Cambridge University SPS Society

The Cambridge University Social and Political Sciences Society ("The SPS Society") is an academic and social society of Cambridge University [ [http://www.srcf.ucam.org/sps/Home.html Home ] ] [ [http://www.cusu.cam.ac.uk/societies/directory/spssoc/ Cambridge University Students' Union (CUSU) » Societies Directory - Societies at Cambridge University ] ]

History

The SPS Society was formed in 2005 by Erlend Svestad, a Psychology graduate. Since that time the Society has been a prominent feature of the Cambridge academic and social scene. In the Summer of 2007, after failed attempts to elect a new committee, Alys Donnelly negotiated a new team to take up where the previous committee had left off, and the Society is once again operating and expanding.

peaker Events

The SPS Society has had notable successes in inviting prominent academics to speak to students on a range of issues. In the year 2005-2006, the Society organised a seminar series at the University with three prominent academics [ [http://www.sps.cam.ac.uk/central_pdfs/ann_report_0506.pdf Faculty Of Social And ] ]
* Dr David Runciman from the Department of Politics
* Professor Geoffrey Hawthorne from the Department of Politics
* Professor Michael Jaeckel from the University of Trier, Germany

The Society also invited and arranged a highly-popular Speaker series in 2005-2006 consisting of [ [http://www.sps.cam.ac.uk/central_pdfs/ann_report_0506.pdf Faculty Of Social And ] ]
*Professor Anthony Giddens, leading Sociologist and author of the influential "Third Way" politics.
* Professor John Goldthorpe, a leading social theorist.
* Professor Quentin Skinner, one of the world's leading historians.
* Professor David Held.

Academic Contributions

The SPS Society also launched academic initiatives to improve research at the department of Social and Politicial Sciences and encourage students to publish their works. [ [http://www.postgraduatestudentships.co.uk/node/1339 SPS Society enriches postgraduate students' experiences at the University of Cambridge's Faculty of Social and Political Science - Postgraduate Studentships .co.uk ] ]

ocial Events

The SPS Society historically held weekly pub meets, regular Formal Halls and a black tie annual dinner. The new committee in 2007 continued the Formal Hall series and has organised Cocktail Nights. They also undertook a pioneering project to become one of the first Cambridge University Societies to utilise an on-line payment system. [ [http://www.srcf.ucam.org/sps/WhatWeDo.html What We Do ] ]

References