PoPP E-zine: April 2013 The Latest News from the Department of Politics and Public Policy RESEARCH, CONSULTANCY & EXPERTISE Political Research Clodagh Harrington has been approached by C20 Fox to coordinate a survey among UKbased Americanists on the impact of Abraham Lincoln's political legacy. This will be timed to coincide with the DVD release of the Lincoln movie in June 2013. Choice-Based Lettings in France Ros Lishman has been invited to participate in a seminar / conference in Lyon on 16 May 2013, while Tim Brown and Ros have been asked to attend a conference in Paris on 22 May 2013 on the outcome of the French’s government’s three-month consultation on choicebased lettings. Building On Research Excellence Event Two posters from the Department have been accepted for publication and display at this event taking place on 30 April 2013 at the University:
Conflict in Planning for Gypsy and Traveller Sites, by Jo Richardson Promoting investment in private rented housing supply: international policy comparisons, by Michael Oxley
Gypsy and Traveller Accommodation Needs Assessment Jo Richardson been awarded a research consultancy contract with an external colleague, John Bloxsom, to undertake an update of their previous Gypsy and Traveller Accommodation Needs Assessment (GTAA) in Somerset. They have both recently completed a large GTAA update project for Leicester and Leicestershire. Jo is also speaking at an East Midlands Councils event for planners, in April 2013, on the subject of 'GTAAs: the next generation'. ESRC Research Seminar Jo Richardson ran the second in her series of ESRC seminars on 21 and 22 March 2013. The event took place in the University of Sheffield, and delegates including Professor Judith Okely of the University of Oxford, health practitioners, new researchers and Gypsy/Traveller community members, focused on the challenge and conflict for Gypsies, Travellers and Roma in accessing public services such as health, education and social care. Find out more at http://www.dmu.ac.uk/esrc. In the Media On budget day (20 April 2013), Alistair Jones was involved in live analysis of George Osborne’s budget on BBC Radio Leicester. While highlighting some of the benefits to small businesses in Leicester, the phrase ‘cloudcuckooland’ was also used with regard to Osborne’s plans to reduce Britain’s debt.
PoPP E-zine Edition 12: April 2013
1
Alistair was also on BBC Radio Leicester on 8 and 9 April 2013 discussing Margaret Thatcher’s death, her influence and impact on British politics, and her legacy. Conferences, Workshops & Events Peter King gave a plenary presentation on What is Conservative housing policy based on? to the Housing Studies Association conference on 12 April 2013 at the University of York. Clodagh Harrington is hosting a conference entitled The State of the Union: Challenges and Expectations for the Obama Administration at the British Library on 24 May 2013. The event is partially funded by De Montfort University and all are welcome. Details and booking form via http://www.bl.uk/eccles/events.html#sotu New Publications Blair, A. (2013) Democratising the Learning Process: The Use of Twitter in the Teaching of Politics and International Relations, Politics, available in early view from http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/10.1111/(ISSN)1467-9256/earlyview Copus, C. (2013) Endlessly re-housed, The House Magazine, No 8, pp4-8 Copus, C. & Erlingsson, G.O. (2013) Formal institutions versus informal decision-making. On parties, delegation and accountability in local government, Scandinavian Journal of Public Administration, Vol 17, No 1, p51-69 Clodagh Harrington has contributed a chapter on the impact of the Tea Party in US Politics to Issues in American Politics, edited by John Dumbrell, which is published by Routledge in April 2013. EDUCATION AND TRAINING Debating Matters Alistair Jones has been invited to be a judge in the Midlands regional final of Debating Matters, organised by the Institute of Ideas, on 23 April 2013, http://www.debatingmatters.com. Future of Housing Education On 25 March 2013 Jo Richardson hosted a session in partnership with Asset Skills for housing organisations in the Midlands called The future of Housing Education: 2020 insight. There was a good turnout from local organisations where ideas were shared on the sort of skills needed for the future of the profession. OTHER NEWS Frontrunner Placements Students can apply for Frontrunner vacancies until midnight of Thursday 18 April 2013. The following Frontrunner Placements, based in the Department, are available: Future of Housing Education and Training Frontrunner Working within the Centre for Comparative Housing Research, the Frontrunner will gain and develop skills in profiling the future direction of housing education and training through research, for example, by contacting housing organisations, housing
PoPP E-zine Edition 12: April 2013
2
education and training providers, profiling customers, etc. The role also entails investigating and applying how social media can be used to increase the online presence of housing education and training. Finally, the Frontrunner will be responsible for organising an event linked to Asset Skills and the Higher Education Academy on housing education and training. Placement details: http://www.dmu.ac.uk/documents/dmustudents/employability-andcareers/frontrunners/4062futureofhousingeducationandtrainingfrontrunnerrosli shman.pdf Housing in Hong Kong Frontrunner Working within the Centre for Comparative Housing Research, the Frontrunner will be responsible for compiling a Hong Kong country case study with basic political, economic and social data, in order to provide a background for understanding the housing market. Other duties include undertaking a literature search and review of academic, professional and online texts and articles which seek to critically explain and analyse housing in Hong Kong. Placement details: http://www.dmu.ac.uk/documents/dmustudents/employability-andcareers/frontrunners/4031hongkonghousingfrontrunner.pdf For an application form and further details visit http://www.dmu.ac.uk/dmustudents/employability-and-careers/frontrunners/current-frontrunner-placements/currentfrontrunner-placements.aspx Department Seminar Series To reserve your place(s) please contact Suzanne Walker at swalker@dmu.ac.uk or telephone 0116 257 7780. 1 May 2013 (HU 3.94), 3.00pm: The Politics of public engagement: Policy work by official participation practitioners - Oliver Escobar, University of Edinburgh. 8 May 2013 (HU TBC): Genre blurring in political science: what can we learn from the humanities?, Professor Rod Rhodes, Professor of Government (Research), University of Southampton/Griffith University (Brisbane, Australia). 5 June 2013 (HU 3.94), 3.00pm: Reclaiming Local Democracy: developing an ethical framework for local government - Ines Newman, Senior Research Associate, De Montfort University.
Follow us on Twitter: @DMUpolitics Visit us online: www.dmu.ac.uk/pol and https://dmupopp.our.dmu.ac.uk Manage PoPP E-zine subscriptions: rlishman@dmu.ac.uk
PoPP E-zine Edition 12: April 2013
3