Queen's Policy Engagement

Brexit and the Economy in Northern Ireland
2020-11-10 12:30 - 14:00 (Europe/London)
This special event, organised by the Chief Executives’ Club at Queen’s and Queen’s Policy Engagement, will explore the latest Brexit developments and what they mean for Northern Ireland, with a particular focus on the economy.

Chaired by John Campbell, Prof David Phinnemore and Prof Katy Hayward from Queen’s will be joined by Angela McGowan, Director of CBI Northern Ireland and Ann McGregor MBE, Chief Executive of the Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce and Industry. The panel will discuss what the future holds for the Northern Ireland economy in a post-Brexit world.
This event will be live streamed via Vimeo and recorded. Joining instructions will be sent 24 hours in advance
The Chief Executive’s Club at Queen’s is an executive business forum that facilitates and supports high-level networking in Northern Ireland. The Club was established in 1993 to connect, enhance and strengthen partnerships between the University and the Northern Ireland business sector.
Club membership comprises leaders from a wide range of businesses; private, public, charity and social enterprise organisations; entrepreneurs; and leaders in higher education.

Brave New Virtual World
2020-11-10 12:00 - 13:00
Lucy Baxter from QUB Film Studies will be joined by Dr Paul Best, Queen’s University Social Work; Hanna Slattne, Dramaturg in Immersive Media; and Sarah Ticho, Founder/Director Hatsumi.
This workshop brings together trailblazers in virtual reality, creative technology, mental health and social care, and the creative arts to discuss how cutting-edge interventions can be used to treat everything from abuse trauma and PTSD to phobias and social anxiety. Tune in to find out more about this Brave New Virtual World.
This event will be recorded. Joining instructions for Zoom will be sent 24 hours in advance.

What learning is needed for post-Covid arts and cultural industries?
2020-11-09 13:30 - 15:00
Dr Ali FitzGibbon hosts this event which will involve a discussion on future directions of and challenges to our creative sector with insights from Professor Mark Banks (University of Glasgow) and new research from students completing the MA in Arts Management at Queen’s. A Q&A and panel discussion will be chaired by Dr Natalia Grincheva (Honorary Digital Fellow at University of Melbourne) and will be accompanied by short digital summaries of student research. Join the discussion online and via #Tweetchat.
This event will be interpreted in BSL
This event will be recorded. Joining instructions for Zoom will be sent 24 hours in advance.

Homelessness: examining the effectiveness of existing approaches
2020-11-09 11:00 - 12:00
Professor Sarah Miller, Dr Ciara Keenan and Dr Jennifer Hanratty at Queen’s discuss their reviews of different approaches to dealing with homelessness, including the effectiveness of accommodation-based interventions, discharge programmes, and accessibility of health and social care.
The findings will be presented and there will be a chance to get involved in the discussion.
This event will be recorded. Joining instructions for Zoom will be sent 24 hours in advance.

#KidsValueFood Online Cook Along
2020-11-07 08:00 - 2020-11-15 17:00
Looking for a fun activity to entertain the kids? How about getting their hands dirty and making a meal together, for the chance to WIN a cooking party for 12 children at Forestside cookery school (worth £360) and lots of other prizes!
Chef Stephen Jeffers, who runs the Forestside Cookery School and works closely with social scientists at Queen’s University Belfast, leads children through an online cooking class with a focus on fun, food and different cooking skills. Spend an afternoon together with your child cooking up a scrumptious meal.
This pre-recorded session will be available online from 7-15 November. Please register to receive the link.

Annual Senator George J. Mitchell Peace Lecture 2020
2020-10-29 17:00 - 18:30
Thursday 29 October 2020
17:00pm to 18:30pm
Online via Microsoft Teams
Register via Eventbrite by noon on Monday 26 October 2020.

