How cultures connect and how those connections have shaped our world across the centuries are key questions for anyone attempting to understand the reality we live in. As technology shrinks the space around us, turning the global into the local, there is arguably more need than ever for scholars to contribute to greater understanding between cultures.

Connecting Cultures is one of the Global Priorities Programme (GPP) research themes, identified as part of the University’s research strategy to give clear thematic identity, aligned to external funding priorities, to our multi-disciplinary research strengths which can make a significant contribution to some of society’s most pressing issues. Key Warwick research in this area focuses on mobility, intercultural studies, translation and language politics, the cultural dimension of health and health policies, and cognate areas and aims to contribute at both a theoretical and an applied level to debates around what connects and what divides cultures.

The session was introduced by Professor Simon Swain, Chair of Arts Faculty and chaired by GPP lead, Dr Loredana Polezzi. Four leading Warwick academics each introduced their interest and research strand within the theme of Connecting Cultures.

The audience were encouraged to engage in debate around the topic, raising questions and ideas in a breakout session facilitated by Warwick academics on the topics introduced, and also noting their thoughts, perceptions, questions and ideas on the paper tablecloths and graffiti boards.

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Professor Simon Swain
Chair of the Arts Faculty