The Manchester Metropolitan University (MMU) Human Sciences Seminar Series for 2026, Philosophies of Resistance, will explore the philosophical thought that has resisted colonial, racial and carceral oppression.
The 2026 series aims is to question the role that philosophical ideas have played – and continue to play – in collective struggles for social justice, and human emancipation more broadly.
The three seminars in this series are:
Frantz Fanon & Stand Up to Racism, Wed 25 March 2026
Philosophy in Prisons, Sat 25 April 2026
Human Rights & Resistance, Wed 27 May 2026
Each seminar includes an academic talk followed by an ‘in-conversation’ discussion between the speaker(s) and a local political activist, and questions from the audience.
A 15-minute refreshment break is included.
The MMU Human Sciences Seminar Series is an invited speaker and research seminar organised by the Philosophy section of MMU’s Department of History, Politics and Philosophy.
The series, which has run for over forty years, was founded by Philosopher David Melling and Professor Wolfe Mays in 1979. It was created out of a desire to explore the various human sciences in a systematic way from the standpoint of critical philosophy.
Philosophy in Prisons (PiP) charity works to bring philosophical practice and dialogue to prisoners across Britain in an effort to deepen critical thinking skills and build stronger communities between prisoners. Speakers Dr Leonie Smith and Dr Jon Bebb (Chair and Co-Chair of the PiP Advisory Board) will deliver a session demonstrating the philosophical work they have been engaging prisoners in. This will be followed by an in-conversation discussion with prison officer Gavin Kelly (HMP Stafford) about the transformative impact philosophy has had on prisoners participating in the programme and, the potentials of philosophy to fuel resistance and liberation.
Contributor biogs
Dr. Leonie Smith is Lecturer in Philosophy at Lancaster University, where she directs their undergraduate programmes in Philosophy and PPE, and is co-director of the Ethics, Values and Policy initiative. Her research in social and political philosophy primarily addresses the foundations of socioeconomic injustice, and the consequences of these foundations for policy in welfare treatment, the media, social media and education. Beyond her work as Chair of the Advisory Board for the Philosophy in Prison charity, Dr. Smith has contributed significantly to discussions on pedagogy in the UK, the US and Norway, particularly through her programme of work on ‘Class in the Classroom’. Alongside this, she is closely engaged with a range of initiatives which address socioeconomic and structural barriers to education: as a member of the advisory council for The Access Project (a national education and social mobility charity); as a mentor for theMinorities and Philosophy organisation in the UK; and through working with the Lancaster University Success Programme, helping students from under-resourced backgrounds to thrive at university.
Dr Jon Bebb is Lecturer in Philosophy at the University of Liverpool. His research explores how our ideas of what is ‘normal’ shape supposedly neutral areas of life, influencing how society treats marginalised groups, including people in poverty or those with mental health conditions. Dr Bebb is active in widening participation in philosophy. He has organised annual undergraduate events for Minorities and Philosophy (MAP), and co-developed the Thought Experiments in Schools Project, sponsored by the Royal Institute of Philosophy. For the past five years, he has collaborated with Philosophy in Prison, delivering both introductory and advanced philosophy courses, and developing materials for remote learning.
Gavin Kelly is the Physical Education Instructor (PEI) at HMP Stafford. Gavin regularly works with external partners and charities to improve prison culture and outcomes, and brings a practitioner’s perspective to conversations about justice, responsibility, and rehabilitation. He has worked with the Philosophy in Prisons charity for the last four years and now works with prison residents in support of their philosophical community. He has a particular interest in education, ethical leadership, and the role of reflective practice in supporting positive change for people in custody.
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