Listen here for Catherine Will’s brief introduction to practice theory and events in the New Practices seminar series, presented at our fifth seminar on 31/01/17.
The aims of the New Practices New Publics events include:
- To develop interdisciplinary dialogues between academics and civil society organisations [CSOs] in health and social care, youth work and education about practice theory approaches, building on the existing strengths of Brighton, Sussex and Sheffield universities in connecting with local CSOs;
- For academic audiences, to promote scholarly understanding of the role of CSOs in driving research, evaluation, commissioning and innovation in care and welfare practices, enabling the development of new and ‘co-produced’ research agendas with CSOs in ways that allow for meaningful impact;
- For CSOs, to offer spaces for reflection on organisational practices, action and innovation;
- To extend the role of social theory in professional practice and policy by encouraging new kinds of interaction and dialogue between academic and non-academic audiences and a more explicit utilisation of the social sciences by CSOs;
- To strengthen the role of existing ‘intermediaries’ between academia and CSOs such as professional doctorate students;
- To ensure sustainability beyond the series by providing career development opportunities for postgraduates and emerging researchers, and by building capacity in CSOs to engage with and undertake research, ensuring all better understand ‘coproduction’ processes;
- To innovate in the format and outcomes of seminar series by supporting CSO attendance/co-delivery; creatively using webinar technologies; collaboratively producing an e-book summarising the learning from the seminars through a ‘book sprint’.