{"id":212,"date":"2024-09-13T15:37:00","date_gmt":"2024-09-13T14:37:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/learningspaces.dundee.ac.uk\/shsl-genderequalityforum\/?page_id=212"},"modified":"2025-09-19T13:11:48","modified_gmt":"2025-09-19T12:11:48","slug":"the-mapstone-lecture","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/sites.dundee.ac.uk\/shsl-gender-equality-forum\/the-mapstone-lecture\/","title":{"rendered":"The Mapstone Lecture"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\"Portrait
Image courtesy of Professor Mapstone’s family.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Professor Elisabeth Mapstone OBE (1925\u20132013): A Trailblazer in Social Work and Equality<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Professor Elisabeth Mapstone was a pioneering academic, activist, and the first female professor<\/strong> at the University of Dundee. A leading figure in social work and social policy, her ground-breaking research shaped social care in Scotland, particularly in support of children and vulnerable communities.<\/p>\n

\"Professor<\/a><\/p>\n

After earning a first-class degree in sociology from the London School of Economics at a time when few women attended university, she pursued a career in child welfare and social work research. She later completed a master\u2019s at Brunel University before moving to Scotland in 1969. In 1975, she returned to Scotland and joined the University of Dundee as the first female Professor of Political Science and Social Policy, where she remained for nearly two decades. The ground-breaking work<\/strong> of Mapstone and her team in social care placed Dundee\u2019s social work department on the map, influencing national policy<\/strong> in social care, particularly in relation to children. In 1986 Mapstone received an OBE in recognition of her services to social work and contributions to social care.<\/p>\n

Even in retirement, Professor Mapstone remained a dedicated advocate for social justice. She chaired Age Concern Dundee, played a key role in its relocation to Caird Avenue, and actively supported the Carolina House Trust.\u00a0 Her commitment to improving lives extended well into her eighties.<\/p>\n

See further:<\/h4>\n

Mapstone, Elisabeth – Scotland’s First Woman Professor<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n