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London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE)

Coat of Arms of the London School of Economics and Political Science (link) by London School of Economics and Political Science is licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 (link)
Website:

www.lse.ac.uk
Type:

U.K-based University
Formation:

1895
President and Vice Chancellor:

Larry Kramer
Location:

London, England

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The London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) is a university located in London, England, that is focused on social sciences. It has 29 academic departments and additional research centers with a student body of more than 12,000 full-time students from 146 countries as of the 2022-2023 academic season. 1

LSE has a Students’ Union and hosts several student-led campaigns such as The Decolonise Collective, Make LSE Queer Again, and the Climate Emergency Collective. 2 Activist students occupied The Marshall Building at LSE for a month in May 2024 to protest what they claimed were LSE’s ties to the State of Israel during the Israel-Hamas conflict that had followed attacks by the terror group Hamas against Israel on October 7, 2023. 3

Background

The London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) offers bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degree programs. 4 In September 2024, LSE earned the top ranking in The Times and the Sunday Times’ Good University Guide of top universities in the United Kingdom. 5

History

The London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) was founded in 1895 by Sidney Webb, his wife and social investigator Beatrice Webb, political scientist Graham Wallas, and writer George Bernard Shaw. They were all members of the Fabian Society, 6 a left-of-center think tank founded in 1884. 7 It was started with a £20,000 (approximately $2.8 million USD adjusted for inflation at October 2024 exchange rates) donation from fellow Fabian Henry Hunt Hutchinson, claiming the goal was to study the core causes of poverty while promoting equality of wealth and opportunity. 8

LSE offers courses on social sciences as well as economics and statistics. In 1900, LSE joined the University of London as a Faculty of Economics and in 2006 it gained the right to confer its own LSE degrees. 6 In May 2022, LSE obtained its own university status, while remaining a member of the University of London. 9

Organization

The London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) is registered as an exempt charity in the United Kingdom. The LSE Council is the governing body and is composed of 20 members, with Susan Liautaud serving as its chair. 10

The president and vice chancellor, Larry Kramer, has overall responsibility for the operations of the school and is accountable to the Council. The Academic Board and School Management Committee are his direct responsibility. 11

The school is organized into 29 academic departments and institutes. 12 It also possesses specific initiatives including the Centre for Climate Change Economics and Policy, the Centre for Analysis of Social Exclusion, and LSE Health. 13 The LSE Library is one of the largest libraries in Europe dedicated to the social sciences. The Arts Council England designated it the British Library of Political and Economic Science. 14

LSE has several fellowships including the Atlantic Fellows for Social and Economic Equity, established at the International Inequalities Institute at LSE. It is one of seven Atlantic Fellows programs established by the Atlantic Philanthropies founded by philanthropist Chuck Feeney “to produce significant long-lasting solutions to reduce inequities and advance a fairer, healthier, more inclusive world.” 15 16

Research Projects

The London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) has partnered with 5Rights Foundation (5RF) to develop Digital Futures for Children, a research project it claims is meant to collect data on digital literacy, online safety, and the impact of digital technologies on youth based on the United Nations’ Committee on the Rights of the Child general comment No. 25. 17

The Programme on Cohesive Capitalism is a project funded by the Open Society Foundations (OSF) to research economic models that “work for all citizens.” 18

As of September 2024, LSE is partnering with Google News Initiative to offer a grant program for small and medium-sized news organizations to experiment with AI tools and technologies, teach how to develop new solutions that incorporate AI, grow subscriptions, generate revenue, and fight misinformation. 19

Left-of-Center Activism

In 2020, the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) released an official statement of support for the Black Lives Matter protests. Student-led activist groups on campus include The Decolonise Collective, Make LSE Queer Again, and the Climate Emergency Collective. The LSE Students’ Union also runs activist campaigns on various left-of-center social-policy issues. 2

Funding

In the fiscal year ending in June 2023, London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) released a financial statement in which it reported a total income of approximately $628 million and total operating expenses of approximately $573 million. According to the statement, most of its income was from student tuition fees. Other sources of income included research grants, Funding Council grants, and donations and endowments. 20