Pumla Gobodo-Madikizela is Professor in the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences at Stellenbosch University. She holds the South African National Research Foundation Chair in Violent Histories and Transgenerational Trauma. She has published extensively on victims and perpetrators of gross human rights violations, and her current research interest is in intergenerational repercussions of historical trauma and exploring what the “repair” of these transgenerational effects might mean in societies where victims, perpetrators, and their descendants live together in the same country.
Her books include the award-winning A Human Being Died that Night: A Story of Forgiveness, which won the Christopher Award in the United States in 2003, and the Alan Paton Award in South Africa in 2004; Narrating our Healing: Perspectives on Healing Trauma as co-author; Breaking Intergenerational Cycles of Repetition: A Global Dialogue on Historical Trauma and Memory, as editor; and the more recent publications Post-Conflict Hauntings: Transforming Memories of Historical Trauma, as co-editor; and the forthcoming volume, History, Trauma and Shame: Engaging the Past through Second Generation Dialogue as editor.
Among her awards are the following honorary degrees: Doctor of Laws from Rhodes University, South Africa; Doctor of Theology from the Friedrich-Schiller University, Germany; and Doctor of Laws from Holy Cross College, Massachusetts. Since 2017, she has been serving as Research Advisor and Global Scholar at Queen’s University, Belfast, affiliated with the Senator George Mitchell Institute for Global Peace, Security and Justice. Recently, she was named the 2020-2021 Walter Jackson Bate Fellow in Harvard University’s Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study.

Negotiating Brexit: October 2020 Brexit Clinic at Queen's
2020-10-20 12:30 - 13:45 | Online
Although the transition period ends on 31 December 2020, all aspects of the UK’s future relationship with the EU-27 would need to be agreed soon to allow the ratification process to begin before the end of November.
So what happens next and what is the likelihood of an agreement being reached?
Following the October meeting of the European Council, due to take place on 15-16 October, Queen’s Policy Engagement is delighted to hold its latest virtual Brexit Clinic on 20 October at 12.30pm where our resident Brexit panel will share their thoughts on the negotiation process and the implications for Northern Ireland and the UK.
So why not join in the discussion with our resident panel.
You can register by clicking here.

The Covid-19 Crisis and Strategic Management
2020-08-11 11:30 - 12:30 | Online
Dr Lisa Messina discusses surviving in a crisis; exploring crises management strategies in small and medium-sized enterprises. How is your business addressing the challenges brought about by the Covid-19 crisis?
In this webinar, discussion will focus on the key challenges brought about by circumstances of severe crises, and how small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) can address them. The session will examine and evaluate the effectiveness of existing SME strategic and crisis management tools in the light of the current Covid-19 public health crisis, and attempt to shed light on the opportunities and threats stemming from its market disruption.
You can register for the webinar here, which will take place on Tuesday 11th August 2020, 11:30 AM – 12:30 PM.
Any queries should be made to qmsresearch.support@qub.ac.uk

Dynamic Capabilities: Making Businesses More Agile in an Uncertain World
2020-08-04 11:30 - 12:30 | Online
Dynamic capabilities, with its emphasis on uncertainty, provides an analytical tool for thinking about creating better strategy and more agile businesses. In this webinar masterclass Graham explores the benefits to organisations in focusing on their dynamic capabilities to help future proof for the uncertain times ahead.
Dr Graham Brownlow is Senior Lecturer in Economics at Queen’s Management School. Since 2012 he has been editor/co-editor of Irish Economic and Social History. Apart from his research on topics in economic and business history, such as the rise and fall of John DeLorean, Graham has published on contemporary topics such as devolution, rebalancing and Brexit. He worked in Whitehall and finance prior to earning a PhD.

