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PSAnews Vol25 No 4 | 2014 psa.ac.uk

Theresa May MP won this year’s ‘Politician More Women of the Year’ award Can Run: Susan J Carroll presents PSA Annual Lecture at LSE

Professor Susan J Carroll presented the PSA Annual Lecture on Monday 24 November at School of Economics and Political Science (LSE). In front of a packed audience of listeners, Carroll spoke at length about why women are underrepresented in politics in the US. She also discussed ’s prospective presidential campaign in 2016 with a particular emphasis on Exceptional contributions gender and family. She was joined by a panel of discussants which included PSA PGN Chair Orlanda Ward and Professor Sarah Childs. The event was to politics honoured at chaired by Dr Purna Sen. On Tuesday 2 December, she appeared on BBC Radio 4’s Woman’s Hour to give her views on Hillary Clinton. You can PSA Awards 2014 listen back to that programme at this link: http:// Home Secretary Theresa May was named Professor Iain McLean, Professor Susan J downloads..co.uk/podcasts/radio4/whnews/ ‘Politician of the Year’ at the PSA Annual Carroll, Baroness Onora O’Neill, Dr Helen whnews_20141202-1254a.mp3 Awards Dinner which took place on Williams, Professor Sir Lawrence Freedman Tweets which appeared online after Tuesday night, 25th November at Church and Drs Matthew Goodwin and Robert Ford. the Annual Lecture called Carroll’s ideas House, Westminster. Theresa May was presented with “fascinating” and “inspiring” while an overview Hosted by ’s Jon Snow, the the top gong by BBC Ceremony recognises the academics, Nick Robinson in front of a capacity continued on page 3 journalists, campaigners and politicians who audience at the Westminster venue. have made an exceptional contribution to Other MPs to pick up awards at the event, the study and the practice of politics. which has been dubbed the “Oscars of Academics to receive awards included Westminster”, included David Blunkett, continued on page 4 INSIDE THIS ISSUE Registration now open for PSA Annual Conference 2015 New PGN Committee elected PSA Parliament Week events 2 Contents

ASSOCIATION NEWS Whatever happened to Conservative modernisation? 14 Researching Gender in Divided Societies: A conversation 15 Exceptional contributions to politics honoured at Lincoln workshop explores youth political engagement 15 PSA Awards 2014 1 Politics of Property Specialist Group to meet in Nottingham 15 More Women Can Run: Susan J Carroll presents PSA Annual Lecture at LSE 1 JOURNALS of Social Sciences announce new Fellows 3 2015 PSA Annual International Conference – Political Insight App now available for iPhone and iPad! 16 Registration now open 5 Understanding author’s attitudes towards metrics 16 PSA members in the news 6 Political Studies Editors’ Choice December 2014 17 New PGN Committee elected 6 PSA members go global 7 UPCOMING EVENTS Elinor Scarbrough, 1937 -2014 7 Events 17 DEPARTMENT NEWS RESEARCH AND IMPACT Celebrating 10 years of The Local Governance Research Unit at 9 £6 million Grant awarded to the Centre Prestigious appointment for UEA Professor 10 for Science and Security Studies (CSSS) 18 News from the Department of Politics and Researchers to study the integrity of British elections 18 Public Policy, De Montfort University 10 Major grants awarded to Cambridge academics 19 The Gender Research Centre, University of 10 Are we really all in this together? 19 News from The 11 Surviving Busts and Exploiting Booms: The economy, New staff at The 12 constitutional variation and cabinet survival in Europe 20 Announcing the Sir Michael Howard Centre for the History of War at King’s College London 12 SCHOOLS New MA at The Institute of Latin American Studies 12 Apps, maps and forums - Students present their SPECIALIST GROUPS innovative ideas at PSA Parliament Week event 21 Parliament Week: The Regional Workshops 22 Comparative European Politics (CEP) Annual Conference 13 Celebrity visitor to Coleg Gwent 22 Norman Geras’ Contribution to Marxism - A Celebration 13 Another successful PSA Speakers Programme for Schools visit 23 Labour Movements Group discuss The Blair Supremacy 13 PSA Schools’ Events 23 Art and Politics workshop brings together researchers Portsmouth Grammar School crowned the winners and art practitioners 14 of our Student Short Video Competition 24

Professor Peter Neumann presents his work to the United Nations Security Council Following on from the press attention surrounding ICSR’s Foreign as senior consultant for the US Mission and the Security Council Fighters in Syria project Professor Peter Neumann was invited to throughout the process, gave feedback on drafts and delivered present his work to the United Nations Security Council. This led a whole day of presentations to relevant stakeholders, including to Peter’s involvement in the United Nations Security Council nearly three hours of consultation with the full membership of Resolution that was presented by President Obama and agreed the Security Council. Peter Neumann is the Director of the Centre by all member countries at the end of September. Peter served for International Centre for the Study of Radicalisation (ICSR).

Editorial Information Rosie Campbell Political Studies Association Chief Executive Officer: To advertise in this Newsletter, Editor 113a Jermyn Street Helena Djurkovic please contact Sandra McDonagh Email: [email protected] London SW1Y 6HJ at [email protected] Membership Secretary: Sandra McDonagh Design Tel: 020 7321 2545 Doug MacKay Jamie Ralph Registered Charity No. 1071825; Fax: 0191 222 3499 Deeson Group Assistant Editor Registered Company with limited liability Email: [email protected] deeson.co.uk Email: [email protected] in England and Wales, No. 3628986

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More Women Can Run: Susan J Carroll presents PSA Annual Lecture at LSE continued from page 1 of tweets in relation to the lecture can be seen on the hashtag #LSEPSA. LSE kindly recorded the presentation in full and it is now available to download as a podcast at http://www.lse.ac.uk/ newsAndMedia/videoAndAudio/channels/publicLecturesAndEvents/ player.aspx?id=2726 Susan J Carroll received a ‘Lifetime Contribution to Political Studies’ award at the PSA Awards Dinner on the night after her lecture at LSE. From next year, the PSA proposes to offer two annual lectures, one targeted at an academic audience and one targeted at the wider public. We invite you to submit nominations for potential speakers to deliver these lectures. To find out more about how you can help choose who presents our lectures in 2015, visit https://www.psa.ac.uk/members- your-chance-nominate-speakers-two-psa-annual-lectures-2015 ■

Photos: Rick McCullagh

Academy of Social Sciences announce new Fellows Professor Ian Bache Professor Arthur Aughey The PSA is delighted to announce that four of its members have been awarded the honour of Fellow by the Academy of Social Sciences. We would like to offer our congratulations to Professor Ian Bache (), Professor Arthur Aughey (University of Ulster), Professor Francesca Gains () and Professor David Heald ( Business School). The Academy awarded the title of Fellow to 34 social scientists in all this year and the full list can be viewed at http://acss.org.uk/fellows/ ■ Professor Francesca Gains Professor David Heald psa.ac.uk 4

Exceptional contributions to politics honoured at PSA Awards 2014 continued from page 1 Norman Lamb and Simon Danczuk. Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon (Parliamentarian of the Year) couldn’t make the awards but sent a video thanking the PSA for her prize. The event was broadcasted by BBC Parliament on Saturday 29 November at 9pm and can be watched back on the BBC iPlayer by visiting the following link: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00gffc3 The PSA wishes to thank the sponsors of the 2014 Awards: Wiley- Blackwell, Routledge, SAGE Publications, Elsevier, Higher Education Academy, and YouGov. A special thank you also to Danielle Bailey, PSA Events and Marketing Manager and Sandra McDonagh, PSA Membership Secretary for organising the event. Baroness Onora O’Neill receiving the ‘Sir Isaiah Berlin Prize for Lifetime Contribution to Political Studies’ from Carole Pateman and Dan Trinder of Routledge alongside Jon Snow. The full list of award winners is below:

