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.

Three hands clasped together
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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.

Ethical dating online Ethical Dating Online Project

Ethical Dating Online Project

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Soft-focus close-up of a smart phone 3rd Year Undergraduate Module - Philosophy of Sex and Relationships

3rd Year Undergraduate Module - Philosophy of Sex and Relationships

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Seminar group Undergraduate Discovery Module - Love: Ethics, Social and Political Issues

Undergraduate Discovery Module - Love: Ethics, Social and Political Issues

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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.

 

CLSR Books Publications

Publications

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People chatting in background. Old book in focus. Popular writing, talks, videos, radio, podcasts

Popular writing, talks, videos, radio, podcasts

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A close-up of a woman's face with numbers superimposed onto the foreground Human-AI Relationships Workshop

Human-AI Relationships Workshop

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Our people

News and events

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2026 COIL Showcase: Preparing our students for a changing world with transformative globally engaged learning

With COILs now being run or developed in every Faculty and most Schools across the University, we've seen exciting progress in the scaling up of COIL provision across the University.

Monday 8 June 2026, 10:00 - 15:30

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Everyday Diversity Project Workshop

Exploring how attention to mental diversity may enhance philosophical understanding of the mind, and how psychologists’ attention to individual differences can inform philosophical theorising

Wednesday 10 June 2026 - Thursday 11 June 2026

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Professor Jeffrey Alexander to deliver the 2026 Annual Jay Blumler Public Lecture

Donald Trump and the Future of American Democracy

Wednesday 10 June 2026, 17:30 - 19:00

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Making Sense of Progress and its Discontents: A Symposium on Jeffrey Alexander’s new book, Frontlash/Backlash (Polity, 2025)

This symposium on Prof. Jeffrey Alexander’s new book, Frontlash/Backlash (Polity, 2025), will explore why movements for democratic inclusion so often provoke backlash and fuel political polarization.

Thursday 11 June 2026, 14:30 - 16:00

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