ESRC Festival of Social Science
The 24th annual ESRC Festival of Social Science will run from Saturday 17 October to Saturday 7 November 2026. The core theme is "Money, Finance and the Cost of Living," showcasing public-engaging research on how economic factors shape everyday life. All events are free and open to everyone, with activities led by University of Birmingham academics across the city. See the details of this year's programme below.
Forty Years of Handsworth Songs: film screening and Q&A panel
22 October, 18:30–20:30
Read moreA screening and panel discussion marking the 40th anniversary of the multi-awarding winning documentary feature film Handsworth Songs.
Cost of Living and the Criminalisation of Poverty
28 October, 18:00-19:30
Read moreJoin Professor Siddhartha Bandyopadhyay, Dr Debjani Dasgupta and a panel of experts to explore the links between poverty, financial hardship and the criminal justice system through interactive discussions, real-world scenarios and expert insights.
The Assetocracy: Wealth, Power, and Elitism in the House of Lords
29 October, 19:30 - 21:00
Read moreJoin Dr Huw Macartney and a panel of experts to explore themes from The Assetocracy, examining wealth, inequality, political power and the future of democracy in Britain.
Down the AI Rabbit Hole
31 October, 09:00–14:00
Read morePlay an interactive game and discover how AI is shaping everyday financial decisions, from budgeting and mortgages to fraud prevention and pensions.
What Next? Moving on From Education – Money, Work and Belonging
3 November, 17:00-18:30
Read moreJoin young people, academics from the Centre on Household Assets and Savings Management (CHASM) and industry experts to explore money, work, belonging and economic independence in a cost-of-living crisis.
Cost of Living in a Medieval Society: An Interactive Roleplaying Workshop
4 November, 18:00–20:00
Read moreStep into medieval England and navigate the Great Famine of 1315 in an interactive role-playing workshop exploring inequality, crisis and decision-making.
Find out more about the ESRC Festival of Social Science
To find out more about the festival, and events hosted by other institutions across the country, please visit the ESRC website.
Find out more about the festival