Organizations that have provided funding to LSE have included the Open Society Foundations, the Ford Foundation, the Grantham Foundation for the Protection of the Environment, the John Templeton Foundation, Atlantic Philanthropies, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Bloomberg Philanthropies, the Post Carbon Institute, the Carnegie Corporation of New York, the Rockefeller Foundation, the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, the Commonwealth Fund, and the Laura and John Arnold Foundation. 21

Shaping the World is the London School of Economics and Political Science’s fundraising campaign. Its campaign goal is £750 million (approximately $981 million). Approximately $395 million had been raised as of September 2024. 22

Notable Students and Alumni

Christiana Figueres is a climate activist, serving as the executive secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change while founding the Centre for Sustainable Development in the Americas. 23

Ursula von der Leyen is the president of the European Commission, one of the governing institutions of the European Union. 24

Ben Rattray is the founder of Change.org, a website that hosts petitions such as one to make Juneteenth (June 19th) a national holiday, for U.S. Congress to distribute $2,000 monthly stimulus checks during the COVID-19 closings, and for student loan cancelation. 23 25 26

David Rockefeller was an investment banker, a philanthropist, and one of the founders of the Rockefeller Brothers Fund in 1940. 27 28

Billionaire philanthropist George Soros is the founder of the Open Society Foundations (OSF). He has previously donated to the campaigns of several Democratic presidential candidates including Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, and Joe Biden. Soros has also given money to several left-of-center organizations including  the Center for American Progress (CAP), MoveOn.org, and Human Rights Watch. 27 29

Juan Manuel Santos was a leader of the Colombian Liberal Party, co-founded the Social Party of National Unity, and served as President of Colombia from 2010 through 2018. 4

Eric Garcetti is served as the mayor of Los Angeles from 2013 to 2022. 4

LSE claims to have identified over 40 world leaders who attended the school as of 2024. 27

Leadership

Larry Kramer is the president and vice chancellor as of September 2024. Kramer was previously the president of the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation from 2012 to 2023. Beforehand, he was a law professor at the University of Chicago, the University of Michigan, and New York University, and served as the Dean of Stanford Law School. He previously clerked for U.S. Supreme Court Justice William Brennan. He has served as the board chair of iCivics and was a board member of the Silicon Valley Community Foundation, the ClimateWorks Foundation, Independent Sector, and Equal Justice Works. 30 31 32 33

Minouche Shafik previously served as president and vice chancellor of the school from 2017 until June 2023. Previously, she was deputy governor of the Bank of England, deputy managing director of the International Monetary Fund, permanent secretary of United Kingdom’s Department for International Development, and vice president of the World Bank. She has previously served on the boards of left-of-center organizations BRAC and the Gates Foundation. 34 35 In August 2024, Minouche Shafik resigned from her post as president of Columbia University following allegations she had failed to protect Jewish students on campus following pro-Palestinian protests and a rise in antisemitism following the October 7, 2023 Hamas terror attack against the State of Israel and the resulting and ongoing Israel-Hamas war. 36

Susan Liautaud is the chair for LSE’s governing body, called “The Council.” 10 She is the founder of ethics advisory firm Susan Liautaud and Associates Limited and the non-profit The Ethics Incubator. She teaches at Stanford University, is a board or advisory board member of Doctors Without Borders, CARE International, and the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, and is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations. She has a Ph.D. in social policy from LSE and a law degree from Columbia University Law School. 37 38

Controversy

Pro-Hamas Social Media Posts

In December 2023, the legal group UK Lawyers for Israel filed a criminal report against four London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) academic staff members for potential offenses under the Terrorism Act of 2000. In social-media posts, the academics allegedly made posts supporting the actions of Hamas terrorists during the October 7, 2023 terrorist attacks. One professor had written several social media posts including, “Settlers are not the victims here and never will be” as well as “Massive resistance offensive in Gaza. Palestinian Resistance fighters have infiltrated the border for the first time in history…” 39

