Administrative Burden: Policymaking by Other Means Blavatnik School of Government 2019-05-21 | Bureaucracy, confusing paperwork and complex regulations - or what public policy scholars Pamela Herd and Donald Moynihan call administrative burdens - often introduce delay and frustration into our experiences with government agencies. Administrative burdens diminish the effectiveness of public programmes and can even block individuals from fundamental rights like voting. In Administrative Burden (Russell Sage, 2018), Herd and Moynihan document that the administrative burdens citizens regularly encounter in their interactions with the state are not simply unintended byproducts of governance, but the result of deliberate policy choices. Because burdens affect people’s perceptions of government and often perpetuate long-standing inequalities, understanding why administrative burdens exist and how they can be reduced is essential for maintaining a healthy public sector.The Blavatnik School's Dean, Professor Ngaire Woods, will moderate the discussion. A review of the book is available on the New York Review of Books.ABOUT THE SPEAKERSPamela Herd is a professor at Georgetown University specialising in inequality and how it intersects with health, aging, and policy. She is currently the Chair of the Board of Overseers for the General Social Survey, a member of the Board of Overseers for the Panel Study of Income Dynamics, a board member for the Population Association of America, and a standing member of a National Institutes for Health review panel for the Social and Population Sciences. She has received grant awards for her work from the National Institutes for Health, National Institutes on Aging, the Russell Sage Foundation, the Ford Foundation, and AARP.Donald Moynihan is Visiting Professor at the Blavatnik School from 2018-2021 and the inaugural McCourt Chair at the McCourt School of Public Policy at Georgetown University. His research examines public sector performance, employee behavior, and the administrative burdens citizens encounter in their interactions with government. Moynihan has presented his research on public sector performance to policymakers at the US Office of Management and Budget, the World Bank and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.bsg.ox.ac.uk/events/administrative-burden-policymaking-other-meansBlavatnik School of Government,University of Oxfordhttp://www.bsg.ox.ac.uk
What the world needs to learn from India’s digital transformation Blavatnik School of Government 2023-06-15 | Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) is about enabling a technology-led model for a nation’s growth that is collaborative, equitable, and democratises opportunity at population scale. It is based on a design strategy with layered building blocks, and an innovation ecosystem. Professor Ngaire Woods hosts Nandan Nilekani who will share the journey of India’s digital transformation using DPI.Blavatnik School of GovernmentUniversity of Oxfordbsg.ox.ac.uk
The International Law Protections against Cyber Operations Targeting the Healthcare Sector Blavatnik School of Government 2023-05-24 | The Oxford Institute for Ethics, Law and Armed Conflict is hosting a hybrid event to mark the launch of its recently published report, ‘The International Law Protections against Cyber Operations Targeting the Healthcare Sector’.The report addresses the applicability of international law to cyber operations targeting the healthcare sector, with a particular focus on the law on the use of force, the prohibition of intervention, other corollaries of state sovereignty, and international human rights law. The report’s authors, Priya Urs, Talita Dias, Antonio Coco and Dapo Akande, will discuss the key findings of the report with a panel of distinguished experts.The discussion amongst the following speakers will be moderated by Harriet Moynihan, Chatham House:Shehzad Charania, GCHQTomohiro Mikanagi, Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs Francesca Bosco, CyberPeace Institute Dapo Akande, Blavatnik School of Government and ELAC, University of OxfordAntonio Coco, University of Essex and ELAC, University of OxfordTalita Dias, Chatham HousePriya Urs, St John’s College and ELAC, University of OxfordBlavatnik School of GovernmentUniversity of Oxfordbsg.ox.ac.uk
Kyoto Prize at Oxford 2023 – Intro video Blavatnik School of Government 2023-05-17 | Introduction to the Kyoto Prize at Oxford 2023 hosted by the Blavatnik School of Government, University of Oxford.Find out more – kyotoprize.ox.ac.ukBlavatnik School of Government, University of Oxford http://www.bsg.ox.ac.uk
Evidence hubs and education policy impact Blavatnik School of Government 2023-05-17 | Join us for an insightful conversation on the role of evidence hubs in shaping effective education policies. This engaging panel discussion aims to explore the contributions of evidence hubs – specialised units that collect, analyse, and synthesize research data – in institutionalising evidence-driven policies.Our esteemed panelists from Ghana, Kenya and Ethiopia, will shed light on the challenges and opportunities of integrating evidence-based research into policy-making, particularly in the education sector. Drawing on examples in various countries, we will delve into the various models of evidence hubs, the way that they work with governments, and their impact on policy formulationSpeakers include:Minister Yaw Osei Adutwum, Ministry of Education, Ghana Dr. David Njeng’ere, CEO of the National Examinations Council, KenyaRukmini Banerji, CEO of the Pratham Education FoundationBlavatnik School of GovernmentUniversity of Oxfordbsg.ox.ac.uk
Driving digital transformation: Lessons from seven developing countries Blavatnik School of Government 2023-05-17 | This event marks the publication of Driving Digital Transformation: Lessons from Seven Developing Countries from Benno Ndulu, Elizabeth Stuart, Stefan Dercon and Peter Knaack, which gives a ringside seat on the efforts of seven developing countries’ early steps to reform the economy – and the government – using digital technologies. In doing so it offers lessons for policymakers in other countries who want to pursue similar efforts.This event will be moderated by Christopher Adam, Professor of Development Economics, Oxford Department of International Development.Blavatnik School of GovernmentUniversity of Oxfordbsg.ox.ac.uk
Kyoto Prize at Oxford 2023: Zakir Hussain preview Blavatnik School of Government 2023-05-11 | Introducing Zakir Hussain, the 2022 Kyoto Prize Laureate in Arts and Philosophy. Register to attend his lecture and performance on 10 May: kyotoprize.ox.ac.uk/events/lecture-and-performance-tabla-virtuoso-zakir-hussainBlavatnik School of Government, University of Oxford http://www.bsg.ox.ac.uk
