Keele University
Politics, International Relations & Philosophy
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Research Events at SPIRE
Staff and students regularly organise research events, which provide important opportunities for learning, networking and collegial debate on contemporary political and philosophical issues. For example, we host an annual Royal Institute of Philosophy lecture series, a bi-annual European Consortium on Political Research environmental politics PhD summer school, and in recent years have organised several ESRC-funded seminar series.
There are regular guest lectures and research colloquia that are open to all members of the university and to the wider community. This includes Keele’s longstanding and very successful World Affairs lecture series.
Forthcoming and Recent Events
Political Parties: Who Needs Them? Inaugural Lecture by Professor Kurt Richard Luther
Date: Monday 27 February 2012, 6.00pm
Venue: Westminster Theatre, Chancellor's Building
A drinks reception will take place at 5.30 pm in the Chancellor'sbuildingfoyer followed by the lecture at 6 pm in the Westminster Theatre,Chancellor's Building, Keele University.
The lecture will be chaired by the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Nick Foskett. Admission is free; no ticket is required. Political parties have for over 100 years played a central role in the theory and practice of modern democracy, constituting a vital link between the demos and the politicians to whom the exercise of the affairs of the state is temporarily entrusted. There is thus much to be said for Schattschneider's 1942 dictum that 'democracy is unthinkable save in terms of parties'. Yet political parties have always been contested institutions. The media frequently portrays them as at best untrustworthy and at worst corrupt, whilst even nuanced academic analyses assert that they are becoming increasingly redundant. Drawing on his work on contemporary western European party politics, Professor Luther will explore current research into the changing role of political parties, identify the main challenges they face and consider their likely future shape.
Conference and Annual Jean-Jacques Rousseau Lecture : "Toleration and Prgmatism: Themes from the work of John Horton"
17 & 18 February 2012, Claus Moser Research Centre, Keele University
SPEAKERS:
- Professor Sue Mendus (York)
- Professor Albert Weale (UCL)
- Professor Peter Jones (Newcastle)
- Professor Rainer Forst (Frankfurt)
- Professor Glen Newey (Brussels)
The event will be preceded by the Keele Forum for Philosophical Research Jean-Jacques Rousseau Annual Lecture, which will be given by Professor John Horton (Keele).
The events are organised by the Keele Forum for Philosophical Research with the support of the Research Centre for SPIRE and the School of Politics, IR and Philosophy (SPIRE).
All welcome!
To register your interest, please email Dr Sorin Baiasu.
