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Ideas Matter Podcast is home to talks from leading contemporary thinkers on the most important political and cultural issues and intellectual trends of our times. Many were recorded at or reflect the topics discussed at Ideas Matter events, including Living Freedom summer school, The Academy residential weekend and Debating Matters schools debating competition.
Episodes
Thursday May 27, 2021
Thursday May 27, 2021
Introductory podcast to the series ‘The use and abuse of history’, theme of the boi charity’s event The Academy, held online in April 2021.
Our politics is suffused with historical comparisons, and the meaning of key historical events is bitterly contested. How do we relate to history today? How can we learn from the past without reducing it to a series of moral parables? When are historical comparisons useful, and when do they obstruct understanding the present? What stands in the way of us seizing the present and making our own history?
Introduction by Dr James Panton, teacher and lecturer in politics, associate professor of philosophy, Open University; co-convenor, The Academy
THE ACADEMY ONLINE II: THE USE AND ABUSE OF HISTORY
A half day online event via zoom that took place in April 2021.
To view the full programme and some suggested background reading to the talks, please visit https://theboi.co.uk/academyonline3
ASSOCIATED READING
For this lecture you may wish to read:-
- What is History by EH Carr, https://amzn.to/3fmUoOm
THE ACADEMY
In the context of today’s instrumental approaches to knowledge, The Academy summer school is a modest attempt to demonstrate the value of scholarship, and of the worth of the university as a place of free enquiry dedicated to the pursuit of truth.
DONATING TO THE BOI CHARITY
The BOI charity is committed to continuing to host discussion and debates throughout this period when society is restricted by measures to tackle coronavirus. In order to realise events such as the Academy Online, none of our staff are furloughed and instead remain working. If you can, then please consider a donation, small or large. Visit: https://theboi.co.uk/donate
IDEAS MATTER PODCAST
Ideas Matter is a podcast that takes the most important issues of our times and explores the ideas and intellectual trends that have shaped where we are today.
You can subscribe and listen to Ideas Matter on iTunes, Podbean, Spotify or SoundCloud. For full details of all episodes, visit the podcast page on our website
Keep up-to-date with Ideas Matter and all the initiatives organised by the Battle of Ideas charity by following us on Twitter (@theboi_uk) and on Facebook (battleofideas).
Tuesday Apr 20, 2021
Tuesday Apr 20, 2021
Seventh and final podcast in the series on Race and Racism, theme of BoI charity’s event The Academy, held online in late 2020.
In this episode we feature two talks that reflect on the emergence of a new elite and the institutionalisation of identity.
Lecturers:
Inaya Folarin Iman, founder, Equiano Project and presenter, GB News
Frank Furedi, a sociologist, public intellectual and author including ‘Democracy Under Siege’ and ‘Why Borders Matter’
THE ACADEMY ONLINE II: RACE AND RACISM
The Academy II was a half day online event via zoom that took place in November 2020.
To view the full programme and some suggested background reading to the talks, please visit https://theboi.co.uk/the-academy-online-ii-race-and-racism
For this lecture you may wish to read:-
- ‘The Silent War: Imperialism and the Changing Perception of Race’ by Frank Furedi, Pluto Press, 1998 https://amzn.to/3v0REev
- ‘We need to abolish race’ by Inaya Folarin Iman; Spiked, 4 August 2020, https://bit.ly/2P4KPt3
THE ACADEMY
In the context of today’s instrumental approaches to knowledge, The Academy summer school is a modest attempt to demonstrate the value of scholarship, and of the worth of the university as a place of free enquiry dedicated to the pursuit of truth.
DONATING TO THE BOI CHARITY
The BOI charity is committed to continuing to host discussion and debates throughout this period when society is restricted by measures to tackle coronavirus. In order to realise events such as the Academy Online, none of our staff are furloughed and instead remain working. If you can, then please consider a donation, small or large. Visit: https://theboi.co.uk/donate
IDEAS MATTER PODCAST
Ideas Matter is a podcast that takes the most important issues of our times and explores the ideas and intellectual trends that have shaped where we are today.
You can subscribe and listen to Ideas Matter on iTunes, Podbean, Spotify or SoundCloud. For full details of all episodes, visit the podcast page on our website
Keep up-to-date with Ideas Matter and all the initiatives organised by the Battle of Ideas charity by following us on Twitter (@theboi_uk) and on Facebook (battleofideas).
Tuesday Feb 23, 2021
Tuesday Feb 23, 2021
Sixth podcast in the series on Race and Racism, theme of BoI charity’s event The Academy, held online in late 2020.
