Colleagues are invited to attend the CSHE Seminar on Thursday 17 October,16.00-17.00, in Kennedy Seminar Room 10. The seminar titled ‘Why and how we need to research White students’ racial ignorance’ will be presented virtually by Dr Nolan Cabrera, Centre for the Study of Higher Education at the University of Arizona.

In this presentation, Dr Cabrera will outline his concept of White immunity, link it to structured White ignorance, and then explore what this means in terms of the educational experiences of Students of Colour.

To register to attend please complete the online booking form.

A new website for staff provides information about current negotiations over the Universities Superannuation Scheme (USS).

The USS dispute is a national one with a large number of organisations involved. Earlier this year, the University and College Union (UCU) took the most recent employer proposals to a ballot of its members, calling for industrial action.

The University of Kent’s Executive Group (EG) has expressed regret over the current situation, but has been working at both national and local level to try and help reach a national agreement and assist employees who have to pay increased contributions.

EG has also been lobbying hard for Universities UK (UUK) to enter into direct dialogue with the UK Pensions Regulator and to involve the UCU in this process.

As well as outlining the University’s position and what EG is doing to help, the new website includes a summary of the current situation and background to the USS pensions negotiations.

Find out more on the USS Pension Changes website.

October 2019 sees an exciting array of events and activities taking place at the University of Kent, celebrating Black History Month under the theme of Black Excellence

Key events to look out for include the Black Excellence Exhibition, the launch of the BAME Staff Network, talks and workshops by Dr Onyeka Nubia, the Black Excellence Fashion Show, various events by the Platforma Festival, film screenings, an evening with Elijah Lawal, author of The Clapback and Lemn Sissey’s life story, as narrated by him in his new book My Name Is Why.

With the majority of events free of charge and open to staff and students, there is sure to be something for everyone.  Please note some events have a limited number of tickets available, so please be sure to book in advance.

See the full programme.

The latest issue of the journal Debates in Aesthetics, Volume 14, Issue 1, has just been published.

Debates in Aesthetics is a peer-reviewed, open-access journal for articles, interviews and book reviews. Published by the British Society of Aesthetics, the journal’s principal aim is to provide the philosophical community with a dedicated venue for debate in aesthetics and the philosophy of art. The issue is co-edited by Dr Shelby Moser, who completed a PhD in History and Philosophy of Art with the School of Arts at Kent.

The issue focuses on the work of Professor Jenefer Robinson, in particular her views on the paradox of fiction, pictorial expression, the nature of the emotions, and the centrality of the emotions for understanding certain works of art.

It also features a short article by Dr Hans Maes, Senior Lecturer in Art History, entitled ‘”Are You Talking to Me?” Conversations on Art and Aesthetics’, which explores the aims of his recent book on conversations with prominent philosophers of art.

The issue also features an interview with Professor Murray Smith, Professor in Film, by Dr Angelo Cioffi, entitled ‘Aesthetics Naturalised’. Angelo also completed his PhD in History and Philosophy of Art programme at Kent.

The issue is open-access and available for free here:
www.debatesinaesthetics.org/

Kent Hospitality has released new menus across their Canterbury and Medway outlets, increasing their vegan options available. Their efforts have been recognised by PETA, who have included the University of Kent on their list of 20 Most Vegan-Friendly Universities.

Origins Bar & Grill in Darwin College (Canterbury) now serve eight vegan main meals, including meat-free ‘beef’ burgers, bean chilli and meat-free ‘chicken’ nachos.

The Street Kitchen on Jarman Plaza continues to serve a vegan option on its weekly menu, with dishes ranging from pakora burgers to Malaysian curries.

The Galvanising Shop Café and No1 (Medway) have plenty of vegan options for breakfast and lunch, including vegan sausage and cheese paninis, dairy-free breakfast pots and toasties packed with marinated vegetables.

PETA Director Elisa Allen: ‘Students in the UK are going vegan in huge numbers, and it’s great to see universities joining the revolution. PETA commends the University of Kent for offering “healthy and delicious vegan food options that everyone can enjoy.’

A list of all vegan options available at Kent Hospitality outlets is available on the UniKentFood blog.

Follow UniKentFood on Instagram to find out more about catering at Kent.

Staff, students and alumni have expressed their deepest condolences at the recent passing of Sir David Akers-Jones, one of Kent’s most prestigious and important alumni.

During his long career, Sir David Akers-Jones served in many important posts in the Government of Hong Kong. He was the Chief Secretary of Hong Kong from 1985 to 1987, and was also Acting Governor of Hong Kong.

Sir David started his studies at Kent in 1966, the year following the University’s inauguration. In recognition of his outstanding achievements, Sir David received an honorary Doctor of Civil Law from the University in 1987, and continued to play a very active role in the Hong Kong Alumni Association.