Kyoto Prize at Oxford 2023: Bryan T. Grenfell preview Blavatnik School of Government 2023-05-11 | Introducing Bryan T. Grenfell, the 2022 Kyoto Prize Laureate in Basic Sciences. Register for his official Kyoto Prize at Oxford lecture on 10 May kyotoprize.ox.ac.uk/events/epidemiological-and-evolutionary-dynamics-pathogens-time-and-space.Blavatnik School of Government, University of Oxford http://www.bsg.ox.ac.uk
Kyoto Prize at Oxford 2023: Carver Mead preview Blavatnik School of Government 2023-05-11 | Introducing Carver Mead, the 2022 Kyoto Prize Laureate in Advanced Technology. Register for his official Kyoto Prize at Oxford lecture on 9 May kyotoprize.ox.ac.uk/events/personal-journey-through-information-revolution-engineer-and-applied-physicist-carver-meadBlavatnik School of Government, University of Oxford http://www.bsg.ox.ac.uk
Kyoto Prize at Oxford 2023: Zakir Hussain live Blavatnik School of Government 2023-05-11 | The pre-eminent tabla virtuoso of our time and chief architect of the contemporary world music movement Zakir Hussain (2022 Kyoto Prize Laureate in Arts and Philosophy) will be live in Oxford for a lecture and performance as part of the Kyoto Prize at Oxford.Zakir Hussain has transcended the framework of traditional Indian music and opened up a new world of music by collaborating with musicians of various genres from around the world. With his superb technique, engaging performances, and rich creativity, he has made a tremendous impact on musicians and music worldwide.kyotoprize.ox.ac.ukbsg.ox.ac.uk
Kyoto Prize at Oxford 2023: Bryan T. Grenfell Blavatnik School of Government 2023-05-10 | Epidemiological and evolutionary dynamics of pathogens in time and space by Bryan T. Grenfell.Innovative population biologist Bryan T. Grenfell (2022 Kyoto Prize Laureate in Basic Sciences) whose methodology of analysis of pathogen evolution and epidemics has been instrumental in producing effective disease control measures gives a lecture for the Kyoto Prize at Oxford.Grenfell proposed “phylodynamics,” a methodology that predicts infectious disease dynamics of RNA viruses by considering viral evolution, and thus contributed to the development of the research field that integrates immune dynamics, epidemiology, and evolutionary biology. By virtue of these achievements, he has been instrumental in understanding infection mechanisms and proposing effective infectious disease control policies.kyotoprize.ox.ac.ukbsg.ox.ac.uk
Kyoto Prize at Oxford 2023: Laureates panel Blavatnik School of Government 2023-05-10 | For this special online session as part of the Kyoto Prize at Oxford 2023 celebrations, the laureates join Professor Ngaire Woods, Dean of the Blavatnik School of Government to discuss collaboration across boundaries and the challenges of navigating the relationship between government and academia.ttps://www.kyotoprize.ox.ac.ukbsg.ox.ac.uk
Kyoto Prize at Oxford 2023: Carver Mead Blavatnik School of Government 2023-05-10 | Engineering concepts clarify physical law by engineer and applied physicist Carver Mead.Pioneer of modern microelectronics Carver Mead (2022 Kyoto Prize Laureate in Advanced Technology) whose technological innovations form the foundations of modern very-large-scale integration chip design gives the Kyoto Prize at Oxford public lecture remotely.Mead has made many of the most significant advances in microcircuitry in the Information Age, which are essential to the internet access and global cellular phone use that many people enjoy and take for granted every day. Mead proposed and promoted a new methodology to divide the increasingly complicated design process of VLSI systems into logic, circuit, and layout designs, and to separate them from the manufacturing process. This paved the way for electronic design automation that covered a text-based description of the system operation and the automatic generation of the layout required for chip manufacturing, leading to immense development of VLSI-based electronics and industry. kyotoprize.ox.ac.ukbsg.ox.ac.uk
Why do the revolving doors of power always leave us disappointed? Blavatnik School of Government 2023-04-27 | In his new book 'Why Politics Fails', award-winning Oxford professor Ben Ansell shows that it's not the politicians that are the problem, it's that our collective goals result in five political 'traps'.Join Ben Ansell, BBC World Affairs Editor and renowned foreign correspondent John Simpson, and Blavatnik Professor of Government and Public Policy Pepper Culpepper as they discuss how we can escape these traps and avoid political failure.Blavatnik School of GovernmentUniversity of Oxfordbsg.ox.ac.uk
Brazil: The first 100 days of the Lula administration Blavatnik School of Government 2023-04-19 | Join the Lemann Foundation Programme and a team of experts to critically discuss the first 100 days of Luís Inácio “Lula” da Silva’s new administration in Brazil. In October 2022, the country experienced a dramatically polarised election that was decided by a razor-thin margin of less than two percentage points over Jair Bolsonaro. Speakers:Márcia Lima is a Professor at the Department of Sociology, University of São Paulo, and focuses on racial inequality in her scholarship. She is also a senior researcher at CEBRAP, the Brazilian Centre for Analysis and Planning, and at the Centre for Metropolitan Studies (CEM). Since January 2023, she has joined the Ministry for Racial Equality in Brazil as Secretary for Affirmative Action Policies and Confrontation and Overcoming of Racism.Anna Petherick is an Associate Professor in Public Policy and Director of the Lemann Foundation Programme. Anna's research interests include corruption, gender and trust, with much of her work based in Brazil.Professor Timothy Power is the Head of the Social Sciences Division, University of Oxford. Tim’s research concerns democratisation and political institutions (parties, legislatures, and elections) in modern Latin America, especially Brazil.Leany Lemos is Secretary for National Planning in the Ministry of Planning and Budget, in Brazil. She was previously CEO of the largest subnational development bank in Brazil (BRDE), as well as served as Secretary of Planning, Budget and Management for the Federal District and as Secretary in the government of the State of Rio Grande do Sul, where she also coordinated the Data Committee for COVID-19.Beatriz Kira is a Research Fellow in Law & Regulation at University College London (UCL). Her research focuses on the legal and policy frameworks to supervise the economic power of technology companies and on the regulation of content moderation on social media.Lucilla Dias completed her Master in Public Policy at the Blavatnik School and then joined the Lemann Foundation Programme as Research and Engagement Associate. Her work focus on environmental policy and, in specific, the future of Brazil’s Amazon Fund.Blavatnik School of GovernmentUniversity of Oxfordbsg.ox.ac.uk
