The Sir Bernard Crick Centre for the Public Understanding of Politics

From Syria to Southern Africa and from North America to New Zealand, the relationship between the governors and the governed has become an increasing matter of serious concern. Recent developments in Egypt, Syria and Turkey reveal the use of not only new forms of public engagement in politics but also the role of public expectations in shaping demands and public attitudes. In North America and Wes

tern Europe the rise of ‘disaffected democrats’ and the emergence of populist parties and anti-political social groups in long-established democracies suggests a strong sense of disconnection and political disaffection. It is in exactly this context that the University of Sheffield has established the world’s first research centre for the study and promotion of the public understanding of politics – the Sir Bernard Crick Centre. As an externally facing university research centre the role of the Crick Centre is not only undertake cutting edge research into public attitudes and behaviour but also to reach-out beyond academe in order to stimulate public debate, cultivate political literacy and encourage engaged citizenship. The Crick Centre does not support any specific party or politician, it does not aim to tell the public what is ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ but it is committed to cultivating debates and discussions about why politics matters (and why the study of politics matters) in a vast range of arenas.