School of Sociology 2017 highlights

School of Sociology 2017 highlights
Thursday 1 February 2018

Events

In 2017 the School of Sociology hosted a number of major lectures, seminars and conferences. Here are some of the highlights:

RSSS Public Lecture - Professor Nikolas Rose

In March 2017, international renowned Professor Nikolas Rose gave a public lecture exploring how we can rethink the experience of living in the city in the light of recent developments in the sciences of life.

The 'Haves' and the 'Have Yachts': The Impact of 'Super-Gentrification' in London

Professor Roger Burrows visited the school in August 2017 and gave a public lecture, as well as a seminar and an in-conversation event. His public lecture explored (super-) gentrification in order to interrogate recent socio-spatial changes in some of London’s most affluent neighbourhoods.

Sociology Seminar series

2017 saw many fantastic seminars in our series including Dr Natalia Ruiz-Junco's 'A New Sociology of Empathy', and Professor Mary Lou Rasmussen's 'Prophylactic sexuality education, “young people” and sexual futures'.

Reproduction and Family Planning conference

With the ANU Gender Institute and the School of Demography, the School hosted a one-day cross-disciplinary symposium for ANU researchers focusing on reproduction and family formation in Australia, in November.

Mundane Governance Conference

In November the school also hosted the inaugural conference on Mundane Governance, explore the subtleties and intimacies of governance, as is beautifully demonstrated in Woolgar and Neyland’s foundational work, Mundane Governance (2013). The conference also featured a public lecture given by Professor Steve Woolgar.

15th Dangerous Consumptions Colloquium

The two-day Dangerous Consumptions Colloquium, held in December, focused on research that examines any forms of ‘dangerous’, ‘risky’ and contested consumption, drawing on social, cultural and critical theory.

 

News

How the gas industry can help fight climate change in Siberia

Emeritus Professor Anthony Hopkins published an article in The Conversation that discusses the contribution the gas industry can make in the fight against climate change, in providing technologies to capture methane released from melting permafrost.

Sociology student to UN to discuss women in leadership

Sociology Masters candidate Alyssa Shaw and PARSA president travelled to the UN Commission for the Status of Women’s annual gathering as part of the YWCA Australia delegation.

Associate Professor Rob Ackland's contribution to the art world

Dr Robert Ackland's research tracking the Twitter activity of Australian politicians was brought to life as part of the Australian National University (ANU) 2017 Vice Chancellor's College Artist Fellows Scheme which paired his work with PhD Candidate Jen Fullerton, who works in sculpture and visual arts to produce artwork.

Five Sociology PhD graduates

In December, five students in Sociology were awarded their PhDs. Congratulations Dr Anna Tsalapatanis, Dr Helen Law, Dr Clare Southerton, Dr Tim Barrett and Dr Dolruedee Kramnaimuang!

Sociology PhD candidate Gemma Killen received CASS Tutoring Award for Excellence in Tutoring

Gemma Killen has received the College of Arts and Social Sciences Award for Excellence in Tutoring! Gemma has made an amazing contribution to the School of Sociology, tutoring and lecturing in Gender Studies while working towards her PhD.

 

Research

Do Socialbots Dream of Popping the Filter Bubble?

Dr Timothy Graham and Associate Professor Robert Ackland published a chapter titled 'Do Socialbots Dream of Popping the Filter Bubble? The role of socialbots in promoting participatory democracy in social media' in Socialbots and Their Friends: Digital Media and the Automation of Sociality, edited by Robert W. Gehl, Maria Bakardjieva, one of the first academic collections to critically consider the socialbot.

The Palgrave Handbook of Sexuality Education

Professor Mary Lou Rasmussen, with co-author Professor Louisa Allen, edited and wrote an introduction to the Palgrave Handbook of Sexuality Education, which provides an authoritative overview of issues within sexuality education, coupled with ground-breaking discussion of emerging and unconventional insights in the field.

‘Anytime, anywhere’: vaping as social practice

Associate Professor Helen Keane, with co-authors Dr Megan Weier, Mr Doug Fraser and Dr Coral Gartner published an article examining the way vaping has been established as a practice through a range of factors including the increasing burdens of smoking and the online availability of e-cigarettes and vaping information and advice.

Curation: a theoretical treatment

Dr Jenny Davis published an article analysing how people curate the digital content that they share, and that which they consume.

SHARE

Updated:  23 April 2018/Responsible Officer:  Head of School/Page Contact:  CASS Marketing & Communications