The bi-annual European Sociological Association (ESA) conference was comprised of over 700 sessions, addressing themes surrounding globalisation, migration, populism and Brexit.

Professor of Sociology and member of PERU, Gary Pollock, was chair of the local organising committee, and he and a large team of academics, support staff and student volunteers provided a warm welcome to the delegates from all over Europe. Professor Pollock said:

“The conference was a great success. It was the third largest ESA conference ever with over 3000 delegates. “It was a real coup to host the conference in Manchester, and for us to be the senior partner in the process of running it. It demonstrates how internationally well-connected the Department of Sociology is, and I’d like to thank all of the organising team, the volunteers and staff of the University for their hard work in helping pull this off.”

This year’s theme was ‘Europe and Beyond: Boundaries, Barriers and Belonging’. Vice-Chancellor Professor Malcolm Press delivered the opening address in Manchester’s Bridgewater Hall. Over a dozen researchers from Manchester Metropolitan University participated in panel discussions and presented research, on subjects as varied as intergenerational justice, digital music fan communities and the Brexit experience for EU nationals in the UK.

Dr Dagmar Danko, Director of the European Sociological Association said: “The 14th ESA Conference – hosted by the Manchester Metropolitan University and University of Manchester – was a huge success!“

Professor Sue Scott, President of the ESA, in her opening address to the conference, said:

“[Manchester] has proved to be an excellent location with good venues, especially the stunning Bridgewater Hall…Manchester has for a long time been a cradle of sociology and the discipline continues to be nurtured at The University of Manchester, at Manchester Metropolitan University and also at the University of Salford – just across the local boundary in the City of Salford.”