Forthcoming Events

Dear all,

We are pleased to announce several upcoming events:

Coffee Morning with Dr. Kirsten Ainley: ‘The Legalisation of Responsibility in International Relations’

Date: Monday 1st March
Time: 10:00 – 11:00
Place: Z 229 (St Philips)

Start next week fresh and early. In this Coffee Morning with a though provoking title ‘The Legalisation of Responsibility in IR’ you will have a chance to get an awareness of universal human rights standards and ethics.

Dr. Ainley is a lecturer in the department of International Relations. Her expertise is in politics of international law and humanitarian intervention. Dr. Ainley has recently returned from the International Criminal Tribune for Rwanda and so has many thoughts to share. With Chris Brown she is the co-author of Understanding International Relations [4th edition] !

Coffee Morning with Professor Brown: Thoughts on the Chilcot Inquiry

Date Wednesday 3rd March
Time: 10:00-11:00
Place U110

The Chilcot Inquiry has become one of the central issues in British politics.  Seven years, the Iraq War remains a highly contentious issue. Professor Brown offer his thoughts on the Inquiry and the implications of the war in general.

Professor Brown is a lecturer in the department of International Relations and is the author of many books.

Le Gala

We would like to remind everyone that the Grimshaw Club is co-hosting “Le Gala” the end of term ball on the 20th of March. Tickets are £40 and selling fast and cover a three course dinner in the beautiful Grand Connaught Rooms on Great Queen Street. There will also be champagne tickets on sale for £25.

LSESU Hayek Society Presents “God is Back: How the global rise of faith is changing the world”

Date:      Tuesday 2nd March
Time:     7pm
Venue:   NAB 206 (New Academic Building)

John Mickelthwait is the chief editor of the Economist.  John will be speaking to us about his latest book, “God is Back: How the global rise of faith is changing the world”. Most Britons assume that religion is dying. But have you looked at China, where there are already more church-going Christians than members of the communist party? Or Africa, where Islam and Christianity are fighting for souls? Or the United States, where evangelical mega-churches grow from strength to strength? In fact religion is thriving everywhere outside Western Europe. Why is this happening – and what are the political consequences? Are we facing new wars of religion – or is there a way for modernity and faith to co-exist?

LSESU Development Society Presents: Panel: World Bank and IMF: Is the Washington Consensus Dead?

Tuesday 2nd March 18:00-19:30 – U8

During the 60s, the IMF and World Bank turned their focus towards helping developing countries, yet their policies of structural readjustment and high loans have been criticised as having done more harm than good. This panel debate will explore the role and impact of the multilaterals and possible options for reform. Come and challenge the experts!

Many thanks,

Grimshaw Committee

Yes, more events.

Dear all,

Pub Quiz

The Grimshaw Club is glad to announce its next social event together with the Scandinavian Society on Monday, February 22nd, when we will be hosting a Pub Quiz at the George IV Pub on LSE Campus. The questions will be half international affairs, half Scandinavian trivia, so choose your teammates wisely. After some civilized merriment we will be heading to Club 24 which is hosting a Scandinavian themed party for more. Entrance will be £5 but there will be free drinks involved which will be directly proportional to the amount of people we bring so encourage people to come!

We would also like to remind you of the more academically oriented events we have coming up:

How to Get a First in IR – With Dr Hans Gutbrod

Date: Friday, 19 February 2010
Time: 14:00 – 15:00
Location: D002

Most students know their subject quite well: but do they know how to succeed in exams? The Grimshaw Committee is pleased to invite Dr Hans Gutbrod back, who has given this seminar on exam technique several times before, and which is based on his own experience in the IR Department.

Hans Gutbrod is now the Regional Director of the Caucasus Research Resource Centre (CRRC), a network of research and training centres in the South Caucasus. He has given a seminar on his work earlier in the year with the Grimshaw Club. He holds a PhD and BSc (First Class Honours) in International Relations from the LSE.

Transnational Islamist Terrorism: Is it here to stay?

A lecture by Nigel Inkster, chaired by Dr Alexis Crowe

Date: Tuesday, 23 February 2010
Time: 18:00 – 19:30
Location: D502

Nigel Inkster served in the British Secret Intelligence Service (SIS) from 1975 to 2006. He was posted in Asia, Latin America and Europe and worked extensively on transnational issues. He spent seven years on the Board of SIS, the last two as Assistant Chief and Director for Operations and Intelligence. He is a Chinese speaker and graduated in Oriental Studies from St John’s College Oxford.

