Call for nominations for Basil Chubb PhD prize
Nominations for the 2018 Basil Chubb PhD Prize are sought from Heads of Politics departments/schools.The prize is an annual award to recognise the best PhD thesis (produced in an Irish university) in any field of politics in 2017. The award will take the form of a cheque for €200.
The PSAI is grateful to Taylor & Francis for generously sponsoring this prize.
The judging process is as follows:
Each Head of Department may make one nomination for the award each year. The nomination will consist of a letter of recommendation from the Head of Department (certifying that the candidate was awarded a PhD from that Department in the previous calendar year), along with a copy of all reports on the thesis from internal and external examiners, and with one copy of the thesis itself. (All nomination material will of course be held in absolute confidence by the PSAI save for the purposes of its internal judging process.) Following the judging process all examiners’ reports will be destroyed, and the copy of the thesis returned to the Head of Department.
Each nomination will be assessed by a team of three judges. The judging panel will make a recommendation to the PSAI committee, which will then decide the recipient of the Basil Chubb Prize. (The PSAI reserves the right not to make any award in a particular year.)
Note that nominees must be members of the PSAI.
Please post nomination materials to Martin McCleery (mmccleery02@qub.ac.uk). Closing date for nominations is 2 June, 2018.
Launch of new book edited by Peter Stone (TCD)
PSAI member Peter Stone (TCD) recently held a launch for his new edited volume Bertrand Russell’s Life and Legacy (Vernon Press, 2017). The launch was held as a part of “An Evening with Bertrand Russell,” which took place at Conway Hall, London, on Friday, 24 November. The event was organized by Philosophy Now Magazine, Philosophy for All, the Bertrand Russell Society, and the Bertrand Russell Peace Foundation. The event also marked the issue of a symposium on Russell in Philosophy Now containing an article by Stone.
In addition to Stone, speakers at the event included Tim Madigan (St. John Fisher College), President of the Bertrand Russell Society, and Tom Unterrainer, of the Bertrand Russell Peace Foundation. After the 3 talks, a roundtable discussion featuring all the speakers was held. About 50 people attended the event.
Tim Madigan (St. John Fisher College), Rick Lewis (Philosophy Now), Peter Stone (TCD), and Anja Steinbauer (Philosophy Now)
Vacancy for the role of Northern Ireland Editor of Irish Political Studies
Irish Political Studies (IPS) is seeking expressions of interest in a co-editor position, tenable for three years from mid-2018. A specialist background in the politics of Northern Ireland is essential, while editorial experience and a clear vision for the future of the journal are desirable. Female candidates are particularly encouraged to apply.
Interested candidates should send their expression of interest, a short CV and a statement on their editorial vision to John Garry at j.garry@qub.ac.uk by Friday 23 February 2018.
The decision will be made by an appointment sub-committee, which includes members of the editorial board and the executive committee of the PSAI.
IPS, the journal of the PSAI, was established in 1986. It is the only refereed journal exclusively dedicated to the publication of high-quality academic articles on Irish politics. It covers politics in the Republic of Ireland, in Northern Ireland, the politics of their bilateral relationships and the politics of their relationship with the United Kingdom, the European Union and beyond.
Launch of new book on Independents by Liam Weeks
A new book by Liam Weeks (UCC) entitled Independents in Irish Party Democracy (Manchester University Press) was launched in Buswell’s Hotel, Dublin, on 4th July.
The book was launched by the independent Minister for Tourism, Trade and Sport Shane Ross. Minister Ross said that Liam was responsible for the formation of the Independent Alliance and that he had believed in independents before they had themselves. He noted how distinctive is the presence of independents in Ireland and praised the meticulous scholarly nature of the work.
Liam noted the distinctive contribution independents have made to Irish politics. Dedicating the book to independents, he said that whatever you think of independents we’d have to agree they bring an element of colour, diversity and choice to the Irish political system.
The launch was supported by the PSAI.
Neil Collins, Kieran Coughlan, Muiris MacCarthaigh and Liam Weeks
Minister Shane Ross and Liam Weeks
Launch of new book by Aaron Edwards on the UVF
A new book by Aaron Edwards (Sandhurst), entitled UVF: Behind the Mask (Merrion Press), was launched in No Alibis bookstore in Belfast on Wednesday 28th June. The book covers the history of the Ulster Volunteer Force from the formation of its post-1965 incarnation up to the present day. Journalist and broadcaster Malachi O’Doherty spoke at the launch, which was supported by the PSAI.
Aaron Edwards at the launch of his book ‘UVF: Behind the Mask’