LT6090 - Contemporary Issues in Events (2026/27)
| Module specification | Module approved to run in 2026/27 | ||||||||||
| Module title | Contemporary Issues in Events | ||||||||||
| Module level | Honours (06) | ||||||||||
| Credit rating for module | 15 | ||||||||||
| School | Guildhall School of Business and Law | ||||||||||
| Total study hours | 150 | ||||||||||
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| Assessment components |
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| Running in 2026/27(Please note that module timeslots are subject to change) |
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Module summary
This module critically examines contemporary issues faced by event organisers, policy makers, and other stakeholders in both the UK and globally. It also aims to deepen students’ conceptual and practical understanding of events management by situating events within a wider societal context. Students will explore key theories and fundamental concepts that underpin the academic study of events while also engaging with current challenges, trends, and emerging professional and research themes. The module encourages critical reflection on the evolving nature of events and their role in shaping, and being shaped by, societal dynamics. The overall aim is to equip students with a broader critical understanding of the events management field both from a theoretical and industry perspective.
Aims of the module:
1. You will examine some of the key theoretical concepts and contemporary issues facing events and their implications for practice
2. You will develop a critical understanding of the role of events in contemporary society.
3. You will critically explore events from a sociological and anthropological perspective and from socio-economic and cultural angles.
4. You will be empowered to relate theory to practice and become a more rounded event professional.
5. You will further develop and enhance your analytical and critical abilities and communication skills.
Prior learning requirements
No prerequisites. Available for Study Abroad? YES
Syllabus
The syllabus is regularly reviewed to ensure it reflects contemporary issues and thinking. Themes include:
1) Event Impacts and legacies
2) Sustainability and ethics
3) Consumption and experience / evolving audience expectations
4) Event technology and social media
5) Diversity, equity and inclusion
6) Identity, place and representation
Balance of independent study and scheduled teaching activity
The module is delivered via on-site weekly lectures and seminar sessions. Lectures will introduce relevant theories, critical discourses and current issues relevant to events and related industries and their management as appropriate. Alongside these, student-centered seminars will explore the lecture topics and industry implications of these in greater depth and will have a more practical and creative emphasis. Class sessions can also be complemented by guest lectures from industry and academic practitioners and field trips to venues and sites where relevant to the syllabus.
Emphasis is placed on the students as producers/co-creators of knowledge as peer-to-peer/ learning within the wider class group will inform content of the sessions and activities build around further examining the issues researched, analysed and discussed in the students podcasts for the module assessment. This will support deeper learning through discussions and debates and develop greater awareness and knowledge of the topics as well as provide opportunities for peer feedback on the work produced by other students. Feedback on formative assessment, in which students will provide an outline of the key contemporary issue/s to be critically discussed and appraised in the graded assessment and the key theories that will be used, will help students develop their choice of topic and to build a critical argument underpinned by appropriate academic insights.
Collectively, as a series, the students produced podcasts will constitute a valuable resource on ideas relating to contemporary issues in events for the module (and possibly beyond). The use of these digital audio formats produced by the students will effectively complement the extensive use of online resources both industry ones as well as academic. The module Weblearn page will be used for the dissemination of module content and information (including relating to assessment) and for the timely provision of written and audio feedback on formative and summative assessments. The use of the asynchronous discussion board will also support the sharing of resources, opinions and ideas among students and tutors, which is so central to the learning and teaching strategy in this module.
Students are expected to actively participate in all sessions and to come to sessions prepared, which will entail a certain amount of guided and self-guided independent study for example in terms of reading relevant academic articles and other materials beforehand. Furthermore, given the contemporary basis of the module, students are also advised to keep abreast of main news events each week, and issues of relevance are integrated into seminar discussions. Students are expected to bring their own, developing knowledge of events management to the seminar sessions, to contribute effectively to class activities and discussions.
Learning outcomes
On successful completion of this module, students will be able to:
1. Recognise and interpret contemporary issues facing events (LO1).
2. Apply relevant concepts and theories to analyse key issues and practices in today’s events industry (LO2).
3. Provide detailed critique on the nature of events and how they influence society (LO3).
4. Synthesise knowledge of contemporary issues and evaluate how they affect event management and the wider events sectors (LO4).