Institute of Ideas | Past events

Past Events

National sixth form debating competition
Debating Matters: Ongoing; The Institute of Ideas is pioneering a fresh and engaging format for debate that is injecting new life into schools debating. Working in collaboration with teachers and schools, the Institute of Ideas and Pfizer Debating Matters Competition challenges and encourages young people to actively engage with contemporary debates, to research issues thoroughly, to learn to communicate effectively and to argue for what they think.

Institute of Ideas and SPIT LIT festival presents:
Feminism in the age of genetics: March 9, 2003; In the 1970s feminists knew they supported 'A Woman's Right to Choose', but with the advance of science, things seem more complicated. A panel of writers, campaigners, journalists and academics will assess the impact on women's lives of the dramatic developments in reproductive technology over the past 30 years.

The Institute of Ideas and the Institut Français present:
Attention Seeking: Multiculturalism and the politics of recognition; November 16, 2002; Multiculturalism is now generally regarded as the only model for a fair society. The idea of a universal culture is considered outdated and even racist. Instead, we are asked to grant equal esteem to every culture, while recognising the unique qualities of each.

The Institute of Ideas at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe
Roundtable Rumbles: Reviewing as a spectator sport...; August 10, 2003 to August 16, 2003; Following 2002's sellout run, the Institute of Ideas and Fringe present another round of late-night reviewing as spectator sport! A panel of critics and guest reviewers discusses shows on a different theme each night. Then the audience of fringe-goers and performers joins the intellectual bearpit.

The Institute of Ideas at the Edinburgh International Book Festival
Orwell Centenary at the Book Festival: Three panel discussions; August 13, 2003 to August 23, 2003; Three panel discussions on themes written about by George Orwell

Sponsored by RoutledgeFalmer and the Times Educational Supplement
Crisis? What Crisis?: Re-examining what education is for; July 3, 2004 to July 4, 2004; This weekend conference inspected the key debates and examined critically what exactly the current educational initiatives mean.

Institute of Ideas and the Edinburgh Festival Fringe present:
Round Table Rumbles: Reviewing as spectator sport; August 22, 2004 to August 25, 2004; The Rumbles return to the Fringe for reviewing reinvented as spectator sport. A panel of writers, directors, performers and critics enjoys a robust exchange of views about Fringe shows on a different theme each night. Then the audience joins the intellectual bearpit! Late bar.


Animal Experimentation: Good, bad, or necessary evil?; June 12, 2004; What is the future for animal experiments in the UK? The official approach argues both for their scientific necessity and also their regulation in the name of animal welfare. Is this a helpful compromise or a moral fudge?

The Institute of Ideas at the Edinburgh International Book Festival
Debating Matters: launching a new series of books; August 14, 2002 to August 23, 2002

In association with Routledge and King's College London, and sponsored by the Body&Soul section of The Times
Therapy Culture: Cultivating Vulnerability in an Uncertain Age; November 22, 2003; A one-day symposium to explore the powerful influence of the therapeutic imperative in contemporary society and to discuss themes in Professor Frank Furedi's new book Therapy Culture

Institute of Ideas and the Royal College of Physicians present
Human Remains: objects to study or ancestors to bury?: May 2, 2003; Museums have always contained collections of human remains, from ancient mummies to shrunken heads, but now ethical battles rage about 'who owns the bones'. A DCMS committee looks set to suggest they are sent back to source communities. Are these bones really the property of long distant relatives, or the scholarly responsibility of curators and scientists? Will sending the skeletons back bring healing to abused and spiritually broken peoples? Or are museums and scientific institutions surrendering invaluable artefacts and sacrificing greater knowledge of humanity that we have a responsibility to honour?

The Institute of Ideas and SPIT-LIT present:
Does motherhood drive you mad?: an afternoon discussion; March 14, 2004; According to 'experts', growing numbers of women are traumatised by childbirth and are not capable of child-rearing without professional help. But is motherhood really more depressing than ever?

The Institute of Ideas, in association with Hodder children's books, presents:
Teenage Kicks: Discussion day; March 4, 2004; A day of debates and discussions about teenagers and fiction, featuring a range of authors, publishers and teenagers who will look at what teenagers read and why.


Health: an unhealthy obsession?: February 12, 2005; A day of discussions to explore controversies surrounding modern medicine and healthcare, examining why health generates such anxiety and contention at a time when, generally speaking, we have never been healthier.

The Institute of Ideas and Pfizer, in association with Hodder Murray, present:
Debating Matters Finals: Schools Debating Competition; March 6, 2004; Following regional heats across the country, the eight winning schools competed for the championship.

