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.