University news

Emeritus Professor Robin Downie is to chair a discussion on assisted death as part of the prestigious Stevenson lecture series on Citizenship.

Margo MacDonald MSP introduced her “End of Life Assistance (Scotland)” Bill to the Scottish Parliament on 20 January and two leading figures on opposite sides of the debate will take part in an open discussion with members of the academic community, staff and students, and general public.

Edward Turner of the ‘Dying with Dignity’ organisation is campaigning for a change in the Law in the England and Scotland to allow physician-assisted suicide. Mr Turner became a member of Dying with Dignity after accompanying his mother, Anne Turner, to the Dignitas clinic in Switzerland.

A leading physician in palliative care in Scotland. Dr Sheila McGettrick is a leading figure in the opposition in Scotland to the legalisation of assisted dying. She was a member of the recent Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Palliative Care.

The two speakers will be invited to say a little about their position in this debate and will then respond to questions from the floor.

The free public debate will be held from 6-7.30pm on Tuesday 9 February in the Sir Charles Wilson Building, University Avenue.

The lecture series continues with Sheila Dillon, radio journalist and presenter of Radio Four’s ‘The Food Programme’ considering the relationship between food and the healthy citizen on 23 February and Professor David Donnison (Emeritus Professor of Public Policy, University of Glasgow) speaking on inequalities in health provision on 2 March 2010.

David Blunkett MP, the former Home Secretary, will deliver the final lecture in the series on 23 March in memory of the late Professor Sir Bernard Crick, who was a foremost political theorist and champion of the centrality of citizenship in the political community. Mr Blunkett, the UK’s first blind person to hold a seat in Cabinet, will speak on the impact of physical disability for the citizen.

All lectures take place from 6-7.30pm on Tuesdays in the Sir Charles Wilson Building (at the corner of Gibson Street and University Avenue). The lectures are free and open to the general public.

Further information:
Dr Kevin Francis,
Stevenson Fellow in Citizenship,
Department of Politics,
tel:  0141 330 6920
email:  stevensontrust@gla.ac.uk
web:  www.gla.ac.uk/departments/stevensontrustforcitizenship

Stevenson Lectures 2010

9 February 2010 - Debate on the right to choose an assisted death
23 February 2010 - Sheila Dillon, (radio journalist and presenter of Radio Four’s ‘The Food Programme’)
2 March 2010 - Professor David Donnison (Emeritus Professor of Public Policy, University of Glasgow)
23 March 2010 - David Blunkett MP (former Home Secretary)

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First published: 27 January 2010