February News RoundUp

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Conflicting Positions. Ukraine is under attack, we try to understand Putin’s motivations as well as the UK’s position in this crisis in our and announce details of our upcoming Arms Trade Treaty panel debate in the February RoundUp.

Understanding Putin

  • Why is Vladimir Putin is so obsessed with Ukraine? Russian and European politics expert Professor Richard Sakwa elucidates on the background behind tensions between Russia and Ukraine. Read more.
  • Professor Richard Whitman explores the U.K.’s position in the heightening crisis for the Council on Geostrategy website. Learn more here.

On the Home Front

  • UK PM Boris Johnson apologises in The House over anger at a lockdown drinks party, Professor Matthew Goodwin comments on Johnson’s position in the Conservative party, police involvement, possible successors and a future general election. Watch here.
  • The DUP took the decision to withdraw Paul Givan from his role as First Minister of Northern Ireland. Why did this happen and what does it mean? Professor Feargal Cochrane explains the context and ramifications.
  • Professor Richard Whitman investigated the gender distribution in publishing in the Journal of Common Market Studies, since its inception to the present time, in the European Political Science article. Read here.
  • In the week that Covid measures were lifted Dr Philip Cunliffe urges us not to be too quick to celebrate too hastily in a Telegraph opinion piece. Read here.

Celebrating School Success

What gets a conflict analyst get out of bed in the morning?

  • Yaniv Voller is a Senior Lecturer specialising in Politics and Security in the Middle East and North Africa. We asked him some questions about his work, his motivations, and the University of Kent. Read here.

Looking forward

  • Estimates suggest that approximately one billion small arms and light weapons (SALW) are circulating across the world. This CARC event in March will discuss this question with German and British representatives from politics, academia, and civil society. Join here.

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