Poverty & Social Justice: A Public Discussion

As part of the 2026 Annual Conference in Liverpool, we warmly invite you to a landmark public session on Poverty & Social Justice - the first ever SPA conference session to be opened to members of the public.

Set within this year’s conference theme, Hope in Dark Times: Resistance and Radical Change, the event will bring together scholars, practitioners, and activists to explore how hope, resistance, and radical transformation can help reimagine a more equitable future.

The discussion will feature talks and a panel discussion with Professor Ruth Patrick (University of Glasgow) and , Joanna Mack (The Open University), Dr Lee Gregory (University of Nottingham and ASAP UK), Sir Geoff Mulgan CBE (UCL), and Baroness Ruth Lister (Member of the House of Lords), chaired by Dr Natalija Atas (Liverpool Hope University, and SPA Poverty Policy Group).

Join us for an engaging and timely conversation on poverty, inequality, and pathways towards meaningful systemic change.