By Cherry Miller, Teaching Fellow Department of Political Science and International Studies, University of Birmingham On Tuesday 24th April 2018, a statue of suffragist Millicent Fawcett- who was instrumental in getting the vote for women over 30 who met a property qualification- was unveiled in Parliament Square. Amidst the commemoration events surrounding women’s suffrage, we can … Continue reading “Beneath the Fawcett statue: The descriptive and substantive representation of women in British Politics”
Author: guest blogger
A lack of cybersecurity brought down the Empire
By Conor Deane-McKenna, Doctoral Researcher in Cyberwarfare Department of Political Science and International Studies, University of Birmingham Star Wars presents its viewers with glimpses into a past where technology is years ahead of our own. Yet, policies put in place by the Empire, seemed to undermine many of the functions of this technology. From HoloNet restrictions to … Continue reading “A lack of cybersecurity brought down the Empire”
Star Wars Day: Virtues in a Galaxy, far far away…
By Jason Metcalfe, Research Associate Jubilee Centre for Character and Virtues, University of Birmingham Star Wars resonated with a worldwide audience, and there is no doubt this was due to the array of moral and spiritual elements present throughout the films. For those out of the loop, May 4th is Star Wars Day, selected as … Continue reading “Star Wars Day: Virtues in a Galaxy, far far away…”
Star Wars, democracy and elites
By Paul Jackson, Professor of African Politics Department of International Development, University of Birmingham The Star Wars franchise is one of the most successful sets of films in the history of cinema. It deals with a range of complex issues including a hero’s journey, good versus evil, tolerance versus oppression, however one of the most … Continue reading “Star Wars, democracy and elites”
Luke, Obi-Wan, US Foreign Policy: Thoughts on Star Wars Day
By Scott Lucas, Professor of American Studies Department of Political Science and International Studies, University of Birmingham It was the magical moment- well, if you consider nuclear weapons magical – when Hollywood and US foreign policy embraced. Ronald Reagan, former President of the United States and star of films such as Bedtime for Bonzo, told … Continue reading “Luke, Obi-Wan, US Foreign Policy: Thoughts on Star Wars Day”
Trust in Face-to-Face Diplomacy
By Nicholas J. Wheeler, Professor of International Relations Department of Political Science and International Studies, University of Birmingham President Donald Trump and his North Korean counterpart, Kim Jong-un, are due to meet for a historic summit in an as yet undisclosed location to try and resolve the nuclear stand-off on the Korean peninsula. For academics … Continue reading “Trust in Face-to-Face Diplomacy”
20 Years since the Good Friday Agreement: What we can learn from Northern Ireland’s Peace Process
By Dr Giuditta Fontana, Leverhulme Fellow Institute for Conflict, Cooperation and Security (ICCS), University of Birmingham On 10th of April 2018, former negotiators gathered to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement. The Agreement put an end to three decades of what are known as Northern Ireland’s ‘Troubles’, which resulted in over 3,500 deaths … Continue reading “20 Years since the Good Friday Agreement: What we can learn from Northern Ireland’s Peace Process”
Criticality not Commemoration: responding to the BBC airing Enoch Powell’s ‘Rivers of Blood’ speech
By Chris Allen, Lecturer in Social Policy Department of Social Policy, Sociology and Criminology, University of Birmingham The decision by the BBC to air Enoch Powell’s ‘Rivers of Blood’ speech in full, in commemoration of its 50th anniversary, is nothing less than bewildering. Widely acknowledged as one of the most provocative and racist public speeches in … Continue reading “Criticality not Commemoration: responding to the BBC airing Enoch Powell’s ‘Rivers of Blood’ speech”
The adoption itch: time to scratch below the surface
By Simon Cardy, School of Social Policy Associate Social Work Teaching Partnership, a partnership between University of Birmingham and other local authorities Controversies in adoption, particularly around race, have been an issue since the Major government, in what Paul Garrett describes in his recent book Welfare Words as an ‘itching’ pre-occupation of governments with child adoption. … Continue reading “The adoption itch: time to scratch below the surface”
Happiness: What Does this Mean in Education?
By Paul Watts, Research Fellow Jubilee Centre for Character and Virtue, University of Birmingham Much attention has been given to the concept of happiness, both in the UK and internationally, with Theresa May appointing a minister to tackle loneliness, the launch of the 2018 World Happiness Report, and the work of the Ministry of State … Continue reading “Happiness: What Does this Mean in Education?”