-year student taking the module SGIA 3291 ‘Theories of Liberty’ who demonstrates academic excellence (one of the highest grades across both summative assessments) and effectively engages with the topic of racial or colonial oppression, as detailed in the 5 Critical Points summative assessment. Students are encouraged to explore the historical context of modern ideas of liberty, particularly as they relate to concepts such as "civilising missions," development, progress, and empire.
The winner of this scholarship should challenge the silencing of diverse perspectives inherent in a Eurocentric conception of liberty.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The winner of the ‘Dimova-Cookson award for academic excellence in social criticism’ for 2025-26 is the SGIA finalist Georgios Michaelides.
Georgios commented:
‘The Dimova-Cookson Award is more than a recognition of academic excellence; it is a meaningful commitment to shedding light on diversity. Amidst a status quo shaped by a Eurocentric conception of liberty, it is of high significance that the module Theories of Liberty encourages students to read between the lines, question established narratives and, through their writing, amplify the voices of those who have been traditionally silenced.
This would not have been possible without the unwavering support and guidance of Professor Dimova-Cookson, whose teaching has consistently encouraged us to develop a critical stance on prevailing socio-political ills. I am deeply grateful for her mentorship and incredibly honoured to have received this award.’
The previous winners of the award are Hannah Withey (2020-21), Oliver Barber (2021-22), Ellen Fasham (2023-24), and Alfie Baxter and Hannah Ord (2024-25).
I loved the fact that I could tailor my degree to exactly what I wanted to do. The flexibility of the course has been a great step in my pursuit of a career in research.
The range of topics covered is both challenging and exciting, with sizeable reading lists to sink your teeth into. The highlight for me has been both the approachability and friendliness of the staff, who have always been more than happy to go into more detail and point me in the right direction for further study.
See below for testimonies from a diverse selection of our brilliant Alumni speaking about their experiences with us. These include students who studied with us through a number of different programmes.
Connect with us to find out more about admissions, placements and postgraduate research.
School of Government and International AffairsDurham UniversityAl-Qasimi BuildingElvet Hill RdDurham DH1 3TUPhone: +44 (0)191 334 5656
/filters:quality(70)/prod01/prodbucket01/media/durham-university/departments-/school-of-government-amp-int-affairs/71563-(1).jpg)