List of speakers
Battle of Ideas 2015 is our biggest ever, with over 450 speakers confirmed to date.
A
- David Aaronovitch
columnist, The Times; author, Voodoo Histories; chair, Index on Censorship - Tim Abrahams
co-publisher, Machine Books - Gilbert Achcar
professor of development studies and international relations; chair of Centre for Palestine Studies, SOAS, University of London - Abhay Adhikari
innovation consultant and strategist; founder, Digital Identity - Sam Adlen
head of business innovation, Satellite Applications Catapult - Andrew Adonis
Labour peer; author, 5 Days in May: The Coalition and Beyond - Nicole Agba
Autocar Next Generation Award 2014 Winner - Jobeda Ali
CEO, Three Sisters Care - Shahrar Ali
deputy leader, Green Party - Stuart Allan
professor of journalism and communication, Cardiff University; co-author, Digital War Reporting - Duleep Allirajah
sports columnist, spiked; Crystal Palace fan - Merris Amos
reader in human rights law, Queen Mary University of London - Anthony Anaxagorou
poet, writer, performer and educator - Dr Frankie Anderson
psychiatry trainee; co-founder, Sheffield Salon - Bea Appleby
editor, The Female Lead - Josie Appleton
director, civil liberties group, Manifesto Club; author, Officious: Rise of the Busybody State - Alexandra Archetti Stølen
festival director, Oslo World Music Festival; president, European Forum of Worldwide Music Festivals - Dr Eugenia Arsenis
director; dramaturg, Center for Contemporary Opera, New York
B
- Dr Julian Baggini
founding editor, the Philosophers' Magazine; author, Freedom Regained: the possibility of free will and The Edge of Reason: A Rational Skeptic in an Irrational World - Tom Bailey
journalist; contributor, World Finance, European CEO, and The New Economy. - P Balaji
director - regulatory, external affairs and CSR, Vodafone India - Ros Ball
journalist; author, The Gender Police: a diary - Emily Barley
chairman, Conservatives for Liberty - Dr Graham Barnfield
senior lecturer in journalism, University of East London - Jenny Barrett
reader in film studies and popular culture, Edge Hill University - Leela Barrock
group head, group communications & corporate affairs, Malaysia-based multinational, Sime Darby Berhad - James Bartholomew
writer and journalist; author, The Welfare of Nations - Kalsoom Bashir
co-director, Inspire, an NGO working to counter extremism and gender inequality - Dr Tinneke Beeckman
independent philosopher; writer; columnist, De Standaard - Sean Bell
secretary and founder member, The Brighton Salon; copy-editor, writer and journalist - Simon Belt
IT consultant; coordinator, Manchester Salon - Dr Agiatis Benardou
senior research associate, ATHENA Research Centre - Dr Piers Benn
philosopher; author, Commitment and Ethics; visiting lecturer in ethics, Heythrop College, London and Fordham University, New York - Robert Bevan
writer; heritage consultant; architecture critic for the London Evening Standard; author, The Destruction of Memory: architecture at war - Paul Bew
crossbench peer; professor of politics, Queen's University Belfast; formerly, historical adviser to Northern Ireland’s Bloody Sunday Tribunals - Julie Bindel
journalist, author, broadcaster and feminist activist; research fellow, Lincoln University - Mark Birbeck
internet software and big data consultant - Jonathan Birdwell
head of policy and research, Institute for Strategic Dialogue - Helen Birtwistle
history and politics teacher, South London school - Bill Biss
editor, STAND Fanzine - Dr Tim Black
editor, Spiked Review - John David Blake
history practitioner, Harris Federation - Cara Bleiman
teacher, Arnhem Wharf Primary School - Daisy Blench
policy manager - alcohol policy and responsibility, British Beer & Pub Association - Linda Blum
associate professor of sociology, Northeastern University, Boston - Laura Blumenthal
Conservative Party Councillor, Wokingham Borough Council - Allum Bokhari
columnist, Breitbart - Sylvia Borren
executive director, Greenpeace Netherlands - Sumantra Bose
professor of international and comparative politics, London School of Economics - Professor Mike Boulton
professor of psychology, University of Chester; researcher, bully-victim relationships and psychological well-being - David Bowden
associate fellow, Academy of Ideas; culture writer - Shaun Breslin
professor of international politics, University of Warwick; associate fellow, Chatham House Asia Programme, Royal Institute of International Affairs - Justine Brian
director, Debating Matters Competition - Jennie Bristow
senior lecturer in sociology, Canterbury Christ Church University; author, The Sociology of Generations: New directions and challenges and Baby Boomers and Generational Conflict; co-author, Parenting Culture Studies - Jamie Bristow
director, The Mindfulness Initiative - Justin Bronk
research analyst, military sciences, RUSI; assistant editor, RUSI Defence Systems online journal - Cressida Brown
artistic director, Offstage Theatre; conceived, curated and directed Walking The Tightrope: the tension between Art and Politics - Amy Brown
associate professor in public health, Swansea University; researcher into breastfeeding - Dr Katrina Brown
director, The Common Guild - Jon Bryan
regional support official, University and College Union (UCU); treasurer, The Great Debate - Lyndsay Burtonshaw
activities officer, Sussex University Student Union - Jim Butcher
reader in geography of tourism, Canterbury Christ Church University; co-author, Volunteer Tourism: the lifestyle politics of international development - Nadia Butt
national coordinator, Debating Matters Competition, Academy of Ideas
C
- Michael Caines
assistant editor, Times Literary Supplement - Dr James Campbell
lecturer in American History, University of Leicester; author, Crime and Punishment in African American History - Professor Ted Cantle, CBE
director, Institute of Community Cohesion (iCoCo); chair, Community Cohesion Review - Dr Nessa Carey
