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  • Reflections on PSA Parliaments Annual Conference 2025


    PSA Parliaments Specialist Group continues to go from strength to strength! Our #PSAParl25 Annual Conference on the 27th-28th November was a fantastic gathering of parliamentary scholars throughout the UK and beyond, with four fascinating panels and a highly successful Early Careers Researchers workshop.

    Thanks to the efforts of our Events Officer, Grace Cooper, we were generously hosted by the Department of Politics and International Relations at the University of York, with funding support from The White Rose Doctoral Training Partnership.

    The King’s Manor in York also provided a spectacular setting for our presentations and discussions.

    Please enjoy this selection of photos from our various panels and workshops!

    Below, we have also kept the conference schedule and the topics and details of our various panellists.

    Our convening committee thanks you for coming to the conference! We were also delighted to announce that Professor Richard Whitaker will be taking over from Professor Diana Stirbu as Co-Convener of the group at the PSA Conference next year. From left to right: Jack Liddall (Comms Officer); Ruxandra Serban (Co-Convener); Rick Whitaker (soon-to-be Co-Convener); Lauren Martin (Membership Officer); Grace Cooper (Events Officer); and Diana Stirbu (Co-Convener).

    Pictured: Panellists on gender and representation; Grace Cooper presenting

    Pictured: Panellists on knowledge and performance in parliaments; Dr Ewan Robertson presenting

    Pictured: Charlie Feldman presenting on the legislative process and scrutiny panel

    Pictured: Eliza Sinclair Kidd receiving her prize in the Undergraduate Essay competition, with her supervisor Dr Marc Geddes

    Pictured: conference attendees enjoying York’s Thor’s tipi post-conference

    CONFERENCE TIMINGS

    DateTimeEventLocation
    Thursday, 27 November 202511:00 am – 3:00 pmEarly-Career WorkshopUniversity of York, YO10 5DD (specific room TBC)
    6:00 – 7:30 pmDrinks ReceptionThe House of the Trembling Madness, 14 Lendal, York, YO1 8AA
    7:45 pmInformal, Self-Sponsored DinnerMarzano Italian Grill, Bridge House, Fossgate, York, YO1 9SY
    Friday, 28 November 20259:00 am – 4:00 pmConferenceThe Huntingdon Room (K/122), Kings Manor, University of York, YO1 7EP

    SCHEDULE FOR 28TH NOVEMBER

    TimeActivity
    09:00 – 09:10Arrival & Networking
    09:10 – 10:30Panel 1
    10:30 – 10:45Morning Break
    10:45 – 12:05Panel 2
    12:05 – 12:15UG Essay Competition Prize Winners Announcement
    12:15 – 13:00Lunch Break
    13:00 – 14:20Panel 3
    14:20 – 14:35Afternoon Break
    14:35 – 15:55Panel 4
    15:55 – 16:00Closing Remarks

    PANEL DETAILS

    Panel 1: Gender and representation 9:10 – 10:30

    Chair: Diana Stirbu

    Erven Lauw: The symbolic effect of women in politics on trust in parliament: A multilevel panel study


    Sanwal Hussain: Reserved gender quota in the parliament: Evidence from Pakistan


    Grace Cooper: Networked representation: Understanding the processes of political advocacy for refugees in the UK select committee system


    Ekaterina Kolpinskaya: Same building, different houses: How environment, practices and expectations shape disability inclusion of MPs and peers

    Panel 2: Historical and procedural perspectives 10:45 – 12:05

    Chair: Ruxandra Serban


    James Strong: Parliaments make war and war makes parliaments: The case of the United Kingdom


    Tom Fleming: Understanding procedure committees in the UK House of Commons, 1854–2024


    Nimako Kuffour Anning: The use and essence of the dispatch box in parliamentary chambers: Historical and procedural perspectives from Commonwealth legislatures


    Hoi Yu Ng: The impact of live broadcast on parliamentary speeches in autocracy: The case of Singapore

    Panel 3: Legislative processes and scrutiny 13:00 – 14:20

    Chair: Richard Whitaker


    Charlie Feldman: Senate public bills in Canada: What goes up must bring something down?


    Lisa James: Conservative governments and the House of Lords: Policy conflict and compromise, 2010–24


    Kubra Aslan: Legislative duration and opposition obstruction under democratic backsliding: Evidence from Turkey, 2002–2018


    Methmini Wijesinghe: Unpacking executive dominance in the legislative process: Exploring the role of legislative scrutiny in upholding democratic governance in Sri Lanka


    Jack Liddall: Parliamentary scrutiny of intergovernmental relations: A case study of agriculture and fisheries policy

    Panel 4: Knowledge and legislative performance in parliaments 14:35 – 15:55

    Chair: Lauren Martin


    Marc Geddes: Parliaments and the role of knowledge: A critical review


    Ewan Robertson: Who is heard in parliamentary policy debates? A study of stakeholder patterns in the committees of the Spanish and Catalan legislatures


    Naomi Gibson: Frontstage and backstage: Theatricality and visibility in the House of Commons


    Julien Navarro: Who responds to parliamentary performance? Voter characteristics and the electoral payoff of parliamentary work in France

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