“An American Story – Race Amity and the Other Tradition” Screening and Q&A with the filmmaker: Dr. William H. ‘Smitty’ Smith

Thursday 25 October, 7.30pm - Come along to a screening of “An American Story – Race Amity and the Other Tradition” There will also be a Q&A with the filmmaker: Dr. William H. ‘Smitty’ Smith, NTH 1 on the lower ground floor of the Newman Building in UCD.  This is a free event and all are welcome to attend.

Lunch time seminar with Ann Averill - Thursday 18 October 1pm

School of Sociology seminar series - 'Irish Nationalism and Globalisation: A Study of the Generation Born Between 1976 and 1986'

Ann Averill recently completed PhD student - UCD Sociology
Thursday 18th October, 1pm. Room D418, Newman Building.

All welcome to attend, tea and coffee will be served before the seminar and please feel free to bring along your lunch. 

Ann Averill was awarded an MSocSc from University College Dublin in 2014. She commenced her PhD in 2014 at UCD School of Sociology. She submitted her doctoral thesis titled Irish Nationalism and Globalisation: a Study of the Generation Born between 1976 and 1986 in June, she recently completed her PhD by passing her viva examination. 

Ann's seminar will address themes such as the historical sociology of Irish nationalism and how Irish nationalism evolved in line with societal changes, before and after independence. Contemporary Irish nationalism among people born between 1976 and 1986 who grew up in Ireland and are now living in two locations, Dublin and London, the ways of thinking, feeling and acting among this generation, and how emotions inform their nationalism, as well as the role of inter-generational values in informing their decisions. Also the 1916 commemorations in Dublin in 2016 and contemporary emotional engagement with nationalism in Ireland today.

New podcast: Wolfgang Marx about the UCD common room

In this episode of "Dublin Calling - the student podcast" our PhD student Mark Doyle talks with Associate Professor Wolfgang Marx about the threatened closure of the UCD common room.

Professor Payam Akhavan Seminar - 'In Search of a Better World: A Human Rights Odyssey'

School of Sociology seminar series - Jointly hosted with the School of Law

Professor Payman Akhavan - McGill University
Wednesday 10th October, 1pm. Moot Court - Sutherland Building

All welcome to attend, tea and coffee will be served before the seminar.

Journal article by the School of Sociology Post Doc Fellow Lea David - Human Rights as an Ideology? Obstacles and Benefits.

Journal article by the School of Sociology Post Doctoral Fellow Lea David.

Human Rights as an Ideology? Obstacles and Benefits.

Abstract

Sociology has an important part to play in understanding human rights. In this article, I trace obstacles within sociology to theoretically conceptualize human rights as an ideology. These impediments, I suggest, demonstrate the need to recognize the blind spots within sociological research. However, instead of trying to persuade readers why human rights qualifies as an ideology, I attempt to demonstrate why it is beneficial for sociological inquiry to conceptualize human rights as an ideology. Instead of following the widely accepted practice of understanding human rights as a desirable set of values designed to promote a liberal peace, I propose conceptualizing human rights as an ideology which, through its institutionalization, produces coercive organizational and doctrine power. The question of whether its organizational and doctrine power is capable of value penetration in micro-solidarity groups opens up a new prism through which sociologists can assess the successes and failures of human rights ideology on the ground.

Access the full article here