In 2003 the Eurovision Song Contest took its first (and for the moment only) trip to Lativia and Dr Paul Jordan attended the Contest in Riga. Ten years later, he looks back at arguably the last ‘old school’ Contest, the political background, and the controversies.

With Azerbaijan already making headlines with their staging of the 2012 Contest, Dr Paul Jordan looks back into the recent history of the Contest to find other grand moments in Eurovision history.

Dr Paul Jordan takes a look at the issue of language in the songs of Eurovision, from the fourteen songs in this year’s selection and back through the history of the Song Contest.

With hundreds of Eurovision Song Contest fans  heading to Stockholm for the Melodifestivalen final, the national final season is nearly over. How did national finals become such a part of the build up to Eurovision and why some more than others? Dr Paul Jordan investigates…

Is there something in the air about the 2012 Contest? There’s certainly a lot of tension about as people prepare to head over to Azerbaijan. But as Dr Paul Jordan explains, the tension has always been part of the story of Eurovision…

Who would have thought that what started as a childhood hobby would turn into something which would have such an impact upon my education and essentially my professional development? Not me – at least, not then!

Dr Paul Jordan takes a look at the elements that represent the modern Eurovision – is the consistent imagery a good thing for the Contest? What of the other Eurovision competitions? And what lies ahead for the heart of the Song Contest?

It always brings out the editorials and column inches when there are hints of a band getting back together, especially when it’s to enter the Eurovision Song Contest. So who would be the ultimate reunions that would set the UK tabloids alight leading up to Baku 2012?

Immediately following the 2011 victory there was speculation concerning the hosting of Eurovision in Baku in 2012. With the official announcement of the host city still forthcoming, Paul Jordan asks the tough questions and examines the challenges Azerbaijan faces in hosting next years Eurovision Song Sontest.

For today, Paul Jordan is not a size queen, as he looks at the impact the Eurovision Song Contest has on the smaller countries. For them, their time in Dusseldorf reaches far beyond the three minutes of song on the stage.

Why do the Eurovision performers put themselves through the preview shows, just to sing to a handful of fans? Paul Jordan, in between cheering them all on at the UK Eurovision Preview Party, thinks he might know.

Why is it that every year there’s one song the hardcore Eurovision supporters absolutely love, but seems to die without a trace at the Song Contest once the rest of Europe hears it? Paul Jordan investigates (and desperately tries not to use the term fan-wank).

Paul Jordan takes a look at the two types of Eurovision national Final. Which is better, the ones that look inward for good music or ones that look to send a “Eurovision” song. There’s only one way to find out…

What does Eurovision mean to the newer countries of Europe, those that have returned to the world stage in the last few decades? Paul Jordan takes a look at Estonia, asking why the Song Contest was (and still is) so important to the county as it struggles to finds a place on the world’s stage.

It’s already a turning point in Eurovision history, so join us as we recall Moscow’s staging of the 2009 Song Contest, dubbed by Graham Norton as “the Beijing Olympics of Eurovision”. What a contest it was, with politics, intrigue, protests, a river of cash, Vladimir Putin… And Paul Jordan.

With the return of Italy to the Eurovision Song Contest, Paul Jordan takes a look back at the achievements of the country, what brought them back to Düsseldorf, and wonders just how long they’ll stay this time.

Ask anyone about Eurovision and they’ll talk about how it’s all politics – but what does it actually mean to say that Eurovision is political? Academic Paul Jordan takes a look at just how our favourite Song Contest is used to promote cultural messages, politics and national identity.