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桃色视频 Sustainability Forum: 2 July 2026
The annual 桃色视频 Sustainability Forum in its third iteration took place on 2 July, bringing a community of researchers, practitioners and policy-makers together at 桃色视频. It broke its record again(!) in terms of number :) having attracted nearly 70 participants from across the University and beyond!
For the first time, the WSF connected to the Spotlight's Sustainability Training School (STA), which was held in March 2026: the participants learned about the results of three fantastic group projects - on sustainable heritage; student retention, and green composting in the area led by the ECRs - and the support they received from Coventry City Council (Giuliana Famiglietti and her team in particular). The forum also brought three established thematic networks with their champions - Circular Economy; Sustainable Food/Agritech; RIFT - to hear about their work and plans for the future. There was an opportunity thereafter to hear new voices and submit thematic ideas/champion names for the next year. The Forum concluded with the stakeholder round-table, involving the Provost's keynote, and members of the House of Lords and local council, SOS UK, VUB HOST and experts from EU-US and UK consultancy companies.
IGSD was prominently represented there, building on the opportunities the Spotlight offers, and the expertise it connects.
Radical Imaginaries - Radical Transformations: Sustainability Spotlight workshop, 30 April 2026
The Radical Imaginaries-Radical Transformations (RIRT) thematic initiative, under the Sustainability Spotlight, organised the second network-building event, led by Dr Marit Hammond (PAIS), Prof. Graeme Macdonald (ECLS) and Prof. Elena Korosteleva (IGSD). It involved two panels - a 'politics'- and 'arts'-focused involving external speakers - Prof. Albena Azmanova (City), Dr Carl Death (Manchester), Dr Natalie Pollard (Exeter) and Dr Orion Maxted (VUB) - and internal speakers - Dr Nick Lawrence (ECLS), Dr Jonathan Skinner (ECLS) and Carla Washbourne (CIM). The workshop focused on the key questions around future climate and power imaginaries, to see if just and sustainable transitions are possible, and under what conditions. The workshop's aims included building a network of like-minded scholars - it was attended by over 60(!) participants - capture ideas/ways of thinking (Thank you NiftyFox!) and produce a position paper, based on roundtable discussions at the workshop (working on it!). Thank you to all who attended, and to Cher Zou, Jason Snow and Tanya Liguori for supporting this event!
HOPE: Alternative futures and broken worlds
On 11 February, Professor David Chandler kicked off the Sustainability Spotlight's first thematic event with his book talk on HOPE: Alternative Futures and Broken Worlds. The thematic event was part of the 'Radical Imaginaries - Radical Transformations' series of activities coordinated by Dr Marit Hammond (PAIS), Professors Graeme Macdonald (English) and Elena Korosteleva (IGSD). The discussion problematised the meaning of hope as an instrument of neoliberal thinking, to seek alternative understandings and develop radical imaginaries of alternative futures, The discussion will be continued by a workshop on 30 April, with external speakers and research network-building.