What did COVID-19 teach us about preparing for mega-crises? Blavatnik School of Government 2023-03-31 | Before 2020, the UK was seen as well prepared for a crisis. In the first half of 2020, this belief was sorely tested. With “long emergencies” likely to be an increasing feature of our modern world, what can governments learn from COVID-19 to prepare for future crises, whether health-related or not?Join us online to hear about a new report by Professor of Practice Ciaran Martin and colleagues examining aspects of how the first six months of COVID-19 played out in the UK and in four comparator countries: Italy, Germany, Australia and Singapore. Joining us online is David Omand, author of upcoming book How To Survive A Crisis (Penguin, June 2023) and who was the first UK Security and Intelligence Coordinator, responsible to the prime minister for the professional health of the intelligence community, national counter-terrorism strategy and homeland security.A central thesis of the report is that wide-reaching, long-lasting, complex and evolving crises are becoming more likely (thanks to climate change and other factors), and that these “long emergencies” require a different type of mindset and preparation than prevailed before COVID-19 in many countries’ crisis management systems. The report examines the UK’s crisis preparedness going into COVID-19, how this played out in the first six months of 2020, and – with reference to the four comparators – what can be done now in the UK and around the world to prepare for the next, undoubtedly different, crisis.Download the report here - bsg.ox.ac.uk/research/publications/crisis-preparation-age-long-emergenciesBlavatnik School of Government, University of Oxford http://www.bsg.ox.ac.uk
The COVID-19 pandemic: Celebrating service and drawing lessons for the future Blavatnik School of Government 2023-03-24 | Since its launch in March 2020, the Oxford COVID-19 Government Response Tracker (OxCGRT), based at the Blavatnik School of Government, has become a key global resource. Its open-source, real-time data have been used by policymakers around the world and cited in thousands of COVID-19 research studies.This impact is only possible because of the hard work of the more than 1500 volunteer citizen scientists from around the world who have powered the project. This diverse array of individuals-- united by a common purpose-- has worked tirelessly every week for the past three years to collect and organise information on government responses to COVID-19, creating a global public good.As government policies are now changing less frequently in nearly every jurisdiction, OxCGRT will halted updates outside of China at the end of last year. Of course, the important work of learning lessons to better prepare for the future continues. Last year Oxford created a new Pandemic Sciences Institute to accelerate this work across the University.This event will bring together more than 1500 volunteers who have contributed to OxCGRT, along with data users, policymakers, and experts. Marking the third anniversary of both the COVID-19 pandemic and the project, the event will celebrate the contributions of this global community of volunteers, while also looking ahead at efforts to better prepare for and respond to pandemics going forward.Blavatnik School of GovernmentUniversity of Oxfordbsg.ox.ac.uk
Co-shaping global health: Institutional solutions Blavatnik School of Government 2023-03-23 | The COVID-19 pandemic has put into very sharp focus both the strengths and weaknesses of the current global health institutional landscape.The creation and experiences of the ACT-Accelerator, and levels of cooperation achieved between multiple agencies, the rapid development of vaccines, diagnostics, and therapeutics, and the distribution of many of these tools around the world, was remarkable, and provides a glimpse of what may be possible. But at the same time lack of equitable access to tools, weaknesses of health systems especially, but not only, in the developing world, disputes about intellectual property, weak or unmet promises of funding, and concerns about transparency, participation, and governance, have shown that there is much work still to be done.We are at a point where we are able both to look back and look forward. There is wide consensus that the global health system needs to be better prepared for future pandemics, while still dealing with the lasting effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, at the same time there is a need reinvigorate the broader agendas on health and the SDG3. Many activists and academics have put forward proposals especially around intellectual property and global health financing that, if implemented, could have greatly beneficial effects. At the same time many of these proposals are closely related to ideas that have been put forward many times in recent decades but have not received traction with powerful global health interests and agents or governments and other donors, and there is little sign that COVID-19 will be the tipping point that makes all the difference. The purpose of this workshop, organised by The Blavatnik School of Government, University of Oxford, and linked to the Future of the Global Health Initiatives process, is to try to understand how to prepare for the future in a more incremental fashion, by building on demonstrated achievements of the recent past, rather than by proposing entirely new schemes. We start with the question: what are the most promising developments in global health in recent times (not only around infectious disease)? Once identified, a series of further questions arise. Are they capable of being scaled up for wider benefit? What would be needed for that to happen, and who would have the resources, agency, and motivation to do so? We envisage an active workshop with a developing dialogue between activists, academics and policymakers to consolidate existing successes and begin to address weaknesses as well as opportunities in the global health architecture when it comes to the system’s abilities to better support countries.Blavatnik School of GovernmentUniversity of Oxfordbsg.ox.ac.uk
