At the Future-Ready Postdoc event, part of Swag直播鈥檚 Postdoc Appreciation Week (PAW), presented the winners with the awards in their respective categories, here they share more about the impactful research in their respective fields which led to their awards:

- Outstanding contribution to research impact 

Dr. Luciana Lang, alongside a team of researchers from Swag直播, spent 18 months examining how faith spaces in Greater Swag直播 support different groups of older people within their communities. 

investigated the support that faith spaces provide for the diverse ageing population in Greater Swag直播, a region facing high levels of inequality in health, income and access to services. 

Luciana shared her thoughts on the project: 

- Outstanding research output 

Dr. James Fletcher鈥檚 research led to the publication of his book , which explores the relationship between dementia studies, and it鈥檚 growing public profile and corresponding research economy. 

The research had led to James being invited to international conferences, demonstrating his commitment to mentoring and supporting the wider research community. 

The book argues that a neuropsychiatric biopolitics of dementia positions dementia as a syndrome of cognitive decline, caused by discrete brain diseases, distinct from ageing, widely misunderstood by the public, that will one day be overcome through technoscience. 

This biopolitics generates dementia鈥檚 public profile and is implicated in several problems, including the failure of drug discovery, the spread of stigma, the perpetuation of social inequalities and the lack of support that is available to people affected by dementia. 

Through a failure to critically engage with neuropsychiatric biopolitics, much dementia studies is complicit in these problems. James explores these problems and the relations between them, making the case for more biopolitically engaged "neurocritical" dementia studies in able to best support people with the condition and improve research outputs. 
 

- Research Staff of the Year

Patricia, working closely with public health experts at the University of Glasgow and medical clinicians at the University of Leicester, conducted a global review of over 200 million study participants, identifying the level of ethnic inequalities in COVID-19 infection, hospital admission, and mortality. 

They found that Black people were twice as likely to get infected, South Asian people were three times as likely, Mixed ethnicity people were 1.6 times as likely, and Other ethnic groups were 1.4 times more likely (compared to the White majority). They also found that some ethnic groups were more likely to end up in the hospital or even die from COVID-19. 

Their findings were published in a medical journal called . 

Patricia shared more about the impact of the research and where it had led her today: 

The Caucus, which serves as the primary association for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer people and allies within the APSA, is an important arena for the presentation of research on sexual and gender diversity studies in political science and related disciplines. 

The Awards are presented to individuals who have demonstrated exemplary service to the Caucus, the field of political science, or the broader LGBTQ community. 

A founding member of the Sexuality & Politics division of APSA, Professor Wilson's work on the Christian/Religious Right has significantly contributed to understanding of how these movements have weaponised LGBTQ+ rights and liberties to expand and consolidate their memberships. She has been actively involved with the APSA LGBTQ Caucus, Status, and Sexuality & Politics for nearly three decades. 

She also serves as Associate Editor at Political Research Quarterly (PRQ) where she continues to engage with scholarly developments, contribute her insights and foster academic community. 

In its statement, the awarding committee praised Professor Wilson's invaluable academic contribution: 

On receiving the award, Professor Wilson said:

The visit came as part of a wider mission to engage with the legal community across England and Wales with Monday鈥檚 focus being the North West. The Attorney General hosted a roundtable with legal firms and barristers, visited the Government Legal Department in Salford, and engaged with our Justice Hub team. 

The Attorney General Richard Hermer KC said: 
 

In the our students, supervised by University staff and volunteer lawyers, offer free advice to the general public. One of our students, Alicia Smith, was able to meet the Attorney General as part of the visit and share their thoughts: 

Director of the Justice Hub, Phil Drake, and Academic Director, Claire McGourlay, also shared their insights:

The series format includes both presentations and in-depth conversations between the research group, invited speakers, and audience members on their areas of expertise. 

The first 鈥楥onversation鈥�, chaired by , featured researchers (VU Amsterdam) and (University of Auckland) discussing ethical issues encountered during everyday age-friendly work in the Netherlands and New Zealand. 

The attendance of not only academics but third sector organisation members, NHS staff, and members of the public was a highlight, providing a diverse range of perspectives. 

MUARG鈥檚 Patty Doran said of the first event: 鈥淚t鈥檚 always inspiring to hear about the latest academic research from a range of topics related to urban ageing, and the interdisciplinary audiences that attend always make for insightful questions, interesting conversations, and great networking鈥�. 

The series continues 21 October with invited speaker (University of Bristol) discussing digital innovation and exclusion, co-designing technologies, and creative citizenship in the lives of older adults. Her talk, , explores how arts and culture participation, particularly those accessed digitally, can influence wellbeing and social connection as we age. 

The semester鈥檚 series will then conclude on 5 December with convening global thought leaders on ageing in community whose scholarships integrate research, theory, and practice to enhance work on community-centred initiatives and ageing equity. 

Registration for both events is still open, you can find the Eventbrite link . 

As a teenager in post-USSR Ukraine, I vividly remember visiting secondhand clothes shops. For the elderly, the biggest obstacle to accepting secondhand clothes wasn鈥檛 just the lingering smell of naphthalene 鈥� a potent chemical with a strong mothball odour used for sanitation which is hard to remove even by washing or dry cleaning. 

Assumptions about the previous owner鈥檚 class 鈥� like the bourgeoisie, the so-called enemy of the working class in Soviet propaganda 鈥� and their skin colour were barriers too. But for me, these were exactly the reasons I adored this form of shopping. Through secondhand clothes, my friends and I consumed western culture. 

Yet, while proximity to western bodies felt like a blessing to my generation, it鈥檚 not universally desirable. Certain types of pre-worn clothing, like lingerie, for example, are rarely found in charity shops. Such items are perceived as as they are associated with contamination and lack of hygiene due to their close contact with intimate areas of the body. 

For customers willing to buy and wear Victorian-era underwear slips, this perceived risk is much lower as the cultural provenance outweighs any association with dirt. Washing such historic items is also not recommended as it could ruin the delicate silk or batiste textile, while the traces of someone else鈥檚 body such as marks, frays, creases, wrinkles and folds on clothes are considered marks of authenticity. 

