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Upcoming Events
This is our brand-new events listing page, and we're still tidying it up and making some changes so that it works well for you all. Please let us know ( at events@w4mp.org ) if you think it can be improved in any way.
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03 February 12 |
The Poor Had No Lawyers - who owns Scotland (and how they got it) Seminar |
Edinburgh |
The Poor Had No Lawyers - who owns Scotland (and how they got it) Speaker: Andy Wightman Independent Author and Researcher www.eeo.ed.ac.uk/seminars/programme.html For more information contact Owen Macdonald, Owen.Macdonald@ed.ac.uk |
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06 February 12 |
Biomass Energy and Carbon Capture and Storage (BECCS) Seminar |
Oxford |
Date: 06 Feb 12 This seminar will bring together experts on the technical and policy aspects of BECCS (Biomass Energy and Carbon Capture and Storage), a proposed geoengineering technique that aims to draw carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere by growing biomass and burning it to generate electricity, with the carbon dioxide generated by burning the biomass being sequestered away from the atmosphere. The seminar will involve four panelists who will make brief presentations which will describe the proposed technique, the research conducted so far, the potential and the issues associated with it. |
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07 February 12 |
The Future of Homelessness Policy in Wales Lecture |
Cardiff |
The Future of Homelessness Policy in Wales Date: Tuesday 07 February 2012 Learning Lessons from the States and the Scots With Professor Dennis Culhane (University of Pennsylvania), Professor Suzanne Fitzpatrick (Herit-Watt University) and an additional speaker, to be confirmed. This public lecture is jointly hosted by the Innovation and Engagement Unit, the Joseph Rowntree Foundation and Wales Institute of Social and Economic Research, Data and Methods (WISERD). |
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07 February 12 |
Explaining the Crisis in Syria Debate |
London |
This will be a three-way debate focusing on the current political crisis in Syria involving Dr Chris Phillips (an expert on Syria within Queen Mary's School of Politics & International Relations), Ammar Waqqaf (a leading voice in the Syrian Social Club, a group advocating reform within the framework of the existing state), and Malik Al-Abdeh (Chief Editor of the opposition satellite TV station, Barada TV). |
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07 February 12 |
The challenges of Public Health in the 21st century Lecture |
University of Birmingham |
The first lecture in the Vice-Chancellor's Distinguished Lecture Series for 2012 will be delivered by Professor Dame Sally Davies, Chief Medical Officer for England (CMO). As CMO, Sally Davies is the UK government's principal medical adviser and the professional head of all Directors of Public Health. She is also Chief Scientific Advisor for the Department of Health. This event is free and no booking is required |
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07 February 12 |
Co-design & Policymaking Seminar |
London |
Traditional models of using public consultations in policy making have involved inflexible processes where policies are drafted, a narrow set of questions are asked and selected responses are incorporated. Date: 06 Feb 12 This seminar will bring together experts on the technical and policy aspects of BECCS (Biomass Energy and Carbon Capture and Storage), a proposed geoengineering technique that aims to draw carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere by growing biomass and burning it to generate electricity, with the carbon dioxide generated by burning the biomass being sequestered away from the atmosphere. The seminar will involve four panelists who will make brief presentations which will describe the proposed technique, the research conducted so far, the potential and the issues associated with it. As a way of making policy, it's surrounded with suspicions of predetermination, framing and cynicism. But online technologies have offered new opportunities and applications which promote organic co-authoring of documents (the most famous example being Wikipedia). Can collaborative authoring really contribute new, practical solutions to policy issues, and what are the benefits to policymakers and the real long-term benefits to their own fields of expertise and responsibility? |
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07 February 12 |
First Tuesday Current Affairs Forum Discussion group |
Manchester |
The Manchester Salon has been organising challenging public discussions on a wide variety of political, cultural and social topics for the last few years. Topics are usually decided a few months in advance to enable (subject) experts to be invited and booked, allowing regular and occasional attendees to try and interrogate themes in detail, in context and with some crucial insights. |
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07 February 12 |
International Security and the US 2012 Presidential Election Henry Jackson Society Event |
London |
The Republican race to find a candidate to run against Barack Obama for the
Presidency in November has not been without drama. Expected in some ways and
massively surprising in others, the caucuses and primaries have whittled the
field down to four: Mitt Romney, Ron Paul, Rick Santorum and Newt Gingrich. |
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07 February 12 |
Online Networks and Bottom-up Politics Talk |
Oxford |
