Aberystwyth University hosts Festival of Law and Criminology

The legal implications of driverless cars, and can kids as young as 10 really tell the difference between ‘criminal’ and ‘naughty’ behaviour will be two of the many themes discussed at the inaugural Festival of Law and Criminology at Aberystwyth University.

Organised by Aberystwyth Law School staff, the one-day event takes place at Aberystwyth Arts Centre Cinema on Friday 19 January 2018 between 10am and 5pm.

Also on the agenda will be abuse of the elderly, the future constitutional status of Wales, the politics of Higher Education, and how lawyers can be poets and songsmiths.

Described as “art in progress” and a day of serious, fun, controversial, inspiring or unusual talks and conversations, musical and poetic interludes and other “happenings”, the event will also feature an irreverent stroll through the history of the Department.

The morning programme concludes with ‘Tell us something we don’t already know about Law and Criminology’, a panel show organised by Aberystwyth Law School students.

Entry is free and open to everyone.

“The Festival celebrates the people and work - past, present and future - of Law and Criminology at Aberystwyth University”, says organiser Dr Uta Kohl, Director of Postgraduate Studies at Aberystwyth Law School.

“We are delighted that Lord Elystan Morgan, Dyfed Powys Police & Crime Commissioner Dafydd Llywelyn, Assembly Member Mark Isherwood, Wales Online’s Paul Rowland and long standing friend and supporter Dr Tim Brain, former Chief Constable of Gloucestershire Constabulary will be joining colleagues from the Department for a varied day that should be informative and entertaining in equal measure, and offer something of interest to everyone, be they students, staff, alumni or members of the local community. All are welcome.”

In a 30 minute address Aberystwyth University law graduate and member of the House of Lords, Lord Elystan Morgan, will ask whether Wales’ future status in a devolved UK should be that of a Dominion.

Police and Crime Commissioner Dafydd Llywelyn, a lecturer at the Department until his election in May 2016, will be interviewed by criminology lecturer Dr Kathy Hampson on the criminality of children - ‘Keeping Kids out of Trouble’.

The afternoon session opens with Paul Rowland, editor of WalesOnline and editor-in-chief of Media Wales, discussing ‘The Politics of Higher Education’ with Aber alumnus and Conservative Assembly Member for North Wales Mark Isherwood.

And the penultimate session of the day will see Aberystwyth graduate and former Chief Constable of Gloucestershire Constabulary, Dr Tim Brain, discuss 'Policing by Consent - Myth and Reality'.

Opened in 1901, the Department of Law at Aberystwyth University was the first in Wales.

Festival of Law & Criminology: Full programme

Venue: Aberystwyth Arts Centre Cinema

Morning 10 am – 1 pm

10:00am Professor Philip Rawlings interviewing Richard Ireland ‘Goodbye to all that - Reflections on the History of the Aberystwyth Law School’

An irreverent stroll through the history of the Department(s) which will address such questions as “Why put a Law School so far from the law courts?” and “What did we think of computers in the 1980s?”. Items of hairy archival interest including a wig and the coiffures which appear in the first Departmental video will be revealed.

10:30am Sarah Wydall, Professor John Williams and Professor Alan Clarke – ‘Taking on Elder Abuse’

‘Insights into Dewis Choice: a community-led approach to tackling domestic abuse and care-giver stress amongst older people in Wales’

Helen Holt - a criminologist with a great voice

11:00am Lord Elystan Morgan - ‘The Future of Wales –a Dominion?’

11:30am Professor Chris Harding - ‘Creative Talent - Law, Song and Dance, and the Alabama 3’

Poetry and music, law and criminology. On how lawyers can be poets and songsmiths: a practical demonstration and the tale of Larry Love, the Alabama 3, ‘Woke up this morning, got myself a gun’, and being a law student in Aberystwyth in the 1980s.

Professor Melanie Williams - ‘Poetry, Playwriting, John van Druten, and the Law and Literature Tradition’

Law and literature, creative language and argument. A poem for out time, and the tale of John van Druten – from law, to theatre, to film, and being a law lecturer in Aberystwyth in the 1920s.

Dr Catrin Huws - ‘The Cream Coloured Clock by the Bed by the Door’

12:00pm Dr Kathy Hampson - ‘Keeping Kids out of Trouble’ in conversation with Police Crime Commissioner Dafydd Llywelyn

12:30pm ‘Tell us something we don’t already know about Law and Criminology’ A panel show organised by our students

Afternoon 2 pm – 5 pm

2:00pm Paul Rowland in discussion with alumni and Welsh Assembly Member Mark Isherwood: 'The Politics of HE'

2:30pm ‘The Trial of the Three Little Pigs’ Undergraduate Students, Artistic Director: Jan Holloway

3:00pm Professor Diane Rowland and Dr Uta Kohl - ‘Regulating the Geeks or are the Geeks regulating Us’

Are the technicians ruling us, is Silicon Valley in charge? What are the implications of driverless cars, internet none-neutrality, artificial intelligence and big data? Can we trust Facebook to be on our side and what is our side anyway?

Dr Kathy Hampson on the Cello

3:45pm Dr Olaoluwa Olusanya - Veteran's Film

4:00pm Dr Tim Brain, Ex-Chief Constable of Gloucestershire - 'Policing by Consent - Myth and Reality'

4:30pm Dr Lloyd Roderick, William Hines and Richard Ireland - ‘Night at the Library’

Follow Bill, Lloyd and Richard for a quick dash around 15c Pisa, Civil War iconoclasm, the Shelley family and the Protestant Cemetery in Rome, and some ancient French fossils and the Great Reform Act

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