Other News

ESRC Doctoral Research Fellow Jennifer Philippa Eggert, has published a blog piece on the 'Real Housewives of ISIS' sketch for Engenderings, the blog of the LSE's Gender Institute.

Jennifer's blog can be read here: http://blogs.lse.ac.uk/gender/2017/01/16/the-real-housewives-of-isis-sketch-when-funny-is-harmful/

Dr Trevor McCrisken, Associate Professor in US Politics, appeared on the BBC Coventry and Warwickshire Breakfast Show with Trish Adudu, on Friday 13th January, discussing President-elect Donald Trump.

You can listen to Trevor's appearence below:

Dr Gabriel Siles-Brügge recently appeared on talkRADIO to discuss the mooted UK-US trade deal post-Brexit.

You can listen here (from 17:10-): http://talkradio.co.uk/radio/listen-again/1484064000#

Dr Gabriel Siles-Brügge's book with Polity on the proposed EU-US Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (or TTIP) is available to purchase here.

We are delighted to announce the panel for next week’s Students’ Question Time event which takes place on Monday 16 January from 6.15-7.45pm in MS.01. Following on from the Question Time event back in October, this event will continue to focus on the issues surrounding Brexit but from a students’ perspective. There will be lots of great debate and some excellent questions.

• Felix Ling – Third year Politics student

• Sophie Worrall – Second year PAIS student

• Oran Creedon – First year EPAIS student

• Thomas Soud – First year PPE student

• Gerardo Martinez – Third year Economics student

The panel will be chaired by Dr Tatiana Coutto.

You can find out more about each panellist on the SQT panel page.

If you haven’t yet registered for your place in the audience please book now.

Professor Franklyn Lisk is to speak at a Royal African Society and British Council event, Africa in 2017: Prospects & Forecasts, at Birmingham University next Monday, 16th January.

Date & Time: Monday 16 January, 18:30 - 20:30, followed by a reception

Venue: Main Lecture Theatre, C-Block, Aston Webb Building, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, B15 2TT

Following a year that’s delivered major surprises in Africa and globally, what does 2017 hold for the African continent? Will it be a year of crises or triumphs?

In terms of elections, 2016 witnessed several major votes on the continent that mostly returned incumbent leaders to power; Ghana, which saw another transition of power, proved to be one of very few exceptions in a pattern that saw sitting presidents in the Republic of Congo, Uganda, Gabon, Zambia, Niger and more all re-elected.

Beyond Africa, the UK’s vote to leave the European Union and the US election delivered further political shocks. What impact will these landmark events and uncertainty in the global system mean for Africa? What can we expect from elections scheduled for 2017 in the likes of Angola, Rwanda, Liberia and Kenya?

Economically, the fall in commodity prices continued to hit major economies, in particular Nigeria, while South Africa, again the continent’s largest economy, remains mired in political turmoil and seems unable to tackle declining economic output and rising unemployment. What impact will commodity prices, an uncertain global economic outlook, and China's continued slowdown have on Africa?

Across the continent, vibrant political and social movements emerged, largely driven by Africa’s rising young populations. This demographic also makes up the majority of migrants leaving the continent as well as much of the force behind Africa’s rising prominence in global cultural production in fields as diverse as film, art and music. How are these creative sectors growing and innovating? What impact will these social, cultural and political movements have in 2017?

Speakers: Dr Njoki Ngumi (The Nest Collective, Nairobi, Kenya); Professor Nic Cheeseman (International Development Department, University of Birmingham); Professor Franklyn Lisk (Centre for the Study of Globalisation and Regionalisation, University of Warwick) & Eliza Anyangwe (Writer & Founder of The Nzinga Effect)

Presented by the British Council and the Royal African Society in partnership with the Department of African Studies and Anthropology and the International Development Department at the University of Birmingham.