#HCNet Workshop Event: Call for Ideas

Plans and Call for Ideas from #HCNet Chair

Following on from the highly successful #HCNet (Historical Criminology Network) Conference at the University of Plymouth in April 2019, plans are currently in formation for a dedicated #HCNet event this year. (A retrospective on the conference can be found here.) Following discussions among network members, the plan for this academic year is to hold a one-day workshop-style event, which will provide space for small(ish) groups to work together on a particular project or activity. The aim of the event is to bring together groups of people who don’t normally work together – possibly from across disciplines – to explore working toward some concrete goal. This could take a variety of forms.

Ideas for group objectives that have been suggested so far include:

• Pooling historical source materials/quantitiative data already collected individually to explore opportunities for combining datasets/analysing eixtsing material from new perspectives
• Scoping and workshopping new approaches to analysing data from digital source collections
• Scoping and workshopping unconventional, possibly inter-/cross-disciplinary research techniques and methods
• Scoping opportunities for comparative research on particular themes, pooling expertise from across periods and places
• Working to develop a new public engagement or ‘impact’ initiative, possibly pooling the insights from related pieces of research or complementary projects
• Comparing and refining teaching materials/course designs for modules in crime history, historical criminology or similar

#HCNet Chair Dave Churchill, who is coordinating the event as a whole, says:

Doubtless there are lots of other good ideas out there too. The important thing is for each group to have a fairly clear sense of its aims and some idea of what it hopes to get out of the day. With that in mind, we are looking at this stage to identify people interested in coordinating a group. So if you have an idea of something you might like to collaborate with others over, or something you’d like wider expertise to help develop, then please get in touch via email (d.churchill@leeds.ac.uk)

It doesn’t matter if the idea is very speculative or half-formed at this stage – and we are really keen to welcome ideas from people at all stages of their career, including postgrads and early career researchers. This is potentially a really good opportunity to work with new people and develop something of direct use in terms of our research, engagement and teaching plans and priorities. So please do get in touch, and share this invitation with anybody who might be interested in getting involved.

Further information on the event will be circulated once the workshop groups have been identified.

Please direct any queries/informal enquiries to Dave Churchill: d.churchill@leeds.ac.uk 

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