The role of cyber operations in the Russo-Ukrainian war Blavatnik School of Government 2023-03-01 | Do cyber operations have an impact on the course of war? Do the dynamics of cyberspace complement the developments on the ground?Existing political science research argues that the answer to both questions is no, as the two modes of conflict generally exist independently from each other due to the force synchronisation challenge. Industry experts, however, dispute this independence argument, suggesting a complementary use of cyber-operations in support of military strategic and tactical objectives. One of the main reasons for these competing views comes from a poor exchange of knowledge and lack of integration between social scientists and the technical community. For this talk, Dr Nadiya Kostyuk presents her research using new events data – the Internet Outage Detection and Analysis dataset and the Violent Incident Information from News Articles dataset – to produce the first quantitative analysis of the tactical use of cyber and kinetic military operations during a large-scale conventional war. Her research uses Russia's war in Ukraine to bridge the two worlds and conduct a preliminary survey of a live cyber conflict. Specifically, Nadiya uses recent innovations in Internet measurement data to understand the tactical effects of cyber operations and disruptions in Internet connectivity on battlefield dynamics during war. This event will be moderated by Professor Ciaran Martin. Blavatnik School of GovernmentUniversity of Oxfordbsg.ox.ac.uk
Making Bureaucracy Work Blavatnik School of Government 2023-02-21 | Dr Akshay Mangla joins Dr Maya Tudor plus Professors Clare Leaver and Jane Gingrich for the launch of his new book 'Making Bureaucracy Work: Norms, Education and Public Service Delivery in Rural India'.Blavatnik School of GovernmentUniversity of Oxfordbsg.ox.ac.uk
Bad bets, bad apples, or bad policy? Should ordeals be a policy tool of the Twenty-first Century? Blavatnik School of Government 2023-02-21 | Visiting Professor Carolyn Heinrich gives the George Eastman Lecture, introduced by Professor Ngaire Woods.“Ordeals” are a tool of public policy that have been used in public programmes to screen out potential programme beneficiaries who are considered “bad bets”—those who benefit too little to warrant the public expenditures—and “bad apples,” those who are viewed as undeserving for reasons of irresponsible, immoral, or illegal behaviour.The idea behind their use is to impose costs on access to public benefits (i.e., requiring greater outlays of effort) that induce applicants to reveal or signal their “true preferences and needs” via their persistence through an arduous application process (Schuck & Zeckhauser, 2006). The use of ordeals is also rationalised by neoclassical economic arguments suggesting that in the rationing of limited public resources, these types of mechanisms can increase the targeting efficiency of programs by screening out the less needy and undeserving, or prioritising access to benefits for the “good apples” and “good bets.”The eligibility tests and administrative procedures applied in screening applicants serve a legitimate purpose and act as a sorting function that is intended to increase the chances that those who ultimately receive program benefits are “good bets.” Because the costs of collecting ample and accurate information to determine who is most in need and likely to benefit from public programs are not trivial, the shifting of these burdens to the applicants serves a secondary purpose of reducing public administration costs.However, researchers drawing on the conceptual lens of administrative burdens have shown that the shifting of burdens from the state to those apply for services or supports (and organisations that endeavor to help them) does not come cheaply. A rapidly expanding body of research that I will describe in this lecture—including my own work in three different policy areas that applies various methodologies—has investigated how these ordeals or burdens are enacted, experienced and distributed, with both intended and unintended consequences. In fact, there is growing consensus that the costs imposed by ordeals tend to be more difficult to bear for those who are most in need of the public programmes, contributing to delays in or denials of access to public benefits that can lead to long-term, life-altering consequences. Blavatnik School of GovernmentUniversity of Oxfordbsg.ox.ac.uk
Baroness Catherine Ashton in conversation with Professor Ngaire Woods Blavatnik School of Government 2023-02-15 | The Right Honourable Baroness Catherine Ashton's political career has spanned ministerial roles in the UK's Department for Education and Skills and Department of Constitutional Affairs; becoming the first woman British European Commissioner and the European Union's first High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy.She has received numerous awards for her diplomatic work, including the Dame Grand Cross of the Order of St Michael and St George in the 2015 New Year’s Honours List, as well as the highest diplomat honours from the King of Jordan and from Germany. Previously, she was named the first Stonewall Politician of the Year for her work on equality, and was also voted Minster of the Year by the House Magazine and Peer of the Year by Channel 4. Ashton was appointed Leader of the House of Lords and Lord President of the Queen's Privy Council in Gordon Brown’s first Cabinet in June 2007. Baroness Ashton joins Professor Ngaire Woods to share insights from her diplomatic career following the release of her book: And Then What? Inside Stories of 21st Century Diplomacy.Blavatnik School of GovernmentUniversity of Oxfordbsg.ox.ac.uk
Rachel Auerbach, cultural genocide and a new conception of victims’ testimonies Blavatnik School of Government 2023-02-02 | The Alfred Landecker Memorial Lecture, delivered by Professor Leora Bilsky, Professor of Law and the Director of the Minerva Center for Human Rights, Tel Aviv University.Since the 1990s, international criminal law has struggled to find the proper role for victims in mass-atrocities trials. Notwithstanding the rise of the victim-centered trial, victims still participate in these trials mainly as witnesses for the prosecution, and not as full and proactive participants. In this lecture, Professor Leora Bilsky returns to the forgotten contribution of Rachel Auerbach (1903-1976), a Jewish-Polish writer, historian, and Holocaust survivor, and explores her important contribution to the Eichmann Trial (1961), where she helped shape a new conception of a victim-centered atrocity trial in the wake of World War II. As a former participant in the clandestine ‘Oyneg Shabbes’ archive in the Warsaw Ghetto, Auerbach promoted a novel understanding of the centrality of the crime of Cultural Genocide and of victims’ testimonies as a counter-measure to such crimes. Auerbach’s vision for the trial, as Professor Bilsky shall present in this lecture, has largely been forgotten from collective memory of the Eichmann trial, and the annals of international law. Professor Bilsky argues that in many aspects Auerbach was ahead of her times, and can be understood as an early precursor of later developments in both international criminal law and, more broadly, in the field of transitional justice.The lecture, chaired by Professor Jo Wolff, Alfred Landecker Professor of Values and Public Policy at the Blavatnik School, will be followed by a panel discussion moderated by Professor Wolff, and then a drinks reception.Blavatnik School of Government, University of Oxford http://www.bsg.ox.ac.uk
