From Syria to Southern Africa and from North America to New Zealand, the relationship between the governors and the governed has become an increasing matter of serious concern. Recent developments in Egypt, Syria and Turkey reveal the use of not only new forms of public engagement in politics but also the role of public expectations in shaping demands and public attitudes. In North America and Western Europe the rise of ‘disaffected democrats’ and the emergence of populist parties and anti-political social groups in long-established democracies suggests a strong sense of disconnection and political disaffection. It is in exactly this context that the University of Sheffield has established the world’s first research centre for the study and promotion of the public understanding of politics – the Sir Bernard Crick Centre. As an externally facing university research centre the role of the Crick Centre is not only undertake cutting edge research into public attitudes and behaviour but also to reach-out beyond academe in order to stimulate public debate, cultivate political literacy and encourage engaged citizenship. The Crick Centre does not support any specific party or politician, it does not aim to tell the public what is ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ but it is committed to cultivating debates and discussions about why politics matters (and why the study of politics matters) in a vast range of arenas.
The aim of the Crick Centre is to study and promote the public understanding of politics (broadly defined) in a manner that cultivates debate and encourages engaged citizenship around the world. It therefore seeks to close the gap that has arguably emerged not just between politicians and the public but also between academe and society more broadly.
‘Understanding’ in this instance should be taken – as Charles Simonyi argued in relation to his chair in science – ‘a little poetically as well as literally’. As an externally focused university research centre the aim of the Crick Centre is neither to adopt partisan positions nor attempt to tell the public which politician, political party or interest group is ‘right’ or ‘wrong’. Rather it aims to inform and underpin public and practitioner debates about the changing nature of society and the challenges it faces by questioning established assumptions, disseminating research findings and providing creative opportunities for public engagement and discussion.
Matthew Flinders is Founding Director of the Sir Bernard Crick Centre for the Public Understanding of Politics at the University of Sheffield and also sir Walter Murdoch Adjunt Distinguished Professor in Governance and Public Policy at Murdoch University. He is the co-author of the international journal Policy & Politics and his books include Multi-Level Governance (co-edited, 2004), Democratic Drift (2008), Walking Without Order (2009), The Oxford Handbook of British Politics (co-edited, 2010) and Defending Politics (2012) (all Oxford University Press). A regular writer and presenter for a number of national newspaper, international websites and the BBC, Prof. Flinders is the former recipient of the Harrison Prize (2002), Richard Rose Prize (2004), Mackenzie Prize (2009)_, the Political Studies Associations ‘ Communicator of the Year’ Award (2012), the Sam Aaronovitch Memorial Prize (2012) and an ESRC ‘Impact Champion’ Award (2012).
Katharine Dommett is Deputy Director of the Sir Bernard Crick Centre for the Public Understanding of Politics at the University of Sheffield, United Kingdom. Katharine leads on the Training strand of the Centre’s work, developing and administering courses designed to equip academics with the skills necessary to enhance their public engagement activities.
Dr. Matt Sleat joined the Department in 2007, having previously been a fellow in Government at the LSE and a visiting fellow at the Social and Political Theory Research Programme at the Australia National University. He is the author of several books and articles in which he argues for the need to have a more realistic understanding of politics, and in particular the nature and limits of the political, and explores the relationship between the theory of politics and political practice. He is also currently working on a project that explores the ethical dimension of cyber-warfare and the use of cyber-weapons.
Jack Corbett is a Postdoctoral Fellow at The Australian National University’s School of International, Political and Strategic Studies. His research interests include anti-politics, depoliticization and the demonisation of politicians, with a focus on developing countries and the Pacific Islands in particular. Jack is currently finalising a book manuscript titled Being Political: Politicians and Politics in the Pacific Islands. For more see: http://anu-au.academia.edu/JackCorbett
From January 2014 Matthew Wood will be working at the Crick Centre as a postdoctoral researcher. Matthew’s doctoral thesis, submitted in September 2013, is funded through the ESRC 1+3 scheme and is entitled ‘Depoliticisation, Crisis and Governance’. His research interests primarily revolve around applying the concepts of politicisation and depoliticisation to analysing changing forms of governance, and he is co-convenor of the PSA Special Group on Anti-politics and (De)politicisation. Wider research interests include moral panics, democratic governance, ‘hyper-democracy’, and the relevance debate in political science. Matthew has held visiting fellowships at the UK Cabinet Office and the ANZSOG Institute for Governance, University of Canberra, and is country manager for the UK in the global Varieties of Democracy research project. He has forthcoming publications in Politics and Policy & Politics.
