The British Politics Group

London Scenes

The British Politics Group is a nonpartisan research organization interested in improving the development, communication, and dissemination of knowledge about British politics. It has existed for over 20 years and consists primarily, but not exclusively, of academic political scientists in the United States, the United Kingdom, and other countries, notably Canada and Australia. The membership is over 200 faculty, other professionals, and graduate students. Many of the leading scholars of British politics worldwide are members. The BPG was founded in 1975 specifically to encourage the study of British politics in North America.

Activities of the British Politics Group include annual sponsorship of panels on British politics at the largest political science meeting in the world, that of the American Political Science Association, a quarterly newsletter, an annual bibliography of books on British politics published in the United Kingdom.  The BPG also sponsors three scholarly awards: 1)  the Samuel H. Beer Prize for the Best Ph.D. Dissertation on British Politics by a North American scholar, 2) The Stokes Dissertation Fellowship, and 3) the James B. Christoph Prize for the Best Paper on British Politics by a junior faculty member. 

An electronic mail listserv - BPG-L - exists to promote the discussion of British politics.  Information on joining the list and a link to the BPG-L Archives can be accessed from the BPG-L web page.

British Politics Group panels at the APSA in recent years have featured a variety of topics and participants. One goal is to have a scholarly exchange of views by people from both sides of the Atlantic. Panels have included such diverse topics as analysis of recent general elections, the legacy of Thatcherism, Northern Ireland, party politics, the future of socialism, representation of gender and ethnic groups, law and order, reform of the civil service, Britain and the European Union, the role of parliament, and the teaching of British politics. One panel each year is specifically devoted to "the Year in British Politics," featuring addresses by two leading British scholars specially invited for the occasion. Among the scholars participating in this fashion have been Philip Norton, Patrick Seyd, Ivor Crewe, Anthony King, Robert Waller, and Zig Layton-Henry. Current information is on the APSA Panels page.  The BPG additionally sponsors occasional special conferences. The most recent one concerned British Foreign Policy and was held at the University of California, Berkeley, in conjunction with the Institute of Government Studies.  Other panels are open for participation by graduate students as well as established professionals at all levels.

Executive Officers

Executive Committee

Send questions and comments to: Joel.Wolfe@uc.edu.

This page was last updated 08/06/2008 15:17