Institute of Ideas

Happy New Year to everyone. The Institute of Ideas' resolution for 2008 is, as always, to keep challenging contemporary orthodoxies through provocative public debates. Help us continue our work in the New Year by joining the IoI.

And what better way to follow through with our resolution than a series of three salon debates starting in February investigating the state of secularism today. The past year has seen the publication of numerous high-profile books attacking religion. Is this the right response to a supposed resurgence in faith? What does it mean to live in a secular society today?

Join us at Bishopsgate Institute for the Secularism 2008 Series, looking at the controversy over faith schools, asking whether religion has become 'radical', and wondering if being an 'atheist' really means anything. Buy your tickets now.

SECULARISM 2008 SERIES
Get out of my head! Education, indoctrination and the battle over faith schools
Thursday 7 February, 7pm @ Bishopsgate Institute, London EC2M 4QH
In association with Bishopsgate Institute, a series of three salon debates beginning in February will examine the state of secularism today.

For speakers and information on all three debates, visit instituteofideas.com/events/secularism2008.html.

Buy your tickets from Bishopsgate Institute by calling 020 7392 9220 or visit their website.

EMERGING ECONOMIES FORUM
Sunday 27 January
To prepare for future Battle of Ideas debates on similar issues, the Emerging Economies Forum has been established, with the first discussion taking place on Sunday 27 January, looking at the projected economic rise of the largest emerging economies and the impact they are having on the international world order.

The forum will meet monthly until the Battle of Ideas 2008. If you are interested in attending, contact Stuart Simpson at emergingeconomies@instituteofideas.com.

BELFAST SALON
Tuesday 22 January
The recently launched Belfast Salon will discuss why, at a time when multiculturalism and respect for diversity is increasingly the norm, fears of open borders persist. Contact paulinehadaway@btinternet.com.

BRIGHTON SALON
Wednesday 23 January
Phillipe Legrain will present his new book Immigrants: Your Country Needs Them. For more information visit the Brighton Salon website.

MANCHESTER SALON
Tuesday 29 January
Stephen Bowler will introduce a discussion on Cormac McCarthy's The Road. Contact Hilary Salt at manchestersalon@instituteofideas.com.

POSTGRADUATE FORUM
Details of the next forum to be announced. Contact postgrad@instituteofideas.com

Claire Fox will give a speech on 'Has child protection gone too far? How Government fosters a climate of fear and mistrust' at the Centre for Criminal Justice Studies (CCJS) public seminar series in the School of Law, University of Leeds, Tuesday 29 January. For more information, email Dr Phil Hadfield or phone 0113 343 5015.

Claire Fox will speak at a PrimeTimers colloquium, 'Can charities be leading organisations?' at 1 London Bridge, Monday 14 January

Tony Gilland will speak opposing the motion 'This house would sacrifice economic growth the save the planet' at Durham Union Society, Friday 18 January.

Tony Gilland will speak at the launch of the Heretic Club in Cambridge on 'Make do and mend? Has environmentalism become an unquestioned, righteous crusade against materialism?', Wednesday 16 January.

Tiffany Jenkins will present the paper 'Exploring the question of agency through the discourse of respect: How museum professionals relate to human remains' at the University of Edinburgh research group 'What Lies Beneath: Exploring the affective presence & emotive materiality of human bones', 25 January.

VIDEO / AUDIO

Battle of Ideas on FORA.tv

Claire Fox will be on the new series of the Moral Maze on BBC Radio 4 on Wednesday 16 and 23 January.

Claire Fox will be on Little Atoms on Resonance 104.4 FM on 11 January.

Tiffany Jenkins was on the Philosopher's Zone on ABC Radio National, Australia discussing whether museums are still places of exploration, discovery and philosophical reflection. Read a transcript here.

Watch Battle of Ideas debates on FORA.tv. All Institute of Ideas/Battle of Ideas content on FORA.tv is archived at fora.tv/partner/institute_of_ideas

View Battle of Ideas: Rethinking Terrorism on FORA.tv

View Battle of Ideas: The New Heresies on FORA.tv

View Battle of Ideas: Privacy is Dead. Long Live Privacy? on FORA.tv

IN THE PRESS

Religion and free speech, Claire Fox, Time Out, 11 December

An unhealthy serving of happiness, Claire Fox, MJ, 5 December

Don't ban the lyricist, Shirley Dent, The Times, 6 December
Reaction and responses in the Spectator (Melanie Phillips, 6 Dec); Guardian Comment is Free (Inayat Bunglawala, 6 Dec); The Times (Letters, 8 Dec); and the New York Sun (Zoe Strimpel, 10 Dec)

BBC, pogue mahone, Shirley Dent, spiked, 20 December

Don't exclude children from poetry, Shirley Dent, Guardian books blog, 11 December
Shirley's Guardian blogs are archived here

Return of the Skeptical Environmentalist, Tony Gilland, spiked review of books, Issue no. 8, December

Defending the Terror, Dolan Cummings, spiked, 14 December

Happy New Year from all the team at Debating Matters. We would like to congratulate all the teams that have made it through to this year’s Regional Finals and look forward to seeing you all at the next stage of the competition.

Starting up on our plans for expansion, Debating Matters have a busy year ahead. As well as a trip to Northern Ireland in February and the launch of Debating Matters friendly rounds, we also now have all of the dates and venues for each of the 2008 Regional Finals confirmed, further details of which are listed below. The team are pleased to be returning to the Museum of Science and Industry, Canterbury Christ Church University, the University of Newcastle, Magdalene College University of Cambridge and the University of Bristol and are looking forward to hosting Regional Finals at the Design Museum, the Science Museum in Glasgow and the University of Birmingham. Schools that would like to take part in Debating Matters friendly rounds should email Tony Gilland or phone 020 7269 9231. If you would like to attend any of the Regional Final dates as an audience member then please email Justine Brian or phone 020 7269 9233.

Regional Final dates
Tuesday 4 March: London & South @ Design Museum, London

Monday 10 March: North West & North Wales @ Museum of Science & Industry, Manchester

Friday 14 March: Scotland @ Glasgow Science Centre

Wednesday 9 April: East @ Magdalene College, Cambridge

Thursday 17 April: Central @ University of Birmingham

Monday 21 April: South East @ Canterbury Christ Church University

Wednesday 23 April: West & South Wales @ University of Bristol

Monday 28 April: North East @ Newcastle University

There will be a number of new debate motions at the Regional Finals this year and we look forward to seeing debaters take on new and important issues in the coming months. Topic guides will be available to schools at least one month before the first Regional Final to allow plenty of time to prepare.

The Debating Matters team would like to thank all of the judges, teachers, alumni, students and of course sponsors who helped to make 2007 such a great year for the competition. We hope 2008 will be even better!

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Institute of Ideas
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