In this episode we feature the talk ‘The Birth of a Nation’.
‘The Birth of a Nation’, the controversial film by DW Griffith from 1915 is renowned for its racist portrayal of black people and celebration of the Klu Klux Klan. More than a century after its release it continues to excite huge controversy. But how has the interpretation and imputed meaning of the film shifted and changed over that period.
Lecturer: Kunle Olulode, director, Voice4Change England; former creative director, Rebop Productions; member, African Odyssey programming board, BFI
THE ACADEMY ONLINE II: RACE AND RACISM
The Academy II was a half day online event via zoom that took place in November 2020.
To view the full programme and some suggested background reading to the talks, please visit https://theboi.co.uk/the-academy-online-ii-race-and-racism
For this lecture on civil rights, we you may wish to read:-
- ‘No place for the real Hollywood story’ by Kunle Olulode, Index on Censorship, 12 October 2015 https://bit.ly/2NTtORG
- ‘D.W. Griffith's the Birth of a Nation: A History of the Most Controversial Motion Picture of All Time’ by Melvyn Stokes; Oxford University Press (2008) https://amzn.to/2NwFDxg
THE ACADEMY
In the context of today’s instrumental approaches to knowledge, The Academy summer school is a modest attempt to demonstrate the value of scholarship, and of the worth of the university as a place of free enquiry dedicated to the pursuit of truth.
DONATING TO THE BOI CHARITY
The BOI charity is committed to continuing to host discussion and debates throughout this period when society is restricted by measures to tackle coronavirus. In order to realise events such as the Academy Online, none of our staff are furloughed and instead remain working. If you can, then please consider a donation, small or large. Visit: https://theboi.co.uk/donate
IDEAS MATTER PODCAST
Ideas Matter is a podcast that takes the most important issues of our times and explores the ideas and intellectual trends that have shaped where we are today.
You can subscribe and listen to Ideas Matter on iTunes, Podbean, Spotify or SoundCloud. For full details of all episodes, visit the podcast page on our website
Keep up-to-date with Ideas Matter and all the initiatives organised by the Battle of Ideas charity by following us on Twitter (@theboi_uk) and on Facebook (battleofideas).
Friday Feb 12, 2021
Friday Feb 12, 2021
Fifth podcast in the series on Race and Racism, theme of BoI charity’s event The Academy, held online in late 2020.
In this episode we feature the talk: The troubled universalism of ‘The Souls of Black Folk’.
‘The Souls of Black Folk’ was published in 1903 by W.E.B. Du Bois, the American sociologist, historian, author and campaigner. Today, identity politics and campaigns such as decolonising the curriculum emphasise racial difference rather than common humanity. At a time when universalism has fallen distinctly out of fashion, what can we learn from revisiting this seminal work from Du Bois?
Lecturer: Brendan O’Neill; editor, spiked; writer for The Sun, The Spectator and The Australian; broadcast commentator, Sky News and the BBC; host, The Brendan O’Neill Show podcast.
THE ACADEMY ONLINE II: RACE AND RACISM
The Academy II was a half day online event via zoom that took place in November 2020.
To view the full programme and some suggested background reading to the talks, please visit https://theboi.co.uk/the-academy-online-ii-race-and-racism
For this lecture on civil rights, we you may wish to read:-
- ‘The Souls of Black Folk by W.E.B. Du Bois (1903). Purchase this book at http://amzn.to/3jQG15y
- ‘Black privilege:Why white liberals venerate Ta-Nehisi Coates’ by Brendan O’Neill, spiked http://bit.ly/3daTzay
THE ACADEMY
In the context of today’s instrumental approaches to knowledge, The Academy summer school is a modest attempt to demonstrate the value of scholarship, and of the worth of the university as a place of free enquiry dedicated to the pursuit of truth.
DONATING TO THE BOI CHARITY
The BOI charity is committed to continuing to host discussion and debates throughout this period when society is restricted by measures to tackle coronavirus. In order to realise events such as the Academy Online, none of our staff are furloughed and instead remain working. If you can, then please consider a donation, small or large. Visit: https://theboi.co.uk/donate
IDEAS MATTER PODCAST
Ideas Matter is a podcast that takes the most important issues of our times and explores the ideas and intellectual trends that have shaped where we are today.
You can subscribe and listen to Ideas Matter on iTunes, Podbean, Spotify or SoundCloud. For full details of all episodes, visit the podcast page on our website
Keep up-to-date with Ideas Matter and all the initiatives organised by the Battle of Ideas charity by following us on Twitter (@theboi_uk) and on Facebook (battleofideas).
