Film Screening: 'Dead Man Walking'

Venue:TS Eliot Theatre, Merton College

On Thursday 23 May all are invited to the film 'Dead Man Walking' in the TS Eliot theatre, Merton College, at 7.30pm preceded by drinks from 7pm. 

The film is inspired by the work of Sr Helen Prejean, a leading American activist for the abolition of the death penalty. She is the founder of Survive, an organisation devoted to counselling the families of victims of violence. She served as National Chairperson of the National Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty from 1993 to 1995.

Sr Helen will probably not be present at the film showing, but she will speak at Choral Evensong in Mertion College Chapel on Sunday 26 May, at 5.45, and all are welcome.

Jointly sponsored by OxPeace and Mertion Global Directions.

For any further info contact  Amalia Feld at Merton:  Amalia Feld [amalsf@gmail.com]

'Gridlock: Why global cooperation is failing when we need it most'

Venue:Lecture Theatre, Blavatnik School of Government, 10 Merton Street, Oxford, OX1 4JJ

Book launch and panel discussion event

Why is global governance stalling when we need it most? A new book argues that the problem is gridlock—a set of trends hampering multilateral cooperation across all areas of global politics. New powers have brought a more diverse range of interests to the negotiating table, while the problems requiring collective action have grown more numerous and complex. At the same time, existing institutions have locked-in outmoded decision-making procedures and created a fragmented governance patchwork that slows action. Ironically, many of these problems stem from the previous successes of international cooperation over the postwar period. Those successes allowed globalization to advance to a point at which the very same institutions now struggle to manage the interdependence they helped create.

The panel will examine multilateral gridlock and its implications around the world. Chaired by world renowned political scientist Robert Keohane, the panel will feature Gridlock author Dr Thomas Hale of the Blavatnik School and four distinguished alumni of the Oxford-Princeton Global Leaders Fellowship programme: Dr Bo Qu of the China Foreign Affairs University, Dr George Gray Molina of UNDP, Dr Leany Lemos of the Brazilian Senate, and Dr Arunabha Ghosh of the Council on Energy, Environment and Water (India).

This event is co-hosted by the Blavatnik School of Government, the Global Economic Governance Programme, and the Centre for International Studies at the University of Oxford.

About the book
Gridlock: Why Global Cooperation Is Failing When We Need It Most
by Thomas Hale, David Held, Kevin Young
(Polity Press)

Basque Visiting Fellow Workshop: 'Europe of regions: the role of media'

Venue:Seminar Room, European Studies Centre 70 Woodstock

Prof. Peter Humphreys (The University of Manchester)

Gorka Mercero (Eusko Ikaskuntza and University of Birmingham)

Irati Agirreazkuenaga (University of Basque Country)

Mikel Anton ( President’s Office, Basque Government)

Aitziber Díez (Grupo Noticias)

Convenor: Estefania Jimenez (St. Antony’s College, Oxford)

Book Launch: 'State-Nationalisms in the Ottoman Empire, Greece and Turkey: Orthodox and Muslims, 1830-1945'

Speaker: Dimitris Kamouzis and Stefanos Katsikas (Centre for Asia Minor Studies, Athens and University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign)

Venue:Fellows Dining Room, St Antony's College

Modern Greek Seminar

All welcome

'Greece’s foreign policy priorities'

Speaker: Konstantinos Bikas (Greek Ambassador to Britain)

Venue:Seminar Room, European Studies Centre 70 Woodstock

Mr. Kostantinos Bikas is Ambassador of Greece to the United Kingdom. In 1978 he graduated in Law with honours at the University of Athens, and then post-graduate studies in private shipping law, and international law, at the University of Hamburg in Germany. In 1983 he joined the Greek Diplomatic Service, and from 1988 to 1992 served as Consul in Vancouver, Canada and then as First Secretary, of the Greek Embassy in Algeria. From 1993 to 1998 he was a spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The next four years, until 2002, he served as Head in the Greek Embassy in Iraq and after three years as Consul General in Boston (USA). From 2005 he was Director of the Private Office of H.E. the President of the Hellenic Republic Mr. Karolos Papoulias. In 2009 he became General Director of the Greek National Intelligence Service. In 2012 he became a Minister Plenipotentiary First Class.

