Using GPS tracking devices to explore the geographies of young people

Dr Sally Cook, Dr Paul McKenzie and Dr Stephen Roulston (Ulster) – This presentation highlights the communal divisions in one town in Northern Ireland, Coleraine, through the use of Global Positioning Systems (GPS) tracking. GPS can generate evidence to help us understand young people’s movements and geographies, particularly in a post-conflict context where notions of … Read more

Interactive Technologies to Enhance Learning and Teaching in Higher Education

Prof Stephen McClean (Ulster) – While funding for higher education has been reduced there remains an impetus on universities to provide a high quality and engaging student experience. With increasing class sizes and diversity of learner, research reveals digital technology can be used effectively to enhance digital skills and promote active and collaborative learning opportunities. … Read more

Apologies, Abuses and Dealing with the past

Prof Kieran McEvoy and Dr Anna Bryson (QUB) – Within the academic literature, the concept of apology is diversely theorised and almost always focused on the state.  Despite widespread acceptance that apologies are key to dealing with past wrongs, in practice there has been relatively little detailed empirical assessment of the views of apologisers, victims … Read more

The ‘Disappeared,’ the ICLVR, and ‘dealing with the past’ in Northern Ireland

Dr Lauren Dempster (QUB) – 2014’s Stormont House Agreement (SHA) states that the Independent Commission on Information Retrieval (ICIR) will build ‘on the precedent provided by the Independent Commission on the Location of Victims’ Remains’. This presentation explores how the Independent Commission for the Location of Victim Remains (ICLVR) mechanism works and why it provides … Read more

Voice, Agency and Blame: Victimhood and Dealing with the Past in Northern Ireland

Dr Cheryl Lawther, Prof Kieran McEvoy and Dr Lauren Dempster (QUB) – This presentation presents the preliminary findings of an Arts and Humanities Research Council funded project entitled ‘Voice, Agency and Blame: Victimhood and the Imagined Community in Northern Ireland’. The project is based on qualitative interviews over 2016/17, with over 70 victims and survivors, … Read more

Breastfeeding Promotion as an Economic Investment

Dr Mark McGovern (QUB), Dr Giampiero Marra (University College London), Dr Rosalba Radice (University of London) and Dr Slawa Rokicki (University College Dublin) – Not only are rates of breastfeeding low in Northern Ireland compared to the rest of the UK, but there are substantial inequalities with mothers living in the least deprived wards twice … Read more

Mellow Parenting: Caring for vulnerable mothers

Mr Iain McGowan (QUB), Dr Lucy Thompson and Prof Phil Wilson (University of Aberdeen) – Pregnancy and childbirth are traditionally recognised as life events that are to be cherished and celebrated. However, recent official reports of deaths by suicide, including a recent report of the Confidential Enquiry on Maternal and Child Health have raised awareness … Read more

Role of digital health wearables in the wellbeing and quality of life of older people and carers

Professor Shailey Minocha, Dr Ana-Despina Tudor, Dr Duncan Banks, Dr Caroline Holland and Ms Catherine McNulty (OU), Mr Rohit Ail (Samsung UK), Mrs Jane Palmer (Age UK Milton Keynes) and Mrs Sue Bowering (Carers MK) – The number of adults aged 65 and over has increased by 2% across Europe in the past 15 years, … Read more

Technologies for care – the imperative for upskilling carers

Dr Verina Waights (OU), Prof Panos Bamidis (Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece) and Ms Rosa Almeida (Fundacion Intras, Spain) – Ageing populations, coupled with increasing retirement ages and lower ratios of workers to retirees, are negatively impacting health and social care. Currently, 11.8% of Northern Ireland (NI) residents are carers, but it is predicted that … Read more

The Cohesiveness of Technology in Later Life: Findings from the Technology In Later Life (TILL) Project

Dr Hannah R. Marston (OU), Dr Shannon Freeman (University of Northern British Columbia, Canada), Dr Rebecca Genoe (University of Regina, Canada), Dr Cory Kulcyzki (University of Regina, Canada) and Dr Charles Musselwhite (Swansea University) – Statistics show Northern Ireland (NI) ageing population (65+ years) has increased between 1974 (11.2%) to 2014 (15.5%). Estimated projections suggest … Read more