Is free speech being curtailed through fear of controversy?
A roundtable debate at Think-In-Kingston festival
Time: 7 – 8.30pm (followed by wine reception)
Date: April 1, 2008
Venue: Galsworthy Building, Kingston University, Penrhyn Road, Kingston upon Thames KT1 2EE
Tickets: Free, but tickets must be reserved from 020 8547 5205
The days of obscenity trials and overt political censorship may be long gone, but do we truly have freedom of expression in Britain today? From BBC Radio One’s bleeping of ‘slag’ and ‘faggot’ from the Pogues’ 1987 Christmas hit Fairytale of New York “because some members of the audience might find it offensive” to Home Secretary Jacqui Smith’s new clamp down on websites that allegedly groom susceptible people for extremism and terrorism, and from the conviction of ‘Lyrical Terrorist’ Samina Malik for gathering jihadist literature to the closing down of debate on campuses through no platform policies, many people feel unable to speak freely for fear of causing controversy.
While many are against censorship per se, what happens when ‘speech’ is seen to incite violence? Recently Brighton and Hove Council, with cross party support, became the first British city to ‘ban’ “the playing of what’s loosely termed murder music”, associated with Jamaican dance-hall reggae artists, who stand accused of inciting the murder of gays and lesbians through their homophobic lyrics. Laws against the incitement of racial and religious hatred are similarly justified as protecting people from violence.
But is it dangerous to place such conditions on free speech? As American Supreme Court Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes once remarked, ‘every idea is an incitement’. If we conclude that listeners of hateful speech are so easily incited, what does this say about our views of ordinary people’s ability to make decisions and act as autonomous citizens? Or is the demand for unlimited free speech a green light for insult, prejudice and verbal assaults on the vulnerable? Where should we draw the line?
Speakers:Peter Tatchell: Campaigner for human rights, Green Party parliamentary candidate for Oxford East and a founder and member of the queer human rights group OutRage! http://www.petertatchell.net/
Jonathan Heawood: Director, English PEN, www.englishpen.org; former editor, Fabian Review and Deputy Literary Editor of the Observer.
Maria Grasso: doctoral student in political sociology at Nuffield College, Oxford University; co-convenor, Postgraduate Forum; academic freedom campaigner
Dolan Cummings: Research and Editorial Director, IoI; editor of reviews website, Culture Wars; organiser, Thoughtcrime Is Not Crime http://www.manifestoclub.com/freespeech
Chair - Claire Fox: Director, IoI; panellist, BBC Radio 4’s Moral Maze
Read Sleepwalking into censorship? You can’t say that! by Claire Fox.
Still the opium of the masses? Religion and radicalism
We’re told that religion today is radical. Islamic extremists, evangelical fundamentalists, Catholic militants – the threat that faith poses to secular society is an aggressive, assertive and vehement one. But historically, the faithful were slated by humanists for their conservatism - where religion went wrong was its opposition to change, not its advocacy of it. So are the religious now radical – or has secular society simply taken on the conservatism of its God-fearing forebears?
Secularism 2008 is a series of three panel debates over February, March and April interrogating the state of secularism today. For more details, visit the Secularism 2008 page. Buy your tickets now from Bishopsgate Institute.
Wednesday 27 February, 7.30pm
Contemporary society appears more cosmopolitan than ever: throughout the West, people with different ethnic and cultural heritages increasingly live side by side. Yet 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. Instead we have become obsessed with our own identities, the defining question of our time being not so much ‘What are we going to do?’ as ‘Who do you think you are?’
Speakers: Julian Baggini, Claire Fox, Peter Hitchens, Peter Tatchell, Abdul-Rehman Malik; chair - Shirley Dent
For further details visit the Bath Literature Festival. Tickets can be booked by clicking here.
Education Opinion is now located at educationopinion.blogspot.com. The latest piece, by Mark Taylor, surveys Battle of Ideas 2007 debates on education.
Give the gift of intellectual stimulation this Christmas and buy Battle of Ideas 2008 tickets for your friends and family, now at a special early-bird discount price.
The Battle of Ideas 2007 generated extensive press coverage.
Print
Martyn Perks, comment on defending design for its own sake
Blueprint November 2007
Karl Sharro, comment on film and the city
Blueprint November 2007
Austin Williams, ‘Transport in India’
Blueprint November 2007
Nigel Hawks: Painkillers and a walk are best for back pain
The Times 9 November 2007
Raymond Snoddy: British television isn’t in terminal decline - get recording and see
The Independent 5 November 2007
James Delingpole: I am facing up to the fact that I may be a Marxist
The Spectator 3 November 2007
Nathalie Rothschild: The yogi and the techie
Hindustan Times 2 November 2007
Melanie Newman, ‘Right to speak is threatened’
THES, 2 November 2007
Richard Reynolds, ‘Academe is guilty of institutional cowardice’
THES, 2 November 2007
Piers Hellawell, ‘Manifest Inadequacies’
Incorporated Society of Musicians Music Journal October 2007
Cecilia Wee, ‘Would you prefer silence?’
