Inaugural Lecture - Professor James Cooper

What’s In It For Me? Reflections on self-interest, character, and leadership in the Reagan-Thatcher era This event will be in person Why do leaders do what they do? The cynical answer – self-interest, calculation, the pursuit of power – is true, but it is never the whole truth. Drawing on twenty years of research into Ronald Reagan, Margaret Thatcher, and the Anglo-American relationship. Professor James Cooper argues that leadership is more calculated and more genuine, more constrained and more consequential, than either its admirers or its critics allow. From a Worcestershire classroom to the archives of presidents and prime ministers, Jim reflects on a historian's journey – and on why we should resist the verdict that arrives before the understanding does. All are welcome; no prior knowledge required. Biography: James Cooper is Professor of U.S. History and Anglo-American Relations at York St John University. He was previously a Senior Lecturer in History at Oxford Brookes University, UK and he was the 20th Fulbright-Robertson Visiting Professor of British History at Westminster College, Missouri, USA. In May 2016, Dr Cooper was a Visiting Fellow at the Norwegian Nobel Institute. His previous publications include: A Diplomatic Meeting: Reagan, Thatcher, and the Art of Summitry (2022); The Politics of Diplomacy: U.S. Presidents and the Northern Ireland Conflict, 1967-98 (2017); and, Margaret Thatcher and Ronald Reagan: A Very Political Special Relationship (2012). He currently holds a Leverhulme Research Fellowship for a study of Margaret Thatcher as a broker between Britain, Europe, and the United States in the 1980s. Jim is married to Danielle and they live just outside of York with their three sons: Macaulay, Fox and Wilder (and their dog and two rabbits). Timings and Refreshments This event will finish at 7.00pm and will be followed by a drinks reception from 7.00pm - 7.45pm for all attending. Venue: De Grey Lecture Theatre, York St John University, Lord Mayor’s Walk, YO31 7EX. Events Access & Inclusivity At York St John University we are committed to making our events as welcoming and inclusive for as many people as possible. If you are planning to attend one of our events and have specific access requirements, including wheelchair access, then please contact us by e: [email protected] or t: 01904 876318 and we will make every effort to accommodate you. If you need a suitable seat reserved for you (and your companions), please let us know, preferably at least one week before the event. Sign language interpreters and real-time captioning may be requested in advance. Please contact us as soon as possible (ideally at least 3 weeks before the date of the event) if you require either BSL interpretation or captioning. We will try our best but cannot guarantee provision. Privacy Policy York St John University will use the data you submit in Eventbrite for the purposes of administering this event. York St John University utilises third party software for data storage, tracking, and analysis activity but your details will not be used by any of these third parties in order to contact you Any data you share with us will be used to help us improve your event experience and for event tracking and analysis activity within the University. We will only send you important information and reminders related to the event you have booked unless you tell us otherwise. During the booking process, if you opt-in to receive emails about the latest events hosted and supported by York St John University, you consent to York St John University contacting you with relevant information. If you no longer wish to hear from us you can opt-out at any time by changing your contact preferences via the link in emails you receive from us or by emailing [email protected].