Exploring and challenging the assumption that politics is in crisis, this volume brings together a series of conference papers from the University of Nottingham Post-Graduate Conference of April 2013. It includes fourteen research papers from contributors from universities around the world, as well as an afterword written by Professor Michael Freeden of the University of Nottingham. Speaking to the common theme of Politics in Crisis?, the papers draw on a range of different theoretical and methodological perspectives in order to critique the notion of politics as both a theoretical concept and political practice. The volume brings together conference discussions centred around British Politics, International Political Economy, International Relations, and Political Theory. It is divided into three sections: the first focuses predominantly on the crisis at the heart of political institutions; the second considers crises in political action using several international cases; and the third emphasises crises within political theorisation. The afterword demonstrates the significance of each of these in questioning whether or not politics is in crisis. This volume offers an engaging read for academics and practitioners alike, as well as anyone interested in the dangers of democratic deficit, the challenges to political transformation, and the difficulties of developing systems of governance in Europe and beyond.
About the Author: Marie Paxton is an ESRC-funded PhD Candidate at the University of Nottingham and a Visiting Lecturer at the University of Westminster. Her doctorate considers whether, and how, agonistic democratic practices might be applied to society in order to mediate multicultural, pluralist conflict. In so doing, her research combines an exploration of empirical and theoretical analysis, drawing on experimental design. Her research interests include multiculturalism, democracy, social unity and inclusion. Dr. Ekaterina Kolpinskaya is an Associate Lecturer in Quantitative Methods at the Q-Step Centre at the University of Exeter. She completed her PhD at the University of Nottingham, focusing on religious representation in the UK House of Commons and the parliamentary behaviour of minority MPs. She also holds a Candidate in World History degree from Kemerovo State University and Tomsk State University, Russia. Jana Jonasova is a PhD Candidate at the University of Nottingham. Her doctoral thesis explores the use of Private Military and Security Companies (PMSCs) as a tool in the United States' foreign policy. Her broader research interests lie in theories and strategies of modern warfare and their implications on the conduct of wars in the 21st century.