Sociology News 2015-2016

Daniel Faas, Head of the Department of Sociology, was one of three recipients of this year's Trinity Global Engagement Award. The Awards are designed to recognise the exceptional contribution made by staff to global education and research, cultural understanding and global experiences that directly benefits the Trinity community.

Professor Richard Layte (Chair of Sociology), David Cichon (PhD Candidate) and NGO partner Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU) received funding from the Irish Research Council for a project on ‘Global labour rights under the sustainable development agenda’.

Daniel Faas, Head of Sociology and Director of the new MSc in Comparative Social Change, talks to Edward Stourton on BBC Radio 4’s Sunday programme about the Church-State relationship and attitudes towards social change in Ireland, ahead of this week’s General Election. The interview focuses on the Catholic influence on education, issues of abortion and same-sex marriage.

The Department of Sociology would like to invite you to an Open Evening to explore our taught and research postgraduate programmes including: a new MSc in Comparative Social Change delivered jointly with UCD; an MPhil in Race, Ethnicity, Conflict; and our PhD Programme. The event will take place on Wednesday 17 February at 17.00 in the TRISS Seminar Room (6th floor Arts Building).

Dr Anne Holohan is Coordinator of a €2m H2020 project 'Gaming for Peace', building an online role-playing game to train personnel in Conflict Prevention and Peacebuilding missions. The project will build a base curriculum and embed it in the game to provide a learning experience in the soft skills of communication, cooperation, gender awareness and cultural competency.

Professor Arun Kundnani of New York University, a leading writer on anti-Muslim racism, will speak on contemporary Islamophobia in a conversation with Dr David Landy of the Department of Sociology. All welcome. Book a free ticket via eventbrite to be assured of a seat.

The Department of Sociology has launched a new, innovative Masters programme in Comparative Social Change, delivered jointly with the School of Sociology at UCD. The programme has policy-relevant and practice-based components, a strong international dimension, and provides advanced research training in topics related to social change.

The report ‘Non-Parental Childcare and Child Cognitive Outcomes at Age Five’, co-authored by Frances McGinnity and Helen Russell, Adjunct Professors of Sociology, found that the key influences on children’s cognitive development are gender, language spoken at home, number of older siblings, parents’ education and the home learning environment.

The Department of Sociology is seeking to appoint a full-time permanent Assistant Professor (any area of specialisation), to commence on 1 September 2016. Closing date for receipt of completed applications is no later than 12 noon GMT on Wednesday 6th January, 2016.

Professor Daniel Faas, Head of Sociology, took part in a panel discussion exploring how the language of exclusion and inclusion is shaping European responses to the refugee crisis. The event, organised by the Trinity Long Room Hub, also featured Dr Gillian Wylie (Irish School of Ecumenics), Dr Patricia Brazil (School. Of Law) and Hassina Kiboua (Irish Refugee Council).

Dr David Radford, Senior Research Fellow at the Hawke Research Institute, delivered a keynote arguing that the lens of everyday multiculturalism help us identify the contours of conviviality and conflict that are negotiated in the experiences of both long-term local residents and the newer Afghan refugee community in a South Australian country town. The event was organised jointly by the Department of Sociology and the Trinity Long Room Hub.

The Irish Times: “Primary school teaching should include various faiths”. Religious education in state-funded schools should include the study of humanism and faiths outside of Christianity, argues sociologist Prof Daniel Faas. This approach should enable students to think critically about religions. Article published 14 October.

Prof Daniel Faas, with Dr Merike Darmody (ESRI) and Dr Beata Sokolowska (TCD) has published in the British Journal of Educational Studies, calling for more help and training for teachers working with students from diverse cultural, ethnic and religious backgrounds in an effort to make Irish schools more inclusive.