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Blog

Oblongs and Hemicycles: Ideology and the Design of Legislative Chambers

Dr Paul Seaward, Director of the History of Parliament Trust, discusses differing designs of legislative chambers, in a blog originally published by the Crick Centre.

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Blog

A helping hand? Tracking changes in support to British All-Party Parliamentary Groups since 2001

There are over 600 All Party Parliamentary Groups in the Westminster Parliament. Dr Paul EJ Thomas discusses the monetary and in-kind support these informal groups receive, and their role in the policy-making process.

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Blog

‘You don’t walk past this building saying, “That’s a big impressive building, that’s a parliament.” You walk past saying, “Why?”’

David Judge and Cristina Leston-Bandeira discuss the symbolic importance of parliamentary buildings, in a blog originally posted by the Crick Centre at the University of Sheffield.

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News

October 2017 Newsletter

Welcome to the October edition of our newsletter, which includes:

  1. Register now for PSA Parliaments conference, 17 November
  2. PSA’s International Annual Conference – final call for papers
  3. Joint call for papers: populist parties in established party systems
  4. Our plans for 2018
  5. Recently on the blog

If you have any notices / messages you would like us to circulate to the group, please let us know (including events, new research projects, grants, publications, etc.). Or other ideas for the group and feedback for us, they’re welcome too!

Best wishes,
Marc (@marcgeddes), Louise (@LouiseVThompson), Alex (@A_Meakin) and Leanne (@LeanneMarieC)

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Blog Overview of Parliaments

The Parliament of Canada

As part of our Parliament Overviews, Gregory Veevers, an MA student in Politics at Queen’s University at Kingston, Ontario, discusses the Parliament of Canada.

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Blog

Gender quotas – can they enhance women’s parliamentary representation?

Do legislative gender quotas enhance the representation of women in parliaments and legislatures? Dr Anna Gwiazda shares the findings of her new article on gender quotas in Poland.

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Blog News

September 2017 Newsletter

Welcome to the September edition of our newsletter, which includes:

  1. PSA’s International Annual Conference – call for papers
  2. Representation – call for special issues
  3. New EVEL website
  4. News from our members
  5. Recently on the blog

If you have any notices / messages you would like us to circulate to the group, please let us know (including events, new research projects, grants, publications, etc.). Or other ideas for the group and feedback for us, they’re welcome too!

Best wishes,
Marc (@marcgeddes), Louise (@LouiseVThompson), Alex (@A_Meakin) and Leanne (@LeanneMarieC)

Categories
Blog

The clock and an impending crisis: The Elizabeth Tower, Big Ben and the Restoration and Renewal of the Palace of Westminster

August was filled with newspaper stories about the repair works to Parliament’s Elizabeth Tower, and the temporary silencing of the chimes of Big Ben. In a blog originally posted on the PSA Insights blog, PSA Parliaments Communications Officer, Alexandra Meakin, argues that this media coverage poses a concern for the future of the Restoration and Renewal of the Palace of Westminster programme.

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Blog

Smile or smirk? Why non-verbal behaviour matters in parliamentary select committees

When witnesses appear before select committees, Hansard records their words – but not their expressions. In a blog originally posted on Democratic AuditCheryl Schonhardt-Bailey (LSE), analysed nonverbal behaviour in 12 economic policy committee hearings, including some in which George Osborne gave evidence. In some of the hearings with Osborne, he appears to be smirking; in others, his smiles appear genuine. She argues that gestures, expressions and tone may be pivotal in whether a policymaker’s arguments are accepted.

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Blog

A tale of two Houses? Post-legislative Scrutiny in the House of Commons and House of Lords

As the House of Commons returns this week, Tom Caygill discusses the different approaches the two Houses of Parliament take to undertaking post-legislative scrutiny.