After the Riots: Analysis and Public Debate

Published by University of Leicester Press Office for University of Leicester in Education and also in Communities

Community activists and sociologists to discuss English riots, Saturday, 15th October, 10.30am-5.30pm at the Birmingham Midland Institute, Birmingham

Community activists and academics are to converge to analyse the recent English riots with the aim of assessing what happened, why and future directions.

The event is organized by the British Sociological Association’s Theory Study Group in collaboration with the Department of Sociology, University of Leicester and the Social Theory Centre, University of Warwick.

A wide range of speakers will attend the event, English ‘Riots’: Civic Responses and Sociological Perspectives on Saturday, 15th October, 10.30am-5.30pm at the Birmingham Midland Institute, Birmingham.

Dr Leah Bassel Lecturer in the Department of Sociology at the University of Leicester said: “The recent civil disturbances across a number of English cities have provoked much commentary and debate. However, there has been little sustained analysis of the events, their causes and likely consequences.

“Our aim is to create the space for sociologists, community activists, and members of the public to engage in a dialogue that collectively helps to develop robust perspectives on what happened, why, and where we are going.”

Speakers include Alana Lentin, Sauvageons and "feral rats": race and riots in France and Britain; Karim Murji, Continuities and Contradictions: Race and Policing, Then and Now’; Ajmal Hussain, ‘Presenting’ the Riots in Birmingham: New Times for ‘Community’, Policing and Leadership; Malcolm James, The UK Riots and the Criminalisation of Young People in Public Space; Nina Power, Constructing the Riots, Denying the Context; John Solomos, After the Riots: Musings, Analysis and Research Agendas

The final roundtable speakers include Rob Berkeley, Director of the Runnymede Trust; community activists Sajida Madni from Birmingham Citizens and Maxie Hayles chair of the Birmingham Racial Attacks Monitoring Unit; Heidi Safia Mirza, professor at the Institute of Education; Sam Farooq, researcher at the University of Gloucester.

The event takes place on Saturday 15th October, 2011, Birmingham Midland Institute

£10 waged, £5 unwaged

Please note, places are limited and you will need to register to attend. To register for a place, please email: birmingham15october2011@gmail.com

For further details, see: http://bsatheory.org.uk/2011/08/17/public-symposium-on-the-recent-disturbances/