19th Festival of Social Science
College of Social Sciences Calendar of Events 2021
This year's Festival of Social Science at the University of Glasgow offers a bumper selection of events and activities, including panel discussions and public debates, interactive workshops, online musical events, exhibitions, animation and documentary screenings, outdoor participation events and policy launch webinars.
In this year of COP26 in Glasgow, many events are themed around social science, the environment and sustainability, but city planning, criminology, the living wage, fake news, youth employment, work psychology science, end of life and socio-economic deprivation are also featured themes.
After the success of last year's Virtual Festival, many events are available to attend online but in-person attendance is also being offered this year, and there are a few hybrid events where you can choose whether to attend online or in person.
This page gathers together all the events organised by the University of Glasgow so you can browse the tiles below and click directly onto the relevant booking page.
#ESRCFestival
For more information about UK-wide festival events, you can visit the ESRC Festival of Social Science website.
These events are part of the ESRC Festival of Social Science 2021 and were made possible thanks to funding from the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), which is part of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI).
Using photography to explore social issues: Class with Margaret Mitchell
Monday 25 Oct 2021 18:00–20:00 BST
Attend in person - 201 St Andrews Building, University of Glasgow
Class about the ethics and challenges of using photography to explore sensitive social issues, with Scottish photographer Margaret Mitchell.
This class only has a few places still available.
Local contact:
'Bridging the Void' is an online festival of music and conversation
These events reflect on the learning and outputs of the Distant Voices project and allow for imagining a different future together.
Distant Voices is a partnership between the University of Glasgow, University of Edinburgh, University of the West of Scotland, and Vox Liminis. The project has been exploring justice and reintegration creatively and in community.
'Bridging the Void' is the project's closing festival and was made possible thanks to funding from the ESRC.
Building resilience with equity - perspectives from cities and neighbourhoods in the Global South
Thursday 28 Oct 2021 10:00-11:30 BST
Online
This panel discussion will consider urban resilience strategies that have been implemented in different cities, and the lessons learnt from these experiences. To be followed by a Q&A session.
- Led by the GCRF Centre for Sustainable, Healthy and Learning Cities and Neighbourhoods (SHLC)
- Chaired by UN-Habitat
- Register here
Local contact:
Documentary premier - Cuba’s Life Task: combatting climate change
Monday 1 Nov 2021 18:00-20:30 GMT
Attend in person - Sir Charles Wilson Lecture Theatre, University of Glasgow
Documentary about Cuba’s unique approach to climate change - the State plan known as Tarea Vida.
Introduced by Dr Helen Yaffe and followed by a Q&A session with environmentalist Blanca Garcés Fernández, from Cuba's Ministry of Science, Technology and the Environment, who is in Glasgow for COP26.
Local contact:
COP 26 and just transitions: what can we learn from Cuba and Scotland?
Wednesday 3 Nov 2021 18:00-20:00 GMT
This event is fully subscribed for in-person attendance but it will be live streamed on Facebook.
Members of the panel will discuss aspects of their work, including Cuba’s pioneering role in developing renewable technologies, and energy transitions in a Scottish context, followed by a Q&A session.
Blanca Garcés Fernández who is a Specialist at the Department of International Relations within the Cuban Ministry of Science, Technology and the Environment (CITMA) will participate.
Local contact:
Rivers of Peace: biodiversity and peacebuilding in Colombia
Wednesday 3 Nov 2021 17:30 – 19:30 GMT
This event is fully subscribed for in-person attendance but it will be live streamed on Youtube.
Panel includes:
Maryury Mosquera - Secretary of the Technical Committee of The Guardians of the Atrato
Viviana Gonzalez - Lawyer at SIEMBRA, Colombia
Alejandro Perez - Programme Manager at Caritas Colombia
Knut Andreas Lid - Programme Director at Caritas Norway
Local contact
Economics Observatory: the Economics of Net Zero
Wednesday 3 Nov 2021 14:00-16:30 GMT
This event is fully subscribed for in-person attendance but you can still register to attend online.
A public debate and roundtable discussion hosted by the Economics Observatory, University of Glasgow and Government Economic Service Global Economics Conference.
There will be two panels and a Q&A session focused on the economics of climate change and the challenges and opportunities from securing the transition to net zero.
We hope that attendees will join us in Glasgow but it will also be possible to watch the event online.
Local contact:
‘Project Real’: How good are you at recognising fake news?
Wednesday 3 Nov 19:00-20:00 GMT
Online, parent and child event
This interactive online workshop invites parents and their children to come together to learn more about fake news. This will include fake photos, fake videos and fake people.
There will be activities to try out to see how good you are at spotting real and fake news and to see how you can improve.
Local contact:
COP26: Climate Action in South Scotland
Saturday 6 Nov 2021 10:00-16:00 GMT
Attend in person - Rutherford-McCowan Building, Dumfries - or online
Join us for this free event and get involved with COP26 in Dumfries. Participate in interactive demonstrations, experiments and activities throughout the day.
You will discover more about the world-changing research in environmental science being led by academic staff based in Dumfries.
Local contact:
SMART Climate Action: Inclusive Youth Engagement & Sensing & 5G Technology
Tuesday 9 Nov 2021 10:00-16:00 GMT
Attend in person - Hunter Halls, University of Glasgow
Exhibition which offers an exciting opportunity for children, young people and the public to have a hands-on, interactive experience. Come along and explore cutting-edge sensors and 5G technologies that contribute to cutting carbon emissions and support adaptations to climate change.
