Queen’s University Belfast: ESRC Festival of Social Science celebrates 20th anniversary with free events across Northern Ireland

The Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) Festival of Social Science will this year be celebrating 20 years of research and knowledge about humans and society, with a number of free events across Northern Ireland.

The annual festival is an opportunity for anyone to explore topics relating to social science – from health and wellbeing to crime, equality, education and identity – through events run by researchers from UK universities.

Queen’s University Belfast and Ulster University are coming together to produce a programme of free talks, workshops, plays and interactive activities that showcase the range and quality of social science research being carried out in Northern Ireland.

This year’s festival theme is ‘My Local Area’, with events exploring challenges faced by our local communities, both urban and rural.

A few highlights include sessions on the Ghosts of Ulster; Cryptocurrencies; Sustainability and the Cost-of-Living Crisis; Climate Crisis in Conversation; the Future of Small Rural Primary Schools; and a Walking Sound Tour of Belfast, to name just a few.

Professor Alison Park, ESRC’s Interim Executive Chair, said: “The ESRC Festival of Social Science offers a fascinating insight into some of the country’s leading social science research and its relevance to individuals, society and the economy. This year we are celebrating the festival’s 20th birthday with hundreds of free events across the UK, including at Queen’s University Belfast and Ulster University. We hope the events are enjoyable and inspiring.”

The ESRC Festival of Social Science kicks off across Northern Ireland in various venues from 31 October – 13 November 2022. Events are free to attend, and most are open to everyone, though some are aimed at specific groups.

The ESRC Festival of Social Science 2022 is made possible thanks to funding from the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), which is part of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI).