The Sociological Review Foundation Public Lecture 2026: with Angela Saini

The Sociological Review Foundation Public Lecture 2026

Anatomy of a Myth: Why Human Classification Can’t Cure Health Disparities
The fatal consequences of sorting people by race and sex

Science journalist and author Angela Saini will discuss how gender, race and history continue to shape critical aspects of our lives, from medical diagnoses to government policies.

We accept human classification as a part of life, ticking sex, gender, race and ethnicity boxes as automatically as we drink water. We believe this data gathering is necessary for states and institutions to serve us better.

But have you stopped to consider the implications of all this sorting? Human classification is rooted in oppression and discrimination. Who may yet use it to cause harm? Why do researchers increasingly rely on a practice that overlooks critical social factors, worsens health disparities and ultimately costs lives?

Angela Saini’s lecture is essential for anyone who feels the gap between official narratives of equality and their personal experiences. Saini is one of the leading voices on gender, science and medicine today, and we are offering you a rare opportunity to hear her speak ahead of the publication of her upcoming book Other. Her lecture invites you to connect the sciences and humanities. You will come away more curious about the questions you are asked on forms, more willing to question how your data is used, and perhaps more prepared to withhold it.

About our speaker

Angela Saini is an award-winning journalist and Assistant Professor of Science Writing at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. A prominent voice in British science media, she presented the BBC Radio 4 documentary The Misinformation Virus and founded the ‘Challenging Pseudoscience’ group at the Royal Institution.

She is the author of the global bestsellers Superior and Inferior. Her latest book, The Patriarchs, was a finalist for the 2023 Orwell Prize. An Honorary Fellow of Keble College, Oxford, Angela sits on the Royal Society’s Science Policy Advisory Committee. Her fifth book, exploring the harms of human classification, is due to be released in early 2027.

About our chair

Mukti Jain Campion was born in India, raised in north London, educated as an earth scientist at Oxford University and trained as a television documentary maker at the BBC. In 1995 she founded the independent production company Culture Wise and quickly established its reputation for original, finely crafted audio documentaries on BBC Radio 4, exploring the rich cultural diversity of Britain and its many historic and contemporary links to other parts of the world. Her documentaries have consistently drawn critical acclaim for their
groundbreaking research and for bringing fresh and compelling stories about Britain’s often deeply hidden past to mainstream audiences. Their importance was recently recognised by the British Library which has added over one hundred Culture Wise documentaries, features
and podcasts to its Sound Archive to ensure ongoing public access.

About our discussants

Lisa Dikomitis is Professor of Medical Anthropology and Social Sciences at Warwick Medical School and Director of Warwick Applied Health. She has secured more than £25 million in external research funding, including over £10 million as lead investigator. Her research spans health inequalities, migration, racism and mental health, drawing on anthropology, medicine, development studies, the social sciences and the humanities. She is currently Principal Investigator of the NIHR-funded ORI programme on racism and mental health inequalities in Brazil. Professor Dikomitis has authored over 100 peer-reviewed publications, including several books, and is committed to public engagement through exhibitions, podcasts and writing for audiences beyond academia.

Bolaji Balogun is a Political Sociologist at SOAS, University of London, specialising in race, migration and decolonial pedagogy. Dr Balogun's research draws on ethnographic, archival and decolonial approaches to explore race, racialisation, migration and nation-formation, with a particular focus on Central and Eastern Europe and the UK. His work examines the lived experiences of Black and other marginalised groups, with a focus on social justice, inclusion and exclusion. Bolaji is the author of Race and the Colour-Line: The Boundaries of Europeanness in Poland (Routledge) and has published widely in leading journals, including The Sociological Review, Ethnic and Racial Studies and Journal of Ethnic & Migration Studies.

Why support us?

The Sociological Review Foundation is a charity that promotes the value of sociology for understanding society and driving meaningful change. When you purchase a ticket, you are not just reserving your seat; you are contributing to our work in bringing these important conversations to a wider audience. Today’s inequalities aren’t natural or unavoidable – they were created. And if they were created, we can find a way to change them.

Tickets

We are proud to be sponsored by Clue: The women led period and cycle tracking app - who are offering a years membership of CluePlus with every ticket purchased. You will receive a special discount link with every ticket purchased. 

This event uses a tiered ticket system. Standard tickets cover the cost of attending, while Supporter and Champion tickets help fund our wider work and enable us to offer free or subsidised places.  If you’re able to contribute at a higher level, we’re very grateful for your support.

We have a limited number of Solidarity tickets, to support people who would not otherwise be able to attend - please email Danielle for more information. 

All ticket types include  1 complimentary drink on arrival and provide the same access to the event.

Programme

5.30pm — Arrival drinks and canapés
6.30pm — Our very first Public Sociology Awards – winner announcements
6.45pm — Public Lecture with Angela Saini
7.30pm — Angela will be joined by two discussants
8.00pm — Audience Q&A
8.30–9.00pm — Book signing

This programme is subject to change

Cancellation Policy:
Cancellations made by 19 August will receive a 100% refund
Cancellations made between 20 August and 26 August will receive a 50% refund
Cancellations made after 26 August will not receive a refund

Any questions? Email Danielle Galway events@thesociologicalreview.com 

This is a live, in person event and will not be recorded