ESRC Festival of Social Science Returns to Manchester
05 Sep 2024
Save the date for the return of the ESRC Festival of Social Science.
We are delighted to announce the return of the ESRC Festival of Social Science to Manchester. From 19 October to 9 November, the University of Manchester, Manchester Metropolitan University and the University of Salford will be organising events throughout the city showcasing the groundbreaking research conducted across the social sciences. The weblink to events will be available in due course.
The Festival is an annual celebration of the social sciences and a key element of ESRC’s commitment to promote awareness of UK social sciences to new audiences. This year’s theme will focus on ‘Our Digital Lives’.
The events shaping our world, from climate change to geopolitical tensions and civic protests, reveal how social science is more important than ever to understanding the world. From big ideas to the most detailed observations, social science affects us all every day – at work, in school, when raising children, within our communities, from the personal and the local, to the national and global level. The ESRC Festival of Social Science offers a fascinating insight into some of the country’s leading social science research and how it influences or social, economic and political lives – both now and in the future. Discover how it shapes public policy and contributes to making the economy more competitive, as well as giving people a better understanding of 21st-century society.
Stian Westlake, ESRC Executive Chair: "The ESRC Festival of Social Science offers a unique insight into UK social science research and its relevance to individuals, society and the economy. There are hundreds of free events taking place across the UK and online, including at the University of Manchester. We hope you enjoy the events and finding out more about social scientists’ work."
Philip Drake, Director of Social Responsibility/Festival Director Manchester: ‘It is a great privilege for me to be involved in an event as wonderful as the ESRC festival, where profoundly impactful societal research is celebrated and made available and accessible to the people in our local communities. Academia can often be seen as situated in an ivory tower, away from the people that it can most benefit, but this festival allows the coming together of people, communities and research, where ideas can be shared and we have the opportunity to learn from each other. This year’s programme has a fantastic mix of projects, with something for everyone, and we hope many people will join us to celebrate both research and the communities that we hope to positively impact and benefit.’