Access for this event:
This webinar will be delivered through the online platform Zoom.
Please register with your email for your free attendance
Please check your email – we will email your Zoom access link and login up to 24 hours in advance of the event
Contact Us:
ClintonLeadershipEvent@qub.ac.uk

Exploring the Use of Artificial Intelligence in Tackling the Pandemic
2020-07-07 11:30 - 12:30 | Online
In AI we trust? In this webinar Dr Laura Steele explores the use of artificial intelligence in tackling the Coronavirus Pandemic. Artificial Intelligence (AI) is being deployed in the fight against Coronavirus, with projects ranging from disease detection to the identification of potential treatments.
How likely is AI to deliver meaningful results and what ethical issues may be encountered along the way?
In this webinar we will briefly examine the history of AI and explore the current state of the art, before considering several contemporary applications. We will separate reality from hype, addressing the strengths and limitations of AI. The session will conclude by highlighting some of the ethical concerns that need to be addressed in order to maximise the value of this important technology.
You can register for the session here, taking place on Tuesday 7th July 2020, 11:30 AM – 12:30 PM.

June Brexit Clinic
2020-06-23 12:00 - 13:30 | Zoom
The latest Brexit Clinic will take place online on Tuesday 23 June from 12 noon.
The event is now sold out but a recording will be made available.

The Ireland-Northern Ireland Protocol to the Brexit Withdrawal Agreement - CANCELLED
2020-04-24 09:00 - 17:00 | School of Law, Queen's University, Belfast, Antrim, BT7 1NN, United Kingdom
The ICEL and the School of Law in Queen’s University Belfast are delighted to announce an all-day conference on the Brexit Withdrawal Agreement. The conference will feature an impressive range of speakers who will address the most important issues arising in this complex and ever-changing area, including the governance arrangements by which the agreement will be implemented in both the UK and the EU; Fundamental Rights; Citizenship and Free Movement; Goods, Customs and the Single Market; and likely future developments.
Confirmed speakers and chairs include:

The Hon Mr Justice John Cooke, formerly of the High Court of Ireland and the Court of Justice of the European Union and Chairman of the ICEL
Dr Thomas Liefländer, Deputy Head of Unit, Task Force for Relations with the United Kingdom, European Commission
Professor Daniel Halberstam, University of Michigan
Professor Gordon Anthony, Queen’s University Belfast
Sir Declan Morgan, Lord Chief Justice of Northern Ireland
Ciaran Toland SC, Law Library -Professor Christopher McCrudden, Queen’s University Belfast -Professor Imelda Maher, University College Dublin
Professor Colin Harvey, Queen’s University Belfast
Margaret Gray SC, QC
Dr Katy Hayward, Queen’s University Belfast
Dr John Temple Lang, ICEL, Trinity College Dublin, Senior Visiting Research Fellow, Oxford University, and Solicitor
Professor Catherine Donnelly BL, Trinity College Dublin and Law Library

Attitudes to migrant workers in Northern Ireland: an improving landscape?
2020-04-03 11:00 - 12:30 | NICVA Offices, 61 Duncairn Gardens , Belfast, Antrim, BT15 2GB, United Kingdom
In this seminar, Lucy Michael will explore data from the 2018 Northern Ireland Life and Times Survey on attitudes to migrant workers. Given the recent release of post-Brexit immigration plans by the UK government, it is timely to consider the level of public acceptance and recognition of the role of migrant workers in the economic and cultural life of Northern Ireland.
The seminar will run from 11am to 12.30, followed by a light lunch. The event is free, but places must be booked in advance by Friday 27 March.
Dr Lucy Michael is a Research and Training Consultant in the areas of integration and equality.
We hope to see you there!