b>Speaker: Dr Sandra Gonzalez-Bailon Academic and media discourse have long considered the democratising potential of the Internet, and its impact on political engagement. This talk gives an overview of the empirical evidence that supports those claims, paying special attention to what users do online that helps strengthen their political involvement. Users expand their social circles online, and peripheral contacts or casual relationships become more consequential. These informal networks activate three mechanisms that are relevant to understanding political engagement. First, they widen exposure to information; second, they encourage public discussion and deliberation; and third, they support new forms of association. The talk will conclude with a consideration of what makes online communities successful at activating political engagement, and how their effects can spill over into offline politics. |
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07 February 12 |
Alan Turing: the One who became a Zero Lecture |
Oxford |
Speaker: Dr Andrew Hodges Dr Andrew Hodges is the author of Alan Turing: The Enigma (1983). He is a Tutorial Fellow in Mathematics at Wadham College. The lecture will be held in the presence of the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Andrew Hamilton, and the Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Personnel & Equality), Dr Stephen Goss. |
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08 February 12 |
Securing Land Rights for Women in Southern and East Africa CPA UK Lunchtime Lecture |
CPA Room, Westminster Hall |
Women's land rights are critical to Africa's development. This lecture will analyse some of the many strategies being used in Eastern and Southern Africa, and emphasise the need for a positive, engaged and proactive approach to securing women’s rights. Our lunchtime lecture series aims to highlight contemporary issues affecting the Commonwealth and wider international community and encourage discussion. |
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08 February 12 |
Women's Leadership Training Leadership Workshop |
Friends Meeting House, 173-177 Euston Road, London, NW1 2BJ |
Progressive Women and ANKLe are delighted to announce their first Leadership workshop for 2012 Understanding Change and Transition with Judy Oliver Feb 8, 6.30pm - 8.30pm, £20 Whether it is in the work place with a new role, or at home with a new relationship or other personal challenges, the way we deal with change can have a massive impact on our levels of success and ultimately our happiness. Life these days is always changing but it helps to understand the inner psychological transition that we humans need to make if we are to really realise the potential of the new change. Judy Oliver, professional and experienced leadership coach, will facilitate a workshop session on how to deal with change and transition. She promises solutions – whether at home or work it works! Tickets must be purchased in advance. Please visit our website for more information on reserving your place. |
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08 February 12 |
A better beginning: easing the cost of childcare - with Liam Byrne MP Panel Debate |
London |
Speakers:
Chair: Ian Mulheirn, Director, SMF High-quality formal childcare improves children's development and helps parents stay in work. However, it remains unaffordable for many families, and this situation is set to worsen in the years ahead. Due to the state of the public finances, the government is unable or unwilling to spend more money to help parents with the considerable costs of childcare. But there are other things government can do to help parents with the burden. A creative solution is needed. This paper proposes an entirely new policy. In straightened times, this innovative proposal offers the only route to the universal, high-quality childcare service Britain desperately needs. |
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09 February 12 |
Economic Evaluation of Population Health Interventions: Opportunities and Challenges Lecture |
Oxford |
Speaker: Kenny Lawson, Research Fellow in Health Economics, Public
Health, University of Glasgow |
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09 February 12 |
Managing London’s roads and keeping the capital moving at Games time Lecture |
Newcastle |
Garrett Emmerson, Chief Operating Officer of Streets and Traffic, Transport for London Lecture in association with transportNewcastle, Newcastle University Free admission, no pre-booking required Date: 9th February 2012 |
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09 February 12 |
Social Media Strategy Breakfast Seminar |
Oxford |
Speaker: Mary Thomas, Concise Training A free breakfast seminar offering practical advice about the professional uses of Twitter, Facebook and Linkedin for beginners. The seminar, which is aimed at professionals, business people and academics, will provide tips on the best way you can form your own social media campaign. Places are limited, so early booking is advised. |
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09 February 12 |
Biting More Than Can Be Chewed: How the US State Became a Prisoner of Its Own Rhetoric about Evil Lecture |
Oxford |
Speaker: Alan Wolfe, Professor of Political Science and Director of
the Boisi Center for Religion and American Public Life at Boston College What are the pressures affecting the state in different parts of the world in the 21st century? Political conflict, economic collapse and civil uprisings are all contributing to tensions in various parts of the world. In States in Crisis, five speakers will explore aspects of these pressures from a largely regional perspective. In the aftermath of September 11, US foreign policy makers adopted an understanding of the nature of the enemy they were facing by adopting ideas of radical evil associated with the totalitarian regimes of Hitler and Stalin. As a result, they asked far more from government than any state could ever provide: specifically the abolition of evil in the world, a task that, if possible at all, is best left to religion. At a time when the state can be almost nothing in domestic life, it chose to try to do everything in its national security policy. Professor Wolfe will try to explain how US policy makers became seduced by the language of evil when they should have focussed more on the nature of politics. |
