This year’s PSA Undergraduate Conference, on 31 March, was hosted at Edge Hill University, where undergraduate students from around the world could showcase their research. This was a nice introduction to the bigger PSA conference in Liverpool from 3 to 5 April in Liverpool. 

The day started with our Vice Chancellor, John Cater, introducing himself and discussing the politics within his role. Cater’s introduction was a nice appetiser for the rest of the day. He showcased the politics of working within the university and the potential threats that universities face. 

After Cater’s introduction we started to delve into research topics. My first difficulty was choosing which panel to attend! My first choice was
The Americas in Flux: Future Trade and Interconnectedness since choosing American Politics as a module interested me in what other people had to say and would bring me new information I could learn. It was interesting to listen to a presentation about Christian Nationalism within the Republican Party, as the rise of religion within the Republican Party was a useful angle to hear about, especially since I am studying that topic. 

Time to present

Then it was time for me to present my research. At first, I was nervous, as expected, but when the presentation was up and ready, it felt natural to talk. It was well-received, and I got asked plenty of questions, which made me want to develop my research more. Presenting to people in a room as well as people online was something I never thought I would be able to do, especially in my second year of my degree. The time went by so fast, and I wish I could have presented for longer, but taking baby steps is the best. 

Next up was the Ashley Dalton MP talk, where she shared her experiences of being a new MP for West Lancashire. Dalton shared insightful and motivating words for young people wanting to enter politics, which further inspired me just after the high of presenting my research. We also listened to her first experiences of entering the Houses of Parliament, telling us the funny stories of how she had to learn the norms and codes which she wasn’t told beforehand. This provided some funny context into how Parliament works. It was very interesting to hear her plans to bring communities together, especially in this current political climate, and how she wants to bring people together and not divide. 

As the day went on, I chaired one of the last panels of the day. Chairing a panel involved introducing the presenters in addition to keeping the audience engaged, asking questions as well as choosing the questions from others.  Likewise with presenting my research, I was nervous for this too. After a couple of technical difficulties, as expected, it all went smoothly. It was interesting asking questions on people’s research, to which someone commended me on how professional I was –  a massive compliment. Finally, after a long day of politics the evening concluded with a networking session and a congratulations from everyone for presenting their research. A massive thank you to the undergraduate PSA team in addition to Edge Hill for being able to put on a significant event like this. 

Final thoughts

Overall, attending the Undergraduate PSA Conference was an incredibly rewarding experience that allowed me to engage with current political issues, present my own research, and meet like-minded individuals. It was a great opportunity to learn and grow as a student, and I would highly recommend it to anyone interested in politics or academia. I look forward to attending more PSA events in the future and continuing to expand my knowledge and network in the field.

Thomas Jones
BA (Hons) Politics and Sociology

Edge Hill University

Find out more about Politics and International Relations at Edge Hill University

UPDATE!

Students have recorded a PSA special podcast episode! It’s full of ‘post-match interviews’ with the students who presented at the conference, discussing their research and what it was like to take part. It also includes an interview with the conference keynote, Ashley Dalton, the MP for West Lancs.

Check it out! Spotify link: Spotify Link