Nigel is now the Director of Transnational Threats and Political Risk at the International Institute for Strategic Studies. He is responsible for analysis of international political risk and development of programmes on counter terrorism, international crime, proliferation of CBRN, cross-border conflict and other transnational/global issues.

In this lecture Nigel will discuss the impact of Islamic extremist terrorism, and the future implications for global stability. He offers a unique perspective on a fundamentally important global issue, with extensive experience within the intelligence community.

Coffee Morning with Mr Nicholas Sims

A Fortieth Birthday and a Fateful Review: the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty 1970-2010

Wednesday 24th February 11.00 Room V303

This coffee morning is a chance to discuss with Nicholas Sims the future of the international Nuclear Non-Proliferation Regime, which is under increasing pressure with challenges posed by Iran and North Korea amongst other states.

Nicholas Sims is a member of the International Relations Department, and author of numerous books, including most recently The future of biological disarmament: strengthening the treaty ban on weapons.

Le Gala

As some of you may have heard the Grimshaw Club is co-hosting “Le Gala” the end of term ball on the 20th of March. Tickets are £35 and cover a three course dinner in the beautiful Grand Connaught Rooms on Great Queen Street. Tickets will be on sale tomorrow at the UN Society tent.

Best regards,
Your Grimshaw Society Committee

New events…

Dear all,

We are pleased to invite you to several new events.

Exam Preparation: Some Essential Insights with Hans Gutbrod

Friday 19th February 14.00 Room D002

Most students know their subject quite well: but do they know how to succeed in exams?  The Grimshaw Committee is pleased to invite Dr Hans Gutbrod back, who has given this seminar on exam techniques several times before, and which is based on his own experience in the IR Department.

Hans Gutbrod is now the Regional Director of the Caucasus Research Resource Centre (CRRC), a network of research and training centres in the South Caucasus.  He has given a seminar on his work earlier in the year with the Grimshaw Club.  He holds a PhD and BSc (First Class Honours) in International Relations from the LSE.

Transnational Islamist Terrorism: Is it here to stay? A lecture by Nigel Inkster, chaired by Dr Alexis Crowe

Tuesday 23rd February 18.00 Room D502

In this lecture Nigel will discuss the impact of Islamic extremist terrorism, and the future implications for global stability. He offers a unique perspective on a fundamentally important global issue, with extensive experience within the intelligence community.

Nigel Inkster served in the British Secret Intelligence Service (SIS) from 1975 to 2006. He was posted in Asia, Latin America and Europe and worked extensively on transnational issues. He spent seven years on the Board of SIS, the last two as Assistant Chief and Director for Operations and Intelligence. He is a Chinese speaker and graduated in Oriental Studies from St John’s College Oxford.

Nigel is now the Director of Transnational Threats and Political Risk at the International Institute for Strategic Studies. He is responsible for analysis of international political risk and development of programmes on counter terrorism, international crime, proliferation of CBRN, cross-border conflict and other transnational/global issues.

Coffee Morning with Mr Nicholas Sims: A Fortieth Birthday and a Fateful Review: the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty 1970-2010

Wednesday 24th February 11.00 Room V303

This coffee morning is a chance to discuss with Nicholas Sims the future of the international Nuclear Non-Proliferation Regime, which is under increasing pressure with challenges posed by Iran and North Korea amongst other states.

Nicholas Sims is a member of the International Relations Department, and author of numerous books, including most recently The future of biological disarmament: strengthening the treaty ban on weapons.

Reminders

Also look out for information on our upcoming social events, including a pub quiz/club night with the Scandinavian Society, and a ball on March 20th.

You may also be interested in these events being run by the Centre for Global Governance.

Human Rights Do Not Make Global Democracy

16-Feb-2010, 13:00-14:00, Room M101

Eva Erman is senior lecturer of Political Science at Stockholm University and a Visiting Fellow at Global Governance. Her research interests are in political philosophy and political theory, with particular focus on democratic theory, global justice, human rights and global governance.

LSE Global Governance Official Launch

16-Feb-2010, 18:30-20:00, Old Theatre, Old Building, LSE
SPEAKERS: Professor Lord Anthony Giddens, Professor David Held, Professor Mary Kaldor, Professor Danny Quah
CHAIR: Professor Henrietta L. Moore
21st Century Challenges: How global crises provide the opportunity to transform the world

Many thanks,

The Grimshaw Committee

More Events

Dear all,

We are pleased to invite you to our next event:

Is Europe Wasting its ‘Obama Moment’?

