This collaboration, funded and developed by the School of Social Sciences (SoSS) Social Responsibility Committee, brought on 50 student volunteers as translators, ensuring critical services remain accessible to all, including those whose first language is not English. The initiative addressed a growing need, as many of the ’s visitors navigate complex processes related to housing, benefits, and employment support.

Launched in early 2023, the volunteer translator programme has achieved notable success in a short period, offering both document translation and in-person interpretation services. Student volunteers translated essential materials - such as informational leaflets, forms, and letters - into 22 different languages to ensure that non-English-speaking clients can access critical information. 

Two students have also provided in-person interpretation during important meetings and appointments at the Centre, bridging communication gaps that might otherwise prevent individuals from fully accessing support. 

Phil Drake, Director of Social Responsibility for the School of Social Sciences, said:

Megan Hadfield, a representative from the University and trustee of the Booth Centre, emphasised the programme’s importance, noting:

Reflecting on the initiative, Conor Miller, the Booth Centre’s facilities manager, shared:

Looking ahead, the Booth Centre, with the assistance of the SoSS Social Responsibility Committee, aims to expand the programme. Plans included increasing student engagement by refining the induction process and aligning training schedules with academic calendars to accommodate students’ availability. Additionally, the committee intends to recruit volunteers proficient in high-demand languages, such as Arabic and Eastern European dialects, to meet the evolving needs of the Centre’s community.

Through funding and support from the SoSS Social Responsibility Committee, this initiative empowered students to use their skills meaningfully while providing crucial language support that helps Booth Centre clients navigate complex systems. This collaboration exemplified the University’s mission to foster social responsibility by addressing community needs through sustainable, impactful projects.

The School of Social Sciences is delighted to announce of the has been awarded a Principal Fellowship from AdvanceHE. 

is awarded to individuals who demonstrate a sustained and effective record of strategic leadership in academic practice and significant influence in higher education, both within and beyond their institutions. 

As Director for the School, Claire has led the charge in promoting the School of Social Sciences' commitment to equality and diversity in the workplace. She encourages both staff and students to actively participate in fostering these changes. 

Claire’s dedication to promoting inclusion is also evident in her research, which focuses on victimisation, particularly among ‘hidden’ or hard to identify groups. This includes migrant populations, young people who are offending or at risk of offending, and those who have experienced Honour Based Abuse.

Principal Fellows represent a diverse community united by their impactful leadership and vision, which has driven sustained transformation in outcomes and practices. It is a significant achievement for Claire to be part of this cohort. She has expressed her enthusiasm by stating that:

Ten percent of ethnic minorities in Scotland have suffered recent racist physical attack. Black and Chinese ethnic groups in Scotland have particularly high levels of reporting racist insult and unfair racist treatment from police.

More than one third of people from ethnic minorities in Scotland worried about racist harassment. The majority of people identifying as Black, Pakistani, Indian and Jewish in Scotland worried about racist harassment. Levels of worry about racism were higher in Scotland than in England and Wales for many ethnic groups.

The report is produced by CoDE working in collaboration with BEMIS, the national umbrella body supporting the development of the Ethnic Minorities Voluntary Sector in Scotland.

The report is based on data from Evidence for Equality National Survey (EVENS), the largest and most comprehensive survey to document the lives of ethnic and religious minorities in Britain during the pandemic.

The collaboration is part of , an initiative which works with research and voluntary sector partners to explore how the EVENS dataset can be used in racial justice work beyond academia.

Read the report: y.

The report is authored by Nissa Finney (University of St Andrews), Nigel de Noronha (University of Manchester) and BEMIS. We acknowledge funding from the UKRI Economic and Social Research Council via the CoDE grants ‘Exploring racial and ethnic inequality in a time of crisis’ (ES/V013475/1), ‘The social, cultural and economic impacts of the pandemic on ethnic and racialised groups in the UK’ (ES/W000849/1) and Legacy Grant funding (ESW012340/1).

Professor Phillips, a distinguished Social and Environmental Gerontology Professor, is visiting from The University of Stirling, where she has made significant contributions to research and policy in the field of ageing.

Professor Phillips brings a wealth of experience and expertise to 91ֱ��. During her tenure as Deputy Principal for Research at Stirling (2016–2024), over 80% of the University’s research was rated as world-leading or internationally excellent, and her leadership resulted in the largest increase in research grant capture in Stirling’s history.

She also served as Research Director for the Healthy Ageing Challenge under UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) from 2020 to 2024. Professor Phillips was previously the Deputy Pro-Vice-Chancellor of Swansea University and Director of the Research Institute for Applied Social Sciences. She also established the Centre for Innovative Ageing at Swansea and directed the Centre for Ageing and Dementia Research for Wales.