Marshall Building Occupation

In May 2024, pro-Palestinian student activists occupied the Marshall Building at LSE to protest claims of the school’s ties to the State of Israel. The occupying students demanded LSE cut all financial ties with Israel and while divesting from fossil-fuel companies. One student claimed, “Our main message to LSE management is a call for divestment because we refuse to keep going to a university that is materially complicit in the destruction of our planet and the death of Palestinians.” 40

The occupation occurred following a press conference and rally by the student union’s Palestine Society to launch a report on LSE’s financial ties to “companies that support Israel.” The report claims that LSE has investments in 80 companies “involved in crimes against the Palestinian people,” 11 companies that are “profiting from the genocide in Gaza,” and 21 companies that a news report characterized as “work[ing] with and/or supply[ing] the Israeli military and/or police.” 3

In June 2024, LSE was granted a court order to evict the student activists from the Marshall Building. Hundreds of students and staff appeared outside the building in support of the student protestors “to stand in solidarity with the students of the LSE Liberated Zone.” One student claimed, “Eviction will not end our movement; it has only empowered us further. We will not stop. We will not rest until LSE divests.” 41 42

Acts of Misconduct

In 2022, LSE was accused of mishandling sexual-misconduct allegations against an LSE professor. Four formal complaints of sexual assault and harassment were made against the faculty member, but an LSE disciplinary panel investigation did not confirm the allegations, and the faculty member returned to his position. A postdoctoral fellow accused LSE of “actively protecting” the accused. As of March 2024, the accused professor still teaches at LSE. 36 43

In May 2023, LSE University and College Union members who participated in a boycott of the spring 2023 marking and assessment (activities related to grading and student performance review) had their pay reduced by 50%. LSE claimed the reduction was due to the members “not accept[ing] partial performance of duties.” The boycott ended in September 2023. 36