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10 February 12 |
Casting a Wider Net: Delivering News on the Censored Internet Talk |
Oxford |
Speaker: Karl Kathuria, Munk School of Global Affairs, University of
Toronto An international research team based at the Citizen Lab, Munk School of Global Affairs (University of Toronto) has conducted a detailed study that tracks and analyses the difficulties of broadcasting news into jurisdictions that censor the Internet. The results of this study are documented in 'Casting a Wider Net: Lessons Learned in Delivering BBC Content on the Censored Internet', which reports on a series of real-world tests to deliver BBC websites into Iran and China, where they are regularly blocked by authorities. This talk will consider the challenges facing news broadcasters as they shift their focus from traditional media delivery methods to online delivery. It will cover the BBC's case studies as detailed in the published report, and will look at how the different propagation strategies helped to reach an audience that was otherwise unable to access the broadcaster's content. |
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14 February 12 |
A Walk-On Part Talk |
Newcastle |
A Walk-On Part Free admission, no pre-booking required Date: 14th February 2012 Chris Mullin, a former Labour minister and MP for Sunderland South for 23 years, gives a light-hearted account of his life and times with reference to his widely acclaimed diaries. This will be followed by a book signing. |
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14 February 12 |
The paradox of aid effectiveness GCID & Centre for Development Studies Joint Seminar |
Glasgow |
Date: Tuesday, February 14 2012 At the end of 2011, the Fourth High Level Forum on Aid Effectiveness (HLF4), the largest recent global meeting on development aid (3000 participants from 160 countries) took place in Busan, South Korea. Although the two major themes of the Forum were how much progress had been made by donors and recipients on quantitative indicators of aid effectiveness and how to move beyond aid effectiveness to a broader vision of effective development cooperation, the location of HLF4 in Korea underlined a paradox. The Korean case shows how countries could make the transition from least developed country to OECD member within 40 years and effectively eliminate extreme poverty. But donors are not using aid to support such a development transition. Extending remarks originally made at a pre-HLF4 event organized by the Korean Development Institute and Korean Association of Development and International Cooperation, Professor Gore explores the underlying reasons for this paradox of aid effectiveness and suggests ways to resolve the paradox. |
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15 February 12 |
Housing, Planning, Construction, Localism and Flooding RICS Researcher’s Workshop |
RICS HQ, Parliament Square |
RICS invites parliamentary staff to attend a lunchtime workshop on 15th February 2012 to better understand, brief and answer questions on the topics of housing, planning, construction, localism and flooding. RICS, in the public interest, will provide expert and independent advice to allow you to respond more effectively to constituent enquiries and brief your MP ahead of meetings and debates. The impact of these issues will run right through to the next election. RSVP Email: twainwright@rics.org |
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16 February 12 |
Village Men or Gentlemen University of Edinburgh Event |
Edinburgh |
Village Men or Gentlemen: The importance of contextualising class for understanding migratory flows between the UK and Pakistan Date: Thu, 16 February, 16:00 – 17:30 Speaker: Dr Parveen Akhtar, University of Bristol Organised in conjunction with the Centre for South Asian Studies. All welcome. For more information, contact Rosie Mellor at rosie.mellor@ed.ac.uk or on 0131 650 4165. |
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16 February 12 |
Trying to do More Good than Harm in Health Care Lecture |
Oxford |
The Wolfson Haldane Lecture |
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16 February 12 |
(In)Security, Surveillance and the State (4) Steve Hewitt - Informing Controversy: The Renewed Relevance of Informers to Counter-Terrorism Operations and the Controversy Surrounding Their Use |
Edge Hill University |
In his lecture, he will examine the use of informers in counter-terrorism intelligence. Since the September 11 attacks, there has been recognition from Western intelligence agencies and the police that technological surveillance has limitations when dealing with close-knit groups of individuals linguistically and culturally different from agency officers working on counter terrorism operations. The use of informers, which has grown in both the US and UK in recent years, presents challenges of its own, particularly with relations between security agencies and ‘suspect communities'. This talk will examine the renewed emphasis on informers, including the historical context, reasons for their expanded use, and the implications surrounding this technique. |
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16 February 12 |
Mozart Concert at St John's Smith Square Westminster Cancer Research UK |
St John's Smith Square Westminster SW1 |