Professor Phillips’ contributions to gerontology have been recognised with numerous fellowships and awards, including an OBE for services to older people in 2013 and the British Society of Gerontology’s Outstanding Achievement Award in 2021.

At The University of Manchester, Professor Phillips will engage in a series of strategic initiatives aimed at advancing research on ageing and enhancing The University of Manchester’s already world-leading research capabilities in social gerontology and ageing.

Professor Tine Buffel, Professor of Sociology and Social Gerontology at the University has shared:

Global Entrepreneurship Week (GEW) is an annual event that celebrates and empowers entrepreneurs worldwide. The Masood Entrepreneurship Centre offered events throughout the week, catering to individuals at all stages of their entrepreneurial journey, from newcomers to those ready to scale their ideas. The events drew 263 students and delivered over 32 hours of programming.

The week began with the inspiring Startup Spotlight with Dr. Mehdi Boutagouga Boudjadja, the visionary Founder of Metofico. He generously shared deep, invaluable insights from his entrepreneurial journey from a PhD student to a Venture Further Awards winner, captivating the audience with stories of challenges he overcame.

Throughout the week, participants had access to a comprehensive series of professional development workshops and learning opportunities:

💡 A strategic AI Marketing masterclass conducted by Peter Dickinson, focusing on advanced methodologies for business development

🎯 An executive Personal Branding 101 workshop facilitated by Jessica Lewis-Tatton, designed to enhance participants' professional presence

🎤 The Ready, Set, Pitch! competition, providing emerging entrepreneurs with a platform to present their business ideas

📚 An essential 'Introduction to Starting a Business' seminar by Jessica Lewis-Tatton delivering strategic business fundamentals

🧠 An insightful Neurodivergence & Entrepreneurship session facilitated by Matilda Page and Dr. Rob Martin, examining diverse entrepreneurial perspectives

The week concluded with the inaugural Startup Weekend, a three-day intensive program where 140 participants collaborated to develop their business concepts into viable ventures. The level of innovation and professional dedication demonstrated was exemplary.

The Masood Entrepreneurship Centre extends its gratitude to the speakers, mentors, and participants who contributed to the success of #GEW2024. The professional excellence and collaborative approach exhibited throughout the event reinforces 91ֱ��'s status as a premier destination for entrepreneurship and innovation.

MEC looks forward to seeing the exciting ventures and connections that emerge from this incredible week.

A panel of scientific experts will provide education policy makers with advice on strategic and emerging issues through a new , the Department for Education has recently announced.

, Professor of Economics, The University of Manchester, and Deputy Research Director, has been appointed as one of the specialist team of 12 experts to ensure access to the best and latest scientific advice – helping the department’s work to break down the barriers to opportunity by protecting children and ensuring the delivery of higher standards of education, training and care.

The independent panel will provide scientific advice to the Department for Education on matters relevant to its policy and operations. This will include areas such as early identification and support of children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), mental health support, online harms prevention, a sustainable and secure school estate and artificial intelligence and education technology.

The council will also work with the chief scientific adviser to identify and share emerging scientific trends with officials and facilitate effective links between the department and the wider scientific community.

More information can be found on the .
 

A recent event, “What's In Your Wardrobe? Telling & Sharing Clothing Stories”, encouraged attendees to bring items of clothing, and delve into the associations, memories, and connections these special items held. 

It explored how we use stories to understand ourselves and our relationships, encapsulating the principles of the Being Human Festival, which celebrates how the Humanities inspire and enrich our daily lives, and help us navigate a changing world. 

The event was held at Ascension Church Hall in Hulme, and featured Jolene Sheehan (community workshop lead, poet, artist, and more), Professor Sophie Woodward (from The University of Manchester’s Morgan Centre for Research into Everyday Lives), and Dr Benjamin Wild (Reader in Fashion Narratives at 91ֱ�� Fashion Institute, 91ֱ�� Metropolitan University). 

All three speakers incorporate storytelling into their work. For Sophie and Ben, stories are the threads that connect us to our lives, identities, and imaginations. Jolene leads the project, which aims to connect people to each other, themselves, and their memories through writing. We were delighted to have a number of participants from this project join us for the event. 

The stories behind the items of clothing were moving, engaging and uplifting. 

One woman brought a prayer dress, a loose-fitting garment with a scarf, typically worn by Muslim women during prayer. This item has gained additional significance during the Israel-Gaza conflict, as Palestinian women have taken to wearing their prayer clothes day and night, staying covered and prepared for any situation. 

Another attendee brought the dress she wore on her first date with her then-boyfriend (now husband) nearly 40 years ago. The dress has adapted with changing fashions and hemlines but has remained a constant in her life, standing in stark contrast to the fast fashion dominating our high streets. 

