Institute of Ideas

In a report today it was claimed that grammar schools - including faith schools - are segregating communities. Hardly a week goes by without claims that children need 'values' - and faith schools are often proposed as a solution. Aren't we losing sight of what education is really about?

Meanwhile, we also learned today that the government wants children to develop a sense of patriotism. Why all this focus on questions of identity? Shouldn't we be asking 'what do we want to do?' instead of 'who are we?'

Carry on the Battle of Ideas at two hard-hitting IoI debates this month, interrogating the issues of faith schools and identity politics.

On Thursday 7 February, the IoI & Bishopsgate Institute Secularism 2008 Series kicks off in London with 'Get out of my head! Education, indoctrination and the battle over faith schools'. Then join us at the Bath Literature Festival on Wednesday 27 February for 'Who do you think you are?'

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

The government thinks faith schools are the way forward for education, and even non-religious parents often believe their children will benefit from a religious ‘ethos’. Does education have more to offer than instilling kids with values?
Speakers: Dr Austen Ivereigh, Andrew Copson, David Perks; chair - Claire Fox

For further details visit the Secularism 2008 Series page. Buy tickets from Bishopsgate Institute (020 7392 9220 or online).

INSTITUTE OF IDEAS @ BATH LITERATURE FESTIVAL
Who do you think you are?
Wednesday 27 February, 7.30pm @ Bath Literature Festival

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.
Speakers: Julian Baggini, Claire Fox, Peter Hitchens, Peter Tatchell, Abdul-Rehman Malik; chair - Shirley Dent

For further details visit the Bath Literature Festival. Buy tickets here.

EMERGING ECONOMIES FORUM
The first forum raised the important question, among others, of what we mean by 'dynamism'. Should we compare the high growth rates of the emerging economies with the stable expansion of the more prosperous developed world? An essay by forum convenor Stuart Simpson introducing some of the issues raised at the first forum will be published on spiked shortly.

More information is available on the new Emerging Economies Forum page and see below for details of the next forum.

EDUCATION FORUM
Education Forum Podcast
The first in a series of post-forum podcasts is available on the Education Forum section of the Institute of Ideas website. Listen to Education Forum members Mark Taylor, Toby Marshall, Dennis Hayes and David Perks discussing the Children's Plan and several current news items.
Download mp3 (30:40min)

Education Opinion
In a new piece, Mark Taylor argues that the Children’s Plan is a contemporary 'Minor Carta'. Read the blog at EducationOpinion.blogspot.com.

See below for details of the next forum.

POSTGRADUATE FORUM
On Wednesday 20 February, Andrea Wang will introduce 'Constructing Global Health Governance'.
Contact postgrad@instituteofideas.com

**NEW FORUM**

EMERGING ECONOMIES FORUM
On Sunday 2 March, Michael Savage will introduce a discussion on the 'credit crunch'. Contact Stuart Simpson at emergingeconomies@instituteofideas.com

BRIGHTON SALON
On Saturday 1 March, Professor Gordon MacKerron, Professor Bob Bingham and Joe Kaplinsky will debate 'Is fusion the future of energy?' The debate is part of the Brighton Science Festival.

For more information visit the Brighton Salon website.

MANCHESTER SALON
Details of the next salon to be confirmed. Contact Hilary Salt at manchestersalon@instituteofideas.com

BELFAST SALON
Details of the next salon to be confirmed. Contact paulinehadaway@btinternet.com

Claire Fox will be speaking at the Cambridge Union on free speech and the right to be offensive on 1 February at 7pm.

Claire Fox will be chairing a debate at The Art of Giving symposium at Tate Britain on 6 February.

Claire Fox will introduce the Belarus Free Theatre production of Being Harold Pinter for English PEN at Soho Theatre on 21 February.

Claire Fox will be speaking at Cheltenham College on free speech on 22 February.

