Author Archives: Charlotte Hastings

Seminar: Prof Adrian Favell (University of Leeds) ‘From political economy to political demography: beyond methodological nationalism’.

Posted on by

The Migration Working Group – North West is holding its inaugural seminar on 19th of October 2018 at 2pm. Migration Working Group-North West brings together academics, organisations and practitioners working on migration who are either based in the North West of the UK, or researching migration in this region (including Action for Refugees). For the inaugural talk, the group have invited Prof Adrian Favell (University of Leeds) to share his work on ‘From political economy to political demography: beyond methodological nationalism’.

For more information about this free event and to register please see the event page.

Growing up in Afghanistan: Exhibition is open

Posted on by

Guy Smallman and Clare Woolhouse in Hale Hall.

The Growing up in Afghanistan exhibition is now open.  Guy Smallman visited the university to set up his photographs in Hale Hall. On Thursday 4th October 12-1pm there will be an opportunity to hear Guy discuss his work and answer questions in a short talk.

Please contact educationresearch@edgehill.ac.uk to reserve your place.

GROWING UP IN AFGHANISTAN Photography Exhibition @EHU

Posted on by

HALE HALL Edge Hill University
Monday 24th September —Thursday 4th October 2018

This is a ten day exhibition of the work of freelance photographer Mr Guy Smallman.   The exhibition will take up residency in Hale Hall for 10 days and involve a display of selected  photographs from Mr Smallman’s time in Afghanistan.

Visitors are welcome to drop in to view it at any time.

Mr Smallman will then join us at Edge Hill on Thursday 4th October 12-1pm to discuss his work and answer questions.

Guy Smallman is a self taught, London based photojournalist. He has worked all over the world in many different countries and environments specializing in social issues like human rights and poverty.

Since 2008 his main focus has been Afghanistan. His work from that country has appeared in many publications including most UK newspapers, FT Weekend magazine, Channel 4 news and the BBC to name but a few. He was also interviewed for John Pilger’s documentary film ‘The War You Don’t See’ after he became the only foreign journalist to reach the scene of the Granai massacre in Taliban controlled Farah province.

During his time in Afghanistan he has built a long term relationship with the internally displaced people living in terrible conditions in camps around Kabul. His exhibition features their children, many of whom were born in the camps.

For more information go to: http://guysmallman.com/

Please contact educationresearch@edgehill.ac.uk for further information and to register for the event on the 4th October.

Imagining community through sport at Edge Hill University

Posted on by

Dr Jack Sugden

In 1983 Benedict Anderson wrote ‘Imagined Communities’, a book that pointed out, among other things, that the communities, towns, cities and especially nations in which we live are not actually real. Although they might feel real to us, part of our lives, our identities, have you ever actually seen an England? Touched a Manchester? The point I make here, in an admittedly abstract way, is that we dwell in a world in which we are divided by many categories and identity hooks that are essentially made up.

The United Kingdom only exists because we all agree it does, just as we agree to follow, uphold and even celebrate its laws and culture. If we were to wake tomorrow having forgotten the UK, it might be a nightmare in terms of law and order, but we may also feel free, albeit isolated and alone. As though these categories and labels dive us they also unite us, giving us commonalities that we share, and which make us feel safe, like we belong. It is this exact feeling of collective national consciousness that captivates the nation during a royal wedding, at times of national crisis, or during the football world cup, the last two being much the same.

Football for Peace in Jerusalem, Jewish and Arab kids pre-game

 In terms of sport, from growing up in Belfast during the “troubles” I was witness to bitter and divisive nature of sport, but also, fleetingly, its capacity to cross the sectarian divide through a football team made up of both Protestants and Catholics called ‘Belfast United F.C.’ Continue reading →

Dr Julia Hope: Children’s Literature about Refugees

Posted on by

Visiting from Goldsmiths’ University, last week Dr Julia Hope shared with the faculty her wealth of experience from her PhD research and a decade as a ‘refugee teacher’, working with children from a refugee background in the classroom.

Her paper explored the range of ways in which children’s books can support children with a refugee background to recognise themselves in fiction, as well as the opportunity for children without these experiences to develop empathy and understanding. Her examples demonstrated that even very young children can through discussion and art demonstrate a sophisticated understanding of the reasons people leave, and what it might be like to come to a new classroom, a new school, a new country.

 

Feedback from the session was excellent. One delegate stated, ‘Excellent session –   thoroughly enjoyed it. Thankyou!’ Another, who is a trainee teacher commented, ‘We need more talks like this.’ Students and staff plan to read more of the titles Julia included in her presentation, approaching them critically, and seeking to undertake research in the area. Others reflected on the way the session would help in the classroom to work with refugee families and children.

 

Event: Dr Julia Hope – Children’s Literature About Refugees 14th May

Posted on by

‘Children’s Literature About Refugees: A Catalyst in the Classroom’

DR JULIA HOPE, GOLDSMITHS COLLEGE, UNIVERSITY OF LONDON

Monday 14th May 2018 at 1.00pm, Room E1

This seminar welcomes Julia Hope, author of, ‘Children’s Literature About Refugees: A Catalyst in the Classroom’.  This book addresses one of our most pressing global issues – often called “the migrant crisis” – in a form accessible to younger children.

For child refugees to feel that their experiences are validated, and for others to understand their situation, engaging with the growing field of children’s texts on the subject is crucial.  Teachers also need to be encouraged to find ways in to tackle such challenging topics, with fiction providing the perfect catalyst.

In exploring the use of Mary Hoffman’s The Colour of Home and Beverley Naidoo’s The Other Side of Truth in the classroom, this book is indispensable for educators in the younger age range, and for researchers who are interested in controversial children’s literature.

Organised by the Faculty of Education and sponsored by I4P, this event will take place in the Faculty of Education, room E1.

More Information and Registration

Free course: Working Supportingly with Refugees

Posted on by

A new online course, Working Supportingly with Refugees: Principles, Skills and Perspectives, commences on Monday 21 May.  The course will run for three weeks and is free to access. Attendance is flexible and self-paced, participants can enrol any time before or after starting date to complete the course.

You can access it here – https://www.futurelearn.com/courses/cultural-mediation/1

What topics will you cover?

  • The basics about human migration, refugees and legal framework
  • Cultural diversity and interethnic relations
  • Socialisation, conflict resolution and social inclusion
  • Principles on psychological well-being and socio-emotional health in refugee cases. Strategies for the mediator to support the target group and their own self-care
  • Communication and interpreting in contexts of cultural mediation
  • The practice of cultural mediation in the reality of refugees

The course has been developed by the GRAMNet academics and practitioners  at the University of Glasgow with the support of EU Erasmus + funding for the ReCULM project led by an international team of partners from Greece – National Centre for Social Research, Italy –University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Spain – University of Almeria  and the UK – University of Glasgow.