A pre-elections symposium, hosted by the Centre for the Study of Political Ideologies at The University of Nottingham and sponsored by the Political Studies Association "Pushing the Boundaries".
Ahead of the 2015 UK general elections, disengagement from electoral politics is high on the agenda. With low turnouts and ubiquitous distrust in politicians, two divergent responses have emerged.
On the one hand government, NGOs and academics promote re-engagement in voting and active citizenship, especially by younger people. On the other, radical activists and scholars are rejecting representative democracy in favour of a rebellious politics that points beyond capitalism and the state.
This forum is the first to bring together prominent academics and activists representing these two perspectives, and promises fresh insights from the cutting edge of the debate.
Please register for catering purposes to U.Gordon@lboro.ac.uk
Schedule:
09:30 – Arrivals and coffee (Portland Atrium)
10:00 – Greetings: Professor Michael Freeden, CSPI, The University of Nottingham
10:15 – (Im)Possibilities of re-engaging citizens?
- Dr Patrick Diamond (Queen Mary, Policy Network): General Election 2015: Is greater UK political engagement in prospect?
- Professor Gerry Stoker (Southampton): How do citizens think about politics and how to reform the political system?
- Professor Cristina Leston-Bandeira (Hull): What can public engagement do for the relationship between citizens and parliaments?
Chair: Dr Pinar Donmez, PSA Anti-Politics and (De)politicisation Specialist Group
11:30 – Break
11:45 – Deserting elections to construct new worlds
- Rebecca Fisher (Corporate Watch): The Paradox of Democratic Capitalism
- Dr Jonathan Dean (Leeds): Against Anti-politics
- Dr Paul Chatterton (Leeds): Post-carbon Cities as Alternatives from Below
Chair: Dr Uri Gordon, PSA Anarchist Studies Network
13:00 – Lunch
13:30 – Re-engagement or Rebellion? A conversation between Michael Sani (Bite the Ballot) and Jonathan Bigger (Class War). Moderator: Catherine Adams