INSIDE THIS ISSUELooking back on the

65th PSA Annual Conference

Commons Report – “It felt like important and interesting work, because it was”

Total Exposure

PSA 66th Annual International Conference21 – 23 March 2016 Hilton Brighton Metropole, Brighton • #PSA16

Conference theme announced: Politics and the Good LifeNext year’s conference will take place in the vibrant, colourful and creative city of Brighton at the Hilton Brighton Metropole, a charming Victorian seafront hotel.

Call for papers will open over the summer – for further details please visit the conference website: www.psa.ac.uk/conference/2016-conference-0 ■

Vol26 No 2 | 2015 psa.ac.uk

PSAnews

We are delighted to report that the Department of Politics at the University of Surrey will continue to exist as a self-standing autonomous unit.

Following threat of closure and significant job losses back in March, the Department, led by Roberta Guerrina and backed by the PSA, put together a proposal for the future of the Department that

has now been accepted by the University. Under terms that have been agreed by the Vice-Chancellor, the Department will continue to exist, a total of ten people will remain within the Department, all undergraduate, masters and post-graduate programmes will continue to run and the Department will maintain its research intensity. Congratulations to all involved. ■

Members of the PSA provide the expert view during Election 2015Curtice, Ford, Fisher, Thrasher, Rallings and English get it right on the night with Exit Poll that shocked the nation

The rising profiles of many politics academics in the British media meant that members of the Political Studies Association were at the forefront of the extensive television and radio coverage surrounding May’s General Election.

Six of the “exit poll eight”, the polling experts behind the exit poll, are prominent members of the Association. While questions were asked of the opinion polling companies who were painting a completely different picture in terms of predicted

Future of Surrey’s Department of Politics Secured

continued on page 3Staff members from the Department of Politics at the University of Surrey: (from L to R) Tereza Capelos, Cristiano Bee,Theofanis Exadaktylos, Malte Kaeding, Simon Usherwood and Laura Chappell

2

psa.ac.uk

Contents

Political Studies Association 113a Jermyn Street London SW1Y 6HJ

Tel: 020 7321 2545 Fax: 0191 222 3499 Email: info@psa.ac.uk

Chief Executive Officer: Helena Djurkovic

Membership Secretary: Sandra McDonagh

Registered Charity No. 1071825; Registered Company with limited liability

in England and Wales, No. 3628986

To advertise in this Newsletter, please contact Sandra McDonagh at sandra.mcdonagh@psa.ac.uk

Design Doug MacKay Deeson Group deeson.co.uk

Rosie Campbell Editor Email: r.campbell@bbk.ac.uk

Jamie Ralph Assistant Editor Email: jamie.ralph@psa.ac.uk

Editorial Information

ASSOCIATION NEWS

Future of Surrey’s Department of Politics Secured 1

Members of the PSA provide the expert view during 1 Election 2015

PSA 66th Annual International Conference 1

UK Election Analysis 2015: Media, Voters and the Campaign 3

Looking back on the 65th PSA Annual Conference 4

PSA members in the news 5

Political Theory and Impact Roundtable in 5 Houses of Parliament

Commons Report – “It felt like important 6 and interesting work, because it was”

Learning to teach and teaching to learn 6

The second Politics and International Relations 7 Undergraduate Research Conference

Election Media Briefings 2015 7

Exploring Multiculturalism 8

DEPARTMENT NEWS

The latest from the University of Cambridge 10

University of Lincoln signs up to PSA Charter to enhance 11

students’ democratic skills and political knowledge

SPIR at Kent recruits four new staff 12

Home of the marginals - Election event in the North 12 West brings together academics, politicians and journalists

News from PCS at Swansea University 13

BA in International Relations and Politics launched at 13

Northampton

Engaging the Public in Busting Euro-Myths at Exeter 14

Welcoming new staff at the Defence Studies 14 Department at KCL

New booklet recalls the early years at Warwick 14

News from War Studies at King’s College London 15

Oxford’s Great Charter Convention debate 16

Former Home Secretary joins academic experts at 16 Newcastle University conference

SPECIALIST GROUPS

New Political Violence & Terrorism Specialist 17 Group established

The British Idealists at the 65th PSA Annual International 17 Conference, Sheffield

PPA members attend conferences in China and Kazakhstan 18

Executive Politics and Governance Group 19 announce prizewinner

Women, Gender and Political Leadership Workshop 19

UPCOMING EVENTS

Upcoming Events 20

RESEARCH AND IMPACT

Could Do Better? Communicating Transferable 21 Skills Teaching in UK Politics & IR Departments

The Politics Violence Frontier project 21

Student Think Tank leads policy initiative: 22 Churchill 2015 – 21st Century Statesmanship Global Leaders Programme

Grants for Swansea academics 22

SCHOOLS

Ofqual propose to reform Government and Politics in 2017 23

“Designing for Democracy – what would you propose?” 23

TOTAL EXPOSURE

Have you ever dreamt about having your research 24 adapted for television or radio?

3

psa.ac.uk

3Members of the PSA provide the expert view during Election 2015 continued from page 1

seats as the election loomed, the question now being asked of John Curtice, Rob Ford, Steve Fisher, Michael Thrasher, Colin Rallings and Patrick English is: “how did you get it so right?”

Expecting the unexpected in electionsIn The Independent on May 15th, John Curtice spoke of his initial reaction to the exit poll data. “If you end up with an exit poll that looks different from what the opinion polls are saying, then you kind of scratch your head and think, ‘Is this really right?’ But all you can do at that point is to report honestly what the data says,” Professor Curtice said. “I’ve learnt to expect the unexpected in elections. I’ve been through enough now where the outcome was not in line with expectations. Rule number one is once you go into the exit poll, just forget everything you’ve ever heard in the past six weeks – you have to.”

Dissecting the resultsOn the night of May 7th, John Curtice provided expert opinion on the BBC while simultaneously defending the exit poll numbers in the face of Paddy Ashdown, who had famously pledged to eat his hat if the exit poll prevailed. Professor Curtice, of course, had the last laugh.

On ITV, Professor Jane Green, Professor Colin Rallings and Professor Matthew Goodwin featured throughout the night while behind the scenes, Professor Justin Fisher and Chris Prosser, a member of our Postgraduate Network, were busy providing analysis for the presenters.

Dr Rosie Campbell and Dr Jennifer Hudson appeared on Channel 4’s Alternative Election Night while on Sky News, Professor Michael Thrasher acted, as he has done since 1989, as the resident elections expert as results rolled in from constituencies around the country.

Indeed, commentary on the election was sought from our experts not only on election night but also throughout the election campaign. It would be impossible to list everyone who appeared on TV or radio to talk about the election but it is becoming increasingly clear that members of the Political Studies Association are viewed as trusted sources of expertise by both the media and the general public. ■

UK Election Analysis 2015: Media, Voters and the CampaignWe are very pleased to announce the publication of "UK Election Analysis 2015: Media, Voters and the Campaign”, edited by Daniel Jackson (Co-convenor of the PSA's Media and Politics Specialist Group, Bournemouth University) and Einar Thorsen (Associate Director of the Centre for the Study of Journalism, Culture and Community, Bournemouth University).

Featuring 73 articles from 92 leading UK academics, this special publication captures the immediate thoughts, reflections and early research insights on the 2015 UK General Election from the cutting edge of media and politics research.

Published 10 days after the election, these contributions are short and accessible. The rapid publication of post-election pamphlets has become more and more common practice amongst the PSA’s specialist research groups, with the Greek Politics Specialist Group releasing an 88-page booklet of short commentaries on the aftermath of the election in Greece in January 2015.

The authors in this publication provide authoritative analysis of the campaign, including research findings or new theoretical insights; to bring readers original ways of understanding the election. Contributions also bring a rich range of disciplinary influences, from political science to fan studies, journalism studies to advertising.

The publication is available as a downloadable PDF, as a website and as a printed report. See our website, psa.ac.uk, to download the full PDF or individual articles on their own or visit http://www.electionanalysis.uk/ for more. ■

4

psa.ac.uk

Felicity Matthews

Felicity Matthews and Andy Hindmoor, Conference Convenors

On 30 March – 1 April 2015, we welcomed a record number of delegates to the Political Studies Association Annual International Conference here in Sheffield. The theme of this year’s conference was ‘civic pride’, and proud we felt to see everyone come together for fun, merriment and – of course – fruitful intellectual exchange here in the heart of South Yorkshire. Over the course of three days, delegates navigated the beautiful – but somewhat labyrinthine – venues and braved the typical northern ‘spring’ to participate in over 170 panels on topics as diverse as the representation of animals, the politics of the far right and the analysis of ‘non-religion’. Alternating between sou’westers and sunglasses simply added to the experience, and at the end of the conference, we were also proud to see people leave our city with happy faces and inspired minds.