Friday Feb 05, 2021
Friday Feb 05, 2021
Fourth podcast in the series on Race and Racism, theme of BoI charity’s event The Academy, held online in late 2020.
In this episode we feature the lecture ‘The use and abuse of the legacy of the Civil Rights Movement’.
The emergence of Black Lives Matter has been accompanied by renewed interest in the American civil rights movement that made such an impact in the 1960s. But what are the key attributes of that movement, and how should we assess today’s interpretation of its history and legacy?
Lecturer: Nicolas Kinloch, history teacher specialising in American history, former deputy president of the Historical Association and a Teacher Fellow of the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London.
THE ACADEMY ONLINE II: RACE AND RACISM
The Academy II was a half day online event via zoom that took place in November 2020.
To view the full programme and some suggested background reading to the talks, please visit https://theboi.co.uk/the-academy-online-ii-race-and-racism
For this lecture on civil rights, we you may wish to read:-
- ‘The Fire Next Time’ by James Baldwin (1963). Purchase this book at https://amzn.to/39PTJlA
- ‘The March on Washington: A legacy lost’ by Robert L. Woodson in The Hill http://bit.ly/39POxyg
THE ACADEMY
In the context of today’s instrumental approaches to knowledge, The Academy summer school is a modest attempt to demonstrate the value of scholarship, and of the worth of the university as a place of free enquiry dedicated to the pursuit of truth.
DONATING TO THE BOI CHARITY
The BOI charity is committed to continuing to host discussion and debates throughout this period when society is restricted by measures to tackle coronavirus. In order to realise events such as the Academy Online, none of our staff are furloughed and instead remain working. If you can, then please consider a donation, small or large. Visit: https://theboi.co.uk/donate
IDEAS MATTER PODCAST
Ideas Matter is a podcast that takes the most important issues of our times and explores the ideas and intellectual trends that have shaped where we are today.
You can subscribe and listen to Ideas Matter on iTunes, Podbean, Spotify or SoundCloud. For full details of all episodes, visit the podcast page on our website
Keep up-to-date with Ideas Matter and all the initiatives organised by the Battle of Ideas charity by following us on Twitter (@theboi_uk) and on Facebook (battleofideas).
Friday Jan 29, 2021
Friday Jan 29, 2021
Third podcast in the series on Race and Racism, theme of BoI charity’s event The Academy, held online in late 2020.
In this episode, we feature the lecture ‘Race Riots 1919 – 1992: from the First World War to Culture War’.
The summer of 2020 was marked by Black Lives Matters protests and also by an explosion of violence that spread through American cities such as Minneapolis, Atlanta and many more. This talk explores a century of race riots in America and the shifting political and cultural terrain that shaped them.
Lecturer: Dr Cheryl Hudson, lecturer in US Political History, University of Liverpool; researching histories of race, reform and political culture in the United States; co-editor, ‘Why Academic Freedom Matters’ (Civitas, 2016).
THE ACADEMY ONLINE II: RACE AND RACISM
The Academy II was a half day online event via zoom that took place in November 2020.
To view the full programme and some suggested background reading to the talks, please visit https://theboi.co.uk/the-academy-online-ii-race-and-racism
For this lecture on race riots, we you may wish to read:-
- ‘Race Riot: Chicago and the Red Summer of 1919’ by William M. Tuttle (1996). Purchase this book http://amzn.to/3rgaQmL
- ‘Separate and Unequal: The Kerner Commission and the Unravelling of American Liberalism’ by Steven M. Gillon (2018). https://amzn.to/2MCxp61
- ‘2020 is not 1968: To understand today’s protests, you must look further back’ by Thomas J. Sugrue in National Geographic http://on.natgeo.com/2MzmYQw
THE ACADEMY
In the context of today’s instrumental approaches to knowledge, The Academy summer school is a modest attempt to demonstrate the value of scholarship, and of the worth of the university as a place of free enquiry dedicated to the pursuit of truth.
DONATING TO THE BOI CHARITY
The BOI charity is committed to continuing to host discussion and debates throughout this period when society is restricted by measures to tackle coronavirus. In order to realise events such as the Academy Online, none of our staff are furloughed and instead remain working. If you can, then please consider a donation, small or large. Visit: https://theboi.co.uk/donate
IDEAS MATTER PODCAST
Ideas Matter is a podcast that takes the most important issues of our times and explores the ideas and intellectual trends that have shaped where we are today.