Mozart at St John's Smith Square Westminster on Thursday 16th February 2012 at 7.30pm. Oxford Philomusica will be giving a concert for Cancer Research UK. Mozart Serenade No. 6 in D major, k 239, Serenata Notturna. Flute Concerto No.2 in D Major K.314 Symphony No. 41 in C major, k551, 'Jupiter'. |
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20 February 12 |
Public Policy & Citizenship Inaugural Lecture |
Edinburgh |
Inaugural Lecture: Public Policy & Citizenship: Andrew Thompson, SPS Venue: David Hume Tower, George Square, Edinburgh, EH8 9JX Contact: Annie Hetherington (annie.hetherington@ed.ac.uk ) |
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21 February 12 |
Free Spirits with Ruth Porter Discussion |
London |
Ruth Porter is Communications Director at the Institute of Economic Affairs. |
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23 February 12 |
UK Speechwriters' Guild Spring Conference One-day conference |
Institute for Government, 2 Carlton Gardens, London, SW1Y 5AA |
The UK Speechwriters’ Guild provides training for speechwriters who work in
international politics and commerce. |
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23 February 12 |
Tim Besley from LSE on regulating finance Social Market Foundation 'Chalk & Talk' Event |
London |
Social Market Foundation 'Chalk & Talk' Event on Regulating Finance |
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23 February 12 |
Profit making in schools: an inevitable reality? Discussion |
London |
"And, to anyone who is worried that, by expanding the mix of providers in our education system, we are inching towards inserting the profit motive into our school system, again, let me reassure you: yes to greater diversity; yes to more choice for parents. But no to running schools for profit, not in our state-funded education sector." (Nick Clegg, September 2011) Ever since the emergence of City Technology Colleges (CTC’s) in the early 1990’s, respective governments have held to the notion that allowing schools greater autonomy and the space to innovate provides an effective route out of persistent mediocrity or failure towards improved attainment and success. Reform has gone some considerable way in shifting education policy in a more market orientated direction. Yet, what many might regard as the primary agent of market based innovation – namely the for-profit private providers – continues to be very much kept out in the cold. In an upcoming report, Policy Exchange seeks to challenge the grounds for opposition against for-profit provision playing a part in the running of our schools. This event will discuss the issues at stake:
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23 February 12 |
Ten Years of Shaping the Policy Agenda Briefing |
London |
In 2002, a group of individuals including Nick Boles, Francis Maude and
Michael Gove, set up Policy Exchange. The aim of the organisation was to produce
new, workable policy ideas which would appeal to the majority of the British
public. Initially focusing on education, Policy Exchange produced a wealth of
research, setting out ideas such as the introduction of Free Schools, the pupil
premium, elected police commissioners and housing reform. |
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28 February 12 |
What Does It Mean To Die Well? A Big Ideas Event |
London |
Increased longevity — thanks largely to improvements in health care and
medical technology — is devoutly to be wished for, but in a sense it only puts
off the inevitable: we all die, and some of us seem to make a better end than
others. How much choice should we have about how and when we go? How do we know
when someone is competent to make such a decision and who else, if anyone,
should be involved? What criteria matter most in making the decision? |
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28 February 12 |
A new economy: Do we need it and what would it look like? Seminar |
London |
This seminar will discuss some of the proposals put forward in a new Progress and Centre for American Progress pamphlet, authored by Liam Byrne MP, looking at different aspects of ‘the new centre-ground’ and the policies progressives around the world will need to regain this ground and win re-election. A new fiscal economy is at the heart of the new centre-ground and Labour's economic credibilty with the electorate. |
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29 February 12 |
Deciding who is worthy of what kind of an education Talk |
Birmingham |
Britain is unusual amongst the affluent nations. In several nations more money is spent on providing a good education for those with greatest need rather than for those who appear to find learning easier, it can be argued. In Britain, education spending tends to be highest for those from already often advantaged backgrounds. This is especially the case at secondary school level, whereas of all the countries in the OECD, only Chile sees a more disproportionate spend on the best-off. High rates of exclusion from school tend to be concentrated among poorer children and can lead to almost nothing being spent on their education. Britain again is unusual in this respect. In this talk it is argued that these traits are symptomatic of a wider
malaise in British society, and are not specifically problems of education. In
short, we are not very good at sharing. Someone always has to be bottom of the
class, but when they find themselves there what should they do about it? |
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29 February 12 |
Deciding who is worthy of what kind of an education Research Seminar |
University of Birmingham |
