About ILAS

Welcome to the Institute for Lifecourse and Society, a new specially designated research institute in applied social sciences in NUI Galway. Here at ILAS we are really interested and focused on research that positively affects people’s lives. Apart from our interest in Human Flourishing, Wellbeing and Intergenerational Connections, we are also interested in research that focuses on Civic Participation. Importantly we want to advance people’s lives in Ireland and internationally who face issues with older life, living with disability, children, youth and parents who are vulnerable in social and other contexts.

The research at the Institute is underpinned by academic staff and researchers who are keen the work we do makes a difference. We are based in the new Institute for Lifecourse and Society building. Here starts our new beginning and important cross-roads in our development. Building on existing capacities of a range of Centres, all funded by the Atlantic Philanthropies, Ireland, and with support of NUI Galway and the Galway University Foundation, we have developed and started new and enthralling ways of thinking about the problems society faces. We aim at building on human capacity as opposed to seeing people as having problems. Research being produced here apart from its academic quality will be strongly focused on influencing policy and practice in real and tangible ways. Our research will be inclusive of people’s voices that we are interested in working with. These include people who live with disability, older people who are vulnerable in society and children, youth and parents who are in need of support both from the state and community and wider civic communities.