Trust, Cooperation and the Global Nuclear Future

On Tuesday 4th September, the University of Birmingham hosted the Third Annual Symposium on “The Challenges to Trust Building in Nuclear Worlds” entitled “Trust, Cooperation and the Global Nuclear Future”. Building on the success of previous years, the symposium aims once again to bring together early career researchers, established academics and practitioners working in the … Continue reading “Trust, Cooperation and the Global Nuclear Future”

Student Conference: Cosmopolitan Dimensions

Last week, POLSIS held its Second Annual Student Conference, an event organised for students, by students. It was a day to remember, writes POLSIS MA student and conference organiser Marianna Karakoulaki. On a rainy summer day on 7th June, students from the School of Government and Society gathered in Muirhead Tower, for the Second Annual … Continue reading “Student Conference: Cosmopolitan Dimensions”

Staff 3-2 Students: Match Report!

On the 6th of June 2012, the teaching staff of POLSIS took on a select band of undergraduates in the annual football game. The POLSIS Blog dispatched football correspond Angus Nore-Hoghorris (who is totally impartial and has absolutely no conflict of interest with the staff team) for this once-a-year encounter. It was Friedrich Nietzsche who … Continue reading “Staff 3-2 Students: Match Report!”

Iran’s nuclear programme – videos uploaded

On April 25th, the University of Birmingham’s new Institute for Conflict, Cooperation and Security held an event to assess the options for cooperation and conflict surrounding the Iranian nuclear programme. Please note that this footage is of the speakers’ prepared remarks only. The Q&A in each session was held under the Chatham House Rule. Details … Continue reading “Iran’s nuclear programme – videos uploaded”

The Roller Coaster Ride to the White House

Earlier this year, Dr Victoria M. DeFrancesco Soto, a Fellow at the Center for Politics and Governance at the LBJ School of Public Affairs at the University of Texas at Austin, came to POLSIS to discuss some of the dynamics surrounding this year’s presidential election in the United States. Here is an excerpt of what … Continue reading “The Roller Coaster Ride to the White House”

Visit to Amnesty International UK’s Human Rights Action Centre

This post from POLSIS PhD student Iván Farías Pelcastre is a report on a recent trip by POLSIS students to Amnesty International in London. On 28th March, students from the undergraduate second-year POLS 214 IR Theory and first-year POLS 105 Introduction to IR modules, as well as PhD students and GTAs from POLSIS, visited Amnesty … Continue reading “Visit to Amnesty International UK’s Human Rights Action Centre”

Former US senators’ lecture to POLSIS graduate students

Towards the end of last year, two former US congressmen, David Skaggs and George Nethercutt came to the University of Birmingham to give a lecture entitled: ‘Atlantic versus Pacific Focus in US Foreign Policy’. Here David Skaggs speaks about the American public’s reluctance to engage with foreign policy. According to Skaggs, with the fall of … Continue reading “Former US senators’ lecture to POLSIS graduate students”

Iran’s Nuclear Programme – Assessing the Options for Cooperation and Conflict

The University of Birmingham’s newly established Institute for Conflict, Cooperation and Security (ICCS) on Wednesday hosted an afternoon of expert discussion on the security implications of the current crisis over Iran’s nuclear programme. Speakers covered the political and military choices which lie ahead, as well as the possibilities for resolving the crisis through diplomacy.  They included: … Continue reading “Iran’s Nuclear Programme – Assessing the Options for Cooperation and Conflict”

Development Campaigning in the UK: Prospects for Africa

On Wednesday 21st March, Professor Graham Harrison visited POLSIS to discuss his research on development campaigning in the UK. Professor Harrison’s talk focused on representations of Africa in UK-based charities’ funding campaigns, the reasons why he considers’ such representations to be problematic, and why charities find it difficult to frame their campaigns in different ways. … Continue reading “Development Campaigning in the UK: Prospects for Africa”

A new narrative for the 21st Century? Power shift, American decline and the rise of the East

On Wednesday 7th March, POLSIS welcomed Professor Michael Cox of the London School of Economics to the weekly POLSIS Seminar Series. In a highly engaging discussion, Professor Cox presented the contrarian view that the conventional wisdom on declining American power has been greatly exaggerated. He maintained that the United States’ overwhelming military dominance and its … Continue reading “A new narrative for the 21st Century? Power shift, American decline and the rise of the East”