Although both pre-loved modern and vintage lingerie have been worn, perceptions of their cleanliness differs radically. 

The stigma associated with dirt hinders the way people reuse secondhand garments or choose recycled fabrics that have been woven into something new. This limits the potential to transform the , fashion industry into a more sustainable one. 

Recycling is not yet happening on an industrial scale. Only 1% of used , and Europe鈥檚 only recycling mill, designed to convert discarded clothes into new textiles through eco-friendly chemical recycling, closed in February 2024 鈥� just two years after opening. 

Reuse 鈥� such as resale, rental, repair and remaking 鈥� could help prevent , reduce , lower and increase to tackle fashion waste. But despite the , it still remains a niche practice because it relies on people wearing clothes that others have previously worn. 

Although worn clothes are often called 鈥減re-loved,鈥� the visibility of a former 鈥渓over鈥� should be minimal for them to re-enter the new cycle of consumption. 

Behind the seams

Cleanliness is a cultural concept that has evolved over time. Before, laundering undergarments served as a substitute for bathing, from germs and disease. Today, laundry practices focus on caring for clothes and protecting them . Washing at low temperatures and on gentle cycles isn鈥檛 about killing germs but preserving freshness. Freshness has become the primary marker of cleanliness, as shown by the wide range of modern detergents and after-laundry products that promise extra freshness. 

Cultural perceptions of cleanliness significantly influence how secondhand clothes are viewed and valued. Today, that鈥檚 driven by the need to remove traces of the previous owner. That involves laundering, which can release harmful microplastics 鈥� washing polyester contributes more than half a million tonnes of 鈥� or energy-intensive dry cleaning with toxic solvents like perchloroethylene, a process that鈥檚 commonly used by rental clothing businesses. 

My preliminary research on upcycling shows that clothes, even when physically clean, are often seen as dirty if they鈥檝e been previously worn. Stains like blood on a dress, sweat marks on an XXXL men鈥檚 shirt, or wine spills on branded jeans are perceived and even smell differently, despite cleaning. These concerns go beyond hygiene, involving assumptions and moral judgements about the bodies of previous owners, including their class, body shape, gender and race. 

In many cultures, there鈥檚 a need for symbolic cleansing from the body of that is often overlooked. 

Cultural biases extend to fibres, with the industry favouring virgin wool obtained from sheep shearing over recycled wool. That鈥檚 a reflection of historical attitudes towards who collected discarded wasted and smelly textiles. 

The recycling process of shredding discarded wool and weaving it into new fibres was invented in 19th-century Yorkshire. The resulting reclaimed product, known as 鈥渟hoddy wool鈥�, was considered lower quality not only due to the process, which significantly downgraded the quality of textile but also because it used worn, dirty rags collected by poor, often immigrant, women and children. The growth of wool recycling has been hindered, not by technology but by negative attitudes towards the use of recycled rather than virgin and , fibres. 

Cleanliness of secondhand clothes is symbolically charged. By distinguishing between the needs for and expectations of physical and symbolic purity in clothing and discussing them more openly, attitudes and cultural norms may shift. This could help move reuse business models from niche to mainstream and support further sustainable development.

, PhD Candidate, Cultural Sociology, University of Swag直播

This article is republished from under a Creative Commons license. .

The organised a hugely popular event during Welcome Week in collaboration with the Charity . The Charity鈥檚 ethos is to empower young people to feel safe by using positive activities. 

The Charity鈥檚 pop-up stand, which was on campus twice during the week, attracted a huge amount of attention at the Arthur Lewis Building. Staff from the Active Communities Network were available to provide advice, engage students in interactive activity and to give away free packs which included a keyring safety alarm, a spiking test kit, drinks cover, and safety information cards purchased by the School. The stand used several different games to highlight the different forms that problematic behaviour within relationships can take, and how to recognise and address this. 

The event organised by Claire Fox, Equality Diversity & Inclusion Director for the School, shared her insights into the initiative: "The School of Social Sciences are thrilled with the buzz around the ACN pop-up stand this week. The interactive and fun way that the team has engaged with staff and students has made talking about issues of student safety and violence against women far more accessible. It is vitally important that we have these discussions on campus and provide education around safety, violence against women and girls, and managing safe relationships. Our collaboration with ACN helps us, as a School, to do this and compliments our student workshops on sexual consent and respectful behaviour which all of our first-year students attend in the first week of the academic year." 

Rachelle McCurry, Director of Programmes, Active Communities Network provided insightful feedback into the Welcome week activity: 鈥淲e have been chatting to many students over the last two days, and we obviously don't know the students but they have said that our passion and our motivation to empower women has felt that it's easy for them to talk about their spiking experiences, but also their experiences of feeling unsafe in terms of being in a new city, using the likes of public transport or even sharing accommodation.鈥� 

It鈥檚 important men are educated around women and that they are also educated about feeling unsafe as well. Everyone had the opportunity to take a safety kit. 

This links to 15 services across Swag直播.

Staff from the ( and ) from School of Social Sciences, University of Swag直播, hosted the third edition of a 4-day Summer School on Women in Logic from 29 July to 1 August 2024. 

This program catered to 16-18-year-old women and girls from widening participation backgrounds. The Summer School was established with two primary objectives in mind. 

The first objective was to address the underrepresentation of women in the field of logic and philosophy, while the second was to attract more widening participation students to pursue philosophy as a field of study.

Participants were inspired by , the UK's first female philosophy professor, and her ground-breaking critical thinking book, 鈥楾hinking to Some Purpose鈥�. They gained insights into the broader concepts of philosophy, critical thinking, argumentation, fallacies, and debates around contemporary issues. On the last day, posters created by the participants were displayed at House.

It is planned to run the Summer School for Women in Logic again next year, with the objective of attracting more women into the field of philosophy, and specifically to logic, both informal (critical thinking) and formal (mathematical) logic. 

Our Summer School for Women in Logic derives from the university's strategic plan, as we aspire to give back to the community by providing these opportunities to those who may not otherwise have access to them.