Chair: Othon Anastasakis (St Antony’s College, Oxford)

This event is part of the SEESOX Seminar Series seminar series.

'Hobbes's Dilemma and the Liberal Quest for World Order'

Speaker: Robert Keohane (Princeton University)

Venue:Lecture Theatre, Blavatnik School of Government, 10 Merton Street, Oxford, OX1 4JJ

In his talk, Professor Keohane will address the challenges of maintaining a liberal world order, particularly in the face of increasing globalization and changing notions of sovereignty.  

'An ever closer union among the peoples of Europe: Republican Intergovernmentalism and Demoicratic Representation within the EU'

Speaker: Richard Bellamy (University College London)

Venue:Law Board Room, St Cross Building, St. Cross Road

Discussant: David Miller

This event is part of the Justice and Democracy beyond the Nation-State: Lessons From and For Europe seminar series.

'Cyprus and the energy developments in the Eastern Mediterranean'

Speaker: Charles Ellinas (Cyprus National Hydrocarbons Company)

Venue:Seminar Room, European Studies Centre 70 Woodstock

Chair: Androulla Kaminara (St Antony’s College, Oxford)

In association with European Studies Centre

This event is part of the SEESOX Seminar Series seminar series.

'Emerging Europe in the light of the crisis'

Speaker: Peter Sanfey (European Bank of Reconstruction and Development) and Jeromin Zettelmeyer (European Bank for Reconstruction and Development)

Venue:Seminar Room, European Studies Centre 70 Woodstock

Chair: Max Watson (St Antony’s College, Oxford)

In association with PEFM

This event is part of the SEESOX Seminar Series seminar series.

'Embedding Integration: European Union History in a Trans- and International Perspective'

Speaker: Professor Kiran Klaus Patel (Maastricht University)

Venue:Lecture Theatre, Faculty of History

2013 MEHRC Special Lecture

All Welcome

Enquiries jane.cunning@history.ox.ac.uk

'The Mortality and Morality of Nations: Israelis, Afrikaners, Quebecois'

Speaker: Dr. Uriel Abulof (University of Tel Aviv)

Venue:School of Interdisciplinary Area Studies

Convenor: Derek Penslar, School of Interdisciplinary Area Studies and Department of Politics and International Relations.

This event is part of the Israel Studies seminar series.

2013 OxPeace Conference “The Future of Peacebuilding”

Venue:St John’s College, Oxford

Preceded on Friday 10 May by a Conference Dinner with address by Ingrid Betancourt, former senator and anti-corruption activist in Colombia, kidnapped and held by FARC 2002-2008.

Keynote speakers on Sat 11 May: Carolyn McAskie OC, University of Ottawa, former UN Assistant Secretary General for Peacebuilding and head of the UN Peacebuilding Commission, Paul Rogers, Professor of Peace Studies, University of Bradford, and Dr Cyril Obi, Program Director of the African Peacebuilding Network at the New York-based SSRC.

Breakout sessions on: Environmental peacebuilding in the Middle East with Yossi Leshem (ornithologist, Israel), Azzam Alwash (the Marshes, Iraq), and Chris Naylor (A Rocha, Lebanon);  Roles of Universities and Peacebuilding with Massimo Caneva (University of Rome, connecting universities in the Balkans and Middle East), Koji Nakamura (Konan University, Kobe, Japan, peace education for exchange students), Yoav Bornstein and Elizabeth Jadon (Olive Tree Israel-Palestine Scholarship programme at City University, London);  Tensions in counter-terrorism and peacebuilding with Anja Shortland (land-based solutions to Somali piracy), Alexander Leveringhaus (drones) and Annette Idler (drugs, conflict and peace in Colombia); UN Peacekeeping and Peacebuilding with Cyril Obi (Africa Peacebuilding Network), Sacha Meuter (UN peacekeeping radio), and Sarah von Billerbeck (local ownership of UN peacebuilding in the DRC).

