From Relief to Development - building livelihoods or a liberal world order?

Posted by Laurence Doering, Wednesday 10th February 2010 @ 6:27pm

FREE ENTRY - FREE WINE

Humanitarian agencies are increasingly moving into the field of international development, transforming their traditional aims of immediate relief provision to crisis victims. This means that relief programmes are integrated with long-term development goals such as building infrastructure, providing training, and creating functioning economies. This raises many problematic issues, such as the imposition of donors' developmental agenda on aid recipients who cannot afford to say no. 

The Forum is joined by:

Caroline Hurford, head of the UN World Food Programme London Office, in charge of donor relations.

Dr Alastair Fraser, Lecturer in Politics and International Studies and fellow of Trinity Hall. Alasdair's research is on global aid and development policy.

Film Screening - "Milk" (2008)

Posted by Laurence Doering, Tuesday 13th October 2009 @ 7:44pm

Harvey Milk was the first openly gay man elected to public office in California, where he won a seat on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors in 1977. After less than a year in office, Milk was assassinated. Released during Obama's presidential campaign, the film captured the hopes and anxieties of underrepresented groups hoping for political change. 

Civil Disobedience to Reform the Voting System: Electoral Corruption Makes Law-breaking Justified

Posted by Laurence Doering, Tuesday 13th October 2009 @ 7:22pm

In light of the upcoming general election, Peter Tatchell (civil rights activist) and Daniel Zeichner (Labour Parliamentary Spokesperson) join The Forum to discuss the virtues and vices of the British voting system. Does "first past the post" devalidate our votes? Do current flaws justify - or require - civil disobedience to be corrected? Or can we rely on politicians to render the system more democratic?

Free wine and juice.

Being A Community Organizer (just like Barack Obama)

Posted by Laurence Doering, Monday 9th February 2009 @ 10:13am

Matthew Bolton, recent SPS graduate, talks about his work at London Citizens, working for grassroots democracy in London's neglected neighbourhoods. 

Setting The People Free: Innovations In Self Government

Posted by Laurence Doering, Monday 9th February 2009 @ 10:11am

Come and discuss how best to take direct action in politics with Hilary Wainwright and Tony Curzon Price.  

Hilary Wainwright, a prominent British feminist and socialist, is fellow of the Transnational Institute (Amsterdam), the editor of Red Pepper magazine and author of Reclaim the State. She is particularly interested in how communities (including employees in firms) widen participation in their decision making.

Tony Curzon Price is Editor-in-Chief of openDemocracy, an open-source news analysis and commentary network. He will discuss the role of the internet in political discussion and activism.