Politics: Democracy & Participation – Debating Trends In National Politics, Social Movements & Political Activism With Dr Siobhan McAndrew From The University of Sheffield

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With intellectual rigour and real world insight, leading academic, policy adviser and consultant, Dr Siobhan McAndrew at The University of Sheffield, invites students and teachers to engage in a lively debate about Democracy & Participation. The event will specifically focus on:

• Democratic trust and distrust
• Political participation and disengagement
• Misinformation and disinformation
• Political protest

Shaped by pre-submitted and live questions/thoughts from the audience (please submit HERE), this event offers a fabulous opportunity to explore the critical changes in national politics, social movements and political activism which are remaking the political world. The session aims to extend and enrich the debates you are currently having in the classroom.

We are delighted to be joined by Dr Siobhan McAndrew who, supported by Channel Talent, will lead and stimulate a structured, constructive and inclusive discussion. Siobhan is Senior Lecturer in Politics, Philosophy and Economics at Sheffield Methods Institute, The University of Sheffield, and has previously worked as a policy adviser at HM Treasury and a consultant to a leading think tank. She currently leads a major UKRI-funded research project tracking pandemic attitudes, trust in government and misperceptions, working closely with practitioners and policymakers to target the spread of misinformation online. Siobhan is also Programme Director of the Politics, Philosophy and Economics degree programmes at Sheffield.

Our events are designed so that a group of students can take part from a classroom, or students and teachers can take part as individuals, either from school or from home. This means that sessions will continue irrespective of possible school closures.

As a live, participative event, this session will not be recorded but any slides and other resources will be shared after the event, where available.

Suitable for: Key Stage 5 students and equivalent joining as groups or individuals. Teachers and members of school staff, as always, are welcome too. This is likely to appeal most to those currently studying A-level Politics or planning to do so at university level. It will also appeal to those involved in political activism, or planning to work in the public or social justice sectors.

Preparation/Pre-Reading: Students are asked to consider the themes and some of the key issues prior to submitting questions and thoughts which we will address live. These can be submitted HERE.

The IT Setup: The event will be run on Bluejeans and participants will be able to join using laptops, tablets, and mobile devices. If you are joining as a school group, we recommend connecting with one device and projecting on to a whiteboard. You will be able to interact with the university via a microphone and/or typed comments and questions. Full details will be sent to those who have registered (see below) prior to the event.

Booking a Place: This is free for schools and colleges. If you would like to take part in this event, please register your interest using the link to the registration form below:

Register here