Funding for this initiative was provided by the , (SWIP UK) and the at the University of Swag直播.

Since 2014, this community hub has also served as the setting for a fruitful collaboration between the University of Swag直播 and local refugees and asylum seekers, fostering both language skills and community building.

The initiative, spearheaded by the politics department at the University, began as an English language conversation project. Every week, students would meet with refugees and asylum seekers at the Chrysalis Centre, offering them a chance to practice English and engage with the broader community. 

This effort was originally conceived by two Swag直播 students studying Politics and International Relations, John Beswick and Chen Liu, who recognized the isolation and language barriers faced by many refugees during a visit to the centre.

The project has evolved since its inception, expanding in 2022 to include students from universities across Swag直播. This expansion was coordinated by Senior Lecturer Aoileann N铆 Mhurch煤 from Swag直播 and Lecturer Dr. Josephine Biglin from the University of Salford.

The students contribute more than just language skills; they forge meaningful connections with the attendees, contributing to a sense of community and mutual support.

Reflecting on her experience, Ila Lessof, a University of Swag直播 student who participated in the 2022/23 project, described it as transformative: "The community and friendships created were invaluable... the chance to learn from and support each other brought so much joy and purpose." 

Despite the challenges posed by the pandemic, the project has persevered, adapting and growing in response to the needs of the community. The University鈥檚 commitment to this initiative underscores the critical role that higher education institutions can play in supporting refugees within local communities.

As the Chrysalis Family Centre continues to thrive, the collaboration between Swag直播 students and local refugees remains a powerful testament to the positive impact of community engagement.

We are thrilled to announce our colleague has been appointed as the new Parliamentary Thematic Research Lead (TRL) for Crime and Justice. 

She will be joining a cohort of 8 top researchers, selected by (POST) and (UKRI), who will play a crucial role in bringing research and innovation to the forefront of Government decision-making. 

This is part of an expansion of the successful TRL pilot program which ran between January 2023 and Summer 2024, now covering six additional research areas.

Ruth Lamont will be based in the Home Affairs, Human Rights, Equalities and Justice Hub in the House of Commons with links to the , and the relevant Select Committees, including Justice, Home Affairs and Women and Equalities. The role will see her work for three days each week in parliament while continuing her role within the University.

Other appointments include:

• AI and Digital 鈥� Dr Varuna De Silva, Loughborough University (New position)
• Arts and Humanities 鈥� Dr Helen McCabe, University of Nottingham (New position)
• Business, Economics and Trade 鈥� Dr Jane Parry, University of Southampton (New position)
• Climate and Environment 鈥� Dr Andrew Russell, Queen Mary University London
• Health 鈥� David Strain, Dr University of Exeter (New position)
• International Affairs and National Security 鈥� Dr Leslie-Anne Duvic-Paoli, King's College London
• Transport 鈥� Dr Louise Reardon, University of Birmingham (New position)

For those interested in learning more about Ruth鈥檚 research, you can visit her , or alternatively read about her work with colleagues at Essex on the role of Commissioners for the Victims' Commissioner: 

Let's congratulate her on this outstanding achievement and continue to support the impactful research that defines our .

Six student interns from the (SoSS) and (SALC) were paid the living wage as Creative Media Interns, working under the guidance of the renowned Media Company 鈥溾��, to produce a documentary that explores the festival鈥檚 impact on community engagement.

The purpose of the Creative Media Intern project is to improve the employability of our students who identify as being from Global Majority heritage 鈥� including Black, Mixed, South Asian heritage 鈥� who are currently under-represented in our undergraduate student community and in the creative sector.

Sick!鈥檚 month-long festival, 鈥溾�� activated new narratives through creative collaboration in Charleston, Moston and Harpurhey in North Swag直播. The students worked on a documentary that included interviews, and testimonies, illuminating the festival鈥檚 impact, and the importance of platforming creative spaces for marginalised community voices.

For the students, the primary goals of the documentary were to encapsulate the festival's core mission and to collect feedback that will help ensure the Sick! Festival remains inclusive and continues to make a positive impact on the local community. The students presented their work at the end of their internship to staff and students from the University of Swag直播 and members from Sick! Festival.
 

Following the screenings of the film, Dr Sheena Kalayil, Dr Simon Parry and Dr Claire Fox shared their thoughts on the successful outcome of the project:

In addition to gaining practical experience in filmmaking, the students creatively explored topics closely related to their academic studies. They highlighted the communicative power of video, noting how it contrasts with the predominantly text-based methods of their degree programmes. As a result of the internship, a few of the students are now considering creative paths in their studies and future careers.

The Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction 1980 normally require that the child is automatically returned to the state from which they were taken. For their mother, this means being separated from their child or returning with the child to situations of potential danger, visa issues, insecure housing and poverty.

In response to campaigns by and , the Forum enabled the voices of those with lived experience of using the Convention to be heard. Judges, lawyers and academics practising and researching in the field, provided the opportunity for the trauma of domestic abuse to be identified, and specific problems of lawful movement of children to be identified.

, concluded the Forum by considering the need for further research into these issues to which the University of Swag直播 has already made a significant contribution and will continue to do so, including helping to secure GlobalARRK鈥檚 contribution.

The Forum, set to occur from August 17 to 30, serves as a prominent platform for addressing pressing global issues through dialogue and collaboration. Renowned for bringing together outstanding talents and experts from diverse fields, the forum fosters innovative solutions and actions.

Reflecting on his upcoming participation, Patrick remarked 鈥淚 have been following the activities of the European Forum Alpbach for a few years now and have been particularly attracted to the high-quality speakers and outstanding global talents that grace the event each year.

I鈥檓 particularly excited about the opportunity to network, interact, learn and share ideas with experts from different fields on issues that are important to me, especially the problem of climate action. As a citizen of the Global South whose perspectives have been largely ignored in the ongoing climate debates, I aim to bring these excluded voices to the fore of global discussion with European leaders on this topical issue."

