Welcome to the Institute of Ideas October newsletter.
You can browse the archive of IoI newsletters here.
Contents:
BATTLE OF IDEAS 2006
DEBATING MATTERS
IoI FORUMS
MEDIA
PUBLIC APPEARANCES
JOIN THE INSTITUTE OF IDEAS
OTHER EVENTS
BATTLE OF IDEAS
The second Battle of Ideas festival in London on 28-29 October was a great success, involving participants from a wide range of fields and disciplines. Close to 1000 people took part in 50 separate events over the course of the weekend, creating a real buzz and ensuring that the second Battle of Ideas was even better than the first. The festival’s partners and sponsors were headlined by Pfizer, The Times and Research Councils UK, and of course the Royal College of Art, which once again proved to be an ideal venue. The Institute of Ideas will continue in the spirit of the festival, through its various forums (see below), the Debating Matters Competition and other projects in the lead up to the Battle of Ideas 2007.
Details of the extensive media coverage of the festival will appear on the website soon. http://www.battleofideas.org.uk
A video of the ‘citizen’s journalism’ debate is now available on the internet TV channel 18 Doughty Street.
Last year's BoI inspired two publications, which were launched at this year’s festival:
DEBATING HUMANISM is a collection of essays by speakers at the Battle of Ideas 2005, published by Imprint Academic. The purpose of the book is to explore what humanism means in the 21st century, and whether there can be more to humanism than is suggested by sterile debates about religion versus secularism. As editor Dolan Cummings argues in the book’s introduction: ‘Humanism ought to mean first of all celebrating the fantastic achievements of humanity, being ‘pro-human’ rather than ‘anti-God’.’
Contributors include leading humanist thinkers Simon Blackburn and AC Grayling, journalists Kenan Malik and Dylan Evans, academics Daphne Patai and Frank Furedi, and others. Topics discussed include religious and secular ‘fundamentalisms’, faith schools, identity politics, and the legacy and future of humanism. For further details or to order a copy, see:
http://www.instituteofideas.com/humanism2006.html
WHAT IS SCIENCE EDUCATION FOR?
Following the Battle of Ideas 2005 the Institute of Ideas embarked on a project with Pfizer to examine and generate debate about problems with school science education in the UK.
This work has lead to the Institute of Ideas publishing a compilation of essays on the issues – ‘What is science education for?’, which includes a provocative and extensive analysis of problems with school science education in the UK written by David Perks, head of physics at Graveney School in London, and responses from Sir Richard Sykes, Baroness Mary Warnock, Simon Singh, Professor Michael Reiss and others. The issues were also debated by a number of the contributors to the book at this year’s Battle of Ideas.
The media launch of the publication attracted extensive media coverage – originally on the BBC Radio 4 ‘Today’ programme and the front page of The Times, followed by an array of articles and opinion pieces in the national press, as well as radio and television coverage.
You can find out more, read press coverage and order copies of the book on the IoI website:
http://www.instituteofideas.com/scied2006.html
If you are interested in getting involved in this issue, please contact Tony Gilland on 020 7269 9231 or email tonygilland@instituteofideas.com
ACADEMICS FOR ACADEMIC FREEDOM (AFAF)
The Battle of Ideas 2006 also saw the launch of AFAF's statement of academic freedom. If you are an academic, researcher, or research student you can find the statement and sign up in support of it on-line.
http://www.afaf.org.uk/
DEBATING MATTERS 2006/07
The Institute of Ideas & Pfizer Debating Matters Competition 2006/07 is now well under way. Having completed 7 of the 32 rounds the team has been extremely impressed by the standard of debate so early on in the competition and by the input of all the judges who have taken part.
Following the success of the competition at the Cheltenham Literature Festival, Debating Matters and our regional sponsors the East of England Stem Cell Network and the Medical Research council are delighted to have been invited to another excellent venue. The John Innes Centre, the international scientific research centre in Norwich, will now be hosting the Norwich qualifying round of the competition on 27 November. We are also very pleased to be returning to the Science Learning centre North East for our Durham qualifying round.
The Daily Telegraph recently announced the winners of its young science writers awards, and a Debating Matters alumnus from Graveney school in South London, Maya Kessler, was a runner up in the competition. We would like to offer Maya many congratulations for a great achievement.
Whilst spaces are filling up there are still a number of judging slots to fill over the coming months. If you are interested in taking part please contact Helen Birtwistle on 020 7269 9232 or email helenbirtwistle@instituteofideas.com
IoI FORUMS
SCIENCE AND HEALTH FORUM
The next meeting at 7pm on Wednesday 8 November will discuss 'The battle for science education', with an introduction by David Perks, author of ‘What Is Science Education For?' For further details or to reserve a place contact the convenor, Brid Hehir: shf@instituteofideas.com
INDEPENDENT PARENTS FORUM
The first gathering of the new forum will be in central London at 7pm on Thursday 9 November. The discussion will be around the themes of Sue Palmer's book ‘Toxic Childhood’.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/0752873598/instituteofid-21
The convenor is Jane Sandeman. For more information and/or if you are interested in attending please email Jane at parents@instituteofideas.com
JOINT EDUCATION FORUM AND CULTURE WARS FORUM
7pm, Monday 13 November
‘Then felt I like some watcher of the skies…’ – Teaching poetry today
Have we lost faith in teaching poetry for poetry’s sake, and if so what effect will this have on students’ appreciation of poetry? Ruth Padel, poet and critic, and author of ‘52 Ways of Looking at a Poem’ and ‘The Poem and the Journey’ will be in conversation with English teacher Michele Ledda. Contact Shirley Dent:
shirleydent@instituteofideas.com.