References

  1. “LSE at a glance.” The London School of Economics and Political Science – About LSE. Accessed September 21, 2024. https://www.lse.ac.uk/about-lse/lse-at-a-glance
  2. Joel Hooper. “Activism at the LSE: How do student activists experience being “agents of change” at the LSE? In what ways does the LSE enable student-led activism?” The London School of Economics and Political Science – LSE Students’ Union. Accessed September 21, 2024. https://info.lse.ac.uk/current-students/part-of-lse/assets/documents/Change-makers/research-archive/2020-21/44b-Activism-at-the-LSE.pdf
  3. Gillian Duncan. “Pro-Palestinian protesters take over London School of Economics building.” The National. May 15, 2024. Accessed September 21, 2024. https://www.thenationalnews.com/news/europe/2024/05/15/pro-palestinian-protesters-take-over-london-school-of-economics-building/
  4. “London School of Economics and Political Science.” Britannica. Accessed September 21, 2024. https://www.britannica.com/topic/London-School-of-Economics-and-Political-Science
  5. Felix Naylor Marlow. The Independent. September 19, 2024. Accessed September 20, 2024. https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/uknews/lse-beats-oxford-and-cambridge-to-top-spot-in-uk-university-rankings/ar-AA1qTJfX
  6. “Our History.” The London School of Economics and Political Science – About LSE. Accessed September 20, 2024. https://www.lse.ac.uk/about-lse/our-history
  7. “About Us.” Fabian Society. Accessed September 20, 2024. https://fabians.org.uk/about-us/
  8. “LSE History Timeline 1895 – 1995.” Accessed September 22, 2024. https://cdn.knightlab.com/libs/timeline3/latest/embed/index.html?source=0Ah9w-9lcqZALdDhOd2d0cUlITzVSMEprdmk2UXoyMUE&font=https://lsedesignunit.com/tljs/css/fonts/font.roboto-librebaskerville.css
  9. “Chair’s Blog: Summer Term 2022.” The London School of Economics and Political Science. Accessed September 20, 2024. https://info.lse.ac.uk/staff/our-community/Update-from-Chair-of-Council-summer-2022 https://www.msn.com/en-gb/money/other/london-school-of-economics-named-best-uk-university-for-first-time-by-the-times-and-sunday-times/ar-AA1qSKrU?ocid=BingNewsSerp
  10. “Corporate Governance and Internal Control Statement.” The London School of Economics and Political Science Financial Statements For the year ending 13 July 2023. Accessed September 21, 2024. https://info.lse.ac.uk/staff/divisions/Finance-Division/assets/annual-accounts/PDF/22-23-LSE-Financial-Statements.pdf
  11. PowerPoint Presentation organization chart link from “Governance and Management Structures.” The London School of Economics and Political Science – Governance Resources. https://info.lse.ac.uk/staff/divisions/Secretarys-Division/Assets/Documents/Governance/Governance-and-management-organogram-23-24.pdf
  12. “Departments and Institutes.” The London School of Economics and Political Science. Accessed September 21, 2024. https://info.lse.ac.uk/Staff/Departments-and-Institutes
  13.  “Research Centres and Institutes.” The London School of Economics and Political Science – Discover Our Research. Accessed September 22, 2024. https://www.lse.ac.uk/Research
  14. “LSE at a glance.” The London School of Economics and Political Science – About LSE. Accessed September 22, 2024. https://www.lse.ac.uk/about-lse/lse-at-a-glance
  15. “Inequality Is Not Inevitable.” Atlantic Fellows for Social and Economic Equity. Accessed September 21, 2024. https://afsee.atlanticfellows.lse.ac.uk/
  16. “AFSEE Remembers Charles “Chuck Feeney.” Atlantic Fellows for Social and Economic Equity. Accessed September 21, 2024. https://afsee.atlanticfellows.lse.ac.uk/en-gb/news/afsee-remembers-charles-chuck-feeney
  17. “Our aims and focus.” The London School of Economics and Political Science – Digital Futures for Children. Accessed September 21, 2024. https://www.digital-futures-for-children.net/aims
  18.  “Envisioning an economy that works for all.” The London School of Economics and Political Science. January 10, 2024. Accessed September 21, 2024. https://www.lse.ac.uk/News/Latest-news-from-LSE/2024/a-January-2024/Envisioning-an-economy-that-works-for-all
  19. “LSE launches new grant programme with Google News Initiative.” The London School of Economics and Political Science – News. September 5, 2024. Accessed September 21, 2024. https://www.lse.ac.uk/News/Latest-news-from-LSE/2024/i-September-2024/LSE-launches-new-grant-programme-with-Google-News-Initiative
  20. “Consolidated Statement of Comprehensive Income and Expenditure.” The London School of Economics and Political Science Financial Statements For the year ending 13 July 2023. Accessed September 21, 2024. https://info.lse.ac.uk/staff/divisions/Finance-Division/assets/annual-accounts/PDF/22-23-LSE-Financial-Statements.pdf
