University of Miami Study Abroad - London Summer Program - British Politics and Policy
This course is different from those typically found in university curriculums that rely mainly on written texts. Instead, this course provides students with direct access to the thinking and beliefs of individuals who are leading players in the media, politics, and economics of Great Britain.
We of course provide articles, books, and lectures/discussions on history, theory, and practice. These are vital parts of the course, but our primary resources are in-depth discussions with activists, intellectuals and practitioners. The goal of the students is to absorb and critique the views offered by the individuals we interview, to engage them on what are arguably the salient topics of the current world scene.
Issues in the past have included the scope of surveillance practices in London, how British and American approaches to terrorism differ, the trade-offs between human rights and security, the UK’s role in the EU, the distribution of political power in the UK, and the secession movement in Scotland.
The course begins with an orientation and background on British politics. At the end of this first week we usually travel to Oxford as guests of the Oxford Union for one of their debates. Then, for the next two weeks, the group interviews individuals, ideally six interviews per week for a total of fifteen. Some of the interviews take place at Westminster in committee rooms that are closed to the general public. Others are held in the offices of prominent intellectuals and academics, think tanks (for example, the Adam Smith Institute), the U.S. Embassy, and Barclays Capital (on Canary Wharf). Others will take place in the Syracuse University center, Faraday House, located in the Bloomsbury section of London.
The four-week course in 2022 will run from about July 3rd through July 30th. The deadline for an application is February 1st.
If you have any questions about the course, please email Professor Joe Uscinski or Professor Michael Touchton.
For further information check out the course Facebook Page.
Apply now
Student Testimonies
“The British Politics and Policy study abroad was an amazing experience. My favorite aspect of the study abroad program was that our professors gave us the direction and the freedom to make London our classroom.”
- Jack Nemetz (2023)
“Study Abroad in London was a great experience that I would recommend to any student who’s interested. I explored the city with other students after classes and traveled easily throughout the UK on the weekends. I’m grateful for the opportunity to learn from a different cultural perspective.
- Sara Howard (2023)
A Note from the Founder of the POL London Summer Program -- September 6, 2015
Fred Frohock
Professor of Political Science / University of Miami
Program Chair:
Joseph Uscinski, Ph.D. (University of Arizona, 2007)
Associate Professor
Email
305-284-3717
