Beyond Our Current Boundaries: Peace Studies from Africa and the Global South. Book Launch and talk.

Drawing on decades of experience in academia and the activist world, 'Beyond our Current Boundaries: Peace Studies from Africa and the Global South' (Africa World Press, 2025, premiere book in the Africa World Peace Book Series) initiates a new Africa World Press/Red Sea Press series championing the distinct and growing field of African and Global South Peace Research and Studies. This intentionally interdisciplinary field, bringing together grassroots organizers, scholars, and students, is laid out by Matt Meyer - one of its pioneering thinkers.

Research Ethics and the Study of Armed Actors - A dialogue on recently published research

Drawing on a recently published special issue of 'Conflict, Security, and Development', this presentation and panel discussion draws together scholars who conduct fieldwork in challenging environments for a frank dialogue on the ethical difficulties faced by researchers. With Dr Christine Cheng (War Studies, King's College London), Gloriana Rodriguez Alvarez (African Leadership Centre, King’s College London), and Dr Ibrahim Bangura (University of Sierra Leone; AfOx Visiting Fellow, Oxford).
Chair: Professor John Gledhill.

Budgeting for AI: Towards a Systematic Understanding of the Impact of Public Budgeting on Public Sector AI Adoption

Postgraduate students, fellows, staff and faculty from any discipline are welcome. This group aims to foster frequent interdisciplinary critical dialogue across Oxford and beyond about the political impacts of emerging technologies. Please contact Elisabeth Siegel at elisabeth.siegel@politics.ox.ac.uk or Brian Kot at brian.kot@politics.ox.ac.uk in advance to participate or with any questions. Remote attendance is possible, but in-person attendance is prioritized (and provided refreshment).

The Securitisation of AI Safety Institutes

Postgraduate students, fellows, staff and faculty from any discipline are welcome. This group aims to foster frequent interdisciplinary critical dialogue across Oxford and beyond about the political impacts of emerging technologies. Please contact Elisabeth Siegel at elisabeth.siegel@politics.ox.ac.uk or Brian Kot at brian.kot@politics.ox.ac.uk in advance to participate or with any questions. Remote attendance is possible, but in-person attendance is prioritized (and provided refreshment).

Cybersecurity and AI: Threats, opportunities, and the state of play

Postgraduate students, fellows, staff and faculty from any discipline are welcome. This group aims to foster frequent interdisciplinary critical dialogue across Oxford and beyond about the political impacts of emerging technologies. Please contact Elisabeth Siegel at elisabeth.siegel@politics.ox.ac.uk or Brian Kot at brian.kot@politics.ox.ac.uk in advance to participate or with any questions. Remote attendance is possible, but in-person attendance is prioritized (and provided refreshment).

Strategic Instability: A Practitioner’s Perspective on Narratives Fueling the Conventional and Emerging Tech

Postgraduate students, fellows, staff and faculty from any discipline are welcome. This group aims to foster frequent interdisciplinary critical dialogue across Oxford and beyond about the political impacts of emerging technologies. Please contact Elisabeth Siegel at elisabeth.siegel@politics.ox.ac.uk or Brian Kot at brian.kot@politics.ox.ac.uk in advance to participate or with any questions. Remote attendance is possible, but in-person attendance is prioritized (and provided refreshment).

AI Safety in Practice: Safeguarding Against Real-World Misuse and Near-Term Harms

Postgraduate students, fellows, staff and faculty from any discipline are welcome. This group aims to foster frequent interdisciplinary critical dialogue across Oxford and beyond about the political impacts of emerging technologies. Please contact Elisabeth Siegel at elisabeth.siegel@politics.ox.ac.uk or Brian Kot at brian.kot@politics.ox.ac.uk in advance to participate or with any questions. Remote attendance is possible, but in-person attendance is prioritized (and provided refreshment).

Topic — AI Safety in Practice: Safeguarding Against Real-World Misuse and Near-Term Harms

Emergent Prestige and Status-Seeking Dynamics in International AI Competition

Postgraduate students, fellows, staff and faculty from any discipline are welcome. This group aims to foster frequent interdisciplinary critical dialogue across Oxford and beyond about the political impacts of emerging technologies. Please contact Elisabeth Siegel at elisabeth.siegel@politics.ox.ac.uk or Brian Kot at brian.kot@politics.ox.ac.uk in advance to participate or with any questions. Remote attendance is possible, but in-person attendance is prioritized (and provided refreshment).

Oxford Conservative Thought (Week 1: Property & Markets)

The Oxford Conservative Thought (OCT) Reading Group is a non-partisan group devoted to academic exploration of small-c conservative political thought. We welcome, and actively encourage, viewpoint diversity and constructive engagement across ideological divides (all good-willed participants are welcome!)

Each week we read one assigned text, and we recommend more for anyone who is very keen!

The OCT meets weekly in term time on Fridays from 4-5:30pm.
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