You can subscribe and listen to Ideas Matter on iTunes, Podbean, Spotify or SoundCloud. For full details of all episodes, visit the podcast page on our website
Keep up-to-date with Ideas Matter and all the initiatives organised by the Battle of Ideas charity by following us on Twitter (@theboi_uk) and on Facebook (battleofideas).
Friday Jan 22, 2021
Friday Jan 22, 2021
Second podcast in our series on Race and Racism, the theme of BoI charity’s event The Academy, held online in late 2020.
In this episode, we feature the lecture ‘Historical racism and the new language of racialisation’.
At a time when questions related to race have very much come to the forefront of political discussion, this talk examines what the new antiracism stands for - and argues that it represents a break from the anti-racism of the recent past, and that the time has come to instead adopt a universalist, humanist perspective.
Lecturer: Dr Alka Sehgal Cuthbert, founding signatory, Don’t Divide Us; educator, researcher and writer; author, ‘What should schools teach? Disciplines, subjects and the pursuit of truth’.
THE ACADEMY ONLINE II: RACE AND RACISM
The Academy II was a half day online event via zoom that took place in November 2020.
To view the full programme and some suggested background reading to the talks, please visit https://theboi.co.uk/the-academy-online-ii-race-and-racism
For this introductory lecture, we you may wish to read:-
• 'Nationalism' by Rabindranath Tagore (1917). Purchase this Penguin Classics book http://amzn.to/2LPfpFw
• 'Learning to Read and Write' by Frederick Douglass (1845) (pdf). https://bit.ly/39ViHin
THE ACADEMY
In the context of today’s instrumental approaches to knowledge, The Academy summer school is a modest attempt to demonstrate the value of scholarship, and of the worth of the university as a place of free enquiry dedicated to the pursuit of truth.
DONATING TO THE BOI CHARITY
The BOI charity is committed to continuing to host discussion and debates throughout this period when society is restricted by measures to tackle coronavirus. In order to realise events such as the Academy Online, none of our staff are furloughed and instead remain working. If you can, then please consider a donation, small or large. Visit: https://theboi.co.uk/donate
IDEAS MATTER PODCAST
Ideas Matter is a podcast that takes the most important issues of our times and explores the ideas and intellectual trends that have shaped where we are today.
You can subscribe and listen to Ideas Matter on iTunes, Podbean, Spotify or SoundCloud. For full details of all episodes, visit the podcast page on our website
Keep up-to-date with Ideas Matter and all the initiatives organised by the Battle of Ideas charity by following us on Twitter (@theboi_uk) and on Facebook (battleofideas).
Wednesday Jan 20, 2021
Wednesday Jan 20, 2021
This is the first podcast in our new series on Race and Racism, the theme of BoI charity’s event The Academy held online in late 2020.
In this episode, we feature Jacob Reynolds, who along with Dr James Panton, was the co-convenor of the event.
Jacob reflects briefly on the return of race to the forefront of politics, and sets the scene for the series of podcasted talks that will follow this, each of which will explore an aspect of the intellectual history and latest cultural trends that inform the new discussion on race and racism.
Jacob Reynolds is external affairs manager at the boi charity and was co-convenor of The Academy Online II. He is author of the Letters on Liberty pamphlet Beyond the Culture Wars
THE ACADEMY ONLINE II: RACE AND RACISM
The Academy II was a half day online event via zoom that took place in November 2020.
To view the full programme and some suggested background reading to the talks, please visit https://theboi.co.uk/the-academy-online-ii-race-and-racism
For this introductory lecture, we you may wish to read:-
- ‘Notes of a Native Son’ by James Baldwin (1955). Purchase this book http://amzn.to/390PkvO
- ‘Beyond the Culture Wars’ by Jacob Reynolds (2020). Purchase this pamphlet http://bit.ly/3bVnmTY
THE ACADEMY
In the context of today’s instrumental approaches to knowledge, The Academy summer school is a modest attempt to demonstrate the value of scholarship, and of the worth of the university as a place of free enquiry dedicated to the pursuit of truth.
DONATING TO THE BOI CHARITY
The BOI charity is committed to continuing to host discussion and debates throughout this period when society is restricted by measures to tackle coronavirus. In order to realise events such as the Academy Online, none of our staff are furloughed and instead remain working. If you can, then please consider a donation, small or large. Visit: theboi.co.uk/donate
IDEAS MATTER PODCAST
Ideas Matter is a podcast that takes the most important issues of our times and explores the ideas and intellectual trends that have shaped where we are today.
