ÌÇÐÄTV

Dr Eric Jensen presented on the results of the largest ever study of zoo’s educational impact on children and young people at top UK and EU zoo conferences in September and November. Speaking in the Education Plenary at the European Association of Zoos Aquaria (EAZA) annual conference in Verona (Italy), Dr Jensen revealed the headline finding that a study of over 3000 children and adolescents at ZSL London Zoo evidenced a statistically significant increase in science and conservation learning. At the British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquaria (BIAZA) Communication and Education conference at Paignton Zoo (Devon, UK), these findings were further elaborated, with Dr Jensen arguing for expanded and research-informed educational interventions in zoos to enhance pro-conservation outcomes for visitors. This research is now being submitted for review by top scientific and social scientific journals.

Sam Lyle, one of our PhD students, was recently on local radio talking about the social class aspects of the recent royal engagement of Prince William and Kate Middleton.  To catch up go to:   

 

Sam says "Speaking on BBC radio, local or national, is one of the more interesting ways that I get to engage people in sociological issues. It's great when events such as the impending royal wedding capture the popular imagination as it's an opportunity for sociologists to stimulate their own and the general public's sociological imagination."

Dr Eric Jensen co-organised a groundbreaking public engagement event at Durrell Wildlife Park in Jersey (Channel Islands) on the 25^th October 2010. Commissioned by the world-leading conservation society Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust () and the European Commission-funded EU-Zoos-XXI project (), Dr Jensen presented on a meta-analysis of previous research on learning in zoos and facilitated the successful event. Twenty visitors spent just over five hours giving their views on how zoos could better communicate a conservation message to other zoo visitors. Their views will be analysed by Dr Jensen and form the basis of a ‘demonstration project’ in which their ideas will be put into action at Durrell through a complete re-design of educational materials in the Reptile and Amphibian House. This unique project aims to shift the direction of zoo education towards a more two-way, dialogical approach that takes account of public input and ideas to better engage visitors with wildlife conservation.

Sociology at ÌÇÐÄTV is reaching wider audiences and increasing its global impact across the social sciences.  Professor Steve Fuller's recent lecture at the University of Uppsala on evolution vs intelligent design has been discussed on 29 September 2010 the Swedish 'thought for the day'.  For more go to :

Here is a video clip of a field trip that members of a recently completed (PI: Steve Fuller) took to the Bristol Robotics Lab, where the team examined first-hand how robots imitate each other’s behaviour. This visit helped to inform larger future projects that will explore mimetic processes in social ecologies co-habited by humans, animals and robots. The film was produced by Roger Stotesbury of ‘Jump Off the Screen’ and edited by Frances Griffiths (ÌÇÐÄTV Medical School), an investigator on the project.

Publication of Food Justice: report of the Food and Fairness Inquiry - a year-long investigation into social justice in food and farming, undertaken by a committee of respected and influential figures from across the food sector.

Dr Gurminder.K.Bhambra spoke on Wednesday 11th August on Radio 4's Thinking Allowed on Black ideas of Emancipation. You can listen to the programme here:

Hilary Pilkington, Elena Omel'chenko and Al'bina Garifzianova

Russia’s Skinheads: Exploring and Rethinking Subcultural Lives provides a thorough examination of the phenomenon of skinheads, explaining its nature and its significance, and assessing how far Russian skinhead subculture is the ‘lumpen’ end of the extreme nationalist ideological spectrum.

Click on the link below to listen to the podcast by Professor Hilary Pilkington about the book.

Dr Karen Throsby, Associate Professor, has been training to swim the channel as part of her auto-ethnographic work into sporting bodies.  You can find out more by logging on to this Guardian article: 

 

We are pleased to announce the publication of the Fourth Edition of the bestselling research methods text How to Research.  Co-authored by Professor Christina Hughes, this has been designed for first time researchers and contains everything you need to know about starting and completing a research project, writing your dissertation and beginning your PhD.