Resources for Schools and Colleges
Posters
These posters are designed to encourage students to consider studying politics at A Level and then at University.
Study Politics at School & University Posters (English)
Study Politics at School & University Posters (Cymraeg)
Key ideas in Politics (Videos)
Politics Resources
- e-workbook: Contemporary Issues in US Politics
This workbook provides additional material, ideas and exercises to enrich A-level studies and encourage reading and thinking around the subject in preparation for study at university. This is designed to help students expand their intellectual horizons and deepen their understanding of this vital topic.
This useful and topical workbook provides information, learning activities and teacher notes on a vital contemporary issue. Originally designed for Welsh schools, it is also useful as a schools’ resource throughout the UK.
Posters:
Here are a series of thought-provoking posters suitable for noticeboards. The questions should stimulate interest in key contemporary political topics and might encourage your students to study Politics or International Relations at University! The topics are:
Democracy, Devolution, Brexit, Migration, Security and Intelligence.
Study Politics at School & University Posters (English)
E-Sources
Here are a list of super-useful sources for teachers (and students!) such as websites, blog-sites or podcasts.
Developments in global politics: the conflict in Ukraine and emerging powers
The conflict in Ukraine: background, explainers, and implications
Ukraine: Conflict at the Crossroads of Europe and Russia – explanation of historical context and events leading up to the invasion of February 2022
https://www.cfr.org/backgrounder/ukraine-conflict-crossroads-europe-and-russia
Ukraine Conflict Monitor – tracking the war in real-time maps, data, and news updates
https://acleddata.com/ukraine-conflict-monitor/
Was it inevitable? A short history of Russia’s war on Ukraine
Two wars threaten to overload Europe’s leaders
Ukraine reveals the rise of the non-aligned state
https://www.newstatesman.com/international-politics/2023/05/ukraine-rise-non-aligned-state
General resources
Global politics and security
Bellingcat – investigative journalism, open-source intelligence analysis, podcasts, and articles on a range of global and politics topics
War on the Rocks – strategy and security analysis, Russia-Ukraine and beyond
Inkstick Media – accessible, engaging, and unconventional writing on all kinds of foreign policy and world politics topics
The Conversation – academically-informed news on world politics and security
https://theconversation.com/uk/topics/international-security-8185
Emerging powers and the global South
The Global South is on the rise – but what exactly is the Global South? (Explainer article)
Africa Is a Country – news and analysis on the Global South including Indigenous and activist viewpoints
Al-Jazeera News – in-depth reporting on foreign policy and from the front lines of conflict zones
The Daily Maverick – South African newspaper which conducts hard-hitting investigative journalism about South Africa, Africa, and beyond
https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/
Podcasts
WBUR On Point: Behind the Global South’s hesitancy to criticise Russia’s invasion of Ukraine (episode)
The Vilnius summit: a turning point for NATO and Ukraine (episode)
https://carnegieendowment.org/politika/90236
BBC Global News Podcast
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p02nq0gn/episodes/downloads
The China Global South Project Podcast
https://chinaglobalsouth.com/podcasts/
Chatham House Podcasts: Independent Thinking; Africa Aware; China Brief
https://www.chathamhouse.org/podcasts
The Un-Diplomatic Podcast: global power politics for the people
Devolution
Keeping Up with the latest on devolved politics in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland
Scotland: Podlitical
Politics chat with the lates goings on at Holyrood and Westminster through the eyes of BBC Scotland journalists.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p06l4482
Wales: Wales Cast (BBC)
Felicity Evans and James Wales presenting a 'one-stop shop for Welsh politics'
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/brand/p0933ks9
Northern Ireland: Red Lines
Analysis and commentary of politics in Northern Ireland from the BBC Northern Ireland politics team.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p07mnkk8
Understanding Scottish politics and current discussion of its constitutional options
Constitutional Futures Initiative organised by the Royal Society of Edinburgh (2023) to provide impartial and expert reflection on Scotland's constitutional options
Professor Nicola McEwen introducing the initiative: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rXNWnPNkkxE
Panel discussion on Constitutional futures for Scotland and the UK:
https://rse.org.uk/resources/resource/podcast/constitutional-futures-for-scotland-and-the-uk/
Professor Michael Keating on the current UK constitutional dilemma:
https://rse.org.uk/resources/resource/video/the-constitutional-dilemma-in-the-uk/
Our Scottish Future podcast featuring former UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown and other members of the team featuring conversations and debate about how to build a more cooperative UK.
https://ourscottishfuture.org/our-work/podcast/
The Lesley Riddoch Podcast: Scottish politics dissected from a pro-independence stance.
https://lesleyriddoch.com/podcast
Welsh politics and current discussion of its constitutional future
Professor Laura McAllister discussing the constitutional future of Wales as Chair of the Independent Commission on the Constitutional Future of Wales on the Constitutionally Sound blog.
