Academy of Ideas

#BattleFest2017: The corruption of political language

Recording of a debate at the Battle of Ideas festival at The Barbican on Sunday 29 October 2017.
George Orwell claimed that ‘political language... is designed to make lies sound truthful and murder respectable’. Today, many claim that the increasing corruption of language has become detrimental to our democracy. Political labels, such as fascism and populism, right-wing and left-wing, are used promiscuously, often as insults against opponents. The rise of identity politics has given us new words, such as ‘ze’ and ‘cis’. Do such novel terms encourage discussion or help to shut it down? Should we go back to basics, and pin down what we mean by such contested terms as liberalism and nationalism, even democracy?
SPEAKERS
BRENDAN O’NEILLeditor, spiked
RACHEL HALLIBURTONjournalist and novelist
NICK HILTONbroadcast editor, Spectator
DR PAUL A TAYLORsenior lecturer in communications andcultural theory, University of Leeds

#BattleFest2017: Diversity - does it matter?

Diversity is widely celebrated in contemporary society. Big employers have adopted elaborate strategies to recruit more diverse workforces. On the world stage, diversity is posited as a progressive antidote to ‘backward forces’ clinging to outdated national cultures. But has diversity become an illiberal orthodoxy? When Google engineer James Damore notoriously inquired whether diversity was an incontestable virtue, he lost his job. Do diversity policies invite a permanent war of cultures, resulting in a society increasingly segmented along the lines of identity? Can we achieve fair treatment and equal access to jobs without creating discriminatory and divisive hiring practices?
SPEAKERS
JOSIE APPLETONdirector, civil liberties group, Manifesto Club; author, Officious: rise of the busybody state; blogs at notesonfreedom.com
AMALI DE ALWISCEO, Code First: Girls; chair, BIMA Diversity panel; fellow, RSA
DREDA SAY MITCHELLauthor, journalist, broadcaster and campaigner; winner, CWA’s John Creasey Dagger for debut novel, Running Hot; latestnovel, Blood Daughter
CATHY YOUNGUS journalist and commentator; weekly columnist, Newsday; author, Ceasefire!

#PodcastOfIdeas: Presidents’ Club dinner, Brexit and the ’war on plastic’

Alastair Donald, Claire Fox and Rob Lyons discuss the fallout from the Presidents' Club dinner, the stasis within the Conservative government and the prospects for Brexit, and the misguided 'war on plastic'.
(Apologies for some noise in parts of this recording.)

#BattleFest2017: Do you trust the media?

Who can journalists trust out of the overwhelming selection of competing interests to act as reliable sources? Can anyone play the role of the ‘honest broker’? How can the public untangle dubious, pseudo-scientific advice and dodgy stats from facts and truth? How can we know whether journalism, particularly reporting on complex issues or assessing notoriously difficult ideas such as risk, is accurate? Should we accept that it is our responsibility as citizens to check the facts for ourselves or should we demand that the media improve its handling of statistics and data?
SPEAKERS
Dr Graeme Archerwriter & professional statistician; winner, 2011 Orwell Prize for blogging
Vance Crowedirector of Millennial Engagement, Monsanto Company
Alan Millerchairman, Night Time Industries Association (NTIA); leading campaigner, #SaveNightlife
Fay Schlesingerhead of News, The Times
Ceri Thomasex-editor, BBC Radio 4’s Today Programme & BBC’s Panorama; director, public affairs, Oxford University

#BattleFest2017: Millennials - youthquake or snowflakes?

Listen to the debate at the Battle of Ideas 2017 at the Barbican in London.
Whereas earlier generations of young people provoked outrage among their elders, millennials – those born in the late 1990s and early 2000s – seem to attract merely condescension and concern. Today’s youth have been labelled ‘Generation Snowflake’ for their declarations of emotional vulnerability and demands for protection and support.
Instead of revolting, today’s students seem to be preoccupied with difficulties in negotiating personal relationships, demanding formal instruction and regulation of issues of consent and protection of apparently fragile identities against hostile criticism. Yet, for those coming of age in an era of austerity and debt, Brexit and Trump, anxiety and apprehension may be appropriate responses. And, in their embrace of issues of social justice, and support for the kinder, gentler form of politics espoused by Jeremy Corbyn and Bernie Sanders, perhaps the millennials are pointing the way towards real change in society.
Are the adults of tomorrow over-anxious snowflakes masquerading as a youthquake? Or is their pursuit of a different sort of politics – putting emotion and morality before ideology and policy – exactly the kind of shake up Western politics has been waiting for?
SPEAKERS
Bradley Allsoppostgraduate officer, University of Lincoln Students' Union; co-editor, Bright Green
Jennie Bristowsenior lecturer in sociology, Canterbury Christ Church University; author, The Sociology of Generations: New directions and challenges and Baby Boomers and Generational Conflict
Dr Eliza Filbyhistorian, King's College London; founder, GradTrain

#BattleFest2017: Can biotech lead an economic revolution?

Recording of the debate at the Battle of Ideas 2017 at The Barbican in London, in partnership with Immunocore.
The new Life Sciences Industrial Strategy claims that ‘in a country where productivity is a major challenge, public sector life sciences discovery activity… is dramatically more productive compared to other countries such as the USA or Germany’. What role will biotechnology play in the industries of tomorrow? Will it predominate as a durable, sizeable and job-creating sector, helping to turn around the UK’s flagging productivity, or does its value rest more in its place at the vanguard?
SPEAKERS
Dr Eliot ForsterCEO, Immunocore; chairman, MedCity
Professor Robin Lovell-Badgegroup leader in stem cell biology and developmental genetics, Francis Crick Institute
Bethan Wolfendenco-founder, Bento Bio

#BattleFest2017: Is globalisation over? The future of world trade

Recording of the debate at the Battle of Ideas 2017.
Globalisation is the process by which national and regional economies, societies and cultures have become more integrated through global networks of trade, foreign direct investment, transport, telecommunications and immigration. Many argue that globalisation has been an enormous boon to worldwide living standards. However, serious debate has now broken out about whether globalisation is finally grinding to a halt. 
What is globalisation, and is it really coming to an end? If its advocates are right to say that it has brought prosperity worldwide, why are so many people against it? Is it possible to have a ‘progressive’ globalisation, shorn of its free-market excesses?
SPEAKERS
Dr Gerard Lyonseconomist; co-author, Clean Brexit
Professor Michael Mainelliexecutive chairman, Z/Yen Group; alderman, City of London; author, The Price of Fish: a new approach to wicked economics and better decisions
Vicky Pryceboard member, Centre for Economics and Business Research; economic advisor, British Chamber of Commerce
Allen Simpsonchief operating officer, Labour in the City; economic and financial policy specialist
James Woudhuysenvisiting professor, London South Bank University; co-author, Energise! A future for energy innovation; author, Why is construction so backward?
 

#BattleFest2017: In the wake of Weinstein - #MeToo, calling out and sexual harassment

Recording of the Battle of Ideas Stockholm 2017 debate at Kulturhuset Stadsteatern.
(Please note, there is a very short introduction to the recording in Swedish, but the debate is in English.)
Is #MeToo a valuable way for the everywoman to show solidarity with victims and raise awareness of the broader problems of sexual harassment everywhere? Or does it stir up the gender wars, exaggerating the idea that most men are sexual predators and most women their victims? What does #MeToo reveal about deeper cultural trends?
SPEAKERS
Dr Jan Macvarishvisiting research fellow, Centre for Parenting Culture Studies, University of Kent
Marte Micheletjournalist and author
Jonathan Rollinsstand-up comedian
Cissi Wallintelevision and radio personality