The Social Scientist Issue 1

Transcript

1. We are extremely excited to be launching our Social Science Community newsletter. Our staff and students are involved in so many exciting projects and activities. It is fantas- tic to be able to celebrate their achievements here and shine a light on how proud we are to be part of such a vibrant community. There is so much to tell you, one newsletter is not going to be enough so make sure you look out for future editions in the fol- lowing trimesters. In this edition we will be introducing you to our brand new student en- gagement team in ‘Ready, S.E.T., Go’. We will also be finding out what it’s like to start at Glasgow Cale- donian University as a foreign student. In addi- tion, some of our lecturers reflect on their experienc- es as undergraduates. We hope you enjoy reading about our exciting community. We are al- ready ea- gerly planning Issue 2 so watch this space! Welcome to our First Social Science Community Newsle er! Not only do we have a new newsletter, we have a brand new Student Engagement Team (S.E.T)! Eight of our 20 strong team are pictured here (getting everyone in to one room at the same time has been like herd- ing cats). All of our S.E.T. team are volun- teering their precious time to build our Social Science Community spir- it. Already, they have been instrumental in pub- lishing this newsletter, writ- ing blogs and coming up with new and innovative ideas. Although they all come from different year groups, interests and disci- pline pathways, they are united in their enthusiasm, energy, passion for social jus- tice and love of doughnuts. Keep an eye out for their future productions … I heard a rumour that there may even be a pod- cast in the works!!!! Ready, S.E.T., Go! Meet our New Student Engagement Team! Trimester A 2019 Issue 1 The Social Scientist The Social Science Community Newsletter; a Glasgow Caledonian University student and staff collaboration for the Common Good. This Trimester in History 2 Student Focus; Star ng Univer- sity as a Foreign Student 2 Staff Perspec ve; What I would tell my undergraduate self... 3 Student Perspec ve; How to handle the Disserta on Poster 3 Module Focus; Gender and Society 3 Study Focus; Student Approved Study Tips 3 Student Ac vism for the Com- mon Good 4 Staff and Students Collabo- ra ng to Challenge Poverty 4 Upcoming Events of Interest to Social Scien sts 4 Inside this issue: … and a Welcome from our Head of Department! A big thank you to Katy and the student engagement team for launching our very first Social Science Community Newsle er. It will give us a further opportunity to showcase the wonderful achievements of our staff and students. I would like to take the opportunity to extend a warm welcome to our new undergraduate and post graduate students and a big welcome back to our con nuing students. Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any ques ons or concerns during your me with us. You can contact me in a number of ways. By dropping in to W608 during my office hours (Monday 9‐11 and Wednesday 9‐10), by phone on 0141 331 8594 or by emailing me on R.Russell@gcu.ac.uk. I look forward to hearing from you. Rachel Russell, Head of Department of Social Sciences. Have you considered going on exchange in third year for a Trimester or longer? You have great options in the Europe- an Union such as the beautiful Dutch city of Rotterdam (always a popular choice) or to travel to North America. New York and California are also possibilities. Or maybe you would like to suggest your own destination? You may of course be put off by the costs involved. However, for some exchange programmes you will be paid a stipend and for others there is possible travel expense funding available too. The idea of studying abroad can be quite daunting but there is plenty of support. You have begun one journey in your academic career. Why not try another one too? You have nothing to lose and a world to see. Interested? Then enrol with Exchange and Study Abroad through Communi- ties on GCU Learn or check out Exchange on the GCU homepage. Alternatively email William.mcdougall2@gcu.ac.uk the BA Social Science Exchange Co- ordinator and begin your journey today…
2. Our History Team, pictured below, highlight some key moments in his- tory that happened in previous ‘Trimester A periods’! The signifi- cance of many of these historical moments are discussed during their fascinating history modules. From left to right; Professor Oonagh Walsh, Dr. Ben Shepherd, Dr. Fiona Skillen, Dr. Janet Greenlees. October …  10th, 1903: Emmeline Pankhurst founds the Women’s’ Social and Political Union to fight for the right to vote.  2nd, 1908: Henry Ford launches the Model T, revolutionising American (and almost immediately the world’s) life.  16th, 1916: Margaret Sanger opens America’s first birth control clinic in Brooklyn, New York. November …  November 1, 1848 – First medical school for women opened in Boston (The Boston Female Medical School).  9th-10th, 1938: Kristallnacht (Night of Breaking Glass): first in- stance of nationwide orchestrated mass violence against Jews in Nazi Germany.  November 1, 1993 – The European Union came into existence as a result of the Maastrict Treaty December …  16th, 1944: start of the Battle of the Bulge. Germany's final offen- sive against the Western Allies in WW2.  