DEPARTMENT OF THEOLOGY AND RELIGIOUS STUDIES
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PROGRAMME OF EVENTS 2015-6
The programme is, occasionally, subject to change. Please do check the TRS Research Events page for updates http://www.chester.ac.uk/trs/research/seminars , check your Chester email regularly for reminders, the
Department Facebook Page https://www.facebook.com/TRSChester and look out for our regular tweets
@TRSChester
We try to film all of the PG Training Sessions and make them available on the TRS Chester website, and you can also watch current and previous seminars here: http://www.chester.ac.uk/trs/research/seminars
AUTUMN TERM
Wednesday 30th September – 1 st October 2015 Rm 009 Hollybank
PG Induction Day
The department welcomes all new MA, MPhil, PhD and DProf students to the department.
Wednesday 7 th October 2015 Rm 009 Hollybank
Research Seminar: Religion and Public Life hosted by Prof. Elaine Graham and Prof. Chris Baker
This session draws on the most recent work of Elaine Graham and Chris Baker, as they examine the intersections between church, state, politics, theology, and religion.
2.00 – 3.30 pm Papers
3.30 – 4.00 pm
4.00 – 5.30 pm
Tea and Coffee
Roundtable
Wednesday 14 th October Rom 009, Hollybank
2.00 – 3.30pm PG Training
Dr Ben Fulford What is Postgraduate Research?
Think of this session as a bootcamp for starting your postgraduate studies! Where are the resources? What handy hints and tips do you need to know?
3.30 – 4.00 pm Tea and Coffee
4.00 – 5.30 pm Dr Jane Dryden, Mount Allison University and Gladstone Fellow (Chester)
Hegel, Vulnerability, and Criticisms of Reconciliation
Thursday 15 th October 2015 PG Study Centre, Critchley 001
3.30 – 5.30 Postgraduate Research Faculty Event (Faculty Event): PG Tips!
This event is the first Faculty event of the year, and is open to all MPhil, PhD, and DProf students in
Humanities. Come and meet other new and existing research students, and hear some handy tips and hints on how to survive being a postgraduate at Chester!
Refreshments included. Please RSVP to humanitiespg@chester.ac.uk

4.00 – 5.30
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Wednesday 21 st October 2015, Hollybank
2.00 – 3.30 PG Training How to do things with Texts Dr Alana Vincent
This interactive session explores how we read, critique, manage, and build our arguments with the key voices informing our research.
3.30 – 4.00 Tea and Coffee
4.00 – 5.30 Research Seminar tbc
Wednesday 11 th November 2014, Rm 009, Hollybank
2.00 – 5.30
Short papers featuring staff and research students from TRS Chester and TRS partnerships colleges.
(Details to follow)
Wednesday 18 th November 2015, Rm 009, Hollybank
2.00 – 3.30 PG Training Dr James Kapalo, University College Cork
Researching Religion and Material Culture: From ‘Worldviews’ to ‘Lifeworlds’ and Back Cork
Hidden Galleries: Secret Police Archives and Material Religion
Wednesday 2 rd December 2014, 009 Hollybank
2.00 - 3.30 PG Training Researching “Vulnerable” Groups Dr Lucy Lowe, University of Edinburgh
3.30 – 4.00 Tea and Coffee
4.00 – 5.30 Dr Lucy Lowe, University of Edinburgh
Title: tbc
Wednesday 9 th December 2015
10.00 – 4.00 PG Training (Faculty Event) Thesis Writing Workshop
Details to follow.
Wednesday 16 th December 2015, Hollybank MA Symposium
This is the first dedicated MA event of the year. The afternoon consists of the Student Staff Liaison Meeting, lunch, training, and presentations from 2 nd
year students on their dissertation work, and sessions to prepare for the MA One Day Conference in May (see below). *All MA Students*
12.00-12.30 Welcome, Lunch, and Arrivals
12.30- 1.30 What is an MA Essay? Dr Wendy Dossett
1.30 – 2.15 What is Academic Malpractice, and How Do You Avoid it ? Dr Ben Fulford
2.15 – 2.45 Tea and Coffee
2.45 – 3.30 Writing an Abstract
3.30 – 4.30 Dissertation Student Papers
4.30 – 5.00 Student Staff Liaison Meeting
SPRING TERM
Wednesday 13th January 2016 009 Hollybank
2.00 - .3.30
Qualitative Data Analysis: Approaches and Methods Dr Dawn Llewellyn
What is data analysis in qualitative work? What approaches do we use in Theology and Religious Studies when examining our field notes and transcripts? This session will give a whistle stop overview of the most common ways of critically engaging with our data. Do come along a short sample (100 words or so) with an example of your own data (only something that is bound by your agreement with your participants, and if it is ethically appropriate).
