Leeds Beckett University - City Campus,
Woodhouse Lane,
LS1 3HE
Book launch: Threads of Labour
Exploring the human stories behind deindustrialisation in our region.
If you missed the chance to hear Lisa Taylor's engaging talk on the effects of deindustrialisation across our region - originally delivered at the Calderdale Industrial Museum during the Halifax Town Festival of Words and Music - there's another opportunity to join the discussion at the upcoming book launch of Threads of Labour, hosted by the Independent Social Research Foundation (ISRF).
The launch will take place at 6:00pm (GMT) on Thursday 20 November 2025, at The Leeds Library, one of the city's most atmospheric literary venues.
Lisa at the Halifax Town Festival of Words
About the event
Lisa's new book, Threads of Labour, weaves together personal narratives, social history, and academic insight to explore the lived experience of industrial decline and its continuing impact on communities across Yorkshire and beyond.
To mark the publication, Lisa will be joined by an expert panel of speakers whose work similarly bridges scholarship and social engagement:
- Mike Makin-Waite, former ISRF Independent Scholar Fellow and author of On Burnley Road (2021), a reflective exploration of post-industrial change and identity in the North
- Professor Tim Strangleman, Emeritus Professor of Sociology at the University of Kent and author of Voices of Guinness: An Oral History of the Park Royal Brewery (2019), whose research examines memory, work, and industrial heritage
- Professor Valerie Walkerdine, Distinguished Research Professor Emerita in the School of Social Sciences at Cardiff University and co-author of Rethinking Community Research (2016), known for her influential work on class, identity, and cultural change
The discussion will be followed by a Q&A session, moderated by Dr Lars Cornelissen, ISRF Academic Coordinator, offering the audience an opportunity to engage directly with the speakers on themes of work, place, and community in a changing Britain.
Networking and reception
Following the formal event, guests are invited to stay for a drinks reception with light refreshments, providing a relaxed setting for informal conversation and networking with authors, scholars, and fellow attendees.
Booking information
Attendance is free, but places are limited. Please reserve your spot in advance by scanning the QR code on the event flyer or visiting the booking page below.
Don't miss what promises to be an insightful and inspiring evening celebrating the voices and experiences at the heart of Threads of Labour.
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Dr Lisa Taylor
Lisa Taylor is Reader in Cultural Studies in the School of Humanities and Social Sciences. Her new research monograph ‘Threads of Labour: tapestry of an ex-industrial community’ (2025) published by Manchester University Press, tackles the impact of socio-economic trends and policies on local communities and the devaluing of places ‘left-behind’ by deindustrialisation. Arguing for care provision, she applies creative methods to the real-life problems of post-industrial areas where communities are eroded or divided.
