Public engagement


Speaking events, including conferences and workshops organised
September 2023 MeCCSA Annual Conference, Glasgow University 
Paper: Digital storytelling and grassroots communities: building hope for the future

July 2023     A ‘New’ Right to Adequate Clothing Conference, University of Manchester
Invited panel speaker: Grassroots storytelling and the Right to Clothing

december 2022  Organiser - Right to Clothing and Economic Justice workshop, Nottingham Trent university

The second of two workshops for my postdoctoral project. The session was co-facilitated with Louise Cooke, CEO of Journey to Justice, and delivered to students, academics and community organisers in the East Midlands region.

December 2022  Leicester human rights arts and film festival (lhraff), De montfort university

Freedom Movement: Dance, Film & Poetry

November 2022  PSA Media and Politics Conference, University of Liverpool
Paper: Storytelling as political communication for action

November 2022  Organiser - Knowledge Exchange Symposium, University of Nottingham
A symposium exploring my postdoctoral research on storytelling, and the work of the human rights education charity, Journey to Justice, and clothing poverty alleviation charity, Sharewear

November 2022  Organiser - Right to Clothing and Economic Justice workshop, Assay Studios, Birmingham

The first of two workshops for my postdoctoral project. The session was co-facilitated with Tilly Collins, a University of Birmingham PPE student and delivered to community organisers and volunteers in the West Midlands region.

 
May 2022     Co-organiser - JtoJ workshop on economic injustice, CWU National executive, London

Another  workshop delivering training on economic and racial justice in a campaigning and trade union setting.


February 2022    Co-organiser - JtoJ workshop on economic injustice, CWU midlands regional HQ

Workshop delivering training on economic and racial justice in a campaigning and trade union setting. 


December 2021  PSA Media and Politics Conference, Canterbury Christ Church University

Paper: Media, community activism and challenges to policy


December 2021  JtoJ Civil Rights exhibition & Economic (In)Justice documentary and panel, Leicester Human Rights Arts and Film Festival (Event recorded)

This panel heard from volunteers Carrie Supple and Tania Aubeelack who talked about JtoJ’s successful travelling and interactive civil rights exhibition programme, and Dr Abi Rhodes who talked about the  Economic (In)Justice Project and introduces a mini documentary that focuses on class and education.


November 2021  PSA Media and Politics Group Virtual Panel Series 2021 (event recorded)
The talk was based on my book which examines the on and offline communicative tactics of Extinction Rebellion and The People's Assembly Against Austerity in the 2015, 17 and 19 elections and concomitant media coverage and manifesto pledges around the issues of austerity and the environment. 

November 2021  The Activist Museum, Research Centre for Museums and Galleries (RCMG), University of Leicester
The event brought together projects which, although addressing hugely different injustices and crises, share a concern for democratic practice, opening up space for multiple voices and creating more equitable museums. The Museum of Transology, Journey to Justice and 100 Histories of 100 Worlds in 1 Object partner up to share reflections on activist museum practice.

October 2021   Workers Eduction Association member lecture series 

Economic (in)justice: building power from the grass roots - Journey to Justice’s latest project aims to galvanise people to take action for economic justice through its successful approach to human rights education and has brought together a series of resources about 40 ‘ordinary’ people who have done extraordinary things to fight for the cause. As International Day for the Eradication of Poverty (17th October) approaches, this lecture will explore the underlying causes of poverty and inequality and share some of the stories of the ’40’.


August 2021   Co-organiser - Panel event  (Event recorded)

Discourse and Politics x Journey to Justice: Lived Experience of Economic (In)justice in the UK


June 2021    M4C Research festival 

Invited speaker:  M3C Alumni Career Panel


March 2021    PSA Annual International Conference, Queens University Belfast

1) Invited panel speaker: Digital communication of UK Anti-Austerity and Environmental social movements in election campaigns

2) Paper: Social Movements in Elections: UK Anti-Austerity and Environmental Campaigning 2015-2019.

Feb 2021     Discourse and Politics Seminar Series 2021, Nottingham Trent University (Event recorded)

Paper: Social Movement Communication in Elections: UK Anti-Austerity and Environmental Campaigning 2015-2019. 

Jan 2020     MeCCSA Annual Conference, University of Brighton

Paper: Fanning the flames: social movement intervention in electoral communication. 

Jan 2019       MeCCSA Annual Conference, University of Stirling

Paper: Continuous framing in a changing political environment: An analysis of the anti-austerity argument for the NHS during election time. 

Nov 2018     Organiser - Conference

Two-day Political Studies Association Media and Politics Group (#PSAMPG) conference, University of Nottingham: https://www.nottingham.ac.uk/conference/fac-arts/clas/psa-media-and-politics-group/index.aspx

July 2018     Organiser - Conference

Movements: Protest, Politics and Activism in the 21st Century. One-day, interdisciplinary conference funded by AHRC/M3C, Nottingham Contemporary: https://movements2018.wordpress.com/  

March 2018   PSA Annual International Conference, Cardiff University

Paper: Movement-led electoral campaigning: social movements as experts in the 2017 UK General Election.

Jan 2018     MeCCSA Annual Conference, London South Bank University

Paper: The role of creative activism and agency in the 2017 UK General Election.  

Nov 2017      Standing Up for Our Rights: European Citizens’ Gathering, University of Nottingham

Invited chair: Brexit and the Media panel


July 2017     The UK General Election 2017: the campaigns, media & polls, Loughborough University London

Invited speaker: The Role of The People's Assembly and Momentum in the 2017 General Election. 

June 2017     Austerity for the Many Magic Money Trees for the Few, De Montfort University

Invited speaker: Civil society and grassroots voices in the election coverage. 

June 2017      PubhD #40, The Vat and Fiddle, Nottingham

Early research presentation to the public. A follow up podcast was made and can be listened to here: https://soundcloud.com/user-711798858/podhd-episode-10


April 2017     Organiser - Panel event

Austerity, Poverty and Protests panel event as part of Journey to Justice: Nottingham, Nonsuch Theatre, Nottingham

April-June 2017   Journey to Justice: Nottingham, National Justice Museum, Nottingham

Exhibition piece about St Ann’s (a deprived area of Nottingham) and Poverty. Working with my previous employer, the Bertrand Russell Peace Foundation, and the local photographer Roger Suckling, I designed a panel detailing Ken Coates and Richard Silburn’s social survey on poverty in Nottingham that gave rise to a film by Stephen Frears.