Conversations (2008-2009)
More Conversations are planned for next year 2009/10 and will be available here.
The Conversations Project is a series of conversations between academics and groups and individuals outside the academic environment, such as non-governmental organisations, practitioners and policy makers. The purpose of each conversation, which covers a discrete topic, is to transfer knowledge through the cross fertilisation of ideas. The conversations find areas of commonality between various communities and encourage the discussion and development of conceptual and practical ideas beyond their usual boundaries. In doing so, each conversation highlights then extent to which academics and practitioners borrow, translate and adapt ideas from scholarship and practice to produce knowledge and policy that contributes to ongoing political discourses and social change.
Friday 17th May 2008
Conversation 1: Gender, Human Rights and International Law
with Professor Hilary Charlesworth, Gita Sahgal of the Gender Unity at the International Secretariat of Amnesty International and Kathryn Lockett from the NGO, Womankind and facilitated by Dr. Zoe Pearson from Keele University.
The topic of conversation was ‘Gender, Human Rights and International Law’ which is available here to download. Further conversations are planned for the coming academic year which cover diverse topics such as ‘addressing homophobia’ and ‘the meaning of family’ and will also be available to download.
Conversation summary
Conversation transcript
Conversation audio file in mp3
31st October 2008
Conversation 2: Trafficking
The Council of Europe Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings came into force in February of this year having received the necessary number of ratifications. While the majority of the member states of the Council of Europe have yet to ratify or acede to the Convention, including the UK, the entry into force of the Convention provides the impetus for the conversation on the topic of 'Trafficking'. The Convention will frame a larger conversation on the responses to human trafficking, especially of women and children, and the effectiveness of legal frameworks at domestic, regional and international levels in addressing this global phenomenon.
With Dr Tsachi Keren-Paz, Law School, University of Keele, Helen Atkins, POPPY, Abigail Stepnitz, POPPY and Dorrie Chetty, Department of Social and Historical Studies, University of Westminster.
Facilitated by Dr Emma McClean, Law School, University of Westminster'
Conversation summary
Conversation transcript
Conversation audio file in mp3
26th November 2008
Conversation 3: Fatherhood
The conversation on the topic of ‘Fatherhood’ takes as its starting point the current proposal to change the law relating to birth registration. The proposal will provide a departure point for a larger conversation exploring paternal rights and responsibilities from legal and ethical perspectives.
With Professor Sally Sheldon, Law School, University of Kent, Dr Jonathan Ives, Department of Philosophy, University of Birmingham and Adrienne Burgess, Fatherhood Institute.
Facilitated by, Dr Oliver Phillips, Law School, University of Westminster
Conversation summary
Conversation transcript
Conversation audio file in mp3
6th February 2009
Conversation 4: Addressing Homophobia
The incitement provision in the Criminal Justice and Immigration Act which has recently received royal assent provides the departure point for the conversation on 'Addressing Homophobia'. The conversation will explore how successful legal provisions foraddressing homophobia can be, i.e. what can/will the law achieve in this area.
With Professor Les Moran, Law School, Birkbeck College, London, Jonathan Finney, Stonewall, representative from GALOP.
Facilitated by, Dr Oliver Phillips, Law School, University of Westminster.
Conversation summary
Conversation transcript
Conversation audio file in mp3
