Mid-April saw the first Faculty of Social Sciences research showcase, intended to share research happening across and beyond our community.
The Urban Institute was fortunate to have a stand and the opportunity to make new connections spanning multiple research interests.
We designed a few interactive games to get people thinking like an urbanist:
- Is it urban? A photo-sorting game to challenge binary thinking around processes of urbanisation and what ‘urban’ spaces may look and feel like
- Build your own city. A giant jenga game identifying what we need to build and create a city.
- The wishing tree. A chance to share our hopes and dreams for better urban futures.
We also had a lot of fun with our quiz which you can try here (no prizes and it’s just a bit of fun, so also no complaints!)
Most importantly, Plucky our international ambassador got a chance to leave the office and meet colleagues across Faculty. Plucky is a chicken recycled from black bin bags and made in an informal settlement in Cape Town. They came to live in Sheffield at the Urban Institute after taking part in the Realising Just Cities conference organised by colleagues at the University of Cape Town.
Plucky is a testament to the importance of our international collaborations and friendships, the acts of generosity that make partnerships work and how conversational chickens can break the ice at any party – even an academic one.
Thanks especially to Rike Sitas, African Centre for Cities, and Beth Perry, Urban Institute, for sharing Plucky with us.