With any conference of this scale, there are just too many highlights to mention, and you’ll undoubtedly have your own! We’re sure that everyone will agree, though, that the daytime plenary lectures and the evening Leonard Shapiro session were excellent – informative, intriguing and challenging. Our special thanks go to Professor John Dryzek (Canberra); Professor Randall Hansen (Toronto); Professor John Curtice (Strathclyde) and Dr Rob

Looking back on the 65th PSA Annual Conference

Andy Hindmoor

65th PSA ANNUAL CONFERENCE

Ford (Manchester) for their vital and generous contribution to the Conference. Invitations to each of these sessions were extended to members of the public, as part of Sheffield’s ‘Festival of the Mind’, and it was wonderful to be able to showcase our discipline in this way. The Annual Evening Dinner was also a great success (‘especially the dessert!’ – FM), and congratulations to all who were presented with one of the PSA’s prestigious awards. We also welcomed the Rt. Hon John Bercow to the meal, who entertained us with an engaging after-dinner talk, so many thanks to The Speaker for his support. On the final day of the conference, we enjoyed the company of the Rt. Hon David Blunkett who led a fascinating session for local college students regarding the role that young people can play in the political process. This was incredibly well-received, and has hopefully inspired the next generation of scholars, so thank you to Mr Blunkett for this!

So that was 2015, and we now look forward to 2016, when the baton will be handed over to our colleagues in Brighton. We have enjoyed our time working with the PSA and especially getting to know everyone involved in the Association. With that in mind, our biggest thanks of all are reserved for the PSA’s most excellent Events & Marketing Manager, Danielle Bailey, whose stellar efforts made the whole conference possible. ■

5

psa.ac.uk

If you or one of your colleagues has been featured in the media recently, please let us know by e-mailing our Communications Officer Jamie Ralph jamie.ralph@psa.ac.uk or by tweeting us @PolStudiesAssoc

OLIVER DADDOW was interviewed by AGENCE FRANCE PRESS for an article about Euroscepticism in British politics; and interviewed about Harold Wilson's EEC renegotiation and referendum on BBC1's Heir Hunters.

ROSIE CAMPBELL was on CHANNEL 5 NEWS, BBC RADIO FIVE LIVE, BBC PARLIAMENT, THE TODAY PROGRAMME, NEWSNIGHT and ITV GOOD MORNING BRITAIN.

ALISTAIR CLARK, JON TONGE, ROGER SCULLY and ANDREW RUSSELL were all guests on CHANNEL 5 NEWS in the run-up to the election.

STAMATOULA PANAGAKOU was interviewed by a number of Cypriot-based media outlets including CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY, PARIKIAKI,

FINANCIAL MIRROR and THE CYPRUS WEEKLY.

JOANIE WILLETT appeared on BBC LOCAL RADIO and ITV WEST COUNTRY as part of their general election coverage.

THOM BROOKS was interviewed on topics ranging from citizenship and immigration to the UK election result with BBC ONE, CNN, NRJ 12 (France), CAPITAL FM, LBC RADIO, DAILY EXPRESS, DAILY MIRROR, THE ECONOMIST, THE JOURNAL, NORTHERN ECHO, SUNDAY SUN and AUSTRALIAN FINANCIAL REVIEW.

ANDREW DORMAN discussed how the former Norwegian Prime Minister will have to decide how to respond to new global threats as head of NATO in THE TELEGRAPH.

KATHERINE BROWN has been interviewed and had articles and comments published as follows: NEW YORK TIMES, BBC NEWS, BBC RADIO 2, BBC RADIO 4, O GLOBO (Brazil), BBC WORLD SERVICE, FINANCIAL TIMES, FOREIGN POLICY and UOL. ■

PSA members in the news

Joanie Willett Oliver Daddow Katherine Brown Thom Brooks

Professor Thom Brooks, Durham University

On 25 March, the Political Studies Association supported a roundtable on Political Theory in a committee room of the Houses of Parliament. The roundtable explored the relation between political theory and its potential impact. One aim was to consider the distinct challenges that the ‘impact agenda’ in higher education poses for political theorists and how these might be addressed. A second aim was to examine the impact of political theory in a wider sense considering the value of political theory and what might be lost without it. The roundtable was chaired by Lord Parekh and organised by Thom Brooks (Durham). Other panellists included Clare Chambers (Cambridge), Elizabeth Fraser (Oxford), Emily McTernan (UCL), Martin O’Neill (York), Michael Otsuka (LSE) and Albert Weale (UCL).

In favour of impact, it was noted that political theory has substantive impact potential in providing conceptual clarity and distinctive critical insights leading to innovative thinking and policy reform. Political theorists can and have contributed substantially to public life in these ways and will continue to do so.

But the general mood was far more critical. Concerns were raised about the larger assumptions behind the use of impact, such as what this says about the university and what it is for. Some departments account for impact activity in workload models and provided funding support, but

most do not.The impact agenda was said to raise far more questions than answers.

Several noted the worry that the relation of theory to practice was too often considered solely through its potential influence on policy, but this was thought too limiting and short sighted. This had led to overemphasis on applied political theory to the detriment of other areas of the sub-discipline. A frequent concern was the problem of measuring impact and whether impact should be linked with research.

Overall, the roundtable was enormously productive in identifying many of the key challenges and concerns of political theorists about impact that can begin a conversation about how Politics academics more generally should view the impact agenda—and its ‘impact’ on our research, teaching and engagement activities. ■

Political Theory and Impact Roundtable in Houses of Parliament

6

psa.ac.uk

6

The latest graduate from our House of Commons Work Placement Scheme reports back on his time working with Select Committees…

By Stuart Ingham, Oxford University

I was afforded the opportunity by PSA to take a work placement in the House of Commons Committee Office between November 2014 and March 2015. In that time I came to develop a much greater appreciation of our Parliamentary process and found the House to be an intellectually stimulating and rewarding place to work. I heartily recommend the placement scheme to fellow members of PSA.

The dates of my placement fell in what has been described as the fag-end of the 2010-2015 Parliament. The Government’s legislative agenda had largely ground to a halt, with the combination of the Fixed-term Parliament Act and uneasy coalition relations coalescing to create stasis in the legislative process. Nevertheless, I found Parliament very much alight with activity and never more so than in the Select Committees.

I was asked to work on two reports that were being conducted by the Political and Constitutional Reform Committee. My role was to identify specialist witnesses who could offer insightful oral evidence for the report, to draft questions for the Members to ask during oral evidence sessions, and then to collate the oral and written evidence offered to the Committee and to use it as the basis for drafting the Committee’s reports. This work exactly mirrored the role of a ‘Committee Specialist’ in the Commons. Both of the reports I

worked on were initiated in response to proposed further devolution to the Scottish Parliament and Government. The first report was a wide-ranging inquiry into the future of devolution across the entirety of the Union. The committee conducted evidence sessions in Edinburgh, Cardiff and Belfast and heard from a wide variety of stake-holders in Westminster. The second report focused more narrowly on the constitutional implications of the draft clauses put forwarded in the Government’s legislative response to the Smith Commission Agreement. As an academic I was obviously interested in how the committee conducted its research for these inquiries. I was impressed with the level of academic engagement shown by the Committee staff: journal articles were read carefully and critically, and academics were invited to offer both written and oral evidence to the Committee. If those working in the study of politics wish to influence the legislative process – or to help scrutinise the actions of the Government of the day – then it is very clear that the Select Committees are delighted to hear from them.

Working for Select Committees left me thankful that our legislature contains institutions designed to focus on specialist topics that may otherwise go unnoticed. I could see Parliament as – and take part in – a diligent and thoughtful institution committed to ensuring that we are governed by well thought out laws. It felt like important and interesting work, because it was.

The Call for Applications for the 2015 House of Commons Work Placement Scheme is now open. The deadline is the 1st of September 2015. See https://www.psa.ac.uk/psa/news/psa/house-commons-committee-office-placements-2015-paid ■

Commons Report – “It felt like important and interesting work, because it was”

PSA member Alisdair Blair reports on his trip to Washington D.C. where he travelled to APSA’s Teaching and Learning Conference to present a paper...

The APSA Teaching and Learning Conference 2015 took place on 16-18 January 2015 in Washington, D.C. at the Washington Hilton Hotel. This is the same hotel where John Hinckey attempted to assassinate President Ronald Reagan in March 1981.

APSA TLC conferences follow a working track model, of which there were 12 tracks that covered such topics as teaching research methods and integrating technology into the classroom. My own track was civic engagement. While notions of civic engagement are a more recent discussion in the UK, it is an area of focus that has long dominated the work of US Universities. There were some interesting presentations about how students are being taught through undertaking research projects and engaging in civic activism. We might see some of this work through the likes of short work placements. My own presentation was on the work of a Policy Commission which we undertook at De Montfort University whereby students worked with staff to create a 100 ideas document to change Britain which had in turn been presented to politicians at Westminster. This idea of working with students and then to engage policy makers seemed to be warmly received.