3.30 – 4.00 Tea and Coffee
4.00 – 5.30 Prof. Loveday Alexander, University of Sheffield
Did Jesus found a Church? Reflections on the Ecclesiology of the Gospels

Wednesday 27 th January 2016, 009 Hollybank
1.00 – 3.30 What is Grounded Theory? Prof. Dean Garratt, University of Chester
In this session, Prof. Garratt traces the development of grounded theory.
(Please note the change of time for this session).
3.30 – 4.00 Tea and Coffee
4.00- 5.30 Prof. Anthony Reddie
Title: tbc
Wednesday 3 rd February 2016
2.00 – 3.30 Postgraduate Research Papers
Chris Heinhold
3.30 – 4.00 Tea and Coffee
4.00- 5.30 Dr Maya Warrier, University of Winchester
Title: tbc
Wednesday 10 th February 2016 009 Hollybank
2.00 – 4.30
Short papers featuring staff and research students from TRS Chester and TRS partnerships colleges.
(Details to follow)
Wednesday 2 nd March 2016 009 Hollybank
2.00 – 3.30 Postgraduate Research Papers
3.30 – 4.00 Tea and Coffee
4.00- 5.30 Prof. Stephen Pattison, University of Birmingham
Title: tbc
Wednesday 9 th March 2016 009 Hollybank
Research Seminar: Negotiations: Religion and Philosophy in Public hosted by Dr Alana Vincent.
2.00 – 6.00 pm
This afternoon marks the annual meeting of working group of scholars from the UK, Sweden, and Belgium focussed on continental philosophy, political theology, and inter-religious discourses. Details of papers and discussion will follow, but all are welcome!
SUMMER TERM
Wednesday April 13 th
2.00 – 3.30
How to Write a Dissertation: Tips from on ‘Old Hand’
Prof. Philip Alexander,
University of Manchester
3.30 – 4.00 Tea and Coffee
4.00- 5.30 Prof. Philip Alexander, University of Manchester
Title: tbc
Wednesday 27 th April 2016, 009 Hollybank
2.00 – 5.30
Short papers featuring staff and research students from TRS Chester and TRS partnerships colleges.
(Details to follow )
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Wednesday 4 th May 2016 Hollybank
2.00 – 3.30
Dr Nicola Slee, Queen’s Theological Foundation, Birmingham
Title: tbc
3.30 – 4.15 Tea and Coffee
4.15 – 5.30 Reading, Feminism, and Spirituality: Troubling the Waves
An Author Meets her Critics
This session examines Dawn Llewellyn’s qualitative study of Christian and post-Christian women’s reading practices. In this roundtable, the panel will reflect on the themes that arise when reading cultures, religion, and feminist generations connect.
Discussants : Hannah Bacon, Emma Rees, Nicola Slee and Alana Vincent.
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Wednesday 11th May 2016, 009 Hollybank
MA Symposium
In this symposium, all MA students present 10 minute papers outlining work in progress based on their dissertation. The day will also include dissertation training sessions, refreshments and lunch.
*All MA Students*
Deadline for Abstracts May 1 st 2016 (to d.llewellyn@chester.ac.uk)
12.00 – 12.30 Lunch
12.30 – 2.00 Papers
2.00 – 2.15 Tea
2.15 – 3.00 Papers
3.30 – 4.00 Tea
4.00 – 5.30pm Papers
Wednesday 18 th May 2015 Department Meeting
Wednesday 25th May 2016 (Venue tbc)
Faculty PGR Conference
This day conference is open to all Postgraduate Research Students in the Faculty and is an opportunity to meet other MPhil, PhD and DProf students in Humanities, present your work in a friendly environment, and attend training sessions. Refreshments and lunch are included, and the day is followed by a meal out!
Abstract and Registration Deadline: May 1 st 2016 to humanitiespg@chester.ac.uk
Details to follow.
Wednesday 1 st June 2016, 009 Hollybank
2.00 – 3.30 Postgraduate Research Papers
Helen Thomas
3.30 – 4.00 Tea and Coffee
4.00- 5.30 Dr David Tollerton, University of Exeter
Wednesday 8 th June 2016 009 Hollybank
2.00 – 3.30 Postgraduate Research Papers
Al Rogers
3.30 – 4.00 Tea and Coffee
4.00- 5.30 Dr Johanna, Stiebert, University of Leeds