From Development to Democracy: The Transformations of Modern Asia Blavatnik School of Government 2023-01-25 | Over the past century, Asia has been transformed by rapid economic growth, industrialisation, and urbanisation—a spectacular record of development that has turned one of the world’s poorest regions into one of its richest. Yet Asia’s record of democratisation has been much more uneven, despite the global correlation between development and democracy.Why have some Asian countries become more democratic as they have grown richer, while others — most notably China — haven’t? In From Development to Democracy, Dan Slater and Joseph Wong offer a sweeping and original answer to this crucial question. Join Professor Joe Wong (University of Toronto) to discuss his new book, 'From Development to Democracy: The Transformations of Modern Asia' (Princeton University Press, 2022), in conversation with Dr Maya Tudor.Blavatnik School of Government, University of Oxford http://www.bsg.ox.ac.uk
The role of journalism in disrupting corruption Blavatnik School of Government 2023-01-11 | Join Jane Bradley, New York Times correspondent, and Mitali Mukherjee, Director of Journalist Programmes at the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism as they discuss the role of news reporting in combatting corruption. This special collaboration with the Chandler Sessions on Integrity and Corruption will see contributions to the discussion by editors and journalists from countries including Kenya and Peru, RISJ Journalist Fellows, and Chandler Session members.Blavatnik School of Government, University of Oxford http://www.bsg.ox.ac.uk
Blavatnik School of Government – Student life Q&A Blavatnik School of Government 2022-12-20 | Are you applying for the Master of Public Policy or Public Policy 1+1? Do you want to find out more about what it's really like being a student at the Blavatnik School and Oxford? The deadline for admissions to our graduate programmes is Friday 6 January 2023 and we know you might still have questions about what it's like to study here.Hear from four of our fantastic current MPP students about their classes and academic work, life at the School, and the exciting opportunities available to you as a student at Oxford University. http://www.bsg.ox.ac.uk/study
Philosophy, Disability and Social Change 3 - Day 4 Blavatnik School of Government 2022-12-09 | The Philosophy, Disability and Social Change 3 (#PhiDisSocCh3) online conference will comprise 20 sessions of presentations by disabled philosophers and their allies whose cutting-edge research challenges members of the philosophical community to:think more critically about the metaphysical and epistemological status of disability;closely examine how philosophy of disability is related to the tradition and discipline of philosophy;acknowledge the continuing exclusion of disabled philosophers from the profession of philosophy;seriously consider how philosophy and philosophers contribute to the pervasive inequality and subordination that disabled people confront throughout society;develop mechanisms designed to transform the current professional and institutional position of disabled philosophers in particular and the economic, political and social position of disabled people more generally.The presentations will highlight the diversity and range of approaches to critical philosophical work on disability and showcase the heterogeneity with respect to race, gender, nationality, sexuality, gender identity, culture, age and class of the community of disabled philosophers.This conference is organised as part of the Alfred Landecker Programme at the Blavatnik School of Government.Blavatnik School of Government, University of Oxford http://www.bsg.ox.ac.uk
Philosophy, Disability and Social Change 3 - Day 3 Blavatnik School of Government 2022-12-08 | The Philosophy, Disability and Social Change 3 (#PhiDisSocCh3) online conference will comprise 20 sessions of presentations by disabled philosophers and their allies whose cutting-edge research challenges members of the philosophical community to:think more critically about the metaphysical and epistemological status of disability;closely examine how philosophy of disability is related to the tradition and discipline of philosophy;acknowledge the continuing exclusion of disabled philosophers from the profession of philosophy;seriously consider how philosophy and philosophers contribute to the pervasive inequality and subordination that disabled people confront throughout society;develop mechanisms designed to transform the current professional and institutional position of disabled philosophers in particular and the economic, political and social position of disabled people more generally.The presentations will highlight the diversity and range of approaches to critical philosophical work on disability and showcase the heterogeneity with respect to race, gender, nationality, sexuality, gender identity, culture, age and class of the community of disabled philosophers.This conference is organised as part of the Alfred Landecker Programme at the Blavatnik School of Government.Blavatnik School of Government, University of Oxford http://www.bsg.ox.ac.uk
