At this juncture of intense welfare reform and contracting public provision, the question of how we imagine the welfare state, how it has been imagined and might yet be imagined, are both urgent and provident. The seminar series aims to bring together academic researchers and other individuals and groups – including activists, artists, journalists, campaigning organisations, and students – who are trying to better understand how we (re)imagine welfare for contemporary times.

The series will comprise of three connected but distinct seminars in three different geographical locations, themed around the past, present and future of what we are describing as ‘welfare imaginaries’.