Evolving Society

What should children eat and why? Discover how childhood and food have shaped each other through history – and still do – with writers Deborah Albon and Amy Palmer.

Come along and join the fabulous Pride Parade March from York Minster through the city centre streets to the Knavesmire.

York Pride returns to the Knavesmire with a vibrant afternoon of entertainment and family-friendly activities. Why not come along and celebrate inclusivity and diversity?

Obstetrician James Drife explores the history of maternity care from the era of untrained midwives through to the introduction of national maternity care and beyond.

Join award-winning journalist and presenter Clive Myrie as he discusses his deeply personal journey filming the BBC series African Adventure.

Join us for a guided walk through York as we commemorate spaces where queer folk used to meet, chat, dance and organise.

Hear the extraordinary true story of Mir Rahimi’s perilous journey from Afghanistan to the UK as a 13-year-old and his search for a better life and education.

Join leading expert on extremism Cynthia Miller-Idriss as she reveals how an explosion of misogyny is driving a surge of mass and far-right violence throughout the West.

Sociologist Julia Sonnevend examines the use and weaponisation of charm in global politics - the everyday magic spell that politicians cast using mass and social media.

Come learn about and see a demo of the BEYOND training tool, a serious game supporting individuals and organisations who work to address harm and need in war.

Join the York St John Living Lab for an interactive panel on ecological justice and climate resilience designed to spark hopeful, holistic solutions.

York’s affordability crisis is pushing people and communities out of the city. Learn how YorSpace aims to challenge this by developing co-operative, community-owned models.

As artificial intelligence tools become embedded in scientific research, AI specialist Claire Malone asks: is AI extending the power of human curiosity - or reshaping it?

In our increasingly digital world, what even is real life? Siobhan Dunlop of the University of York and Susan Halfpenny of the University of Strathclyde explore the ever-changing (even disappearing) distinction between digital and physical worlds.

Friends. Lovers. Therapists. ‘Deathbots’. Sociologist James Muldoon explores what happens to our relationships with each other as AI enters our personal lives.

Acclaimed economist John Rapley reveals how rich countries can grow their own economies by helping poor countries to decarbonise - and in the process, mitigate the effects of climate change.

Why does the way we speak matter? Explore why language - and the analysis of language - is crucial to creating inclusive spaces for diverse populations.

How can we ensure greater equity and inclusivity in education? How should we respond to social and technological change? Our panel discussion explores how research is answering education’s biggest questions.

In a world of ‘brain rot’ and digital noise from ads, Chrysopigi Vardikou of the University of York Europe Campus examines how we protect our free will.

Join Bruno Carvalho of Harvard University for a kaleidoscopic and original new history of urbanisation, from Lisbon to New York, Paris to Rio de Janeiro and Buenos Aires to Lagos.

What makes a successful city centre? Join our diverse panel of design leaders and urban visionaries to help shape a city centre that’s inclusive, accessible and future proof for all.

Specialists in playful learning explore how new or ‘hacked’ games can enhance adult learning experiences and add value to organisations’ in-person training sessions.

Get ready to shine bright at York Cares Summer Sparkle - a fun-filled event celebrating summer with music, cake and, of course, lots of sparkle!

Generative AI is throwing recruitment into chaos. Our expert panel asks: are we witnessing a recruitment revolution or descending into a stalemate of AI assessing AI?

What has happened to Britain? Historian A G Hopkins argues the country’s current problems stem from 1980s US-style deregulation and privatisation, and a move away from social democracy.

BBC cyber correspondent Joe Tidy presents an exposé of the global rise of teen hackers, drawing on his exclusive interviews with gang members and the police officers trying to stop them.

Join us for a challenge against the clock as competing finalists each have just three minutes to outline the power of their research in the annual York Three Minute Thesis competition.

Join us at the Creative Technologies Showcase and enjoy the phenomenal work and ideas created by University of York students. Projects range from games and mobile applications to virtual reality experiences and web designs.

Join sustainability expert David Trousdale for a practical look at the journey of installing EV charge points, from initial planning to full operation, highlighting the key stakeholders at each stage.

Join us at the Creative Technologies Showcase and enjoy the phenomenal work and ideas created by University of York students. Projects range from games and mobile applications to virtual reality experiences and web designs.

Discover how heritage can help resolve some of the world's most urgent and complex problems with archaeologist John Schofield of the University of York.

