Schools and College Liaison Programme

Schools and Colleges Liaison Programme

We offer five interactive webinars that engage with key topics in the A level curriculum for Politics and relevant themes in Geography and Sociology A level. We usually offer these as fully interactive, hour-long sessions, but we can adapt our format to suit your needs. We can deliver the sessions in person, but this is subject to availability. Similarly, we can offer to host the sessions at Aberystwyth, where resources permit.

We are also happy to offer talks about the study of politics and if you are looking for a bespoke session, we are willing to consider developing a session just for you, depending on the availability of staff.

For more information please contact Dr Elin Royles, Director of Recruitment, Admissions and Marketing for the Department of International Politics.

Crisis of Democracy in the USA?

Dr Jenny Mathers

America is often upheld as a beacon of democracy, but events in recent years have revealed serious challenges, both to US democratic institutions and to America’s culture of democracy. This workshop explores the US political system through a discussion of key contemporary themes. These are: the polarization between the two main political parties; voter rights and voter suppression; and the implications of 6 January 2021. Fully interactive, this session looks behind the news headlines to explore the meaning of democracy and the relationship between state institutions and democratic culture.

A level Syllabus Themes: Government and politics of the USA; electoral process and direct democracy; political parties; civil rights

Covert actions and targeted assassinations: a global perspective

Dr Aviva Guttmann

When the head of Hamas, Ismail Haniyeh, was killed in Iran in July 2024, everybody knew that Israel’s secret intelligence agency, Mossad, was behind it. This is a prime example of a covert action that on purpose left a trail to its perpetrator. In this interactive workshop, students are introduced to concepts in intelligence studies such as “implausible deniability” and discuss practices of targeted killings around the world.

A levels syllabus themes: contemporary global issues (conflict), sovereignty and globalisation, human rights, comparative theories.

A United Kingdom?* (also available through the medium of Welsh)

Dr Elin Royles

While almost unthinkable a generation ago, today there is debate regarding whether the UK union can survive. This is due to diverse factors, including: the rise of independence movements (especially in Scotland, but also in Wales); growing interest in reunification across the island of Ireland; and even a sense among certain English voters that England is treated unfairly within the union. Political and constitutional divisions were also heightened by Brexit and the Covid-19 pandemic. Using interactive methods, this session examines different arguments advanced in support of the unity of the United Kingdom advanced by prominent politicians including Boris Johnson, Rishi Sunak, Gordon Brown and Mark Drakeford. It explores their different visions for the future of the United Kingdom and invites students to evaluate their proposals.

A level Syllabus Themes: UK’s unwritten constitution; Parliamentary sovereignty; devolution; nationalism and unionism in different parts of the UK.

Russian aggression against Ukraine and the role of nuclear weapons

Dr Jan Ruzicka

How can we understand the motivations behind Russia’s invasion of Ukraine? Over the past year, news stories and pundits have often focused on Vladimir Putin’s personal ambitions or psychological state in explaining Russia’s actions. These might be part of the answer – but what else could be at play? The Ukraine conflict has also been a stark reminder that nuclear weapons are still relevant in world politics. Russia’s nuclear threats have sparked fresh conversations about the risk of nuclear conflict and the role that nuclear weapons play for states and their security in the 21^st century. In this workshop, we’ll explore why states go to war in the 21st century, some of the possible explanations for Russia’s behaviour, and whether there are any prospects for peace in Ukraine.

A level Syllabus Themes: Global Politics; Significance of emerging powers (Russia); contemporary global issues (conflict).

The Crisis of the Liberal International Order and what might come next

Dr Kamila Stullerova

The US-led International Order is being challenged from two sides. First, it is the challenges posed by US rivals, most notably China and Russia. Second, it is internal dissatisfaction with liberal democracies and their role in international politics, as expressed by multiple democratic publics at least since 2016. Are we to conclude that the era of the Liberal International Order is over and international politics will be ordered by different values, institutions and principles than those associated with post-WW2 liberalism: human rights, free trade, international law and fear of the power of nuclear weapons? In this workshop, we’ll explore these questions.

A level Syllabus Themes: Global Politics, contemporary global issues (conflict), sovereignty and globalisation, political ideas.