Sociology in Action
Sociology A Level students attended a range of conferences both at College and in London, giving them the opportunity to gain new perspectives and broaden their academic horizons.
Esher proudly hosts inaugural Sociology Conference
Featuring lecturers from the Sociology department at the University of Surrey and with a huge turnout of over 320 students in attendance, the College’s first ever Sociology Conference provided a valuable insight of what it’s like to study the subject at university.
6.2 Sociology students report.
The speakers discussed the meaning of feminism and explored how feminism intersects with various facets of life and society, highlighting the ways in which different social structures shape and impact gender roles and equality. The topics discussed directly related to what we’ve been studying in class.
The conference covered a range of important subjects, another one being the media and its connection to societal influence. The professors explained concepts such as media amplification in relation to criminal and deviant behaviour. This really helped us understand the complexities of the topic and reinforced everything we have recently been learning in class. Additionally, something that stood out for us was how interactive the conference was. There were many opportunities to ask questions, and the speakers were incredibly knowledgeable and engaging. They broke down complex ideas in a way that was easy to understand.
Overall, the conference was a great insight into a university style lecture and discussion, with many interactional opportunities on key sociological issues of today’s society.
First year students gain new perspectives at Sociology Conference in London
In November, sociology students had the opportunity to attend a conference at the Emmanuel Centre. The event featured six distinguished speakers, each addressing diverse and compelling sociological topics.
Emily L, 6.1 Sociology student, reports.
The day began with a talk from Dr. Marian Duggan (my favourite), whose powerful presentation on gender-based violence captivated the audience. She shared eye-opening statistics on violence against women. Next, Sir Tom Shakespeare delivered an interesting talk on the sociology of disability. I really enjoyed this one because of his engaging speaking style, filled with personal anecdotes.
Professor Liza Oakley followed with a discussion on the sociology of religion, which surprised and impressed many students and was much more engaging than I was expecting.
After a lunch break, the focus shifted to practical advice, with Lauren Mumbles offering helpful tips on exam skills and revision strategies.
The afternoon sessions delved into significant sociological movements and global themes. Professor Kalwant Bhopal examined the impact of the Black Lives Matter movement on education. Finally, Professor Martin Albrow concluded the day with a fascinating exploration of globalisation, and shared anecdotes from his school days and interactions with other renowned sociologists.
I really enjoyed the event and would recommend it to any Sociology student.
Sociology students attended The Criminology Conference
The students had a packed day at the Shaftesbury Theatre in London, participating in interactive lectures from experienced criminologists and hearing from two ex-offenders who explained how they had become involved in a life of crime.
Emma O’Brien, Teacher of Sociology, wrote this report.
The conference started with Dr Lyndsey Harris talking about her research on Domestic Violence and the complexities of researching such a difficult topic. The students were taught about the ‘typical’ criminal justice process and discussed whether or not the CJS offers fair and due process for all. ‘Exploring murder’ by Dr Anthony Ellis explored the crime of murder and the intricacies of the patterns, trends and statistics around this act. His discussion around the statement that ‘everyone in England has an equal chance of being murdered’ gave the students a lot to think about! Professor Zoe Walkington then discussed her career working with Detectives across multiple police forces in various murder investigation teams. She focussed on the issue of lying and how good, or not!, we are at correctly identifying those who tell the truth versus those who are lying!
The conference also gave the students the rare opportunity to listen to the lived experiences of two convicted criminals. ‘The Mafia Princess’ Marisa Merico talked about her past life in organised crime through her family ties to the notorious ‘Ndrangheta’ Mafia crime syndicate in Italy. She is the daughter of a former Mafia crime boss who served time in prison in both England and Italy and was released from prison 1998. Marisa talked about her time in prison as a ‘high security prisoner’ due to her family connections, which made her prison experience significantly different to the ‘typical’ journey other women experience when incarcerated.
Justin Rollins talked about his experience of becoming a gang leader at a young age and his transition from a graffiti artist to a violent criminal. He openly talked about his mental health issues and his traumatic childhood experiences and how this led to his life of crime and deviance from a very young age. After serving several sentences at Feltham Young Offenders Institute, and then serving time in an adult prison, Justin now runs a successful company where him and his team create high-end murals for all types of businesses and organisations, but most importantly for Justin is his work within secure environments such as prisons. Justin is also an accomplished author, film maker and public speaker telling his lived experience of crime and the criminal justice system.
