2007 Press Releases

Does Politics Matter?
29.11.2007

"Why Politics Matters" is the title of a public lecture to be delivered at UCC by Professor Gerry Stoker whose book: "Why Politics Matters" won the Political Studies Association (PSA) of the UK's prize for the best politics book of 2006.
The lecture, organized by UCC's Department of Government, will take place on Monday, December 10th in Brookfield Health Sciences Complex.

In his lecture, Professor Stoker will outline evidence of intense disillusionment with the formal processes and practices of politics in many western democracies. Societal emphasis on individual choice and consumerism, he argues, has created a challenging environment for the collective decision-making characteristic of politics.

The question of how to engage citizens more effectively is a key area of Professor Stoker's research. Democratic politics, he argues, is doomed to disappoint because it involves collective decision-making, demands complicated communication and generally produces a messy compromise - one size does not fit all. Stoker suggests that democracy - and the political class - must create a new politics, making it as easy as possible for as many people as possible to express and debate their political preferences.

Professor Stoker, who is currently Professor of Governance in the Division of Politics and International Relations, University of Southampton, has conducted a wide range of research and his main interests are in governance, democratic politics, local and regional governance, urban politics, public participation and public service reform. He has authored or edited over 20 books and published over 80 refereed articles or chapters in books.

This lecture takes place on Monday, December 10th from 6.00-7.00pm in G01, Brookfield Health Services Complex (BHSC).  Members of the public are invited to attend and admission is free.

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