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Our CASS public lecture series is open to the public to engage and attract external practitioners and academics. The monthly events attract a meaningful number of practitioners to engage in debate around topical sociological issues.
Please note that the views and opinions expressed in the public lectures are those of the speakers.
All events will take place in David Goldman Technology Centre, Sir Tom Cowie Campus at St Peter's, room 232.
Date: 22 October 2025
Time: 1pm–2.15pm
Speaker: Dr Lauren Steckles-Young
In this public lecture, Lauren will be presenting an element of her wider doctoral work, which outlines the cyclical nature of social media engagement. The wider parameters of this research have supported the design of addictive and habitual cycles of social media use, conceptualised using a critical realist-zemiological framework. The identity embodied by social media users will be considered in relation to the intersecting identity(ies) assumed by users depending on the way that they utilise social media platforms. This lecture will draw upon existing research surrounding the “prosumer” in consumer and content creator dynamics in cultural spaces online, including influencer culture and diet culture in contemporary society. The findings of this research draw upon lived experiences of social media users who outline why they continue to engage with social media despite recognising specific ‘harms’ they are exposed to when using it.
For 2025/26, we will be re-introducing the CASS Research Seminars.
These will be in-person, internal meetings from 2.30–3.30 in DG232 (following directly on from the CASS Public Lectures).
The Research Seminars will be an opportunity to share research more informally and recognise our successes. These could include, for example:
These monthly events are exclusively available to internal university staff and students.