Over the last few years a number of UK academics have attended APSA TLC meetings which in turn has had a positive impact in terms of engaging with colleagues in the US as well as creating some research writing collaborations. This has been illustrated by the contributions from UK academics to the Handbook on Teaching and Learning in Political Science and International Relations that was published by Edward Elgar in 2015 under the editorship of John Ishiyama, William Miller and Eszter Simon. ■

Learning to teach and teaching to learn

7

psa.ac.uk

7

By Carl Death, University of ManchesterThe second Politics and International Relations Undergraduate Research Conference was held at the University of Manchester on 30 April 2015. Following on from the very successful inaugural conference, held at De Montfort University, Leicester (April 2014), the 2015 conference involved 32 students from 13 different universities presenting papers on topics ranging from the securitisation of Kurds in Turkey to the Chinese presence in Africa, via papers on New Labour and food justice in the North East of England.

Students presented papers arising from research they had conducted on any aspect of Politics and International Relations, and often their presentations were on their dissertation topics. However, first and second year students also attended and gave excellent presentations. After a welcome by Professor Andrew Russell, head of Politics at the University of Manchester, there were nine panel sessions on the themes of the international politics of security; British party politics; terrorism and security studies; the politics of identity, immigration and the ‘other’; the politics of development; European politics; putting justice into practice; the politics of gender; and imperialism. A great atmosphere was created, thanks to teaching staff from Manchester who chaired the panels and by all those who attended and asked questions. For those on Twitter, #Polconf2015 has photos and tweets from the day.

The organising committee unanimously decided that the PSA student paper prize should go to Natalia Zeeshan (University of

Manchester) for her paper ‘How does the gendered politics of "experience" and self-representation affect the research process?’. The committee agreed that this is an energetic and really important piece of work which reflects on the perception of Muslim women in Britain, and produces some fascinating insights about the politics of how interviewees present themselves to the interviewer and vice-versa. Adopting an original methodology and drawing on feminist theory, Zeeshan argues that “we can never claim to have captured the true emotions of the participants but a glimpse of what they are willing to reveal”.

The committee were very impressed with the overall very high standard of the research papers and the presentations at the conference. All those who participated should feel proud of their contribution, and they are a credit to themselves and their universities. Amongst the shortlisted papers, the committee particularly want to commend Andreas Bjorklund (SOAS), Andreina Pappalardo (Royal Holloway), Robin Trenbath (Manchester), Amy Jo Davies (Leeds) and Lusine Manukyan (co-authored with Rebecca Lass and Josh Corlett, Newcastle) for papers which were a pleasure to read.

Thanks to the PSA and the University of Manchester who kindly sponsored the conference, and to Simon Lightfoot, Alison Statham, Mette Wiggan, Chris Goldsmith and for their help in organising. Staff at the University of Manchester, including Andrew Russell, Val Lenferna and Noemie Rouault, were also very generous with their time. The UoM Politics Society organised the programme and helped out on the day. ■

The second Politics and International Relations Undergraduate Research Conference

Election Media Briefings 2015Our General Election Media Briefings took place in the Spring, with both the national and international media flocking to the Institute of Government in London to hear our election experts speak. Over the course of the three briefings, speakers included Professor Tim Bale (QMUL), Professor Jane Green (University of Manchester), Dr David Cutts (University of Bath), Dr Jennifer Hudson (UCL), Professor John Curtice (University of Strathclyde), Dr Chris Hanretty (University of East Anglia), Professor Stephen Fisher (University of Oxford), Professor Paul Whiteley (University of Essex), Professor Colin Rallings (University of Plymouth), Professor Michael Thrasher (University of Plymouth), Professor Sarah Birch (University of Glasgow), Dr Rob Johns (University of Essex) and Professor Matthew Goodwin (University of Kent).

8

psa.ac.uk

Multiculturalism Rethought, a Festschrift edited by Varun Uberoi and Tariq Modood in honour of Bhikhu Parekh, was launched on the 24th of March in the Palace of Westminster. The event was attended by a large number of practitioners, peers and academics, including contributors to the book such as Paul Kelly, Varun Oberoi, Peter Jones, Raymond Plant, Andrew Gamble and Tariq Modood as well as others such as David Miller, Michael Keith, Albert Weale and John Benyon.

A reception was followed by a panel discussion chaired by Lord Tony Giddens. He welcomed the distinguished guests and paid tribute to Lord Parekh and his work. He noted that the concept of multiculturalism was often misinterpreted.

Political Philosophy and Public Service Tariq Modood explained the background to the Festschrift and highlighted Bhikhu Parekh’s work on political theory and philosophy. He had written on Bentham, Marx, Arendt and Oakeshott and examined concepts such as justice, equality, and ideology. He also noted his public service, for example as Deputy Chair of the Commission for Racial Equality and Chair of the Commission on Multi-ethnic Britain, and his contribution as a public intellectual. Lord Parekh had also made a significant impact in Parliament since 2000.

A Civilised Way to Live TogetherThe speakers at the event were Baroness Onora O’Neill, Professor John Dunn and Professor Michael Kenny. Each spoke about the work, contributions and impact of Bhikhu Parekh, especially the political theory of multiculturalism. Onora O’Neill focused on communication and intercultural dialogue and the need for a broad consensus on its importance, the rules governing it and certain basic principles.

John Dunn referred to the problems created by the ‘forced intimacy’ of the multicultural society and the need to find a civilised way of living together, an area to which Parekh in his view had made a substantial contribution over the years.

Accommodating DifferencesMichael Kenny asked how a society could accommodate differences consistently with the need for a consensus on common values, and examined the debate surrounding the incorporation of Sharia law in to the British legal system and the rule of law.

The presentations were followed by a lively discussion which raised issues around cultural differences, universalism, separateness, democracy and liberalism, and ‘the right to offend’.

Multiculturalism Rethought: Interpretations, Dilemmas and New Directions – Essays in Honour of Bhikhu Parekh is published by Edinburgh University Press. In addition to those mentioned earlier, the book includes chapters by leading political theorists such as Charles Taylor, Will Kymlicka, Rajeev Bhargava, Monica Mookherjee, Thomas Pantham, Benjamin Barber, and Joseph Carens. ■

The University for World-Class Professionals

Faculty of Humanities, Languages & Social Science

MA International Relations and Global CommunicationsApply now for September 2015 start

Visit us at our Postgraduate Fair on 2 September, 4-6pm

Find out more: mmu.ac.uk/hlss/postgrad/psa

Or e-mail: postgradir@mmu.ac.uk

Exploring Multiculturalismby John Benyon

Professor Lord Bhikhu Parekh

The University for World-Class Professionals

Faculty of Humanities, Languages & Social Science

MA International Relations and Global CommunicationsApply now for September 2015 start

Visit us at our Postgraduate Fair on 2 September, 4-6pm

Find out more: mmu.ac.uk/hlss/postgrad/psa

Or e-mail: postgradir@mmu.ac.uk

10

psa.ac.uk

Professor David Runciman’s Inaugural Lecture and the first Antcliffe Lecture On Tuesday 24th February, Professor David Runciman – Head of the Department of Politics and International Studies, and Professor of Politics – gave his Inaugural Lecture on Political Theory and Real Politics in the Age of the Internet. Before a large audience of students, academics and members of the public – so large that the lecture had to be live streamed into three rooms – Professor Runciman questioned how well equipped is any form of realism to make sense of politics in the twenty-first century, when so much of what it refers to has migrated online. The lecture explored the varieties of realism in political theory, and asked what it might mean to have a realistic theory of politics in the age of the internet.

On Wednesday 11th March, Lord Michael Howard of Lympne, former Leader of the Conservative Party, gave the first Antcliffe Lecture on the subject of Thatcherism Today. New for 2015, the Antcliffe Lecture has been established following a donation in the name of John Antcliffe, who studied History at Corpus Christi College, Cambridge, before going on to become a respected public relations professional.

Both lectures can be viewed online through the Department’s media collection (http://sms.cam.ac.uk/collection/1918925)

Towards a new research centre: the Forum on Geopolitics In late 2014, Professor Brendan Simms convened the Forum on Geopolitics at POLIS. The core disciplinary focus of this Forum is the history and politics of the state system, supported by expertise in international history, international economics, international law, constitutional design, international political economy, military history, the history of humanitarianism and human rights, and the geopolitics of race and religion. To date, the Forum has hosted an exciting programme of events, and plans an even more ambitious programme throughout 2015.