EDUCATION FORUM
At the next meeting, at 7pm on Monday 27 November, teachers Richard Stubbs (Thomas Tallis School, South East London) and Richard Swan (Harvey Grammar School, Folkestone, Kent), whose schools are stalwarts of the Debating Matters Competition, will debate ‘Selection in State Schools’. Contact Dennis Hayes
POSTGRADUATE FORUM
The first in a new series of seminars will be on Wednesday 22 November, 7-9pm at the LSE. After an introduction to the aims of the forum, George Hoare (Nuffield College, University of Oxford) will present a paper on Consumption Choices and the Demands of Justice.
If you are a postgraduate student and would like to join the forum, or would like further information, please contact James Gledhill (LSE) and Maria Grasso (University of Oxford) at postgrad@instituteofideas.com.
BOOK CLUB
On Monday 20 November, Dr Peter Martin will introduce ‘Everyman’s Rules for Scientific Living’ by Carrie Tiffany.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/0330437771/instituteofid-21
The IoI Book Club is open to IoI associates. If you do not regularly attend the Book Club and would like to come along please contact Geoff Kidder:
geoffkidder@instituteofideas.com.
MEDIA
For up-to-date details of Battle of Ideas coverage, see the website:
http://www.battleofideas.com
Claire Fox will be on BBC Radio 4’s Moral Maze at 8pm on Wednesday, 8, 15 and 29 November.
‘Claire Fox News’ will be on the internet TV channel 18 Doughty Street at 10pm on Monday 13 and 27 November.
http://www.18doughtystreet.com/blog/?p=145
Claire Fox was on BBC Breakfast News talking about the Manifesto Club’s campaign against the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Bill.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/breakfast/6063718.stm
http://www.manifestoclub.com
‘‘Free speech’ is more than a slogan’, by Dolan Cummings, spiked, 18 October 2006
http://www.spiked-online.com/index.php?/site/article/1906/
‘Keep museums out of politics’, by Tiffany Jenkins, Spectator, 21 October 2006
http://www.spectator.co.uk/archive/arts/25895/keep-out-of-politics.thtml
‘Trivia pursuit hinders quest for real knowledge’, by Tiffany Jenkins, Scotsman, 21 October 2006
http://thescotsman.scotsman.com/opinion.cfm?id=1558192006
‘Concern for children has turned into paranoia’, by Tiffany Jenkins, Scotsman, 25 September 2006
http://thescotsman.scotsman.com/opinion.cfm?id=1412862006
PUBLIC APPEARANCES
Tuesday 21 November
Claire Fox will be chairing a special Battle of Ideas Question Time at the University College School literary festival. Panellists include Raj Persaud, Peter Hitchens, Munira Mirza, Eliot Forster and Simon Davies.
http://ucs.squareeye.com/
Tiffany Jenkins will be chairing a British Academy conversation evening between ‘Repatriation, Restitution, and Reparations’, with David Lowenthal FBA, University College London, Norman Palmer, University College London and John Torpey, City University of New York Graduate Centre. 6 – 7.30pm, Friday 8 December 2006.
http://www.britac.ac.uk/events/2006/rrr/index.html
JOIN THE INSTITUTE OF IDEAS
Join the IoI as an associate to show your support for our efforts to create a public space where ideas can be contested without restraint. We need your support to continue expanding our work. IoI associates also get substantial discounts on tickets for the Battle of Ideas and other events. To join or for further information email geoff.kidder@instituteofideas.com
OTHER EVENTS
THE MOSAIC OF MULTICULTURALISM: PIECES FALLING?
Goodenough College, London
Friday 17 – Saturday 18 November 2006
Entrance free of charge
http://www.goodenough.ac.uk/conferences.html
RCA SECRET
The world's best kept art secret is back! Each year, the RCA asks hundreds of artists - both famous, established and up-and-coming, to create postcard-sized works of art. All donated works are exhibited at the RCA from 17 to 24 November. The two following days, 25 and 26 November are allocated sale days, where the public can buy up to four cards at a bargain price of £35 each. Each postcard remains anonymous to the public until they are bought and the artist's signature is revealed on the back of the card. Previous artists who have contributed to the event include Damien Hirst, David Hockney, Tracey Emin, Peter Blake, Julian Opie and Bill Viola.
Exhibition: 17-23 November, 10am to 6pm daily,
24 November, 10am to 8pm
Sale days: 25 November, 8am to 8pm & 26 November, 10am to 4pm
http://www.rca.ac.uk/pages/news/rca_secret__3485.html