- What is the relationship between science fiction and science fact? The Cheltenham Science Festival will explore the "first popular science writing". Papers include one on the earliest works of science fiction and how they were "subversive tracts designed to communicate contemporary scientific insights". www.cheltenhamfestivals.co.uk . June 7-11.
- The future of academic libraries is the subject of the Society of College, National and University Libraries conference The Future's Now at Newcastle University. The aim is to look at innovative approaches to libraries in the 21st century. Keynote speakers include Eugenie Prime, the first recipient of the Dow Jones Leadership award for 21st-century librarianship. www.sconul.ac.uk . June 21-23.
- European universities have been relatively slow to develop courses on the Politics of Mass Murder - such as the state-sponsored murder in Rwanda and Cambodia - and to link it to other human rights abuses, say the organisers of a conference to be held at the School of Social Science, Kingston University, on how to teach the subject. It will address this issue and why growing research in this area appears not to be getting through to the public. http:///fass.kingston.ac.uk . June 22-23.
- How is race and ethnicity being approached in the classroom? Teaching Race in Higher Education Social Sciences , a joint conference by the Centre for Sociology, Anthropology and Politics and the British Sociology Association, will look at challenging issues around race. Sociologist Mark Christian will talk about the "art" of teaching "race" issues in the predominately white classroom and whether one can "measure" positive outcomes. www.c-sap.bham.ac.uk . June -28.