This colloquium is a setting for staff and research students to discuss works in progress. It provides a friendly, professional venue for the discussion of draft work. The intention is to provide feedback to presenters as well as to facilitate engagement with material outside of the scope of one’s own research topic.

This colloquium typically meets fortnightly during term and is primarily intended for staff, PhD students and visiting scholars. Light refreshments are provided.

Papers are circulated electronically to the Politics and International Studies (POLIS) department lists approximately one week in advance of the session, and copies of the paper are made available in the CIS Office.

Everyone who attends is expected to have read the paper and come prepared to discuss it in a friendly and critical manner. Some of the most effective feedback is often gained from interested non-experts with fresh perspectives. All PhD students are encouraged to attend sessions outside their own research interests and discipline, and first year PhD students in particular are encouraged to attend.

Each session lasts approximately an hour. It usually begins with authors providing a brief context for the paper of 5 minutes or so, which is then followed by open discussion. Discussions often carry on afterwards in The Anchor pub.