The Forum is a first step towards the establishment of a Centre of Geopolitics and Grand Strategy (CoGGS), a new interdisciplinary Centre for the study of grand strategy and statecraft at the University of Cambridge. The aim of CoGGS is to provide rigorous training in international affairs, military history, and geo-strategic thinking and to develop world-class strategic thinkers and decision-makers who understand how to calculate risk and recognise opportunity within the appropriate historical and contextual perspectives.

If you are interested in supporting the development of the Centre of Geopolitics and Grand Strategy, please contact Dr Maeve Ryan (mcr39@cam.ac.uk), Development Coordinator.

Festival of Ideas 2015 The Festival of Ideas is a University of Cambridge public engagement initiative that celebrates the arts, humanities and

The latest from the University of Cambridge

social sciences by showcasing a diverse mix of inspirational talks, performances, films, exhibitions and other creative displays.

Last year, the Festival welcomed 18,000 visitors to over 215 events and the Department of Politics and International Studies took part with a full day of panels, talks and stalls on the theme of Political Identity – topics included identity politics in Asian territorial disputes, Shia identity and the Arab Spring, and governance and identity.

The Festival will be back again this November, and the theme this year is Power and Resistance. The Department is planning another day of talks and activities, including a lecture on Future World, Future Security Threats with Ian Shields, which will look forward 40 years and offer some thoughts on world-wide, strategic trends in issues such as politics, economics and the movement of information. The ELECTION podcast team may also make an appearance, with a stall and activities about the General Election.

All the Festival Events are open to the public, and further details can be found on the Festival website - http://www.festivalofideas.cam.ac.uk/

The ELECTION podcastCan democracy adapt to our strained political system? Who (if anyone) will ‘win’ in 2015? What can the lessons of the past teach us about the future?

Since early February 2015, Professor David Runciman has put these questions to philosophers, historians, scientists, and political thinkers – with enlightening results – in a weekly podcast series from his office in the Department of Politics and International Studies. A new episode has been released every Wednesday, and the series – which has drawn 100,000 listeners worldwide - is now drawing to a close following the General Election in May.

Guests on the podcast have included an eclectic mixture of academics, pollsters, politicians and students – as well as the occasional contribution from members of the public. Professor Runciman and the team hope to return at the start of next year with a new podcast covering the US election.

All the episodes can be found on the podcast website - http://www.polis.cam.ac.uk/about-us/election ■

The team behind the ELECTION podcast

11

psa.ac.uk

On Monday 2nd March, Dr Jacqui Briggs, Head of the School of Social and Political Sciences and Professor Mary Stuart, Vice Chancellor of the University of Lincoln, signed the Political Studies Association’s Charter for Active Citizenship in Higher and Further Education. They were joined by representatives from the Students’ Union.

The Charter is a central feature of the PSA’s campaign to challenge universities to strengthen the democratic skills and political knowledge of their students and to encourage and provide opportunities for civic and political engagement both on campus and within their wider communities. The Charter seeks to address historically low levels of youth participation in electoral politics, and declining trust in and engagement with traditional civic and political institutions. The campaign is co-ordinated by the PSA’s Young People’s Politics specialist research group.

Dr Briggs commented: “Youth participation in democracy is an issue of great concern to me. I am delighted that Lincoln is one of the first universities to sign up to this Charter. This is a public declaration

of support for the democratic ideal of active citizenship in the 21st century; a declaration of support for strengthening democratic skills and political knowledge, and encouraging and providing opportunities for civic and political engagement on campus and in the local community.”

Brian Alcorn, President of the University of Lincoln Students’ Union, added:

“The Students’ Union is honoured to be linked to the PSA Charter, where Lincoln is in many ways a bastion for youth empowerment within the sector. Particularly significant is that the city celebrates 800 years of Magna Carta; an original copy is held by Lincoln Cathedral where our students graduate. It is so important that more young people, and students, as they find themselves, find too their own political persuasions. Democracy is something so many have died for; it is our duty to ensure students understand the importance of their vote and their voice.”

For more information please visit: www.psa.ac.uk/charter ■

University of Lincoln signs up to PSA Charter to enhance students’ democratic skills and political knowledge

Dr Jacqui Briggs (Head of School of Social & Political Sciences), Craig Carey (a student), Brian Alcorn (SU President), Prof. Mary Stuart (VC), Dan Derricott (Student Engagement Manager), Olivia Hill (SU Vice President Welfare and Community).

12

psa.ac.uk

SPIR at Kent recruits four new staff The School of Politics and International Relations (SPIR) at the University of Kent has been through a rapid period of expansion in recent years and has now added a further four new members of staff. Professor Matthew Goodwin, known mainly for his work on electoral behaviour and party politics, particularly the radical right and Euroscepticism, joins the School from the University of Nottingham. During the 2015-2016 academic year he will be a Senior Fellow with the ESRC Britain and Europe programme, contributing to the research and public debate as Britain heads toward a referendum on its EU membership. Professor Trine Flockhart joins the University of Kent from the Danish Institute for International Studies. Her research focuses on Liberal International Order, Transatlantic Relations, European Security (especially NATO), and explaining processes of change from a constructivist perspective. Dr Ingvild Bode joins the School as a Lecturer from the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS). Her main research interests cover theoretical understandings of individual influence on policy change in the United Nations, UN peacekeeping, Security Council dynamics, humanitarian affairs and conflict narratives. Dr Nadine Ansorg has joined SPIR as a Post-Doctoral Researcher with a focus on grants and impact. She has previously worked at the GIGA German Institute of Global and Area Studies Hamburg. Her research interests include institutional reform in post-conflict societies, in particular security sector reform, the role of international state and non-state actors in these reform processes, and the conditions for establishing peace in divided and post-conflict societies. ■

Professor Trine FlockhartProfessor Matthew Goodwin

Dr Ingvild Bode Dr Nadine Ansorg

Home of the marginals - Election event in the North West brings together academics, politicians and journalistsBBC North and the Politics departments of the Universities of Liverpool and Manchester came together in early March to assess the General Election in North West England, home to more marginal seats than any other region.

The event was attended by over 140 people and brought together academics, politicians, journalists and voters for some lively debate which preceded the filming of a special edition of Sunday Politics NW.

Labour’s Vice Chair of the election campaign, Lucy Powell MP, argued strongly that her party would make more gains in the region than the mere four predicted by Dr Stuart Wilks-Heeg and Professor Jon Tonge (Liverpool).

Paul Maynard MP, one of the authors of the Conservative election manifesto, cautioned against forecasts based upon local election results or party spends, arguing that each constituency contest was an ‘individual by-election’.

UKIP’s Deputy Chairman Paul Nuttall wanted ‘every Ashcroft poll chucked in the bin’, claiming the under-reporting of his party’s vote in the Heywood and Middleton by-election has deterred potential UKIP voters.

The demography of the UKIP vote – actual and potential - was dissected by the co-author of Revolt on the Right, Dr Robert Ford (Manchester).

BBC NW political editor, Arif Ansari, who followed Nick Clegg around the country during the election campaign, commented: “We wanted to combine our journalism with the universities' academic analysis to put the spotlight on the general election in the North West. We have never attempted such a conference before, combining politicians, academics, journalists and voters. But it turned out to be a fantastic event, and the audience loved it.” ■

Arif Ansari (BBC) Annabel Tiffin (BBC) Dr Stuart Wilks-Heeg (University of Liverpool) Professor Jon Tonge (University of Liverpool) Professor Andrew Russell (University of Manchester)

13

psa.ac.uk

The Department of Political and Cultural Studies (PCS) at Swansea University is delighted to announce the appointment of Dr. Emel Akclai to the position of Senior Lecturer in International Relations. The Department is further pleased to announce two new fully funded PhD studentships. The first of these studentships was awarded to Jack Jenkins and is entitled 'From Weapons to Wheels: Assessing the Impact of Track Construction for Motorbike Taxis on Rural Youth in Liberia', and will be supervised by Dr Krijn Peters. The second studentship was awarded to Matthew Collins and is an ESRC funded project on internet-mediated political mobilization in China, focusing on environmental politics to be supervised by Dr Gerard Clarke and Dr Yan Wu. Finally, the Department has initiated a new extended MA programme. The extended MA programme adds one semester of study to our existing MA programmes. This additional semester makes the programme credit-equivalent to European MAs and it is studied at an international partner institution. Depending on which MA programme is taken this study overseas could be in Texas, Oklahoma or the Philippines. The extended MA is therefore equivalent to 120 ECTS and is completed in approximately 18 months.