IWA podcasts: Institute of Welsh Affairs is a think tank and charity, independent of government and political parties. Their 'Wales: A Work in Progress' series includes more than 7 episodes outlining discussions of how Wales should be governed in the future from federalism, to experiments in democracy and devolution across the UK.
https://www.iwa.wales/podcasts
Hiraeth podcast: an independent Welsh podcast focussing on politics, policy, and current affairs within Wales and looking at events beyond Wales' border from a Welsh perspective.
https://www.walespolitics.com/
And thinking about Westminster and devolution, and England
Institute for Government discussion of 'What needs to change in Westminster and Whitehall to make devolution work?
Institute for Government Inside Briefing Extra discussion: Where Next for English devolution
https://www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/podcast/inside-briefing/where-next-english-devolution
Talking policy in Scotland and Wales
Scottish Council on Global Affairs is a hub for research on policy-informed, non-partisan debate on international relations and global politics. Some of their podcasts focus on issues relevant to Scotland, e.g. Scottish Human Rights Bill, Migration and Scotland
https://scga.scot/tag/podcasts/
PeP Talk: Wales Centre for Public Policy podcast series exploring policy, evidence and practice in Wales, e,g, from youth homelessness, to gender equality and post-Brexit migration and Wales.
Global Governance of Climate Change
Climate in the News
Each of these websites provides in depth research and analysis on what is happening in climate politics, providing greater context on stories in the news.
Carbon Brief – a site that covers developments in climate science, energy and policy: https://www.carbonbrief.org/
Inside Climate News – this website focuses on political and energy developments in climate governance: https://insideclimatenews.org/
The Conversation – these articles are written by researchers that work and teach on climate change: https://theconversation.com/uk/topics/climate-change-27
Guardian, Environment/Climate Crisis – to stay up to date with what’s happening in all aspects of climate change: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/climate-crisis
The Science of Climate Change
Met Office – this is a great website to check and update your understanding of key concepts and terms in the science of climate change: https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/weather/climate/climate-explained/index
NASA Global Climate Change; Vital Signs of the Planet – this website provides updates and news on the latest observations and updated scientific understanding and observation of these: https://climate.nasa.gov/news/?page=0&per_page=40&order=publish_date+desc%2C+created_at+desc&search=&category=19%2C98
What’s happening on the ground?
These websites provide details, news and analysis of the actions taking place on the ground to mitigate and adapt to climate change, tracking these against individual and collective pledges of action.
Climate Analytics: https://climateanalytics.org/
Climate Action Tracker: https://climateactiontracker.org/
International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD): https://www.iisd.org/focus-areas/climate
Podcasts
Climate Question – this is a brilliant weekly show that explores an aspect of the climate problem and provides context and background to understanding it: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/brand/w13xtvb6
TED Countdown – a podcast focused on solutions: https://countdown.ted.com/
39 Ways to Save the Planet – hunting down all the differenty ways, approaches and solutions that have been developed to help tackle climate change and environmental degradation: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000qwt3/episodes/player
Crisis of US Democracy?
6 January 2021 Capital riot: democracy in danger?
Democracy Explainer: Election Certification
https://www.rockthevote.org/explainers/election-certification-an-explainer/
CNN timeline of events leading up to 6 January 2021
https://edition.cnn.com/2021/11/05/politics/january-6-timeline-trump-coup/index.html
AP Explainer: A look at far-right extremists in Jan. 6 riot
Partisan politics and divisions in the GOP
“America is exceptional in its political divide”, Trust Magazine (produced by Pew Research Center), 29 March 2021
“As Russia invasion nears one year mark, partisans grow further apart on US support for Ukraine”, Pew Research Center, 31 January 2023
The Perception Gap website – explaining the results of a research project that seeks to understand the root causes of political polarisation. The website include a quiz that shows you how your views on key issues compares to the views of average Democrats and Republicans.
