A month’s scrutiny of the E.U. and its politics has touched on several different areas and, worryingly, problems with the institution. However a contradiction has emerged in the arguments seen on Gaps in the Dialogue that should be addressed. That is, if we can find so many faults with the E.U. why do British politicians and the contributions on this site call for widening integration? Why should Turkey, the Ukraine, or possibly Russia be brought into an institution that, many argue, is flawed? (more…)
December 29, 2009
The E.U. in 2010 and beyond
Posted by Owen Thomas under Europe, International Relations | Tags: European integration, European Union, Owen Thomas, Ukraine |Leave a Comment
December 16, 2009
The EU should expand its size but reduce its remit
Posted by Joe Dyke under Electoral Reform, Europe | Tags: Devolution, Elector, Electoral Reform, EU |[2] Comments
I want to talk about something brought up in Louis’ article last week that while he recognises he fails to draw out – the contradiction between Europe and devolution.
December 7, 2009
Serving the community
Posted by Louis JR Connor under Education | Tags: Demos, Employment, louis connor, National Civic Service, Service Nation, University |Leave a Comment
The think tank Demos raises the idea of a National Civic Service in a publication released last week. Increasing civic engagement amongst young people would benefit their local community and raise their employability skills. But, such a scheme must not be financed by student loan repayments, and should provide no alternative to paid employment. (more…)
November 30, 2009
Its only our first month but it may all be pointless…
Posted by Joe Dyke under Environment, Philosophy | Tags: Environment, Philosophy |Leave a Comment
So we have come to the end of our first Gaps in the Dialogue theme of the month. We were of course discussing the Environment and each of the contributors has looked at a different aspect of the issue. (more…)
November 25, 2009
Micro-action may serve climate change dialogue better than macro-debate
Posted by Owen Thomas under Copenhagen, Environment | Tags: Climate Change, Copenhagen, Environment, World Trade Organisation |Leave a Comment
Unfortunately politics, and maybe Gaps in the Dialogue, has, perhaps, fallen into the same trap we all attempt to avoid – long, worn-out sentences calling for action. It is indicative of the green agenda and of climate change dialogue that it is easier to talk than to actually find a way through the morass that is international politics and the environmental debate. (more…)
November 20, 2009
Gordon Brown and the limits of law
Posted by Joe Dyke under Electoral Reform, Law, Philosophy | Tags: Gordon Brown, Law, Philosophy |1 Comment
After the Queen’s speech the government has been accused of legislating on things it can’t legislate on and not legislating on things it should have. This debate all seems to be missing something – the limits of law. (more…)
November 18, 2009
The Environment: A Wicked Issue
Posted by Louis JR Connor under Copenhagen, Environment | Tags: Copenhagen, Environemnt, louis connor, Wicked Issue |[2] Comments
It is clear that the human consumption of fossil fuesl and the aggressive process of industrialisation and continued technological development over the past two hundred years have had a net negative impact on our environment……We have had political targets, scientific targets, economic targets and social targets to respond to climate change, but we are yet to see a holistic approach to combating environmental change which ackonwledges its ‘wicked’ nature. (more…)