Tours for 2013
Our highlights for 2013 includes tours in Russia, China, Scotland and Egypt. If the full details are not on the website, please do contact us for further information.
South Africa 19th -27th January
Two decades on from Mandela’s release the success of post-apartheid South Africa is seen as an example to the world. The rainbow nation boasts a successful economy, is a regional power, and a popular tourist destination. Yet the ANC is under significant pressure from its supporters. Unemployment is high, communities lack basic services and allegations of corruption in government circles are widespread. From Kwa-Zulu Natal, to Johannesburg and the Western Cape we look at change in South Africa and its immediate future.
Kosovo is where the war in former Yugoslavia had its origins and came to an end in 1999. Today it is Europe’s youngest state, and is still seeking international recognition amid opposition from Serbia. We look at the country today, the relations between Serbs and Albanians and their recent past. It’s a country of many surprises; compact, diverse, both stunningly beautiful and ugly in parts. The tour runs back-to-back with our trip to Bosnia in April.
Two decades on from the start of the war, Bosnia is becoming an ever increasingly popular tourist destination. Yet at the same time the divisions that remain from the end of the war are proving difficult to overcome. Bosnia’s ties with the EU are held hostage. We look at life today in the country; the relations between Bosnians, Croats and Serbs, the legacy of the war, and examine the hopes for change. The tour ends in Belgrade, Serbia.
North Korea 27th April – 7th May
Leading economist and professor of Korean studies, Rudiger Frank, takes us on a journey through the world’s most isolated state. We look at the lives of ordinary Koreans in schools, factories, farms and universities as well as the key sites in the capital. With pre-tour briefings from international agencies and commentators in Beijing this is an unparalleled insight into the region at a crucial period in its history.
Russia 25th May – 2nd June
After the chaos and uncertainty of the 1990s Russia’s pride has been restored: its economy has boomed thanks to oil revenues and it is once again a major player in international affairs. Our tour looks at those changes, its relations with its neighbours, and the tensions between the government and opposition. From a small Russian republic, to the capital Moscow we see how Russian lives have changed and examine the prospects and possible legacy of Vladimir Putin. Full details will be released shortly on the website. Please contact us for further details.
Ordinary Greeks are faced with some of the most profound changes in their lives as the country struggles to tackle its sovereign debt crisis. The implications for the rest of Europe are substantial. If it succeeds to introduce reforms it may well remain within the Euro. If those efforts fail, it may be forced out, triggering similar crises across Southern Europe. From Samos, a beautiful island situated just a few kilometers from Turkey, to Athens and Corinth, we look at how Greece came to where it is today, and the government’s efforts to introduce reforms. We also look at the broader implications for Europe.
Scotland 13th -20th July
Led by a charismatic and tenacious leader, Scotland’s independence movement seems poised to break up the United Kingdom. In 2014 Scots will vote on the matter. We look at how this evolution has come about and its implications for the rest of the UK. The tour takes in Glasgow, Edinburgh as well as the highlands and plenty of good food. Combined with a tour the following week to Northern Ireland – this is part of a series of tours that look at the UK’s changing shape and identity. (See also our shorter series of tours that look at London and the UK’s Financial crisis)
Northern Ireland 20th -28th July
The Northern Ireland conflict was once seen as one of the most intractable in the world. But now 14 years on from when the Good Friday agreement brought an end to the “troubles,” that process seems irreversible. We look at how the change came about, as well as the current threat from renegade paramilitaries. The biggest challenge facing most politicians though is not sectarian division, but the economy. The tour starts in Derry/Londonderry, and ends in Belfast.
China 2nd – 12th September
China’s rapid economic growth in the past decade has seen it emerge as a power to rival the United States. Internally the changes have had a profound impact on ordinary Chinese. We track the changes from the Cultural Revolution to China’s growth orientated policy. The tour takes us from small rural villages to the regional towns and the capital Beijing. We also look at the challenges to the political system. How has China’s communist party managed to embrace market economics, and what role is it likely to play as a new global power? Details will be released shortly. Please contact us for further details.
North Korea 14th – 24th September
Leading economist and professor of Korean studies, Rudiger Frank, takes us on a journey through the world’s most isolated state. We look at the lives of ordinary Koreans in schools, factories, farms and universities as well as the key sites in the capital. With pre-tour briefings from international agencies and commentators in Beijing this is an unparalleled insight into the region at a crucial period in its history.
In August 2008, the West’s relations with Moscow were brought to dramatic focus as Russian tanks moved within kilometers of the Georgian capital Tblisi. The conflict over South Ossetia has had dramatic impact on relations between the United States, the EU and Russia. It also threatened to undermine the most zealous advocate of free-market reform in the region, Georgia’s president Mikhael Saakhashvili. Led by Neil MacFarlane, the Pearson Professor of International Relations at Oxford University, and Keti Tsikhelashvili, Director of the Liberal Academy-Tbilsis, a leading Georgian think tank, we examine the fallout from the war, its impact on east-west relations, and the long-term prospects for Saakhashvili’s vision.
Turkey 26th October – 3rd November
Turkey is on the rise. Led by a conservative Islamist leader it is emerging as a significant power in the Mediterranean basin. But many, both in and outside Turkey, are unclear about its course. We examine Prime Minister Erdogan’s future direction, as some accuse him of a hidden Islamist agenda. We look at Islam and how it has been harnessed in some regions to boost the economy, giving rise to what some have called “Islamic calvanism.” We also look at Turkey’s policy towards its immediate neighbours, notably Syria. The tour covers Istanbul and Ankara as well as Gaziantep, a town on the border with Syria. The briefings and discussion will be interspersed with tours of key institutions, as well as historic sites, not to mention excellent food in some of Turkey’s best inns and restaurants.
Libya’s revolution is one of the seminal moments in the Arab Spring. But the huge sense of optimism among ordinary people is giving way to fears over its immediate future. Our tour explores the fallout from the conflict, and asks how best can peaceful and durable political settlement be achieved. Leading analysts and diplomats provide briefings. We also visit some of Libya’s historic sites, which are regarded as the most exceptional in the Mediterranean. This tour will run back to back with our tour to Egypt so both tours can be booked together.
Egypt 23rd November -1st December
The January 25 Revolution launched in Cairo’s Tahrir Square has had profound implications for the Middle-East, and represents the biggest sea change in international affairs since the fall of the Berlin wall. Our seven-day tour examines the roots of the revolution and looks at where it is headed now. We look at the “democratic deficit”, the lack of development and autocratic rule – a common element in many Middle-Eastern countries – that fuelled the revolution. We travel to Cairo’s suburbs and a provincial town to see the everyday problems faced by ordinary Egyptians ; corruption, joblessness, and lack of services. And we look at the power-struggle between the military and the Muslim brotherhood who now hold sway in government and ask where Egypt is headed now. Details will be released shortly. Please contact us for further details.