The Quiet Shuffling of Feet - CANCELLED
2020-03-28 15:00 - 16:45 | Queen’s Film Theatre, 20 University Road, Belfast, Northern Ireland, BT7 1NN, United Kingdom
David Bolton, as we discover in The Quiet Shuffling of Feet, was no stranger to conflict trauma. He was involved, both personally and professionally, in the Enniskillen bombing and responded to the Omagh bombing.
“This is no ordinary story. As a second responder, David was at the heart of a number of major trauma incidents. For the first time David tells his personal story, revealing earlier childhood encounters with trauma.” Fergus Cooper, Director
In 2001 David left the main health service to establish the Northern Ireland Centre for Trauma and Transformation. As well as providing recovery services the Centre carried out ground-breaking research, in partnership with the University of Ulster. This dispelled the myth that the traumatic impact of The Troubles is limited to those who directly experienced violence. It evidenced some of the highest recorded levels of PTSD in a society, post-conflict.
David and his colleagues’ commitment to a holistic response to conflict trauma led the team to Sarajevo, Nepal, and New York. He went on to author Conflict, Peace and Mental Health, a book that addresses the consequences of conflict trauma within the Northern Ireland experience.
This intimate and reflective film was recorded over a seven month period, mostly on location in Fermanagh and Tyrone. A challenging yet inspirational film. Visually stunning, it is a moving tribute to one man’s unbreakable spirit.

Negotiating Brexit: What can we expect? - CANCELLED
2020-03-27 12:30 - 14:00 | PFC 02/026, Peter Froggatt Centre, Belfast, Antrim, BT7 1NN, United Kingdom
The UK’s chief negotiator, David Frost, and the EU’s Michel Barnier met at the beginning of March to begin the formal negotiation on the future relationship between the UK and the EU. Negotiations will alternate between Brussels and London over the coming months but already the UK has warned the EU it will walk away from trade talks in June unless there is a “broad outline” of a deal.
Both sides have laid out their priorities for the negotiations, so what are the key issues being discussed? And what is the likelihood of an agreement being reached if the “UK will not negotiate any arrangements in which it doesn’t have control of its own laws and political life?”
Come along and join in the discussion with Queen’s resident EU and Brexit experts, led by Prof David Phinnemore.
In conjunction with the Imagine Belfast Festival of Ideas and Politics.

Brexit, Health and Me - documentary screening - CANCELLED
2020-03-26 18:30 - 20:00 | Moot Court Room, School of Law, Tower Building, Belfast, Antrim , BT7 1NN, United Kingdom
In 2019 four academics from University of Sheffield and Queen’s University Belfast began a research project examining health governance after Brexit. Along the way, they were joined by ShoutOutUK to produce a documentary about people’s expectations, hopes and fears for health in the post-Brexit era.
The result is a gripping documentary about the role health and the NHS played in people’s vote on Brexit and in people’s imaginations about what the future holds.
How did we get to where we are? Where are we going now? Why is health and the future of the NHS of such importance to us? How do we hold politicians accountable for their words and actions? These are some of the questions that we aim to answer in the documentary.
Join us for a screening of Brexit, health and me and a panel discussion with the academics behind it. One of the lessons for us is that despite our political differences we all care about our health and the health of the NHS. It is more important than ever to join the discussion about its future.

Abomination - screening at QFT - CANCELLED
2020-03-26 18:30 - 20:00 | Queen’s Film Theatre, 20 University Road, Belfast, Northern Ireland, BT7 1NN, United Kingdom
Imagine! Festival of Ideas & Politics presents the world première of Nicky Larkin’s (Cherrie, Me & HIV) documentary exploring the creation of The Belfast Ensemble’s provocative and powerful Abomination: A DUP Opera.
At midnight on 22nd October 2019, marriage equality rights were finally extended to Northern Ireland. With no sitting government in Stormont for three years, the law was passed through Westminster, much to the horror of the evangelical Christian right and the DUP.
Meanwhile, in a quiet corner of Loyalist east Belfast, a radical theatre group was in the process of creating the world’s first ever ‘documentary opera’. Led by enigmatic artistic director Conor Mitchell, The Belfast Ensemble were taking every homophobic phrase said by DUP politicians over the past 40 years, and putting it to music, verbatim. The opera is called Abomination, after the infamous Iris Robinson phone call to the Stephen Nolan Show where the then Health Minister of Northern Ireland described homosexuality as shamefully wicked and vile, live on air. The full-length opera investigates the power of language in the hands of politicians, and the damage it can do when used irresponsibly.
This screening will be followed by a Q+A with director Nicky Larkin and cast members.
Dir: Nicky Larkin | 2020 | UK | 42 mins + Q&A | Age 15+
Funded by Northern Ireland Screen
Nicky Larkin is a Belfast-based filmmaker. Recent credits include BBC NI doc Cherrie, Me & HIV, telling the story of his friend Matthew Cavan aka Belfast’s most-loved drag queen, Cherrie Ontop (who also stars in Abomination). This followed on from the success of his previous short, Becoming Cherrie, which was nominated for ‘Best British Short’ in the Iris Prize in Cardiff, won ‘Best LGBT Short’ at the Bolton International Film Festival, and screened at Dublin International Film Festival, Dinard Film Festival, Melbourne Documentary Film Festival, IndieCork, Docs Ireland, GAZE Film Festival, Chicago Irish Film Festival, and at the Contemporary Irish Arts Centre Los Angeles.

