Enjoying the beautiful weather on our 2-day POLIS research impact/writing retreat

When we think about the insecurities of states or the self, we often overlook a crucial dimension: gender. I am happy to share my new article on this issue: “Making feminist and post-colonial sense of ontological (in)security: securing Turkey through women’s emancipation”

Today was International Day of UN peacekeepers, honouring peacekeepers who have lost their lives. I was invited to discuss UN reform and implementing Women, Peace and Security at a high profile roundtable event organised by @RUSI and #UNA-UK #WPS

Walaa Alqaisiya 婉澜 ولاء Innovation, Knowledge and Development (IKD) This is a free online event by Dr Walaa Alqaisiya you can register for via: tinyurl.com/2kt4j5yu Laleh Khalili 🇵🇸 Geoff Andrews Precious N Chatterje-Doody POLIS Dr Georgina Holmes Edward Wastnidge Donna Smith Charlotte Weatherill SOAS Middle East Institute Middle East Eye LSE Middle East

The GCSJ research festival is free & many sessions are online; feel free to share Dr Georgina Holmes Agnes Kukulska-Hulme Erica Borgstrom Kesi Mahendran, Prof• Dr Jaime Waters Weiwei Chen Precious N Chatterje-Doody Cath Brown (still ducking around )🦆 🇪🇺💙🌍 Keetie Roelen Alison Buckler @kwameakyeampong Gunjan S OU Arts & Social Sciences Innovation, Knowledge and Development (IKD)

We are delighted to publish the winners of this year’s POLIS student blog competition! We had many entries and selected one overall winner and three runners up. All received prize vouchers. Read the fantastic winning entries here: fass.open.ac.uk/polis/outreach… OU Arts & Social Sciences OU Students

As the lead up to the appointment of the next #UN #SecretaryGeneral picks up pace, here's my explainer article on the selection process that will take place in 2026 and why there is growing momentum to appoint a woman #equality #UnitedNations tinyurl.com/5n6w7ftp

🚨Report by Donna Smith & Dan Taylor with PolicyWISE out now! "Engaging the disengaged: a guide for policymakers & campaigners" explores practical ways to engage disengaged groups in democracy. 🔗Read here: fass.open.ac.uk/sites/fass.ope… OU Arts & Social Sciences OU Centre for Global Challenges and Social Justice Political Studies Association

Last week@security_women and me ran a workshop for UK Ministry of Defence on the recruitment of women into British Armed Forces ahead of the tri-service programme 2027. Maj Marcelle Grace presented her research & UK Fire & Rescue Service shared good practice. Report pending #WPS

Our excellent MA in International Relations (IR) is now open for registration! Over the next few days we’ll be sharing some info on what the course looks like and the kind of things you’ll be studying in D818 – Part 1 of the MA. OU Arts & Social Sciences OU Centre for Global Challenges and Social Justice BISA - British International Studies Association Political Studies Association

On Tuesday 1 July, Dr Georgina Holmes and NGO Security Women ran an internal workshop for the UK Ministry of Defence 🇬🇧 on the recruitment of women into the British Armed Forces, ahead of the new tri-service recruitment programme 2027. Read here! fass.open.ac.uk/news/improving…

Can’t recommend this cracking course enough!

Is democracy in crisis? Block 5 explores how rising populism, autocracy & nationalism are reshaping global politics - through liberal & constructivist IR theory, backed by both statistical and narrative analysis. Discover what this means for the future of international relations.

When is it right to intervene? Block 6 dives into the ethical fault lines of global politics—tackling human rights, sovereignty & humanitarian action through the lenses of the English School and cosmopolitan IR theory, using interpretivist methods to unpack it all.

Thinking studying an MA International Relations? Apply today at The Open University.

Really pleased my article on the election process of the UN Secretary General is now available in the Open University's Resources for Schools, created for secondary school age students across the UK. #UNSG #unitednations POLIS tinyurl.com/2jut9xne

Billionaires will be like, here’s the secret to my success: 1) cold showers 2) inheriting a fortune 3) meditation 4) not paying taxes

It's not too late to apply for the MA International Relations at the OU! Deadline is 14th August. This course is special. 5 stars. Created by experts in International Relations AND distance learning. What more could you ask for in an MA? open.ac.uk/postgraduate...