Abstract: Elections are a blunt tool for accountability. Can enhanced politician-voter communication in the periods between elections improve democratic outcomes? We partner with a politician in Pakistan and design an experiment with Interactive Voice Response (IVR) --- a technology that enables him to robocall a large number of voters in his own voice to ask them questions and receive feedback. We randomize whether respondents receive a call soliciting preferences about upcoming decisions the politician must make.

*Abstract:* In the study and practice of International Relations (IR), contributions from area studies face mounting challenges. These emanate from both the disciplinary mainstream, which privileges large-N, quantifiable knowledge, and from the policy arena, which is trending towards de-funding and de-legitimization of fine-grained expertise on other world regions. Yet, the realities of global power shift and Western retrenchment suggest that the time has never been riper to infuse IR with insights into political perspectives driving pathways beyond the West.

The German election of September 2017 saw a weakened Angela Merkel returned to power for a fourth term. Merkel must now bring new parties into her coalition, which is likely to include the Greens. The election also brought a far-right party into the national parliament for the first time since 1945.

What impact will this have on Germany, the EU and the world? Join the panel for a discussion of the possible consequences, followed by a Q&A.

The South China Sea conflicts pose a regional threat to peace, maritime security and economic progress in ASEAN, the coastal states along South China Sea (SCS) and global trade. All of the main claimants, including China, the Philippines, Vietnam, Taiwan, Malaysia and Brunei, have ratified UNCLOS (The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea). UNCLOS contains specific mechanisms for dispute resolution but these have not yet proven to be effective.

h1. Centre for International Studies (CIS) Sponsored Book Workshop

*If you would like to attend this event please register by emailing Barnaby King (barnaby.king@tss.ox.ac.uk). Draft chapters of the manuscript will be sent, in advance of the event, to those that confirm they are attending.*

On Friday 20th October, the Centre for International Studies (CIS) will host a book manuscript workshop on Professor Cécile Fabre’s book-in-progress ‘Economic Statecraft’. Lunch will be provided.

*Abstract:*

To understand state control, we need to consider both citizens’ actions and regime response. This paper uses an original dataset containing detailed information from a sample of almost 300 informants to East Germany’s Ministry for State Security (Stasi) to shed light on the way in which an authoritarian system can use covert repression to counter the effects of a destabilizing process. I consider both the supply of potential informants, arising from the wider society, and the Stasi’s demand for them.