On Thursday 25 May the School of Politics and International Relations (POLIR) will host a live panel event with some of its world leading researchers to provoke discussion around protest, dissident voices, strikes, terrorism, activism and political frustration.
The event, which will take place at Gulbenkian Arts Centre on the Canterbury campus between 12-2pm, is free and open to all. Schools can register for tickets via this link. For all other tickets, please register for the event via this link.
Inspired by the University’s recent visit from the iconic and provocative Russian collective Pussy Riot, the panel – Dr Ben Turner, Dr Kuziwakwashe Zigomo, and Professor Adrian Pabst – will take questions from an audience of sixth-form students, A-level teachers, current POLIR students and the public on topics ranging from Iran to Just Stop Oil, from how and when resistance is justified to when protest is a legitimate thing to do.
Drawing on the A-level curriculum themes of anarchism, ecologism, feminism, multiculturalism, and nationalism, the event will provide prospective students with a springboard into the POLIR course curriculum, while also posing questions around law and morality, negotiation and human rights.
POLIR’s Professor Richard Whitman, who will chair the event, said: ‘Protest is a powerful tool to influence the political agenda. But is breaking rules the right way to protest, and when? In today’s world where disruptive protest seems to be a frequent occurrence in response to climate change, human rights violations, and other issues, we are excited to explore whether and how activism and resistance, and rule breaking protests, have the power to change politics.’
‘When is it time to break the rules?’ is the first in a line-up of new panel events at the University. Forthcoming topics will include monarchy, technology and healthcare, and scientific motivations.