Open Film Evening: Saturday 11 May at 8pm in the Auditorium, St John's College:

Screening of two films on environmental peacebuilding in the Middle East. "Wings of Peace" describing the work of distinguished Israeli ornithologist Prof. Yossi Leshem and the 'Migrating Birds know no Boundaries' project. And "Miracle in the Iraqi Marshes" describing the work of Goldman Prize-winning conservationist Dr Azzam Alwash in restoring from desert the internationally important Iraqi marshlands. In the presence of Yossi Leshem and Azzam Alwash. All are welcome.

This Conference is open to all, and is free for students (who are however invited to make a voluntary contribution of £5 on the day to help cover the sandwich lunch and coffee/tea). Non-students are asked to contribute £10 on the day. Senior concession as for students.

Registration forms will be sent early in the New Year to all OxPeace email list members, and will be obtainable from the Conference Assistant, Jason.robinson@sant.ox.ac.uk to whom all enquiries should be addressed.

The 2013 OxPeace Conference is sponsored by the African Studies Centre, the Centre for International Studies, the St John's College Research Centre, and the Oxford Peace Research Trust.

Contact Conference Assistant

'The use of foreign law in national constitutional law : a challenge to democracy and sovereignty?'

Speaker: Professor Jeremy Waldron

Venue:Law Board Room, St Cross Building, St. Cross Road

Discussant: Dr. Pavlos Eleftheriadis

This event is part of the Justice and Democracy beyond the Nation-State: Lessons From and For Europe seminar series.

'Agency in the time of Structural Adjustment: Social perspectives on contemporary Greece'

Venue:Seminar Room, European Studies Centre 70 Woodstock

Speakers: Georgios Agelopoulos (University of Macedonia, Thessaloniki), Dimitris Dalakoglou (University of Sussex), Dimitrios Gkintidis (St Antony’s College, Oxford), Renee Hirschon (St Peter’s College, Oxford), Daniel Martyn Knight (LSE), Dimitris Papanikolaou (St Cross College, Oxford).

Convenor: Dimitrios Gkintidis (St Antony’s College, Oxford)

Attendance is free, but please let us know in advance if you would like to attend at the following address: dimitrios.gkintidis@sant.ox.ac.uk

For further information please visit the workshop website: http://www.sant.ox.ac.uk/seesox/agencyingreece.html

'Serbia and regional cooperation in the Western Balkans: EU membership perspective as a tool for overcoming the past'

Speaker: Dejan Popovic (Ambassador of Serbia to the United Kingdom)

Venue:Seminar Room, European Studies Centre 70 Woodstock

Discussant: Elizabeth Roberts (Trinity College, Oxford)

Chair: David Madden (St Antony’s College, Oxford)

This event is part of the SEESOX Seminar Series seminar series.

'Combining Freedom and Diversity: Lessons from Experience in Britain, Canada, France, Germany and the United States'

Venue:Dahrendorf Room, Founder’s Building at St Antony’s

Registration is essential. Please register here: http://www.sant.ox.ac.uk/esc/fanddregistration.html

One of the major challenges of our time is how to combine freedom and diversity. This research project looks at lessons from experience in five advanced Western democracies: Britain, France, Germany, the US and Canada. We have set out to gather already published indicators and relevant analyses, as well as pursuing individual avenues of original research. This year's Dahrendorf Colloquium is a major conference on 3-5 May 2013, bringing together experts from many different fields and all five countries, with Martha Nussbaum delivering a keynote lecture. The focus is firmly on conclusions useful for public policy.

At the end of the process, a report will be prepared, presenting key findings from the comparative research, and drawing lessons, both positive and negative.

The project is based at the European Studies Centre at St Antony’s College Oxford, in the context of the Dahrendorf Programme for the Study of Freedom. The project chair is Professor Timothy Garton Ash and the principal investigator is Dr Kerem Öktem.

'Understanding the EU and its Crisis through the Lens of Demoicracy'

Speaker: Professor Kalypso Nicolaidis

Venue:Law Board Room, St Cross Building, St. Cross Road

Discussant: Professor Philippe Van Parijs

This event is part of the Justice and Democracy beyond the Nation-State: Lessons From and For Europe seminar series.

