Other News
In the “Post-Racial” Age of Obama, Trayvon Martin’s Shooting Revives Debate on Race, Gun Culture and Police Misconduct
A Pinpoint Politics article by Christopher Ogunmodede
The election of Barack Obama as the first African-American President of the United States was supposed to usher America into a “post-racial” world where Americans would be finally freed of its legacy of slavery, Jim Crow and racial discrimination. The election of a mixed-race, urban Senator from the North over a white, Republican Vietnam War hero was proof for many that America had closed the chapter of its sordid and contentious racial history. Then came , the Tea Party and now the Trayvon Martin shooting which reopens the discourse on race, police-community relations and guns in America.
A ‘Gorilla’ Eating Up the System: Political Corruption Scandal in Slovakia
A Pinpoint Politics article by Martina Čičáková
The Slovak population seems to have awakened this year after a long time of ostensible hibernation. Slovakia, a small state situated in the heart of Europe, has in the last two months become a stage of intensive political activity on a level that has been compared to the in November 1989, when people went into the streets demonstrating against the system and demanding democracy. Similarly, at present, protesters around Slovakia are demanding more democracy and transparency in the financing of political parties and privatisation of state businesses. Although Slovakia has been an officially democratic independent state since the Czechoslovak disintegration in January 1993, the ‘Gorilla’ case suggests Slovak politics has stagnated since the 1990s.
Paul Revere vs William Dawes: Activists and Bystanders in the Age of Social Media Tools
A Pinpoint Politics article by Andrew Kelly
On April 18th, 1775, Paul Revere gathered himself and set off at mid-night riding North, as Malcolm Gladwell writes, to warn the resistance that the British were indeed coming. He was able to effectively galvanise them and had them ready and waiting. This ability to provoke such a response is what Gladwell calls, in his book The Tipping Point, the role of the connector. In many ways, this is precisely what Facebook and Twitter have come to be represented as; connectors, facilitators of action, mobilisers of movements, the Paul Revere’s of the internet.
Sir Robert Worcester to speak on elections
On Wednesday 11 January, Sir Robert Worcester, founder of , will be speaking on US and UK elections as part of the PAIS seminar series.
The seminar will take place in room S0.18 in the Social Sciences building at 4.00pm; refreshments will be available from 3.30.
Sir Robert is the chairman of the Magna Carta 800th Anniversary in 2015 Committee. He is also Visiting Professor of Government and a former Governor of the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), Honorary Professor in the Department of Politics and International Relations at the University of Kent, where he is Chancellor, and Honorary Professor in the Department of Politics and International Studies at 糖心TV University.
Wyn Grant appointed Chair of new 糖心TV Commission subject
Wyn Grant has been appointed as Chair of a new 糖心TV Commission on the subject of Elected Mayors and City Leadership. Further information is available on the announcement about the new Commission is available here.
Wyn has already begun to publicise the work of the Commission and it looks like it will attract considerable attention in the academic and policy spheres. More information will be available as the Commission gathers pace.
PAIS extends its congratulations to Wyn for being selected for this role. It is another reflection of Wyn’s standing as a scholar and continued dynamism post-retirement. It is also a reflection of the quality of PAIS in the third commission to be headed up by a member of the Department.