PiS and Protests: Making Sense of Current Developments in Poland

This roundtable discussion brings together leading academics, journalists and activists to offer an interpretation of recent events in Poland.

On the 25th of October, the Law and Justice Party (PiS) won the elections in Poland with an absolute majority. The return of Jarosław Kaczyński has brought about a number of controversial measures, such as changes to the constitutional tribunal or tightened the control of the media. Moreover, the ruling party has alienated large parts of the population with its social conservatism and regular protests under the banner of the Committee for the Defence of Democracy (KOD) have attracted tens of thousands of people.

Speakers will include:

• Dr James Dawson - Democracy Analyst and Tutor at King's College London
• Prof Jan Kubik - Director of UCL-SSEES,
• Jakub Krupa - UK Correspondent of the Polish Press Agency
• Prof Anita Prazmowska - Professor of International History at LSE
• Dr Marta Tycner - Post-doctoral researcher at the University of Oxford and Razem activist

Chair: Dr Michal Murawski - Mellon Post-Doctoral Research Fellow at UCL SSEES

The event will be followed by a wine reception in the Masaryk Room, 4th floor, School of Slavonic and East European Studies, 16 Taviton Street.

The event is free and open to all with no ticket or pre-registration required. Entry is on a first come, first served basis.

Directions to the venue can be found here: http://www.ucl.ac.uk/maps/garwood-lt