Race and structural inequalities in US politics
NAACP Criminal Justice Fact Sheet
https://naacp.org/resources/criminal-justice-fact-sheet
Report by Southern Poverty Law Center on voter suppression during the COVID-19 pandemic, 16 March 2021
Brookings Institute: Myths about de-funding the police
https://www.brookings.edu/blog/how-we-rise/2021/05/19/7-myths-about-defunding-the-police-debunked/
Podcasts
Americast – a podcast series produced by the BBC
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/brand/p07h19zz
NPR Politics podcast – daily updates on the latest news in US politics with analysis from US National Public Radio journalists
https://www.npr.org/podcasts/510310/npr-politics-podcast
Guardian Weekly America podcast
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/series/politics-weekly-america
Sounds like hate: podcast series produced by the Southern Poverty Law Center
Congressional Dish: Contriving January 6th
https://congressionaldish.com/cd266-contriving-january-6th/
My history can beat up your politics – a podcast series that looks at parallels between today’s political issues and those in American history
https://www.podranker.com/podcast/My-History-Can-Beat-Up-Your-Politics
Left, right and center – a podcast series where the presenters discuss a recent political issue or controversy from the perspectives of the US political left, right and center.
https://www.podranker.com/podcast/Left-Right-Center
The United States of Anxiety – a podcast series about dealing with America’s unfinished history and its impact on politics and culture
https://www.wnycstudios.org/podcasts/anxiety
Code Switch – a podcast series about race and American society, produced by National Public Radio
https://www.npr.org/podcasts/510312/codeswitch
Pantsuit Politics: Roe v Wade overturned
https://www.pantsuitpoliticsshow.com/show-archives/2022/12/27/2022-in-review-roe-v-wade-overturned
A United Kingdom?
Blogs and short commentary articles that analyse recent efforts to argue in support of keeping the UK together:
- Daniel Wincott, 2021, The UK’s Union: major challenges ahead, UK in a Changing Union, 22 January.
- Michael Keating, 2021. Are Unionists Losing the Union? Political Insight, 12/2, 29-31.
- Michael Keating, 2021. Will ‘British values’ keep us together? The Constitution Society, 24 September.
- Michael Keating, 2021. State and nation after Brexit: UK constitution and sovereignty, UK in a Changing Europe, 18 June.
- Ciaran Martin, 2021. Can the UK Survive Muscular Unionism?’ Political Insight, 12/4.
- Ian McLean 2022. Muscular unionism’ is actually imperialism The Times, 13 September.
- Ailsa Henderson & Richard Wyn Jones, 2022, The Conservative party’s national question, UK in a Changing Europe 15 Medi.
Examples of prominent unionist politicians trying to advance a positive case in favour of keeping the UK together:
- Gordon Brown, 2006. The Future of Britishness, 14 January.
- Gordon Brown, 2007. Speech on Britishness, The Guardian, 27 February.
- Michael Gove, 2018. A New National Consensus? Building A Union Which Endures, a speech for Policy Exchange, 21 May.
- Thereasa May, 2019. Speech on the Union, 4 July.
- Boris Johnson, 2020. In sickness and in health, this Union Matters, The Times, 23 July.
- Gordon Brown, 2020. Getting Brexit done is leaving Britain undone, 20 January.
- Severin Carrell, 2023. ‘UK could break up unless it is rebuilt as ‘solidarity union’, says Mark Drakeford’, The Guardian, 29 May.
- Mark Drakeford (2021) Reforming the Union, video of speech delivered to the Institute of Government, 15 July.
A recent study of public attitudes towards the union and the future of the UK:
- Ailsa Henderson & Richard Wyn Jones, 2023, The Ambivalent Union: Findings from the State of the Union Survey, London: Institute for Public Policy Research.
This Union, BBC Sounds – a collection of radio programmes exploring the state of the union and the future of the UK by focusing on each of the four nations.
Schools Videos: Ideologies, Concepts, Parties
Webinars and talks
These are taster videos which give teachers an idea about the topics we can discuss in webinars:
Previous webinars
Here are some examples of webinars that we have undertaken with schools.
‘International Relations: Climate Change and Political Ideologies’ (Professor Milja Kurki)
‘The International Politics of COVID-19’ (Prof Colin McInnes)
‘Contemporary Issues in US Politics' (Dr Jenny Mathers & Dr Warren Dockter)