Academy of Ideas Newsletter
Christmas 2019
What a year it has been, culminating in a historic and unexpected election landslide for the Tories. Many are hoping that the result will put the shenanigans over Brexit to bed. But the odd and often dispiriting election campaign – an endless succession of soundbites, media 'gotchas', dubious and fake claims, and hollow mantras – suggests that perhaps election victory has not resolved much beyond the technical exit of the UK from the EU. (You can listen to the Academy team's first thoughts on the election result here.) Thankfully, the post-election period and the relative calm of Christmas allow us the opportunity for some more considered reflection. There are so many important issues that society needs to consider that go way beyond electoral politics. We can look forward to more stimulating discussion in 2020 and there's plenty in this newsletter to get your teeth into, including our first batch of audio and video from the Battle of Ideas festival (see below). This newsletter also features our popular list of suggestions for books you can enjoy over the Christmas break yourself or that would make excellent presents for your friends and family. And if you're around London tomorrow please come to the Big boi Bash, a Christmas party to raise funds for the boi charity, the home of Debating Matters, Living Freedom and The Academy. It will be a great chance to chew the fat over the election results over a drink - then let your hair down! Bring your dancing shoes! Tickets are just £10 and it's all for a great cause - buy them here. The boi charity is also one of the charities we're supporting this
Christmas along with WORLDwrite, which does fantastic work in training young people to make films and has produced some fantastic documentaries in the process. See below for more information on how to donate. From everyone here at the Academy of Ideas, have a great Christmas and New Year - and see you in 2020! Claire Fox
Director, Academy of Ideas
Election 2019 - first thoughts After the dramatic events overnight, the Academy of Ideas team discuss why the general election turned out the way it did and what it means for the future of the political parties - and the UK as a whole. Listen to the discussion here. You can catch up with all our podcasts, and subscribe to them, here. You can also listen to the latest Battle of Ideas audio via our Soundcloud playlist.
Our Christmas charities Christmas is a time of giving, so please support these two charities that have a close connection with the work of the Academy of Ideas.
The boi charity Many of you will be familiar with projects like Debating Matters, The Academy and Living Freedom, all originally initiated by the Academy of Ideas. Since January, these projects have been run by the Battle of Ideas charity - the boi. You can donate to the boi here.
WORLDwrite and WORLDbytes WORLDwrite have been long-standing partners of the Academy of Ideas, providing invaluable video from the Battle of Ideas festival. WORLDwrite offers education beyond the mainstream, including inspiring films and videos through its online channel WORLDbytes, aiming to promote the highest aspirations for humanity, global equality, freedom, democracy and free speech. You can help WORLDwrite celebrate its 25th anniversary by donating here.
Christmas book ideas This is a selection of books from Battle of Ideas speakers which we think would enhance any bookshelf.
Angus Kennedy and James Panton (editors)
From Self to Selfie: a critique of contemporary forms of alienation
This edited collection builds on our discussions at The Academy 2017. The book charts the rise and the fall of the self, from its emergence as an autonomous agent during the Enlightenment, to the modern-day selfie self, whose existence is realised only through continuous external validation. Buy from Amazon (UK).
Titania McGrath
Woke: a guide to social justice
Titania McGrath is a radical intersectionalist poet committed to feminism, social justice and armed peaceful protest. Andrew Doyle's hilarious creation is a brilliant satire on a very contemporary trend. Janice Turner in The Times wrote that the book 'perfectly captures the chiding, self-righteous, intolerant, joyless tone of the "woke" Stasi'. Buy from Amazon (UK).
Elif Shafak
10 Minutes 38 Seconds in This Strange World
Elif Shafak's Booker Prize shortlisted novel has been described as 'haunting, moving, beautifully written - and based by an extraordinary cast of characters who capture the diversity of modern Turkey.' Buy from Amazon (UK).
Jennie Bristow
Stop Mugging Grandma: The 'Generation Wars' And Why Boomer-Blaming Won't Solve Anything
Jennie Bristow systematically disputes the myths that surround the 'generational war', exposing it to be nothing more than a tool by which the political and social elite can avoid public scrutiny. With her lively and engaging style, Bristow highlights the major issues and concerns surrounding the sociological blame game.
Buy from Amazon (UK).
Roslyn Fuller
In Defence of Democracy
In this take-no-prisoners book, Canadian-Irish author Roslyn Fuller shows how many academics, journalists and politicians have embraced the idea that there can be 'too much democracy', and deftly unravels their attempts to end majority rule, whether through limiting the franchise, pursuing Chinese 'meritocracy' or confining participation to random legislation panels.
Buy from Amazon (UK).
Tim Parks
Pen in Hand: Reading, Rereading and other Mysteries
How can other people like the books we don't like? What benefit can we get from rereading a work? Can we read better? If so, how? These and many other questions, ranging from the field of writing to that of reading and translation, are given a comprehensive answer in a series of stimulating and challenging literary essays that will be a perfect read for all book explorers and practitioners of the pen. Buy from Amazon (UK).
Joe Nutt
The Point of Poetry
What's the point of poetry? It's a question asked in classrooms all over the world, but it rarely receives a satisfactory answer. Which is why so many people, who read all kinds of books, never read poetry after leaving school. Exploring twenty-two works from poets as varied as William Blake, Seamus Heaney, Rita Dove and Hollie McNish, Joe Nutt makes the case for what poetry has to offer us, what it can tell us about the things that matter in life. Buy from Amazon (UK).
Alexander Adams
Culture War: art, identity politics and cultural entryism
From fine art to superhero comics, from political cartoons to museum policy, certain persistent ideas underpin the most contentious issues today. Adams draws on history, philosophy, politics and cultural criticism to explain the reasoning of creators, consumers and critics and to expose some uncomfortable truths around censorship, Islamism, feminism, identity politics, historical reparations and public arts policy.
Buy from Amazon (UK).
Austin Williams
New Chinese Architecture: twenty women building the future
This celebration of 20 of China s latest generation features detailed profiles of each architect, exploring their routes to success, their inspirations and the challenges posed for those working and designing in this richly diverse and rapidly evolving region. The book has been called 'a must-read for anyone interested in the impact of a fast-accelerating infrastructure'.
Buy from Amazon (UK).
|