Such items and shared stories were deeply individual, yet they connected people within the room and beyond, highlighting important familial relationships and communities bound by empathy and solidarity. 

“Talking is important” said one attendee and I couldn’t agree more. 

To keep up-to-date with methods@manchester activities and events please here or connect via our . 

It was a successful night for the Justice Hub at the first 91ֱ�� Pro Bono Awards with the students, Rachel McMurrough, Roan Goulden, Matilde Mesquita de Malo and Isobel Hoy winning ‘Student Group of the Year’. 

The MIP bring together staff, students and solicitors with the aim of helping those wrongfully convicted and promoting positive change in the justice system. 

This group of students impressed the judges through their investigative work, including submitting a 235-page document to the Criminal Cases Review Commission, their dedication to supporting clients through online meetings and visits to clients in prison, sorting and filing 1000’s of documents, all while completing their University studies. 

The students nominated in the ‘Student Group of the Year’ category were honoured to not only be shortlisted but to take home the award. Second Year LLB Law Student, Roan Goulden, shared with us,:
 

The Justice Hub had also been shortlisted in the ‘Educational Institute of the Year’, the judges praised the University's investment in pro bono and commitment to ‘ a culture of helping those in need’, highlighting the work of the Justice Hub which incorporates our Legal Advice Clinic, 91ֱ�� Free Legal Help, 91ֱ�� Innocence Project and Dementia Law Link. 

The awards ceremony took place during the 23rd National Pro Bono week, facilitated by the Greater 91ֱ�� Pro Bono Committee as an opportunity to recognise and support the outstanding pro bono work done throughout 91ֱ��. 

Our Heads of Department for Sociology and Politics have both welcomed the results as a reflection of the hard work of their academics and researchers. 

Overall, the University has been placed among the top 25 worldwide in seven subject areas, and has two other subjects ranked in the top 50 globally. We are now ranked in 46 of the 55 subject areas covered by the ARWU, an impressive achievement. 

These exceptional results demonstrate our commitment to research excellence and global impact across a diverse range of disciplines. 

With as many as 1 in 10 people in the UK using dating apps, connecting with others online is part of everyday life. Over 900 LGBTQ+ and heterosexual dating app users took part in the research, and they told us that they used dating apps to find ‘the one’, to arrange hookups, for friendship, to make them feel less lonely, to pass the time or even for tourism tips. 

Lots of people who used apps to connect with others found them useful, but others were dissatisfied. Some people were dissatisfied because the apps didn’t help them achieve their aims and others experienced discrimination or abuse. 

This shares insights from the project to help people get the most out of dating apps and avoid some of the common pitfalls. The videos are: 

The team have also produced a aimed at individuals using, or considering using, apps. It covers the advantages and disadvantages of using dating apps plus important considerations around ethics, security and privacy. 

The widespread use of dating apps has led public health and sexual health practitioners to use them as a way of sharing health messages with users, but this raises . addresses these issues. 

The project is funded by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) (reference: ES/W002426/1) 

Through this partnership, we will host events featuring senior women economists, providing valuable insights and networking opportunities for both students and faculty. We will actively contribute to other events across the UK.

, a Senior Lecturer in Economics, will be the lead on the UK WEN Champion partnership. As an associate of the Economics Network, a mentoring programme manager for The Women in Economics initiative, and a mentor for 91ֱ�� Gold, they have been a keen advocate for supporting the career development of women in economics. This new role will enable her to contribute directly to UK WEN initiatives and improve opportunities for women in the field and within the Economics Department. 

Chris Wallace, our Head of Department, expressed his enthusiasm about the partnership, stating:

Our association with UK WEN will increase our visibility, with our initiatives promoted across their digital platforms. Additionally, we will have the chance to influence event content and contribute to the UK WEN newsletter, showcasing our research and achievements.

Claire Fox, our School of Social Sciences Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Director shared:

Luke Yates' new book, , investigates the ‘sharing economy’, powered by companies like Airbnb, Uber and Deliveroo. 

This new model promised to revolutionise the way we work and live. But what changes have come about, and why?

The book shows how platform capitalism is not only shaped by business decisions, but is a result of struggles involving social movements, consumer politics and state interventions. It focuses in particular on the controversial tactics used by platform giants to avoid regulation.

Drawing on cutting-edge research and analysis, the book provides a critical overview of the struggles around platforms, examines platform power, and reflects on the different possible futures of the platform economy. You can find the book on the .

Platform Politics is published by Bristol University Press.

