Jon Kentish – Page 2 – King's College London Summer Programmes

September 2, 2014

My King’s Summer by Evelyn Chew

I first heard of King’s college summer school through my university’s website and the idea of studying abroad at a well-known academic institution for a couple of weeks led me to apply to King’s. One of the reasons why I chose King’s was because this summer school allows you to select a module of your interest from a variety of different courses without the need to have any prior knowledge or background for it. Coming from an Economics background, I decided to pursue something I am interested in and opted for International Business.

10590645_10152303017523601_980945482363751256_n — Working on a group project

The lessons were conducted differently from my regular classes back at NUS (National University of Singapore) and it was indeed an eye-opener. The duration of only three weeks resulted in the module being intensive yet intellectually stimulating. Our professors encouraged us to discuss and immerse ourselves in the various case studies to enhance our learning of the concepts. This allowed me to build my confidence in sharing about my viewpoints and to understand others from a different cultural background as well.

We also got a chance to embark on a field trip to the museum of brands to learn more about how branding affect consumer’s taste and preferences.

10458349_931603360186921_8606201334343822176_n — Outside The Museum of Brands

Apart from being academically enriched, I have also learnt so much about the culturally rich London. King’s college is located at the heart of London and this location could not have been better. As I walked to school every morning, the beautiful view of the London Eye, Big Ben along with the trademark red telephone booths greeted me.

10409425_10152303018068601_6332043330515985100_n — View as I walk to School

With just a couple of stations away from the numerous museums, musical theaters and shopping districts, there is always something to do after school. From having tea to shopping at the huge Primark store located around Oxford circus, I got to experience the London way of life.

10479077_10152277802773601_7145915160663635121_n — Visiting Mayfield Lavender Farm

And if you are a huge football fan, you could pop by the stadiums around London for a stadium tour!

Most of the students on summer school will take the opportunity to travel to places slightly far away from central London over the weekend for sightseeing. In these three weeks, I’ve visited Brighton, Cambridge, Bath and Stonehenge with my summer school friends.

10559814_10152262170938601_4055035328266290713_n — Stonehenge

The knowledge that I’ve gained from King’s summer school will be beneficial to my future career and this summer school made me consider King’s and London as a potential place for me to pursue my Masters upon graduation.

In my opinion, this summer school allows you to be both academically challenged and at the same time gives you the flexibility to explore London and what it has to offer. I would highly recommend anyone who wants a fulfilling summer activity to join King’s summer school. Looking back, I can say that it has been the best summer experience so far. I felt that I have grown so much through this three weeks and I can’t wait to be back here at King’s again in the future!

By Evelyn Chew

June 11, 2014

Student Ambassador-Mariam Ohiani

Hi! My name is Mariam and I have just completed a three year course at KCL in Business Management. My time at Kings has been anything but dull, that’s the beauty of studying at a prestigious University centred at the heart of London.

Aside from my course, which I am extremely passionate about, I been involved in the various clubs and societies which led to me becoming Student Ambassador.I joined the Summer School as a Student Ambassador in 2012 and I enjoyed my time on the programme so much so that I joined the programme every year to present.

The Summer School programme is an experience of a life time and helps Students prepare for what lies ahead, giving them a flavour of the University lifestyle. I would encourage students to explore all what London has to offer and to participate in the off-campus activities arranged by King’s.

King’s Summer School is truly the place to be if you want to study in the heart of London, experience cosmopolitan culture, meet people from varying backgrounds and most of all have fun doing what you love

This year I will be working directly with the students this year, which I am ecstatic about. I am looking forward to seeing you all and having fun at this year summer programme!

Mariam Ohiani

May 13, 2014

Sign up for the Global Energy Politics course!

Hey, I am Alexandra Bocse (Alex) and I will act as the academic lead on the course Global Energy Politics at the King’s College London Summer School. I am very excited about this role given my passion for international politics and energy policy. I am currently a researcher in energy governance and energy policy networks at the Department of Politics and International Relations, University of Cambridge. I am also currently teaching International Relations at University of Cambridge. I love working with students, teaching them and implicitly learning from them.