New Notes October 2007
Battle of Ideas
BBC Focus October 2007
Adrian McNeil, Chief Executive, Human Tissue Authority, Good regulation - Research shows no gulf between science and public confidence
Letter to The Times, 31 October 2007
Leah Hardy, ‘Homework for parents’
Body&Soul, The Times, 27 October 2007
Naming the enemy
Leader, The Australian, 27 October 2007
Motoring news: The London to Brighton Run
Daily Telegraph 27 October 2007
Zo‘ Corbyn, ‘Focus on deliverables concerns scientists’
THES, 26 October 2007
Melanie Newman, ‘Free speech wins the day’
THES, 26 October 2007
Cara Bleiman, ‘Rock ‘n’ Revolt’
Cherwell 24, 26 October 2007
Claire Fox: Debate is being stifled by a new form of inquisition
The Independent 25 October 2007
Mark Henderson, ‘Constant policing of our research makes us look sinister, say scientists’
The Times 25 October 2007
Claire Fox: Let’s just have more homes
The MJ 25 October 2007
Independent education diary
Independent 25 October 2007
Austin Williams, ‘Architects cannot save the planet’
Construction News 25 October 2007
Raymond Tallis, ‘Why blame me? It was all my brain’s fault’
The Times 24 October 2007
Naresh Fernandes, ‘Growing Pains’
Time Out 24-30 October 2007
Preview, Around Town
Time Out 24-30 October 2007
Professor Patrick Basham: Who are you calling fat?
The Independent 23 October 2007
David Aaronovitch, ‘A weapons expert, a rose grower and a fantasist’
The Times 23 October 2007
Jennie Bristow, ‘Mums of the world unite’
Sunday Herald 21 October 2007
David Willetts MP, ‘We must value education for itself, not just to get a job’
The Sunday Times 21 October 2007
Andrew Price, ‘Students’ tickets to culture’
Paddington and Westminster Times 21 September 2007
Vivienne Parry, ‘Obesity: the big fat lie?’
The Times, Body&Soul 20 October 2007
Book now: the Battle of Ideas
The Week 20 October 2007
Sonya Dyer: Why are the arts so white?
Time Out London 17 October 2007
Nathalie Rothschild: Thunderer - ‘Spare us the Hollywood luvvies with a conscience’
The Times 17 October 2007
Madeleine Brindley, ‘Child obesity back lash’
Western Mail 16 October 2007
Events: Battle of Ideas festival
New Statesman 15 October 2007
Robert Bivins, Old cures for new ills + Battle of Ideas reader offer
Body&Soul, The Times 13 October 2007
Camilla Cavendish, ‘The madness of feeding this ravenous NHS’
The Times 11 October 2007
Norman Lewis explodes the myth of the digital child
Telecom Markets, 9 October 2007
Newsround: Battle of Ideas 2007
Music Journal September 2007
Autumn preview: Battle for Music
New Notes September 2007
Don’t miss the blarney barney
Daily Telegraph 8 September 2007
Coverage in The Smoke
Coverage in Lexus Magazine
Online
Geoff Kidder: Top ten British sporting losses
Times Online 24 October 2007
Raymond Tallis: My brain made me do it
Times Online 24 October 2007
Simon Myerson: The courts are not keeping pace with science
Times Online 23 October 2007
Patrick Kidd: Top 50 great British losers
Times Online 23 October 2007
Rob Lyons: Recycling is a waste of time
Times Online 23 October 2007
David Aaronovitch: Sorting waste is a pain, but I’ll do my bit
Times Online 23 October 2007
Dolan Cummings: Count me out of atheism’s creed
Times Online 22 October 2007
Ruth Gledhill: Religion’s death has been widely exaggerated
Times Online 22 October 2007
Gerard Baker: The US grass is still greener
Times Online 22 October 2007
Cheryl Hudson: Missing: one American dream
Times Online 22 October 2007
Jeffrey Rosen: Privacy is dead. Long live privacy
Times Online 22 October 2007
Holden Frith: We don’t really care about our privacy
Times Online 22 October 2007
Anjana Ahuja: Why particle physics is sexy
Times Online 22 October 2007
Mitesh Patel: The astonishing profits in particle physics
Times Online 22 October 2007
Battle Talk - spiked/18 Doughty Street
Ceri Dingle with Brendan O’Neill
Dominic Lawson with Brendan O’Neill
James Delingpole with Brendan O’Neill
Arts and elitism with Shirley Dent
Student activism with Brendan O’Neill
Barriers to science with Tony Gilland
The new heresies Mick Hume
Revolting students
Demonising Parents
MySpace Generation
Film stars: from icons to role models
London 2012
Immigration: the unheard debate
Diet Nation
Other online
Bites from the Battle of Ideas
Philosophy and life blog
Should Art Change the World?
