Six days of back-to-back papers sounds like a recipe for boredom by the megaton. Nothing could be further from the truth. The course for the PhDs was a joy – bright-eyed, bushy-tailed enthusiasm from all sides and some fascinating fieldwork to boot.

  In comparison, a workshop with colleagues could have been an anti-climax. Instead, it was an opportunity to share experiences with the like-minded colleagues in the photo. We seized it with both hands not only in the sessions but also in bars and restaurants. It wasn’t tiring or boring – it was refreshing.  For more information go to:  http://www.cbs.dk/node/340196

I was awarded a Special Recognition Award by the UK Political Studies Association. The award was the unanimous choice of a jury of distinguished academics and journalists who met recently at Westminster. The jurors agreed that Rod’s contribution to political science has been ‘outstanding and increased enormously our understanding of how government works and done much to raise the esteem of the discipline’. The award was presented by Shami Chakrabarti, Director of Liberty (The National Council for Civil Liberties) at the recent Political Studies Association Annual Conference in Manchester.