Patrick鈥檚 scholarship to EFA24 is a testament to his dedication and scholarly contributions to the field of Applied Ethics and African Philosophy. Funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council Northwest Consortium Doctoral Training Partnership (AHRC NWCDTP), his doctoral research delves into the problem of inconsequentialism鈥攁 critical issue in climate change discourse.

In his research, Patrick emphasises the urgency of addressing moral resignation in the face of climate change, particularly in developing countries where the belief that individual actions are inconsequential is prevalent.

The European Forum Alpbach 2024 will convene over 500 young talents and top European leaders from politics, business, civil society, culture, and science to discuss and tackle such global challenges.

You can find more information about the European Forum Alpbach 2024 .

This was a time of real change. Girls often stayed at school longer, which meant more qualifications, and for some of them this meant well-paid careers. Some, but not all, could access the pill. Teenagers with money to spare could buy pop music records, follow the latest fashions and save up to travel.

Our Teenage Kicks videos show their dreams for their future. From daydreaming about what it would be like to drive a car, or even just to wear trousers, to dreams of travelling to different countries, getting married, and delaying children until the family finances were secure.

Each of the eight women reflects on how their teenage experiences affected how their lives turned out. For some, like Joyce, dreams are cut short. She was planning on training as a teacher, but had to leave school when her mum got ill and she was needed at home. 

Others, like Andrea, achieve some of their teenage dreams. Now retired, she is rekindling her teenage interest in politics and social justice, taking part in climate protests and volunteering at her local food bank.

You can see until September. The gallery is viewed from the street outside NGI, so no need to check opening times.

Alternatively, you can see the whole , read the zine or watch the video.

In his new book, Alan Warde explores how eating habits have changed in recent decades and asks what it means for us to eat well.

He traces the changing culinary landscape of food consumption in Britain since the 1950s, drawing connections between global trends in mass food production and the changing practices of what and how we eat.

From a move towards more informal ways of eating, and an increase in eating out, Warde demonstrates how social change shapes what we put on our plates, sharpening both the pleasures and the anxieties around food.

Drawing on research undertaken over 40 years, the book offers fresh insights into such practices as everyday meals, shopping, cooking and dining out and how these are shaped by demographic, social and cultural processes. The book provides a comprehensive and engaging analysis of eating in Britain today and of the many controversies about how this has changed.

is Emeritus Professor of Sociology and Professorial Fellow in the at the University of Swag直播. He specialises in cultural sociology, consumption and food. In 2019 he received the BSA Distinguished Service to British Sociology Award.

Dating apps are not just about finding love or hooking up. They are becoming increasingly important in the communication of public health messaging, particularly sexual health.

In 2023, magazine suggested that dating apps could 鈥渂ecome a key component in [sexually infectious diseases] prevention鈥�. And their prediction seems to be spot on. 

Grindr, a dating app popular among men who have sex with men, for example, has recently partnered with and in London to allow users to order HIV test kits through the app. While these partnerships hold promise for public health, they also raise important ethical challenges. Alongside colleagues from the UK and US, we have of these challenges and proposed ways of addressing them.

During the , more people than ever started using . Today, apps such as Tinder, Match, or Grindr have millions of users worldwide. A recent in the US showed that more than half of people aged under 30 had used dating apps. Most dating apps can be accessed from smartphones, allowing users to find other people based on shared interests, preferences or location.

A concluded that apps have multiple benefits for public health, including the ability to effectively target specific groups. In the US, is a successful example of collaborating with dating apps to promote sexual health. And, during the recent outbreak, Grindr provided information and its vaccine to users.

Profit, privacy and prejudice

But most apps are profit-generators for businesses and operate in ethical and regulatory contexts that are very different to those of medical or health related professions. One major concern is privacy, as apps collect vast amounts of personal data. Cybersecurity experts have argued that apps are a 鈥溾��. This is, in part, because the main goal of apps is 鈥済enerating, capturing and controlling 鈥� for profit.

Unfortunately, there are many examples of apps mishandling data. For example, has been fined for sharing sensitive user data with third parties, including users鈥� HIV status. This misuse of data can have severe consequences, including in unsafe environments.

Dating apps can also reproduce all too common in wider society. that many users, particularly from marginalised groups, experience harassment, including and , on these platforms. of the experiences of dating apps among rural sexual minority men in the US found that online dating often led to 鈥渄eception, bullying or discrimination, and harassment or coercion鈥�.

Some apps, such as Grindr, 鈥� but other with features which allow, if not encourage, discrimination. Discriminatory experiences undermine users鈥� trust in dating apps, making marginalised groups more reluctant to use them. This also means that marginalised groups may be less likely to access public health information and help through dating apps.

Some dating apps operate with opaque policies. For example, and can terminate any user鈥檚 account, for any reason and without any notice. Some who had been using apps to disseminate information have had their profiles blocked on some apps.

Future collaborations with apps should prioritise the benefit of users over those of the app businesses, develop transparent data policies that prevent users鈥� data from being shared for profit, ensure the apps鈥� commitment to anti-discrimination and anti-harrassment, and provide links to health and wellbeing services beyond the apps.

Dating apps have the potential to be powerful allies in public health, especially in reaching populations that have often been ignored. However, their use must be carefully managed to avoid compromising user privacy, safety and marginalisation.

Research engagement comes in shapes and sizes, and this year judges of the annual Sociology Prize for Public Engagement, Philip Drake (Director of Social Responsibility, School of Social Sciences) and Hilary Pilkington (Research Director, Sociology) awarded joint first prize in the staff category to two worthy, but very different, projects. and share first prize this year with .

Helen and Torik won for sharing their plastic recycling research with policymakers and consumers. They organised recycling pop-up events, produced reports for households and policymakers, contributed to government and business consultations and achieved extensive of their project.

Penny Tinkler won for her at Glasgow Women鈥檚 Library, which also included intergenerational workshops exploring how gender shapes teenage experiences and later life. Teenage Kicks shares the stories of eight women who were all teenagers in the 1960s.

was highly commended in the staff category for a series of knowledge exchange events, at a local mosque, church and temple, researching the role of faith spaces in healthy ageing. The events led to co-produced policy and practice recommendations and a report on the role of .