Philosophy, Disability and Social Change 3 - Day 2 Blavatnik School of Government 2022-12-07 | The Philosophy, Disability and Social Change 3 (#PhiDisSocCh3) online conference will comprise 20 sessions of presentations by disabled philosophers and their allies whose cutting-edge research challenges members of the philosophical community to:think more critically about the metaphysical and epistemological status of disability;closely examine how philosophy of disability is related to the tradition and discipline of philosophy;acknowledge the continuing exclusion of disabled philosophers from the profession of philosophy;seriously consider how philosophy and philosophers contribute to the pervasive inequality and subordination that disabled people confront throughout society;develop mechanisms designed to transform the current professional and institutional position of disabled philosophers in particular and the economic, political and social position of disabled people more generally.The presentations will highlight the diversity and range of approaches to critical philosophical work on disability and showcase the heterogeneity with respect to race, gender, nationality, sexuality, gender identity, culture, age and class of the community of disabled philosophers.This conference is organised as part of the Alfred Landecker Programme at the Blavatnik School of Government.Blavatnik School of Government, University of Oxford http://www.bsg.ox.ac.uk
Philosophy, Disability and Social Change 3 - Day 1 Blavatnik School of Government 2022-12-06 | The Philosophy, Disability and Social Change 3 (#PhiDisSocCh3) online conference will comprise 20 sessions of presentations by disabled philosophers and their allies whose cutting-edge research challenges members of the philosophical community to:think more critically about the metaphysical and epistemological status of disability;closely examine how philosophy of disability is related to the tradition and discipline of philosophy;acknowledge the continuing exclusion of disabled philosophers from the profession of philosophy;seriously consider how philosophy and philosophers contribute to the pervasive inequality and subordination that disabled people confront throughout society;develop mechanisms designed to transform the current professional and institutional position of disabled philosophers in particular and the economic, political and social position of disabled people more generally.The presentations will highlight the diversity and range of approaches to critical philosophical work on disability and showcase the heterogeneity with respect to race, gender, nationality, sexuality, gender identity, culture, age and class of the community of disabled philosophers.This conference is organised as part of the Alfred Landecker Programme at the Blavatnik School of Government.Blavatnik School of Government, University of Oxford http://www.bsg.ox.ac.uk
The challenges of state fragility and lessons learned in the twenty-first century Blavatnik School of Government 2022-12-05 | Dr Nematullah Bizhain presents findings from State Fragility, which examines key questions as to the nature of state fragility, policies used to mitigate it, assessment of outcomes, and prospects.State fragility remains an area of great concern in international relations and in the field of security and development. Fragile states expose their societies to the risk of meltdown or collapse, endangering the lives of their citizens, and leaving them unable to sustain ordinary life. State fragility can also threaten global security, by providing safe havens for terrorist groups and for drug and human traffickers, and by increasing the threat of disease pandemics and mass migrations.Presenting case studies and comparisons by leading experts and practitioners across seven countries – Afghanistan, Burundi, Lebanon, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Sierra Leone and Rwanda– this new book, edited by Dr Nematullah Bizhain, offers a novel empirical contribution by examining a range of distinct but interdependent dimensions of state fragility. This not only focuses on questions of state legitimacy, capacity and authority, but also involves the economy, and resilience to political and economic shocks, as well as vital questions of context and diversity. Download the book for free.This event will be moderated by Dr Annette Idler.Blavatnik School of Government, University of Oxford http://www.bsg.ox.ac.uk
Majorities, minorities, and the future of nationhood Blavatnik School of Government 2022-12-01 | Democracies have historically restrained against the tyranny of the majority by developing norms of international human rights, cultural minority rights, and ideas of multiculturalism.In the twenty-first century however, majorities have re-asserted themselves anew, sometimes by emphasising social cohesion and national identity and at other times in the form of populist movements that have challenged the very foundations of liberal democracy. This volume examines the legitimacy of conflicting majority and minority claims. Are majorities a legal concept, holding rights and subject to limitations? How can we define a sense of nationhood that brings groups together rather than tears them apart?In the launch of this volume, world-leading experts are brought together for the first time to debate the rights of both majorities and minorities in the context of modern democracies. This event is sponsored by the Alfred Landecker Programme and is moderated by Dr Maya Tudor.Blavatnik School of Government, University of Oxford http://www.bsg.ox.ac.uk
Rethinking Intellectual Property for Pandemic Preparedness and Response Blavatnik School of Government 2022-11-29 | Blavatnik School of Government, University of Oxford http://www.bsg.ox.ac.uk
Ukraine: the future of ethnic and religious diversity Blavatnik School of Government 2022-11-23 | The Alfred Landecker Programme is pleased to host Dr Dmytro Vovk for a roundtable on the relationship between Ukrainian national identity and ethnic/religious plurality.Ukraine has historically been home to a large number of ethnic, religious and ethno-religious identities, many of which are connected to specific regions within Ukraine.When Western scholars speak of nation and nationalism, they often divide states between 'ethnic' or 'civic' nations: how do these designations map onto social realities in Ukraine? How is Ukrainian national identity shaping and being shaped by its internal plurality? And how has the Russian invasion impacted on internal discourses on identity and belonging? Which differences have become more important? And which differences less so? How is the role of Ukrainian national identity changing in domestic and international politics? And what are the opportunities and challenges that lay ahead?Dr Dmytro Vovk runs the Centre for the Rule of Law and Religion Studies at the Yaroslav Mudryi National Law University (Kharkiv). As an expert in constitutional law and religious freedom, he is academic advisor to the Constitutional Court of Ukraine and the Ukrainian State Agency for Ethnic Policies and Freedom of Conscience. He has published extensively on law