At the Future-Ready Postdoc event, part of The University of Manchester’s 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 The University of Manchester, spent 18 months examining how faith spaces in Greater 91ֱ�� support different groups of older people within their communities. 

investigated the support that faith spaces provide for the diverse ageing population in Greater 91ֱ��, 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’s research led to the publication of his book , which explores the relationship between dementia studies, and it’s 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’s 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’s 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 ‘Conversation’, 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’s Patty Doran said of the first event: “It’s 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”. 

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’s 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’t just the lingering smell of naphthalene – 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’s class — like the bourgeoisie, the so-called enemy of the working class in Soviet propaganda — 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’s 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’s 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’s only recycling mill, designed to convert discarded clothes into new textiles through eco-friendly chemical recycling, closed in February 2024 – just two years after opening. 

Reuse – such as resale, rental, repair and remaking – 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 “pre-loved,” the visibility of a former “lover” 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’t 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’s driven by the need to remove traces of the previous owner. That involves laundering, which can release harmful microplastics – washing polyester contributes more than half a million tonnes of – or energy-intensive dry cleaning with toxic solvents like perchloroethylene, a process that’s 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’ve been previously worn. Stains like blood on a dress, sweat marks on an XXXL men’s 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’s 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’s 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 “shoddy wool”, 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 Manchester

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’s ethos is to empower young people to feel safe by using positive activities. 

The Charity’s 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: “We 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.” 

It’s 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 91ֱ��.

Staff from the ( and ) from School of Social Sciences, University of Manchester, 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, ‘Thinking to Some Purpose’. 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 Manchester.

Since 2014, this community hub has also served as the setting for a fruitful collaboration between the University of Manchester 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 91ֱ�� 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 91ֱ��. This expansion was coordinated by Senior Lecturer Aoileann Ní Mhurchú from The University of Manchester 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 Manchester 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’s 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 91ֱ�� 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 – Dr Varuna De Silva, Loughborough University (New position)
• Arts and Humanities – Dr Helen McCabe, University of Nottingham (New position)
• Business, Economics and Trade – Dr Jane Parry, University of Southampton (New position)
• Climate and Environment – Dr Andrew Russell, Queen Mary University London
• Health – David Strain, Dr University of Exeter (New position)
• International Affairs and National Security – Dr Leslie-Anne Duvic-Paoli, King's College London
• Transport – Dr Louise Reardon, University of Birmingham (New position)

For those interested in learning more about Ruth’s 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 “”, to produce a documentary that explores the festival’s 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 – including Black, Mixed, South Asian heritage – who are currently under-represented in our undergraduate student community and in the creative sector.

Sick!’s month-long festival, “” activated new narratives through creative collaboration in Charleston, Moston and Harpurhey in North 91ֱ��. The students worked on a documentary that included interviews, and testimonies, illuminating the festival’s 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 Manchester 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 Manchester has already made a significant contribution and will continue to do so, including helping to secure GlobalARRK’s 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 “I 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’m 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’s 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—a 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 Manchester. 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 “become a key component in [sexually infectious diseases] prevention”. 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 “”. This is, in part, because the main goal of apps is “generating, capturing and controlling ” 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’ 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 “deception, bullying or discrimination, and harassment or coercion”.

Some apps, such as Grindr, – but other with features which allow, if not encourage, discrimination. Discriminatory experiences undermine users’ 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’s 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’ data from being shared for profit, ensure the apps’ 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’s 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 Manchester, 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’s 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 – 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’t be in London in September, Chika will be presenting her research at the University of Manchester’s 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 ‘Enlightenment’ in an intimate setting, featuring a reading and a Q&A.

Date:  Friday, 21 June 2024, 10.30am – 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’s 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 – 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 ‘An Evening With Sarah Perry’ event if attending both events.

These events are part of Creative 91ֱ��’s ‘Solstice and Equinox series’, a series of events which brings innovative creative artists to The University of Manchester’s four Cultural Institutions. 

Each of our unique cultural institutions – the Whitworth, the John Rylands Research Institute and Library, 91ֱ�� Museum and Jodrell Bank Discovery Centre – 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’s 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 “Echoes of Displacement”.

‘Echoes of Displacement’ 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 – Highly Commended 

, Suzanne Gower and the Students for their ‘Justice Gap Student Reporter Scheme’.

For the Justice Gap Reporter Scheme, students and staff from 91ֱ��, 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 ‘One Bin to Rule Them All’.

‘One Bin To Rule Them All’ 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 – Highly Commended

and GM4Women2028 Charity and Helen Pankurst for ‘Dialogue, Deeds and Determination: Diversifying and strengthening voices, dialogue and connections of Women and Girls to powerholders in Greater 91ֱ��’.

GM4Women2028 is a charity aiming to improve the lives of women and girls in Greater 91ֱ��. 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 .