Conferences and Special Events On 5 March 2015, the department hosted a one-day workshop entitled ‘the Challenges and Dilemmas of Governance: Where are We Now, and What Will Happen Next?’. The workshop involved participants from throughout Wales and brought together scholars to discuss the economic, political and institutional factors that affect governance in the

News from PCS at Swansea University

Dr Matthew Wall

UK, Europe and internationally. Mark Bevir, delivered a plenary session on managing governance networks and ensuring accountability. Peter Hain MP and former leader of the House of Commons, and Andrew Davies, former Welsh Assembly Member and Minister and current Chair of Abertawe Bro Morgannwg University Health Board took part in a lively roundtable on the future challenges facing governance, along with PCS members of staff Gerard Clarke and Robert Bideleux. Matthew Wall, also a member of the PCS department, presented at the event on Internet ‘Effects in Times of Political Crisis: Online News-gathering and Attitudes Towards the European Union’.

On 1 May 2015, the department hosted an international conference on the evolving Human Rights Mechanism of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). The conference was the third in a series of six scheduled to be held between 2014 and 2016 in Swansea and Manila as part of a research project, ‘Beyond Cultural Relativism: The Human Rights Mechanism of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations in Context, 2014-2016’, funded by the British Academy. The project brings together colleagues from Swansea University and the University of the Philippines, Diliman (UPD) working in the fields of politics, international relations and law, led by Dr Gerard Clarke from PCS. The keynote speaker was Mr Rafendi Djamin, Representative of Indonesia and former Chairman, ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights. The conference was opened and closed by Lord Williams of Baglan, honorary fellow in PCS and former United Nations Under-Secretary General.

Election Compass UKDr Matthew Wall, a lecturer in Politics at PCS, has recently worked on an innovative online project (https://uk.electioncompass.org/) that allows voters to compare their opinions on important political issues to the policy stances of UK political parties during the 2015 election campaign. The site, built with colleagues from the University of Exeter and the Free University Amsterdam as well as the private sector companies Kieskompas and Akoten, reached over 20,000 users during the course of the 2015 election campaign, thanks to a partnership with the Local World media group. ■

The School of Social Sciences, University of Northampton, is launching a new single honours degree in September 2015: BA International Relations and Politics (course code: 5L9L). The course develops an interdisciplinary approach and draws upon in-depth academic expertise in the fields of security, terror, empire, development, ethics, ideology as well as the theory and philosophy of international relations and politics. In addition, the course offers a wide range of regional specialisms from American, Russian, Chinese, and European to African studies. Students can take full advantage of an exciting curriculum that includes such modules as ‘States, Empires and the Changing Global Order’, ‘Power and Vision: Introduction to Politics’, ‘Security, Terror and New Wars’, ‘The Politics of Sub-Saharan Africa’, ‘American Politics in a Global Age’, ‘The Political Economy of China’, ‘The Politics of the Dispossessed’ and

‘Global Ethics and Identities’. The course provides unique opportunities for international field trips and also internships (e.g. Westminster and the House of Commons) in the context of a well-established programme of successful placements. As well as being fully supported by an energetic and research-active academic team, students will also benefit from highly innovative learning techniques that utilise some of the latest developments in interactive gaming technology. ■

BA in International Relations and Politics launched at Northampton

14

psa.ac.uk

Claire Dunlop and Claudio Radaelli – two political scientists at the University of Exeter’s Centre for European Governance – hosted a public engagement event which brought together Elisabeth Sweeney of the European Parliament’s Information Office and members of Exeter’s University of the 3rd Age (U3A) to explore situations where we wrongly believe that the European Union (EU) is responsible for initiatives that come from other places – for example, regulations that come from other international institutions or from our government. These have become known as ‘Euro-myths’.

The event, on Friday 27th March 2015, was inspired by research Dunlop and Radaelli are carrying out into the impact of Euro-Myths on the UK debate about membership of the European Union (EU). Claudio said: “We shared views about the EU, but also memories of post-war Europe. It wasn’t the classic talk, but a genuine exchange, exploring together the fundamental reasons that bind us together in a community of peace where human rights, rule of law and free markets are protected by institutions. Democracy is in crisis at the level of the nation-state, and has not yet materialized at the level of the EU. This is the challenge – everything else is the politics of myths, nostalgia and fear”.

Carol McCullough of the Exeter U3A University Liaison Team said: “75 members of Exeter U3A had the opportunity to engage with both academic staff of the University of Exeter and a representative from the Information Office of the European Parliament in London. We had a stimulating and informative session which gave us a clear insight into how wary we should be of the myths about the EU which are peddled in our national press, particularly in this election year”.

Funding for the event came from the Jean Monnet Chair in Political Economy awarded to Professor Radaelli for the period 2015-2017.

Listen to Claudio’s remarks: https://clyp.it/di0lvh4j ■

Engaging the Public in Busting Euro-Myths at Exeter

Photo: Brian Garwood, Tim Pestridge Commercial Photography

Welcoming new staff at the Defence Studies Department at KCLSince September 2014 the department have welcomed the following new staff members: Mary Boitz as Head of Administration, Dr Harry Wood, Dr Richard Hammond, Dr David Roberts and Dr Simon Moody. We also said goodbye to Dr Harry Dickinson who retired in December.

The department also held 19 departmental research seminars and hosted the IS Roundtable on the 4 February, convened by Dr Tracey German. ■

Mary Boitz Dr Harry Wood

Dr Richard Hammond Dr David Roberts

Dr Simon Mood

New booklet recalls the early years at Warwick Wyn Grant’s booklet on ‘The Founding of a Politics Department: Politics at the University of Warwick’ was launched at an event at the University on May 6th attended by former staff and students. The booklet traces the history of the department from 1965 to 1979. Particular emphasis is placed on the development of the curriculum and how this reflected the development of the subject. Copies may be obtained from w.p.grant@warwick.ac.uk ■

15

psa.ac.uk

Sir Evelyn de Rothschild to fund 25 Masters DegreesKing’s College London is delighted to announce the launch of the Sir Evelyn de Rothschild Scholarships starting in September 2015. The scholarship programme has been made possible by a generous gift from Sir Evelyn de Rothschild and the Eranda Foundation and will fund 25 full Masters scholarships over five years in the Department of War Studies at King’s College London.

The Sir Evelyn de Rothschild Scholarship Programme is designed to provide some of the best and brightest students with the opportunity to continue onto a Masters programme in the Department of War Studies without the worry of financial constraint.

There are five scholarships available per year. Each student will receive £20,000. Scholarships are open to UK, EU and international applicants

King’s College London is extremely grateful to Sir Evelyn de Rothschild and the Eranda Foundation for establishing this generous scholarship programme in the Department of War Studies at King’s College London.

More info: http://www.kcl.ac.uk/study/pg/funding/sources/other/rothschild2015.aspx

Prince Turki Al Faisal Al Saud Visits King’sOn Monday 11 May, His Royal Highness Prince Turki Al Faisal Al Saud visited King’s College London, to speak with academics and students in War Studies about the regional security challenges of the Gulf and wider Middle East.

From 1977 to 2001, Prince Turki was the director general of Saudi Arabia’s General Intelligence Agency. He subsequently served as Ambassador to the United Kingdom and Ambassador to the United States. Prince Turki is now the chairman of the King Faisal Center for Research and Islamic Studies in Riyadh. The Centre conducts research in the field of issues affecting the Arab and Muslim worlds. He is also co-chair of the C100 Group, which has been affiliated with the World Economic Forum since 2003.

In a wide-ranging lecture, Prince Turki discussed the succession in Saudi Arabia, the conflicts in Yemen, Syria and Iraq, and the growing imperative

for greater unity within the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). Other noted participants in this discussion were His Highness Sheikh Dr. Khalid bin Sultan bin Zayed Al Nahyan of UAE, who is a Visiting Fellow in War Studies, Sir Evelyn de Rothschild, a great supporter of King’s and the War Studies Department, and Baron Powell of Bayswater, former foreign policy advisor to Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher.

Sir John Sawers, former Chief of MI6 speaks on the limits of security at the Annual LectureThe Department of War Studies was delighted to host Sir John Sawers, former Chief of MI6 and Visiting Professor in the Department of War Studies at the 2015 Annual Lecture, on the 16th February. Addressing a packed lecture theatre, Sir John offered a rare insight into decades of service for the British diplomatic and intelligence services, and the ongoing battle for ‘shared value and order’ in an increasingly unstable global landscape.

He discussed the ideological conflicts currently faced in Europe, where despite initial glimmers of economic, social and political reform, he said Russia has ‘not confronted and overcome its past’, and the foundations on which a post-Cold War society led by President Putin could hope to prosper have been undermined by a lack of ‘serious moral reckoning, and no assertion of new healthy values.’ Sir John warned: ‘Russian politics have slipped back: rather less democratic and more autocratic. Managing relations with Russia will be the defining problem in European security for years to come’.