Battle of Ideas, State of Play Magazine and A&B
Battle of Ideas London Debate
View London
GTC at the Battle of Ideas
General Teaching Council
Battle of Ideas
Moleskine Cities
Battle of Ideas 2007
Intute: Arts and Humanities
Battle of Ideas
ESRC Society Today Issue 67
Battle of Ideas 2007
Your Local Guardian
Toner Quinn: Small Country think big
November/December 2007
Shirley Dent, ‘Stop this political prancing and get to the pointe - the best dance is elite dance’
Ballet.co Magazine November 2007
Rachel Harvey, Review of the Battle of Ideas
Remotegoat.co.uk November 2007
Battle of Ideas
CutivAsian October 2007
Battle for Africa
BBC Africa and Beyond October 2007
Julia Hailes, ‘Battling for recycling’
Telegraph blog 31 October 2007
Times Online web grab - Battle of Ideas special
Times Online 26 October 2007
Martin Earnshaw, ‘Recylcling: reducing waste or waste of time?
Arts & Letters Daily 24 October 2007
Battle of Ideas
Flavorpill London 23 - 29 October 2007
Adam Sampson, ‘Overcrowded and under pressure’
Society Guardian 23 October 2007
Battle of Ideas
Shelter: Adam’s Blog 23 October
Dave Clements, ‘Let’s take the politics out of housing policy’
Society Guardian 22 October 2007
Frank Furedi, ‘Fear of the Unknown’
Guardian Comment is free 22 October 2007
Jennifer Rohn, Preview: Battle of Ideas 2007
Nature Network 17 October 2007
Privacy and new technologies survey
New Media Knowledge newsletter 17 October 2007
‘Is our response to terrorism a bigger problem than the threat itself?
Innovations Report 16 October 2007
Ian Delaney, ‘Privacy 2 Standards’
twopointouch.com 10 October 2007
‘Oliver Shaw is hoping for snow’
Le Cool magazine 10 October 2007
Suzy Dean, Compulsory Voting: the case against
OpenDemocracy 5 October 2007
Battle of Ideas preview
Dazed and Confused blog September and October 2007
Toner Quinn, ‘Music in the 2007 Battle of Ideas festival’
Journal of Music in Ireland blog 30 September 2007
Shirley Dent, ‘We need creative critics and critical creators’
Guardian arts blog 27 September 2007
Martyn Perks, ‘Don’t curb design enthusiasm’
Guardian arts blog 26 September 2007
Battle of Ideas preview
Mansized 25 September 2007
Shirley Dent, ‘The collective work of a single author’
Guardian arts blog 17 September 2007
Broadcast
‘The Truth About Obesity’
The Investigation, BBC Radio 4 22 November 2007
Patrick Basham on ‘Diet Nation’
Jeremy Vine Show, BBC Radio 2 29 October 2007
Phil Cunliffe on ethical foreign policy
Moral Maze, BBC Radio 4 31 October 2007
Viv Regan on Saving Africa: the West’s new moral mission?
Inspirit, BBC Radio London 28 October 2007
Battle of Ideas feature - post-ideology
The World this Weekend, BBC Radio 4 27 October 2007
Claire Fox: democracy and its limits
World tonight BBC Radio 4 Friday 26 October
Patrick Basham on ‘Diet Nation’
You and Yours, BBC Radio 4 23 October 2007
Interview with Frank Furedi on terrorism
Sky News bulletin 22 October 2007
Patrick Basham on ‘Diet Nation’
Channel 4 News bulletin 17 October 2007
Michael Fitzpatrick on obesity epidemic
BBC Radio Foyle 17 October 2007
Science and politics of climate change
Analysis, BBC Radio 4 forthcoming
Battle for Africa
Analysis, BBC Radio 4 forthcoming
Themed, full-colour printed collections of selected Battles in Print are now available: Music & Arts, Science & Technology, Best of the BiPs 1 and Best of the BiPs 2. The collections are £3 each, or £10 for a set of four, including postage. Call 020 7269 9220 or buy online.
The IoI conducted a survey of over 200 scientists about barriers to science in the 21st Century. 84% of scientists who expressed an opinion answered ‘yes’ when asked: ‘Does the government adopt too instrumental an approach towards scientific research in general?’.
A full report of the survey is available as a pdf. Click here to download (428kb).
The Times reported on the survey:
Constant policing of our research makes us look sinister, say scientists, Mark Henderson, Science Editor, 25 October 2007.
Adrian McNeil, Chief Executive of the Human Tissue Authority, responded in a letter to The Times:
Good regulation, Research shows no gulf between science and public confidence, Letters, 31 October 2007
Comment Central - Times Online - webgrab for today has chosen to showcase four Battles in Print:
Mark Vernon: Are friends electric? The promises and perils of online social networking
Nancy McDermott: Anti-Americanism at home and abroad
Nathalie Rothschild: Film stars: from icons to role models
Lee Jones: The Iraq war: the strip-tease of democracy
To view the index of all the Battles in Print, click here.
WE WILL STOP SELLING TICKETS ONLINE AFTER 4PM ON FRIDAY 26TH OCTOBER
There are still places available at the festival. If you would still like to attend, you can buy tickets on the door at the RCA from:
9.15am on Saturday 27th October
and from 9.30am on Sunday 28th October.
"The Battle of Ideas goes from strength to strength. The intensity, variety and depth of debate, sustained for an entire weekend, makes for a unique experience charging the intellectual batteries for the rest of the year."
Raymond Tallis, emeritus professor of geriatric medicine, Manchester University