Britain is unusual amongst the affluent nations. In several nations more money is spent on providing a good education for those with greatest need rather than for those who appear to find learning easier, it can be argued. In Britain, education spending tends to be highest for those from already often advantaged backgrounds. This is especially the case at secondary school level, whereas of all the countries in the OECD, only Chile sees a more disproportionate spend on the best-off. High rates of exclusion from school tend to be concentrated among poorer children and can lead to almost nothing being spent on their education. Britain again is unusual in this respect. In this talk it is argued that these traits are symptomatic of a wider malaise in British society, and are not specifically problems of education. In short, we are not very good at sharing. Someone always has to be bottom of the class, but when they find themselves there what should they do about it? Cost: free of charge |
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29 February 12 |
Should Lobbying Be Transparent? Hansard Society Event |
London |
Opening address
Panellists
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29 February 12 |
Contesting the Meaning of Fair Trade Policy and Practice Discussion |
Cardiff |
To mark national Fairtrade Fortnight (27th February – 11th March 2012), Dr Alastair Smith will be discussing his PhD research into the meaning of fair-trade policy and practice. |
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01 March 12 |
Accountability and legality in Iraq: extra-territorial human rights jurisdiction Lecture |
Newcastle |
Accountability and legality in Iraq: extra-territorial human rights
jurisdiction Free admission, no pre-booking required Date: 1st March 2012 This lecture will explore decisions of the European Court of Human Rights in Al-Skeini and Al-Jedda, and consider the bases on which extra-territorial jurisdiction is to be founded, the law of attribution, and the relationship between the United Nations Security Council resolution and Convention rights. |
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03 March 12 |
The Archaeology of Communications Full-day event |
Salford |
The Archaeology of Communications Date: Saturday, 3rd Mar 2012 9:15am-5:00pm From early days of the canals to the modern world of digital technology, communications has helped shape our world and influenced our lives. This impact is especially evident at MediaCityUK where an area of Salford has been transformed from a thriving inland port fed from the Manchester Ship Canal into a high technology hub for the media industry. But what traces are left of this evolution? This one day event will examine how communications has changed our world and left its mark from the Industrial Revolution to the present day. Anyone interested in history should find this event interesting. Email: n.linge@salford.ac.uk Tel: +44 (0) 161 295 4759 |
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06 March 12 |
Enlisting Dumbledore’s army: children’s stories and human rights Lecture |
Newcastle |
Enlisting Dumbledore’s army: children’s stories and human rights Fickling Lecture on Developments in Children’s Literature Free admission, no pre-booking required Date: 6th March 2012 Where do human rights come from? Are they passing figments of the imagination or something real and enduring and why do we value them? Liberty’s director draws from her favourite children’s stories to argue that they may be as potent a force for rights and freedoms as political speeches and legal doctrine. |
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06 March 12 |
Can Governments Improve Higher Education Through 'Informing Choice'? Lecture |
Birmingham |
Professor Peter Davies from the School of Education gives his Inaugural Lecture. A ‘Key Information Set’ of indicators of course quality and outcomes has been introduced to promote ‘informed choice’ in Higher Education in England. This policy assumes that additional information will increase efficiency by strengthening incentives for HEIs to be responsive to students’ preferences. If relatively disadvantaged students start from a position of being less well informed than their peers, the policy might also improve equity. However, government policy that aims to reduce ‘information problems’ faces several questions. What do parents and students need to know if they are to act as ‘informed choosers’ and will they interpret additional information in the way that policy makers intend? What conditions are necessary for additional knowledge to become widely shared and how are HEIs likely to respond? Is government intervention necessary or desirable for the creation of these conditions? Professor Peter Davies investigates information problems in the context of higher education, and evaluates arguments for relying on markets or state intervention to address these problems. A reception will be held following the lecture in the Business School Atrium. Cost: Free of charge |
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08 March 12 |
(In)Security, Surveillance and the State (5) John Finucane - Pat Finucane: Collusion and the Struggle for Truth and Justice |
Edge Hill University |
In 1989 the leading human rights lawyer, Pat Finucane, was shot dead by loyalist paramilitaries in front of his family in their Belfast home. Since then, Pat's family has campaigned tirelessly for the full truth of British security force collusion and involvement in his death to be revealed. Following an agreement between the British and Irish Governments, an initial inquiry held in 2004 by retired Canadian judge Peter Cory, found evidence of state collusion in the murder of Pat Finucane and recommended a full public inquiry be held. In October 2011 David Cameron invited the Finucane family to Downing Street to tell them that he was putting in place a review and that no public inquiry would be held. John Finucane, Pat Finucane's son and himself now a lawyer, will talk about the importance of his father's case, the significance of state collusion and why the family's long fight for truth and justice goes on. |
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09 March 12 |