'The Future of Constructivist Research in International Relations'

Speaker: Kathryn Sikkink (University of Minnesota), Iver Neumann (LSE), Martha Finnemore (George Washington University) and Amitav Acharya (American University)

Venue:Lecture Theatre, Manor Road Building

This half-day workshop will discuss the contributions of constructivism and what the future constructivist research agenda might look like. The workshop will consist of four sessions: each will begin with a lead-off presentation of around 15/20 minutes followed by a discussant. Convenor: Professor Andrew Hurrell. 

Session One: 14.15 to 15.00. Professor Kathryn Sikkink,  (McKnight Presidential Chair in Political Science, University of Minnesota and Visiting Professor, Blavatnik School of Government), ‘The Role of Agency in Constructivism’.  Discussant:  Mr Max Thompson (Oxford DPIR). Chair: Professor Duncan Snidal (Oxford DPIR).

Session Two: 15.00 to 15.45. Professor Iver Neumann (Montague Burton Professor of International Relations, LSE), ‘Constructivism and the Turn to Practice’. Discussant: Mr Quentin Bruneau (Oxford DPIR). Chair:  Professor Todd Hall (University of Toronto). Followed by a tea/coffee break.

Session Three: 16.00 to 16.45. Professor Martha Finnemore (University Professor of Political Science and International Affairs, The George Washington University), ‘Are legal norms distinctive and what do they add to the analysis of political change?’  Discussant: Dr Travers McLeod (Oxford DPIR). Chair:  Professor Andrew Hurrell (Oxford DPIR).

Session Four: 16.45 to 17.30. Professor Amitav Acharya (UNESCO Chair in Transnational Challenges and Governance, American University), ‘Constructivism and the Study of Global IR’.  Discussant:  Mr Vinicius Rodrigues Vieira (Oxford DPIR). Chair: Professor Kalypso Nicolaidis (Oxford DPIR).

17.30 to 18.00: General discussion and wrap-up.

The workshop will be followed by a reception in the Common Room, Manor Road Building.

To register for this event (no registration fee) please visit the event registration page on the Department of Politics and International Relations website (http://www.politics.ox.ac.uk/index.php/event-registration.html).

For any queries contact: matthew.kennedy@politics.ox.ac.uk

Contact Matthew Kennedy

'Symbology of the state and its discontents: The case of Turkey'

Speaker: Nora Fisher Onar (Bahçesehir University, Istanbul)

Venue:Seminar Room, European Studies Centre 70 Woodstock

Chair: Othon Anastasakis (St Antony’s College, Oxford)

This event is part of the SEESOX Seminar Series seminar series.

'Social Justice in the European Union: four views'

Speaker: Professor Philippe Van Parijs

Venue:Law Board Room, St Cross Building, St. Cross Road

Discussant: Professor David Miller

'The evolution of the Syria conflict, and Turkish-Syrian relations'

Speaker: Yasar Yakis (Former Turkish Foreign Minister, and a former Turkish Ambassador to the UN Office in Austria, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia)

Venue:Seminar Room, European Studies Centre 70 Woodstock

Discussant: Roy Allison (St Antony’s College, Oxford)

Chair: Edward Mortimer (All Souls College, Oxford)

This event is part of the SEESOX Seminar Series seminar series.

'Turkey and the European Union energy policy'

Speaker: Hasan Murat Mercan (Turkish Deputy Minister for Energy)

Venue:Seminar Room, European Studies Centre 70 Woodstock

Discussant: Androulla Kaminara (St Antony’s College, Oxford)

Chair: Othon Anastasakis (St Antony’s College, Oxford)

In association with European Studies Centre

This event is part of the SEESOX Seminar Series seminar series.

'The global and Euro area crises: Will next time be different?'

Speaker: Sean Berrigan (Director for Financial Stability and Monetary Affairs in DG ECFIN at the European Commission)

Venue:Seminar Room, European Studies Centre 70 Woodstock

Political Economy of Financial Markets (PEFM) Seminar

Chair: Max Watson (St Antony’s College, Oxford)

To be confirmed

Speaker: To be confirmed

Venue:The Wharton Room, All Souls College, Oxford

This event is part of the Campaigning and Generalship Seminars seminar series.

