PVC's Lunchtime Seminars: 'Violent & Nonviolent Protest'

The final PVC’s Lunchtime Research Seminar of the year is a change to that originally advertised, and will focus on ‘protest’:

'Violent & Nonviolent Protest’
Wednesday 11th May 2011 12.30pm-2pm
Cornwallis NW Seminar Room 5

Recently, heroic protests, both violent and non-violent, have achieved astonishing results in some countries in the Middle East. But there have also been protestations at some kinds of protest. The front cover of a recent Private Eye shows Colonel Gaddafi saying to a sidekick ‘What news of the rebels?’, and the sidekick replying ‘They’ve invaded Fortnum and Masons’. Great figures such as Mahatma Ghandi and Martin Luther King have advocated nonviolence, and we tend to think of nonviolent protest as noble. Why? What happens when nonviolent protest is ineffectual? Under what circumstances, if any, is violent protest justified? These are some of the issues that will be debated in this session. The convenor is Laurence Goldstein (SECL) and the other speakers are Helen Frowe (Philosophy), Adrian Pabst (PolIR) , David Radlett (KLS) and William Rowlandson (Hispanic Studies).

A light lunch is available from 12:30pm, together with tea and coffee, and the Seminar itself will start around 1pm.

All are welcome, but do let me know if you would like to come so that I can get a sense of numbers.

Violence Research Group: Terrorist Offenders and the Community

The Violence Research Group, which was launched with a PVC's Lunchtime Seminar in March, will be holding a seminar tomorrow. Polly Radcliffe from SSPSSR will introduce a discussion on 'Terrorist Offenders and the Community'. She will address issues of notions of threats, risks and community in the enlisting of Islamic organisations to re-educate and reintegrate Terrorist Act offenders on licence - preliminary thoughts.
It will start at 2pm, and all are welcome. The venue is Keynes Seminar Rm 11.

'Violence': Seminar Recording Available & Next Meeting

Thanks to all those who took part in the 'Relgion, Community and Violence' Lunchtime Seminar at the end of last month. For anyone who didn't make it (or even if you did and want to relive it!), a recording is available on the Research Services website here.
The Violence Research Group will meet again on 12 May between 3:30-4:30. It will focus on considering where next to go with the Group: there is clearly a wide interdisciplinary interest in violence at the University, but how should this be developed, and what specific activities should be undertaken, including possible collaborative research? In addition they will think about another public event, possibly on the theme of whether violence is innate or learned. If you want to be involved drop me a line.

Extra PVC Lunchtime Seminar Announced

An extra PVC's Lunchtime Seminar has been added to this year's programme of events. It will take place on 31 March, and will focus on 'Religion, Community and Violence'. It comes out of the violence research cluster that has been developing this year, and will act to showcase the range and breadth of research going on in this area. Hosted by Prof Larry Ray, it will include Drs William Rowlandson (SECL), Lucy Williams (SSPSSR), and Chris Deacy (SECL), and Glenn Bowman from Anthropology. Do get in touch if you would like to come along.

Violence Research Group

I went to a very productive meeting of the new 'Violence Research Group' on Tuesday. It was a small gathering - many couldn't make it because of teaching commitments - but there was an obvious enthusiasm for developing the Group as a forum for meeting others with shared or complementary interests around research into violence, for exploring issues and for engaging with people outside the University. Those attending agreed to host two public debates in the New Year: one on religion and violence, and the other on the biological or social causes of violence. They also suggested getting involved in the PVC's Lunchtime Seminars. More details to follow. The Group will be meeting next on 12 January; come along if you are interested in finding out more.