international director, PraxisUnico; author, The Epigenetics Revolution - Alvin Carpio
board member, UpRising - Emma Carr
director, Big Brother Watch - Ana Castro
graphic designer; CEO, Circus Network - Saimo Chahal QC (hon)
partner; joint head, Public Law & Human Rights, Bindmans LLP - Tom Chance
housing spokesperson, Green Party - David Chandler
professor of international relations, University of Westminster; author, Resilience: the Governance of Complexity - JJ Charlesworth
senior editor, ArtReview - Jonathan Charley
director of cultural studies, Department of Architecture at the University of Strathclyde - Dr Tom Chatfield
writer and broadcaster; author, Live This Book! and How to Thrive in the Digital Age - Daisy Christodoulou
research and development director, Ark Schools; author, Seven Myths about Education; season ticket holder, West Ham - Dimitris Christopoulos
vice president, International Federation for Human Rights - Ruth Cigman
senior research fellow in philosophy of education, University College London Institute of Education - Professor Nigel Clark
chair, human geography, Lancaster University - Simon Clark
director, smokers’ rights group, Forest; Action on Consumer Choice. - Dave Clements
adviser to local government; blogger, Guardian, Huffington Post; convenor, IoI Social Policy Forum. - Dr Robert Clowes
chair, Mind & Cognition Group, Nova Institute of Philosophy, Lisbon University; chair, Lisbon Salon - Joel Cohen
communications manager, BeyondMe - Christopher Coker
professor of international relations, LSE; books include Future War and Can War Be Eliminated? - Isobel Colchester
chief executive, Poet in the City - Glenda Cooper
lecturer in journalism, City University London; co-editor, Humanitarianism, Communications and Change - Frances Coppola
associate editor, Pieria; contributor to Nesta’s Our Work Here is Done, exploring the frontiers of robot technology - Nick Corston
co-founder, STEAM Co, set up to power communities to inspire children with creativity across the STEAM skills of Science, Tech, Engineering, Art and Maths - Madalena Corte-Real
sociologist , FAS – Fundo de Arquitectura Social - Ed Cottingham
media analyst and researcher - Dr Mark Coulson
reader and associate professor of psychology, Middlesex University; contributor, The video game debate and Online worlds: Convergence of the real and the virtual - John Coventry
global communications director, Change.org - Teresa Cremin
professor of education (literacy), Open University; trustee, UK Literacy Association; board member, Booktrust - Shane Croucher
senior writer, International Business Times - Niall Crowley
freelance designer and writer - Rosamund Cuckston
organiser, Birmingham Salon; lead singer, Pram - Dolan Cummings
associate fellow, Academy of Ideas; author, That Existential Leap: a crime story (forthcoming from Zero Books) - Dr Philip Cunliffe
senior lecturer in international conflict, University of Kent; co-editor, Politics Without Sovereignty: a critique of contemporary international relations. - Barry Curtis
Volunteer and writer - Lesley Curwen
business, economics and personal finance journalist, BBC; writer and speaker - Helen Czerski
physicist, oceanographer and broadcaster
D
- Kenneth Dahlgren
head of social sciences, Rodeo Arkitekter AS - Sue Daley
head of big data, cloud and mobile, techUK - Kimon Daltas
editor, Classical Music magazine - Jeremy Dalton
innovation consultant, PwC - Anas Darkaoui
programme manager, Asfari Foundation - Martin Daubney
award-wining editor, journalist, and broadcaster; columnist for Telegraph Men - Neil Davenport
sociology and politics teacher; writer on culture; former music journalist - Rose Davis
intern, Academy of Ideas - Chrissie Daz
schoolteacher; cabaret performer; author on transgender and gender variant identity - Amali de Alwis
CEO, Code First: Girls - Alex Deane
managing director, FTI Consulting; Sky News regular; BBC Dateline London panellist; author Big Brother Watch: The state of civil liberties in modern Britain - Dr Katerina Deligiorgi
reader in philosophy, University of Sussex; author, The Scope of Autonomy - Dr Shirley Dent
communications specialist (currently working with the British Veterinary Association media team); editor, tlfw.co.uk; author, Radical Blake - Emma Dent-Coad
planning spokesperson, Labour Group, Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea Council; design and architecture journalist - Nadia Denton
film industry specialist; author, The Nigerian Filmmaker’s Guide to Success: beyond Nollywood - Paul Dickinson
executive chairman, CDP, driving sustainable economies - Betsy Dillner
director, Generation Rent - Ceri Dingle
director, WORLDwrite & WORLDbytes - Emily Dinsmore
project administrator, Physics Factory - Mar Dixon
creator, MuseomixUK and MuseumCamp - Laura Dodsworth
photographer; author, Bare Reality: 100 women, their breasts, their stories - Alastair Donald
associate director, Future Cities Project; architecture programme manager, British Council - Ian Douglas
journalist, Telegraph - Ashley Dove-Jay
aerospace engineer; popular science writer; Urban Spaceman columnist, Bristol Post - Andrew Doyle
stand-up comedian; playwright - Ruth Dudley Edwards
historian and journalist; author, The Seven: the lives and legacies of the founding fathers of the Irish Republic (forthcoming) - Ian Dunt
editor, Politics.co.uk; political editor, Erotic Review - Martin Durkin
CEO, Wag TV - Professor Bill Durodié
head of department and chair of international relations, University of Bath
E
- Dr Wendy Earle
impact development officer, Birkbeck, University of London; convenor, Academy of Ideas Arts and Society Forum - Kathryn Ecclestone
professor of education, University of Sheffield; author, Governing Vulnerable Subjects in a Therapeutic Age (forthcoming) - Susan Edwards
dean of law, University of Buckingham - Kajsa Ekis Ekman
Swedish journalist, writer and activist; author, Skulden - eurokrisen sedd från Aten and Being and Being Bought; writer, Dagens Nyheter - Saja Elgredly
