News

You are cordially invited to the Launch of the Tuam Babies Memorial and Related Artworks at Áras Moyola, NUI Galway which will inlcude a panel presentation by Michelle Millar, Marguerita McGovern, Sarhanne Buckley and Caroline McGregor. Tuesday 12th of March in Room MY123 Áras Moyola from 3.30pm.  This is a free event for more information please contact caroline.mcgregor@nuigalway.ie

On 6 February, 1918, the Representation of the People Act extended the parliamentary vote to women. This political right was restricted to women over the age of 30 who met specified property qualifications or who held university degrees. An estimated 8.5 million women were qualified under the terms of the legislation – roughly 40% of the total number of potential women electors. In contrast, men were entitled to vote at age 21. The Act also extended local franchises to women and men alike and addressed war-time disruption of existing residency requirements. The 1918 Act gave partial or restricted rights to women only, reflecting long-entrenched class and gender-informed thinking. The clause, to grant votes to women, was resisted in the House of Lords until January 1918 - right to the end. In light of the long-held fear of the place and the power of the woman elector, the granting of votes to women in 1918, though restricted, was a revolutionary moment in women’s political history. In Ireland, the age of voting for women was lowered to age 21 in 1922 and, in England and post-partition North of Ireland, it was equalised only in 1928. The story of votes for women opens up important opportunities to think about citizenship, democracy, social class and how and why political life is shaped as it is. It is a time to reflect upon the arguments and ideas of those who campaigned to change the law; much of what they wanted to change still remains to be done. Mary Clancy, 6 February, 2018

Minister for Social Protection, Leo Varadkar in his recent Biennial Distinguished Lecture at the Institute for Lifecourse and Society in NUI Galway, mentioned one parent families in particular and his aim to reduce child poverty in the country. Dr Michelle Millar pictured during her address.  More coverage here.

The Postgraduate Diploma in Social Work Supervision, Management and Practice programme has been shortlisted for the GradIreland Higher Education Awards in two categories - Arts and Humanities and Health Sciences categories.The awards ceremony will take place on Thursday 24th November 2016 in the Crowne Plaza Hotel, Blanchardstown.  To see a full list of shortlisted courses and for detailed symposium information visit www.highereductionawards.ie Further details of the programme are available at http://www.nuigalway.ie/colleges-and-schools/arts-social-sciences-and-celtic-studies/political-science-and-sociology/postgraduate-programmes/pgdip-social-work/

Dr Michelle Millar (Political Science and Sociology) and Dr Rosemary Crosse (UNESCO Child & Family Research Centre) were witnesses to the recent Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection in relation to Issues of Concern to Lone Parents, where they presented evidence from their report ‘Lone Parents and Activation, what works and why’. The proceedings are available from Oireachtas.ie

Violence Against Women: Dr Nata Duvvury (School of Political Science and Sociology) recently addressed the UN about the global epidemic of violence against women. Read an edited version of Dr Duvvury’s address on The Guardian

‌‌‌‌  Pictured at Áras an Uachtaráin, June 3rd 2016, for the launch of Philosophy and Political Engagement (edited by Allyn Fives and Keith Breen, Palgrave) are (from left to right): Joseph Mahon, Dr Allyn Fives, President Michael D. Higgins, Prof. James E. Mahon, Prof. Felix O’ Murchadha, and Annie McKeown O’Donovan  

Dr Niall Ó Dochartaigh published an edited book in September 2015 on ‘Political Violence in Context’ with co-editors Lorenzo Bosi and Daniela Pisoiu. The book was launched by prof John Coakley of UCD and QUB at the PSAI annual conference in Cork in October. The book is published by ECPR Press, the publishing house of the main European Political Science Association, the ECPR, and includes authors from across Europe and the Americas. Available from the publisher online at: http://press.ecpr.eu/book_details.asp?bookTitleID=393