Study Abroad Pre-Trip Interview: Governing After Brexit in London
Study Abroad Pre-Trip Interview
Governing after Brexit in London with Dr. Darrin Wilson
Answer: I use to live in the United Kingdom, and became fascinated with their political system. While living back in the U.S., I followed the 2016 Brexit Referendum and its aftermath. Major decisions like leaving the European Union can have ramifications, all the way down to local government and non-profits. Therefore, I wanted to offer this class so MPA students and others can learn how to handle major shocks to a governing system.
Can you give a brief background to Brexit?
Answer: For decades, there have been a growing and vocal group of British citizens and politicians who have wanted the United Kingdom leave the European Union. Their argument has been that the country is bounded by European Union laws, doesn't allow them to have full control of their own borders, and hinders their ability to conduct free trade with nations outside of the European Union. This pressure finally came to a head when the Prime Minister at the time, Conservative Party leader David Cameron, fulfilled a campaign promise to allow the citizens of the United Kingdom a vote on whether or not to leave the E.U. The referendum was held in 2016, and by a slim margin, the voters decided to leave the E.U. Since then David Cameron has resigned as Prime Minister, Theresa May took over and has resigned, and now of this writing Boris Johnson is Prime Minister. Long story short, as of this writing the U.K. hasn't left but is suppose to leave by October 31st or seek an extension to negotiations. No one is sure what is going to happen.
Have you been to London before?
Answer: Oh yes, many times.
What are you most looking forward to?
Answer: Sharing the vibrancy, culture, and activities of London with the students.
What are some places that student will be able to visit on this trip?
Answer: Our plan is to go to Parliament, London City Hall, Bank of England, London Transport Museums and other wonderful places. Additionally, I am in the process of scheduling a time to visit Colchester (my old stomping ground) to meet with local government officials.
How does visiting London benefit the course?
Answer: London is the political, economic, and cultural capital of the United Kingdom. Additionally, is it one of the great capitals of the world, and decisions made in London reverberate across the globe.
Will students have assignments due while abroad?
Answer: Before the trip, students will pick one area of policy or governance interest (e.g. healthcare, transportation, criminal justice, etc.) and will write an annotated bibliography around it. During the trip, students will keep a journal and write about what they have learned each day about Brexit and their area of interest. Finally, when we get back students will write a paper on the Brexit campaign, and the major changes that have occurred in their area of interest since the Brexit Referendum.
What do you hope students get out of the trip?
Answer: I hope students will gain a greater appreciation of public administration beyond the United States. Every community, whether they are in Kentucky or Ohio or the United Kingdom, face similar challenges, how we approach them may be different, and that is important to learn from.
For scholarship information check out the NKU Study Abroad Website https://inside.nku.edu/education-abroad.html
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