Public Lectures on disaster and recovery in Japan Lecture |
Cardiff |
Public Lectures on disaster and recovery in Japan Time: 09:30 - 12:10 Speakers include Dr Christopher Hood from Cardiff Business School and Professors Mami Aoyama and Mark Hudson from the University of West Kyushu, Japan. These speakers will examine the bonds of risk, tragedy, disaster and recovery in Japan, they question the lessons learnt from Minamata and they discuss what can be learnt from Japan's past. These lectures are supported by the Daiwa Anglo-Japanese Foundation. This is a free event and no registration is required. For further information or to book your place please email sakellarioud@cardiff.ac.uk |
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10 March 12 |
Conference on Entrepreneurship and Economic Development in Africa Conference |
Brunei Gallarie, SOAS, Russel Square, London |
Entrepreneurship is the keys to sustainable economic and private sector development in Africa, as growth accelerates on the continent, it generates with it new opportunities for investment. When it comes to future global investment strategies, Africa is high on the agenda for investors and entrepreneurs.The continent has become a more attractive investment destination over the last decade and is expected to sustain it's long term investment potential. The conference will bring together government representatives, business leaders and entrepreneurs, to explore several aspects of entrepreneurship and economic development in Africa. The discussion will reflect on practical experience, real success and future prospects for growth and opportunity in Africa. Further promises to stimulate thought and action with a view to promoting more trade and investment in Africa’s dynamic economies. Key areas to be addressed:
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13 March 12 |
Are Electric Cars the Future? Lecture |
Cardiff |
Are Electric Cars the Future? Time: 17:00 - 19:00 Dr Paul Nieuwenhuis public lecture for National Science and Engineering Week In this public lecture, Dr Paul Nieuwenhuis will discuss the future of sustainable motoring to celebrate National Science and Engineering Week which this year is exploring ‘Our World in Motion’. The technology of cars has taken a natural path over the last one hundred years from mechanical to electrical, in tandem with improvements in this technology. Is it therefore inevitable that all cars will be electric in the future?
The lecture will consider the societal, environmental and business implications of whether electric cars are the future for sustainable motoring. |
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14 March 12 |
The Universities - Over regulation Gresham College Lecture |
London |
A century ago, British universities started to receive government funds. Since then, the universities have increasingly been called on to assist in meeting national objectives, as defined by successive governments, in return for decreasing amounts of financial support. Their independence is threatened and their status is arguably on the decline. How and why has this come about? Have universities failed to attract students from all backgrounds and, if so, what is the cause? How can their vitality and autonomy be restored? |
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15 March 12 |
‘Parliament Talks... Science’ Parliamentary Outreach |
University of Leeds |
Are you interested in science and technology? Would you like to find out how the work of Parliament is relevant to the issues that interest you? 'Parliament Talks...Science' is a free event that provides an opportunity to find out how the work of Parliament contributes to the debate on science issues and scrutinises Government science policy. There will be a chance to put questions to the panel of experts and find out more about how to engage with the work of Committees and other bodies within Parliament. There will also be stands from a number of Parliamentary information services with materials explaining how you can get involved with the work of Parliament. It will take place from 6.30pm to 8.30pm on Thursday 15 March and will be hosted in partnership with the University of Leeds. More details of the speakers and programme will be available in early February. If you would like to register your interest for this event, please contact the Parliamentary Outreach team on parliamentaryoutreach@parliament.uk or call 020 7219 1650. |
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17 March 12 |
An economy for the 99%: ideas, stories and tactics from around the world Workshop |
Manchester |
What would an economy that really worked in the interests of people look like? Come to a full day event of informative and inspiring workshops and speakers, all addressing that question. |
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17 March 12 |
An economy for the 99%: ideas, stories and tactics from around the world Free event |
Manchester Metropolitan University |
What would an economy that really worked in the interests of people look like? Come to a full day event of informative and inspiring workshops and speakers, all addressing that question. This event will bring together activists from Manchester, Europe and beyond to share ideas, stories and tactics for building economic justice movements across the world. Government responses to the financial crisis have led to deep public sector cuts, record levels of unemployment, depressed wages, poverty and at the same time rising wages for corporate executives, declining taxes for the rich, and booming city profits. But the financial crisis has also triggered inspiring movements for change across the world. Whether you want to learn the nuts and bolts of the current financial situation, hear stories from economic justice campaigners from Manchester, Greece, Egypt, and more, or share ideas and tactics for how to organise for a fairer economic system where you live, there’s something here for everyone. |