YAV Debater and Trainer (Egypt) Grad Student at City University London (UK) Culture Corner (Egypt) - Jonn Elledge
editor, CityMetric; writer, New Statesman - Rob Elsworth
policy analyst - climate and energy, Catholic Agency for Overseas Development (CAFOD) - Steven Erlanger
London bureau chief, New York Times - Dr Oliver Escobar
co-director, What Works Scotland; lecturer in public policy, University of Edinburgh - Mahan Esfahani
harpsichordist; BBC Music ‘Newcomer of the Year’ 2015 - Raffaele Esposito
architect and urban designer, DRS / Glasgow City Council - Katie Evans
economist, Social Market Foundation - Leo Evans
politics student, University of Liverpool; Liberal Democrat PPC for Liverpool Wavertree, 2015
F
- Craig Fairnington
associate fellow, Academy of Ideas; university finance and accommodation officer - Kishwer Falkner
Baroness Falkner of Margravine; chair, House of Lords EU Financial Affairs Sub-Committee; member, EU Select Committee - Dr Miguel Farias
reader in cognitive and biological psychology, Coventry University - Paul Farmer
chief executive, Mind - Alice Ferguson
director, Playing Out - George Ferguson, CBE
mayor of Bristol - Dr Eliza Filby
visiting lecturer in Modern British History, King’s College London; author, God and Mrs Thatcher: The battle for Britain’s soul - Justin Fisher
professor of political science and director of the Magna Carta Institute, Brunel University London - Dr Michael Fitzpatrick
writer on medicine and politics; author, The Tyranny of Health - John Fitzpatrick
professor of law and director, Kent Law Clinic, University of Kent, Canterbury - Dr Susan Foister
deputy director and director of public engagement, National Gallery - Dr Katrina Forrester
lecturer in history of political thought, Queen Mary University of London - Oliver Foster
managing partner, Pagefield - Claire Fox
director, Academy of Ideas; panellist, BBC Radio 4's Moral Maze; author, I Find That Offensive - Cristiana Fragola
regional director for Europe & Middle East, 100 Resilient Cities - Dr Ashley Frawley
Senior lecturer in sociology and social policy, Swansea University; author, The Semiotics of Happiness: rhetorical beginnings of a public problem - Dr Liz Frayn
consultant psychiatrist, Devon Partnership Trust - Professor Elizabeth Frazer
head of department, Politics and International Relations, University of Oxford; fellow in politics, New College Oxford - Professor Monika Frommel
jurist; former director, criminological institute, Christian-Albrechts-University, Kiel - Professor Steve Fuller
Auguste Comte Chair in Social Epistemology, University of Warwick - Professor 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
G
- John Gapper
columnist , Financial Times - Laia Gasch
special assistant to Deputy Mayor for Culture, Mayor's Office; chair of trustees, Chats Palace Arts Centre - Elisabetta Gasparoni
teacher; convenor of the Future Cities Project Readers’ Group - Dr Clare Gerada
GP; past chair, Royal College of General Practitioners - Jeanne-Marie Gescher
author, All Under Heaven: China’s Dreams of Order; speaker; adviser - Chrissie Giles
senior editor, Wellcome Trust; commissioning editor, Mosaic - Andrew Gimson
author and political journalist; contributing editor, ConservativeHome - Jodie Ginsberg
chief executive, Index on Censorship - Luke Gittos
criminal lawyer; director of City of London Appeals Clinic; legal editor at spiked; author, Why Rape Culture is a Dangerous Myth: From Steubenville to Ched Evans - Dr Daniel Glaser
director, Science Gallery London, King's College London - David Goodhart
director, Demos Integration Hub; author, The British Dream: successes and failures of post-war immigration - Harold Goodwin
professor of responsible tourism, Manchester Metropolitan University - Maria José Goulão
professor of art history, Faculty of Fine Arts, University of Porto - Manick Govinda
head, artists' advisory services; producer, Artsadmin; vice chair, a-n The Artists Information Company - Susan Grant-Muller
professor of technologies and informatics, Institute for Transport Studies, University of Leeds - Dr Maria Grasso
lecturer in politics and quantitative methods, Department of Politics, University of Sheffield; author: Generations, Political Participation and Social Change in Western Europe - Miranda Green
journalist; founding editor, The Day; regular contributor to BBC political shows; former Lib Dem spin doctor - Professor Trisha Greenhalgh
professor of primary care health sciences, University of Oxford - Ross Greer
head of campaigns and communications, Scottish Green Party - Sean Gregory
director, Creative Learning, Barbican/Guildhall School of Music & Drama - Phoebe Griffith
associate director, migration, integration and communities, IPPR - Tiago Guedes
director, Teatro Municipal do Porto - Dr Helene Guldberg
director, spiked; author, Reclaiming Childhood: freedom and play in an age of fear and Just Another Ape? - David Gurnham
associate professor in law, University of Southampton; author, Crime, Desire and Law’s Unconscious - Dr Chris Gyngell
research fellow, Oxford Uehiro Centre for Practical Ethics
H
- Barbara Hackenschmidt
member of Parliament Brandenburg (2004-2014) and again as of 1st November 2015. - Pauline Hadaway
writer and researcher - Dr Philip Hadfield
associate fellow, University of Leeds; author, Nightlife and Crime - Isobel Hadley-Kamptz
Swedish journalist; author, Frihet och fruktan: Tankar om en ny liberalism - Rania Hafez
programme leader, MA Education, Greenwich University; fellow, The Muslim Institute - Dr Lesley Hall
Wellcome Library Research Fellow - Ahmed Hamad
YAV Debater and Trainer (Jordan) Secretary of International Relations at University of Vaasa (Finland) - Philip Hammond
professor of media and communications, London South Bank University - Adnan Harambasic
architect; partner SAAHA - Lisa Harker