Theresa May MP Politician of the Year - Theresa May MP receiving her award from Parliamentarian of the Year - Nicola Sturgeon MSP Nick Robinson of the BBC Lifetime Achievement in Politics - David Blunkett MP alongside the MC for the night, Jon Snow. Politician - best use of evidence - Norman Lamb MP Campaigner of the Year- Simon Danczuk MP Journalist of the Year - Michael Crick Lifetime Contribution to Political Studies - Professor Susan J Carroll Special Recognition Award - Professor Iain McLean Sir Isaiah Berlin Prize for Lifetime Contribution to Political Studies - Baroness Onora O'Neill Political Studies Communicator - Dr Matthew Goodwin & Dr Robert Ford Special International Award - Bridget Kendall MBE W. J. M. Mackenzie Book Prize - Professor Sir Lawrence Freedman Innovation in Teaching Politics - Dr Helen Williams PSA Schools Short Video Competition - Portsmouth Grammar School Simon Danzcuk MP The night in photos: was presented with the ‘Campaigner of the Year’ award by Iain Dr Helen Williams from Nottingham University receiving Watson of the BBC the ‘Innovation in Teaching Politics’ award from PSA Chair Matthew Flinders and the BBC’s Yasmin Alibhai-Brown

Professor Sir Lawrence Freedman receiving Professor Iain McLean won the the ‘W.J.M ‘Special Recognition Award’ Mackenzie Book Prize’ from Caroline Spelman MP for his book ‘Strategy: A History’

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Susan J Carroll was the winner of the Michael Crick of Channel 4 News receiving ‘Lifetime Contribution to Political the ‘Journalist of the Year’ award from his Studies’. She is pictured here with Jon colleague Jon Snow and Caroline Flint MP Snow and Shami Chakrabarti

The BBC’s Bridget Kendall David Blunkett MP, with his dog Crosby receiving the ‘Special by his side, receiving the ‘Lifetime International Award’. Achievement in Politics’ award 2015 PSA Annual International Conference – Registration now open

30 March – 1 April 2015, Sheffield City Hall and Town Hall #psa15 Norman Lamb MP won the award for ‘Politician, Best Use of Evidence’. Pictured In 2015, the Political Studies Association invites you to enjoy with Jon Snow and Ken Livingstone Sheffield’s rich heritage at our Annual Conference, held in its historic City Hall and Town Hall - it is these surroundings that have inspired this year’s conference theme of Civic Pride. This year’s programme is set to be fantastic, with a plenary lecture from Professor John Dryzek (University of Canberra), a plenary roundtable with Professor John Curtice (University of Strathclyde) and Dr Robert Ford (University of Manchester) as well as our annual Leonard Shapiro Lecture from Professor Randall Hansen (University of Toronto) and our annual conference dinner at Cutlers’ Hall. Registration for the PSA 65th Annual International Conference has now opened on the PSA conference website (www.psa.ac.uk/ conference/2015-conference), so be sure to register early to take advantage of the ‘early bird’ registration rates, available until 4 February 2015. We advise booking your travel and accommodation early, and Matthew Goodwin and Robert Ford receiving the ‘Political Studies Communicator’ there are some great bargains to be had right now, some of which award from David Willetts MP and Sarah Phibbs, Wiley-Blackwell. are detailed on the website. ■ psa.ac.uk 6 PSA members in the news If you or one of your colleagues has been featured ALISTAIR CLARK appeared on BBC RADIO in the media recently, please let us know by SCOTLAND’s Crossfire to discuss the rise in party e-mailing our Communications Officer Jamie membership in Scotland after the referendum Ralph [email protected] or by tweeting us spoke on and BBC @PolStudiesAssoc RADIO ESSEX on the by-election results KATE DOMMETT and SIMON GRIFFITHS MATTHEW FLINDERS was a speaker on BBC commented on the popularity of Ed Miliband in RADIO 4’s Moral Maze (Listen again: http://www. Britain for the Portuguese newspaper “I” bbc.co.uk/programmes/b04nv97d) discussing MATTHEW GOODWIN and ROB FORD’S book Loyalty and received positive reviews for his book ‘Revolt on the Right’ was mentioned twice in The “Defending Politics: Why Democracy Matters in the Daily Telegraph’s Morning Briefing in September 21st Century” in the Italian publications IL SOLE, LA ROB FORD appeared on BBC North West’s news REPUBBLICA, AVVENIRE and IL FOGLIO. report on by-elections ALEJANDRO OLMOS MARCITLLACH was PHIL COWLEY and ROB FORD discussed their interviewed in German weekly magazine STERN book “Sex, Lies and the Ballot Box” (organised by about his role at the European Central Bank the PSA EPOP Specialist Group) on BBC RADIO 4’s WILLIAM SHEWARD discussed US Policy on Russia Westminster Hour. Listen again: http://www.bbc. on VOICE OF RUSSIA RADIO co.uk/programmes/p02d5055 JUSTIN FISHER was interviewed on BBC RADIO 4’s MATTHEW GOODWIN appeared on Sky News Westminster Hour. Listen again: http://www.bbc. to cover the Clacton and Rochester & Strood co.uk/programmes/p029xcf4 by-elections and wrote an article entitled “Ukip’s THE PSA ANTI-POLITICS AND DEPOLITICISATION days of amateur campaigning are over” for THE SPECIALIST GROUP were mentioned in THE TELEGRAPH. JAKARTA POST ■

Kate Dommett Eric Kaufmann Justin Fisher New PGN Committee elected We are delighted to announce that a new Postgraduate Network . Her broader research interests include the EU Committee has been elected to serve a term of one-year. and its institutions, the public governance of culture, the regulation of broadcasting, and policy learning and transfer. Rebecca Partos – Chair Rebecca Partos is an ESRC-funded doctoral Christina Taylor – Events Officer candidate in Politics at the . Christina is a first year, Vice- doctoral Her research examines the development of the research scholar, at the University of Ulster. She Conservative Party’s immigration policy since World completed a BA International at University College, War Two. Using archive material and elite interviews, Dublin. In her third year, Christina was awarded an her thesis aims to provide a better understanding of political parties scholarship for international studies, at and policy-making. Rebecca has previously worked for two MPs, as both Lund University, Sweden. In 2013/2014, she completed postgraduate a parliamentary researcher and a caseworker. She recently completed a studies at the INCORE centre, University of Ulster. Christina’s ESRC-funded six-month placement at the Home Office. Rebecca holds research, based on the Magee campus, centres on a comparative an MSc in Social Research Methods (Distinction). analysis of ex-combatant women, in Northern .