'Exit Strategies and State Building'

Speaker: Professor Richard Caplan (Oxford, DPIR)

Venue:Manor Road Building, Seminar Room G

A light sandwich lunch is served at 12.45pm. All are welcome.

This event is part of the Lunchtime Discussions with Changing Character of War seminar series.

'Domestic politics – democratic regression?'

Speaker: Iveta Radicova (Former Prime Minister of Slovakia)

Venue:ESC Seminar Room

South East Europe: Revisiting Convergence

Iveta Radicova (Former Prime Minister of Slovakia)

Political structures in the countries of the region are confronting previously unheard of pressures and influences. The role of the state is being increasingly put into question. Party politics are fluid and challenged by the electorates. The crisis is affecting domestic politics not just in relatively fragile and new democracies but in the most advanced and consolidated democracies of the region, as well. Do we in fact risk seeing a form of active “democratic regression” away from the pluralist polity envisaged in the EU? Or is the EU itself, by its own interventionist and “power politics” approach creating new democratic deficits and external dependencies? Are we seeing the countries of the region establishing a degree of political stability based on a model other than that seen in classical western democracies?

This event is part of the SEESOX Seminar Series seminar series.

'Domestic politics – democratic regression?'

Speaker: Othon Anastasakis (St Antony's College, Oxford), Kerem Öktem (St Antony's College, Oxford) and Iveta Radicova (St Antony's College, Oxford)

Venue:ESC Seminar Room

South East Europe: Revisiting Convergence

Othon Anastasakis is Director of the European Studies Centre and SEESOX

Kerem Öktem is a Research Fellow with the European Studies Centre

Iveta Radicová is a Visiting Fellow with the Media and Democracy in Central Europe project at the European Studies Centre, and Former Prime Minister of Slovakia

Chair: Jonathan Scheele (St Antony's College, Oxford)

Political structures in the countries of the region are confronting previously unheard of pressures and influences. The role of the state is being increasingly put into question. Party politics are fluid and challenged by the electorates. The crisis is affecting domestic politics not just in relatively fragile and new democracies but in the most advanced and consolidated democracies of the region, as well. Do we in fact risk seeing a form of active “democratic regression” away from the pluralist polity envisaged in the EU? Or is the EU itself, by its own interventionist and “power politics” approach creating new democratic deficits and external dependencies? Are we seeing the countries of the region establishing a degree of political stability based on a model other than that seen in classical western democracies?

This event is part of the SEESOX Seminar Series seminar series.

'The implications of the February 2013 Presidential elections in Cyprus'

Speaker: Androulla Kaminara (EU Visiting Fellow, St Antony’s College, Oxford)

Venue:Seminar Room, European Studies Centre 70 Woodstock

Chaired by David Madden (St Antony’s College, Oxford)

Convenor: Othon Anastasakis

Androulla Kaminara is the EU Visiting Fellow for 2012/13. Between 2008-12 Ms Kaminara was the Head of the European Commission’s Representation in Cyprus. Previously she was the Director for Quality of Development Cooperation Operations in all third countries, Head of Unit for geographic coordination for 44 African and Caribbean countries, as well as member of cabinet of two Commissioners. She has been working for the European Commission since 1991.

(Lunch provided)

'Security and the Olympics'

Speaker: Brigadier James Cowan (Commander 3rd Div)

Venue:The Wharton Room, All Souls College, Oxford

This event is part of the Campaigning and Generalship Seminars seminar series.

'Political-Military Strategy-Making in Regional Command South Afghanistan'

Speaker: Todd Greentree (CCW Visiting Research Associate)

Venue:Manor Road Building, Seminar Room G

A light sandwich lunch is served at 12.45pm. All are welcome.

This event is part of the Lunchtime Discussions with Changing Character of War seminar series.