Sir David’s support of the University was both longstanding and far-reaching and included  the foundation of the Sir David Akers-Jones Hong Kong and China Fund in 2010, designed to support students wishing to study at one of Kent’s partner institutions, or to undertake a work placement in Hong Kong or mainland China.

We feel immensely proud to have had the opportunity to benefit from Sir David’s broad experience, wisdom and generosity over the last six decades and we remain committed to continuing to support the important work in internationalisation between the UK, China and Hong which Sir David was so invested in.

Anthony Manning | Dean for Internationalisation

You can see comments from current and former staff, students and alumni on the influence of Sir David’s support for the University on the Development webpages. 

Timothy Brittain-Catlin presented an episode from his forthcoming book The Edwardians and their Houses on BBC Radio 4’s The Westminster Hour last night. This told the story of how from 1900 the London County Council, controlled by members of the Liberal Party, transformed a district of industrial works and slums at the southern edge of the Palace of Westminster into an idealised ‘late Stuart’ residential quarter around the baroque church of St John, Smith Square. Some of the finest buildings here, including 4, Cowley Street (above), were designed by the architect Horace Field, whose commercial buildings look as if they were the homes of prosperous Restoration merchants and were thus the harbinger of much interwar high street bank architecture. Appropriately, this house, which had been built as the offices of the North Eastern Railway, served as the headquarters of first the Social Democratic Party and until recently, the Liberal Democrats. Today the district serves as a fine example of a politically inspired residential area which looks as if it has ‘always’ been there.

The full programme is here .

This year’s Stirling Lecture will be delivered by Dr Holly Dunsworth, University of Rhode Island, with a talk entitled ‘This View of Wife: How Woman’s Evolution Challenges Traditional Narratives of Man’s’. The lecture will take place on Tuesday 15 October 2019 from 18.00 to 20.00 in Keynes Lecture Theatre 1. The event is free and open to all.

Dr Dunsworth will be challenging traditional evolutionary explanations for sex differences in height and hips that focus only on big, competitive men and broad, birthing women. She claims that clinging to simple answers to deceptively complex questions about human variation may be impeding scientific progress.

Abstract
Here we question assumptions about the evolution of sex differences in human biology, specifically regarding sex differences in height and in pelvic dimensions. Conspicuous sex differences in anatomy have featured prominently in human evolutionary science since its origins and continue to be mistaken for evidence of innate sex differences in cognition and for natural gender norms and roles. Evolutionary explanations for sex differences in height and hips that focus only on big competitive men and broad birthing women must account for evolutionary developmental approaches and for physiological phenomena that complicate, weaken and challenge traditional thinking. In this case, clinging to simple answers to deceptively complex questions about human variation may be impeding scientific progress, as well as perpetuating the popular misunderstanding and abuse of it.

Biography
Holly Dunsworth is Associate Professor of Anthropology at the University of Rhode Island. She began her career studying the anatomy and paleoenvironment of fossil apes. Now she is investigating the energetics of marmoset monkey pregnancy and lactation to answer questions about the evolution of human reproduction, growth and development. She’s behind the EGG (Energetics of Gestation and Growth) hypothesis for the timing of human birth (contra the ‘obstetrical dilemma’): she argues that ‘reproductive consciousness’ is a uniquely human trait of significance, and is working to expand the dominant evolutionary explanations for sex differences in human height and pelvic dimensions.

Dr Anne-Maria Brennan and Dr Terence Nice from the Centre for Professional Practice at the University of Kent were amongst the speakers at the Kent Safeguarding Children Board’s recent conference on adolescent suicide and self-harm in Kent which was held in Ashford earlier this month.

The conference brought together practitioners to explore the topics of adolescent suicidal feelings, thoughts and behaviours. The principal aim of the conference was to promote practitioner understanding, competency and confidence in working with young people who present as suicidal or self-harming.

Dr Anne-Maria Brennan, Director of Graduate Studies and Programme Director for the MSc Professional Practice, welcomed all participants and spoke about the importance of mental wellbeing for University students.

Dr Terence Nice presented the findings of his thematic study on Individual Signatures and Thematic Patterns of Self-harm and Suicide. He spoke about the ways how the findings of the study can be channelled into a national framework for understanding suicidal behaviour in young people and how this can best inform the working practice.

The conference was very well attended with more than 200 professionals present.

Why study MSc Professional Practice at the University of Kent?

This part-time, multi-professional programme is popular amongst staff at the University of Kent and has been designed to meet the needs of working professionals who wish to develop their academic ability while maintaining their professional role. Taught sessions are delivered on average 6 weekends a year at Medway campus in a welcoming, supportive and flexible academic environment, by an academic team with extensive professional practitioner experience. The Master’s programme is completed over 3 years with alternative exists available after the first (PCert) or second years (PDip).

Accreditation of prior experiential and certificated learning is welcome.

For more information please visit the CPP webpages.