We also awarded prizes in our PhD student category. , with (University of Bristol) won first prize in this category for an innovative essay for the British Council Cultural Relations Collection. 

In it they explored how artists, from filmmakers to painters, can contribute to peacebuilding, using Colombia and Northern Ireland as their cases. Their essay led to them being invited to take part in further British Council international collaborations on the role of the arts in transitional justice.

was highly commended in the PhD student category for sharing her work exploring identity and belonging for French citizens of South Asian descent through online and in-person events and as a podcast guest.

, Senior Lecturer Social Anthropology at the University of Swag直播, is announced as a Scientific Section President for Archaeology and Anthropology by the British Science Association (BSA) for 2024.

The Scientific Section Presidents are science professionals who play a crucial role in shaping the programme each year. From top names in British science to up-and-coming researchers tackling some of the greatest scientific challenges of our time.

Each year, the Presidents for each of the BSA鈥檚 16 are nominated for making a significant contribution to their scientific field.

In her capacity of Scientific Section President, Chika will present her research project (Voices of Resilience) as part of the British Science Festival taking place 11 鈥� 15 September at the University of East London.

Voices of Resilience is a collaborative project between researchers, disaster risk reduction (DRR) practitioners, and community actors in Talcahuano, Chile, with the aim to explore and promote intergenerational interactions to strengthen community resilience against disasters.

Chika said about her research:
 

If you won鈥檛 be in London in September, Chika will be presenting her research at the University of Swag直播鈥檚 on Saturday, 8 June. You can join her for a focusing on resilience in the kitchen and for a documentary screening exploring intergenerational solidarity.

Both events are free and open to all, you can book your tickets .

In the evening novelist Sarah Perry will discuss her new novel 鈥楨nlightenment鈥� in an intimate setting, featuring a reading and a Q&A.

Date:  Friday, 21 June 2024, 10.30am 鈥� 5.30pm
Location: Jodrell Bank

The day begins with a variety of panel discussions, a walk of the Jodrell Bank site and a filmed conversation with Alan Garner exploring the themes of his literary work. Alan Garner鈥檚 writing is deeply rooted in the history and landscape of Alderley Edge, draws inspiration from the area's archaeology and the cosmic wonders observed at Jodrell Bank Observatory. 

In celebration of his 90th birthday, experts from archaeology, physics, and literature will convene at Jodrell Bank to discuss the impact of Garner's writing on their respective fields, as well as how the sciences have influenced the writer himself. Together, they will explore themes of time and place in his novels, celebrating his contribution to contemporary storytelling.

Purchase your ticket and optional lunch and transport from Oxford Road .

Date:  Friday, 21 June 2024, 6.30pm 鈥� 8pm
Location: Jodrell Bank

Later in the day, attendees can enjoy an evening with author Sarah Perry, featuring her latest novel, Enlightenment. Perry's book delves into questions of faith, physics, and human emotion against the backdrop of a small town in Essex. The newest story from award-winning novelist Sarah Perry weaves a web of entangled relationships and emotion, its characters trapped within the conflict between faith and fact. 

Traversing some of the biggest questions on an intimate and captivating level, Enlightenment will stay with you long after closing the final page.

The event offers a chance to hear Perry discuss her creative process, read excerpts from "Enlightenment," and participate in a Q&A session.

Purchase your ticket and optional dinner .

These events promise a thought-provoking exploration of literature and science, set against the backdrop of the Summer Solstice at Jodrell Bank. Tickets are available for both events, with a discounted rate available for the 鈥楢n Evening With Sarah Perry鈥� event if attending both events.

These events are part of Creative Swag直播鈥檚 鈥楽olstice and Equinox series鈥�, a series of events which brings innovative creative artists to Swag直播鈥檚 four Cultural Institutions. 

Each of our unique cultural institutions 鈥� the Whitworth, the John Rylands Research Institute and Library, Swag直播 Museum and Jodrell Bank Discovery Centre 鈥� focus on building civic, national and international partnerships to advance the social, environmental and individual wellbeing of our communities.

The Making a Difference Awards recognise the outstanding achievements of our staff, students, alumni and external partners, and celebrate how they are making a difference. 

The received two wins and two highly commended awards, a testament to the school鈥檚 dedication to social responsibility. 

Congratulations go to all those involved.

Outstanding public engagement initiative - Winner 

(PhD student in Sociology) nominated by , for her co-produced 鈥淓choes of Displacement鈥�.

鈥楨choes of Displacement鈥� is a captivating comic book narrating the collective story of people growing older while seeking sanctuary in the UK. Created collaboratively with participants and refugee charities, the comic is widely used by organisations to raise awareness about refugee experiences.

Outstanding public engagement initiative 鈥� Highly Commended 

, Suzanne Gower and the Students for their 鈥楯ustice Gap Student Reporter Scheme鈥�.

For the Justice Gap Reporter Scheme, students and staff from Swag直播, Cardiff, UCL and Glasgow universities write articles about the law and justice informing the public about law and justice as it relates to them, covering lesser-known parts of the justice system which is often not covered in mainstream media.

Outstanding contribution to social and environmental impact through entrepreneurship - Winner 

nominated by , for her 鈥極ne Bin to Rule Them All鈥�.

鈥極ne Bin To Rule Them All鈥� is an innovative, interdisciplinary project which enables a sustainable circular plastics economy by using behavioural understanding and new economic models to reshape recycling practices. From mapping household contamination to influencing UN Plastics Treaty negotiations, the team enables improved recycling outcomes across supply chains.
 

Outstanding contribution to equality, diversity and inclusion 鈥� Highly Commended

and GM4Women2028 Charity and Helen Pankurst for 鈥楧ialogue, Deeds and Determination: Diversifying and strengthening voices, dialogue and connections of Women and Girls to powerholders in Greater Swag直播鈥�.

GM4Women2028 is a charity aiming to improve the lives of women and girls in Greater Swag直播. The Dialogue, Deeds and Determination (DDD) project is engaging with policy-makers, politicians and the public and holding to account elected representatives. Together they are committing to data-driven action to tackle gender inequality in GM.