What do NI Businesses Need to Drive Growth in our Economy? - CANCELLED
2020-03-26 17:30 - 19:30 | Riddel Hall, 185 Stranmillis Road , Belfast, Co Antrim , BT9 5EE, United Kingdom
As the UK prepares to leave the European Union, it is timely to reflect on how best our local Northern Irish businesses might be supported to grow and thereby contribute to the Northern Ireland economy.
The Chief Executives’ Club at Queen’s has brought together a panel that includes leaders of business representative groups, to discuss a range of key issues affecting business. Those taking part on the panel will be:

Dr. Graham Brownlow, Senior Lecture of Economics, Queen’s Management School
Roseann Kelly, Chief Executive, Women in Business
Angela McGowan, CBI Northern Ireland Director
Ann McGregor MBE, Chief Executive of the Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce and Industry

Our host for the evening will be the business broadcaster, Jamie Delargy, who was formerly the Business Editor at UTV. The topics to be discussed by the experienced panel members will include:

What are the business sectors with the most growth potential?
What are Northern Ireland’s key selling points in attracting in-ward investment?
How can we best support local business and help them grow and thereby create new jobs?
What issues are currently hampering business growth? And how might they be addressed?

Ulster's Lesser Spotted Queer Protestant - CANCELLED
2020-03-25 17:30 - 18:30 | Old Staff Common Room, Queen's University Belfast, University Road, Belfast, BT7 1NN, United Kingdom
In this performance lecture, let Richard O’Leary take you in search of Ulster’s Lesser Spotted Queer Protestant.
The existence of the LSQP has long been denied by many historians and Christians, but Dr. O’Leary will present evidence to challenge the orthodox view. Drawing on newly accessed archival material, Dr. O’Leary presents both an objective and subjective view. Expect shy historians, fairies, an arse bishop, quack doctors, lesbian divas, erasure, puppets. This performance lecture will be followed by a panel discussion with Jeff Dudgeon and Adrianne Elson.
Dr. Richard O’Leary is Visiting Research Fellow in the School of History at Queen’s University Belfast and Coordinator of the Northern Ireland LGBT Heritage Project. He was artist in residence at the 2019 Outburst Queer Arts Festival.