Kate Mattocks – Communications Officer We would like to sincerely thank the outgoing committee, Kate is a third year PhD student at City University, Orlanda Ward, Javier Sajuria and Jennifer Thomson for their fine researching intergovernmental policy coordination work and dedication to the Postgraduate Network in the past year. in the field of culture in the European Union. Kate The PGN is active on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/ has a BA in Political Science from McGill University groups/295262400488759/ and can be contacted directly by and an MSc in Media Management from the e-mailing [email protected] ■

psa.ac.uk 7 PSA members Elinor Scarbrough, go global 1937 -2014 By Vicky Randall Elinor Scarbrough, who died on September 6, had been Reader in Government, co-Director of the Summer School in Social Science Data Analysis at the and co-editor of Electoral Studies. However her contribution to political studies, in the UK and internationally, was much more far-reaching than this simple enumeration might imply. After completing a BA in History and Politics at Manchester University in 1960, she was soon caught up in raising a family, though she also worked part-time at Harrow College Jose Angel Garcia, University of Sheffield, attended AMECIP’s 2nd International Congress of of Art, teaching alongside the likes of Vivienne Westwood. It wasn’t Political Science in 11-13 September 2014 in Toluca, Mexico. until 1976 that she was awarded a Master’s with Distinction in Political [left to right, Felipe Carlos Betancourt Higareda – PSA member; Emeritus Professor John Dunn, University of Cambridge; Professor John Ishiyama, American Political Science Behaviour at Essex University and then a PhD in 1983. That doctorate Association; José Angel Garcia; Emily Price, Barrister] was the basis for Political Ideology and Voting (published in 1984 by Clarendon Press), greatly admired and still an important reference point for research in this field. At Essex she taught a range of courses including comparative European politics, political behaviour and data management but also became a leading figure in the methods Summer School. This was originally established in 1967 but it was under the co-Directorship of Elinor, and Eric Tannenbaum, from 1995-2007, that it really developed, tripling in size and acquiring a formidable international reputation and student base. Theirs was a true synergy but Elinor in particular provided the administrative and organisational direction. Her meticulous dedication was legendary and included chairing seminars, sampling courses herself, Professor John Dunn, Emeritus Professor of Political Theory, University of Cambridge was resolving computer and accommodation issues and living at the conferred with a lifetime membership at AMECIP’s 2nd International Congress of Political University each year for the summer school’s six weeks duration. Science in 11-13 September 2014 in Toluca, Mexico. [Photo: Professor John Dunn and Oniel Díaz Jiménez, Associate Lecturer at the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences of the The subject-matter of Elinor’s research and publications extended Autonomous University of Mexico State (UAEM)]. from ideology and electoral behaviour to parties, democracy and the welfare state. Her review of voting studies in the British Journal of Political Science (1987) continues to serve as a significant touchstone in this area. But she also made a major contribution to the discipline through her capacity as editor. From 2002 to 2009 she was co-editor of Electoral Studies, with Harold Clarke and Geoffrey Evans, in which role colleagues described her as ‘exceptional and hugely supportive’. She was also ‘research co-ordinator’ of the important 5-volume co-edited study, Beliefs in Government (OUP, 1995). Formally she was co- editor for two of the volumes but according to one close collaborator she should have been acknowledged as co-author on many of the chapters, ‘such was her intellectual contribution’. In the process of putting together this appreciation, I have been repeatedly reminded of the admiration, gratitude and affection with which she was regarded. Whilst she was naturally modest and reluctant to claim recognition, colleagues have described her writings as ‘superb’ and ‘inspirational’. A whole generation of political scientists are indebted Dr Mahrukh Doctor, Senior Lecturer in Political Economy, travelled to the Uruguayan Political Science Association (AUCiP) Congress 7-10 October 2014 in to her, whether as former Essex students or graduates of the Summer Montevideo. [Photo: Roundtable on Brazilian Democracy and Elections, panellists from left School. Always highly principled, she was as demanding of herself as she to right: Daniel Chasquetti (Chair, Universidade de la República, Uruguay); Mahrukh Doctor was of others. She was the best of company, with a wonderful line in self- (University of Hull); Fernando Limongi (Universidade de São Paulo, Brazil) and Silvana Krause (Brazilian Political Science Association, ABCP).] deprecating wit, and is greatly missed. ■ psa.ac.uk

9 Celebrating 10 years of The Local Governance Research Unit at De Montfort University

Jamie Ralph, PSA Communications Officer Graham Allen MP The Local Governance Research Unit (LGRU) at De Montfort University’s Department of Politics and Public Policy brought together three panels of adept speakers to discuss the past, present and future of local government on Friday 28 November. The conference was supported by the PSA’s Local Politics Specialist Group and was held to mark the 10th anniversary of the centre of excellence, known internationally for its high-quality research. Professor Colin Copus (Director of the LGRU) oversaw proceedings, the highlight of which was a riveting address by Graham Allen MP in which he encouraged local government to show unity in their demand for independence. Allen called the current time a “historic opportunity” to use local government as the vehicle for devolution in England. With barely a vacant seat in the seminar room located in De Montfort’s Hugh Aston Building, the first panel heard from Bob Neill MP, Sir Merrick Cockell and Graham Allen MP. Neill reflected on the history of local government and the extent Jelizaveta Krenjova of the change which has occurred in the past forty years. Sir Merrick Cockell, former Chairman of the Local Government Association, encouraged local government to stop looking to Westminster for permission on everything, and rather to lead “the democratic reinvention of England”. On the second panel, chaired by Jane Scullion, ResPublica’s Phillip Blond said that the state is no longer fit for purpose and doesn’t deliver and that from the bottom-up, it needed to be redefined. Alan Waters of the Local Government Information Unit touched on the more perverted aspects of local government by claiming that ‘old corruption’ has badly damaged local government due to the misallocation of resources. Paul O’Brien, Chief Executive of APSE praised the working partnership that his organisation had with the LGRU and the quality and policy relevance of its research while he presented a summary of a “manifesto for the Ensuring Council” – a document entitled The Road to 2020. Concluding the panel, Simona Kukovic gave the audience an interesting insight into local government in Slovenia where governing municipalities have increased by 342% since 1994. Speaking on the final panel, chaired by Professor Jonathan Davies, the Director of Democratic Society, Anthony Zacharzewski, suggested that the average person only thinks about politics for four minutes a week and asked attendees to think about how we can appeal to those who are disengaged with politics in order to make these four minutes worthwhile. Roger Lawrence, Leader of Wolverhampton City Council, explored what makes local government truly “local” by commenting on its stability and scope for autonomous action. Wrapping up the final panel and a fascinating event overall, attendees were treated to another perspective of local government abroad with Jelizaveta Krenjova illustrating how local authorities operate in Estonia. We would like to congratulate the LGRU at De Montfort on 10 years of stellar work and wish them all the best for the future. ■

psa.ac.uk 10 News from the Department of Politics and Public Policy, De Montfort University

