Russian Politics under Putin – Tuesday 16 April 2019, 6pm

Many observers of Russian politics have been perplexed by the high levels of popular support which President Putin has been able to command. This is despite the fact the he has centralised power in the Kremlin, reduced the powers of the parliament and the opposition, and led an assault on democratic freedoms and civil liberties.

This talk will discuss the sources of support and opposition to Putin’s regime and assess the possible dangers that lie ahead during Putin’s fourth term in office.

Everyone is welcome. This event is free and non-bookable. Places are limited so please arrive early to avoid disappointment. Doors open at 5pm.

Do Politicians Really Represent Us? Tuesday 2nd February 2016, 6pm

What does it mean to be represented in
a political system where Lego Leaders Debatepoliticians are elected by individuals but are expected to toe their party line on policy? How has devolution changed people’s perceptions of being represented at different levels of government? Did it really matter that three of the seven party leaders debating with each other in the 2015 election debates were women?

Dr Carvalho will examine the myriad ways in which the idea of political representation has been understood in political studies. She will also reflect on what this idea means to ordinary people by evaluating data gathered from talking to people across England, Scotland and Wales during the 2010 and 2015 UK general elections.

The event lasts one hour, and speakers talk passionately about their work for 30 minutes before the floor is opened up to an informal discussion with the audience. All talks take place in The McManus Café, Albert Square, Dundee.

Everyone is welcome. Free. Non-bookable. Places are limited so please arrive early to avoid disappointment. Doors open at 5pm.

The Referendum: Taking Stock – Tuesday 7th October 2014, 6pm

Three weeks after Scotland’s independence referendum, Prof Chris Whatley, Scottish historian and author of the acclaimed The Scots and the Union: Then and Now (2014), reflected upon the campaign for independence, the result, and the future for Scotland, either within or outside the UK. Chris charted the emergence of the movement for Scottish independence and identified the successes and failings of the Yes and Better Together campaigns.

He discussed the result in the context of the long history of the British union state, and argued that the Union, as envisaged in 1707, and as it had developed over the subsequent three centuries and more, is no longer fit for purpose. But is Britain broken? Are we now closer to the situation Scotland and England were in before 1707 but after the union of the crowns in 1603? Or is this arrangement too – with Scotland and England sharing a single monarch – outdated and under threat? What of Scotland’s relationship with England – and the rest of the UK – in future?