Responding to out Planetary Emergency: The Crucial Decade Ahead - ONLINE CHECK OUT IMAGINEBELFAST.COM
2020-03-24 19:00 - 21:00 | PFC 02/025, Queen's University, Belfast
What does the Church of England, the Davos annual meeting of those who ‘run the world’, climate scientists and activists from Greta Thunberg and the school strike for climate movement and Extinction Rebellion all have in common?
When such disparate organisations are all in agreement that there is an urgent need to recognise and respond to our planetary emergency, you know something unusual is happening.
Calling for ‘rapid and far-reaching transitions in energy, land, urban and infrastructure and industrial systems’, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change notes that the actions required to stay within 1.5°C of warming are unprecedented in terms of scale in the timeframe required. Business as usual is not an option if we wish to avoid catastrophic changes to the natural and human world. While the UK government and others have committed to be ‘net zero’ by 2050, this is far too late and decarbonsiation needs to be much quicker, by 2030. We need rapid and at scale transformation in all parts of our lives from how and what we eat, create electricity, heat our homes and offices and travel. But how do we get there? What changes will be needed? How will our lives change? How to mobilise and enthuse people? And how do we ensure this is a ‘just transition’?
Drawing on over 30 years as an academic, activist and recovering politician, John Barry will examine these huge issues from his own experience, and link that with insights from psychology, social movement analysis, philosophy and cultural studies as well as best practice and innovation from other parts of the world. He will also look at the potential of new initiatives such as the recently launched Belfast Climate Commission to offer local solutions to the planetary emergency, as well as proposals for more citizen-based decision-making such as citizens’ assemblies. What if, in the face of the planetary emergency, the greatest challenge humanity has ever face, ‘we are the people we’ve been waiting for?’
John Barry is Professor of Green Political Economy at Queen’s University Belfast and author of The Politics of Actually Existing Unsustainability: Human Flourishing in a Climate-Changed, Carbon Constrained World.

Midnight Traveller - screening at QFT - CANCELLED
2020-03-24 18:20 - 20:10 | Queen’s Film Theatre, 20 University Road, Belfast, Northern Ireland, BT7 1NN, United Kingdom
We are currently in the midst of Europe’s largest refugee crisis since World War II — one million refugees in 2015 alone. Filmmakers Hassan Fazili, his wife Fatima Hossaini, and their two daughters, Nargis and Zahra, became four of those one million.
When the Taliban put a bounty on Fazili’s head, the family were forced to flee their home country and seek asylum; Midnight Traveller is an incredibly moving, unusual and highly personal take on a refugee story — the entire feature-length film shot on three mobile phones. We travel with the family through every stage of the journey; bonding with them, watching them overcome huge obstacles, numbing tedium and petty disagreements alike — sharing their pain and their triumphs, seeing months stretch into years with no resolution.
Like recent awards hit For Sama, Midnight Traveller shows us the plight of the displaced from the inside, with heart-breaking immediacy. Powerful, personal and impossible to ignore.
Dir: Hassan Fazili | 2019 | Qatar/UK/Canada/USA | 1 hr 28 mins | Subtitled | Cert 15

The Democratic Imagination - CANCELLED
2020-03-24 18:00 - 19:30
In Britain, what happens when a ‘Remainer’ imagines talking to a ‘Leaver? Or in the USA, when someone who is ‘pro-life’ imagines a conversation with someone who is ‘pro-choice’? And, closer to home, how does a nationalist get along with a unionist in an imagined conversation about flag displays or a united Ireland? When we use our democratic imagination and imagine talking to people we disagree with, does this lead to a positive outcome? Does it make us more open to compromise on issues, and more positively disposed towards people we disagree with?
We will discuss the impact of the democratic imagination. Does it make political divisions worse or better? We examine the idea that the future of democracy relies upon our ability to positively imagine engaging with people with whom we disagree. Presentations by Professor John Garry and Dr. James Pow from The Democracy Unit in Queen’s University Belfast, followed by questions and answers.

The Role of Journalism in Northern Ireland - CANCELLED
2020-03-24 18:00 - 19:00 | Emeleus Lecture Theatre, Queen's University, Belfast, BT7 1NN
Yvette Shapiro, Alison Morris and Sarah Travers join Professor Richard English, Pro-Vice-Chancellor and Professor of Politics at Queen’s University for what is sure to be an engaging and entertaining evening.
The role of journalists in conflict areas and post-conflict processes are unique but the importance of enabling the public to make well-informed decision is all the more critical.
The experiences of those who have witnessed at first hand some of the most memorable events in this recent history of Northern Ireland will be relayed, alongside their insightful analysis of where we as a society have got to and where to next.

