The research theme is looking for new members to join its newly created Culture & Heritage and Global Justice hubs

Under the direction of Professor Leila Choukroune, the Democratic Citizenship research theme is developing two new research hubs based at the University of Portsmouth; the plans for the hubs represent a new direction for the theme and the interdisciplinary research that falls under it, which covers topics of equality, diversity, civic engagement, human rights and heritage. The hubs welcome new members wishing to promote new or existing interdisciplinary research in any of the relevant areas.

The Culture and Heritage Hub is a research network aiming to connect multi-disciplinary researchers from the University of Portsmouth with stakeholders in both local and global sites of cultural and historical interest. The aim of the hub is to understand heritage and how it has shaped people’s lives from an interdisciplinary perspective; current projects include (but are not limited to) the analysis of ancient DNA to understand our past, the identification of novel ways to preserve monuments and buildings, the interpretation of ancient texts and oral histories, and the use modern technology such as virtual reality to provide interactive ways to engage the public with their past. The work of the hub spans across several Faculties, including Creative and Cultural Industries, Science and Health, Humanities and Social Sciences, and Business and Law. A seminar series will soon be launched. The Hub also aims at supporting its members’ applications for funding and publications.

The Global Justice Hub is an interdisciplinary network that aims to bring research into equality, diversity, gender, migration, development and human rights, rule of law and social justice from an international perspective under its umbrella. Still in the initial phase of its development, the hub includes projects currently undertaken on the topics of national identity, hate crime, and the #MeToo movement. The work of the hub spans across several Faculties, including Creative and Cultural Industries, Science and Health, Humanities and Social Sciences, and Business and Law. As for Culture and Heritage, a seminar series is also in the works.

If you are a University of Portsmouth researcher wishing to get involved in either of the hubs, please email democratic-citizenship@port.ac.uk