“In a post-American world, the United States knows it needs effective partners. If Europe cannot step up, the US will look for other privileged partners to do business with. The mistaken belief of most European nations – not just the obvious Atlanticists like the UK and the Netherlands – that they have a ‘special relationship’ with the US further distorts the transatlantic dialogue. These member states deploy different strategies to ingratiate themselves with Washington in a competition for American favour, believing that this works better for them than any collective European approach. The result is a frustrated US and an impotent Europe.”

In its most recent report on US-EU power relations, the European Council on Foreign Relations takes an extremely critical stance, warning EU member states to step up their game now, or forever become irrelevant players on the world stage. Among the signs pointing in this direction one can place recent proposals by the USA for a G2, the appointment of two uncharismatic foreign policy leaders within the EU (president and high representative) as well as Obama’s recent decision not to attend the EU summit in Madrid. Author of the report Nick Witney will elaborate on the current state of US-EU (power) relations and why the EU is losing its ‘Obama moment’.

The European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR) is the first pan-European think-tank. Launched in October 2007, its objective is to conduct research and promote informed debate across Europe on the development of coherent and effective European values based foreign policy. In 2009, the ECFR was named ‘best new think-tank in the world’ for the second consecutive year by the “Global ‘Go To’ Think-Tanks survey”, the most comprehensive in the field.

For more information please visit:
http://www.ecfr.eu and http://www.ecfr.eu/content/entry/towards_a_post-american_europe_a_power_audit_of_eu-us_relations_shapiro_whi

Wednesday, February 10th, 6pm in S221

Upcoming Trips (Yes, again!)

We also urge you to not forget our upcoming trips:

The deadlines for both the Geneva trip (22-26 March) and the BENE-luxe trip (28 March – 2 April) are this Monday (8th). If you’d like to join us for these trips, now is the time to email you application + short motivation to c.a.charpentier@lse.ac.uk (Chloé) or l.petesch@lse.ac.uk (Lynn) for Geneva and l.f.steins@lse.ac.uk (Lisette)!

We also invite those who are interested in going on a 7- or 10-day trip to Burkina Faso this Easter to reply to this email (su.soc.grimshaw_IR_club@lse.ac.uk) including a brief statement of what you would like to get out of this trip. As it is now, the trip would primarily focus on international aid and development. If there is sufficient interest, we will contact those keen on going directly. Deadline for expressing interest is Monday 8th February as well.

Finally…

Finally, the following events may be of interest to you as well:

Global Governance lunchtime series:

Tuesday February 9th 1pm in M101
Will Hutton – chief executive Work Foundation, former editor-in-chief of The Observer and governor of LSE.
“Why Obama is right on the banks”

Thursday February 11th, 1pm in NAB114
Jan Aart Scholte and Eva Erman – Centennial Professor at Global Governance and senior lecturer of Political Science at Stockholm University (resp.)
“Conceptualising Global Democracy”

LSE Global Governance launch:

Tuesday February 16th, 1pm in Old Theatre
Prof. David Held, Prof. Lord Anthony Giddens, Prof. Mary Kaldor, Prof. Danny Quah
Chair: Prof. Henrietta Moore

“21st Century Challenges: How global crises provide the opportunity to transform the world”
This event is free and open to all with no ticket required

On behalf of the Grimshaw Committee,

Jori Keijsper

Speakers Officer 2009-2010

Interest for Trip to Burkina Faso!

Dear all,

Trip to Burkina Faso

This is an email to ask for expressions of interest in going on a week or 10 day trip to Burkino Faso this Easter.  The trip would be focussed on international aid and development, with a chance to arrange meetings with some key development actors in the area, to visit development projects and generally have a good time.

Very provisional (guestimated) costs are that this would probably cost in the region of £700. We have a very enthusiastic and capable person ready to organise this trip for us, and he is more than happy to shape the agenda to reflect the interests of the participants on the trip.  This really represents a fantastic opportunity to get a first hand view at the reality of the world of development.

We would ask that if you are interested in going on this trip, you should reply to this email (Su.Soc.Grimshaw_IR_Club@lse.ac.uk)  and include a brief (no more than 100 words) blurb on what you would be looking to get out of this.  The deadline for expressions of interest will be Monday 8th February at 09.30.   If there is sufficient interest, we will contact those people who have expressed an interest directly.

Many thanks,

Grimshaw Committee