'CANCELLED - EU’s enlargement and foreign policy and the rise of external actors'

Speaker: Maria-Eleni Koppa, MEP (European Parliament)

Venue:ESC Seminar Room

CANCELLATION NOTICE

This event has been cancelled as the speaker, Maria-Eleni Koppa, is no longer able to attend.

-------------------

South East Europe: Revisiting Convergence

Maria-Eleni Koppa, MEP (European Parliament)

Discussant: Alex Rondos (European External Action Service) tbc

Chair: Jan Zielonka (St Antony’s College, Oxford)

What is the EU’s enlargement agenda? What is the role of the European Commission and the European Parliament? What roles do the non-regional actors - Russia, USA, China - now play? Do they, or others, constitute realistic alternatives to the “EU as empire”, however voluntaristic that may be for the countries involved? Are there implications of this situation for other nearby regions - Caucasus, Syria and the Arab Spring, - whether in terms of their own internal evolution or of the future role of different external actors, including the EU, in these regions? What will be the future role in the region of an economically successful and politically confident Turkey: can it even be seen in terms of a “rival hegemon”?

This event is part of the SEESOX Seminar Series seminar series.

'Building Integrity in Government'

Speaker: Alina Mungiu-Pippidi and Nilima Gulrajani

Venue:Lecture Theatre, Blavatnik School of Government, 10 Merton Street, Oxford, OX1 4JJ

Global Economic Governance Seminar Series

2-3:30pm, Fridays, Hilary Term 2013

Lecture Theatre, Blavatnik School of Government, 10 Merton Street.

Alina Mungiu-Pippidi, Professor of Democracy Studies, Hertie School of Governance

Nilima Gulrajani, Senior Researcher, Global Economic Governance Programme, Oxford

Despite efforts to fight corruption, bribery, and inefficient institutions, a lack of integrity remains a problem throughout the world. How do you measure integrity in governments? What are the policies by which you build it?

This event is part of the Global Economic Governance Speaker Series seminar series.

'Israel’s relations with Turkey and her new “friendships” in South East Europe'

Speaker: Alon Liel (Former Israeli Ambassador)

Venue:Seminar Room, European Studies Centre 70 Woodstock

Convenors: Othon Anastasakis and Celia Kerslake

'Britain’s Withdrawal from Afghanistan, 1880-81'

Speaker: Professor Ian Beckett

Venue:The Wharton Room, All Souls College, Oxford

This event is part of the Military History Seminars seminar series.

'Legitimate Targets? The Partial Effectiveness of International Law in US Air Warfare'

Speaker: Dr Janina Dill (Oxford, DPIR)

Venue:Manor Road Building, Seminar Room G

A light sandwich lunch is served at 12.45pm. All are welcome.

This event is part of the Lunchtime Discussions with Changing Character of War seminar series.

'Power sharing – can the EU impose sustainable arrangements?'

Speaker: James Ker-Lindsay (LSE) and Cvete Koneska (St Antony’s College, Oxford)

Venue:ESC Seminar Room

South East Europe: Revisiting Convergence

James Ker-Lindsay (LSE) and Cvete Koneska (St Antony’s College, Oxford)

Discussant:  Richard Caplan (DPIR, University of Oxford)

Chair: David Madden (St Antony’s College, Oxford)

The EU has, for reasons of clear self-interest, been the most active external actor in the region over the past decade, often in cooperation with NATO. It has in particular increasingly been the main arbiter of the “correct” implementation of post-conflict and/or conflict-prevention arrangements (Macedonia, Bosnia, Kosovo, ...). How far has the EU been successful in ensuring that these arrangements can ultimately become self-sustaining, without the need for permanent, pro-active, external intervention?

This event is part of the SEESOX Seminar Series seminar series.

'Delivering Development: can business succeed where traditional donors fail?'

Speaker: Henry Gonzalez, Rita Perakis and Alexander Woollcombe

Venue:Lecture Theatre, Blavatnik School of Government, 10 Merton Street, Oxford, OX1 4JJ

Global Economic Governance Seminar Series

2-3:30pm, Fridays, Hilary Term 2013

Lecture Theatre, Blavatnik School of Government, 10 Merton Street.

