ESRC Festival of Social Science 2025

Explore how social science research impacts on our community

ESRC Festival of Social Science 2025

Explore how social science research impacts on our community

ESRC Festival homepage

18Oct 2025 to 7Nov 2025
Various locations

The ESRC Festival of Social Science 2025 offers a fascinating insight into some of the country’s leading social science research and how it influences our social, economic and political lives – both now and in the future.

This year’s festival explores the world of social science through a wide range of events, from rethinking what “work” means beyond retirement to innovations in sustainable food packaging that could change how we live and eat.

The 2025 festival theme is “Our Working Lives”, with events exploring how work and employment connect to wellbeing, sustainability, and social change. Alongside this theme, the programme also features events covering the full breadth of social science research.
The festival is an opportunity for our researchers to share their work with non-academic audiences, increasing awareness of the impact of social science on society and the economy. In turn, events allow participants to meet researchers, take part in activities, and contribute their own perspectives to ongoing research.
The University has proudly participated in the ESRC’s annual festival since 2014.

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Our Festival of Social Science 2025 events

About the ESRC Festival of Social Science

The ESRC Festival of Social Science is an annual celebration of research and knowledge about humans and society. It’s an opportunity for anyone to explore topics relating to social science – from health and wellbeing to crime, equality, education and identity – through events run by researchers from UK universities. There’s no cost to attend, and most are open to everyone, though some are aimed at specific groups.

WHAT IS SOCIAL SCIENCE?

The term social science covers a broad range of subjects relating to society, communities and people, including economics, psychology, sociology, management and business studies, law, economic and social history, politics and human geography, among others.

The events shaping our world – from Brexit and the pandemic to geopolitical tensions and civic protests – reveal how social science is more key to understanding the world than ever. From big ideas to the most detailed observations, social science affects us all every day – at work, in school, when raising children, within our communities, from the personal and local, to the national and global level. Our broad range of subjects are working to help our understanding of these complex areas.

FESTIVAL AIMS

To encourage, support and create opportunities for social science researchers to engage with non-academic audiences
To promote and increase awareness of the social sciences and ESRC-funded research
To promote and increase awareness of the contribution social science makes to the wellbeing and the economy of society in the UK
To enable the public to engage with social science research
To engage with teachers and young people and to raise their awareness of the social sciences

JOIN US AT AN EVENT

The ESRC Festival of Social Science offers a fascinating insight into some of the country's leading social science research and how it influences our social, economic and political lives – both now and in the future. Discover how it shapes public policy and contributes to making the economy more competitive, as well as giving people a better understanding of 21st-century society.

You may be surprised at just how relevant the festival's events are to society today. Social science research makes a difference. Discover how it shapes public policy and contributes to making the economy more competitive, as well as giving people a better understanding of 21st century society.

Everyone – from schoolchildren to politicians – can take part in and hear about social science research in the festival's many engaging events.

Visit the for more information about the festival.

About the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC)

The ESRC is the UK's largest organisation for funding research on economic and social issues and supports independent, high quality research which has an impact on business, the public sector and civil society.

At any one time ESRC supports over 4,000 researchers and postgraduate students in academic institutions and independent research institutes.

Visit the to learn more about the insights they are providing.

Event photography and video

Please be aware that some of the sa��ʴ�ý's public events (both online and offline) may be attended by University staff, photographers and videographers, for capturing content to be used in University online and offline marketing and promotional materials, for example webpages, brochures or leaflets. If you, or a member of your group, do not wish to be photographed or recorded, please let a member of staff know.

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