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20 March 12 |
Are There Environmental Limits to Economic Growth? Lecture |
Birmingham |
>Professor Matthew Cole from the Birmingham Business School gives his
Inaugural Lecture. |
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21 March 12 |
Family Values and School Policy: Shaping Values and Conferring Advantage Research Seminar |
University of Birmingham |
This paper argues that what is valuable about the family - "familial relationship goods", aka "family values" - can be adequately respected and promoted without granting parents the right either to determine the content of their children's education or to confer advantage on their children in ways that undermine fair equality of opportunity. It is consistent with this that, in current circumstances, parents do have some such rights, and there may be other reasons - nothing to do with rights - to permit that kind of parental influence on children's schooling. |
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27 March 12 |
Decolonization: The End of Empire? Lecture |
London |
European empires, re-divided after the defeat of Germany in 1918, continued to expand after the First World War, reaching their greatest extent in the early 1940s. The imperial ambitions of Fascist Italy and Nazi Germany created new empires that turned out to be very short-lived. With the emergence of the Cold War came a bipolar world dominated by two anti-colonial powers, the USA and USSR. Nationalism in the colonies grew apace, spurred by the loss of imperial legitimacy through the genocidal rule of Nazi Germany in Eastern Europe. Other European powers now began to feel that empire was unjustifiable following an immensely costly war that ended with human rights being enshrined in the United Nations Charter. Japanese rule over many European colonies in the Pacific severed ties with the imperial power and destroyed the legitimacy of empire. Once one major colony, such as India, gained independence, the momentum for others to follow became unstoppable. The lecture concludes by examining the legacy of empire in a post-colonial world. Have we escaped its influence or is it still with us? |
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27 March 12 |
What Are The Legitimate Ends And Means Of Protest? Discussion |
London |
For as long as there has been authority, there’s probably been resistance to
it. Resistance can take many forms, from quiet disengagement to violent
conflict. Some of these acts of resistance are called “protest”. But what does
it mean to protest? When, if ever, is protesting legitimate, necessary, or even
unethical? Is it necessary for democracy or should a working democracy render it
superfluous? What can it achieve, and is it ever the best tactic? |
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28 March 12 |
The Universities - Under regulation Gresham College Event |
London |
All universities are anxious to raise funds and some have come under criticism for accepting funds from despotic regimes which are seeking credibility and influence. What are the limits of fundraising? British universities have also acquired a reputation for hosting extremist speakers and for failing to control racial and religious hatred on campus, in the name of academic freedom and freedom of speech. What are the ambits of freedom of speech? Why is campus life threatening to some students, and what should universities do about it? Student complaints are on the increase. The Coexistence Trust has come into being to build networks of trust between Muslim and Jewish students on campus and to fight antisemitism and Islamophobia. How can students be encouraged to take up peaceful dialogue and not fight international battles at home? |
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03 April 12 |
The Roman Denarius and the Euro: A precedent for monetary union? Gresham College Event |
London |
A look at the way the Roman Empire has sometimes been used as an historical precedent for the European Union, and specifically the way that the integration of the Roman monetary system has been seen as a (sometimes justifying) precedent for modern European monetary union. |
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11 April 12 |
The BBC - Protecting it from the Government Gresham College Event |
London |
For 80 years the BBC Governors were charged with regulating the BBC and representing the interests of the licence fee payers. The Governors appointed the Director-General, approved strategy, oversaw complaints and were accountable to Parliament. Did they fail in their task when, in the wake of the Hutton Report into the circumstances surrounding the death of Dr David Kelly, the Chairman, the Director-General and the broadcaster Andrew Gilligan left their posts in 2004? The governance of the BBC has to ensure that the management deliver impartiality and accuracy without concern for any government agenda. |
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24 April 12 |
Britain in the 20th Century: Thatcherism, 1979-1990 Gresham College Event |
London |
Margaret Thatcher sought to solve the deep-seated problems of the British state outside the parameters of the postwar settlement. The main ideological victims of the collapse of the postwar settlement were One Nation Conservatism, the paternalistic ethos of Churchill and Macmillan, and the belief in government intervention, the idea that governments could fine-tune the economy to secure full employment. Margaret Thatcher’s governments encouraged the spread of ownership so that Britain could become a property-owning democracy and a capital-owning democracy. Thatcherism seemed for a time to be in accordance with the trends of social change and by the end of the 20th century, Britain was a far more fluid and individualistic society than it had been in the immediate postwar years. |