24th/25th December 1914: Christmas truce, France and Belgium. This Tri-mester in History! Student Focus; One of Our First Year Social Science Students Tells Us What its Like to Start University in a New Country. Page 2 The Social Scientist The Social Scientist I came to Glasgow a month ago, a completely different country and culture from Cordoba (my home city). Everything here is different from Spain: the food, the climate, and the language. This complete polarisa on of cultures made me realise studying in another country makes you more independent and mature. People in Glasgow are really kind and willing to help everyone, since my first day at university I received help from different students. For example, a third year student helped me for two hours with GCU learn as I originally struggled ge ng my registra on confirma on le er as well as my student status. Given the fact that this is not my country, I can clearly see the difference in the educa onal system. In Spain, we need to memorize everything, and we do very li le prac cal work. In the UK, we are encouraged to inves gate and think about the informa on we learn, thus, being a more useful and challenging way of learning which I think will be more beneficial for students in their future works. Unfortunately, crime is a part of global everyday life; today’s society faces racism, homo- phobia, domes c violence and sexism, to name but a few kinds. When I studied for my His- tory GCSE I became aware of many cases that have occurred over me and I felt a strong convic on that I wanted to work within the field of crime preven on and solu on. The course of “Social Sciences” at Caledonian University provides me with a wide variety of modules (criminology, sociology, history, French and poli cs) which was one of the many factors that made me want to study here. I want to work within a career which enables me to help people and the study of Criminology is ideal in this aspect as it not only assesses crime, but society and the rela ons between both of them. By Vicky Lopez (pictured le and pictured top right, in her na onal dress.)
3. Staff Perspective; “What I Would Tell My Undergraduate Self…” Module Focus; Gender and Society Student Perspective; How to Handle the Dissertation Poster Presentation in 4th Year! University is a life changing positive experience for many but it can also be overwhelming and stressful—especially at the start. All our Social Science lecturers went through it at the beginning of their academic careers and reflect here, what they wished they had known all those many (!) years ago ... Dr Katy Proctor, Lecturer in Criminology & Policing. “My under- graduate degree had loads of opportunities for exchange trips or field trips during University holidays. I really wish I had taken advantage of the chances to travel but I let my lack of confidence get the better of me. If I could, I would tell my undergraduate self to push myself out of my comfort zone and explore the world at much reduced student prices!” One of our 2018/19 poster presenta on winners, Megan McSharry, provides some helpful advice on how you might get the best out of your disserta on poster. In terms of crea ng a disserta on poster, my main piece of advice is do not overthink it. Overthinking the whole process will only hold you back, and that seemed like the main consensus among the other students in my year at the me. Going into it, it is essen al that you synthesise your informa on and make sure there is plenty of white space on the poster along with eye‐ catching pictures and graphs (if applicable). You should ensure you are only using visuals that wholly relate to and represent your argument. I ini ally created a theme for my poster – including my colours, visuals, headings and refer‐ ences. Once I did this, I tackled each sec on one by one, ensuring my most important points were included with a reference. As you go along, you’ll probably realise that some informa on begins to overlap; this is a great step to be at so early on in the process. Realising where your informa on over‐ laps and the gaps you can fill will most definitely help you later on in your disserta on write‐up. Also, when you receive your poster feedback from your disserta on supervisor, take this on board! I can assure you it’ll make a big difference in your final disserta on dra . Make sure you let your personality shine through the poster and be proud enough of it to put it on your bed‐ room wall. Just don’t overthink it. On 21st October Emma Ritch, Di- rector of Engen- der came to speak to third year stu- dents about Gen- der Inequalities: Why the economy doesn’t work for women. This is the third year that Emma has spoken to Gender and Society students and the feedback is always positive. Dr Nancy Lombard, module leader said that Emma’s lecture helped the stu- dents to make the links between gender theories and the reality of women’s position in society. “Make sure you let your personality shine through ... Page 3 The Social Scientist The Social Scientist Dr Nancy Lombard, Reader in Socioloy and Social Policy. “I would tell my under- graduate self to get out of bed earlier, drink less, not go out with that lad from Liver- pool, make more of the (legal) oppor- tunities, start essays sooner, stay pas- sionate and keep reading.” Dr Ruth Lightbody, Lecturer in Politics. “Try not to feel guilty for having a good balance in life. Studying is important but time to enjoy yourself is vital!” Picture from left to right; Dr Nancy Lombard and Emma Ritch Study Focus; Tried and Tested Top Tips from our Current GCU Students 1. Get organised! Start the way you mean to go on. Take a note of your deadlines, plan your studying and en- sure you prepare adequately for seminars. 2. Find your study method—do you learn best visually, orally, auditory or by reading/writing? Do you need to study repetitively to remember things? Why not try an online learning style questionnaire? 3. Take breaks! You’re not a robot. Most people can’t study for hours on end. 4. Don’t leave your deadlines until the last minute! That netflix show you’re binging will still be there after you complete coursework! 5. Consume some brain juice! Don’t fill up on the caffein- ated beverages instead opt for water. Staying hydrat- ed increases your concentration.