director of strategy, policy and evidence, NSPCC - Phineas Harper
deputy director, The Architecture Foundation - Sabrina Harris
technical author; longtime gamer; regular commentator on issues relating to freedom of speech and internet subcultures - Andrew Harrop
general secretary, Fabian Society; author, A Presumption of Equality; contributor, The Generation Game - Adrian Hart
author, That's Racist! How the regulation of speech and thought divides us all and Leave those kids alone – How official hate speech regulation interferes in school life - Dr Anna Hartnell
senior lecturer in contemporary literature, Birkbeck, University of London - Professor Dennis Hayes
professor of education, University of Derby - Dr Sudhir Hazareesingh
fellow and tutor in politics, Balliol College, Oxford; author, How the French Think: an affectionate portrait of an intellectual people - James Heartfield
writer and lecturer; co-author, Who’s Afraid of the Easter Rising? - Bríd Hehir
writer, researcher and traveller; retired nurse and fundraiser - Professor Magnus Henrekson
professor in economics and managing director of Swedish IFN (The Research Institute of Industrial Economics); author and public debater. - Barbara Hewson
barrister, Middle Temple; writer and commentator - Nancy Hey
director, What Works Centre for Wellbeing - Angie Hobbs
Professor of the Public Understanding of Philosophy, University of Sheffield - Christina Hoff Sommers
writer and resident scholar, American Enterprise Institute; host, weekly video series, The Factual Feminist - Jon Holbrook
barrister; writer on legal issues; regular contributor to spiked - Rosemary Hollis
professor of international politics and director of the Olive Tree Programme, City University London - Professor Alan Hudson
director of leadership and public policy programmes, University of Oxford; visiting professor, Shanghai Jiaotong University - George Hull
co-founder, Bloc; contributor, the Spectator - Mick Hume
editor-at-large, online magazine spiked; author, Trigger Warning: Is the Fear of Being Offensive Killing Free Speech? - Huw Humphreys
head of music, Barbican Centre - Dr Rupa Huq
Labour MP for Ealing Central and Acton
I
- Dr Humeria Iqtidar
senior lecturer in politics, Department of Political Economy, King’s College London - Tracy Irish
Warwick Business School Shakespeare Scholar; author, The Shorter Shakespeare - Tom Ironside
director of business and regulation, British Retail Consortium
J
- Helen Jamison
head of media relations, Wellcome Trust - Christopher Jamison
director, National office for vocation, Catholic Church of England and Wales; author, Finding Sanctuary and Finding Happiness; featured in BBC TV's The Monastery - Ana Jara
founding member and manager, ARTÉRIA – Humanizing Architecture - Sian Jarvis
managing director, Jarvis & Bo Communications; former director general of communications, Department of Health - Paul Jasper
consultant, Oxford Policy Management – a leading international development consultancy - Nitin Jayakrishnan
tech entrepreneur (Co-Founder of iTrucks PLC and LO/RE); student, Warwick Manufacturing Group, University of Warwick; alumnus, Debating Matters India - Leszek Jazdzewski
editor-in-chief, Polish liberal journal Liberté! - Vít Jedlička
president of Liberland - Dr Tiffany Jenkins
writer and broadcaster; author, Keeping Their Marbles: how treasures of the past ended up in museums and why they should stay there - Louise Johns-Shepherd
chief executive, Centre for Literacy in Primary Education - Dr Lucy Johnstone
consultant clinical psychologist, Cwm Taf Health Board, South Wales; author, A Straight Talking Guide to Psychiatric Diagnosis - Rachael Jolley
editor, Index on Censorship magazine - Lorien Jollye
vaping advocate, New Nicotine Alliance UK - Daniel Joseph
rector of Derby, Dean of East Midlands, Russian Orthodox Church; chaplain and lecturer in philosophy, University of Derby
K
- Dr Thomas Karshan
lecturer in literature, University of East Anglia; author, Vladimir Nabokov and the Art of Play - Maja Kecman
design lead, HELIX, St Mary’s Hospital - Professor Mike Kelly
senior visiting fellow, Behaviour and Health Research Unit, Institute of Public Health, University of Cambridge; researcher in nudge theory and choice architecture - Angus Kennedy
convenor, The Academy; author, Being Cultured: in defence of discrimination - Dr Peter Kent
immediate past president, ASCL; headteacher, Lawrence Sheriff School - Ashutosh Khandekar
editor, Opera Now - Aditi Khanna
senior correspondent, Press Trust of India; editor, India Inc.; president, Indian Journalists’ Association - Geoff Kidder
director, membership and events, Academy of Ideas; convenor, IoI Book Club; IoI’s resident expert in all sporting matters - Thomas Kielinger
UK correspondent, Die Welt - Rob Killick
CEO, Clerkswell; author, The UK After The Recession - Marie Kinsey
joint head of department, Journalism Studies, University of Sheffield - Matthew Kirk
group external affairs director, Vodafone - Lesley Klaff
senior lecturer in law, Sheffield Hallam University; associate editor, Journal for the Study of Antisemitism - Dr Simon Knight
senior youth work practitioner; vice chair, Play Scotland - Pius Knüsel
teacher; cultural editor and writer - Boris Kotchoubey
professor, University of Tübingen - Serena Kutchinsky
digital editor, Prospect
L
- Dr Alexandra Lamont
senior lecturer, psychology of music, Keele University - Dr Sean Lang
senior lecturer in history, Anglia Ruskin University; director, Better History Forum - Nadia Latif
theatre director; credits include, Homegrown (NYT); Octagon (Arcola Theatre); Even Stillness Breathes Softly Against A Brick Wall (Soho Theatre) - Dr Shirley Lawes
researcher; consultant and university teacher, specialising in teacher education and modern foreign languages; Chevalier dans l’ordre des Palmes Académiques - Paul Lay
editor, History Today - Dr Ellie Lee
reader in social policy, University of Kent, Canterbury; director, Centre for Parenting Culture Studies - Philippe Legrain
