Following the fallout from recent occupational protests at the University of Birmingham, the air on campus has been thick with talk surrounding the right to protest and the efficacy of this political tool in redressing student grievances. Here, POLSIS students Rachel Armitage (1st Year BA Political Science), Fern Tomlinson (3rd Year B.A. Political Science ) … Continue reading “The Politics of Protest: Students’ perspectives”
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”
Why Greece will NOT exit the Euro
With Greek political leaders entering a fresh round of negotiations aimed at forming a government after last week’s election, speculation that Greece is on the verge of exiting the Euro has reached fever pitch. Here, Dr David Toke, Senior Lecturer in Politics at the University of Birmingham, explains why he believes this talk is overblown. … Continue reading “Why Greece will NOT exit the Euro”
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”
POLSIS News: Dr Jonathan Grix on the Bahrain Grand Prix
Last Friday, Dr Jonathan Grix was interviewed on Austrian radio about the implications of the decision to go ahead with the Bahrain Grand Prix despite the political instability currently affecting the country. The full audio, in English, is available here.
‘Didi, are you Hindu?’ Politics of Secularism in Women’s Activism in India: A Case Study of a Grassroots Women’s Organisation in Rural Uttar Pradesh
On Tuesday, 1st May, the POLSIS Gender and Feminist Theory Research Group will be joined by Dr Radhika Govinda from Ambedkar University Delhi. Dr Govinda will be discussing her research on the politics of secularism in today’s India. The event will take place from 15.30 to 17.30 in Muirhead Tower, Room 112. All welcome. Dr. … Continue reading “‘Didi, are you Hindu?’ Politics of Secularism in Women’s Activism in India: A Case Study of a Grassroots Women’s Organisation in Rural Uttar Pradesh”
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”