Festival of Social Science returns with working lives as theme

The hugely successful Festival of Social Science, organised by the University of Stirling, returns this October with a theme of Our Working Lives. 
 
Running from October 18 to November 8, this year the Festival features seven free public events taking place online and in-person across Stirling, Alloa and Glasgow, with a programme that aims to share social science with local communities. 
 
The keynote event on Wednesday, 5 November, is a guest talk and question-and-answer session on the future of work and workplaces and the right to switch off (RTSO). Organiser Dr Tom Montgomery of the University of Stirling Business School is an expert in employment, particularly the gig economy. Can digital workers switch off? will take place on the University of Stirling campus. 

Dr Montgomery said: “Working from home and digital work have become essential parts of our working lives. This event will be a forum to generate a new wave of debate on the right to switch off, which would allow employees to decline correspondence from their employer sent during personal time, except in exceptional circumstances.” 

The right to switch off was originally included in the new Employment Rights Bill, expected to come into effect in 2026, but is now likely to be a separate statutory Code of Practice. It is still unclear when the Code of Practice will be implemented. 

Highly successful programme 

This year’s Festival of Social Science at Stirling is the third for the University and follows a highly successful programme last year which attracted almost 300 attendees. Other highlights include:

• Life beyond the glassworks – Alloa, Tuesday, 4 November. A screening of a documentary about an oral history project by Alloa residents about their changing working and social lives, followed by a panel discussion. 
• Playing the AI game – Stirling, Friday, 7 November. Aimed at business owners but open to anyone, this event will use a unique board game to present a hands-on journey into the effects of artificial intelligence in the workplace. 
• Bridging skills for working lives - Glasgow, Monday, 13 October. An interactive event based around the benefits of playing bridge which will mix children and young adults with bridge-playing professionals to highlight the life, wellbeing, mental health and social skills of the card game, uncovered by Stirling researchers.