Local contact:
Carbon reduction, older tenements and the retrofit challenge in Glasgow
Tuesday 9 Nov 2021 17:00-19:00 GMT
Attend in person - Queen's Park Govanhill Church of Scotland
This is a screening of a short film about a demonstration project in Glasgow.
Learn more about the carbon reduction secured by the high-quality Enerphit retrofit of a typical tenement block on Niddrie Road, Glasgow.
Local contact:
Less meat/no meat or ‘no bother’? Advantages and how to dialogue on this
Wednesday 10 Nov 2021 18.00-19.30 GMT
Online
This interactive event will highlight the advantages of reducing meat-eating for the individual, society as a whole, and the planet.
It will provide participants the opportunity to discuss the arguments and open up a dialogue.
Local contact:
Designing neighbourhoods: the economic, social and environmental value of good design
Saturday 13 Nov 2021 SOLD OUT
10:00-12:00 or 14:00-16:00 GMT
Attend in person - thestudio, Glasgow
What makes a well-designed neighbourhood? Come to this interactive workshop to explore the value of good design and get busy with some Lego!
There will be a presentation and discussion of CaCHE research findings followed by an animation screening and further discussion.
Local contact:
Using photography to explore sensitive topics: Exhibition
16th - 30th November 2021, University of Glasgow Chapel
Attend in person
An exhibition about how photos can be used to facilitate conversations around sensitive topics such as end of life and financial hardship.
The artists worked with the University's 'Dying in the Margins' project team and Scottish photographer Margaret Mitchell to discuss how emotive topics can be captured in an empowering and sensitive way.
Local contact
What role for Russia in the global fight against climate change?
Wednesday 17 Nov 2021 15:00-15:45 GMT
Online
This event includes a talk with Dr Marcin Kaczmarski and Anton Barbashin (PhD student, University of Glasgow, and editorial director of The Riddle), and a Q&A session with the audience.
The topic is Russia’s climate change policy and the relevance of Russia to global efforts in mitigating climate change.
Local contact:
Climate In Your Hands: climate action zine-making workshop
Wednesday 17 Nov 2021 18:00-19:30 GMT
Online SOLD OUT
This 90-minute, zine-making workshop, led by the Glasgow Zine Library and Dr Melanie Ramdarshan Bold, invites over-16s to explore climate change issues by making zines.
Local contact:
Experiencing Places and Spaces: City Planning with your Senses 1
Wednesday 17 Nov 2021 10:00-12:00 GMT
Interactive on-campus event
Inspired by COP26 to make changes in your local area?
Find out how to use creative methods to explore and explain your area.
Guided walking tour incorporating creative urban planning-based workshop activities followed by review and sharing session.
Local contact:
Experiencing Places and Spaces: City Planning with your Senses 2
Thursday 18 Nov 2021 10:00-11:00 GMT
Interactive online event
Inspired by COP26 to make changes in your local area?
We will send you information about what to do before the event. You can expect to learn about field drawing skills, sound mapping, found poetry and mental maps, and what these creative methods can help you learn about when exploring your own area. Get your camera phone and a sense of curiosity ready!
Local contact:
Living wages: new research
Thursday 18 Nov 2021 09:00-11:30 GMT
Online - webinar
This webinar launches the European Journal of Work and Organisational Psychology’s special issue on living wages, and the EAWOP & ESRC Impact Accelerator 'Living Wage' game.
The session includes five short talks from academics from around the world, and a Q&A session. Anybody interested in living wages research welcome to attend.
Local contact:
Making Chocolate Teapots: Striving for 'Good' Youth Work - Policy Briefs Launch
Friday 26 Nov 2021 10:00-12:00 GMT
Online - webinar
This event is an output of the ESRC/EAWOP Small Group Meeting that was organised in June 2020:
The webinar launches the policy briefs based on participants’ research findings.
Local contact:
NIESR Autumn Economic Forecast webinar
Monday 29 November 2021 11:00-12:00 GMT
Online - webinar
We are delighted to invite you to our NIESR/University of Glasgow Autumn 2021 Economic Forecast webinar.
Reflections on the Scottish context, leading into a wider discussion.
- Read NIESR's latest economic forecast - National Institute UK Economic Outlook. Recovering: stalling not soaring
- Find out more and register
Local Contact:
Tenements Talking - A Walking Workshop on Tenements' Change over a Hundred Years
Thursday 30 Nov 2021 12:00-13:00 GMT
Attend in person
You are invited to walk among the tenements - living monuments of Glasgow’s urban scene - to listen to their tumultuous stories.
From their construction, to the rent strikes, to adaptation to modern life and technology - come along and join in the discussions.
Local contact:
Silence is golden? Work psychology science exploration of silence in organisations
Thursday 30 Nov 2021 09:00-12:00 GMT
Online Animation launch
Silence is golden?
An exploration of why silence in organisations can be far from a good thing, why it occurs, and how to detect and remedy its unintended consequences.
Includes four short science talks and a discussion panel.
Local contact:
For information about UK-wide festival events, you can visit the ESRC Festival of Social Science website.