We live in the Anthropocene — a term made from two Greek words: “Anthropo” (human) and “cene” (new). It’s a name that fits, because the world we live in today is shaped, more than ever, by human actions over the past 200,000 years.
It’s hard to capture just how much has changed. Fossil fuels –– coal, oil, and gas –– are responsible for more than 75% of greenhouse gas emmissions, and they’re still part of our daily lives. From the car you drive, to the hot showers you take, to the fridge that keeps your snacks cool — fossil fuels power it all. Now think about that on the scale of a power plant.
Climate change is only a glimpse of a much bigger picture. In the Anthropocene, it’s marginalised communities — already dealing with the weight of inequality — who are most affected. These are people still living with the legacies of colonialism, exploitation, and injustice, and now they face rising seas, desertification, and collapsing ecosystems too.
So, when we talk about climate change, we’re not just talking about melting glaciers and warmer days. We’re talking about history, power, politics, and people. It’s a global issue that demands deeper understanding and bold, critical thinking to find real solutions.
SOAS is ranked 3rd in the UK for employer reputation, according to the QS World University Rankings 2024. Source: SOAS University of London
With that said, the time to mitigate climate change and its disproportionate impact on the Global South is now.
SOAS University of London understands this. In fact, it’s been part of the fight against inequality since its founding in 1916. Even then, it was recognised as a school that would swing to a different beat than the others. Today, it’s a rare institution centred on decolonial perspectives, bringing attention to the underrepresented voices of Asia, Africa, and the Middle East.
Its Department of Anthropology and Sociology is shaping a more just and sustainable world one programme at a time. It’s sixth in the UK, and 19th in the world for anthropology, according to the QS World University Rankings 2024. That’s a guarantee of quality; a department that delivers to you an education that’s research-led and cutting-edge. Experts rich with specialist knowledge in their fields conduct classes rooted in discussion and debate, with an international community to boot.
The department runs one of the most consequential master’s degrees today: MA Anthropology of Global Futures and Sustainability. Climate change is central to this MA. Students develop their own ideas abouthe degrading environment through theoretical and ethical debates. They question topics across activism, political economy, feminist ecologies of care, development, and more within the context of the environmental crisis. They analyse historical antecedents and contemporary developments that have shaped today’s era of destruction.
“We can’t limit it to the environment. But talking about the environment allows us to talk about inequality, capitalism, global commodity trades, all of these things,” says Dr. Alice Rudge, a lecturer in Anthropology. “And it’s thinking about the environment in this broader and more political way that shapes what we do in the MA programme that I convene.”
Students have access to the SOAS Library, which houses over 1.2 million volumes and archival holdings — making it a prime place for research. Source: SOAS University of London
That depth of learning puts you on the path of becoming an engaged global citizen, reaching for an improved world. Just look at their students. Tasmin Jones explored how the Inuit — an Indigenous people whose ancestors have lived in Greenland, Russia, Alaska, and Canada — view the world around them. For the Inuit, humans and nature are part of an interconnected, intelligent system.
But here’s the thing: the climate threats affecting their way of life often go unheard. In many global conversations, the voices of Indigenous communities get overlooked, and climate change is still treated like a “Western” issue. Work like Jones’ helps bring those missing stories to the forefront — and reminds us that solving climate challenges means listening to those who’ve been protecting the planet for generations.
Then there’s Sara Naseem, who exposes the truth of tourism in the Maldives. Behind the luxurious adverts painting beautiful resorts against the rush of ocean waves, there’s an industry plagued by eroded beaches, the exploitation of resort workers, social inequality, and more. You have Tara Breuer questioning whether the B Corp certification is just another form of greenwashing in corporate business, and Zainab Mahdi, who studied the threat of water scarcity on the Indigenous minority in Iraq, the Mandaeans.
If these are the types of topics you’d like to make a difference in, then the programme’s got you covered. In one year of full-time or two to three years of part-time study, you’ll build the critical skills to navigate an unpredictable climate and future. The curriculum is can be customised to your goals. Students complete 180 credits of core and optional courses. Core modules tackle five core elements: sustainability, climate change, ethnographic research methods, and a 10,000-word research dissertation. Students can also choose from a wide range of guided and optional modules reflecting important empirical and theoretical issues in field from across SOAS departments – including the option to take an internship or work experience for credit. Languages from SOAS’s key regions are also available as option modules for students enrolled on the programme.
The classes are kept mid-sized, with seminars running for an hour with maximum 20 students. You’ll engage with students from around the world, share different perspectives, and work on practical exercises, hands-on projects, essays, and presentations. You’ll get real-world input in abundance too — through guest lectures from leading anthropologists, and eye-opening trips to environment-related exhibitions.
If you’d like to contribute to environmental justice and amplify the voices of marginalised groups in the process, then check out the MA Anthropology of Global Futures and Sustainability today.
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