This is a great course if you want to enhance your knowledge of contemporary international affairs. The course will offer insight into the mechanisms governing global politics in general and into the field of energy politics in particular. We will study a wide variety of actors involved in energy policy-making: states (energy importers, energy exporters and transit states), intergovernmental organisations, industry, NGOs; the formal and informal connections between these actors and the outcome of their interaction on the global stage. We will be engaging with issues such as energy security, the geopolitics of energy, conflict over natural resources, the curse of natural resources in resource rich developing countries, as well as the politics of climate change and its implications for global energy policy.

The course includes lectures on cutting-edge topics and interactive seminars. During this course, learning will take place in a very direct and hands on manner. You will meet with representatives of energy corporations, international energy organizations, NGOs, energy consultants and get the chance to ask them questions about their work and their expertise areas. The schedule may include a visit to an energy production facility, as well as a dynamic two-day simulation of political climate change negotiations. This will allow you to place yourselves in the shoes of top policy makers and attempt to solve some of the biggest challenges of our time: increasing pollution, energy resources scarcity and climate change.

You can find more information about the course at: https://www.kcl.ac.uk/prospectus/shortcourses/index/name/globalenergypolitics14/keyword/summer-school.

I am looking forward to meeting you and working with you in July.

May 6, 2014

Re-living Austen’s England…

“I would have every young [person] of your condition in life acquainted with the manners and amusements of London.”

Austen knew all about the importance of sociability and understood well the allure of London: all her most dashing and irresponsible characters are drawn to the metropolis, which becomes a by-word for modernity and excess. London remains a city of an extraordinary magnetism – it gets under your skin with a mixture of delight and trial. It is the very place to learn about the world of the eighteenth century and Regency in which Jane Austen grew up and about which she wrote, not least because traces of that era can still be identified in the modern city and can be recaptured by the Austen enthusiast.

We will immerse ourselves in the culture of the late eighteenth century as we meet the great figures of politics, literature, society, theatre and science, and build an in-depth picture of the world that informed Austen’s writing. By visiting Chawton and Bath, we also re-trace the other major locations that defined Austen’s life and work, a situation that is unique to studying Austen in England.

In addition to building a deep contextual knowledge of Austen’s world, we will also explore some theoretical and critical approaches to Austen in order to help develop a rich critique of her work, particularly in relation to her contemporaries.

This course is all about enjoying the richness of Austen’s world and discovering her England – and, at the same time, sharing the sensations of awe and wonder with her own characters in the experiences of visiting Bath and London for the first time.

Emma Newport

April 29, 2014

GLOBAL GOVERNANCE: INTERNATIONAL ORGANISATIONS IN CRISIS

One only needs follow some of the ongoing ping-pong between the Americans and the Russians regarding Ukraine to understand how defunct International Organisations are and how present the role of the state is. A few questions have arisen with renewed strength and added to a long line of enquiry, such as:

– What is the purpose of the United Nations?
– Why is NATO still around when the Cold War is well over?
– How much can the European Union achieve without hard power (that is an European army of some shape)?

I tend to support those arguing that a globalised and strongly interdependent world cannot rely on the role of nation states alone and that strong International Organisations have a pivotal role to play. In the first instance, they ensure that smaller states are represented, whereas if we lived in condition of anarchy, only the strongest states would benefit. Secondly, in negotiating treaties and treaty reforms, International Organisations can balance out the interests of weaker states against those of hegemonic such. This is especially relevant to better (scarce) resource allocation and distribution in order to attain larger objectives, such as poverty eradication, global health outreach, global access to education, and greater gender equality, cultural, ethnic and religious tolerance. Precisely the reforms required of International Organizations in order to better respond to such challenges are studied in depth in the Summer School course ‘Global Governance: International Organisations in Crisis’. We focus squarely on key institutions, which are however dated in the context of the new millennium. The United Nations is a prime candidate for reform by unanimous consent. Founded on the principle of inclusion at the end of the Second World War, its present fabric is no longer consistent with the shift in power East and South. In the fourth wave of globalisation, which we are living through today, we ask the following questions amongst others: Is the Security Council viable? Under what conditions may either of India, Brazil, Germany or Japan gain a seat? Is Ukraine a testimony to the return of hegemonic stability or symptomatic of the emergence of a new global order about which we know very little? What is the place of regional organisations, such as the European Union in this?