Tiffany Jenkins will be speaking on 'He most certainly is not a museum object'; The emerging cultural meanings of human remains to British museum professionals at a University of Edinburgh History of Art research seminar on 7 February.

Tiffany Jenkins will be speaking on What remains: The life and death of skulls in contemporary art at the Fruitmarket Gallery, Edinburgh on 14 February.

Shirley Dent will be chairing the debate Book Futures at the London Word Festival on 13 March.

VIDEO / AUDIO

Claire Fox will be on the Moral Maze on BBC Radio 4 on Wednesday 6, 13 and 20 February.

Claire Fox was on Women's Hour on BBC Radio 4 on 29 January discussing child protection. Listen again here (ram).

Claire Fox was on Little Atoms on Resonance 104.4 FM on 11 January. Download the show here (mp3).

IN THE PRESS

Don't censor the arts, Claire Fox, MJ, 16 January

Climate catastrophe? Cool it!, Tony Gilland, spiked, 11 January

There's no easy way to write about the Holocaust, Shirley Dent, Guardian books blog, 10 December. The blog provoked a response in the Jewish Chronicle.
Shirley's Guardian blogs are archived here.

Who gives a cluck about a broiler chicken?, Justine Brian, spiked, 8 January

Human remains: Dissection and its histories, Tiffany Jenkins, Mortality, (13), 1

Highlights on Culture Wars this month:
Book reviews on dandies, genetic augmentation and a teacher's life, and London theatre including the Neil LaBute double bill at the Bush.
Coming soon: more film, art, and books anticipating the Battle of Ideas 2008.

The Debating Matters team were delighted to welcome in the New Year with some great news. The team have just heard that the Wellcome Trust Funding Committee has agreed to fund the competition for an additional three years. The decision is a strong endorsement of the competition’s achievements to date and we are delighted to be in a good position to further develop the competition over the next few years.

One aspect of Debating Matters’ development will involve taking the competition to new parts of the UK previously unable to participate. Anticipating their involvement as an exclusive region in the 2008/09 competition, 12 Northern Irish Schools will be taking part in a two day showcase event hosted in partnership with the University of Ulster’s Science in Society programme on 4 and 5 February. The event promises to be an exciting one and we are delighted that so many high profile judges will be joining us over our two day visit. BBC Northern Ireland’s political editor, Mark Devenport; writer, director and actor, Tim Loane and political historian, Dr Paul Arthur have all agreed to be amongst the judging panel at Ulster University’s Jordanstown and Coleraine campuses. The Debating Matters team would like to wish all competing teams the very best of luck over the two days.

Following the team's sojourn in Northern Ireland, preparation for the 2008 Regional Finals will also be well under way. We have a number of new debate topics for the Regionals, including the first sports-related Debating Matters motion, 'Premiership footballers deserve all the rewards they get', a debate on drug trials 'Excessive bureaucracy and caution are keeping drugs from patients who need them', and on the BBC 'The BBC should not be publicly funded'. All details of Regional Final debate motions can be found on our website. Thanks to the ESRC, MRC, NERC, Canterbury Christ Church University, Newcastle University, the Museum of Science and Industry and the Design Museum for their support of this year's Regional Finals.

The next few months will also see the introduction of 'friendly fixtures' to the Debating Matters calendar, a further opportunity for schools to try out the Debating Matters formula in a more informal setting. If you would like to find out more about the friendly fixtures, as a school or potential judge, please email Tony Gilland or phone 020 7269 9231.

Debating Matters now has its own facebook group. Debating Matters intern and former debater Rebecca Sayers has introduced the competition to the benefits of social networking by getting in contact with Debating Matters alumni who are keen to be involved in helping to develop the competition. We are delighted by how much interest there has been from former participants, and would like to thank Rebecca for all her hard work in this area. If you are a Debating Matters alumnus and interested in getting involved, join our facebook group, 'Debating Matters'.

If you would like to attend any of the Regional Finals, or find out more about the competition, please email Justine Brian or phone 020 7269 9233.

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