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24 April 12 |
What Form Of Education Should We Offer Prisoners? Discussion |
London |
If you were designing the prison system from scratch, how would you set up its educational function? Would you emphasise skills that are in demand in the employment market? Social skills like conflict management that may help reduce reoffending? Life skills like financial planning and DIY? Creative skills that might provide an expressive outlet and a source of self-confidence? Physical activities that emphasise discipline? Humanistic subjects that invite us to ask deep questions about ourselves and our society? Or is all of this a waste of money, pandering to those who are in prison to be punished and who’ll have plenty of time to learn when they’re released? Our answers to these questions may tell us much about how we view our prisons and prisoners. They may also tell us something about what we think education is for more broadly, since what and how we ought to teach our prisoners must have some bearing on what and how we run our schools, colleges and universities. We’ll be joined for the discussion by Dr Aislinn O’Donnell, a lecturer at both Mary Immaculate College and Associate Fellow at Dublin’s Graduate School of Creative Arts and Media, who works on innovative educational projects in the arts and philosophy. |
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25 April 12 |
The BBC - Defending the public interest Gresham College Event |
London |
From 2007 the Governors were replaced by Trustees; but there was still disquiet about the best method of regulating the BBC. BBC regulation is fragmented: some regulatory functions rest with OFCOM, and the National Audit Office investigates some financial matters. It is said that the Trust cannot be both a champion of the licence fee payers and of the BBC management. Should regulation of the BBC be wholly external to it? Is OFCOM any better placed to defend public service broadcasting than the Trust? The BBC World Service is a vital accurate news source for many parts of the world: is it better placed under the control of the BBC or the Foreign Office? |
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01 May 12 |
Towards An Evolutionary Theory of International Relations Inaugural Lecture |
Birmingham |
Professor Ronen Palan from the School of Government and Society gives his
Inaugural Lecture. |
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09 May 12 |
The Legal Profession - Regulating for independence Gresham College Event |
London |
Britain’s legal profession is renowned the world over for its skill and independence. The cab rank rule governs barristers, ie they are obliged to accept the next case that presents itself, thereby ensuring that even the most unpopular of defendants has a representative, and that the barrister is not identified with the client’s cause. This is a vital ingredient of the Rule of Law. Should there be self regulation or should the profession be regulated by external bodies composed of lay members? Through the centuries the lawyers, although unpopular, have maintained their professional standards and their own systems of governance and education. What difference will the Legal Services Act 2007 make, and should we continue to have a divided profession, barristers and solicitors? |
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09 May 12 |
Class Inequalities in Education at Age Seven Research Seminar |
Birmingham |
The Millennium Cohort Study provides us with an exceptionally rich data
source with which to interrogate the relationship between social class and
educational attainment in the early years of schooling, and will be used to
address the extent of social class differentials in pattern construction,
reading and mathematics test scores. The paper addresses whether the social
class gap increases between the ages of 5 and 7, and to what extent social class
effects can be explained by income, education and other factors. |
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22 May 12 |
Britain in the 20th Century: A new consensus? 1990-2001 Gresham College Event |
London |
The fall of Margaret Thatcher left a legacy that was both contested and divisive. During the 1990s, the Conservative Party, under the impact of divisions on Europe and on economic policy, began to fragment. But, after four election defeats, Labour, under Tony Blair, who relabeled the party New Labour, seemed to be adopting some of the main tenets of Thatcherism. To what extent was there a new consensus in the 1990s, and were the policies of the New Labour government, elected in 1997, an extension of Thatcherism or a repudiation of it? |
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23 May 12 |
Regulating the Regulators Gresham College Event |
London |
One of the Coalition Government’s first actions was to attempt a bonfire of the quangos. In order that the baby should not be thrown out with the bathwater, one has to consider what areas of life do and do not need regulation. The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority is highly regarded and is a good example of inexpensive necessary regulation in the interests of patients and children. It has however been under consideration for abolition. There are good and bad quangos. What general principles should govern regulation and who should do the regulating? |
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23 May 12 |
Is literature the new politics? Discussion |
Manchester |
John Siddique and Ian Betts will introduce a discussion about the role the novel plays in shaping conversations about politics |
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