Other News

Dr Oz Hassan, Assistant Professor in US National Security, was recently quoted in a 27 January article in The Sunday Express entitled 'Terror at the heart of Africa'. Below is an excerpt from the piece:

Dr Oz Hassan, an expert in Middle East affairs from Warwick University, said: “AQIM would send fighters to Iraq, and this became its training ground. Suddenly you begin to see Iraqi-style suicide attacks employed in North Africa for the first time.”

Read the full article

Together with Nic Cheeseman (Oxford) and Justin Willis (Durham), Dr Gabrielle Lynch, Associate Professor of Comparative Politics, is leading a team of ten academics as part of a UK-sponsored early-warning and monitoring project of Kenya's next general election scheduled for 4 March 2013. These elections are the first under a new constitution and will be more complex than any ballot previously held in Kenya, while, the post-election violence of 2007/8 raises fears of another crisis. Given this context, the project draws on the experience and knowledge of a group of experts to provide a flow of information to the Kenyan and UK governments, and other interested parties, on local circumstances and key issues before, during and immediately after the elections.

Dr John Parkinson, Associate Professor of Public Policy, participated in a live online debate via ITN's new YouTube channel, Truthloader, on 31 January at 7pm. The title of the debate is: 'Can we govern ourselves with digital democracy?'

Other confirmed participants in the debate include:

• Birgitta Jónsdóttir, the Icelandic MP and Wikileaks activist who is currently trying to push a crowd-sourced constitution through the Icelandic Parliament
• Gavin Andresen, lead developer of Bitcoin (a decentralised digital currency)
• Naomi Colvin, formerly of the UK Occupy movement, now working to increase participation in local London politics
• Mark Johnson, internet and society correspondent for The Economist

Find out more about the debate and watch a promotional video 

This is a friendly reminder to all students seeking to obtain PhD funding that there are four remaining opportunities for both Home/EU and International students, as well as those beginning their PhDs in 2013 or those already in their first year of study:

1. ESRC Doctoral Training Centre Studentships. The DTC awards available to PAIS PhD students must follow one of the following training pathways: Security, Conflict and Justice or Politics and International Studies. Open to Home/EU students starting in 2013 or in their first year of study. Full tuition fees covered for Home/EU students; maintenance grant for Home students only. Deadline: 28 February 2013.
2. PAIS PhD Studentships. This department-funded scholarship is aimed at any candidate starting their PhD in PAIS in 2013 or in their first year of study. Because women are under-represented in this field, female candidates in particular are encouraged to apply. The fellowship will be highly competetive and is open to Home/EU and Overseas students. The scholarship includes for the payment of full academic fees and a maintenance grant in line with the UK Research Council standard stipend for three years. Deadline: 28 February 2013.
3. East Asia Fellowship. This doctoral research will form part of PAIS’s programme to consolidate the study of East Asia in the department and across the University. The successful candidate will be supervised by Professor Chris Hughes and another member of staff in PAIS. The fellowship will be highly competitive and is open to Home/EU and Overseas students. The scholarship includes for the payment of full academic fees and a maintenance grant in line with the UK Research Council standard stipend for three years. Deadline: 28 February 2013.
4. ESRC DTC Collaborative Studentship with BasicNeeds. In partnership with the Economic and Social Research Council funded Doctoral Training Centre, PAIS is able to offer a studentship in collaboration with BasicNeeds, an international non-governmental organisation that works to bring about a lasting change in the lives of mentally ill people around the world. Open to Home/EU students starting in 2013 or in their first year of study. Full tuition fees covered for Home/EU students; maintenance grant for Home students only. Deadline: 30 April 2013.

PAIS is pleased to announce a new studentship opportunity for MA Globalisation and Development students with BasicNeeds, an international development charity working in Asia and Africa, for 2012/13.

• 3-5 weeks of work experience after the dissertation’s submission, working on global issues of development and mental health. Duration to be negotiated between BasicNeeds and the student.
• A selection of innovative topics to choose from reflecting real-life development issues
• Access to the BasicNeeds’ library and primary data at their Leamington Spa office
• A certificate from BasicNeeds/PAIS at the end of your studentship

The studentship will be split into two parts over the summer term and vacation. The chosen student will produce a rigorous dissertation on one of the titles agreed between PAIS and BasicNeeds. After submitting the dissertation the student will work with BasicNeeds to translate his/her research findings into reports, pamphlets, flyers and blogs etc that BasicNeeds will use to further their development work.

Read more about the studentship (and contact details)