and religion, church-state relations, and the rule of law in post-Soviet countries. He is also a co-editor of BYU ICLRS’s blog 'Talk About: Law and Religion'.Ms Liza Raichynets is a research assistant with the Alfred Landecker Programme. She has a graduate degree in Religious Studies from the Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, specialising in philosophy or religion. She is interested in the role religion plays in the formation of (national) identity, as well as in political and military conflicts.Dr Marietta van der Tol is the Landecker Postdoctoral Research Fellow. Her research interests include the relationship between religion, politics and society, and the role that political imaginaries play in the formation of law and public policy with regard to ethnic and religious minorities in Europe. She leads the international networking collaboration ‘Religion, ethnicity and politics in German, Dutch and Anglo-American contexts: nationalism and the future of democracy’.Maya Tudor is Associate Professor of Government and Public Policy at the Blavatnik School of Government and her research focuses on nationalism and democracy.Blavatnik School of Government, University of Oxford http://www.bsg.ox.ac.uk
The Dame Louise Richardson Chair in Global Security: Panel discussion – A dangerous world Blavatnik School of Government 2022-11-18 | The Dame Louise Richardson Chair in Global Security, based at the Blavatnik School, will build on the School’s expertise in international law, economics, philosophy and government, and its wide-ranging engagement with leading scholars and practitioners on issues from cyber security to reducing state fragility. Focused on critical priorities in global security such as the proliferation of nuclear weapons, terrorism, ethics of warfare and international law, the Chair will lead global collaborative research and build on the School’s growing outreach to current public leaders through short courses and global workshops. The Dame Louise Richardson Chair in Global Security will enable the University more powerfully to bring together research across departments to contribute to global security policy.Blavatnik School of Government, University of Oxford http://www.bsg.ox.ac.uk
Treatment of prisoners of war in armed conflict Blavatnik School of Government 2022-11-14 | A panel discussion on the rules of international law relating to treatment by belligerents of prisoners of War. The panelists will examine discuss the Updated Commentaries on the Geneva Convention on the Treatment of Prisoners of War that was recently produced by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).What motivated the ICRC to update the commentaries and what methodology was adopted in doing so? How do the commentaries interpret the provisions of the Geneva Conventions on the conditions of detention of POWs and the position of POWs who have distinct needs or face distinct risks?This event is organised by the Oxford Institute for Ethics, Law and Armed Conflict and the International Committee of the Red Cross.The panel will feature Yvette Issar (ICRC, Geneva), Professor Dapo Akande, Dr Lawrence Hill-Cawthorne (University of Bristol) and Andrea Raab (ICRC, London) and will be chaired by Dr Miles Jackson (Oxford). A drinks reception will follow.Blavatnik School of Government, University of Oxford http://www.bsg.ox.ac.uk
Blavatnik School of Government – Admissions Q&A Blavatnik School of Government 2022-11-10 | Are you thinking about applying for the Master of Public Policy (MPP) or the Public Policy 1+1? Hear from our admissions team on application requirements, the admissions process and making sure you have everything ready to submit your application. bsg.ox.ac.uk/MPPBlavatnik School of Government, University of Oxford bsg.ox.ac.uk
Forced migration: Evidence and policy challenges Blavatnik School of Government 2022-11-09 | Forced migration has been one of the pressing and defining issues of the last two decades. There are currently close to 100 million forcibly displaced people globally and most recently and the growing refugee crisis in Ukraine has added to the pressures and needs for the formulation of careful policy responses. This panel will address the recent evidence and policy challenges of forced migration in Europe and other regions of the world. It will draw from the findings of the recent issue of the Oxford Review of Economic Policy on Forced Migration.The panel, chaired by Dr Isabel Ruiz will feature a conversation with Professor Alex Betts, Professor Carlos Vargas-Silva and Dr Vlad Mykhenko.Blavatnik School of Government, University of Oxford http://www.bsg.ox.ac.uk
Dystopia and crisis: How can we imagine a better world when the world is burning? Blavatnik School of Government 2022-11-07 | What could be done about the crisis of imagination that is afflicting much of the world?We can easily imagine ecological disaster or technological futures but struggle to picture how welfare, health or democracy could be better a generation from now. Geoff Mulgan, author of Another World is Possible will share both diagnosis and prescription, looking in particular at the role of universities in helping societies to think ahead. This event will be moderated by Professor Ngaire Woods.Blavatnik School of Government, University of Oxford http://www.bsg.ox.ac.uk
How does environmental philosophy matter for climate finance with Yannick Glemarec Blavatnik School of Government 2022-11-07 | The climate challenge is a money challenge. Reducing emissions and addressing the impacts of climate change will require trillions in investment over the next decades.These investments are critical not just for delivering a safe climate, but also for increasing energy access, securing biodiversity, and delivering the broader 2030 sustainable development agenda. At the same time, green growth promises to bring enormous economy opportunity.However, climate finance remains caught in gridlock. A pledge by developed countries to mobilise $100billion in climate finance per year by 2020 remains unmet. Financial flows are not yet at the scale and speed that is needed. Funding for adaptation in particular has lagged behind. When countries meet at COP27 in Egypt in November, finance will be a major sticking point. What can be done?The Green Climate Fund was created by the UN in 2010 to help address these challenges. Speaking to Professor Thomas Hale, Executive Director Yannick Glemarec will discuss the Fund’s role in the broader climate challenge, and outline the way forward for the climate finance conundrum. Blavatnik School of Government, University of Oxford http://www.bsg.ox.ac.uk