visiting senior fellow, LSE’s European Institute; author, Immigrants: your country needs them and European Spring: Why Our Economies and Politics are in a Mess – and How to Put Them Right - Sam Leith
literary editor, Spectator; judge, Man Booker Prize 2015 - Richard Lewis
veteran games journalist - Dr Norman Lewis
director (innovation), PwC; co-author, Big Potatoes: the London manifesto for innovation - Penny Lewis
lecturer, Scott Sutherland School of Architecture, Robert Gordon University; co-founder, AE Foundation - Rod Liddle
associate editor, Spectator; columnist, The Sunday Times; author, Selfish Whining Monkeys - Jonathan Liew
sportswriter, Telegraph - Mark Littlewood
director general, Institute of Economic Affairs - Daniel Lloyd
consumer lawyer; member of the employed bar; co-author, Blackstone's Guide to the Consumer Rights Act 2015 (forthcoming) - Peter Lloyd
freelance journalist; author, Stand By Your Manhood - Diogo Seixas Lopes
partner, Barbas Lopes Arquitectos - Jonathan Lundqvist
president, Reporters Without Borders Sweden; vice-president, RSF International - Rick Lyman
journalist; Central and Eastern European bureau chief, New York Times - Rob Lyons
science and technology director, Academy of Ideas; convenor, IoI Economy Forum
M
- George MacDonald
executive editor, Retail Week - Leila MacTavish
head of initial teacher education, Future Training, Future Academies - Dr Jan Macvarish
associate lecturer and researcher, Centre for Parenting Culture Studies, University of Kent; author, Neuroparenting: The Expert Invasion of Family Life - Shiraz Maher
senior research fellow and head of outreach, International Centre for the Study of Radicalisation (ICSR), King's College London - John Mair
editor and journalism lecturer; co-editor, The BBC Today: future uncertain - Jakub Makowski
regional chair, Liberal Youth in the East of England - Amjad Malik
education consultant, The Nida Trust - Kate Maltby
theatre critic, The Times; associate fellow, Bright Blue; researcher on intellectual life of Elizabeth I - Lila Manioti
director of cultural affairs, Hellenic American Union - Maria Margaronis
writer and broadcaster, The Nation magazine - Toby Marshall
A Level Film Studies Teacher; PhD researcher in sociology of education, UCL Institute of Education - Carlos Martins
CEO, Opium lda - Jack Marwood
primary school teacher; education writer, Icing on the Cake blog - Nikola Matisic
opera singer and pedagogue; founder, Operalabb - Benita Matofska
chief sharer, Compare and Share; global sharing economy expert - Christian May
editor, City A.M. - Dr Catherine McCall
director, EPIC (the European Philosophical Inquiry Centre) - Amber McCleary
founding director, Copper Clothing - Dr Tara McCormack
lecturer in international politics, University of Leicester; author, Critique, Security and Power: the political limits to emancipatory approaches - Kevin McCullagh
founder, Plan - Nancy McDermott
writer; advisor to Park Slope Parents, NYC's most notorious parents' organization - Angela McFarlane
chief executive and registrar, The College of Teachers - Neil McGuire
designer and design tutor, Glasgow School of Art - Colin McInnes
James Watt Chair, Professor of Engineering Science, University of Glasgow - Dr Anthony McIntyre
author, Good Friday: the death of Irish Republicanism - Dr Marie McIntyre
research associate, Department of Epidemiology & Population Health, Institute of Infection & Global Health, University of Liverpool - Dr Ken McLaughlin
lecturer in social work; author, Surviving Identity: vulnerability and the psychology of recognition - David McNeill
director of public affairs and stakeholder engagement, Transport For London - James McVinnie
organist; latest release, Cycles - Anna Mdee
research fellow, Overseas Development Institute - Alp Mehmet
retired diplomat; vice-chairman, Migrationwatch UK - Dr Alexander Meleagrou-Hitchens
lecturer, King's College London; head of research, ICSR - Clare Melford
interim executive and organisational consultant; presenter, BBC Radio 4 Four Thought programme "Buddha in the Boardroom" - Kaitlynn Mendes
lecturer in media and communication, University of Leicester; author, SlutWalk: feminism, activism and media - Samar Samir Mezghanni
YAV Debater and Trainer (Tunisia) PhD Candidate at University of Cambridge (UK) - Professor Andy Miah
chair in science communication & digital media, University of Salford - Dr Ruth Mieschbuehler
programme leader, education studies, College of Education, University of Derby - Gia Milinovich
producer, broadcaster, professional dork - Sally Millard
co-founder, IoI Parents Forum - Carl Miller
research director, Centre for the Analysis of Social Media, Demos - Alan Miller
chairman, Night Time Industries Association (NTIA) - Beverley Milton-Edwards
professor of politics, Queen’s University Belfast; author, Muslim Brotherhood: the Arab Spring and its future face - Munira Mirza
advisor on arts and philanthropy; former deputy mayor of London for education and culture; author, The Politics of Culture: the case for universalism - Kevin Mole
associate professor (reader) and head of entrepreneurship and innovation, Warwick Business School, University of Warwick - Paul Moloney
trade union and industrial relations manager - Derek Molyneux
historian and writer - Anshuman Mondal
professor of English and Postcolonial Studies, Brunel University London; author, The Politics of Free Speech after Rushdie - Dr Jules Montague
consultant neurologist, Royal Free Hospital - Chris Moody
chief business development officer, Transport Systems Catapult - Rowan Moore
architecture critic, Observer; author, Why We Build - Christian Moos
secretary general, German Section of European Federalists - Juliette Morgan
C&W Tech Global Lead – London Head of Property – Tech City UK - Paul Morley
music journalist; author, The North (and almost everything in it) - Mark Morrin
