Aberystwyth Model United Nations Society

As you may know, the David Davies Memorial Institute (DDMI) has been a strong supporter of AberMUN Society this year. They have pledged support to various events to be hosted by us, in particular our Model UN conference which is to be held in early-mid April 2008.

On Friday the 23rd of November, and the following Saturday, the DDMI and UNA Wales is hosting a research skill training workshop and conference in Aberystwyth, hosting a range of prominent speakers on the topics of the Future of the International Nuclear Order (workshop, Friday) and Prospects for Trust-Building between the West and Iran (conference, Saturday). These conferences are free of charge, and with the speakers that have been confirmed (see below), they promise to be of the highest quality. The AberMUN Secretariat will be represented at the conferences and we hope to see as many as possible of our members there.

Note that if you wish to attend any of these, you need to send an email to Dr. Rachel Owen at the DDMI at ddmstaff [at] aber.ac.uk. This way the DDMI will know how many people are attending.

Please read on for further information about the events, courtesy of the DDMI.

‘The Future of the International Nuclear Order: Exploring the Contribution of Security Regime Theory’ Friday 23rd November 2007, 4.00-7.15pm 

Main Hall, Department of International Politics, Aberystwyth University, Penglais, Aberystwyth.

The DDMI is organising a one day research skills training workshop on the contribution that security regime theory can make to our understanding of the international nuclear order, and particularly the role of the Non-Proliferation Treaty in sustaining that order.

The workshop is open to all, but is aimed at PhD students, academics and practitioners with expertise on the theoretical and applied aspects of the nuclear non-proliferation regime.

The event will be held under the Chatham House rule. A rapporteur’s summary of the meeting will subsequently be posted on the DDMI web site.

Programme

4.00-4.15pm: Introductions by Professor Colin McInnes (Head of Department, International Politics, Aberystwyth University) and Dr Jenny Mathers (Director of Postgraduate Studies, Aberystwyth

University)

4.15-5.30pm: Session One

Tristan Price (PhD candidate, Aberystwyth University) “Evaluating Regime Impact: the case of the UK and the NPT”

Caroline Baker (PhD candidate, University of Salford) “Debating the Future of the International Nuclear Order-the Value of Realism in Assessing the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Regime”

5.30-5.45pm: Tea

5.45-7.15pm: Session Two

Professor William Walker (University of St Andrews) “The Recovery of the International Nuclear Order”

Discussant: Patrick Lamb (Foreign and Commonwealth Office)

The David Davies Memorial Institute of International Studies and the United Nations Association Wales, present

 A Conference: ‘Prospects for Trust-building between the West and Iran’ Saturday 24th November 2007, 11am – 4.30pm 

Main Hall, Department of International Politics, Aberystwyth University, Penglais, Aberystwyth.

 Programme

11.00 – 11.10: The Conference will be opened by Professor Noel Lloyd, Principal and Vice Chancellor of Aberystwyth University.

11.10 – 12.45: Session One

Chair: Professor Colin McInnes (Head of Department, International Politics, Aberystwyth University)

Professor John Simpson (University of Southampton) – “Iran and the Nuclear Fuel Circle: Why are we worried?”

Dr Patricia Lewis (Director, UNIDIR) – “Trusting? Verifying? Panicking? The International Approach to Iran’s Nuclear Programme”

12.45 – 1.45: Lunch (please note, this is at delegates own expense)

1.45 – 3.15: Session Two

Chair: Professor Martin Alexander (Aberystwyth University)

Dr Farhang Jahanpour (University of Oxford) – “Iran-US relations: A history of mutual mistrust”

Dr Mustafa Kibaroglu (Bilkent University) – “Iran’s rights and wrongs in its nuclear dealings”

3.15 – 3.30: Tea

3.30 – 4.30: Session Three – Roundtable: “Prospects for Trust-building”

Chair: Stephen Thomas (Director of the Welsh Centre for International Affairs and Secretary of UNA Wales)

Panel: Dr Saeed Barzin (BBC Monitoring Service), Dr Jeroen Gunning (Aberystwyth University), Professor Nicholas J. Wheeler (Director, DDMI)