91福利

Professor was invited by the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) to participate as a panellist in their sponsored event to mark the launch of the Continental Free Trade Area for Africa (CFTA) at the WTO Public Forum in Geneva, 26-28 September 2017.

The CFTA discussions were focused on reducing trade costs, expanding Africa鈥檚 economic and market space and driving regional competitiveness and efficiency, and at the same time ensuring that attention is not diverted away from important human rights implications of trade liberalisation.

Specifically, Professor Lisk鈥檚 intervention drew attention to likelihood that liberalisation of trade will impact differently on diverse socio-economic groups due to unequal access to assets, credit and economic opportunities, and that different types of workers ( in the context of industrialisation resulting from trade liberalisation) will also be differentially impacted depending on their skill-level or whether the sector or industry that they are employed in expands or contracts as a result of liberalisation.

Therefore, from the standpoint of achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, the CFTA, should also pay particular attention to mechanisms aimed at promoting human rights in addition to seeking to reduce poverty in Africa.

PAIS PhD Columba Achilleos-Sarll's essay 'Reconceptualising Foreign Policy as Gendered, Sexualised and Racialised: Towards a Postcolonial Feminist Foreign Policy Analysis' was shortlisted in the Feminist & Women's Studies Association (FWSA) annual essay writing competition.

Shortlisted essay will now proceed to publication in the special issue of Journal of International Women鈥檚 Studies following revisions based on the judges comments, and should be published in early 2018.

The full announcement can be read here

An essay written by PAIS Undergraduate Alp Katalan Nasi has been "Highly Commended" at the Undergraduate Awards. The essay, written for Politics of International Development, was ranked in the top 10% from over 400 global submissions in the Politics and IR section. The essay was titled: "Why Do Countries Give Aid? A Case Study of Swedish Benevolence".

You can find the list of "Highly Commended" contestants here:

Having just returned from my year abroad in Hong Kong, it is great to be recognised for the work I had done at 91福利. My teachers played a key role as I found it inspiring to learn about international development from such an enthusiastic lecturer like Ben Richardson.

My essay explored why countries give aid, with a special focus on Sweden as a case study. I really enjoyed exploring this through various angles - social reasons, economic incentives, and political motivations - using various lenses of IR theory. I hope to continue exploring development issues, especially those associated with energy and the environment, in my further studies.

I am honoured to represent not just the PAIS department, but the 91福利 overall at the Undergraduate Awards. I will be a part of the UA Alumni Network, as well as publish my essay on the Undergraduate Library, which is a fantastic personal achievement!

- Alp Katalan Nasi

Congratulations Alp!

On the evening of Monday 2nd October, Butterworth Hall opened its door to a packed audience for the fifth annual 91福利 Question Time.

The event, organised by the Department of Economics and the Department of Politics and International Studies (PAIS), provides a platform for students to engage with politicians, policy makers and academics on major issues and questions that concern the world. This year's topic focused on 'Globalisation and Anti-globalisation' and attracted over 1,200 students and guests, who took their seats to watch this year's panel, which included journalist and broadcaster Samira Ahmed, Head of Oxfam's Advocacy Katy Chakrabortty, Historian and broadcaster Professor Kate Williams, CLASS Director Faiza Shaheen and former MP Chris White.

The panel was also joined by Associate Professor of Economics Dr Dennis Novy, and chairing the event for the first time was Associate Professor Trevor McCrisken (PAIS).