Editorial 2016 Newsletter - Issue 14

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Editorial 2016 Newsletter - Issue 14 2016 Newsletter - Issue 14 Editorial 2016 Newsletter - Issue 14 Editorial 1 The HO’s 20 year anniversary is strongly ture was entitled ‘The Hypocrisy of Euro- reflected in our programme this year pean Moralism: Greece and the Politics Photographic Exhibition 2 with academic and cultural events taking of Cultural Aggression’. A public lecture Closed Symposium at the Bank 3 place in London, Athens and Nicosia. In by HE Euripides Evriviades, High Commis- of Greece May we held a successful 20th Anniver- sioner of the Republic of Cyprus on secu- Panel discussion on Cyprus 4 and Technology sary Conference in Athens on the theme rity issues in the Eastern Mediterannean Conference at the University of ‘Getting Policy Knowledge into Gov- tackled another major topic of focus for 5 of Cyprus ernment: the Greek and European Expe- the HO. We also continue our prominent HO Annual Lecture with 6 riences’ hosted at the Bank of Greece. In and popular Megaron Plus lectures in Michael Herzfeld the same month we held a very popular Athens in which this year hosted noted Public Lecture with Euclid 7 Tsakalotos conference on ‘Interpreting the Past, LSE academics Conor Gearty and Christo- Public Lecture with Louka Present and Future of Cyprus’ at the Uni- pher Coker. 8 Katseli versity of Nicosia. Our commitment to Our commitment to high class research is Public Lecture with 9 expanding the HO’s work in Cyprus was Euripides Evriviades best exemplified by the publication of also reflected in a panel discussion we Prime Ministers in Greece: The Paradox Public Lecture with Michalis 9 organised with the LSE Cyprus Alumni Sarris and Yiannis Kitromilides of Power by Kevin Featherstone and Di- Association on ‘Cyprus and the Technolo- 10- mitris Papadimitriou, as well as the Book Launches gy Transformation’, again in Nicosia. Tak- 11 presentations given in our regular fort- ing a cultural turn, the HO hosted a well Megaron Plus Lecture Series 12 nightly research seminar series and the received photographic exhibition, Imag- work produced by our visiting fellows Research Seminars 2015-16 13 ine Greece in March at the LSE which was and associates which often find a home Apostolos G. Papadopoulos opened by H.E. Konstantinos Bikas, Am- 13 Seminar in highly rated academic publishing out- bassador of Greece. lets and our own GreeSE paper series. Research from Academic Staff 14 The still unsettled economic and political We also continue to provide a home for GreeSE Papers 2015-16 15 situation in Greece provided a continu- younger scholars through our Postdoc- Staff Publications 16 ous focus for our visiting lecturers, toral Scholarship and Visiting Research attracting packed audiences for presen- Studentships, a commitment to a new Visiting Fellowship Scheme 16 tations by Euclid Tsakalotos, the Greek generation of researchers which we con- HO PhD Scholar and Visiting 16 Research Students Minister of Finance on ‘Economic Blues; sider a key part of our contribution to NBG Post-Doctoral Research The Left in Government Times’ , as well public life in Greece. A vibrant and exten- 17 Fellow 2015-16 as Louka Katseli, Chair of the National sive programme which we hope to con- Research Associates 17 Bank of Greece who spoke on the theme tinue for the next 20 years with your Provisional Events Schedule of ‘Lessons from the Greek Crisis’. One support and encouragement. 18 2016-17 of our regular programme highlights is Spyros Economides NBG – Research Projects 19 our HO Annual lecture which this year Director was delivered by Professor Michael Her- HO Advisory Board and Donors 19 zfeld of Harvard University, whose lec- Who’s Who 20 PAGE 2 THE HELLENIC OBSERVATORY Hellenic Observatory 20th Anniversary 1996-2016 The Hellenic Observatory, located in the LSE’s European Institute, celebrates its 20th Anniversary in 2016. To commemorate this important milestone, we hosted a series of special events and conferences which took place in Greece, Cyprus and the UK. In the mid-1990s, a campaign was launched to establish a chair on Greece that was neither concerned with the ancient or classical past, nor the arts and humanities – the ‘Eleftherios Venizelos Chair in Contemporary Greek Studies’. 20 Years later the Hellenic Observatory is now one of the largest ‘Departmental Research Units’ (DRUs) in the School. We can be very proud of this achieve- L-R: Allison Kemmis-Price (LSE Advancement); ment and can justifiably claim to be the premier international Ismini Demades (HO Manager); Isabella location for the study, teaching and research of contemporary Sarandacos-Hughes (LSE alumna) Greek politics, economy and society. Find out more about this exhibition on the event section Photographic Exhibition of our website. ‘Imagine Greece’ ‘Imagine Greece’ took place in March 2016, at the Atrium Gallery, LSE Campus, celebrating the 20th Anniversary of the Hellenic Observatory. Organ- ised by the Hellenic Observatory, LSE Arts and Photoglobe Seminars, it captured Greece through the lens of 34 Greek