Tag Archives: sociology

Sociologist and 7/7 survivor receives Honorary Doctorate from BU

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An eminent sociologist who survived and became a symbol of the 7/7 terror attacks in London has received an Honorary Doctorate from Bournemouth University.

Professor John Tulloch became a Doctor of Letters during the Media School graduation ceremony.

John, who grew up in Bournemouth, has held academic positions at universities in both the UK and Australia and has published more than 20 books, looking at everything from film history and theory, to Doctor Who and risk in the media.

He received worldwide media attention when his bandaged face following the Edgware Road bombing became one of the iconic images of the terrorist attacks, which took place on the London Underground in 2005.

John, who has previously worked with BU’s Media School on preparing for the Research Excellence Framework (REF), said his close connections with both the area and the university made receiving his Honorary Doctorate extra special.

He said: “It’s terrific, I’ve got two reasons to be pleased – one is that I come from Bournemouth, I spent all my primary and secondary education here, and secondly I’ve got a close knowledge of the staff in the Media School, having been an adviser to them last year.

“I admire the research, it’s very good research. It goes from comics to media ethics to globalisation. It’s very broad but it’s all very robust and it’s interdisciplinary and I like that.”

He added that the Media School students were graduating at a critical time for the creative industries.

“I think my central words of advice are that students are going into the media industries and creative industry at a very critical time, given that we’ve got worries about security state and surveillance, worries about phone hacking, and the Royal Charter on press regulation has just been signed.

“Therefore, they are going to be the people – in whatever creative industry they are in – to continue the struggle for democracy.”

More than 5,000 graduates from across Bournemouth University were handed their degree certificates in six different ceremonies at the Bournemouth International Centre.

Professor John Vinney, vice-chancellor of Bournemouth University, said: “Bournemouth University takes great pride in our Honorary Graduates.

“We recognise people who have excelled in their chosen field who will act as inspirational role models, both for our graduates and their families at the awards ceremonies and for our whole student body in the coming years.”

Students and academics from across Europe visit BU for international social work conference

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Students and academics from across Europe visited Bournemouth University for a week of events centred around social work and diversity.

It is the first time BU has held the International Social Work Week, organised for students and staff of universities in the SOCNET network.

Around 50 academics and students in social work, sociology and law visited BU for the week, from universities in places including Austria, Germany, The Netherlands and Spain.

Dr Sara Ashencaen Crabtree, Head of Sociology at BU, helped to organise the week.

She said: “It helps the staff gain international connections, and because you are part of a network it helps give students the opportunities to go abroad to other universities as well.

“It means that you are part of a community rather than an individual institution.”

She added: “We are creating these research networks and links, which are really important.

“There are very different approaches to social work in Europe. We learn from them as much as they learn from us.”

The event is held every year at different universities who are part of the network, with each week having a different theme.

This year’s theme was around diversity, with talks and workshops on issues including discrimination and cohesion, marginalised groups and social work approaches.

But there was also chance for the visitors to explore Bournemouth and the surrounding area, with excursions to Stonehenge and the Jurassic Coast and a visit to the Mayor of Bournemouth’s Parlour.

Student Franziska Lasche, from Hochschule Bremen University in Germany, said she had enjoyed her time in Bournemouth.

“It’s the first time I have been to Bournemouth, and I have really enjoyed it,” she said.

“It’s good to get to know people and exchange our experiences and ideas. It’s useful to have a network of people from all across Europe.”

Jill Davey, Framework Leader for Social and Community Studies and Erasmus coordinator at BU, said the week had gone well, and they now hoped to hold the event in Bournemouth every three years.

“It has been a very successful week,” she said.

“As well as potential student exchanges and opportunities at BU, a lot of the students have expressed interest in coming across and doing programmes and further study here.

“We’ve also had lots of people saying they are going to come back to Bournemouth for a holiday, so it’s really good for the tourist trade as well.”

Maria Luisa Gomez Jimenez, from the Public Law Department at the University of Malaga, was one of the academics running workshops during the SOCNET week.

She said: “It has been wonderful, and I think it’s a really valuable thing for us and the students to meet each other and exchange perspectives, backgrounds and ways of looking at problems and seeking solutions.”