AHSS Agenda Setting Lectures
2009/10
Serving the Public Interest? The Role of Higher Education in Promoting a Just and Equal Society
Prof Kathleen Lynch (UCD)
Click for Podcast of the LectureThursday 11 March, 2010 at 18h00 in CSG01 (CSIS Building Lecture Theatre, UL)
Universities Must Engage With Inequality in Irish Society
A major public lecture held today at the University of Limerick heard how Irish Universities can play a central role in promoting a just and equal society. Speaking at the annual Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences (AHSS) Agenda-Setting lecture, Professor Kathleen Lynch (UCD) stated that “Matters of equality and social justice are not matters of left or right, feminist or anti-feminist politics, they are foundational issues for Irish society. They are literally questions about life and death. As such they are questions which publicly funded institutions of higher education must engage.”
In her lecture Professor Lynch demonstrated how studies of multiple countries show that people live healthier, happier and more productive lives in more equal societies. In addressing the question of the role of the university in promoting fairer and more equal societies Professor Lynch argued that “One place we have to start it is by opening up the debate about equality within the university, including equality questions about its own culture. To address such questions we must confront the false binaries within the normative and the analytical within the academy itself.”
Welcoming Professor Lynch’s stimulating and agenda setting lecture, Professor Pat O’Connor, Dean of the Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences said: “The University of Limerick has had a long standing commitment to providing educational experiences for its students that contribute to societal transformation. Never has this focus been more relevant and important than it is today”
Caithfidh na hOllscoileanna Dul i nGleic leis an Míchothroime in Éirinn
Déardaoin, 11 Márta 2010 Caithfidh na hOllscoileanna Dul i nGleic leis an Míchothroime in Éirinn
Míníodh le linn léacht thábhachtach phoiblí in Ollscoil Luimnigh aréir gur féidir le hollscoileanna na hÉireann a bheith lárnach i bhforbairt sochaí chóir chothrom. Dúirt an tOllamh Kathleen Lynch (COBÁC) le linn léacht bhliantúil Áireamh Cuspóirí sna Dána, Daonnachtaí agus sna hEolaíochtaí Sóisialta (AHSS) “Ní bhaineann ceisteanna córach agus cothroime shóisialta le polaitíocht ar chlé nó ar dheis, leis an bhfeimineachas ná leis an bhfrithfheimineachas. Is buncheisteanna do shochái na hÉireann iad. Is ceisteanna báis nó beatha iad go bunúsach. Is ceisteanna mar sin iad a chaithfidh na forais ardoideachais, a bhfuil maoiniú poiblí acu, dul i ngleic leo.
Léirigh an tOllamh Lynch ina léacht gur chruthaigh taighde san iliomad tíortha go maireann an duine níos sona, níos folláine agus go dtáirgíonn sé níos mó i gcomhluadar cóir. Ag tagairt do ghné cur chuige na hollscoile i gcur chun cinn sochaí níos córa agus níos cothroime, mhaígh an tOllamh Lynch “Caithfimid tosú trí cur is cúiteamh a chur ar bun faoi chothroime laistigh den ollscoil, chomh maith le ceisteanna córach faoi chultúr na hollscoile. Caithfimid cur i gcoinne thátail na doiléire laistigh den norm agus laistigh den anailís, d’fhonn tabhairt faoi cheisteanna mar sin laistigh den acadamh féin.”
Dúirt an tOllamh Pat O’Connor, Déan na nEalaíon, na nDaonnachtaí agus na nEolaíochtaí Sóisialta nuair a d’fháiltigh roimh léacht spreagúil, chlárcheapúil an Ollaimh Lynch: Tá Ollscoil Luimnigh tiomanta le fada do thaithí oideachais a sholáthar dá cuid mac léinn a chuirfidh le claochlú na sochaí. Níor thábhachtaí agus níor iomchuí an dearcadh seo riamh roimhe go dtí inniu.”
Kathleen Lynch is the Professor of Equality Studies at University College Dublin. She is an advisor to the EU Directorate Generalate on Education and Culture (DGEAC) as a member of the European Network of Experts in the Social Sciences on Education and Training (NSSE) since 2007.
She has published widely in the field of education. Her books include Diversity in School.(2005) edited with Anne Lodge, Inside Classrooms: The Teaching and Learning of Mathematics in Social Context (2003) co-authored with M. Lyons, S. Close et al., Equality and Power in Schools (2002) co-authored with Anne Lodge, and Equality in Education (1999) and The Hidden Curriculum (1989) both of which are sole authored. Most recently she was the major author of a report on Gender and Education (2009) for the EU http://www.nesse.fr/nesse/activities/reports/gender-report-pdf
Kathleen’s other major area of research interest has been developing egalitarian theory with her colleagues in Equality Studies. Her major work in this field is Equality: From Theory to Action, (2004, 2009) co-authored with J. Baker, S. Cantillon, S. and J. Walsh. Her new book is focused on the subject of caring and equality. It is titled Affective Equality: Love, Care and Injustice (2009 June) London: Palgrave Macmillan (co-authored with J. Baker and M. Lyons). It was nominated as one of the ‘Books of Year’ in 2009 by the Irish Times. She is currently writing a book with Dympna Devine and Bernie Grummell titled New Managerialism in Education: The Care Ceiling in a Caring Profession. based on her research on senior appointments across the education sectors in Ireland.
Kathleen is deeply committed to equality and social justice, particularly in the field of education. As an academic activist all of her working life, she is guided by the belief that the purpose of scholarship is not just to understand the world but to change it for the good of all humanity. The proof of her academic activism is evident from the work she has done to set up the UCD Equality Studies Centre with her colleagues in 1990 and to establish the first ever School of Social Justice in Ireland within UCD in 2005 (www.ucd.ie/socialjustice/). She serves on the Boards of a number of voluntary and community organisations working for equality and social justice.
2010/11
The Department of History / Roinn na Staire
Invites you to attend a Public Lecture by
Professor Diarmaid Ferriter (UCD)
Title:
Civic Engagement: Historian, Media and Public
Date: Wednesday 24 November 2010
Time: 18h00
Venue: UL Main Building, Level 1, John Holland Lecture Theatre (D1050)
Reception hosted by the
Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences
17h15 in D1049, adjacent to John Holland Lecture Theatre
RSVP
Email: anne.marie.odonnell@ul.ie Tel: 061-202280
ALL ARE WELCOME