School of Law and Policing: School and College Liaison activity menu

Shattered Love; the dark side of the internet: Catfishing and Romance Scams

We investigate the online dating market and consider the significant impact of the pandemic. We learn about the motivations of scammers and move on to explore the strategies they use to manipulate their intended victims. Study the consequences of romance scams, drawing on important sociological research. Points of discussion will include tactics that can be used to discourage romance scammers.

Wellness Gurus; saviors or false idols? 

Wellness gurus are championed as our saviours. Through their their advice into becoming ‘the best version of ourselves’. This often involves self-control and regimes that incorporate anything from clean eating to shock therapy. We dissect the dark side of wellness gurus. Investigate the sociological research into the conditions that have opened the floodgates for wellness gurus, enabling them to thrive.

Humans and Other Animals: A Violent Love?

Here we'll consider the sometimes violent relationship between humans and animals from a sociological perspective. We look at the relationship between violence towards animals and towards humans. We will consider how culture marks the difference between a pet and a meal.

Human Rights Abuses; the Scales of Justice

Students will learn about Human Rights by unlocking a mystery related to a prisoner. Students will put evidence together and document specific human rights abuses in a fictional conspiracy story. Develop an understanding of the important role that human rights legislation plays in supporting victims of human rights abuses. Consider whether justice is applied fairly and accurately.

Mediation/Negotiation masterclass

This is a Mediation/ Negotiation masterclass where students get to negotiate on a dispute or items. Through this activity, students will:

• Improve their communication skills
• Understand conflicts better
• Understand the need to always consider others before making decisions.

These are both life hacks and professional skills.

Human Life = Human Value?

The Cost of Being Human

This session brings together all our subjects within the School. We investigate social science perspectives on the cost of living and the value or indeed lack of value attributed to human life. We test discourses around:

• Individual responsibility
• Structural injustice
• The criminalisation of poor people

In this session, we question why some lives are positioned more highly than others. Human rights experts have called for a law to protect the most vulnerable from the cost of living crisis. We consider the merits of this in this session.

The role of the police is significant. Especially given concerns around the potential for civil unrest. Research demonstrates one out of 10 officers themselves struggle to cover the cost of bare essentials.

Suitable for age 16+

The dark side of Medical Tourism; Transplant Tourism 

This session investigates the history of medical tourism. Social science researches the consequences of this on the host country and the local population. We consider the issues raised in relation to what is regarded as ‘transplant tourism’. Concerns relating to donors; exploitation and vulnerability. We explore strategies employed by the international community and nation-states to address these concerns and evaluate if this is enough.

What is terrorism and why does it happen?

This session is led by the course leader in Counter Terrorism at UCLan, Gary Dunnagan. We will look at your understanding of what terrorism is. Then we'll break it down into the different elements by touching on history, politics, and current affairs.

The workshop is interactive and driven by the students. The only pre-requisite is that they have access to the Vevox app so that anonymous answers can be collated to form the basis for the discussions.

40-minute session

Mobile Phone Investigations

The session will start with a consideration of how much data we all keep on our mobile phone. We will then use professional investigation software to look at the content of a mobile phone. We'll use this to answer questions about criminal activity that has taken place. There is evidence on the mobile phone that can explain the whereabouts of the suspect when criminal activity has taken place. Examining the phone data gives the investigator the opportunity to recreate and examine the digital crime scene.

This session is delivered by John Dempsey, Senior Lecturer in Policing and Director of UCLan’s Missing Person’s Unit.

40-minute session

Female Genital Cutting; Human Rights,

This session brings together all our subjects within the School. Here students will explore the issue from the vantage point of each discipline.

In 2019 a mother became the first person in the UK to be found guilty of Female Genital Cutting (FGC). As it turns out she is the only person convicted of the practice in the UK. This however doesn’t mean that Female Genital Cutting is not practised. We will discuss through the lens of the law and policing, why there have not been more convictions. This session will also introduce you to social science perspectives on the practice. These include:

Cultural relativism and an overview of the reasons FGC is practised The moral outrage position
The very serious harm resulting to girls and women.

We consider what steps can be taken to present an Anti-FGC position whilst avoiding cultural imperialism.

We end by discussing actions and strategies put into place to try and end the practice. This includes alternative ceremonies as a ‘passage to womanhood’ in societies where it was practised. Survivors of the practice have developed important initiatives, which we will address.

Content is adapted to be suitable for students age 16+

On campus only (max 24 people)