Find out more about the Making a Difference awards on our .

Ryan Peacey and Borja Alvarez Martinez are PhD students at the Department of Criminology, whose research centres on arms trade controls and interactions between transfeminine victims of hate crime and police, respectively. Both Borja and Ryan have demonstrated a consistent high performance in their teaching over years, having taught in units such as Foundations of Criminological Scholarship, Policing and the Police, Criminological Research Methods, and White-Collar, Corporate and Environmental Crime (Borja), and Understanding Punishment (Ryan).

In Ryan鈥檚 nomination, a permanent member of the staff described his teaching as 鈥榓pproachable and helpful to students鈥�.

Similarly, another member of the staff nominated Borja for the TA of the Year Awards, describing Borja鈥檚 commitment to teaching and learning as 鈥榠mpressive鈥�.

The recipients of the First-Year TA Award are Laura McCulloch and Nicola Fox. Laura is an Associate Lecturer at Arden University and Research Assistant at the University of Swag直播, who joined the pool of Teaching Assistants in the Department of Criminology in September 2023. 

Since then, Laura has been involved in the teaching of units such as Drugs and Society, Criminology and Criminal Justice in Action, and Psychology, Crime and Criminal Justice. In Laura鈥檚 nomination, her approach to teaching was described as 鈥渧ery friendly and welcoming to students as they arrived, creating a comfortable learning environment鈥�. 

Nicola Fox is a PhD student at the Department of Criminology, who also joined the Departmental pool of TAs in September and has since been involved in the teaching of modules such as Making Sense of Criminological Data and Modelling Criminological Data. Three members of the staff nominated Nicola for the TA of the Year Awards, claiming that 鈥淣icola is one of the best TAs we have worked with鈥�. 

These Awards celebrate the dedication and enthusiasm of Teaching Assistants in the Department of Criminology. The Department also acknowledges all other TAs for their invaluable contributions to teaching excellence at the University: Diana Bociga, Valeria Caroli, Michelle Corallo, Tom Cunningham, Peter Duncan, Joshua Findlay, Oliver Hulmes, Maria Fernanda Ibarra, Monira Jahan, Ezra Lampesberger, Peggy Lockwood-Lord, Jana Macfarlane Horn, Ana Maria Nicoriciu, Paul O鈥橬eill, Korry Robert, Chris Waugh, and Jinjin Wu. 

The TA of the Year Awards are selected by the Department of Criminology through a Committee comprised of Prof Rosemary Broad (Head of Criminology), Dr Emily Turner (BA Criminology Programme Director), Dr Nico Trajtenberg (Criminology PGT Programmes Director), and Dr David Buil-Gil (TA Coordinator for Criminology). Candidates can be nominated by Course Unit Directors, Lecturers, students, and other Teaching Assistants. The Awards consist of a certificate of accomplishment and a voucher. 
 

To close the inaugural People Fest conference from 5-7 April, the and proudly present '', a free event featuring in conversation with Dr Rupert Cox.

The event will highlight some of Jeremy鈥檚 films and collaborations. Dr Katie Smith and students from Social Anthropology at Swag直播 will ask how his playful explorations of British identity might connect to themes in anthropological research. The discussion promises to be an engaging exploration of Deller's impactful work within the context of contemporary British culture and societal discourse surrounding it.

Jeremy Deller, renowned for his thought-provoking installations, films, and conceptual art, will offer unique insights into his artistic practice, which often navigates the intersections of history, popular culture, and societal issues. We are looking forward to hearing him share his perspectives on creativity, activism, and the role of art in shaping our understanding of the world.

Organized as part of the inaugural , this event underscores the commitment of the Granada Centre for Visual Anthropology and Creative Swag直播 to fostering interdisciplinary discussions and celebrating by bringing Jeremy Deller to the festival, attendees will have the opportunity to learn from one of the most influential voices in contemporary art.

Registrations for 'Jeremy Deller in Conversation' are open now, and everyone is welcome to attend. to secure your spot.

Event details:

Date: Sunday, April 7, 3.30 pm-5 pm, followed by a drinks reception
Location: , M1 5BY 
 

On Wednesday, 20 March 2024, Swag直播's , in collaboration with the and the UoM Bicentennial Team, organised a landmark event commemorating 30 years of ground-breaking quantitative criminology research at Swag直播. 

This event not only celebrated the rich history of quantitative criminological scholarship in Swag直播 but also showcased the vibrant future of this field. , Head of Criminology, opened the event, underlining the department's pivotal role in shaping the study of criminology.

The late 20th century saw the formation of the Swag直播 Quantitative Criminology Group, a team that revolutionised the study of crime through the innovative use of British Crime Survey data combined with Census information. Their pioneering work laid the foundations for understanding crime distribution and the phenomenon of multiple victimisations within and across communities. 

The Swag直播 Quantitative Criminology Group published groundbreaking work between the early 1990s and early 2000s. The event paid homage to the original members of this group, including Professors Ken Pease, Denise Osborn, Andromachi Tseloni, Graham Farrell, and Doctors Tim Hope and Rob Elder, whose groundbreaking research set a new course for criminological studies.

provided a captivating overview of the evolution of quantitative criminology at the University of Swag直播 from the early 2000s through to the 2020s, highlighting significant advancements in the analysis of gang dynamics, use of drugs and other substances, domestic abuse, and the spatial distribution of crime. 

This period marked an expansion in the scope and sophistication of quantitative methods in criminology, reflecting the University's ongoing commitment to innovation. The event also featured talks from Professors Jon Bannister and Chris Birkbeck, who illustrated developments in quantitative criminology at other universities in Greater Swag直播.

In the dawn of the 2020s, a new wave of criminologists launched the Reading Sessions in Quantitative Criminology, further pushing the boundaries of the field. , , and , as three representatives of this new generation, demonstrated the potential of modern quantitative methods to uncover insights into crime and deviance. 

Their work, along with that of other University of Swag直播 researchers like Dr George Wood, Dr Joanna Hill, and , and PhD students Nicola Fox, Benjamin Palfreeman-Watt and Ezra Lampesberger, who served as chairs, discussants and organisers in the event, illustrates the vibrant academic community fostered in Swag直播.

