Returning, getting back, starting again – these are the themes of our times as we hope to pick up the pieces in the aftermath of crisis. Yet, even as the pandemic crisis seems to abate, economic crises of inflation, social crises of mental health, political crises of populism or polarisation and geo-political crises loom, without mentioning the ever-deepening ecological crisis. And yet, we return, to try again, to think anew, to hope for better days.

The 2022 summer school is a hybrid: neither a residential week-long commitment nor yet another on-line session. Instead it is a return to the original academy of Athens, based on walking, talking and ‘scholarship’ in the older sense of ‘scholé’, meaning leisure. We would like to invite you to join us and join in, to discuss your own research and rediscover the art of Socratic Dialogue whereby we examine our ideas by walking and talking together. Each afternoon walks will venture out of the university around the city, then return for a salon discussion and symposium.

 

‘Returning’ has three themed days:

 

Day 1: Rethinking the University – Led by Prof. Maggie O’Neill & Prof. Kieran Keohane

 

Day 2: Testing Times & Welfare States: Led by Dr Tom Boland & Dr Ray Griffin

 

Day 3: Engaging Sustainability: Led by Dr Ger Mullally with contributions from Dr Markus Glatz-Schmallegger and Professor Aimee Ambrose

Each day involves a variety of talks and walks and will comply with Covid-19 regulations at the time. There will be a range of speakers from UCC & WIT with guests from near and far.

PUBLIC INTERVIEWS

For a sense of our culture and ethos, please see some of our recorded public interviews with leading academics / scholars through the embedded videos below.