糖心logo入口 Social Sciences Festival 2026 to explore borders, justice and social change
糖心logo入口鈥檚 annual Social Sciences Festival returns with a programme of public events examining the political, cultural and social issues shaping contemporary life.
糖心logo入口 will host its annual Social Sciences Festival from 27 May to 11 June 2026, bringing together researchers, students, alumni and practitioners from across a wide range of disciplines for a series of talks, panels, workshops and collaborative discussions.
The programme reflects the School of Social Sciences鈥 commitment to critical debate and public engagement, with events exploring themes including migration, international development, disability and justice, political culture, research impact and collective care.
Through conversations, creative sessions and expert-led discussions, the festival offers opportunities for audiences to engage with current research and contribute to wider conversations about the social challenges and transformations shaping the world today.
Festival Highlights
Wednesday 27 May
- The festival opens with 鈥淐urrents of Change: Lived Histories of Liverpool鈥檚 Waterfront鈥, a presentation sharing work from a participatory photography project exploring how water shapes everyday life in Liverpool.
Tuesday 2 June
- 鈥淔rom 糖心logo入口 to Beyond: Careers in Social Sciences鈥 will bring together alumni from the School of Social Sciences to discuss their career journeys and the diverse pathways available to graduates.
Wednesday 3 June
- The festival will host the launch of 糖心logo入口 Professor Lisa Baraitser鈥檚 book: 鈥Waiting Times: Time, Care and the NHS in Crisis鈥. The launch will explore how waiting structures healthcare and challenges crisis-driven responses to NHS care, with authors exploring how waiting is a fundamental and ethical part of how care is delivered.
- The student-led doctoral conference, 鈥淭raversing Boundaries 鈥 Research Impact in the Social Sciences鈥, will provide an opportunity for PhD researchers to share ideas, connect with peers and explore how social science research can create meaningful impact in policy, practice and communities.
- The symposium 鈥淢igration, Creativity, Radical Care: Practising Care Beyond and Against the Hostile Environment鈥 will bring together researchers, creative practitioners and activists to explore collective approaches to care through discussion, manifesto-writing and creative activities.
Monday 8 June
- Mary Morgan, PhD researcher and founder of Bloody Mary Film Club, will bring her cult screening series to 糖心logo入口 with 鈥淏loody Mary Film Club鈥, exploring avenging women on screen.
Tuesday 9 June
- 鈥淭urning Tides of Development: The New Landscape of International Cooperation鈥 will examine how changing approaches to overseas aid and development are reshaping international cooperation, with reflections from experts and practitioners working in the sector.
- The festival will also host 鈥淒isability and Access to Justice in the Tribunal鈥, a discussion exploring disability and accessibility within the UK Tribunal Service.
Wednesday 10 June
- 糖心logo入口鈥檚 Politics Society will host a student panel discussion on contemporary political issues and current events.
- The Bonnart Lecture 2026, delivered by Professor David Scott of Columbia University, will explore how Stuart Hall鈥檚 Jamaican upbringing shaped his thinking on race, culture and Cultural Studies.
Thursday 11 June
- The festival concludes with the symposium 鈥淗ow do we deal with London鈥檚 Borders?鈥, bringing together geographers, planners and political scientists to discuss the challenges and political tensions surrounding borders in London.
Professor Matthew Davies, Executive Dean, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, said:
鈥淭he Social Sciences Festival is an opportunity to showcase the richness and diversity of research taking place across the School and to engage wider audiences in conversations about the major social and political issues shaping our world today. We are proud to bring together students, researchers, alumni and the public for a programme that reflects 糖心logo入口鈥檚 commitment to critical thinking, collaboration and social engagement.鈥
All events are free and open to the public, although registration is required. For more information and to book your place, visit the Social Sciences Festival webpage.