The Department of Politics and Public Policy in conjunction with event on 11-12 November 2014. Students were full of praise generous support of the Eccles Centre for American Studies at the for the session that gave them the chance to put questions to British Library once again hosted the annual ‘Congress to Campus’ former Republican Congresswoman Mary Bono and ex-Democratic Congressman Baird, calling it “an incredible experience”. The event was chaired by Philip Davies, Director of the Eccles Centre and Emeritus Professor at DMU. On 13-14 November 2014, a workshop entitled ‘Noisy Neighbours: The Politics of Airport Noise and Aviation Expansion’ investigated the current work of campaigners across Europe to generate new settlements in the governance of aircraft noise. It brought together campaigners and airport environmental organisations to evaluate citizens’ experience of the daily political management of aircraft noise and aviation expansion at leading airports in Europe. Importantly, it asked how and what governments may learn from citizens’ everyday experiences of the different forms of governance at international airports. Participants included campaigners from Amsterdam, Frankfurt, Heathrow, Paris, as well as Stansted and Gatwick airports, and national organisations such as AirportWatch and the Aviation Environment Federation. ■ The Gender Research Prestigious Centre, University of appointment for Bristol UEA Professor http://www.bristol.ac.uk/spais/ Hussein Kassim, Professor in successful”, commented research/grc/ Politics and co-investigator at Professor Kassim. “Vincent was the University of East Anglia’s an inspirational supervisor, The Gender Research Centre (GRC) at the was ESRC Centre for Competition colleague and friend. It is an launched in 2013/2014, bringing together Politics, International Policy, has been appointed to honour to have been selected Relations, and Sociology staff and students within the School the Vincent Wright Chair at since interest is always intense of Sociology, Politics and International Studies (SPAIS). Under Sciences Po Paris in 2015. and I greatly look forward to the Directorship of Professor Sarah Childs, and Deputy Directors The Professorship, which is being in Paris again. I’ve always Professor Jutta Weldes and Dr Esther Dermott, the GRC held for six months and for enjoyed my spells visiting institutionalizes research - collective and collaborative - that which any academic employed Sciences Po.” ■ recognizes the persistent gendered inequalities that exist both in at a British University can apply, the UK and around the world, identifying, analyzing, and ultimately was created in honour of the seeking to challenge and renegotiate, gendered power relations. late Vincent Wright, sometime In 2014/15 the GRC will be undertaking a series of workshops and Fellow of Nuffield College, seminars on the theme of ‘Gender and Ethnicity’. As part of this year’s Oxford. During his lifetime, ‘Thinking Futures’ events, a workshop on ‘Decoding Gender in the Vincent Wright made a major Media’ will be held for Bristol Year 12 and 13 students [http://www. contribution to comparative bristol.ac.uk/spais/research/grc/grcevents/decodinggender.html]. A research in Europe. The aim second event invites the women of Bristol to discuss what they want - of this Chair is to develop and what they might expect - from the 2015 General Election [http:// comparative research within a www.bristol.ac.uk/spais/research/grc/grcevents/electiondebate.html]. European framework, reflecting Please check out our website; see what we do; and please do get in the innovative spirit, sense of touch if you’d like to be added to our mailing list. We are always keen humour and intellectual curiosity to hear what others are up to. We also welcome prospective doctoral which characterised the man. students and supervise on a wide variety of gender-related issues “I was delighted to hear [http://www.bristol.ac.uk/spais/research/grc/doctoral-research]. ■ that my application had been

psa.ac.uk 11 News from The University of Cambridge

Director of The University of Cambridge Centre for Gender Studies, Jude Brown. featured four panels. The first, chaired by Sam Coates (Deputy Political Editor, ), titled ‘Who and what will decide the next election?’ featured Harriet Harman, the Shadow Deputy Prime Minister, the former MP Chris Hulne, Matthew Parris from The Times and Professor David Runciman, the Head of The University of Wilcox who joined the Centre 2014, the Department of Politics the Department of Politics and Cambridge Centre for last year from John Hopkins and International Studies held International Studies. The second Gender Studies University and whose research a conference on The Future panel, ‘Does the Labour Party is focused on feminist theory, of British Politics to mark the understand business?’ was chaired The University of Cambridge embodiment and practices of retirement of Professor Andrew by Jon Snow (Presenter, Channel 4 Centre for Gender Studies has violence. The Centre’s function Gamble after seven years at News) and featured Lord Eatwell, joined the Department of Politics is to increase our capacity for the University of Cambridge, President of Queens’ College and and International Studies (in the rigorous gender analyses across two of which as Head of the the Chief Executive of YouGov, Faculty of Human, Social and disciplinary fields and is unique Department. Hosted by Queens’ Stephan Shakespeare. Political Science) as one of its in its methodological approach College, over eighty people from Following lunch, the third panel Centres. in that it works directly with over a variety of fields attended the chaired by Adam Boulton (Sky The Centre is a wholly twenty University Departments conference to honour Professor News) featured David Willetts MP, multi-disciplinary research from the Social Sciences, Gamble’s work on British politics, authors Owen Jones and Yasmin centre which also runs an Humanities, and the Arts right which has spanned over four Alibhai-Brown and Dr Pieter van MPhil and PhD programme. It through to the Physical, Biological, decades. Houten, Director of the YouGov- organises numerous high profile Technological and Medical Cambridge Programme discussing public events and hosts the Sciences. YouGov-Cambridge ‘whether the Conservative Party distinguished Diane Middlebrook This is a great opportunity Conference understands ordinary people?’ The and Carl Djerassi Visiting for POLIS to heighten its On Thursday 23rd October 2014, final panel of the day was on the Professorship, which brings world engagement with gender topics the Alison Richard Building was topic of British external policy in class scholars to Cambridge from and also for the Centre to work the venue for a joint Department the next parliament, chaired by all research backgrounds (recent closely with the dynamic research of Politics and International Dr Jonathan Eyal (Director, the incumbents include Catharine groups within POLIS on multi- Studies/YouGov–Cambridge Royal United Services Institute) Mackinnon, Nancy Fraser and disciplinary projects and teaching forum titled ‘Six Months to Go: and featured Lord Ashdown (Life Jacqueline Rose). programmes - we look forward Public Opinion and the General Peer), Baroness Neville-Jones The Centre’s Head is the Jessica to an exciting future working Election’. The event was open (Life Peer), Professor Michael and Peter Frankopan Director, together. to all, and was well attended by Clarke (Director, the Royal United Jude Browne who specialises in students, staff, members of the Services Institute) and Professor gender inequality, public policy, Conference for Professor public, policy-makers and the Christopher Hill, former Head of political theory and rights. The Andrew Gamble media. the Department of Politics and Deputy Director is Dr Lauren On Wednesday 24 September The programme for the day International Studies. ■ psa.ac.uk 12 New staff at The University of Nottingham The School of Politics and International Relations at the University of Dr Scott Moser (voting theory, collective choice, and formal of Nottingham has welcomed several new colleagues this year. modeling) and Dr Martin Monahan (social policy and political Professor Cecilia Testa was appointed Chair of Political Economy ideology), both of whom are visiting for the entire academic while Dr Daniel Ritter and Dr Carole Spary joined the School as year. Finally, the School has benefited from the arrival of Dr Assistant Professors. Dr Ritter’s research expertise is in the areas Annemarie Walter who was appointed as a Nottingham Research of revolutions and social movements while Dr Spary focuses on Fellow. Dr Walter works primarily on political communication and gender and politics in India. The School has also seen the addition campaigning. ■

Dr Carole Spary Professor Cecilia Testa Dr Daniel Ritter Dr Scott Moser Announcing the Sir New MA at The Michael Howard Institute of Centre for the History Latin American Studies

The Institute of Latin American Studies and Human Rights of War at King's Consortium at the , , has launched a new pathway MA in Understanding and Securing College London Human Rights (Latin America). This pathway will enable students to focus their studies on the In 2014-15, King’s College London will be launching the new ‘Sir human rights concerns of Latin America while benefitting from the Michael Howard Centre for the History of War’. practice-oriented, interdisciplinary nature of the MA in Human Rights, Honouring the life and scholarship of the founder of the the longest-running human rights MA of its kind in the UK. Students Department of War Studies, it aims to be the outstanding centre for will engage with the intellectual and philosophical foundations of the interdisciplinary study of war and conflict by bringing together human rights and learn the skills crucial to human rights advocacy, experts from War Studies, the Department of History, the Defence including research, fundraising, and campaigning, making this degree Studies Department and other institutes and departments across ideal for those seeking a career in human rights – whether in the the college. With a resident community of over fifty nationally and regional branch of a global NGO, as part of a specialist NGO, or within internationally recognised authorities in the history of conflict, it Latin America itself. Knowledge about Latin America’s specific human continues the college’s longstanding reputation for world-leading rights challenges will be addressed in modules such as The Politics scholarship on war and conflict. It builds on extraordinary and unique of Human Rights in Latin America and Citizenship and New Social resources, such as the Liddell Hart Centre for Military Archives, and on Movements. This knowledge will be contextualised and broadened by a unique heritage that stretches back to the foundation of the college participation in general and thematic human rights modules, meaning in 1829 by the Duke of Wellington. In addition to hosting a number understanding of contemporary and historic human rights challenges of high profile events and speakers, the centre will serve as an ideal will be wide as well as deep. place for the pursuit of postgraduate study, on the MA in the ‘History More information is available at http://www.sas.ac.uk/hrc/graduate- of War’, and for PhD research. Follow on Twitter @smhcentre ■ study/ma-human-rights/latin-america-pathway. ■