Recycling History: The Bicycle and Protest in Ireland with Barry Sheppard - ONLINE CHECK OUT IMAGINEBELFAST.COM
2020-03-23 13:00 - 14:00 | Old Staff Common Room, Queen's University Belfast, University Road, Belfast, BT7 1NN, United Kingdom
Since the late nineteenth century, the humble bicycle has played a minor, yet significant role in Irish history. Internationally, the bicycle has been an integral instrument of protest and cultural change. From use during times of revolution, to a tool of cultural nationalism, and a vehicle for calling attention to indigenous language rights, the bicycle is inextricably linked to a formative period in Ireland’s history. This lecture will highlight the role the bicycle has played in history ‘from below’ in matters relating to the revolution, the Irish language, cultural nationalism, and commemoration from the late nineteenth century, right through to recent decades across the island of Ireland.
Barry Sheppard is a PhD researcher in History at Queen’s University Belfast, researching transnational history and the evolution of socio-religious ideas across national borders. Barry is the presenter of ‘History Now’ on Northern Visions Television, and is a previous recipient of the Robert Dudley Edwards History Prize (2012), and the Giving Northern Ireland research bursary (2015).

A Women's Constitution: Won for All?
2020-03-18 12:00 - 14:00 | Edgar Graham Room, Main Site Tower, 02.002, School of Law, QUB, University Square, Belfast, Antrim, BT7 1NN, United Kingdom
Conversations on the constitutional status of Northern Ireland are flourishing in public and behind the scenes. So far, most of these conversations have focused on UK union, Irish unity and their implications for rights, equality, health, education and the economy. The impacts of constitutional change on women’s and other marginalised lives are rarely considered. This International Women’s Day event is an opportunity, open to all, to consider the following: what would a woman-friendly constitution look like? Would a women-friendly constitution benefit other marginalised groups? How might it happen? Other questions are very welcome. All welcome.
Contributors:
• Dr Fidelma Ashe, Ulster University
• Catherine Cooke, Co-ordinator Foyle Women’s Information Network
• Susan McCrory, Manager Falls Women’s Centre
• Anne McVicker, Director Women’s Research & Development Agency
• Eileen Weir, Outreach Worker Shankill Women’s Centre
Chair: Eilish Rooney (Emeritus Ulster University)

Any new events will be held online due to the pandemic.
2020-03-18 08:00 - 2020-09-30 17:00

A Women's Constitution: Won for All?
2020-03-04 13:00 - 14:30 | Edgar Graham Room, Main Site Tower, 02.002, School of Law, QUB, University Square, Belfast, Antrim, BT7 1NN, United Kingdom
INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY EVENT
Conversations on the constitutional status of Northern Ireland are flourishing in public and behind the scenes. So far, most of these conversations have focused on UK union, Irish unity and their implications for rights, equality, health, education and the economy. The impacts of constitutional change on women’s and other marginalised lives are rarely considered. This International Women’s Day event is an opportunity, open to all, to consider the following: what would a woman-friendly constitution look like? Would a women-friendly constitution benefit other marginalised groups? How might it happen? Other questions are very welcome.
All welcome
Contributors:

Dr Fidelma Ashe, Ulster University
Catherine Cooke, Co-ordinator Foyle Women’s Information Network
Dr Myrtle Hill, Historian (former Queens University)
Susan McCrory, Manager Falls Women’s Centre
Anne McVicker, Director Women’s Research & Development Agency
Eileen Weir, Outreach Worker Shankill Women’s Centre

Chair: Eilish Rooney (Emeritus Ulster University)
Register here

Queen's Policy Engagement Post-Brexit Clinic - February 2020
2020-02-04 12:30 - 14:00 | Canada Room and Council Chamber, Queen's University Belfast, University Road, Belfast, BT7 1NN, United Kingdom
The UK’s request to extend the Brexit deadline to 31 January 2020 was agreed in 2019 but the UK can also leave before then if a deal is agreed by Parliament. However, as things stand, the 1st February 2020 will mark the first day of the transition period for the UK and the beginning of a very tight timeframe for negotiating the UK’s future relationship with the EU before the 31 December deadline.
Join us on 4 February 2020 for the latest updates from our resident Brexit experts, led by Professor David Phinnemore. Will the UK have exited the EU on the 31st January? Has Boris simply kicked a cliff-edge Brexit down the line? Will the new withdrawal agreement create a border in the Irish Sea?
To register, click here.
We look forward to seeing you then.