Multi-award winning historian, Andrew Roberts appointedThe Department of War Studies is delighted to welcome Andrew Roberts as Visiting Professor. Professor Roberts is a multi-award winning historian and the author of numerous bestselling books on the Napoleonic and Second World Wars. His most recent book, a biography of Napoleon, just won the LA Times Biography of the Year Award. Professor Roberts is currently working on a major project on Winston Churchill. Alongside Dr. John Bew, he will be contributing to the new Grand Strategy programme at King’s which emphasises the importance of history in understanding foreign affairs and statecraft, and also the Churchill Leadership Programme. ■

News from War Studies at King’s College London

16

psa.ac.uk

Oxford’s Great Charter Convention debateThe independence referendum in Scotland, the Fixed Term Parliament Act, the end of the first coalition Government in 60 years, devolution of powers to British cities (with Greater Manchester as the lead), the arrival of 56 Scottish Nationalist MPs in the UK Parliament, and we’re only halfway through the Great Charter Convention, Oxford University’s Department of Politics and International Relations’ (DPIR) second online publishing partnership. Tied to the 800th anniversary of Magna Carta, the Great Charter Convention is an open, online public debate on where arbitrary power lies in the UK today – and how to contest and contain it.

The series is hosted by DPIR’s blog Politics in Spires, (itself a partnership with Cambridge University’s Department of Politics and International Studies (POLIS)), together with OurKingdom (the British Section of openDemocracy), the Institute of Public Policy Research (IPPR) and the Department of Politics at the University of Southampton.

Begun in August last year, the project, which is set to run until autumn of 2015, has coincided with an extraordinary period of constitutional uncertainty. What started in part as a response to the Political and Constitutional Reform Select Committee’s consultation on a new constitutional settlement for Britain - what would a new Magna Carta look like? – the publishing series has responded with analysis shaping the terms of debate and capturing immediate responses as it evolves. And there is much more to come - further devolution of powers to Scotland, the responses to calls for English votes for English laws, proposals to replace the Human Rights Act with a British Bill of Rights and the referendum over the UK’s membership of the European Union. Alongside all these changes the series has explored, in detail, ideas for a constitutional convention as

a democratic means to mediate public understanding and acceptance of this constitutional upheaval, which will have significant and long-lasting implications for the whole of the UK.

With Magna Carta as a starting point, the project includes discussion of its symbolic power to inspire historical political movements and to inform our debates now over questions of digital rights and freedoms.

The project has actively formed a network of partners and also brought them together to discuss these issues face to face. Academics, campaign groups, think-tanks and NGOs have met to discuss the emerging constitutional agenda and to extend the range of voices and ideas. The series has published more than 35 articles from a wide range of contributors. The Great Charter Convention is available now and will be published as an ebook and made available later this year. ■

Former Home Secretary David Blunkett was among the guests discussing the effect of coalition government on British politics ahead of the 2015 general election, at a special conference organised by the Politics department at Newcastle University and sponsored by the PSA’s British Journal of Politics and International Relations.

Mr Blunkett was part of a conference roundtable with Anne McIntosh, former Conservative MP for Thirsk and Malton, Darren Hughes, Deputy Chief Executive at the Electoral Reform Society,

Former Home Secretary joins academic experts at Newcastle University conference

Wendy Taylor, Liberal Democrat parliamentary candidate for Newcastle East, and Dr Nick Vivyan, lecturer in Politics at Durham University and member of the Election Forecast UK team, to share their views on the 2015 general election.

The event also featured a number of leading academics. Tim Bale, Alia Middleton and Andrew Scott Crines addressed issues relating to party competition since 2010. Eunice Goes, Craig Johnson and Andrew Russell discussed the broader nature of co-operation and competition between political parties in Britain, and Nick Randall, Simon Griffiths and Alistair Clark analysed the Conservatives, David Cameron and coalition politics.

Dr Nick Randall, Head of Politics at Newcastle University, said: “I’m delighted that we could attract such a high quality line up of speakers for our event, and I’d like to thank them all for taking part. The growing debate we’ve seen over co-operation between parties means it’s more relevant than ever before to ask whether the very nature of politics in Britain is changing, and why we’re currently expanding our team of research staff covering political parties and elections in Britain to ensure we remain at the forefront of this fast moving area of research.” ■

17

psa.ac.uk

The Political Violence & Terrorism Specialist Group (PVT) is the latest specialist group established by the PSA. It aims to bring together a network of scholars from all disciplines, working on issues relevant to all aspects of political violence, including, terrorism, war, genocide, insurgencies, civil wars and intrastate conflicts, as well as those focusing on peace building institutions and initiatives or conflict resolution. The group aims to promote innovative and rigorous theoretical and methodological analysis, disseminate research findings, foster networking and collaboration, and crucially, to promote a critical reflexive space for exploring the emerging nexus between academics, practitioners, and policymakers working within these fields.

The group is founded and convened by Dr Akil N Awan (Royal Holloway, University of London) and Ms Maria W Norris (LSE) will serve as Secretary and Treasurer.

The group’s inaugural event takes place on June 29th to coincide with the 20th anniversary of the Srebrenica genocide; the single

New Political Violence & Terrorism Specialist Group established

Dr Stamatoula Panagakou of the University of Cyprus organised and convened four panels on ‘British Idealism: Political Philosophy, Civic Pride and Ethical Citizenship’ at the 65th Annual International Conference of the Political Studies Association of the United Kingdom, Sheffield, 30th March – 1st April 2015. An international cast of scholars addressed issues of citizenship, state theory, good governance, the environment, freedom, republicanism, the common good, patriotism, punishment, rights, public ethics, civil society, and political obligation. The scholars revisited the theories of T. H. Green, Bernard Bosanquet, F. H. Bradley and R. G. Collingwood, and to develop cutting-edge comparisons involving other philosophical schools and fields of inquiry.

All the British Idealism sessions took place at the majestic rooms of Sheffield Town Hall and Sheffield City Hall. The 65th PSA Annual International Conference at Sheffield provided the members of the PSA British Idealism Specialist Group with a marvellous opportunity to meet colleagues from all over the world, and to take part in numerous research dissemination activities. The Conference Dinner at the historic Cutler’s Hall and the Conference Dinner Talk by the Rt. Hon. John

Bercow MP, Speaker of the House of Commons, added extra glamour and ambience to this truly memorable PSA Conference. ■

The British Idealists at the 65th PSA Annual International Conference, Sheffield

greatest atrocity on European soil since the Second World War, during which Bosnian Serb forces systematically massacred more than 8,000 Bosnian Muslim men and boys at Srebrenica, which was a UN protected area – a safe haven. It is a crime judged by the International Court of Justice at The Hague to constitute an act of genocide.

In commemorating this event, the specialist group, in conjunction with Royal Holloway - University of London, and Remembering Srebrenica, will host an International Conference to mark the 20th Anniversary of the Srebrenica Genocide, entitled ‘Commemoration, Denial, or Reconciliation’ and will be held at the historic Picture Gallery of Royal Holloway, University of London. The conference will include contributions from key international academics, artists, journalists, civil society members and others, in addition to featuring keynote addresses from:• Srebrenica genocide survivor, Dr Fatima Dautbaši -Klempi ,• Lead Actress from Angelina Jolie’s film In the Land of Blood and Honey

and Bosnian MP, Zana MarjanovicThe conference is free to attend, but you must register in advance at:

http://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/international-conference-on-the-20th-anniversary-of-the-srebrenica-genocide-tickets-17109496966

For queries on the specialist group or the conference, please contact Dr Akil N Awan: akil.awan@rhul.ac.uk.

You can also follow them on Twitter: @Akil_N_Awan | @PVT_PSA ■

From l to r: Dr Damian Ilodigwe, Dr Richard Murphy, Professor James Connelly, Dr Stamatoula Panagakou, Dr Maria Dimova-Cookson, Professor David Weinstein, Professor Colin Tyler, Dr Matt Hann, Professor Bob Kocis.

18

psa.ac.uk

China Calls for Policy ScholarsBy John Connolly, Sarah Cooper and Fabrizio De Francesco

We were each fortunate to be selected for the PSA bursary awarded by the Public Policy and Administration (PPA) Specialist Group to attend the Social Innovation and Research Conference (SIRC) hosted by the School of International Relations and Public Affairs, Fudan University, Shanghai in May. The conference was an excellent opportunity for us to present our recent work and to meet with researchers who are leading the way in innovation, public service improvement and management. We were struck, and actually rather comforted in many respects, by the extent to which academics from across the globe are grappling with similar challenges to us e.g. how best to co-produce public services with partners, ways of engaging citizens in public services, how to deploy innovative practices within a network environment (to name a few). It was fascinating to learn, however, about how the political contexts at multiple levels of governance tend to set the narrative and paradigms upon which innovation occurs (and the opportunities for it). We also came away with lots of questions to reflect on. For example, what actually is ‘social innovation’? The conference presentations were accepted and delivered under this broad heading but the lack of a clear and agreed definition will keep the delegates thinking over the coming months. That being said, the conference served to highlight to us just how academic research in this area has practical implications for public managers who are never short of pressures to reform their services, demonstrate the impact of what they do and to manage (and work within) multi-stakeholder contexts. We felt an extra level of appreciation for the PSA funding as it was an opportunity to visit Shanghai; the economic capital of China and one of the world’s top political science departments (Fudan is 19th in the QS global rankings).