research associate, ResPublica; co-author, Devo Max - Devo Manc - Daniel Moylan
former deputy chairman of Transport for London; Conservative Councillor; co-chairman, Urban Design London - Frank Mulder
researcher, writer and journalist; ; columnist, De Groene Amsterdammer; author, De geluksmachine (The Happiness Machine) - Phil Mullan
economist and business manager; author, Creative Destruction: How to start an economic renaissance - Para Mullan
senior project manager, Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development; FCIPD - Chris Muller
head, Sir William Perkins’s School - Annabel Mullin
PhD researcher, UCL Institute of Education; Lib Dem Parliamentary spokesperson for Kensington - Toby Mundy
founding director, TMA literary agency; executive director, Samuel Johnson Prize for Non-Fiction - Liam Murray
founder and owner, We Are Flat Five, a boutique management consultancy - Rupert Myers
barrister and writer
N
- Jonathan Neame
chief executive, Shepherd Neame Ltd - Dr Kristian Niemietz
senior research fellow, Institute of Economic Affairs; author, A Patient Approach: putting the consumer at the heart of UK healthcare - Charles Nishikawa
management consultant, Across Associates Consultants; lecturer, Mejiro University - Jon Nixon
writer, Centre of International Education and Lifelong Learning, Hong Kong Institute of Education; author, Hannah Arendt and the politics of friendship; founding co-editor, Perspectives in Leadership in Higher Education - Ted Nordhaus
chairman, Breakthrough Institute - Peter North
reader in alternative economies, Department of Geography and Planning, University of Liverpool - Robin Norton-Hale
artistic director, OperaUpClose - Teresa Novais
partner, aNC arquitectos - Professor Fred Nyberg
senior professor in biological research on drug addiction, Department of Pharmaceutical Biosciences, Uppsala University
O
- Margaret O’ Callaghan
historian and political analyst, Queens University of Belfast - Anthony O'Hear
professor of philosophy, University of Buckingham; editor, Philosophy; director, Royal Institute of Philosophy - Mohsen Ojja
principal, The Crest Academies - Kunle Olulode
director, Voice4Change England; creative director, Rebop Productions - Brendan O'Neill
editor, spiked; columnist, Big Issue; contributor, Spectator; author, A Duty to Offend: Selected Essays - Andrew Opie
director for food and sustainability, British Retail Consortium - Daniel O'Reilly
comedian, aka Dapper Laughs - Andrew Orlowski
executive editor, Register; assistant producer, All Watched Over By Machines Of Loving Grace - David Orr
chief executive, National Housing Federation - Sulaiman Osman
writer, blogger and political activist - Ann Overbergh
programmer, Dutch-Flemish House deBuren - Michael Owens
commercial director, Bow Arts Trust; owner, London Urban Visits; formerly, head of development policy, London Development Agency
P
- Adrian Pabst
senior lecturer in politics, University of Kent - Danni Paffard
divestment campaigner, 350.org - Dr James Panton
head of politics, Magdalen College School, Oxford; associate lecturer in politics and philosophy, Open University; co-founder, Manifesto Club - Lefteris Papagiannakis
member, Athens municipal council; president; Immigrant Integration Council - Eva Pascoe
chair, digital network Cybersalon; co-founder, Cyberia, world’s first internet café; co-author, An Alternative Future High Street for the UK minister for high streets - Bénédicte Paviot
U.K. correspondent, France 24; regular contributor to news and current affairs programmes, BBC TV & Radio, Sky News, LBC and other UK and overseas outlets - Laurie Penny
journalist; contributing editor, New Statesman; author, Unspeakable Things: sex, lies and revolution - Luis T Pereira
founding partner, [A] ainda arquitectura architecture studio, Porto - Shyama Perera
writer, broadcaster and novelist; acting director, One World Media - Martyn Perks
digital business consultant and writer; co-author, Big Potatoes: the London manifesto for innovation - David Perks
founder and principal, East London Science School; director, the Physics Factory - Stephen Plaice
librettist; writer in residence, Guildhall School of Music and Drama - Jeannette Pols
professor of social theory, humanism and materialities, University of Amsterdam - Martin Powell
global head of urban development, Siemens Plc - Dr Weronika Priesmeyer-Tkocz
programme director, European Academy Berlin - Vicky Pryce
board member, Centre for Economics and Business Research; economic advisor, British Chamber of Commerce - Dr Vanessa Pupavac
associate professor; co-director of the Centre for the Study of Social and Global Justice, University of Nottingham
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- Jamie Ratcliff
assistant director, Programme, Policy and Services, Greater London Authority - Adam Rawcliffe
partnerships manager, Academy of Ideas - Helen Reece
reader in law, LSE - Dr Paul Reeves
engineering software designer, SolidWorks R&D (part of Dassault Systèmes); convener, manufacturing work group for Big Potatoes: the London manifesto for innovation - Abdul Rehman-Malik
journalist; programmes manager, Radical Middle Way - Alex Renton
award-winning journalist; writer on food and food policy; author, Planet Carnivore: how cheap meat costs the earth - Jacob Reynolds
consultant, SHM Productions - Martin Robinson
educational consultant and teacher; author, Trivium 21c: preparing young people for the future with lessons from the past; writer, Times Educational Supplement - Carolyn Robson
executive headteacher, Rushey Mead School, Leicester; CEO, Rushey Mead Educational Trust - Alex Rogers
professor in conservation biology, Somerville College, University of Oxford; scientific director, International Programme on State of the Ocean (IPSO) - Kevin Rooney
politics teacher and head of social science, Queen's School, Bushey; co-author, Who's Afraid Of The Easter Rising? - Nick Rose