psa.ac.uk 13 Comparative European Politics (CEP) Annual Conference The Comparative European Politics (CEP) specialist group met in Gothenburg this year for their annual conference. Pictured (left to right) are: Professor Satoshi Matsui (Senshu University, Japan); Professor The conference was generously funded by the PSA International Jules Townshend (Manchester Metropolitan University); Professor Joe Femia (The University Activities fund and Swedish partners at the University of Gothenburg. of Liverpool); Paul Raekstad (The University of Cambridge); Dr David Bates (Canterbury Christ Church University) We met at 6-7 November and were hosted at the Centre for European Research at the University of Gothenburg. Seven panels looked into issues of crisis of governance of corruption, discursive research in Norman Geras’ European and national governance, crisis of governance and the European Union, crisis of governance and migration, crisis and remembering how it used to be, crisis of democracy, and finally gender, politics and policy in Contribution to Marxism European societies. We had the keynote speech from Prof. Andras Bozoki of Central European University, who lectured on the crisis of democracy - A Celebration and governance at EU’s semi-periphery looking into Hungarian politics. Amidst this busy schedule, the group members also had time The Political Studies Marxism Specialist Group (PSA-MSG) organised for socialising and enjoying Swedish hospitality. As a result of this three sessions on Professor Norman Geras’ contribution to Marxism. conference, we have increased the visibility of our work at Comparative The sessions were part of The University of Manchester’s Workshops European Politics group and the Political Studies Association outside the in Political Theory, 2014 (8-12 September). UK. Next year’s annual conference is already being organised and this The sessions were convened by Dr David Bates (Canterbury Christ time, we have two interested parties. Follow us at @PSACEP or thecep. Church University), Professor Mark Cowling (), and co.uk for news. For further information on how to join the PSA CEP, you Dr Paul Wetherly (Leeds Metropolitan University). can contact Umut Korkut at [email protected] or Katja Sarmiento- The sessions focussed on Norman’s contribution to Marx and Mirwaldt at [email protected] ■ Marxism scholarship, and engagements with his work from a Marxist perspective. Key themes included Norman’s critique of Marx on justice, his analysis of Marx’s theory of commodity fetishism, his assessment of Marx’s theory of human nature, his analysis of Rosa Luxemburg, and Louis Althusser, his critique of post-Marxism, and his contribution to the development of theories of socialist democracy. Papers were given by Dr David Bates (Canterbury Christ Church University), Professor Mark Cowling (Teesside University), Professor Jules Townshend (Manchester Metropolitan University), Professor Satoshi Matsui, (Senshu University, Japan), and Paul Raekstad, (University of Cambridge). ■ Labour Movements Group discuss The Blair Supremacy The Labour Movements Group held a successful workshop, with about twenty five present, at the on 22 October to discuss Lewis Minkin's mammoth 800 page volume, ‘The Blair Supremacy’, just published by Manchester University Press. In the first session (chaired by Kevin Theakston, University of Leeds), Eric Shaw () outlined the central themes of the book, focusing on the conduct of Labour party management during ’s leadership, the creation of ‘a what matters is what works’ culture, and the role of officials in shaping internal party politics. Mark Wickham-Jones (University of Bristol) looked at the work of the 1992-1993 Labour party-trade union review group. In the second session (chaired by Steve Ludlam, University of Sheffield), a roundtable discussed the key features of the book. Emmanuelle Avril (University of the Sorbonne, Paris) noted the difficulties raised by Blair’s management strategy; Tim Heppell (University of Leeds) detailed some of the implications of Minkin’s argument for existing literatures about internal party organisation, particularly in parliament; and Matt Beech (University of Hull) offered a more sympathetic interpretation of some of the issues stemming from the book. There was an engaged discussion at both sessions in which Lewis Minkin responded to the points raised. The group is extremely grateful to POLIS at the University of Leeds for support and hospitality. ■ psa.ac.uk 14

Coloured Sand by Dolly Kershaw: An Installation at the entrance to the workshop ‘What does aesthetics want from us and IR?’ at Warwick University, 1-2 September 2014. Photo used with permission. http://cargocollective. com/dollykershaw

Art and Politics workshop brings together researchers and art practitioners Kyle Grayson, Co-convenor of the Art and Politics Specialist performance, the workshop provided the opportunity for scholars Group and artists across career stages to engage with core issues at the On 1-2 September, the Department of Politics and International intersections of art, culture, and politics. Moreover, the workshop Studies at the in conjunction with the facilitated networking across borders (both geographical and Warwick Performance and Politics Network hosted "What does disciplinary) as well as mentoring early career researchers. A note Aesthetics Want from US and IR”, a workshop sponsored by the of gratitude to the keynote speakers: Shirin Rai (Warwick), Roland Art and Politics Specialist Group of BISA and the PSA. Bleiker (University of Queensland), Debbie Lisle (Queen's), James This workshop brought together researchers and art practitioners Brassett (Warwick), and Adrian Kear (University of Aberystwyth). from the UK, Australia, Europe, and the United States. Combining Finally, a very special thank you to the workshop organisers Shine traditional panel presentations, key note addresses, professional Choi (University of Mississippi) and Erzsebet Strausz (Warwick) for development activities, dialogues, performances, and exhibitions, putting together a fantastic event. over 40 participants exchanged views, shared knowledge, To join the Art and Politics listserv, please send an email to collaborated in artistic production, and even sang together as means [email protected] with: of uncovering how aesthetics and politics are mutually constitutive. Subject: BLANK In covering topics as diverse as video games, photographs, painting, Message: SUBSCRIBE ARTANDPOLITICSSPECIALISTGROUP sculpture, pedagogy, border practices, comedy, and theatrical Firstname Lastname ■ Whatever happened to Conservative modernisation? On 18 September 2014 members of the Conservatives and followed by a paper by Rosie Campbell and Sarah Childs on the nature Conservatism (C&C) Specialist Group gathered at the School of of feminisation and the broader representation of women within the Politics and International Studies at the University of Leeds to pose the Conservative Party. Rebecca Partos and Tim Bale evaluated the contentious question ‘Whatever happened to Conservative modernisation?’ issue of immigration, whilst Philip Lynch examined Conservative handling The fate of ’s project to modernise his party was of European integration. To conclude the workshop Martin Smith discussed interrogated in lively discussions throughout this one-day workshop, which the big society and the changing nature of the state, whilst Katharine was generously co-sponsored by the Palgrave Macmillan journal British Dommett provided theoretical insights into the nature of modernisation. Politics. The editor of British Politics, Peter Kerr, commended the quality of the The papers presented analysed key facets of the modernisation agenda papers and said that he looked forward to them appearing as a special issue in the context of . Neil Carter and Ben Clements of the journal for publication in the run up to the general election, in April examined Cameron’s commitment to the green agenda and environmental 2015. policy more broadly, whilst Richard Hayton and Libby McEnhill considered For more information about the workshop or the C&C group and its the Conservatives attitude towards social justice and liberalism. This was activities please visit psa-conservatism.org.uk ■