The event featured thought-provoking presentations from each era of Swag直播's quantitative criminology scholars, sparking discussions that bridged past, present, and future research directions. 

In a testament to the event's commitment to nurturing the next generation of researchers, the Department of Criminology offered two 'Alan Trickett bursaries' for Early Career Researchers. 

Alan Trickett, who sadly passed away in 2011, was one of the founding members of the Swag直播 Quantitative Criminology Group. Pablo Ezquerra from Cardiff University and Giovanni Nicolazzo from Universit脿 Cattolica del Sacro Cuore in Milan, currently visiting Lancaster University, were the recipients of the bursaries.

This celebration not only reflected on three decades of scholarly achievements but also looked forward to the future, embodying the spirit of innovation and collaboration that has always characterised Swag直播.

Throughout the film the key message is clear that, across all cities, older people have stories to tell and experiences to share and suggests that to make cities great places to age the voices of older people must be central.

Since 2020, for the first time in history, the number of people aged sixty and over outnumbered children younger than five years old. This disparity is expected to increase significantly by 2030 when one in six will be aged sixty and over. At the same time, the world is increasingly urban with more than 55% of the global population living in cities. 

With the simultaneous demographic change and deepening urbanisation predicted cities must move quickly to put in place the resources and infrastructure an ageing population needs. 

According to the World Health Organization 鈥楢ge-friendly cities aspire to be places where people of all ages feel involved, valued, and supported with infrastructure and services that meet their preferences, needs and aspirations.鈥� However, age-friendly will mean different things to different people, and it will require different approaches and priorities in different cities.

As part of the Ageing in Place project, older people from multiple cities including Akita, Bilbao, Brno, Brussels, Swag直播, Oslo, and Qu茅bec were asked what 鈥榓ge-friendly鈥� meant to them. Drawing on the voices of city residents, volunteers at community centres, members of older people boards and participants in age-friendly services the film engages with a diverse range of opinions and levels of involvement in age-friendly cities and communities.

In the film, we hear older people offering an insight into the transition into retirement and older age, the desire to be useful and take part in activities, and the need for services that meet their needs. We also hear about the changing urban environment and the impact this has on ageing in cities.
 

Commenting on the film, Dr Patty Doran said:

The project relied on collaborations with several key stakeholders across the seven cities, including officers from local councils, community and private sector organisations, researchers from a range of institutions and older residents in the cities.

The film is available to watch and you can learn more about the project .

Professor Denise Osborn, Emeritus Professor at Swag直播 has been awarded the annual Royal Economics Society Medal for Services to the Economics Profession.

This prestigious prize is awarded to recognise those who have made an outstanding and lasting contribution to the economics profession in one or more of three dimensions: promoting economics, supporting economists; improving diversity.

Professor Osborn was the first woman to be appointed Professor of Econometrics in the UK. Formerly a member of staff at the University for 38 years, she became an Emeritus Professor in 2015. During her time at Swag直播, she published more than 80 papers and one book, with many international collaborators.

Throughout her career, Professor Osborn made an exceptional contribution to the Leverhulme Trust as a longstanding member of the Leverhulme Research Awards Advisory Committee and she helped the Trust allocate prestigious prizes and awards, including The Philip Leverhulme Prizes and the Leverhulme Visiting Professorship awards.

Professor Osborn has also served as the Inaugural Chair of the RES Women鈥檚 Committee from 1996-1998 and along with others initiated the first survey of the position of women in the economics profession. Subsequently, she was appointed RES Secretary-General from 2015-2022 and led the Society through a transformative period of change.

Royal Economics Society President Professor Mary Morgan who chaired this year鈥檚 award panel said:
 

Professor Denise Osborn will receive her medal at this year鈥檚 RES Annual Conference in March, more information is available on their .

The announces that the inaugural Hajnal Lecture will be given by , the Drummond Professor of Political Economy in the at the University of Oxford and All Souls College on Thursday, 9 May 2024 at 4pm. 

A published version of the lecture will also be published in The Swag直播 School.

The Hajnal Lecture is named after the late John Hajnal, in recognition of pivotal contributions to historical demography and his impactful tenure as a Simon Fellow at the University of Swag直播 in the 1950s. 

This prestigious annual lecture commends the outstanding work of early- or mid-career scholars who have demonstrated exceptional contributions to the field of economic history.

Professor Yuchtman鈥檚 research explores a wide range of topics in political economy and economic history, including the drivers of political ideology and participation in political movements, the impact of educational content in the process of development, the effects of social interactions on economic and political behavior, and the role of the state in promoting economic growth and innovation.

Noam鈥檚 work has been featured in prestigious academic journals, including the American Economic Review, Econometrica, the Journal of Political Economy, the Quarterly Journal of Economics, and the Review of Economic Studies.
 
 

More information about the lecture will be made available closer to the date.

NCRM is a partnership between Swag直播, the University of Southampton and the University of Edinburgh.

Over the past two decades, the centre has helped to advance methodological practice in the UK through an extensive array of activities 鈥� from training courses that improve researchers鈥� skills, to research projects that develop new ways of gathering or analysing data.

NCRM鈥檚 Swag直播 team, based in the , has played a played a vital role in the success of the centre.

Anniversary initiatives will include a bursary programme, an impact prize, mail outs of branded items and spotlights on key contributors.

NCRM has also released a video which highlights some of its most significant moments. These include the formation of the current partnership in 2014, which brought together three institutions with international reputations in methodological research and training.

The centre was originally founded at the University of Southampton, but for the past decade it has worked alongside Swag直播 and the University of Edinburgh.

This growth into a national partnership has enabled NCRM to extend its reach and diversify its activities, with 21 team members spread across the three core partners.

NCRM鈥檚 Swag直播 team leads on engagement and innovation, manages the centre鈥檚 bursary scheme, runs specialist training and organises the popular Research Methods e-Festival.

鈥淭he centre provides important leadership 鈥� in training, interdisciplinary collaboration and the development of new approaches to research,鈥� said .