Institute of Ideas and the Royal College of Physicians present
Morbid Fascination: the body and death in contemporary culture: May 16, 2003; Contemporary art seems enraptured with the visceral effect of the physical matter of the body, but it seems while the artistic embrace of the body is welcomed, the scientific gaze causes problems. Why are there such different interpretations of what it means to respect the dead body medically and culturally?

Institute of Ideas and Goodenough College
Ideas, Intellectuals and the Public: June 20, 2003 to June 22, 2003; Ideas can define and transform society, but how healthy is intellectual life today?

The Institute of Ideas and the Royal Institution present
Human Remains: Objects to study or ancestors to bury?; May 18, 2004; Museums and research institutions have always contained collections of human remains, from ancient mummies to shrunken heads, which have told us about patterns of evolution and the lives of past cultures. But ethical battles now rage about 'who owns the bones'. Are these bones really the property of long distant relatives, or the scholarly responsibility of curators and scientists?

The Institute of Ideas in association with Pfizer present
Genes and Society Festival: April 26, 2003 to April 27, 2003; Does genetics throw up uniquely new and difficult ethical dilemmas? Can scientists, industry and government be trusted to employ genetic technologies to the benefit of all? Have we become too suspicious of those involved in science? Are there any moral or natural limits to what humans should attempt to manipulate and control? Are we overreacting to the unfamiliar? These are only a few of the important and varied questions discussed.

In association with the Dana Centre
What Drives Artistic Creativity?: panel discussion; June 24, 2004; Can scientific monitoring of brain activity really illuminate our understanding of artistic processes? Does genius reside in the brain or is it a more complex social phenomenon? Is there a danger of biological based explanations of creativity squeezing out an appreciation of social factors, schooling and raw talent? What are the implications of new theories of creativity for the teaching of the arts?

Residential conference
What are Museums for?: A Cumberland Lodge Conference; September 17, 2004 to September 19, 2004; The traditional role of both science and humanities museums has changed. Rather than focusing on preserving, studying and presenting their collections, museums may now be required to take on a variety of social functions - including social inclusion, lifelong learning and recognising group identities. Has taking on these tasks left the museum overburdened and confused about its role? Can and should museums make people feel better and affirm their identity? Are scholarship and the collection under threat?

IoI at the Edinburgh International Book Festival
Open Mind: Ideas, Intellectuals and the Public: August 29, 2004; Do we talk about ideas enough - and at what level? Do intellectuals ignore the public? How do we join in?

IoI at the Edinburgh International Book Festival
Debating Matters: Battle of the Schools: August 24, 2004; After last year's highly successful schools debating competition, we showcase young people arguing their case with passion and rigour.

The Institute of Ideas and Pfizer Debating Matters Competition
Debating Matters: at the Cheltenham Festival of Literature; October 12, 2004; Following the success of the pilot Debating Matters sixth form competition we ran last year, we're delighted to be working with the Cheltenham Festival of Science and the Cheltenham Festival of Literature to host a day of debates at the Literature Festival.

The IoI in association with the European Dana Alliance for the Brain presents
Children and their brains: the science and politics of early years development; February 3, 2005; An evening symposium and a debate on neuroscience and infant development organised by the Institute of Ideas in association with the European Dana Alliance for the Brain, brings together a panel of speakers who will look a the issues afresh with differing perspectives. The event will examine exactly what neuroscience can and cannot tell us about infant development and the political and social context in which these findings are being interpreted.

The Institute of Ideas and Spit Lit festival present an afternoon debate
Saving the planet or doom-mongering?: March 12, 2005; Many in the developed world believe that we are producing and consuming too much. We are told that resources are running out and the environment is stretched beyond capacity. But are these apocalyptic scenarios, true or a product of green scare mongering and panic in the face of the unknown?

IoI Forum
IoI Science and Health Forum: Ongoing; Forum for professionals and others with an interest in discussing contemporary attitudes towards health, science and medicine. Meetings are held monthly in central London.

The IoI, in association with the Families and Social Capital ESRC Research Group, South Bank University, presents
Interrogating 'Social Capital': building community or undermining trust?; April 7, 2005; Theories of social capital suggest the problem of fragmented communities lies in the poor quality of society's interpersonal relationships, and often imply the solution lies in increasing the role of the state in building such relationships. When it is deemed necessary to modify behaviour in order to strengthen social capital, what is the fate of individual autonomy and agency?

The Institute of Ideas and Soho Theatre present
The Right To Be Offensive: does anything go in the arts?; March 30, 2005; A Round Table Rumble on censorship and creative licence

The Institute of Ideas and Greenwich Theatre present:
Where Is the Real Opposition?: The arts and media: a new home for politics?; April 14, 2005; Do the arts and media offer a viable new home for critical engagement, or does this reduce politics to a product to be consumed by passive audiences? Can the creative energy of the arts inspire a new kind of politics? If culture is the new home of politics, why do the media continue to devote so much attention to the electoral antics of the political parties?

