15 Dec 2006

UCC's History Department hosts Annual Conference of the British International Studies Association

More than 450 delegates are expected in UCC next week (18-20 December 2006) for the 31st annual conference of the British International Studies Association (BISA) hosted by UCC's History Department.

Scholars from all parts of the globe will discuss a mind-boggling range of international concerns, from security issues such as terrorism and foreign policy, to debates on outer space, state building and international relations theory.  

Other highlights in the timetable include plenary lectures such as that on globalisation by Professor Phil Cerny of Rutgers University [see Notes for Editors] and on the cold war and the war on terror by Professor Mark Kramer of Harvard University [see Notes for Editors]. Hundreds of other learned speakers will address topics such as Women & War, Issues in Irish Politics, Critical Terrorism Studies, Global Security, the Middle East, UN Peacekeeping, and American, British and EU foreign policies.

UCC's Department of History has taught International Relations, European Studies and Politics for many years and is honoured to sponsor the conference.

The BISA is the professional organisation for academics and practitioners of International Relations in the United Kingdom. It was founded in 1975 and, while most of its members are based in the UK, it also has many members in other countries, including in Ireland. This is the first time the BISA's annual conference has been held outside the UK.

The official conference dinner, on Tuesday evening (19 December) will be addressed by guest speaker Dr Garret FitzGerald, the former Taoiseach [see Notes for Editors].


NOTES FOR EDITORS:

• Dr Garret FitzGerald was the 7th Taoiseach of Ireland and held that office on two occasions, from 30 June 1981 to 9 March 1982 and from 14 December 1982 to 10 March 1987. Dr FitzGerald is currently Chancellor of the National University of Ireland, elected in November 1997.
• Professor Phil Cerny  is Professor of Global Political Economy in the Department of Political Science and the Center for Global Change and Governance, Rutgers University-Newark (New Jersey, US).
• Professor Mark Kramer is Director of the Cold War Studies Project at Harvard University and a Senior Fellow of Harvard's Davis Center for Russian and Eurasian Studies.
• Further information about the conference may be obtained from the BISA local organiser of the conference, Professor Geoffrey Roberts of UCC History Department at 021 4902442 or at g.roberts@ucc.ie