London is uniquely suited to exploring such topical issues, being the seat of a vibrant diplomatic community and many think-tanks dedicated to research and debate of these key themes. It further houses the headquarters of the United Nations IMO, which students will have the opportunity to visit. Furthermore, it is in close proximity to those international organisations and institutions situated in Paris (OECD) and Brussels (EU). In previous years the course has undertaken trips to Paris and Brussels.

Dr. Diana Bozhilova AKC
Visiting Research Fellow
Centre for Hellenic Studies
Tutor, Summer School and International Programmes
King’s College London
Strand WC2R 2LS

April 25, 2014

‘A History of Revolutions: From the French Revolution to the Arab Spring.’

This is my first year to work with the Summer School. Although I have taught Modern European History for four years at King’s College, I am very excited at the prospect of teaching a truly global module with the course ‘A History of Revolutions: From the French Revolution to the Arab Spring.’

Myself and my colleague, Giuditta Fontana created this course with an international audience in our minds. Too often revolutions are studied separately in different academic departments, yet we felt that it is time that a course addresses the contemporary phenomenon of revolutions since we are living in historic times where revolutions and insurrections from Egypt to Ukraine are common day appearances in the news. Each of our international students will be able to contribute to the course by sharing the history of the country they come from, thus making it truly global.

KINGSSS13_ 041 We are lucky that our course will take place at the Strand Campus, a prime location in London. With this advantage, we have access to the Imperial War Museum, the British Library and the extensive historical archives in King’s College. Both myself and Giuditta are very excited to announce our collaboration with the Archives Centre at Kings: they are helping us to develop a workshop on revolutionary propaganda, including exclusive access to documents on the British Fascist movement and India’s transition to from colonial rule to national independence.

This is a wonderful time to be studying the underlying causes of revolutions and their course in historical and contemporary perspectives. We will be examining the politics, culture and society of Europe and the Middle East over the past two centuries, and how revolutions have defined the unique development of these two diverse continents. Whether you want to understand the Russian revolution or the Arab Spring, we hope you are ready to take up the challenging and complex world of revolutionary history.

I look forward to meeting you all.

Gillian Kennedy

April 17, 2014

“London always comes alive when the weather gets warm and sunny”

London always comes alive when the weather gets warm and sunny, and this is making me excited for my upcoming Summer School course, ‘London and the British City: Past and Present.’ The sunshine and long Spring days lend themselves to walking around this historic city, and each walk reveals a new layer and a myriad of surprises, even on streets that are familiar. Students on the upcoming course will be encouraged to find their own surprises and hidden corners of London to claim as their own, as so many have done in the past. They will walk the streets of kings and queens, Dickens, Wilde, and Shakespeare. London has long had the ability to bemuse and inspire; to perplex and also trouble. London challenges and sometimes makes one uncomfortable, with history and a loud, sometimes jarring contemporary city existing side by side. Each walk through London is rife with contradiction and paradox: Ferraris and Ferragamo next to homeless sleepers; pollution next to pristine parks; glassy, new spaces of the modern economy next to shabby, forgotten landscapes and pubs. A bus full of 50 people, each from a different country, speaking a different language. Unable to communicate, perhaps, but Londoners, each one. Such is the wonder, and complexity, of modern London.

Spring is also a great time to venture beyond London and explore Britain’s Green and Pleasant Land. When one leaves London, it can be like leaving one planet and entering another. There are towns and villages little-changed since the industrial revolution, left behind by contemporary life. There are inventive vibrant provincial cities like Manchester and Leeds, able to reinvent themselves, while just miles away stand abandoned mills and ghostly smokestaks. Beyond the Borders lies the land of Scotland, at once crucial to Britain’s modern and historical identity and yet immediately different, facing a crucial juncture as voters there prepare to determine whether (yes) to become independent, or (no) to remain in the Union with England, Wales, and Northern Ireland.