Development banks: Unlocking partnerships and financing to build forward – Panel event Blavatnik School of Government 2022-11-03 | Leaders of development banks discuss how their public financial institutions have been performing in these challenging times.The current global scenario extraordinarily defies decision-makers around the globe, not only for the digital disruption, labour market, economic and cultural changes Covid-19 enhanced but also for the burning issues put forward by climate change and social inequality, as well as rising inflation, policy uncertainties and Ukraine war effects on the economy and geopolitics.Development Banks: Unlocking Partnerships and Financing to Build Forward, brings CEOs of development banks to the Blavatnik School of Government to discuss how their public financial institutions have been performing in our tremendously challenging times, their successes and the pain points that should be addressed to unlock financing for a better future.Moderator: Ngaire Woods, Dean of Blavatnik School of Government 1. Leslie Maasdorp,Vice President and CFO of the New Development Bank (NDB) 2. Reina Irene Mejia, Vice President, InterAmerican Development Bank (IaDB) 3. Vivienne Y. Apopo, Director-General, Eastern African Development Bank (EADB) 4. Leany Lemos, former President, Brazilian Extreme South Development Bank (BRDE) and Lemann Fellow of Practice, Blavatnik School of Government. Blavatnik School of Government, University of Oxford http://www.bsg.ox.ac.uk
Brazil: Looking ahead Blavatnik School of Government 2022-11-03 | Brazil holds runoff elections at the end of October, with former president Lula da Silva competing against the incumbent president, Jair Bolsonaro. The winner of this contest, along with the new congress, is due to start another term in January.On 31 October, the Lemann Foundation Programme for the Public Sector will hold a panel discussion seeking to look ahead and consider Brazil's policy needs. It will touch upon the bureaucracy and fiscal management and will feature the team's recent research findings on perceptions of educational needs and realities faced by low-income households.The panellists are Timothy Power (head of social sciences, University of Oxford), Gabriela Lotta (professor, Getúlio Vargas Foundation, Sao Paulo), Leany Lemos (visiting fellow of practice), Anna Petherick and Filipe Recch.Blavatnik School of Government,University of Oxfordhttp://www.bsg.ox.ac.uk
Launch of Beyond Imperfect Justice: Legality and Fair Labelling in International Criminal Law Blavatnik School of Government 2022-11-02 | Dr Talita Dias explores how the principles of legality and fair labelling have developed from Nuremberg to the International Criminal Court and beyond.In Beyond Imperfect Justice (Brill, 2022), Dr Talita Dias (Jesus College & ELAC, Oxford) explores how the principles of legality and fair labelling have developed in international criminal law, from Nuremberg to the International Criminal Court and beyond. It features a comprehensive survey of domestic and international case law, treaties, and other materials, carefully unpacking the different rationales and elements of each principle and the various rules to which they apply. The book invites readers to revisit landmark cases, such as those involving atrocities in the Former Yugoslavia, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, Darfur, Palestine and Ukraine, through a distinctive lens: the finding that all rules substantively affecting the human rights of the accused – from crimes and penalties to labels – must be sufficiently accessible and foreseeable to the ordinary person.In this official launch event, Dr Dias will be joined by Professors Dapo Akande (Blavatnik School of Government), Devika Hovell (London School of Economics), Miles Jackson (Jesus College, Oxford) and Kevin Jon Heller (University of Copenhagen) for a discussion of the book’s key findings. These include the challenges of applying the principles of legality and fair labelling to international crimes, including those defined in the Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC), and the implications of her findings for the ongoing ICC investigation into international crimes committed in Ukraine.Blavatnik School of Government, University of Oxford http://www.bsg.ox.ac.uk
Executive Public Leaders Programme for Organisations – Blavatnik School of Government Blavatnik School of Government 2022-10-31 | Find out what impact sending your staff to Oxford on the Public Leaders Programmes can have for your organisation. Learn more about the courses here at the Blavatnik School of Government – bsg.ox.ac.uk/plpBlavatnik School of GovernmentUniversity of Oxford http://www.bsg.ox.ac.uk
Executive Public Leaders Programme – Blavatnik School of Government Blavatnik School of Government 2022-10-31 | Hear from the 2022 participants on what they gained from the Blavatnik School of Government’s Executive Public Leaders Programme. Find out more and apply here – bsg.ox.ac.uk/eplp Blavatnik School of Government, University of Oxford http://www.bsg.ox.ac.uk
Transnational Advocacy in the Digital Era, Think Global, Act Local Blavatnik School of Government 2022-10-17 | Following the recent publication of her book 'Transnational Advocacy in the Digital Era, Think Global, Act Local,' Dr Nina Hall joins Emily Jones to discuss how mass digital mobilisation through digital advocacy organisations is rapidly shaping public opinion on a range of transnational policy issues. Blavatnik School of Government, University of Oxford http://www.bsg.ox.ac.uk
Emily R Douglas - Phenomenologies of debilitation and questions of volition Blavatnik School of Government 2022-09-23 | Blavatnik School of Government,University of Oxfordbsg.ox.ac.uk/events/philosophy-disability-and-social-change
Tommy J Curry - Hes not worth it: The deleterious character of the disabled Black male Blavatnik School of Government 2022-09-23 | Blavatnik School of Government,University of Oxfordbsg.ox.ac.uk/events/philosophy-disability-and-social-change
Lori Gruen - Captivity, carceral logics, and disposability Blavatnik School of Government 2022-09-23 | Blavatnik School of Government,University of Oxfordbsg.ox.ac.uk/events/philosophy-disability-and-social-change
Johnathan Flowers - Dis/ableist inheritance Blavatnik School of Government 2022-09-23 | Blavatnik School of Government,University of Oxfordbsg.ox.ac.uk/events/philosophy-disability-and-social-change
Robert Chapman - Neurodiversity and the pathology paradigm Blavatnik School of Government 2022-09-23 | Blavatnik School of Government,University of Oxfordbsg.ox.ac.uk/events/philosophy-disability-and-social-change