psa.ac.uk 15 Researching Gender in Divided Societies: A conversation University of Ulster, 7th November 2014 On 7th November 2014, PSA’s specialist groups on Irish Politics and Women and Politics jointly supported an event held at the University of Ulster which took the form of a conversation between three leading academics on the pitfalls and possibilities of researching gender issues in ethno-nationally divided societies. Organised by Jennifer Thomson (Queen Mary, University of London) and Claire Pierson (University of Ulster), the event brought together two academics with broad experience in researching gender in ethno- Lincoln workshop national environments – Dr Fidelma Ashe (University of Ulster), whose research expertise centres around feminist theory and gender in , and Gorana Mlinarevic (Goldsmiths, University explores youth of London), whose work focuses on women’s experiences in post- war Bosnia and Herzegovina and the former Yugoslavia. An audience political engagement of PhD students, academics and practitioners also brought much expertise and insight. A one-day workshop, organised by the PSA specialist group on The aims in bringing this conversation about were two-fold. Firstly, Young People’s Politics, exploring youth political engagement took to think through some of the issues surrounding work on gender place at the in September. The event sought and methodology (does gender research require a specific type of to address the issue of how policies can be developed to strengthen methodology? What are the differences between doing gendered youth citizenship and political participation. The workshop featured research and ‘mainstream’ research? What are the specific difficulties panels on the challenges that young women face in becoming when conducting research into gender/women/marginalised gendered involved in various forms of political activity, the lessons that can communities?) and secondly, to situate this thinking about gender be learnt from the experience of citizenship education in the UK and and methodology in work on divided ethno-national contexts: how overseas, and youth protest in different European countries are these difficulties exacerbated or overcome in contexts where The keynote talk was given by Dr Andrew Mycock, who set out the gendered identity is subordinate to national identities? ■ work done by the Youth Citizenship Commission, which culminated in its report in 2009, and the more recent Beyond the Youth Citizenship Commission report, which was published by the PSA in April 2014. Dr Mycock also summarised the aims of the new Charter for Active Citizenship in Higher Education that is being launched by the Young People’s Politics group. The group is currently building on the workshop by organising a number of related panels for the PSA Annual Conference next year. For information about the Young People’s Politics specialist group, please see: http://www.psa.ac.uk/psa-communities/specialist-groups/ young-peoples-politics ■

Politics of Property Specialist Group to meet in Nottingham We are happy to announce a further meeting of the Politics of group is small, informal, inter-disciplinary and collegial - but we Property Workshop to be held at the University of Nottingham work hard. in April, 2015. Sessions will be held on 9th-10th April. We If you can come and would like to give a paper, please let me anticipate starting mid-morning on Thursday, 9th and have a title before the end of December. We try to pre-circulate concluding mid-afternoon on Friday, 10th April. draft papers a couple of weeks out from the event, so please be As ever, the format will be one in which colleagues can share prepared to let me have something to share by the end of March. work in preparation on whatever seems to them to be a topic If you are interested in joining our group, just get in touch with that falls within the broad domain of the politics of property. Our the Convenor, Chris Pierson at [email protected] ■ psa.ac.uk 16 Political Insight Understanding App now author’s attitudes available for towards metrics Emily Clough iPhone and iPad! Politics recently conducted a survey of authors from the past five years. The aim was to understand how its contributors consider the Political Insight is now available to download for your iPhone or relative importance of traditional measures of an article’s success, iPad from the App Store. Political Insight brings you a stimulating, such as number of citations, versus measures of an article’s success high-impact mixture of feature articles, news, debates and more in the media, both social and print/broadcast. from around the political world. Enjoy an entirely new browsing and This question is particularly important as the impact agenda reading experience, and keep up to date with the most important continues to unfurl and scholars try to reach new audiences. While developments in international politics even faster. the survey is still open, initial findings are interesting. When asked To download, search for “Political Insight” on the App Store or visit to rank the important indicators of an article’s success, respondents https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/political-insight/id920012377 ■ overwhelmingly identified the article’s citation counts and the journal’s ISI ranking as the most important indicators of success. Being mentioned in the policy literature was quite important for some respondents, but not all: about half identified it as being in the top 8 measures of article success, but those who did identify it as such tended to rank it as highly important relative to other measures. Respondents did not see mentions in blogs, social media or traditional media as particularly important measures of an articles success: less than half identified blogs or social media as important indicators of an article’s success, and those that did tended to rank them quite low; about 2/3 of respondents identified mentions in traditional media as important indicators, but again tended to rank it quite low relative to other measures. Interestingly, these results were very similar for those who were relatively new in the discipline (defined as having a PhD for six years or less) and those who were better established. As journals and authors consider how best to adapt traditional practices to meet the demands of the impact agenda, it will be important to keep an eye on these measures of an article’s importance and success. ■

psa.ac.uk 17 Political Studies Editors’ Choice December 2014 ‘The Declining Representativeness of the British Party System, and to find themselves increasingly distant ideologically from either of Why It Matters’ by Heinz Brandenburg and Robert Johns the two major parties. As Brandenburg and Johns note, ‘vote-seeking Recent by-elections in Clacton and in Rochester & Strood suggest parties have left the British party system less representative, and thus that the pattern of voting among the electorate is shifting, and this made at least some voters miserable’. This is a paper which skilfully realignment is discussed by Heinz Brandenburg and Robert Johns in combines the conceptual and the empirical to make a telling point their forthcoming paper in Political Studies. about the declining quality of representative democracy. In this paper, the authors give us one more reason to think The full paper can be viewed at: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/ that contemporary voters are discontented with the quality doi/10.1111/1467-9248.12050/abstract ■ of representative democracy in Britain. And this for one of the most primitive of reasons: because the system is (increasingly) unrepresentative of voters’ diverse beliefs. As the Conservative and Labour parties have moved closer together, so have voters tended

Conference on Quantitative Political Methodology - Manor Road Building, – 9 January 2015, 10.30am PSA Quantitative Methods Network Conference on Quantitative Political Methodology. Keynote presentation: Chris Zorn (Pennsylvania Upcoming State University) "Understanding the Evolution of Judicial Consensus with Sentiment Analysis”. To register please email stephen.fisher@ trinity.ox.ac.uk Events http://www.psa.ac.uk/psa-communities/psa-quantitative-methods- network/events/conference-quantitative-political Visit http://www.psa.ac.uk/events for more 2014 European elections: Italian politics and the European challenge - University of Strathclyde, Glasgow – 14 – 15 January 2015 Conflict, Co-operation and the Cameron-Clegg The theme of the conference, being held by the Italian Politics Government– Congress Centre, London – 8 January Specialist Group, is "2014 European Elections: Italian Politics and the 2015, 9.00am European Challenge". As the 2015 general election approaches, this one-day conference will The aim of the conference is to offer a timely analysis of the May explore the dynamics of conflict and co-operation across a range of 2014 European Election, and the way in which the Italian political policy areas, as well as the role of rhetoric and ideology in creating system, as well as those of other countries, and the EU institutions, and resolving disputes, and the lessons that can be learned for future have emerged from it. coalition governments in the UK. http://www.psa.ac.uk/events/2014-european-elections-italian- http://www.psa.ac.uk/events/conflict-co-operation-and-cameron- politics-and-european-challenge clegg-government Citizens, parties and political action: Political Workshop for Teachers of Quantitative Methods for participation and the UK General Election 2015 - Social Scientists – University of Oxford – 8 January Nottingham Trent University – 4 February 2015 2015, 11.00am The newly established Citizens, Parties and Political Action research group based within the Division of Politics and International Relations Chris Zorn (Pennsylvania State University) and Cees van der Eijk at Nottingham Trent University is pleased to invite you to this one day (Nottingham University) will discuss their experiences and what they conference. The conference will explore developments in party politics think works well for teaching quantitative methods to undergraduate and unfolding and uneven patterns of citizens' political participation in social scientists. the UK and elsewhere across Europe. http://www.psa.ac.uk/events/workshop-teachers-quantitative- http://www.psa.ac.uk/events/citizens-parties-and-political-action- methods-social-scientists political-participation-and-uk-general-election-2015 psa.ac.uk 18 £6 million Grant awarded to the Centre for Science and Security Studies (CSSS)