As part of Museums and Galleries Month 2005
Should we junk collections?: May 16, 2005; As museums reposition themselves as agents of social change, new criteria are being developed for what should be collected and what should be 'deaccessioned'. Are we in danger of sacrificing artistic and curatorial judgement in decisions about what to collect in the face of political considerations? How should we decide what we keep and collect?

Cheltenham Festival of Science
Curing Cancer: June 10, 2005; As we live longer, more of us are likely to die of cancer, but what are the future prospects for cure and treatment? With the current emphasis on awareness raising campaigns are we in danger of becoming too aware of cancer?

Cheltenham Festival of Science
Is the Science Curriculum Sexy Enough?: June 11, 2005; The number of pupils taking A-levels in science has dropped dramatically over the past 10 years, with university science departments closing through lack of demand. Should the curriculum be changed to make it more relevant to today’s youth?


The Battle of Ideas: October 29, 2005 to October 30, 2005; An initiative to bring together different strands of social, political, scientific, academic and cultural discussion into an annual festival. Details of the Battle of Ideas 2006 will be announced soon.

Edinburgh International Book Festival 2005
The Right To Be Offensive: August 19, 2005; A debate on creativity, freedom, and the law. This year has seen plays stopped by outraged religious protestors and increasing calls for censorship of material deemed offensive. Are we creating a new kind of thought crime? What does this mean for art and free speech?

Edinburgh International Book Festival 2005
American culture: a contradiction in terms?: August 23, 2005; America is the undisputed world superpower, militarily, politically and, for the time being at least, economically. But what about culturally? The global reach of Hollywood and Britney Spears is often seen as an aspect of America's political dominance – 'Coca-Colonisation' or 'cultural imperialism' rather than an expression of superior culture. Can US cultural influence be reduced to brands and an imposition of populist trash?


Round Table Rumbles: Late Lounge at the National Theatre; June 24, 2005 to July 15, 2005; A series of post-performance debates about the role of theatre and the arts in various contemporary topics.

Edinburgh International Book Festival 2005
Visions of America: From American dream to anti-American nightmare?; August 24, 2005; Whereas once the New York skyline was seen as the symbol of the modern age, often it seems to be these very qualities of bigness, boldness, and energy that are now routinely disparaged. How healthy is this broad climate of anti-Americanism?

IoI Forum
IoI Health Forum: Informed consent: what impact is it having on clinical practice?; July 13, 2005; Introduced by Steve Bowler, lay member of South Sheffield Local Research Ethics Committee.

IoI Forum
IoI Health Forum: Mental Health: are we all dysfunctional now?; June 16, 2005; A discussion of the consequences of blurring the distinction between mental health and mental illness introduced by Derek Summerfield, Hon Senior Lecturer, Institute of Psychiatry, King's College, London and Teaching Associate, Refugee Studies Centre, University of Oxford.

IoI Forum
IoI Health Forum: Talking About Risk - Truth, Lies and Total Confusion; May 19, 2005; Introduced by Alastair McCapra, Head of Communications for the Royal Society for the Promotion of Health.

The IoI at SPIT-LIT 2006
The Battle for Culture - diversity or divisiveness?: March 11, 2006; Reflecting and promoting cultural diversity is a policy priority for arts organisations today. The celebration of cultural diversity has become mainstream and is endorsed by all the major figures in arts institutions. Through its Decibel project, for example, Arts Council England proclaims it puts diversity at the heart of its work. Now is the time to publicly debate what is fast becoming an orthodoxy.

IoI Flagship Festival
Battle of Ideas 2007: Shaping the future through debate; October 27, 2007 to October 28, 2007; An initiative to bring together different strands of social, political, scientific, academic and cultural discussion into an annual festival. The next festival will take place on Saturday 27 and Sunday 28 October 2007. In the meantime, Battles in Print 2006, a selection of essays on topics discussed at the last festival, is now available.

The IoI and New End Theatre present
Taboos Debate: March 18, 2006; Taboos is a new comedy about the science and politics of reproduction. Between matinee and evening performances, the play's author, renowned scientist and inventor of the contraceptive pill, Carl Djerassi, will be joined by a panel to discuss the themes explored in the play.

The IoI and Sci Fi London presents
The Battle for the Future: Who Controls the Future Controls the Present?; April 27, 2006; An ecletic panel considers the cultural and political assumptionsbehind the writing and rewriting of the future on the cinema screen and beyond.

