Making Politics Matter

Making Politics Matter (MPM) is a Politics and International Relations staff-student initiative at Canterbury Christ Church University – a series of public lectures which feature high-profile national and international politicians, members of social and political organisations, and political activists and which aims to engage students and the general public through regular, thought-provoking, and current political debates. Based on a 'public square' debate format, MPM provides a 21st Century equivalent of the celebrated town hall debates of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries.

Making Politics Matter and the Politics/International Relations Curriculum

Led by Dr. Demetris Tillyris, Making Politics Matter enriches the Politics/IR curriculum offered at Canterbury Christ Church University, and facilitates our endeavour to provide an outstanding student and learning experience which extends beyond the narrow confines of the classroom. The initiative enables our students to ‘learn in action’, build fruitful networks and collaborations with prominent political practitioners, and develop the key skills required to establish and lead successful careers. Read more on what our students say about contributing to MPM and the career opportunities which our novel initiative offers here:

   

Ivanka Antova


Politics and Communications graduate

PROFILE

Victoria Hart


Politics and Governance graduate

PROFILE

For the latest news on upcoming events see our Facebook page.

Past Events

In the past few years, Making Politics Matter has attracted a range of high-profile national and international speakers, including:

  • John Bercow (Speaker of the House of Commons)
  • Tim Farron (when Leader of the Liberal Democrats)
  • Natalie Bennett (when Leader of the Green Party)
  • Nigel Farage, MEP (when Leader of the UK Independence Party)
  • Damien Green, MP (when Minister for Immigration)
  • Michael Foster, MP (when Equalities Minister)
  • Rosie Duffield, MP
  • Mark Hammond, CEO, Equalities and Human Rights Commission
  • Keith Taylor, MEP
  • Neal Lawson, Chair of Compass Pressure Group
  • Mohammed Tariq Ismati, Afghan Deputy Minister for Rural Rehabilitation and Development
  • Stephane Paquet, Agent Generale of the Quebec Government to the UK
  • Barry Faulkner, Unite National Political Education Co-ordinator

"It has been a very exciting and interesting process that has helped develop my research skills… I have enjoyed working with my fellow students as part of a team and we have created something we are very proud of."

Contact us

If you are a politician, activist, member of an NGO, or in some other way involved in the political sphere, you may be interested in becoming an MPM speaker. If so, please contact politics@canterbury.ac.uk.

 

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Last edited: 21/05/2019 08:50:00