Dr Christopher Hobbs and the Centre for Science and Security nuclear security systems and protecting nuclear security sensitive Studies (CSSS) within the Department of War Studies at King’s information, knowledge and expertise. The project will be carried College London has been awarded a three and a half year grant out in close collaboration with the International Atomic Energy worth an estimated £6 million to carry out work on nuclear Agency (IAEA) and other relevant partners and will seek to inform security culture under the UK Government’s international Global the development of international guidance documents in this area. Threat Reduction Programme (GTRP). Year one activities include the holding of workshops on physical Under the grant CSSS in partnership with Imperial College protection, security culture and information security in London and London, The University of Central Lancashire (UCLAN) and the South East Asia and working with the nuclear industry to design and UK’s National Nuclear Laboratory (NNL) will undertake a range implement new methodologies for assessing security culture within of activities focused on strengthening the human factor within different types of organisations. ■ Researchers to study the integrity of British elections

Dr Toby James (University of East Anglia) and Dr Alistair Clark Earlier in the year, Dr James gave oral evidence to the Select (University of Newcastle) have been awarded funding from the Committee for Political and Constitutional Reform Inquiry on Voter British Academy and Leverhulme Trust to undertake research on Engagement. Dr Clark has previously given evidence to the Scottish the integrity of the polling process at British elections at the Parliament Local Government committee on the conduct of local 2015 general election. elections and has this year acted as electoral observer in both The money will fund a project entitled 'Election Integrity on the the 2014 European elections and in the Scottish Independence Frontline: Poll Workers and the Electoral Process in Britain'. Referendum. ■

Dr Alistair Clark Dr Toby James

psa.ac.uk 19 Major grants awarded to Cambridge academics Dr. Roxane Farmanfarmaian, a senior research associate at the Department of Politics and International Studies, received a £480,000 grant from Al-Jazeera Centre for Studies in August 2014. The grant, to last into 2017, will fund research in Turkey and Morocco as part of the University of Cambridge - Al-Jazeera Centre for Studies Media Project. It follows a successful first year in which a first grant of £155,000 funded research on ‘Media in Political Transition’ and focused on Tunisia. The research, conducted through the Centre of International Relations of the Middle East and North Africa (CIRMENA), and associated with the Department of Politics and International Studies, culminated in a conference in collaboration with the Al-Jazeera Centre for Studies, and held at Trinity Hall in Cambridge in July 2014. A special issue of the Journal of North African Studies on ‘Media in Political Transition: The Case of Tunisia’, featured articles by the research team, including Department of Politics and International Studies members Professor George Joffé and PhD candidate Zoe Petkanas, as well as Dr. Farmanfarmaian. The publication, to appear in December 2014, will appear simultaneously with an Al-Jazeera Paper of the same name with the articles translated into Arabic.

Dr Shailaja Fennell, University Lecturer for the Centre of Development Studies in the Department of Politics and International Studies has recently been awarded a £200,000 contract as the Principal Investigator on a Department for International Development commissioned series of research studies on Activity Based Learning (ABL) in India. The studies will look closely at not just what children learn, but how they learn. This includes gaining a better understanding of the ‘black box’ of classroom pedagogy and the teaching-learning process. There will also be an assessment of the influence of tools by which teachers, schools and governments have measured what children know and can do. The studies will help to enrich understanding of Activity Based Learning and shed important light on the process of large-scale education reform. The lessons, including how to measure impact, will be useful not just within India, but equally beyond its borders. This is particularly relevant given that adaptations of the Activity Based Learning model are currently being implemented in 14 states across India and several countries including Ghana, Nepal and Ethiopia. ■

Are we really all • The effect of austerity on Governmental decision-making • Are different kinds of collaboration emerging? • Is collaboration a way of subverting or in this together? resisting aspects of austerity? We’re all in this together, goes the Conservative Party’s austerity • When collaboration serves the narrative – but does collaboration between Government and its community, and when it does not public continue in times of spending cuts? • Activists’ strategies for speaking truth to Academics from around the world are attempting to find out by power and challenging austerity. scrutinising the way in which different countries have introduced Lessons and insights from the research austerity policies and in particular, the extent to which the voices of will be shared with participants and could citizens and voluntary groups are heard in shaping and contesting the prove a useful guide to future policy outcomes of reduced public spending. makers. Led by Professor Jonathan Davies, of DMU’s Politics and Public Policy The research will also engage with Department, this major study in eight countries is the first of its kind to important academic debates about the focus comparatively on the voice of citizens in the governance of austerity. changing nature of governance. The study Prof Davies will be working with ten fellow researchers of will involve a mix of approaches, including international repute on this 30-month project, funded by the Economic interviews, observations, focus groups and and Social Research Council (ESRC). They will examine issues such as: literature reviews. ■ psa.ac.uk 20

Surviving Busts and Exploiting Booms: The economy, constitutional variation and cabinet survival in Europe

Petra Schleiter, Principal Investigator to the risks and opportunities generated by economic conditions. (Associate Professor in Politics) Cabinets, which can time elections freely, can make use of economic upturns to call an early poll and maximize their re-election chances. This research project, run by Professor Petra Schleiter at the Moreover, their ability to make the threat of calling an early election University of Oxford’s Department of Politics and International can allow them to discipline their backbenchers and coalition partners, Relations, examines how economic conditions affect government enabling them to manage the risk of cabinet failure during economic terminations. Economic shocks can have major effects on downturns. Compared with their more constrained peers, governments government stability – the Great Depression of the 1930s and with discretion to call elections are therefore more likely to benefit the era of stagflation in the 1970s were marked by significant from booms, and less likely to fail during economic downturns. cabinet instability. The current crisis is no exception. However, the The programme assembles the conceptual tools and measures to vulnerability of cabinets to economic shocks differs, even when explore this topic comparatively, using data from 27 East and West we account for the attributes of governments and their economic European countries from 1945 (or democratization) to 2013. context. The project is expected to conclude on 31 December 2014 and is This research programme focuses on the constitutional powers funded by the British Academy and the OUP John Fell Fund. The project of cabinets to manage their own terminations as a central factor team includes Sukriti Issar (Post-Doctoral Fellow in Political Economy), in shaping that variation. It shows that a cabinet’s constitutional Valerie Belu (Knowledge Exchange Assistant) and Luigi Marini (Research discretion to time elections conditions how governments respond Assistant). ■

psa.ac.uk 21 Apps, maps and forums - Students present their innovative ideas at PSA Parliament Week event