4. If you want to follow us in between newsle ers please like/follow our social media pages. You can find us on Facebook and Twi er and we would love you to subscribe to our blog. Details below! socialsciencesgcu.wordpress.com Student Activism for the Common Good @GCUSocialScience @SocialSciences_GSBS Department of Social Sciences The Political Studies Association will be hosting their Undergraduate Conference 2020 in Edinburgh on 3rd April 2020. The theme this year is ‘Re-Imagining Politics’. For more information go to https://www.psa.ac.uk/events/psa- undergraduate-conference-2020 Looks like an exciting event! If you attend make sure you let us know! Upcoming Events of Interest to Social Scientists! 21st to 24th November Join us for a weekend of talks, books, hysterical history, tales, laughs. All events take place in the wonderful French Institute of Scot- land, Parliament Square, EH1 1RF. Dr Fiona Skillen will be presenting at the Festival on the Sunday 24th. You can find the details here ...https://historyfest.co.uk/events- marie-de-guise-day/ We are proud to say that many of our stu- dents engage in voluntary work for positive social change in their spare time. Gavin Brewis (4th year) writes about his activism for Living Rent. With special thanks to Sean Baillie. We are a democratic organisation run by and for tenants. We want homes for people, not for prof- it; to redress the power imbalance between landlords and tenants; and ensure that everyone has decent and affordable housing. We believe in the collective power of tenants to come to- gether to fight for their rights, and use diverse tactics – including direct action when necessary – to achieve this. We are not affiliated to any political party, but recognise the importance of influencing parties and politicians and holding them to account. We have fought together and won huge victories since we launched as a Union in 2016 and plan to win a lot more, we have grown from a handful of members in Glasgow and Edinburgh to a recog- nised force of thousands across Scotland. We provide our members with the training, structure and ongoing support to have their voice heard not only around housing issues, but to be the catalyst for change in any and all aspects of their lives. If you or anyone you know would like to get involved visit our channels on social me- dia and visit our website www.livingrent.org/join Gavin will be writing more about his work with Living Rent in an upcoming blog so keep an eye out! Staff and Students Collaborating to Challenge Poverty! GCU has a well-earned reputation as one of the leading centres in Scotland for researching poverty. Our depart- ment hosts the Scottish Poverty and Inequality Research Unit (SPIRU), which is actively involved in supporting a number of local and national (Scottish and UK) initiatives to tack- le poverty. Most university research units are ‘beyond’ the reach of un- dergraduate students in that they are only open to academic staff, full- time researchers or postgraduate research stu- dents. SPIRU is a little different. If you are an undergraduate student in the BA Social Sci- ences degree programme and would like to get involved with the work of SPIRU, five possibilities present; the Common Good Award, Carnegie Undergraduate Student Vacation Scholarship, Work Placement, Monthly Read- ing Group and Evening Seminars with Guest Speakers. If you are interested in any of those opportunities, do not hesitate to contact Professor John McKendrick (jmke@gcu.ac.uk / W502a). Also, look out for SPIRU’s upcoming blog post with more details! Women’s History Scotland Conference Gender Transgressions – Historical Perspectives. The full programme can be access through our website. Prof Eleanor Gordon will deliver the Women's History Scotland Sue Innes Memorial Lecture entitled ‘Sex and the Single Girl: Working-Class Court- ship in Scotland, 1855-1939′ at 5.30- 6.30 pm on Friday 15 November, Ed- inburgh University. This event is open to the public so register for your FREE ticket now!