You can subscribe and listen to Ideas Matter on iTunes, Podbean, Spotify or SoundCloud. For full details of all episodes, visit the podcast page on our website
Keep up-to-date with Ideas Matter and all the initiatives organised by the Battle of Ideas charity by following us on Twitter (@theboi_uk) and on Facebook (battleofideas).
Friday Sep 04, 2020
Friday Sep 04, 2020
Eighth and final lecture in series Psychology and Democracy from The Academy 2020 organised by Battle of Ideas (boi) charity.
In this episode, the lecture ‘Scientism and the Manufacture of Consent: then and now’ draws together themes explored earlier in the series. It looks at how, in an age without a clear set of authoritative political ideas, an ideology - as yet without a name - has taken root. This ‘invisible’ ideology represents the coalescence of two separate strands of thinking over the past century - on the one hand an orientation towards social engineering and expert led technocracy, and on the other the emergence and eventual thriving of identity politics.
Lecturer: Professor Frank Furedi, sociologist and social commentator; author of more than 20 books, including most recently, ‘Why Borders Matter: why humanity must relearn the art of drawing boundaries’
THE ACADEMY 2020: PSYCHOLOGY AND DEMOCRACY
The Academy Online was a mixture of lectures and seminars offering an opportunity to place contemporary events in a historical and philosophical context. The full programme and some background reading can be found at theboi.co.uk/the-academy-online…logy-and-democracy
THE ACADEMY
In the context of today’s instrumental approaches to knowledge, The Academy summer school is a modest attempt to demonstrate the value of scholarship, and of the worth of the university as a place of free enquiry dedicated to the pursuit of truth.
DONATING TO THE BOI CHARITY
The BOI charity is committed to continuing to host discussion and debates throughout this period when society is restricted by measures to tackle coronavirus. In order to realise events such as the Academy Online, none of our staff are furloughed and instead remain working. If you can, then please consider a donation, small or large.
Visit: theboi.co.uk/donate
IDEAS MATTER PODCAST
Ideas Matter is a podcast that takes the most important issues of our times and explores the ideas and intellectual trends that have shaped where we are today.
You can subscribe and listen to Ideas Matter on Apple Podcasts, Podbean, Spotify or SoundCloud. For full details of all episodes, visit the podcast page on our website
Keep up-to-date with Ideas Matter and all the initiatives organised by the Battle of Ideas charity by following us on Twitter (@theboi_uk) and on Facebook (battleofideas).
Friday Aug 28, 2020
Friday Aug 28, 2020
Seventh lecture in series Psychology and Democracy from The Academy 2020 organised by Battle of Ideas (boi) charity.
Our focus in this episode is The Hidden Persuaders, the 1957 study by Vance Packard, American journalist, social critic and best-selling author. The Hidden Persuaders is Packard’s foray into the role of our unconscious desires and how psychological methods are exploited by arenas such as advertising. This talk explores Packard’s background and work, and reflects on what he pioneered and also his legacy.
Lecturer: James Woudhuysen, visiting professor of forecasting and innovation at London South Bank University, a regular broadcaster, writer and author including co-author of Energise! A future for energy innovation
THE ACADEMY 2020: PSYCHOLOGY AND DEMOCRACY
The Academy Online was a mixture of lectures and seminars offering an opportunity to place contemporary events in a historical and philosophical context. The full programme and some background reading can be found at theboi.co.uk/the-academy-online…logy-and-democracy
THE ACADEMY
In the context of today’s instrumental approaches to knowledge, The Academy summer school is a modest attempt to demonstrate the value of scholarship, and of the worth of the university as a place of free enquiry dedicated to the pursuit of truth.
DONATING TO THE BOI CHARITY
The BOI charity is committed to continuing to host discussion and debates throughout this period when society is restricted by measures to tackle coronavirus. In order to realise events such as the Academy Online, none of our staff are furloughed and instead remain working. If you can, then please consider a donation, small or large.
Visit: theboi.co.uk/donate
IDEAS MATTER PODCAST
Ideas Matter is a podcast that takes the most important issues of our times and explores the ideas and intellectual trends that have shaped where we are today.
You can subscribe and listen to Ideas Matter on Apple Podcasts, Podbean, Spotify or SoundCloud. For full details of all episodes, visit the podcast page on our website
Keep up-to-date with Ideas Matter and all the initiatives organised by the Battle of Ideas charity by following us on Twitter (@theboi_uk) and on Facebook (battleofideas).