teacher; leading practitioner in psychology and research; shortlisted TES Teacher Blogger of the Year - Dr Joel Nathan Rosen
associate professor of sociology, Moravian College; co-author, Black Baseball, Black Business: race enterprise and the fate of the segregated dollar; author, The Erosion of the American Sporting Ethos: Shifting Attitudes Toward Competition - Aoife Rosenmeyer
freelance critic; contributing editor, Art in America & Art Agenda - Nick Ross
broadcaster; visiting professor, University College London - Dr Martin Roth
director, Victoria and Albert Museum - Nathalie Rothschild
freelance journalist; producer and reporter for Sweden's public service radio - Maisie Rowe
landscape architect, writer and illustrator - Phil Rumney
professor of criminal justice, Bristol Law School, UWE; co-author, Understanding and Responding to Sexual Violence: a multi-disciplinary approach (forthcoming) - Dr Tamara Russell
clinical psychologist; director, Mindfulness Centre of Excellence, London; visiting lecturer, King’s College London - Kiernan Ryan
professor of English language and literature, Royal Holloway, University of London; author, Shakespeare’s Universality: here’s fine revolution
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- Angela Saini
science journalist; author, Geek Nation: how Indian science is taking over the world - Hilary Salt
actuary; founder, First Actuarial - Yunas Samad
professor of South Asian studies, University of Bradford - Peter Sammonds
professor of geophysics, University College London; director, UCL Institute for Risk and Disaster Reduction - Jane Sandeman
convenor, IoI Parents Forum; contributor, Standing up to Supernanny; director of finance and central services, Cardinal Hume Centre - Dr Michael Savage
blogger, Grumpy Art Historian - Dr Helen Scales
freelance writer and broadcaster; author, Spirals in Time: the secret life and curious afterlife of seashells - Professor Giaco Schiesser
vice-president & board member; University of the Arts, Zurich - Jonathan Schofield
editor-at-large, Manchester Confidential; editor, Manchester Books Limited - Bauke Schram
business reporter, International Business Times UK - Dr Patrik Schumacher
principal, Zaha Hadid Architects; author, The Autopoiesis of Architecture - Laurence Scott
lecturer in English and creative writing, Arcadia University; author, The Four-Dimensional Human: ways of being in the digital world (winner of Royal Society of Literature Jerwood Award for 2014) - Matthew Scott
barrister, Pump Court Chambers; blogs at www.barristerblogger.com, shortlisted for The Comment Awards "Best independent blog" 2015 - Paul Seaman
co-founder, Zurich Salon; editor, 21st Century PR Issues - Professor John Seddon
leader of the Vanguard organisations; visiting professor, Hull University Business School - Fredrik Segerfeldt
writer; author, Den nya jämlikheten : global utveckling från Robin Hood till Botswana; co-founder, Migro - Alka Sehgal Cuthbert
educator, writer, doctoral researcher - Freddie Sehgal Cuthbert
student; contributor to spiked - Adam Seldon
co-director, Lauriston Lights, an education charity - Jack Self
contributing editor, Architectural Review; director, the REAL Foundation - Dr Sadhvi Sharma
researcher and writer on politics in India, development, and NGO campaigns - Karl Sharro
architect; writer; Middle East commentator; co-author, Manifesto: Towards a New Humanism in Architecture - Jeremy Sice
business and communications advisor, JS&A - Roxana Silbert
artistic director, Birmingham REP Theatre - Dr Hayaatun Sillem
director of programmes & fellowship, Royal Academy of Engineering - Lenore Skenazy
founder of the book, blog and movement Free-Range Kids; “America’s Worst Mom” - Alv Skogstad Aamo
architect; urbanist; partner,DARK architects - Jason Smith
associate fellow, Academy of Ideas - Jean Smith
specialist development consultant; co-founder and director, NY Salon - Dr Richard Smith
chair of trustees, ICDDR,B; former editor, British Medical Journal; chair, Patients Know Best - Karel Smouter
deputy editor, De Correspondent - Justin Smyth
librarian; co-founder, Dublin Salon - Christopher Snowdon
director, lifestyle economics, Institute of Economic Affairs; author, The Art of Suppression - Sonia Sodha
freelance policy analyst; Observer leader writer - Dr Nikos Sotirakopoulos
lecturer in sociology, University of Loughborough; author, The Rise of Lifestyle Activism: From New Left to Occupy - Thomas Soud
chair, Brighton Left - Barbara Speed
staff writer, CityMetric, New Statesman - Josh Spero
editor, Spear's magazine; art critic, Tatler; author, Second-Hand Stories - Dr Alex Standish
senior lecturer in geography education, University College London/Institute of Education - Dr Dominic Standish
author, Venice in Environmental Peril? Myth and Reality; lecturer, University of Iowa's CIMBA campus, Venice - Dr Ben Stanley
lecturer, Department of Humanities and Social Sciences, SWPS University in Warsaw - Sandy Starr
communications officer, Progress Educational Trust; webmaster, BioNews - Susan Steed
economist and aspiring stand up comedian - Duncan Stephenson
director of external affairs, Royal Society for Public Health - Dr Jack Stilgoe
senior lecturer in science and technology policy, University College London; author, Experiment Earth: responsible innovation in geoengineering - Dr Melvyn Stokes
professor of film history, University College London; author, The Birth of a Nation: a history of the most controversial motion picture of all time and American History through Hollywood Film: from the Revolution to the 1960s - Sarah Strang
founder, CIVIC ROOM - Keith Stuart
video games editor, Guardian - Keith Sullivan
retired educational psychologist and university professor, National University of Ireland; author, The Anti-Bullying Handbook - Gabriella Swallow
cellist, broadcaster and arts commentator - Richard Swan
writer and academic - Isabelle Szmigin
professor of marketing, University of Birmingham; author, Understanding the Consumer
