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About SSRC

The Social Sciences Research Centre (SSRC) was founded in 1965 in order to exploit the intrinsic strength of an interdisciplinary approach to research. As the SSRC now stands, it embraces the full range of the social sciences, together with interested individuals from areas as disparate as medicine and industrial engineering.

Originally housed in the old Grammar School in College Road, and until recently in Garryowen House (pictured), the Centre is now in St Declan's, Distillery Road.  Here researchers from various academic departments aim to create an interdisciplinary milieu to enrich their individual programmes.

Membership of the SSRC is open to all full-time staff of the university and there are now more than 80 members. Postgraduate students from affiliated departments may also join, as may academics from outside the University of Galway with whom members share common research interests. This interdisciplinary membership helps create a critical mass that would not be possible within narrow departmental confines.

The SSRC promotes, conducts and facilitates research and consultancy in the social sciences at NUI, Galway in particular, and throughout Ireland in general. One of its main functions is publishing research findings in the various disciplines. The social and economic development of the West of Ireland has been a primary focus of the Centre's activities over the years.

Membership

Membership is open to staff and students of the University who have an interest in the social sciences and an inter-disciplinary approach to research. Membership forms may be downloaded here.

Centres

There are a number of specialised centres under the aegis of the SSRC:

• The Centre for Health Promotion Studies
• The Centre for Landscape Studies
• The Centre for Public Policy Studies
• The Centre for Intercultural Studies
• The Centre for the Study of Nationalism and Organised Violence (CSNOV)

Annual Lecture

Each year a well-known personality in a specific field of interest is invited to deliver the SSRC's Annual Lecture. Due to the multi-disciplinary interests of our members, topics range across a broad and varying selection of subjects. In October 2004, Prof. Randall Collins of the University of Pennsylvania, spoke on ' A micro-sociological theory of carousing and entertainment violence'. Previously in May that year, Prof William Labov, renowned socio-linguist, delivered a lecture entitled 'Why Henry Higgins was Wrong; accounting for the mysterious uniformity of metropolitan dialects'. We also welcomed Professor Jacob Torfing of Roskilde University, Denmark, and architect, Ruairi O'Brien, based in Dresden, who spoke on '"Microglobal Times": The Art of Not Wasting Wasteland'. In 2009, the lecture - "Social Thought and the Art of Government" -  was given by Professor Mitchell Dean. This year, we were delighted to welcome Professor Juliet Schor who gave the talk on "Plenitude: the new economics of sustainability". All are welcome to attend these lectures.

The current Chairperson is Dr Ricca Edmondson, Department of Political Science and Sociology. Board members come from a range of departments including Economics, Geography, Philosophy, Health Promotion and the Library.

Members may obtain annual copies of the Chairperson's Report by application to Dr. Oliver Feeney at: oliver.p.feeneynuigalway.ie  

 

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