Join us for this “Conversations with Cake” session hosted by an external colleague from Bath Spa, Reimagining Legal Education Through Art and Literature.

Bio: Nichola McNulty is a Senior Legal Academic. Her research sits at the intersection of socio-legal studies, feminist jurisprudence, and innovative legal pedagogy. Her work explores how creative practices can be harnessed to challenge traditional doctrinal boundaries, promote inclusivity, and enhance student transition and engagement in higher education.

Traditional approaches to legal education have long relied upon conventional doctrinal analysis and formal communication, which risk sidelining socio-legal context, semiotics, and narrative diversity. This session explores an innovative, interdisciplinary pedagogical framework that combines law and literature with hands-on creative practices, such as fairy tale deconstruction and zine-making, to enhance student engagement, ease transition, and address the higher education attainment gap. By utilising familiar cultural prisms like folklore and literary narratives as repositories of customary law, students are transformed from passive rule-memorisers into active curators of legal meaning. The presentation showcases how tactile, DIY media and visual semiotics foster a collaborative, inclusive learning environment, build academic belonging during critical transition points, and cultivate graduates who are technically proficient, ethically grounded, and creatively empowered.

Refreshments and cakes will be available, please bring your own cups and you are welcome to bring lunch.

The Pedagogical Research (PedR) Network aims to promote, support and develop pedagogical research activity across the University. The benefits of a well-established PedR community include the development and embedding of an evidence informed approach to teaching and learning practice and an enhanced reputation for high quality scholarly activity.