PPA members attend conferences in China and Kazakhstan

Learning in Governance: Policy and Administration Specialist Group in KazakhstanBy Claire Dunlop

In February we led a three-day political science workshop in partnership with Nazarbayev University in Astana, Kazakhstan on theories of learning, governance and public policy. This British Council workshop enabled us to bring a dozen UK-based academics and PSA Policy and Administration specialist group members to Astana to work with a similar cohort of researchers based at Nazarbayev University and other universities in the country. We had sessions on modes of policy learning and whether they work well – and for whom. But we had our hands-on moments with sessions on methods to code and analyse empirically the manifestations of learning processes, and whether the EU crisis is a model of ‘failure to learn’ or something else. Sharing our models and research in progress with the participants from two different countries (Kazakhstan and UK) exposed our own implicit cultural presuppositions we hold when we theorize learning in governance and public policy. We also felt that there was lot of enthusiasm among the post-PhD and doctoral students in Kazakhstan for public policy theories and their empirical applications. In contrast to other fields of political science, public policy analysis really tackles issues ‘in the real world’.

To join the Public Policy and Administration specialist group contact its convenor – Claire Dunlop c.a.dunlop@exeter.ac.uk ■

19

psa.ac.uk

Executive Politics and Governance Group announce prizewinner Nisida Gjoski, a doctoral researcher at the EUI, has been awarded the annual early career prize by the Executive Politics and Governance specialist group. The prize is awarded for the best paper by an early career researcher presented at the annual PSA conference. Nisida presented her paper ‘Leviathan on paper and party patronage in practice: contested civil service reforms in Albania and Macedonia‘.

The Executive Politics and Governance specialist group organised six panels in total. It also celebrated the publication of an addition to its book series with Palgrave, namely the recently published edited volume on ‘Accountability and Regulatory Governance’, edited by Andrea Bianculli, Xavier Fernandez-i-Marin and Jacint Jordana. ■

On Friday 15 May, the PSA Women and Politics Specialist Group and the Political Leadership Specialist Group - supported by Birkbeck and Canterbury Christ Church University – co-hosted a workshop on ‘Women, Gender and Political Leadership’. The increasing prominence of female leadership and recruitment, ranging from the UK General Election debates to the US Presidential race, has given the study of gender and political leadership a new urgency and importance. This one-day event – organised by Dr Mark Bennister (Canterbury Christ Church), Dr Meryl Kenny (Leicester), and Dr Ben Worthy (Birkbeck) - brought together 40 participants to explore this under-researched area, examining in detail the challenges for women in office and the means by which they can attain it.

Academic research exploring gender and political leadership both within and beyond the UK was presented at the workshop, beginning with an opening panel focused on comparative selection and leadership performance. Papers in this session explored the relationship between political leadership and performance feedback; differing logics of access to legislative and executive office; and the question of whether women leaders were more like to promote women ministers. The second panel of the day focused on the UK context, with papers on women and political leadership in Scotland; gender and PMQs; the impact of Margaret Thatcher; and gendered conceptions of the ‘good’ prime minister. The final session of the day moved beyond Europe to look at the gendered tensions of ‘First Ladyship’; women’s political leadership in Zambia; and the political oratory of Hillary Clinton.

The event also featured a plenary roundtable with Professor Tim Bale (QMUL), Dr Rainbow Murray (QMUL) and Dr Rosie Campbell (Birkbeck),

Women, Gender and Political Leadership Workshop

reflecting on the 2015 General Election. This roundtable is available as a podcast: http://backdoorbroadcasting.net/2015/05/women-gender-and-political-leadership/

Plans are underway to follow up the workshop with further events and panels, as well as academic outputs, and PSA members interested in this research agenda are recommended to contact either of the Specialist Groups to get involved. ■

20

psa.ac.uk

PSA Schools Workshops on Applying to Study Politics at University 2015 – UK-wide – 16 June – 1 July 2015

Between 16 June and 1 July we are holding a number of free half-day workshops across the country on applying to study politics at a UK university.There are six workshops taking place across the UK on the following dates:• University of Stirling - Tuesday 16th June• University of Manchester - Wednesday 24th June• Warwick University - Thursday 25th June• University College London - Monday 29th June• University of Bristol - Wednesday 1st July• Ulster University - September 2015, details announced later in the year.The workshops, taking place right around the UK, will cover areas such as: selecting the right course and institution, the application process, and what to expect when you get to university

https://www.psa.ac.uk/events/psa-school-workshops-applying-study-politics-university-2015

International Conference on the 20th Anniversary of the Srebrenica Genocide – Royal Holloway University of London - 29 June 2015

This summer marks the 20th anniversary of the Srebrenica Genocide - the single greatest atrocity on European soil since the Second World War, during which Bosnian Serb forces systematically massacred more than 8,000 Bosnian Muslim men and boys at Srebrenica, which was a UN protected area – a safe haven. It is a crime judged by the International Court of Justice at The Hague to constitute an act of genocide.

In commemorating this harrowing event, Royal Holloway - University of London, Remembering Srebrenica, and the Political Science Association's Specialist Group on Political Violence jointly present an International Conference to mark the 20th Anniversary of the Srebrenica Genocide, held at the historic Picture Gallery of Royal Holloway, University of London.

https://www.psa.ac.uk/events/international-conference-20th-anniversary-srebrenica-genocide

Visit http://www.psa.ac.uk/events for more

Upcoming EventsBritain’s First Data Election? The Nature and Implications of Big Data Politics – Royal Statistical Society, London – 7 July 2015, 13.30pm – 17:00pm

This event jointly organised by the UK Political Studies Association, the British Academy and the Royal Statistical Society will reflect on the role of big data and data analysis in the May 2015 election – and reflect on the future implications of increasing availability of data and methods for its analysis. The event will look at a wide range of issues including polling data, the political parties use of data driven micro-targetting of voters, statistical claims and the role of civil society to verify claims in the public domain, the rise of data journalism and data visualisation, and the impact of all of this on the political process. It will involve contributions from political scientists, statisticians, journalists, data visualizers and social media experts, discussing how big data changes our politics and potential areas for optimism or concern in future. https://www.psa.ac.uk/events/britains-first-big-data-election-nature-and-implications-big-data-politics

Sixth Form Conference: Pressure Groups, Anti-Politics and Representation – Amnesty International’s Human Rights Action Centre, London - 13 October 2015

The Political Studies Association is organising a Sixth Form conference on “Pressure Groups, Anti-politics and Representation”. The conference is currently in the very early stages of development, but it will take place on the afternoon of Tuesday 13th October 2015 at Amnesty International’s Human Rights Action Centre in North London.

The aim of the conference – linking to the Magna Carta celebrations – is to get young people thinking about the duties and limits of state power, the rights of the people, and thinking about the rules of our democracy. The conference will explore these themes by creating engagement between young people and the experiences of either radical or less mainstream political campaign groups or charities. The conference will bring the research/ workshop discussions together with a panel of representatives who are actively out there “doing” or campaigning on these issues.

https://www.psa.ac.uk/psa-communities/specialist-groups/schools/events/sixth-form-conference-pressure-groups-anti-politics

21

psa.ac.uk

Could Do Better? Communicating Transferable Skills Teaching in UK Politics & IR DepartmentsBy Alistair Clark & Tristan Martin (Newcastle University)

Transferable and employability skills gained from studying Politics and IR have never been more important to students and their parents. This is driven by a number of factors, including a desire by students to prepare for a competitive employment environment when they graduate. £9,000 tuition fees have also increased skills anxiety amongst the new generation of PIR students. Yet, social science departments are often criticised for not engaging sufficiently with the transferable and employability skills agenda.

To examine this, with support from the PSA Executive, we conducted a national audit of UK Politics/IR departments, using data gathered from online module descriptions. We found that across the discipline there are many good, in some cases prize-winning, examples of teaching and assessment that encourage the imparting of useful skills students will find valuable in the employment market.

%

100

90

80

70

60

50

40

30

20

10

0Writing Critical

thinkingPresentation Communication Research Group

workTRANSFERABLE SKILLS

Figure 1: Frequency of Skills Mentioned in Module Sample

The Politics Violence Frontier projectThe Politics Violence Frontier project has its intellectual roots in the investigative team’s long-standing collaborative interest in philosophical accounts of violence. The frontier between politics and violence is contested, philosophically problematic, and of first importance in current controversies within established democracies and developing polities, for instance, about the legitimacy and effectiveness of political protest.