Henry Gonzalez, Head of Research, responsAbility Investments; Entrepreneur-in-Residence, Skoll Centre, Said Business School, Oxford

Rita Perakis, Program Associate, Centre for Global Development

Alexander Woollcombe, Gates Foundation Programme Officer in charge of UK and EU Government Relations

Private actors, including social entrepreneurs, venture philanthropy, and corporate social responsibility initiatives are increasingly influential in development. Who are these private actors, and will their methods deliver better development outcomes? Will traditional donors effectively integrate these new private actors into their work?

This event is part of the Global Economic Governance Speaker Series seminar series.

'German foreign missions and the legacy of history, 1990-2010'

Speaker: Dr. Michael Epkenhans (Director of Research)

Venue:The Wharton Room, All Souls College, Oxford

This event is part of the Campaigning and Generalship Seminars seminar series.

'The Protection of Educational Institutions During Armed Conflict'

Speaker: Professor Steven Haines (Greenwich and CCW Visiting Fellow)

Venue:Manor Road Building, Seminar Room G

A light sandwich lunch is served at 12.45pm. All are welcome.

This event is part of the Lunchtime Discussions with Changing Character of War seminar series.

'People and the Planet: are we moving toward sustainability or catastrophe?'

Speaker: Sir John Sulston

Venue:Lecture Theatre, Blavatnik School of Government, 10 Merton Street, Oxford, OX1 4JJ

Sir John Sulston, Winner of the Nobel Prize in Medicine; Chair of the Institute for Science, Ethics, and Innovation (iSEI), University of Manchester.

Extreme poverty, unsustainable consumption, and global population growth are three pressing challenges facing the world in the 21st century. Sir John will discuss the recommendations of a Royal Society Working Group he chaired, which took up these challenges.

This event is part of the Global Economic Governance Speaker Series seminar series.

'Reform – how far does the EU have real transformative power?'

Speaker: Heather Grabbe (Open Society European Policy Institute) and Sorin Moisa (St Antony’s College, Oxford)

Venue:ESC Seminar Room

South East Europe: Revisiting Convergence

Heather Grabbe (Open Society European Policy Institute)

Sorin Moisa (St Antony’s College, Oxford)

Chair: Jonathan Scheele (St Antony’s College, Oxford)

The perspective of accession to the European Union has been perceived as the glue preventing the Western Balkan states from reverting to the inter-ethnic and inter-state rivalries seen during the 1990s. How far is the EU still committed to enlargement to the South East – and at what speed? How serious is it – in the face of the multiple crises it is dealing with, both internally and in the wider European neighbourhood - about keeping the South East Europe periphery on board? Are the EU’s terms of engagement well-adapted to these countries, or are they too “top-down” in terms of societies where there is a considerable disconnect between political elites and the interests and sympathies of the population at large? Even given political will on the EU side, the likely timescale is very long term; how credible does the concept of convergence through preparation for EU accession then remain?

This event is part of the SEESOX Seminar Series seminar series.

'Tackling Climate Change: is it time to give up on a multilateral solution?'

Speaker: Dieter Helm, Cameron Hepburn and Robert Falkner

Venue:Lecture Theatre, Blavatnik School of Government, 10 Merton Street, Oxford, OX1 4JJ

Global Economic Governance Seminar Series

2-3:30pm, Fridays, Hilary Term 2013

Lecture Theatre, Blavatnik School of Government, 10 Merton Street.

Dieter Helm, Professor in Energy Policy, and faculty member of Blavatnik School of Government, Oxford

Cameron Hepburn, Senior Research Fellow, Grantham Institute, the London School of Economics

Robert Falkner, Reader in International Relations, the London School of Economics

This year, diplomats, NGOs, companies, and others will again try to negotiate a binding global deal on carbon emissions. Progress in multilateral negotiations has been painfully slow. Why? What other tools exist? What are the consequences of abandoning multilateral negotiations?

This event is part of the Global Economic Governance Speaker Series seminar series.

'British Military Intelligence in the 19th Century'

Speaker: William Beaver

Venue:The Wharton Room, All Souls College, Oxford

This event is part of the Military History Seminars seminar series.

