Expert Comment
The Death and Mourning for David Bowie
Following the recent death of David Bowie Deborah Lynn Steinberg, Professor of Gender, Media and Cultural Studies, takes a personal look at public mourning.
Prof Seán Hand: "We Cant Carry On Like This" Round Two: the French Regional Elections 2015
The second and final round of elections in the 13 regions of France was always going to produce a win-win situation for the far-right FN. By capturing even one region, they could announce the end of a two-party system, and then seek to govern soberly in the run-up to presidential elections in 16 months. If they were to be blocked through tactical voting and fail to obtain any of the several winnable regions, they could denounce two-party collusion, present themselves as the denied voice of the people, and continue to blame France’s woes on lies, the government, the EU, the IMF, immigrants, globalisation, establishment, etc. etc, in preparation for a 2017 re-run.
Prof Seán Hand: French elections shocking to many commentators, but predictable
While this first result was called shocking by many commentators, it was predictable not just as a reaction to recent terrorist attacks, migrant crises, and the continuing sluggishness of the French economy, but as an effect of the long-term strategy of the FN’s leader Marine Le Pen to distance the party from its racist and anti-semitic past intimately associated with her father and the FN’s provocative founder Jean-Marie Le Pen.
Female obesity the food industry needs to take action
Professor Nick Spencer, Emeritus Professor of Child Health comments on England's chief medical officer Dame Sally Davies call for women to take charge of their weight as she highlights obesity as the biggest threat to women's health.
Why have Islamists turned on Germany?
Dr James Hodkinson, Associate Professor in German studies, comments on mosque raids by Berlin Police that lead to the arrest of two suspects yesterday, catalysed by the terrorist attacks in Paris two weeks today,