Battle of Ideas 2013
19 & 20 October |
London
Two days of high-level, thought-provoking, public debate organised by the Academy of Ideas at the Barbican.
80 sessions, 350 speakers, 2000+ attendees
News

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Battle of Ideas at Foyles Charing Cross

Student and pupil ticket deals

Read why the Battle of Ideas 2013 essay

Battle of Ideas 2013 at The Barbican

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Speakers include
Anne Atkins, novelist, columnist and broadcaster; prize-winning journalist; regular contributor, BBC Radio 4's Thought for the Day

Tom Watt, writer, actor and broadcaster

Rebecca Jenkins, cultural historian and novelist; Royal Literary Fund Fellow; former writing partner of Bishop of Durham, David Jenkins

Stella Duffy, writer and theatre-maker; award-winning author of short stories, plays and novels

Simon Baron-Cohen, director, Autism Research Centre, University of Cambridge; author, Zero Degrees of Empathy

Frank Furedi, sociologist and social commentator; author, What's Happened to the University?, Power of Reading: from Socrates to Twitter, On Tolerance and Authority: a sociological history

Danny Dorling, The Halford Mackinder Professor of Geography, University of Oxford

Lesley Riddoch, journalist & broadcaster ; founder and director, Nordic Horizons; author, Blossom: what Scotland needs to flourish

Raymond Tallis, fellow, Academy of Medical Sciences; author, philosopher, critic and poet; recent books include NHS SOS and Aping Mankind; chair, Healthcare Professionals for Assisted Dying

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Readings

Sun, sea and working-class hedonism, Neil Davenport

Democracy Has Bad Taste, Grayson Perry

For the Public Benefit: Why Everyone Should Back the Royal Charter on Press Self-Regulation, Brian Cathcart

Chinese Whispers: Why Everything You've Heard About China is Wrong, Ben Chu

As Obama's Asia 'pivot' falters, China steps into the gap, Stuart Grudgings

Dazed and Confucius: Nine common myths about China, Ben Chu

Naturalising Newham - radical plan to boost integration, Catrin Nye

Neuro-backlash? What backlash?, Sally Satel and Scott O. Lilienfeld

Post World's End Architecture: Portugal, Gonzalo Herrero Delicado and Vera Sacchetti

War on Terror or a Search for Meaning?, Dr. Bill Durodié

Architects who improvise and innovate, Edwin Heathcote

Rebels without a cause, Economist Intelligence Unit

Domestic violence is falling. Why aren't people celebrating?, James Heartfield

Why China will not buy the world, Martin Wolf

Threats to peace are lurking in the East China Sea, Kurt Campbell

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The Battle of Ideas is produced by the
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“The Battle of Ideas gives a forum for the most topical of debates and the healthy exchange of ideas - in our session what interested most was the contributions from the floor, also just the sheer buzz of the crowds in the foyers.”
Jeremy Musson, writer and historic buildings consultant; former architectural editor, Country Life

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