  21. ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer – Search for London School of Economics and Political Science. Accessed September 21, 2024. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/full_text_search?page=3&q=London+school+of+economics+and+political+science&sort=best&submit=Apply&year%5B%5D=2021&year%5B%5D=2022
  22. “Curious minds are Shaping the World.” The London School of Economics and Political Science – Shaping the World. Accessed September 21, 2024. https://shapingtheworld.lse.ac.uk/
  23.  “LSE Alumni Shaping the World – Activists, campaigners and advocates.” The London School of Economics and Political Science. Accessed September 21, 2024. https://www.lse.ac.uk/alumni-friends-and-partners/LSE-alumni-shaping-the-world/Activists-campaigners-and-advocates/LSE-Alumni-Shaping-the-World
  24. Sian Griffiths. “Why LSE is the Sunday Times University of the Year 2025.” September 20, 2024. Accessed September 21, 2024. https://www.thetimes.com/uk-university-rankings/feature-guide/article/lse-university-year-2025-x9l0lsksd
  25. Aaron Holmes. “Change.org doesn’t donate the money raised through its record-breaking George Floyd petition – and some donors say they feel misled.” Business Insider. June 3, 2020. Accessed September 21, 2024. https://www.businessinsider.com/change-org-george-floyd-donations-petition-keeps-money-2020-6
  26. “Change.org lists top 10 petitions that changed 2021.” Southwest Ledger News. January 6, 2022. Accessed September 21, 2024. https://www.southwestledger.news/changeorg-lists-top-10-petitions-changed-2021
  27. “LSE People.” The London School of Economics and Political Science – About LSE. Accessed September 21, 2024. https://www.lse.ac.uk/about-lse/lse-people
  28. “About Us.” Rockefeller Brothers Fund. Accessed September 21, 2024. https://www.rbf.org/about/about-us
  29. Peter Kellner “George Soros.” Britannica Money. Updated August 15, 2024. Accessed September 21, 2024. https://www.britannica.com/money/George-Soros
  30. Jacob Russell. “Farewell Larry Kramer.” Stanford Law School – Stanford Lawyer Magazine. November 12, 2012. Accessed September 21, 2024. https://law.stanford.edu/stanford-lawyer/articles/farewell-larry-krame/
  31. “Larry Kramer to Step Down as Hewlett Foundation President.” William + Flora Hewlett Foundation. Accessed September 21, 2024. https://hewlett.org/newsroom/larry-kramer-to-step-down-as-hewlett-foundation-president/
  32. “Larry Kramer.” William + Flora Hewlett Foundation – Our Board. Accessed September 21, 2024. https://hewlett.org/people/larry-kramer/
  33. “Meet our President and Vice Chancellor Professor Larry Kramer.” The London School of Economics and Political Science. Accessed September 21, 2024. https://www.lse.ac.uk/about-lse/meet-the-president
  34. “Minouche Shafik. Columbia University in the City of New York – Office of the Secretary. Accessed September 21, 2024. https://secretary.columbia.edu/directory/minouche-shafik
  35. “Minouche Shafik.” Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation – Leadership. Accessed September 21, 2024. https://www.gatesfoundation.org/about/leadership/minouche-shafik
  36. Emma Burris. “Minouche Shafik’s Administration At London School Of Economics Sparks Controversy Amidst Columbia Protests.” Bwog Columbia Student News. May 10, 2024. Accessed September 21, 2024. https://bwog.com/2024/05/minouche-shafiks-administration-at-london-school-of-economics-sparks-controversy-amidst-columbia-protests/
  37. “Dr. Susan Liautaud – Biography.” Gov.UK. Accessed September 21, 2024. https://www.gov.uk/government/people/susan-liautaud
  38. “Susan Liautaud.” Stanford University Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence – About – People. Accessed September 21, 2024. https://hai.stanford.edu/people/susan-liautaud
  39. Danielle Greyman-Kennard. “Academics from top London university reported for terrorism offenses by legal group.” The Jerusalem Post. December 16, 2023. Accessed September 21, 2024. https://www.jpost.com/international/article-778226
  40. Wendy Hurrell, James W. Kelly, and Adriana Elgueta. “Students occupy London university building over Gaza.” BBC. May 14, 2024. Accessed September 21, 2024. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c0v00j0z3p7o
  41. Areeb Ullah. “UK: LSE becomes first British university to evict po-Palestine student encampment.” Middle East Eye. June 17, 2024. Accessed September 21, 2024. https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/uk-lse-becomes-first-british-university-evict-pro-palestine-student-encampment
  42. “Protesters Rally for Palestine at London School or Economics.” Yahoo! News. June 17, 2024. Accessed September 21, 2024. https://uk.news.yahoo.com/protesters-rally-palestine-london-school-173400966.html
  43. Amadea Hofmann. “Women silenced across ranks: LSE’s mishandled sexual misconduct investigation into professor.” The Beaver. March 6, 2024. Accessed September 21, 2024. https://thebeaverlse.co.uk/sexual-misconduct-investigation/
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