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What are the human relationships at the heart of Select Committees? Interdisciplinary panel session at #selectcommittee40 chaired by Judith Bell, with anthropologist @_Emma_Crewe, political scientist @marcgeddes and psychologist Nick Sarra 
@_Emma_Crewe introduces some observations from her and Nick Sarra’s collaborative ethnography about the political, social and cultural world from the perspective of Select Committee Chairs, and the changing hierarchies and relationships that frame Select Committees
@_Emma_Crewe goes on to talk about the highly ritualistic nature of Select Committees, explores the impact on Select Committees’ efficacy of adopting more discursive ways of working, and challenges the language of evidence as a highly political claim to truth about knowledge
Psychologist Nick Sarra frames the work of Select Committees as an affective experience: imbued with anxiety as well as hope, where procedural choreography must sit alongside uncertainty in order to generate movement and achievement of aims, and also having a performarige dynamic
Nick Sarra also reflects on the construction of identity in Select Committees, observing exaggerated performances that amplify the self, and derive from a real sense of urgency and understanding amongst members that their work will have real consequences
Nick Sarra: Appearance of cross-party working on Select Committees is critical to achieving credibility and a sense of consensus, and requires an ongoing practice of conflict management and resolution of power dynamics both when Select Committees are sitting and outside the room
@marcgeddes has conducted 50 interviews in Parliament in order to understand what scrutiny means to Parliamentarians and Conmittee, and concludes there are as many meanings as people trying to define it!
@marcgeddes identifies 3 guiding principles in how Clerks engage with Select Committee members, including deep sense of commitment to Parliament and MPs; & making a virtue of remaining hidden in order to appear impartial, which is critical currency in maintaining clerk-MP r/ship
@marcgeddes: While clerks are seen to be guardians of procedure by Select Committee chairs, they face and ongoing e/day dilemma: balancing their passionate defence of the institution of Parliament with job of serving specific group of ppl within it
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