Over one thousand sociologists descended on LSE from 6th-8th April 2011 to take part in the British Sociological Association's 60th Anniversary conference.
Titled '60 years of Sociology', the conference involved eminent sociologists from around the world. Participants discussed the history of sociology and what the future holds for the discipline, as well as showcasing new research.
They included LSE Sociology's Paul Gilroy and Ulrich Beck, who discussed 'Redefining the Sociological Project: The cosmopolitan challenge' as keynote speakers at the first plenary event in the Peacock Theatre on 6th April, chaired by Judy Wajcman, head of LSE Sociology Department.
Judy Wajcman, Nikolas Rose, director of BIOS, and Donald MacKenzie (Edinburgh) were on the panel of the science and technology stream-plenary chaired by Helga Nowotny on 7th April. STS is widely recognised as a leading sub-field within British sociology and this session traced some of the interconnections and rich cross-fertilisations between sociology and the development of STS over the past 60 years.
Chetan Bhatt, director of the LSE Centre for the Study of Human Rights, and Claire Moon took part with Professor Lydia Morris (Essex) in the Law, Crime and Rights stream-plenary on '60 years of Sociology, 60 years of Human Rights' chaired by Dr Michele Lamb (Roehampton), looking at how the understanding of human rights has developed since the signing of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948 and what the disciplines of sociology and the study of human rights can learn from each other. The speakers reflected on themes including aslyum seeking and refugees, genocide, and the relationship of human rights practitioners and activists to research in sociology.
The conference dinner at the Grand Connaught Rooms on Wednesday 6th April was rounded off by a talk by eminent sociologist Laurie Taylor, broadcast for Radio 4's 'Thinking Allowed.'
For more information on the BSA see their website: British Sociological Association.