Creatively Engaging with BAMER communities in Greenwich

Written by Professor Tracey Reynolds, Research Lead of Applied Sociology Research Group  and Rohima  Begum Miah (Sociology Graduate and GWES intern)

The Applied Sociology Research Group is new to University, established in September 2016. This multi-disciplinary group consolidates and brings together social science research across schools/departments located in various Faculties. The research groups’ key thematic priorities are: 

  • Enhancing citizenship and participation for marginalised groups
  • Social inclusion, health and wellbeing
  • Community engagement

Since the group’s inception we have placed particular emphasis on creative, participatory and applied social research for community engagement partnerships with voluntary and community organisations to identify and respond to the needs of the local community using research for social activism. Oftentimes this involves developing research projects in  collaboration with voluntary organisations and social justice agencies. We have organised various activities, events with the aim of promoting and supporting research and engagement activities with marginalised groups in local community settings. For list of recent activities please project website Applied Sociology https://www.gre.ac.uk/ach/research/centres/asrc

Our most recent example, was an event organised in celebration of Black History Month 2019. Entitled ‘United By/Divided By Race, Ethnicity and Gender: Inter-generational legacies  explored’  this event involved collaboration with Caribbean Social forum, a local community organisation for BAME/Caribbean elders and National Maritime Museum, based in Greenwich (26th October 2019). The University’s campus Bathway Theatre in Woolwich, situated in the heart of Woolwich, with an ethnically diverse community, provided the ideal place in which to hold this event. 

The event sought to commemorate the history, achievements and legacies of Black people in the UK, across ethnic, gender  and generation divides. It was important for us to also celebrate the contribution  of Black people to UK society and raise public awareness and knowledge of Black history and culture. In addition to being a day of celebration, we also wanted it to be a learning too and the activities that took place on the day very much spoke to our ethos of the importance of participatory learning!

New year, New leaf

The first of a series of books created by the Applied Sociology Research Group in collaboration with the Office of Undergraduate Research, ‘Livin’ Our Best Lives’ is an autobiographical account of undergraduate students life experience. Special acknowledgement to Dr Louise Owusu-Kwarteng and Dr Ewa Sidorenko.

Students from the Sociology, Sociology & Psychology, Education Studies, Childhood & Youth Studies study programmes have contributed to the achievement of this page turner.

Copies will be made available on request, please email the Office of Undergraduate Research

Media History Study Day 2020

CALL FOR PAPERS

The Study Day is funded by Media History, an interdisciplinary journal that focuses on media and society from the fifteenth century to the present; the Media History Seminar, a London-based interdisciplinary group working on a range of media including print, radio, film, and digital communications technologies from various time periods; Queen Mary University of London; the Birkbeck Centre for Nineteenth-Century Studies; the Institute of English Studies; and the Institute of Historical Research. The Study Day is organised by PhD Researcher Ann Hale from the University of Greenwich, who is able to answer any questions that may arise.

While PGRs/ECRs are encouraged to share work that resonates with the theme, submissions on all media-related subjects are welcome. Participants will give 10-minute presentations on their works-in-progress followed by a 5-minute discussion of a question/problem related to their research. Research posters or presentations in alternative formats will also be considered.

Media History Study Day 2020 is an opportunity for postgraduate students (PGRs) and early career researchers (ECRs) working on any aspect of media studies to share and discuss their work in a collegial, multidisciplinary environment. ECRs/PGRs working on media from any time period, social/cultural context, or perspective are invited
to participate, including, but not limited to, those examining book history, broadcast media, electronic media, ephemera, film, journalism, media theory, newspapers, periodicals, or print culture.

MEDIA HISTORY STUDY DAY 2020: MEDIA LIVES
DATE: Wednesday, March 18, 2020 TIME: TBD–19:30
LOCATION: Birkbeck, University of London, 43 Gordon Square, London
KEYNOTE: Dr. Rebecca Roach, University of Birmingham, 18:00–19:30

ABSTRACT DEADLINE: February 1, 2020

For more information on how to participate and apply, please access

Media History Seminar Website

NRI scientists of Chatham helping in the battle against malaria appear on BBC South East Inside Out programme

Dr Tim Acott appeared on BBC South East Inside Out programme to talk about the work of the NRI on mosquitoes and malaria. The BBC programme, aired in October, visited the Natural Resources Institute in Chatham, University of Greenwich Campus.

Dr Tim Acott

‘Mosquitoes can detect over 300 specific chemicals to find someone to bite’, says Professor Gabriella Gibson

FACT: Mosquitoes are the most dangerous animal in the world, killing more than a million people a year. The malaria parasite persists in warmer climates and rapidly spreads.

WetlandLIFE shares project findings at the Royal Society, London

Last October, the final Valuing Nature (VN) Programme Conference was held at the Royal Society in London where the WetlandLIFE team represented the Natural Resources Institute (NRI) of the University of Greenwich.

The VN Programme, supported by a consortia of UK Research Councils including the AHRC, ESRC and NERC, funded seven research projects orientated around two research enquiries; the impacts of potential ecological tipping points for natural resources within the UK and the importance of nature for human health and wellbeing for British citizens. The WetlandLIFE team have been involved in the latter research area, human health and wellbeing, through their collaborative work within the WetlandLIFE project, which is drawing to an end in January 2020.

Project leader Dr Tim Acott addressing delegates at the Valuing Nature Conference 2019

The VN conference was an opportunity for all the WetlandLIFE team to present their initial findings ahead of a synthesis of their overall research discussion and conclusions. Director of the Greenwich Maritime Centre, Reader in Human Geography at the University of Greenwich, and wetlandLIFE Principle Investigator, Dr Tim Acott helped to opening proceedings with a plenary talk summarising the overall impression of findings so far and focussing on the interdisciplinary nature of the project. A key feature of the wetlandLIFE project has been to use multiple ways of knowing to understand the diversity of values associated with wetlands, and the combination of disciplines involved has provided fertile grounds for additional discoveries to emerge. Tim then joined a lively panel discussion about lessons learned across the protfolio of Valuing Nature projects.

#WetlandLIFE

Dr Elena Vacchelli received a Visiting Professorship at the University Bergamo, Italy

For the month of May 2019.  This is part of an international research award called ‘STaRs Talented Researchers’.

Famished: The performance and Book

by Cherry Smyth

Famished is a poetic sequence by Cherry Smyth that explores the Irish Famine and how imperialism helped cause the largest refugee crisis of the 19th century. 

Smyth collaborates with composer Ed Bennett and vocalist Lauren Kinsella to draw on the power of collective lament, using music and expanded singing.  Famished was published by Pindrop Press in May 2019.

After a sold out performance at the Irish Literary Festival in Dublin, Famished continues to more venues in Ireland

Continue reading “Famished: The performance and Book”