Other News

The next Q-Step research seminar will take place on Zoom next Monday, 15th June, 2pm–3pm.

Robin Harding, Department of Politics and International Relations, University of Oxford, https://www.robinharding.org/

"Terrorism, Trust, and Ethnic Identification: Evidence from a Natural Experiment in Nigeria"

Abstract: Terrorism is increasingly a problem across Africa, but as yet little work has sought to investigate its political effects. Studies in Europe and the US suggest that terrorist attacks can increase political trust, but it is unclear whether we should expect these findings to hold in a context where political institutions are often fragile, and where political violence is frequent. We investigate this question in Nigeria, where terrorism has been widespread and increasing over the past decade. Making use of unexpected attacks by the extremist group Boko Haram, which occurred during the fieldwork of a public opinion survey, we show that even in a context of weak state institutions and frequent terrorist activities terrorist attacks significantly increase political trust. Previous studies in other contexts have attributed such effects to a "rally round the flag" mechanism, whereby people look to national state institutions as the legitimate source of security in the face of terrorist threat. A further implication of this argument is that terrorism should result in a stronger sense of collective national identity. Counter to this, we find that terror attacks in this context actually reduce the salience of respondents' national identity, instead significantly increasing ethnic identification. This fits with arguments from social psychology which suggest that fear and insecurity can lead people to identify more strongly with their in-group. These findings have important implications for understanding the political effects of terrorism in contexts where society is divided along ethnic lines and where ethnic divisions are politically salient.

Zoom link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/2747390271?pwd=NVNnYVBOUGNvWndyckxHQXlwczJpZz09

Meeting ID: 274 739 0271

Password: 1234

We are delighted to announce that the Department of Politics and International Studies (PAIS) is ranked 4^th out of 85 UK Politics departments in The Complete University Guide 2021. This influential national league table reflects key data, including student satisfaction (NSS), research excellence, and graduate prospects.

This is a move up from 5^th place last year and is alongside our number 1 position in the Times/Sunday Times Good University Guide league table 2020 – a position that we have held for two years in a row.

Professor Nick Vaughan-Williams, Head of PAIS, commented:

‘Students and staff in PAIS have a common purpose: to support each other to find their own critical voice, to look at seemingly intractable global challenges afresh, and to push the limits of existing debate and accepted orthodoxies in the study of politics and international studies. This latest ranking is further evidence of our winning formula for success, which reflects the hard work and dedication of all members of the PAIS community. The Department entered the current global pandemic in a position of strength, and our plans to deliver a blended approach to learning, the student experience, and academic support in 2020/21 mean that we will emerge stronger than ever.’

Dr Justin Greaves, PAIS’ Director of Student Experience and Progression, commented:

‘This outstanding result is testament to all the brilliant students and staff in PAIS. This league table shows how we are a leader, both within the Russell Group and the sector as a whole, in terms of the student experience and employability. I am particularly pleased that we are placed No 1 in the Russell Group for student satisfaction and as one of the leading departments in the country for graduate prospects. I look forward to working with all our new and returning students to ensure that the PAIS department goes from strength to strength, combining an outstanding student experience with the highest possible levels of academic support’

We thank all staff and students who have contributed to this incredible achievement. With a number of exciting and ambitious plans for the 2020/21 academic year and beyond, we look forward to sustaining and building on these successes in the months and years ahead.

Thursday May 21 - 4pm-5pm https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/global-insights-covid-19-migration-refugees-and-borders-tickets-105254611376

PAIS presents the fourth panel in our weekly live-streamed Global Insights series with our partners in Canada, the US, Ethiopia and Germany

This week’s panel will discuss the immediate effects of COVID-19 on global migration, internal displacement and refugee protection, and what the pandemic might mean for the movement of peoples across borders in the future.

Panelists

Allehone Abebe is a Senior Legal Officer at UNHCR Liaison Office to the African Union and the UN Economic Commission for Africa in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Maria Koinova is Reader in International Relations and chair of the British International Studies Association working group on the “International Politics of Migration, Refugees and Diaspora” at the University of Warwick (UK)

Alison Mountz is Professor of Geography and Canada Research Chair in Global Migration at Wilfrid Laurier University (Canada). She is Director of the International Migration Research Centre at the BSIA.

Tazreena Sajjad currently serves as Senior Professorial Lecturer in the Global Governance, Politics and Security (GGPS) Program in the School of International Service (SIS) at American University in Washington D.C. (USA)

Maurice Stierl is a Leverhulme Early Career Fellow at the University of Warwick (UK).

Moderated by Ann Fitz-Gerald, Director, Balsillie School of International Affairs.

About the Global Insights series

“Global Insights” is a weekly live-streamed, moderated panel series which provides different national and regional perspectives on big questions currently facing researchers, policymakers and planners worldwide in light of the Coronavirus pandemic.

All are welcome. Sign up for free here: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/global-insights-covid-19-migration-refugees-and-borders-tickets-105254611376

Thursday May 14 - 4pm-5pm

https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/global-insights-covid-19-climate-change-and-energy-tickets-104468132998

PAIS presents the third panel in our weekly live-streamed Global Insights series with our partners in Canada, the US, Ethiopia and German

The expert panel will also discuss environmental justice and issues concerning the demand for new energy structures and cleaner technology.

Panelists

Caroline Kuzemko, PAIS, University of Warwick

Simon Dalby, BSIA and Wilfrid Laurier University

Selam Kidane Abebe, University of Reading

Jatin Nathwani, BSIA and University of Waterloo

Malini Ranganathan, School of International Service, American University

Ann Fitz-Gerald (moderator), Balsillie School of International Affairs (BSIA), Canada

About the Global Insights series

“Global Insights” is a weekly live-streamed, moderated panel series which provides different national and regional perspectives on big questions currently facing researchers, policymakers and planners worldwide in light of the Coronavirus pandemic.

All are welcome. Sign up for free here: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/global-insights-covid-19-climate-change-and-energy-tickets-104468132998