photographers, showcasing images of the country and its people. The aim of ‘Imagine Greece’ was to record the connotations, inspirations and emotions that “Greece” evokes through the camera lens. L-R: Kevin Featherstone; Ismini Demades; Polly Liouta; Ioannis Felonis; Konstantinos Bikas; Allison Kemmis-Price The Private View of the exhibition took place on 9 March and H.E. Konstantinos Bikas, Ambassador of Greece in the UK gave the opening speech. Speeches followed by Professor Kevin Featherstone, Head of the European Institute and Mr Ioannis Felonis from Photoglobe Seminars. The event was widely attended by various members of the Greek communi- ty in London, journalists, academics and friends of the HO. The exhibition displayed 102 photographs from different Prof Kevin Featherstone and H.E. genres - landscapes, portraits, still life and photojournalism. Konstantinos Bikas (Ambassador of Greece) 2016 NEWSLETTER - ISSUE 14 PAGE 3 Closed Symposium ‘Getting Policy Knowledge into Government’ A special 20th Anniversary closed symposium was held at the Bank of Greece on 19 May 2016 to consider how well governments are able to ac- cess and to utilise expert advice and evidence- based research in the development, implementa- tion and monitoring of their policies. The discus- sion covered how well governments recognise the need for such knowledge; how they perceive the available ‘supply’; how they manage the in- puts; and the public’s response to expert advice. These topics were approached from various an- gles by reflecting on the experiences of other European countries, and by discussing the dis- tinctiveness of the Greek case. L-R: Dr Spyros Economides, Prof Kevin Featherstone and Dr Platon Monokroussos The conference, with participants by invitation only, brought together leading academics and practitioners from Greece, the UK, Italy, and Portu- gal . The main speakers were (in order of presenta- tion) : Bruno Dente (Rome); Nuno Garoupa (Lisbon); Thanos Dokos (ELIAMEP); Nikolas Demertzis (EKKE); Dimitris Malliaropulos (Bank of Greece); Nicholas Theocarakis (KEPE); Panos Tsakloglou (AUEB); Calliope Spanou (University of Athens); Maria Petmesidou (Thrace); and, Peter John (UCL). A distinguished audience at the Bank of Greece A keynote speech was delivered by Yannis Stournaras, Gov- ernor of the Bank of Greece. We were delighted also to welcome many distinguished guests for the event, including former Prime Minister, Costas Simitis. Find out more about this symposium on the event section of our website. L-R: Prof Kevin Featherstone and Yannis Stournaras (Governor of the Bank of Greece) PAGE 4 THE HELLENIC OBSERVATORY Panel Discussion ‘Cyprus and the Technology Transformation: breaking ground in the new economic and social environment’ A panel discussion was hosted by the Hellenic Observatory and the LSE Alumni Association of Cyprus as part of our 20th Anniversary pro- gramme. The focus was the role that new technology might play in the future economic development of Cyprus. This is an important agenda for Cyprus and one that highlights some key contrasts and challenges. Find out more about this event on the event section of our website. L-R: Mr Michalis Colocassides (Former Cyprus Minister of Commerce & Industry (1972-76) & LSE alumnus) and Prof Kevin Featherstone As a burgeoning business and services hub in the region, IT can play an important role in accelerating growth and increasing investment in the Cypriot business sector. The event took place on 16 May at the Leventis Gallery in Nicosia. The panellists prepare to debate the topic The panellists were leading fig- ures in the IT sector in Cyprus: John Karantzis (iSignthis Ltd), Zohar Shamir (Fularo Holdings Ltd), Michalis Stangos (Industry Disruptors Game Changers) and Andrew Tinney (Wargaming). We look forward to further col- laboration with the Alumni Asso- ciation. Welcome reception in the Leventis Gallery Panel Discussion and Conference Sponsors Communication Sponsor 2016 NEWSLETTER - ISSUE 14 PAGE 5 Conference ‘Interpreting the Past, Present and Future of Cyprus’ at the University of Cyprus, Nicosia The Hellenic Observatory held a one- day conference in Nicosia in collabo- ration with the School of Economics and Management of the University of Cyprus on 17 May 2016. The con- ference, entitled ‘Interpreting the Past, Present and Future of Cyprus’, was part of the HO’s 20th Anniver- sary events and invited both promi- nent and junior scholars whose work has focused on Cyprus to reflect on Panellists address the audience the development of Cyprus-related at the University of Cyprus research over the past two decades. Until approximately the late 1990’s, social science research on the island sciences to subjects beyond the main. A final plenary session reflect- was dominated by the ‘Cyprus Prob- conflict. Colleagues from economics, ed on areas of research for the fu- lem’, which shaped the subjects, political science, sociology, anthro- ture, particularly in the context of scope, and methods of study. While pology, and law discussed shifts in ongoing negotiations.
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