UCL Political Science opening

An opening address by Sir Bernard - Fellow of UCL, Emeritus Professor of Birkbeck College and Honorary Fellow of the Politics Department at the University of Edinburgh - will be made in the department at the Rubin Building, 29/30 Tavistock Square. Sir Bernard studied in UCL Economics 1947-1950.

The subsequent roundtable discussion will address the questions, "What is citizenship?", "Why does it matter?" and "What are the main challenges to it?" The issues of migration and transnational citizenship, multicultural citizenship, citizenship in divided societies and electoral citizenship in Britain will be explored.

The participants will be Professor Richard Bellamy, Head of UCL Political Science, and his departmental colleagues: Dr Fiona Adamson, Lecturer in International Relations; Dr Cecile Laborde, Senior Lecturer in Political Theory; Dr Sherrill Stroschein, Lecturer in Politics; and Dr Meg Russell, Senior Research Fellow.

Professor Bellamy's inaugural lecture will then be held in the Cruciform Building, UCL. One of Britain's leading political theorists, Professor Bellamy will present a strong argument against the conventional wisdom that written constitutions and judicial review promote individual rights. He will defend the constitutional role played by open elections between competing parties, majority rule and parliamentary scrutiny. This event will provide an overview of Professor Bellamy's forthcoming book, 'Political Constitutionalism'. A reception will follow.

UCL Political Science is Britain's only department focused on research and graduate teaching. It offers a uniquely stimulating environment for the study of all fields of politics, including international relations, political theory, human rights and public policymaking and administration.

To find out more about the UCL Political Science department, use the link at the bottom of this article.

• Link: UCL Political Science