MGM Museum of London and IOI presents
Making Connections: The Present - The Global Museum: May 22, 2006; Should museums be obliged to play a role on the international stage? Some argue that they are indispensable to rebuilding national identity and therefore an integral factor in peace building. Others suggest they should be making a contribution to development in third world countries. A panel debates the issues.

Arts event
‘The Keep Turning Left Route’: A discussion on human rights as explored in a new art exhibition; May 24, 2006; A discussion to complement ‘The Keep Turning Left Route’, an exhibition by artist Sarah Strang, which raises issues about civil liberties, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and social hierarchies.

The Future Cities project in association with the IoI presents
The Therapy Rooms: Housing, design and the therapeutic turn; February 27, 2007; Nowadays, buildings are credited with changing our behaviour, promoting our welfare, and addressing intractable social problems. But what are the consequences of this therapeutic justification for social provision? This debate will ask whether we have lost our ability to argue for better provision in its own terms and for its own sake. No doubt the way buildings are designed do make us feel good, but how transient is this response? In order to tick the right funding box, is it justifiable to over-claim for the immediate benefits of a project, or do we lose something in the process?

The Institute of Ideas Battle over Culture debate
Brickbats, bovver-boots and bans: how free should artistic expression be?: March 10, 2007; Art and literature can hit where it hurts. Artists can deal with the extremes of the human condition, giving us access to experiences beyond our own lives. But what happens when things turn nasty and art offends, upsets, or angers? From the fury of Sikhs at the play Bezhti in 2004, or Christians at Jerry Springer the Opera in 2005, to the protests in 2006 at the filming of Monica Ali’s Brick Lane by those who objected to her portrayal of the Bangladeshi community, it seems we live in an atmosphere of heightened sensitivity to anything that might cause offense.

Tate Britain with the Institute of Ideas
Slaves to the Past: Part of Museums and Galleries Month; May 21, 2007; Is the 200th anniversary of the abolition of the slave trade cause for celebration, or should we instead reflect on the evil of slavery itself? Should museums make restitution for collections built on slavery? Or are there problems with the current preoccupation with documenting and commemorating slavery? Does the focus on man's inhumanity to man obscure the more inspiring lessons of history?

Douglas Adams Memorial Debate
From Star Wars to the Battle of Ideas: Is science fiction good for public debate?; May 3, 2007; Does sci-fi skew our understanding of science? Do writers and directors have a responsibility to make their science accurate, or even educational? Or should we stop worrying and just enjoy it?

Debating Matters National Final
Politics after Blair: A 'Question Time' style debate; June 30, 2007; With politics reduced to a contest over managerial credentials and with few political alternatives in sight, this 'Question Time' style debate on the week of Blair's departure from 10 Downing Street will ask what lies ahead for British politics, where the new political battlelines will be drawn, and inquire whether we are witnessing the death of politics altogether.

Battle of Ideas Satellite Debate
What Good is E-Learning?: In association with london knowlege lab; October 5, 2007; Will the new media technologies to be increasingly deployed in schools really change how children learn? How can we make the most of what they can offer while keeping the best of what a teacher-led, subject-based curriculum has provided in the past?

Edinburgh International Book Festival debates
The Rise of Religion: August 21, 2007 to August 22, 2007; Two debates at the Edinburgh International Book Festival probing different aspects of the putative rise of religion

Institute of Ideas with Bishopsgate Institute
Secularism 2008 Series: February 7, 2008 to April 3, 2008; A series of three panel debates in early 2008 interrogating the state of secularism today. Taking inspiration from Bishopsgate Institute’s renowned collection on free-thought and secularism, the debates aim to continue in the long tradition of critical inquiry of religion and of its opponents.

Institute of Ideas @ Think-in-Kingston festival
You Can't Say That!: Is free speech being curtailed through fear of controversy?; April 1, 2008; The days of obscenity trials and overt political censorship may be long gone, but do we truly have freedom of expression in Britain today? From BBC Radio One's bleeping of 'slag' and 'faggot' from the Pogues' 1987 Christmas hit Fairytale of New York to the conviction of 'Lyrical Terrorist' Samina Malik for gathering jihadist literature, many people feel unable to speak freely for fear of causing controversy. Is it dangerous to place such conditions on free speech? Where should we draw the line?

IoI @ Bath Literature Festival
Who do you think you are?: February 27, 2008; Contemporary society appears more cosmopolitan than ever: throughout the West, people with different ethnic and cultural heritages increasingly live side by side. Yet today there seems less political conviction than ever that strangers with different backgrounds can find the common values and shared interests to shape and determine society. Instead we have become obsessed with our own identities, the defining question of our time being not so much ‘What are we going to do?’ as ‘Who do you think you are?’

IoI Forum
Postgraduate Forum: Series finished; Interdisciplinary forum for graduate students in the humanities and social sciences.