Dear all,

Regarding the PSA's conference in Aberdeen on April 5th-7th 2002, I can let you know that two panels are coming together. These are likely to be entitled:

- Nordic Security Policy: The Cold War and After

- Populist Party Politics in Scandinavia.

The closing date for panel proposals is the end of the week, although my own intimate experience of this annual event suggests that a late application would probably not be refused. I think we have two papers lined up for each of the panels. So, as soon as you can, please get in touch with me if (a) you have a paper that you're bursting to present on either prospective panel; (b) you'd like to volunteer to act as discussant on one of them; (c) you'd like to volunteer to chair one of them; or (d) you have some objection to these plans.

In the absence of the last of those contingencies, I'll propose these panels under the group's aegis early next week. I'll also request a slot for a group meeting in Aberdeen.

On another note, remember that on Friday April 12th 2002 the Scandinavian Politics Specialist Group will hold a joint workshop with the Nordic History Group, in London, on Scandinavian populist parties across the political spectrum. All members of our group will be very welcome to take part.

Best,

Nick Aylott.

Dear all,

The BBC's interest in one of Europe's more eyebrow-raising elections in recent times - a "Danish tragedy", opines Sweden's Aftonbladet this morning - has been confined, as far as I'm aware, to a feeble report on its website and 20 whole seconds on Radio 4's 7am news this morning.

You can get information in English on the results, however, from Danish Radio's service (http://www1.dr.dk/pubs/nyheder/html/programmer/fremmedsprog/english/#1) and, in due course, from the newspaper the Copenhagen Post (http://cphpost.periskop.dk/).

Best,

Nick Aylott.

Dear all,

Members of the Political Studies Association may have seen last week's e-mail about its annual conference in Aberdeen on April 5th-7th 2002. Particularly as the Scandinavian Politics Specialist Group didn't manage to run a panel at last year's conference, but also because of the strong presence of Nordic-orientated political scientists in Aberdeen, we really ought to make sure that something happens this year. I have no objections to co-ordinating a SPSG panel, but we need a theme. Are there people who have papers that they'd like to air, the topics of which would inform the focus of the panel? Please let me know if anyone is in such a position, and I'll get moving with the application as soon as possible.

There's another issue that we need to discuss, and Aberdeen would be a good place to do so. I'll be leaving Keele in the new year for foreign fields - Umeå, to be precise. Now, a lot can be done remotely these days. But I wonder whether a specialist group of the Political Studies Association of the United Kingdom ought to have a co-ordinator who is resident and works in the United Kingdom.

Finally, keep Friday April 12th 2002 clear in your diaries if you can. We're planning a joint workshop with the Nordic History Group on that day, in London. The topic will be Scandinavian populist parties across the political spectrum, and I'm hopeful of a star-studded cast. Members of the group will be very welcome to take part.

Best,

Nick Aylott.