Repowering Democracy? Community participation in the energy transition
2020-01-09 15:30 - 17:00 | Canada Room and Council Chamber, Queen's University Belfast, University Road, Belfast, BT7 1NN, United Kingdom
As yet another round of global climate talks end in failure and we are poised to set another emissions record in 2019, efforts turn again to alternative mechanisms to build a just climate future. Energy transitions need to play a central role in future emissions reductions but ensuring transitions are deep, resilient and effective requires a change in social infrastructure as much as it does technological infrastructure. In this talk, Dr MacArthur examines the practice and theory of energy democracy internationally.

Recent research highlights how democratic innovations from citizens policy forums to direct asset ownership and control in ‘community power’ may contribute to much needed energy transitions away from fossil fuels and contribute to addressing the current global climate crisis. They may also play a role in reinvigorating civic spaces and contributing to economic democracy with benefits far beyond the current climate crisis. However, significant debates exist as to who constitutes the ‘community’ in diverse contexts, how large a role these actors can play, and how transferrable models are between nations. In this interactive session we explore these questions and what they might mean for the future of citizen energy in Northern Ireland. To register, click here.

Bio:
Dr Julie MacArthur is a Senior Lecturer in Politics and International Relations and the Master of Public Policy program at the University of Auckland where she teaches environmental politics and public policy. She is the author of Empowering Electricity: Co-operatives, Sustainability and Power Sector Reform in Canada (UBC Press, 2016), as well more than 20 articles and book chapters on sustainable community development, participatory environmental governance, and comparative energy policy. Dr MacArthur has won SSHRC and RSNZ Marsden Fund grants for her research on the contribution of community energy initiatives to climate change mitigation and local development, as well as an Early Career Research Excellence Award from the University of Auckland to study the role of gender in energy transitions. Julie is currently a research associate with the University of Auckland’s Energy Centre and its Public Policy Institute.
This seminar is jointly held by the Community Climate Action Working Group of Belfast Climate Commission (part of the Place-based Climate Action Network https://pcancities.org.uk/) and the Centre for Sustainability, Equality and Climate Action, Queen’s University Belfast.

Brexit, Citizens’ Assemblies and the future of Democracy in the UK
2020-01-06 18:00 - 19:30 | Canada Room and Council Chamber, Queen's University Belfast, University Road, Belfast, BT7 1NN, United Kingdom
Event from 6pm, with lecture starting 6.30pm.

The Brexit process has put the UK’s democratic system under great strain, pitting competing democratic visions against each other and exposing weaknesses in each.

This special event will examine those weaknesses and consider possible ways of addressing them. Could the 2016 referendum have been designed differently to create a less polarised process? How could the grievances with current politics that the referendum result highlighted be tackled?
In particular, we will examine whether citizens’ assemblies – randomly selected groups of people who meet over several weekends to learn about, discuss, and make recommendations on selected issues – could make a difference. The strengths, and also the limitations, of this approach will be explored and possible paths forward proposed.
About Dr Alan Renwick
Dr Alan Renwick is Deputy Director of the Constitution Unit at University College London. He led the 2017 UK Citizens’ Assembly on Brexit and in 2019, with Michela Palese, published a major report on strengthening democracy, Doing Democracy Better: How Can Information and Discourse in Election and Referendum Campaigns in the UK Be Improved? Alan is now project lead for the Working Group on Unification Referendums on the Island of Ireland.
To register, please click here.