鈥淪wag直播 takes great pride in the pivotal role it has played in these areas since becoming a part of NCRM 10 years ago.鈥� 

鈥淭he NCRM team in Swag直播, led by Professor Mark Elliot, is an outstanding asset to our University 鈥� I鈥檇 like to take this opportunity to thank you all for your exceptional work and commitment.鈥�

NCRM has been funded by the Economic and Social Research Council since the centre鈥檚 establishment in 2004. Its latest funding phase began in 2020 and saw nine additional training partners join the NCRM network.

Together, NCRM and its partners now run more courses than ever before 鈥� around 50 a year. The centre has also significantly expanded its online resources, with more than 80 tutorials now available on the NCRM website.

Stian Westlake, ESRC Executive Chair, said: 鈥淣CRM have played a pivotal role in strengthening research methods capability in the social sciences and we congratulate them on reaching this milestone.鈥�

NCRM has traditionally focused on methods used in the social sciences, but its training, online resources, networks and events are designed for researchers in many fields of study.

The centre provides training at various levels, from introductory to advanced, and offers bursaries to cover course fees for researchers employed in the UK. Its website also hosts a growing number of resources for research methods trainers, backed by NCRM鈥檚 own pedagogic research.

Another way NCRM supports researchers is through its engagement activities. These include the co-ordination of networks that bring together researchers and specialist organisations across the country, and a scheme that funds methodological innovation.

is NCRM鈥檚 Vice-Director. His team in the School of Social Sciences includes , an NCRM Co-Investigator who leads on creative methods, Senior Engagement Manager Dr Ali Hanbury, Research Fellow and Training and Events Co-ordinator Sandra Gogacz.

NCRM will announce further details of its 20th anniversary initiatives throughout 2024. 

For more information about NCRM, visit the .

On Monday, 19 February 2024, the will announce the first awardee of its inaugural Hajnal Lecture.

This lecture series is named after the late John Hajnal, in recognition of pivotal contributions to historical demography and his impactful tenure as a Simon Fellow at the University of Swag直播 in the 1950s. 

With the gracious approval of John Hajnal鈥檚 next of kin, the Arthur Lewis Lab is proud to establish the Hajnal Lecture to honour his memory and reflect the University of Swag直播鈥檚 commitment to fostering excellence in the fields of economic history and comparative development.

This prestigious annual lecture aims to commend the outstanding work of early- or mid-career scholars, specifically those within 15 years of completing their PhD, who have demonstrated exceptional contributions in their study of economic growth, political economy of development, and global inequalities from a long-run historical perspective.

For this annual lecture, the Arthur Lewis Lab partnered with the , one of the best-preserved factories of the Industrial Revolution, near Swag直播, who will produce the fabric used for the physical award received by the winner.

A published version of the lecture will also be published in , a prestigious journal publishing high-quality research covering all areas of the economics discipline. This will contribute to the broader dissemination of knowledge and foster interdisciplinary exchange, in line with the lab's dedication to advancing cutting-edge research with a focus on big questions and an historical dimension.

The award committee with be formed of the Director and Deputy Director of The Arthur Lewis Lab for Comparative Development, currently and , as well as the editor of The Swag直播 School, currently from the Department of Economics at the University of Swag直播.

new book, is out now, published by Bloomsbury.

In her groundbreaking ethnography The Asian Gang, published in 2000, Claire Alexander explored the creation of Asian Muslim masculinities in South London. 

Set against the backdrop of the moral panic over 'Asian gangs' in the mid-1990s, based on 5 years of ethnographic fieldwork, the book explored the idea of 'the gang', friendships, and the role of 'brothers' in the formation, performance and negotiation of ethnic, religious and gendered identities.

The Asian Gang Revisited picks up the story of 'the Asian gang' over the subsequent two decades, examining the changing identities of the original participants as they transition into adulthood in the context of increased public and political concerns over Muslim masculinities, spanning the War on Terror, 'grooming gangs' and increased Islamophobia. 

Building on her ongoing relationships with the men over 25 years, the book explores education, employment, friendship, marriage and fatherhood, and religious identity, and examines both the changes and the continuities that have shaped this group. It traces the lives of its participants from their teenage years through to their early-mid 40s. 

A unique longitudinal study of this small, diverse but still close cohort of men, the book offers an intimate, rich and textured account of what it means to be a Muslim man in contemporary Britain.

Offering a critical perspective on the concept of radicalisation, the book views it from the perspective of social actors who engage in radicalising milieus but for the most part have not crossed the threshold into violent extremism. 

It brings together contributions conducted as part of a cross-European (including France, Germany, the Netherlands, Greece, Russia, Turkey, the UK, and beyond) study of young people's engagement in 鈥榚xtreme right鈥� and 鈥業slamist鈥� milieus.

It argues that radicalisation is best understood as a relational concept reflecting a social process rooted in relational inequalities but also shaped by interactional and situational dynamics, which not only facilitate but also constrain radicalisation.

The book draws on insights from an EU Horizon 2020 project, led by Hilary Pilkington.

This book explores how dementia studies relates to dementia鈥檚 growing public profile and corresponding research economy. It argues that a neuropsychiatric biopolitics of dementia positions dementia as a syndrome of cognitive decline, caused by discrete brain diseases, distinct from ageing, widely misunderstood by the public, that will one day be overcome through technoscience. 

This biopolitics generates dementia鈥檚 public profile and is implicated in several problems, including the failure of drug discovery, the spread of stigma, the perpetuation of social inequalities and the lack of support that is available to people affected by dementia. Through a failure to critically engage with neuropsychiatric biopolitics, much dementia studies is complicit in these problems.

Drawing on insights from critical psychiatry and critical gerontology, this book explores these problems and the relations between them, revealing how they are facilitated by neuro-agnostic dementia studies work that lacks robust biopolitical critiques and sociopolitical alternatives. 

In response, the book makes the case for a more biopolitically engaged "neurocritical" dementia studies and shows how such a tradition might be realised through the promotion of a promissory sociopolitics of dementia.