What an exciting summer, then, for students to come to King’s College London and learn about British cities and the role they play, have played, and must play in the world. London will be, in Shakespeare’s world, a stage – and all of its inhabitants like players, for students to observe and (for a short time), become a part of.

I look forward to welcoming students to London and with them, beginning our three week exploration.

Jason Luger

Tutor

London and the British City: Past and Present (Leading, Inventing and Reinventing).

March 28, 2014

NEW MEMBER OF STAFF: MEGAN LIVERSEY

Let me start by introducing myself, I’m Megan and I’ll be helping out with the Summer School this year, so any enquires you have, whether that be information about the courses or even tips on great places to visit in London, send them my way.

It has been a great month to start working at Kings, as with the sunny weather, I have been able to eat my lunch outside, listen to the hustle and bustle of the students and explore the local area.

With Somerset house being a stone’s throw away I have already had a stroll around the beautiful grounds and got to see the free Derreck Jarman (A former King’s student) exhibition. There will be many events going on at Somerset House this summer so I would recommend students to visit in their free time. The Summer Series has just been announced for 10 – 20 July 2014, where you can get tickets to see some unmissable live music acts in the attractive surroundings of Somerset house.

It’s amazing that the vibrant South Bank is a 10 minute walk across Waterloo Bridge. The South Bank has lots of places to eat, drink and see. I recently watched the sunset while sitting outside the BFI bar and then went inside to see a late night movie. Whether you want to see a theatre production at the National theatre or just watch skateboarders do their thing, the South Bank is defiantly worth a visit. The Timeout London website is not only great to keep up to date with events going on at South Bank but it is great to get tips of things going on all over London.

With Summer School accommodation close to campus, you are in the prime spot to visit the above places and many other famous London landmarks such as The Houses of Parliament and St Paul’s Cathedral.

If I was to study at the Summer School, the courses combining London with a subject would be most appealing to me as I believe it would add to the experience of studying in the city. These courses include, Museum of London: curating the city and Victorian London: high culture & low life. What is extra exciting is that these courses are in collaboration with The Victoria and Albert Museum and The Museum of London and you will gain behind the scene access to the world famous museums.

King’s College London is a wonderful place to work and will be an even more wonderful place to study and I’m sure that the staff and students will make you feel as warm and welcome as they have made me feel.

Looking forward to meeting you all!

Megan Liversey

March 20, 2014

MY SUMMER SCHOOL EXPERIENCE:JUUSO SALLINEN

“Sunshine reflecting on the beauties of London that have been hidden over the long cold winter, students from all over the world still crawling at the café, debating the last lecture they just had, and that rigorous, yet friendly, unusual academic atmosphere.

This is all what sums up my experience at the Summer School module on Media, Gender & Culture at King’s: one of my best formative experiences so far. Not only was the course itself a great opportunity to further focus on my personal interests and explore disciplines that were not offered by King’s during the first year, but it was also a fantastic way to get to know people from different parts of the world in a setting that is very unlike the regular King’s classes. Our professor was extremely engaging, the content she offered was of exquisite quality and the balance between theory and practice was just about right, demonstrating that academy and activism can, or perhaps should, mix together with brilliant outcomes. However, thanks to the variety of modules offered at King’s Summer School, students with an interest in more theoretical subjects are not let down and are able to choose a course that matches their specific preferences.

The teaching dynamic was also different to regular King’s classes: during the intensive 3-week period, with more in-class hours than any of my other academic modules, we were provided with the opportunity to truly concentrate on one topic and immerse ourselves into the relevant issues. Also, in case you have excess time, Summer School organizes various events and trips which means that you will have the opportunity to relax and strengthen the relationship with your coursemates. Most courses even include trips to different London locations which will enable you to visit spots of the city you perhaps haven’t had the time or the chance to see during the busy academic year.

Personally the Summer School has been one of the experiences I’ve had since I arrived at King’s: I gained a deeper knowledge of what I intend to do after my degree, my grades have gone up considerably after the course thanks to the close teacher-student relationship we all experienced, and I became more aware of social problems both within Britain and Europe as well as in places such as Taiwan, India and Russia. It is a perfect fit for Liberal Arts students, and I would highly recommend give it a shot and take on a module there … if you just have the time!”