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- Amin Taha
architect, Amin Taha Architects and Group Work; jury member, RIBA’s National Awards and Stirling Shortlist - André Tavares
chief curator, Lisbon Architecture Triennale - Dr Mark Taylor
vice principal, East London Science School; London convenor, IoI Education Forum - Peter Taylor
award winning reporter, BBC; documentaries include Provos, Loyalists , Brits and Generation Jihad; author, Talking to Terrorists: face to face with the enemy - The Revd Canon Dr Simon Taylor
canon chancellor; Derby Cathedral - Güneş Taylor
stem cell researcher, University of Oxford - Dr Funda Tekin
senior researcher, Institut für Europäische Politik - Jemima Thackray
journalist, Telegraph and Church Times; founder, UK’s first mums' chaplaincy service; soon-to-be trainee priest, Church of England - Paul Thomas
civil servant; qualified FE teacher; organiser, Leeds Salon - Paul Thomas
professor of youth & policy and director of research, University of Huddersfield; author, Responding to the Threat of Violent Extremism: failing to prevent - Matt Thomson
head of planning, Campaign to Protect Rural England - Leonora Thomson
director of audiences and development, Barbican Centre - Anne Torreggiani
chief executive, The Audience Agency - Lida Tsene
head of public relations, art and educational programs, Comicdom Press - Colin Tweedy
chief executive, The Building Centre Trust; formerly chief executive, Arts & Business - Menelaos Tzafalias
freelance journalist and producer based in Athens
U
- Jake Unsworth
trainee solicitor, Bond Dickinson; convenor, Debating Matters Ambassadors
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- Daniella van Dijk-Wennberg
head of Interkulturelt Museum, Oslo Museum - Liesbeth van Tongeren
member of parliament, GroenLinks - Joana Varajão
architect, RA\\ Architecture & Design Studio - Georgios Varouxakis
professor of the history of political thought, Queen Mary University of London; author, Mill on Nationality - Nikos Vatopoulos
arts editor and columnist, Kathimerini - Annie Vernon
Olympic silver medallist and two-time World Champion rower; journalist and speaker - Marco Visscher
journalist; curator, Tegengeluid - Ignacio Vita
lawyer specialising in migration law, EC law and right of asylum
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- Dr Stuart Waiton
lecturer in sociology and criminology, Abertay University; author, Snobs' Law: criminalising football fans in an age of intolerance - Philip Waldron
district minister for Merseyside, Unitarian Church - Brendan Walsh
literary editor, The Tablet - Jason Walsh
journalist; foreign correspondent, CS Monitor - Philip Walters
chair, Rising Stars (educational publisher), and the GL Education Group; Spurs season ticket holder; member of Middlesex County Cricket Club - Stuart Walton
cultural historian, novelist and critic; author, A Natural History of Human Emotions and The Realm of the Senses: a materialist theory of seeing and feeling - Annie Warburton
creative director, Crafts Council - Bruno Waterfield
Brussels correspondent, The Times; co-author, No Means No - Dr Keon West
social psychologist & lecturer, Goldsmiths, University of London - Helen Whately
member of parliament for Faversham and Mid Kent - Ella Whelan
assistant editor, spiked - Myles Wickstead
visiting professor (international relations), Open University and King’s College London; coordinator, Aid and Development: a brief introduction - Dr Steve Wiggins
research fellow, Overseas Development Institute, London - Simon Wilde
science and health communicator - Austin Williams
associate professor in architecture, XJTLU University, Suzhou, China; director, Future Cities Project; convenor, Bookshop Barnies; founding member of New Narratives - Dr Joanna Williams
academic; author, Academic Freedom in an Age of Conformity; education editor, spiked - Peter D Williams
executive officer, Right To Life - Dr Glynne Williams
senior lecturer in industrial relations, University of Leicester - Jane Wills
professor of human geography, Queen Mary University of London - Ruth Wishart
columnist, Herald; board member, Creative Scotland - David Wood
chair, London Futurists - Chris Woods
director, Airwars.org; author, Sudden Justice: America’s secret drone wars - Peter Worley
CEO and co-founder, The Philosophy Foundation - James Woudhuysen
visiting professor, London South Bank University - Martin Wright
writer, editor and adviser on environmental solutions and sustainable futures - Professor Ian Wright
director, Science and Technology Directorate, National Oceanography Centre - Mike Wright
executive director, Jaguar Land Rover
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- Milo Yiannopoulos
technology editor, Breitbart - Dagmawi Yimer
film-maker, AMM (Archive of Migrants' Memories) - Raymond Yiu
composer; conductor; jazz pianist - Cathy Young
contributing editor, Reason magazine; author, Ceasefire! Why women and men must join forces to achieve true equality - Dr Kevin Yuill
senior lecturer, history, University of Sunderland; author, Assisted Suicide: the liberal, humanist case against legalization - Kathryn Yusoff
senior lecturer in geography, Queen Mary University of London; author, Anthropogenesis: Origins and Endings in the Anthropocene
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- Jan Zalasiewicz
professor of paleobiology, University of Leicester; chair, Anthropocene Working Group of the International Commission on Stratigraphy - Dr Paul Zanelli
chief technical officer, Transport Systems Catapult - Kolja Zydatiss
editor, NovoArgumente
Feeding the world: can we engineer away hunger?
"Five debates a day sounds a bit daunting beforehand, but I really loved it. The speakers are so knowledgeable and passionate about their chosen topic, and the amount of time dedicated to questions from the audience was great as it really brought in alternative views."
Exeter University student