Centre for Love, Sex and Relationships

The Centre for Love, Sex, and Relationships

A research group dedicated to deepening our understanding of the nature and significance of intimacy, how relationships may be supported by technology, social institutions, and the state.

We are a research hub dedicated to deepening the understanding of intimacy in all its forms, whether that’s romantic love, friendship, relationships in the family, or the connections we have with colleagues, acquaintances, and casual partners. CLSR works to support emerging research in these areas, develop our teaching curriculum, mentor current and prospective students, host visiting fellows, and engage with the wider public. We are committed to making philosophical approaches and concepts accessible to anyone who wants to think more about their intimate life.

Directors: Dr. Natasha McKeever and Dr. Luke Brunning.

A collage of portrait photos of every member of the CLSR team

Our research

CLSR is the only centre in the UK dedicated to researching love and intimacy. Our network consists of over 20 permanent staff and graduate students. Some of our current research includes relationship dynamics, the ethics of intimate technology, marginalised orientations, intimate wrongs, alternative to the traditional family, pornography, and much more.

Example research topics

Sexual ethics
Relationship types
Marginalised intimacies
The nature of intimate emotions
Love and technology
Intimate ways of living
Relationships and change
Relationship ethics
Politics of intimacy
Intimacy and the state

Our networks

CLSR is also the home of two international research networks. Ethical Dating Online explores the ethics of online dating and dating apps, with a view to improving the industry; the Aro/Ace Research Network is connecting academics exploring aromanticism, asexuality, and associated forms of life.

Our funders

We have received generous funding contributions from The British Academy and The Society for Applied Philosophy, in addition to Leeds University’s Institutional Translational Funding and Building Impact Momentum Programme.

Centre blog: Instagram @Leeds_CLSR

Bluesky: @clsrleeds.bsky.social

Research projects

Leverhulme Early Career Fellow Dr Rosa Vince is working with us for three years on an exciting research project called “[Radical] Feminism, [Radical] Sex: a new approach to sex and objectification”. They are mentored by Dr Robbie Morgan.

Dr Alex Fisher joins us as a Society for Applied Philosophy Postdoctoral Fellow. He is working on a project exploring misrepresentation in romantic life.

Impact and engagement

CLSR is a supportive, collaborative and exciting research environment. At Leeds, we host a weekly reading group, organise academic workshops and support graduate research. Beyond the university, we strive to form partnerships with industry experts and engage with the public. We do this by organising a number of free and accessible events throughout the year, including Leeds Love Month and a Philosophy Valentines Day Event. We collaborate with non-academic institutions such as The Philosophers Yard, Feeld and Leeds Salon to name a few.

Our academics and students appear regularly in the media, writing opinion pieces, and giving commentary for TV, radio, print media, and podcasts.