Say What? Language, Communication and Who Gets a Say

In this talk, Dr. Maynard will discuss the increasingly disturbing use of hate speech on social media, in particular when directed at public figures. Her talk will delve into what this abuse looks like, why it is sent, who sends it, how it is distributed, and the effects it has, not only on the individuals it targets, but also on the public and on democracy. She will demonstrate her tools to analyse such data, as well as what can be done to prevent and mitigate it.

The Labour government has proposed to lower the UK voting age from 18 to 16. What do we know about this policy from countries that have already made this change? In this talk, we will explore global experiences with voting at 16, discuss what it could mean for the UK, and examine the political, philosophical, and practical challenges that lie ahead of such a policy change. Join us to form and critically assess your own opinion on what the voting age should be and compare it to where the rest of the UK public stands.

Can you feel autonomous in a modern school classroom? How do relationships with classmates affect motivation? Can you feel competent if you are not top of the class? This talk will explore these questions and more, drawing on an exploratory, theoretically-grounded study of ca. 600 secondary school students. We will see how the classroom environment affects motivation and take a brief look at ways to test the effectiveness of questionnaires, concluding with evidence-based advice for all language teachers and learners.