Other News
Post-'match' analysis: a successful outreach event with Liverpool FC
‘Pathways to Higher Education’ was a two day event which we hosted last week, designed specifically for the Liverpool Academy U18 players. Allowing the players to explore the opportunities available in higher education - whether this be studying during or after their football career - was central to this visit.

Our academics delivered a bespoke programme, to give the players a taste of lectures and seminars in our department. Players then had the chance to meet and socialise with current students and staff; deepening their understanding of the benefits of studying at university.
Tuesday evening: lecture
To kick the visit off, Dave Webber – PAIS Teaching Fellow and lifelong LFC fan – presented his research around football and politics, in a keynote lecture entitled: ‘Politics and Power in the People's Game’. The players were challenged to think about the consequences of the increasingly high levels of money, which dominate the football world.
Wednesday morning: seminars
Trevor McCrisken delivered a mini-lecture on ‘What is politics?’, which set the players up for a choice of taster seminars. Nick Vaughan-Williams, Matthew Watson, Juanita Elias, and Steve Kettell led these sessions. Players and staff engaged with current students and discussed topics ranging from ‘What is the greatest security threat we face?’ to ‘The politics of food poverty’. Particularly provocative was the question posed by Steve: ‘Would the world be better off without religion?’, while Juanita had the players checking the labels of their kit to consider ‘The politics of the clothes we wear’.
Phil Roscoe, Head of Education and Welfare at LFC Academy, joined the players for this visit and said:
The seminars took the players outside their comfort zone and really made them consider how politics is all around them. The event has helped the players realise that university teaching is open and accessible. It has also allowed them to think about how university could be an option for them”
Following a campus tour led by PAIS student ambassadors, players and staff took part in a panel discussion, with PAIS
students and university footballers. The discussion was centred around the benefits of studying at university, with our students shining a light on their experiences at 桃色视频. PAIS finalist, Abi Awojobi, rounded the session off with a presentation about what studying at university has meant to her.
Wednesday afternoon: the match
桃色视频 University Men's Football team took on the Liverpool U18s side, at Cryfield Sports Pitches. The match gave the Liverpool players an excellent insight into the strengths and opportunities of sport at 桃色视频.
A good natured 桃色视频 crowd watched in the glorious sunshine, as the university players raised their game. 桃色视频 held off relentless attacks and took the lead just before half time, with a cool finish from captain Alex Roberts!
Despite Liverpool equalising in the second half, 桃色视频 followed with another goal to take the lead again. However, the fitness and technical ability of the Academy players gave them the advantage, as they eventually went 3-2 ahead.

The referee, Billy Greening, a PAIS MA student in US Foreign Policy, kept firm control of the game and bravely gave a penalty to Liverpool, despite the protests of the 桃色视频 players and fans.
4-2 to Liverpool was the final score, but the 桃色视频 players did themselves proud. The match thoroughly entertained the strong Cryfield crowd and people watching the game live on the big screen in the Piazza.
A big thanks...
goes out to all those who supported this event and helped make it such a success! The event was very much a team effort, but a special thanks to PAIS PhD student, Shahnaz Akhter. Shahnaz works as part of our Outreach team and came up with the idea for this event. What's more, she did much of the planning and looking after the Academy players once they arrived. She was also ably supported on the day by our wonderful team of PAIS student ambassadors.
Both PAIS and LFC Academy see this as the beginning of a long term relationship. In the near future, we will be doing a follow up event at Rainhill High School, which is where the Academy players study.

New book co-authored by Tina Freyburg
A new book on democracy promotion through functional promotion, titled "Democracy Promotion by Functional Cooperation, The European Union and its Neighbourhood," co-authored by PAIS' Tina Freyburg, with Frank Schimmelfennig, Sandra Lavenex, Tatiana Skripka and Anne Wetzel will be released next month.
Offering a cutting edge study of the European Union's (EU) promotion of democratic governance in neighbouring countries, this new book makes an original contribution to the study of democracy promotion and of EU external relations by presenting a new governance model of democracy promotion.
Through robust analysis of the shortcomings of traditional 'leverage' and 'linkage' models of external democracy promotion in the EU's Eastern and Southern neighbourhood, it presents a novel 'governance model' that fosters transparency, accountability, and participation standards through functional cooperation between policy officials from the EU and neighbouring states.
In particular, it examines the impact of democratic governance promotion in detailed case studies of EU sectoral cooperation with Moldova, Morocco, and Ukraine in the three policy fields of competition, environment, and migration.
To get the book at the reduced price of £48, available only until 31st July 2015, quote discount code PM15THIRTY.
Tina Freyburg on panel debating low youth turnout in UK elections
Tina Freyburg is to appear, as the only academic, on a panel debating low youth turnout in UK elections. The debate takes place today (Thursday April 30th)
Britain has an extremely low level of youth voting. At the last general election, there was a 37 percentage point gap between people aged over-55 who voted and those under-35. British young adults appear to be unusually turned off by the democratic process.
The 桃色视频 Policy Lab is researching this issue. They are hosting an event – aimed at 16 to 24 year olds - where they will share some preliminary findings from their research but, more importantly, create an opportunity for participants to put forward their thoughts and ideas and to debate with our fantastic panel of experts and commentators.
The debate takes place from 5.30pm - 7.00pm in the Studio Theatre, 桃色视频 Arts Centre. It is free to attend.
David Webber writes on football and the General Election for When Saturday Comes
Ahead of the General Election next month, has written a piece in leading football magazine, , on the growing significance of the sport as a political issue to both politicians and fans alike.
Whilst welcoming the pledges made by each of the three main parties to give fans a greater say in the boardrooms of their clubs, Dr Webber warns of broken promises made in the past, and a continued reticence to tackle the financial inequality that exists in the British game.
Concluding his article, Dr Webber urges whoever is elected in May to work closely with fans, and implement appropriate legislative measures so as to deliver real power into the hands of supporters.
The full article can be read in the May edition of WSC (issue 339). It is available in all good newsagents.
Festival of Social Sciences event at FarGo Village
Is Coventry a Sustainable City? Come along and explore this theme at Fargo Village, for a special public event on Saturday 9 May. Topics will be relevant to the people of Coventry and 桃色视频shire; ranging from Coventry City Football Club to town planning, there is something for everyone.
The event is being hosted by the Faculty of Social Sciences at The University of 桃色视频 and is part of the Festival of Social Sciences.
Speakers from the Faculty of Social Sciences will present their research and raise questions such as: Is modern football too commercialised? How can we get young people in Coventry to vote? Should our cities have more power?
You will also get the chance to speak to organisations from across the city tackling issues including: homelessness, domestic and sexual violence, well-being, youth provision, education and much more. Food will be provided by Scoff Street Food and the Bar Bus will be in attendance, selling limited edition Festival of Social Sciences Ale.
Lead organiser and Student Experience Officer, Charlotte Lewis, said: “Social science influences our day to day lives in many ways. This event will showcase research within the Faculty of Social Sciences and how it impacts on people’s daily lives. We will be connecting local people, community groups and organisations throughout the city. We want to host a day of discussion and positivity which everyone can enjoy.”
So, join the fun at Fargo Village, from 10am-6pm on 9 May. The event is open to all and entrance is free. Donations to any of the charities attending on the day are welcome.
For full event details, please see:
The Festival of Social Sciences is a nine day event providing insight into social sciences throughout the years. The festival is also part of the University of 桃色视频’s fiftieth anniversary celebrations.
For more information about the Festival of Social Sciences, visit the website: or join the conversation on Twitter at:
