The Political Representation of Ethnic Minorities in the UK in Comparative Perspective
An Economic and Social Research Council Seminar Series
The election of Barack Obama as President represents a landmark in the history of racial politics in the U.S. The US has not only chosen a leader who embodies the union of black and white America, it has elected a Presidentwho reflects the ties between established Americans and new immigrants. The victory of Obama has triggered wider debate in Europe and the UK particularly, as to whether someone from an ethnic minoritycould achieve similar sucess in national politics. The series will explorethe prospectsfor ethnic minority represntation in Britain and the barriers to achieving it.
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‘UK-Obama’?: Assessing the electoral prospects for ethnic minority candidates to achieve national executive office in Britain?
An International Conference organized by the University of Manchester and the Hansard Society, London,
Tuesday 31st May 2011, 9.45am - 4.45pm
Room E, 7 Millbank, Westminster, detailed directions can be found on the information sheet
This conference will examine the political institutional context surrounding the representation of ethnic minorities in the UK, and place it in comparative perspective, drawing on the experiences of other nations in Europe and the U.S. The election of Barack Obama in 2008 ignited significant debate in Britain about the state of ethnic minorities’ political representation and the extent to which our institutions, and particularly parties, present barriers to the advancement of non-white politicians. The General election of 2010 saw the proportion of black and ethnic minority MPs elected to the Houses of Parliament increase to four percent, although this still constitutes an under-representation compared to their presence in the population as a whole (which stands at 12 percent). The conference will bring together scholars and practitioners from parties and civil society organizations to debate the current status of ethnic minority representation in the UK and what measures, if any, can be used to address problems faced by ethnic minorities in entering the political system.
Key Notes
Prof. Michael Lewis Beck, University of Iowa: A UK Obama? Assessing the prospects for an ethnic minority PM in Britain
Paper co-authored with Professor Mary Stegmaier - University of Virginia
Prof. Shamit Saggar, University of Sussex: The state of ethnic minority political representation: an academic and practitioner perspective
Roundtable Discussion Practitioner and Policy Perspectives
Prof. Robert Putnam, Harvard University
Claude Moraes, London MEP
Baroness Meral Hussein-Ece OBE, Liberal Democrat Peer
Academic analysis
Dr. Liz Richardson, Dr. Francesca Gains, University of Manchester and Dr. Catherine Durose, University of DeMontfort: Acceptable difference’: diversity, representation and the ‘professionalisation’ of UK politics
Prof. Claudine Gay, Harvard University: Representation and Responsiveness: Lessons from the United States
Discussant: Prof. Anthony Heath, University of Manchester
Please complete the Booking Form
For more information please view the agenda
For more information please email: socialchange@manchester.ac.uk
Organised by Institute for Social Change (ISC), The Hansard Society and Democracy, Citizens and Elections Research Network (DCERN)