In some traditions of political thought, violence and politics are antithetical: polities or states monopolise legitimate forms of violence and by that means pacify processes of decision making and government. In other traditions states are associated with organised violence, both military and police. Some philosophers and activists argue that by virtue of that fact movements and organisations must, for strategic and symbolic reasons, practice non-violence; others argue that any identification of politics with non-violence is a mask, that violent action in pursuit of just political ends is necessitated, or justified, and that violence is one political means among others.

This project develops a research design for comparative analysis of practical political reason with respect to justification of violence and non-violence in politics, taking cases from settings in northern and southern Europe. Where the recent UK general election laid bare an identity crisis within the left, recent fieldwork with Italian political activists shows a flexible and evolving repertoire of issue-based political protest tactics raised in opposition to zero-hours contracts, lack of affordable housing and high-speed rail development in the North.

The project team comprises Elizabeth Frazer (Oxon), Kimberly Hutchings (QMUL) and Lucy Abbott (Oxon). For more, visit http://www.politics.ox.ac.uk/research-projects/the-politics-violence-frontier.html ■

Yet, overall results suggest that the discipline is underselling the transferable skills that can be gained from studying Politics and IR at university. Only 48% of the 1546 online module descriptions included in the sample mentioned critical thinking skills. In addition, only 38% mentioned communication skills, 36% presentation skills, 29% research skills and 27% group-working skills.

This indicates there is certainly room to improve how UK Politics and IR departments communicate to students and their parents the key skills that can be gained from studying PIR via publicly accessible platforms such as online module guides. Improving upon this in the future will hopefully increase students’ understanding and knowledge of the skills and employability benefits a degree in Politics/IR can bring. ■

22

psa.ac.uk

On 28th April, a junior panel composed of ten undergraduates from King’s College London presented their findings to a senior panel composed of leading experts in their respective fields. Under the topic of 'Instability and Conflict' the presentation sought to shed light on the major issues facing the 21st Century as part of the wider "Churchill 2015 – 21st Century Statesmanship Global Leaders Programme and Seminar."

The senior panel comprised Sir Lawrence Freedman, Emeritus Professor of War Studies and official historian of the Falklands Conflict, Dr Edwina Morton, former Diplomatic Editor of The Economist, Sir Nigel Sheinwald, former British Ambassador to Washington, Sir David Omand, former Director of GCHQ, and Gen Sir Rib Fry, former Commandant General Royal Marines. As

Dr Dion Curry was recently awarded an EU Horizon 2020 Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowship valued at €184,000 for a project entitled ‘Policy Innovation and Legitimacy in Regional Multi-Level Governance’. The project aims to study EU-level governance processes and their impact on perceptions of political legitimacy

at regional levels. This project aims to further develop the linkages between procedural innovation in governance and the legitimacy of these processes in an increasingly multi-level political context, looking at how (or whether) political legitimacy can travel between governmental levels. The project will focus on the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland, looking at the effects of the EU-level Social Open Method of Coordination on policies at the national and regional levels, and what this means in terms of legitimacy at all political levels.

Dr Krijn Peters was recently awarded a £150,000 ESRC/DFID Poverty Alleviation Research Grant to look at the impact of track construction in war and Ebola affected Liberia. Together with academic partners in the Netherlands, a development and infrastructure construction agency Cardno, and a Liberian NGO, his study

aims to understand the impact that motorbike navigable track/trail construction from farmstead to village/road/market has on lifting smallholder farmers out of poverty by reducing costs to produce for markets.

Both academics are staff members at the Department of Political and Cultural Studies at Swansea University. ■

Grants for Swansea academics

Student Think Tank leads policy initiative: Churchill 2015 – 21st Century Statesmanship Global Leaders Programme

mentors they have since the start of the year been working closely on this project with ten undergraduates from King’s College London.

The topics the undergraduates chose to consider ranged from new approaches to grand strategy to 21st Century forms of propaganda, and from human security to privacy and the efficient use of technology in society. With a core emphasis on long-term recommendations, the junior panellists are preparing to publish their final report by the end of July 2015.

For further information about the Churchill 2015 programme please visit: https://www.churchillcentral.com/events/churchill-2015-21st-century-statesmanship-global-leaders-programme-and-seminar ■

23

psa.ac.uk

PSA Student Video Competition returns for a fourth yearOur annual competition is back! For the fourth consecutive year, we are inviting groups of A-Level and Higher Education students to submit short videos on a topical subject. This year’s competition asks students to explore the question:

“Designing for Democracy – what would you propose?” The aim of this competition, kindly sponsored by both the Design

Commission and YouGov, is to get students exploring the advantages and disadvantages of different types of democratic systems, whilst creating their own proposal.

As in previous years, the winning group receives their award at the PSA’s Annual Awards Dinner in London in December which is broadcast on BBC Parliament. Accommodation is provided for them, along with their teacher in a central London hotel. On top of this, the winning students will each be invited to spend a week voluntarily shadowing the YouGov political team during their school holidays!

Check out our competition poster outlining all the details about this year’s competition and for instructions on how to enter by visiting https://goo.gl/WOSGQp ■

At the end of March, Ofqual published the outcomes of their "Completing GCSE, AS and A Level Reform" consultation results for subjects in the 'third wave' of reform. This contained positive news about the Government and Politics A-level which has been included in Ofqual's list of proposed subjects for reform in 2017 in which they consider content requirements that could be developed to meet their reform principles.

The issue of reforming the Government and Politics A-level remains high on the PSA's schools' agenda. The subject is a valued and important element of sixth form study and the Association will continue to play an important role to help facilitate dialogue with the main awarding bodies around new course content. More information about the work the Association is doing in this area is available on our website. ■

Dr Richard Hayton (University of Leeds) was the latest PSA member to visit Government and Politics students as part of our Speakers for Schools Programme. Dr Hayton recently spoke to students at the St Mary Magdalene Academy in North London about British Politics.

Ofqual propose to reform Government and Politics in 2017

“Designing for Democracy – what would you propose?”

The winners of last year's Student Video Competition, Portsmouth Grammar School, receiving their award at the 2014 PSA Awards Ceremony.

24

psa.ac.uk

Total Exposure is a new PSA initiative that puts the work of our members firmly on the agenda of broadcasters in Britain.

The PSA has launched a new initiative, which gives academics the exciting opportunity to present their ideas for TV and radio programmes to some of the most respected broadcast commissioners in the country.

Total Exposure was launched at the PSA Annual Conference in Sheffield to a packed audience of conference delegates, all eager to find out what the project was all about.

The process for entry to Total Exposure couldn’t be any easier. You write a short ‘pitch’, usually one side of A4 outlining your idea for a TV or radio programme and you e-mail it to totalexposure@psa.ac.uk. After the deadline has passed on 31 October 2015, a shortlisting panel will select the ten best pitches to go forward to a final event in London on 28 January 2016. At this event, you will be given the opportunity to present your idea to an expert panel of broadcast commissioners who will offer feedback and advice on your pitch.

Total Exposure is not a competition and there is no prize for the winner but it is a serious skills-building and networking exercise that is open to PSA members only. The PSA believes that it can do more to help members interact and work with the media. With this in mind, Total Exposure is a creative platform where political scientists can exchange ideas with the very people who decide what we watch and listen to on our TVs and radios on a daily basis. Some of the research carried out by our members has the potential to make a huge impact on society and the expert panel of broadcasters that we’ve assembled are ready to help you bring your findings to the British public.

Meet our expert panel of commissioners who will consider the final 10 ‘pitches’ in January 2016 at an event in central London:

• JONATHAN BRUNERT, PRODUCER, BBC• TOM GARTON, ASSISTANT PRODUCER, ITV, BBC, SHIVER• SIOBHAN MULHOLLAND, COMMISSIONING EDITOR, FACTUAL

AND FEATURES, SKY• SIOBHAN SINNERTON, COMMISSIONING EDITOR, CURRENT

AFFAIRS, CHANNEL 4• STEVE TITHERINGTON, SENIOR COMMISSIONING EDITOR, BBC

WORLD SERVICE

Now you’ve met the panel, there’s only one thing left to do – get writing your pitches! The deadline for submission is 31 October 2015 and they should be e-mailed to totalexposure@psa.ac.uk or posted to:

Total ExposurePolitical Studies Association113a Jermyn StreetLondon SW1Y 6HJ

The terms and conditions associated with Total Exposure can be found on our website, along with a complete downloadable PDF guide including instructions on writing a pitch at http//www.psa.ac.uk/totalexposure

Still have some queries or questions on Total Exposure? E-mail us at totalexposure@psa.ac.uk or call the head office on 0207 321 2545 and the PSA’s Communications Officer Jamie Ralph would be very happy to help. ■

Have you ever dreamt about having your research adapted for television or radio?