Explore how 18th-century domestic travel rose to rival the famous European Grand Tour with Jim Watt and Alison O’Byrne of the University of York.

Step aboard and explore how rail is enabling a cleaner, greener way to travel across the UK at our special Festival Focus event presented in partnership with train operator LNER.

Could stigmatising ultra-processed foods be doing more harm than good? Public health nutritionist Beverley O'Hara argues framing foods as inherently ‘dangerous’ risks distorting the science and may have unintended consequences.

Join postgraduate researchers Zulekha Samiullah and Hugh Barrett to discover how much ‘quantum’ is around you and how these wonders weave into everyday life, from supercomputers to the tech that will reshape our cities.

From smart clothing and climate resilience to lunar living, the scholars from the US-UK Fulbright Commission’s awards invite you to hear about their groundbreaking research in the UK on adapting to changing world(s).

Discover how data-driven decisions are revolutionising every facet of football - from player performance evaluation to scouting and strategy development.

Join Robert Nichols, editor and host of Middlesbrough FCs fanzine and internet chat forum, as he reflects on his work championing the people’s game and looks forward to this year’s FIFA World Cup.

Enjoy a fast-paced storytelling PechaKucha event showcasing the work of Business of the Creative Industries students from the University of York.

Join us at the Creative Technologies Showcase and enjoy the phenomenal work and ideas created by University of York students. Projects range from games and mobile applications to virtual reality experiences and web designs.

Democracy is in the dock. Looking back at its origins, was the system always flawed? Our keynote speaker, Big Tech insider-turned-critic Dex Hunter-Torricke takes to the stand, followed by other expert witnesses.

Digital disruption, the rise of authoritarianism and polarisation, a failure to deliver for marginalised groups and future generations. We discuss if democracy is fundamentally incapable of navigating 21st century threats.

Is democracy dead or just in need of an upgrade? Join this citizens’ jury to put our political system on trial. Hear expert testimony on radical, hyper-local alternatives and cast your verdict on whether democracy can be reclaimed or replaced.

Hear the powerful true story of how journalist Matt Blake discovered his new house was once the lair of the E17 Nightstalker. Join him as he discusses his scientific quest to make sense of the paranormal and find peace at home.

Oasis, The Stone Roses, Happy Mondays, James: the Mancunian music scene is legendary. Join ultimate industry insiders Mike Pickering and John Robb for a journey through Manchester’s musical soul.

Aged five, writer Sanjoy Roy encountered his first spirit in his ancestral house in Calcutta. Since then, he has come across a variety of apparitions, spectres and phantoms. Join him for a fascinating travelogue through the supernatural world.

Is Artificial Intelligence (AI) a Hollywood-style threat or a tool we can trust? Join experts from the University of York’s CDT in Safe AI (SAINTS) to explore how chatbots have changed the conversation.

Join Stuart Rose, a veteran of British retail, as he shares insights into his career and thoughts about the future of the UK economy.

Join Simon Wilde, cricket correspondent for the Sunday Times, as he takes a compelling new look at the untold story behind one of English sport’s oldest records.

How can York and North Yorkshire become the premier region for investment and new opportunities in the UK? Join in the discussion with our expert speakers.

Where will the next generation of high-quality jobs in York and North Yorkshire come from? Join us for a dynamic session spotlighting the ‘growth opportunity trio’ – BioTech, RailTech and CreaTech.

Our expert panel discusses how regional collaboration can ensure economic success isn’t just a headline, but a reality for every York and North Yorkshire neighbourhood.

In the run up to the Space Summit in Paris this year, our panel of experts from France and the UK explores the scientific, geopolitical, security, environmental, and societal issues and challenges related to space exploration.

Join York Community Energy (YCE) on a short guided walk around some of the key sites in York’s energy story, followed by a discussion about the priorities for the energy future of the city’s most important spaces.

From Victorian jet to modern lab-grown diamonds, Sarah Steele, Curator of Jet at Whitby Museum, discusses why some ‘forever’ gems are measured in catastrophe, not carats.

125 years on from Seebohm Rowntree’s landmark study of poverty in York, our panel discusses new research to explore wealth, looking at who owns land, housing and assets, and how that shapes everyday life.

Could York and North Yorkshire become a national beacon for community wealth building, reshaping who owns, controls and benefits from the local economy? Join members of the Mayoral Community Wealth Building Commission.