Professorial Inaugural Lectures - Institute of Social and Economic Research and Sociology

Newly appointed Professors from our Institute for Social and Economic Research and the Department of Sociology

Professor Birgitta Rabe, Institute for Social and Economic Research

Childhood inequality

Gaps in the outcomes of children from different socio-economic backgrounds emerge very early in life, and they widen in the course of the school years. Many policies and interventions aim at removing or reducing the lasting shadow of family background on children’s life chances. In this talk I will draw on the findings of several of my research projects that investigate how children fare under such policies, with topics ranging from Ofsted inspections to sibling relationships and free meals provided in schools. I will discuss how interventions affect children’s educational and bodyweight outcomes, and crucially how this differs by socio-economic background. Greater equality can sometimes come at the cost of leaving some groups worse off, and some helpful interventions can end up worsening childhood inequalities.

Professor Róisín Ryan-Flood, Department of Sociology

Intimate Citizenship in the Twenty First Century

Recent decades have witnessed dramatic transformations in intimacy, rights and equality. From the introduction of gay marriage to the review of donor conception regulations, intimate life possibilities have proliferated. This can also present new challenges and complexities as we attempt to understand the implications of social change for how we construct intimate lives in the contemporary world. This lecture will outline theories of gender, sexuality and social change and share recent research that explores these topics.

Professor Anna Sergi, Department of Sociology

Chasing the mafia: how to research a myth

Italian mafias are still often accompanied by morbid fascination by media and in popular culture. Mafiosi are often (wrongly) considered as smart, savvy men whose decision making, when engaging in organised crime is rational and precise. My research ’chasing’ the ’ndrangheta, the Calabrian mafia across continents - from Australia to America and back into Europe - shows that not only narratives around mafias need to be challenged but that another, more grounded research approach, is needed to comprehend the ‘banality’ and normality of such groups and their crimes.

Please join us for a drinks reception in the Winter Garden following the event.

Tickets

Admission is free to this event and open to all but a seat must be reserved via Eventbrite (or by sending an email to events@essex.ac.uk or telephoning 01206 873270) in advance.

Reserving a ticket for this event does not guarantee your seat. Due to the high frequency of uncollected tickets, we will be releasing more tickets than we have seats. Doors will open at 6pm and seats will be allocated to people on the booking list on a first-come, first-served basis. Thank-you for your understanding.