Students from 15 schools and youth groups from around the UK descended upon Westminster on Monday 17 November to pitch their ideas to a panel of experts on how digital technology can be used to increase youth engagement with Parliament. Digital maps, apps and forums are just some of the platforms that students suggested could be utilised to help their peers better engage with Parliament. The event, “Hardcopy or #Hashtag?”, was a culmination of the most innovative ideas from the young people. It was organised in conjunction with the PSA’s Parliaments and Legislatures Specialist Group. The event was led by actor and film maker Femi Oyeniran, supported by a panel of experts including Aileen Walker (Director of Public Engagement, House of Commons) and Drew Thomson (Founder of Starcount). After all of the finalists presented their ideas, an interactive vote using electronic voting handsets determined that the overall winning idea was Vloggers by Sebastien Rocks and Daisy Bamfield of Oakwood School, Kent (pictured below with Femi Oyeniran). Photos from the event have now been uploaded to the PSA Facebook and Flickr accounts and we have also published a detailed Storify of the successful day at Portcullis House which can viewed at: https://storify. com/PolStudiesAssoc/hardcopy-or-hashtag Dr Cristina Leston-Bandeira, University of Hull and Co-convenor of Parliaments and Legislatures Specialist Group, commented: “We’ve been overwhelmed with the enthusiasm young people, schools and universities have shown in this far-reaching initiative. It has encouraged universities to work closer with schools, displaying how politics can be taught in both practical terms and in a creative manner. “It has also suggested that Parliament is not about boring procedures. Parliament Week gives an excellent opportunity to explore politics in a different set-up, where we can communicate to a different audience and engage them with parliamentary politics”. ■

Photos: Lawrence Whetstone

psa.ac.uk 22 Parliament Week: The Regional Workshops

Students at Godalming College were among the finalists who presented their ideas to a panel of experts at the PSA’s “Hardcopy or Hashtag?” event at Portcullis House on November 17. Co-organiser of the PSA’s Parliament Week initiative, Dr Louise Thompson, led the students at Godalming to put plans together for an online forum called “Opinionated” where young people could express their opinions on issues being debated by Parliament. Fifteen workshops in schools and universities across the UK were organised in total. At each workshop students were asked to come up with innovative ideas to increase youth engagement with Parliament through digital means. The ideas discussed formed a key part of the theme of this year’s Parliament Week and have been accepted as evidence for the Digital Democracy Commission set up by the Speaker of the House of Commons earlier this year. The initiative generated lots of press and social media coverage. ■

Celebrity visitor to Coleg Gwent

In Wales, the AS Government and Politics students in Coleg Gwent, Ebbw Vale were delighted at their surprise Hollywood Star guest, who had come to pick their brains about young people and politics. The actor Michael Sheen, who was well known to them for playing Tony Blair in the film ‘The Queen’ came into Coleg Gwent but this time playing himself. Mr Sheen was making a programme for the BBC next year looking at the 175th anniversary of the Chartist Uprising in Newport, South Wales. He spent around 75 minutes with the students asking them their views on politics in Wales today and whether we still needed a new generation of Chartists to spur on political reform. The picture shows the AS Government and Politics students of Ebbw Vale, Michael Sheen and on the right of the picture their lecturer Professor Russell Deacon. ■

psa.ac.uk 23 Another successful PSA Speakers

Programme for Schools visit Dr Graham Goodlad

St John’s College in Southsea was delighted to welcome Professor Rod Rhodes (pictured left at the 2014 PSA Annual Conference) of the Politics Department at Southampton University. He spoke to a large audience composed of students, parents, staff and visitors on the subject of his main area of research, the inside life of Whitehall – about the language, codes of conduct and procedures used by ministers and civil servants. These are areas about which few of us know much, and it was fascinating to hear the truth about the world that has been satirised in TV programmes such as ‘Yes Minister’ and ‘The Thick Of It.’ Prof Rhodes’ lively style engaged the audience from the first and his many anecdotes, drawn from his experience of working with the people who staff the departments of government, brought his talk to life. It was an enriching experience for listeners of all ages. ■

PSA teacher members are invited to take advantage of our Speakers Programme for Schools and should contact James Ludley to organise visits: [email protected] PSA Schools’ Events 23 January 2015 30 January 2015 Government and Politics A-level Reform Meeting Government and Politics A-level Reform Meeting London: Venue TBC

This free PSA workshop will bring together leading political education Government and Politics A-level is a valued and important element of specialists from the University of Ulster, Northern Ireland Assembly sixth form study and the PSA is very keen to help facilitate dialogue and UK Parliament’s Education Service to discuss the teaching of and engagement to ensure progress is being made for new course politics in secondary and schools and colleges. content. To this end, the PSA are convening a meeting of Government It will feature a range of presentations on key aspects of the and Politics A-level teachers and representatives from all the main Government and Politics Curriculum. awarding bodies in Central London on 30 January 2015. More information: http://www.psa.ac.uk/events/government-and- More information: http://www.psa.ac.uk/events/government-and- politics-level-reform-meeting-ulster-university-23/01/2015 politics-level-reform-meeting-london-30/01/2015 psa.ac.uk 24 Portsmouth Grammar School crowned the winners of our Student Short Video Competition

Jamie Ralph – PSA Communications Officer

Five students from Portsmouth Grammar School were announced as the winners of the annual PSA Student Short Video Competition by Mr Speaker John Bercow MP at the final of the Competition at Speaker's House on Tuesday 11th of November. The winning students, Dom Waters, Lara Spirit, Nick Ward, Ellie Jewell and Hugh Summers were presented with their award by PSA Chair Matthew Flinders at the PSA Annual Awards Dinner on Tuesday 25th of November. The students have also been offered the chance to work as interns at YouGov for a week. The judging panel, consisting of Speaker John Bercow, the BBC's Victoria Derbyshire, Joe Twyman of YouGov and Helena Djurkovic and Rosie Campbell of the PSA selected the winning video from a shortlist of four which also included Colyton Grammar School (runners-up), Cranleigh School and the Royal Grammar School Guildford. All of the shortlisted schools were invited to Speaker's House on a grey November day in The winning team with Mr Speaker John Bercow at Speaker’s House on 11 November. (From Westminster to appear before the panel and answer questions L to R: Simon Lemieux (Teacher), Dom Waters, Nick Ward, Hugh Summers, Ellie Jewell, Lara Spirit, John Bercow MP) on how they designed and produced their video. Students were asked to explore the theme of "EU - In or Out?" when making their short videos and the winning video composition was a clever and creative spoof of ITV's The Jeremy Kyle Show. Commenting on the production of the winning video, Simon Lemieux, Politics Teacher at Portsmouth Grammar, said: "This was a really interesting competition for the students to be involved in. The format was entirely their own idea. It all came together at the 11th hour when they secured the necessary range of political views to make it a balanced piece and not overtly propagandist. It was also a very good experience for them to contact the featured politicians directly and explain what they were doing. My role was pretty minimal other than liaising with other colleagues to secure filming space, meeting the interviewees on arrival at the school and giving them a few ideas to play with. In the end they plumped for the Jeremy Kyle format which was entirely of their own inspiration. It certainly made them think and reflect on the complexities of the whole issue of EU membership. Above all, they really enjoyed the opportunity regardless of outcome." The students receiving their award from PSA Chair Matthew Flinders at the PSA Annual All of the entries to another successful year of the Student Awards Dinner on 25 November 2014 at Church House, Westminster. (From L to R: Professor Matthew Flinders (PSA Chair), Ellie Jewell (in front), Dom Waters, Nick Ward, Video Competition have now been uploaded to our website and Lara Spirit, Hugh Summers). can be viewed at https://www.psa.ac.uk/2014-student-short- video-competition ■

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