Stephen Burman is Professor of American Politics and History at the University of Sussex. He was an undergraduate at Cambridge University where he received a BA in Economics. He did his graduate work at Oxford University and gained a Masters in Sociology and a Doctorate in Politics. He has worked at Sussex since 1980 and has taught a wide range of interdisciplinary courses. He was formerly the Dean of Humanities at Sussex and is now leader of the University Research Theme in International Security.

Burman’s research interests include US domestic politics where his work has focussed on questions of race and ethnicity. His book on this subject, The Black Progress Question: Explaining the African-American Predicament, was awarded the Myers Center Prize for outstanding work in the field of human rights.

His main research interest is in US foreign policy. His work has concentrated on the changing character of American hegemony, particularly since the end of the cold war. His book, America in the Modern World: The Transcendence of US Hegemony, explores this subject and his most recent book, The State of the American Empire, continues this work.

His interests also include policy implications of research and this has led him to work with the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office. He is currently working on secondment at the Foreign Office as Senior Analyst for the USA. He covers all aspects of US foreign policy, with a primary focus on the transatlantic relationship.