'Social Media at War in the 21st Century'

Speaker: John McCubbin (i-Logue)

Venue:Manor Road Building, Seminar Room G

A light sandwich lunch is served at 12.45pm. All are welcome.

This event is part of the Lunchtime Discussions with Changing Character of War seminar series.

'Society – how far is the impact of the crisis irreversible?'

Speaker: Dimitri A. Sotiropoulos (University of Athens)

Venue:ESC Seminar Room

South East Europe: Revisiting Convergence

Dimitri A. Sotiropoulos (University of Athens)

Discussant: Dimitrios Gkintidis (St Antony’s College, Oxford)

Chair: Max Watson (St Antony’s College, Oxford)

The social impacts of the crisis are undeniable, even in countries where the level of protest has not reached that of Greece. Everywhere in the region we are seeing rising numbers of unemployed, and people disaffected with the choices of their elites and the austerity measures imposed from abroad. We see new forms of protest politics and populist leaders benefiting from such grievances. How in practice should we deal with the medium and long term social impact of the crisis? How far do the social consequences of the crisis, and the consequent tendency to encourage protest politics, undermine the likelihood of a return to the pre-crisis approach? To what extent does the emergence of alternative models of social provision (e.g. Golden Dawn in Greece) impact on this?

This event is part of the SEESOX Seminar Series seminar series.

'When Aid Goes Wrong: British Foreign Aid and the Pergau Dam Affair'

Speaker: Sir Tim Lankester, Sir Ivor Crewe and Professor John Toye

Venue:Lecture Theatre, Blavatnik School of Government, 10 Merton Street, Oxford, OX1 4JJ

SPEAKERS:

Sir Tim Lankester (former President, Corpus Christi College, Oxford; former Permanent Secretary of the Department for International Development (DFID))

Sir Ivor Crewe (Master of University College, Oxford)

Professor John Toye (Chair of the Advisory Panel of the Department of International Development, Oxford)

The Pergau dam in Malaysia was the most controversial project in the history of British aid. Because of its high cost, it was a poor candidate for aid funding. It was provided in part to honour a highly irregular promise of civil aid in connection with a major arms deal. After two parliamentary inquiries and intense media coverage, in a landmark judgement the aid for Pergau was declared unlawful. As The Economist said in its review of the book, “Sir Tim had a ringside seat in all this, and provides a lucid analysis of how the disaster unfolded.” The Guardian called it “a revealing book about the scandal that redefined aid.” 

Sir Tim Lankester will present insights from his recent book 'The Politics and Economics of Britain’s Foreign Aid: The Pergau Dam Affair'. He will ask whether, given what was known at the time and what we know now, he and his colleagues in Britain’s aid ministry were correct in their objections to the project. Sir Ivor Crewe and Professor John Toye join him as discussants. 

This event is part of the Global Economic Governance Speaker Series seminar series.

'The Idea of a ‘Fleet in Being’ and Navies in the American War, 1775-1783'

Speaker: Professor John Hattendorf

Venue:The Wharton Room, All Souls College, Oxford

This event is part of the Military History Seminars seminar series.

'Scenarios for the Iranian Nuclear Crisis in 2013: Diplomatic and Military Options'

Speaker: Dr Bruno Tertrais (Fondation pour la Recherche Stratégique, Paris)

Venue:Manor Road Building, Seminar Room G

A light sandwich lunch is served at 12.45pm. All are welcome.

This event is part of the Lunchtime Discussions with Changing Character of War seminar series.

'Europeanization of the Balkans or Balkanization of the EU? Governance challenges on both sides'

Speaker: Alina Mungiu-Pippidi (Hertie University, Berlin)

Venue:ESC Seminar Room

SOUTH EAST EUROPE: REVISITING CONVERGENCE

Chaired by Renee Hirschon (St Peter’s College, Oxford)

This event is part of the SEESOX Seminar Series seminar series.

'‘Caught with Our Pants Down’: The South African Army and the Fall of Tobruk, 1942'

Speaker: Ben Shephard

Venue:The Wharton Room, All Souls College, Oxford

This event is part of the Military History Seminars seminar series.