Battle of Ideas 2011 29 & 30 October, London. Two days of high-level, thought-provoking, public debate organised by the Institute of Ideas, hosted by the Royal College of Art.
75 sessions, 350 speakers, 2250 attendees
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Battles In Print

Should schools be engines of social mobility?, Sally Millard

Remaking citizens for the ‘Big Society’, Kathryn Ecclestone

In drug policy, pragmatism is the only moral approach, Roger Howard & Leo Barasi

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Speakers include
Cathy Young, contributing editor, Reason magazine; author, Ceasefire! Why women and men must join forces to achieve true equality

Katharine Birbalsingh, teacher; author, To Miss with Love

Tom Holland, award-winning historian; author, Rubicon: the triumph and tragedy of the Roman Republic; winner, 2007 Classical Association Prize

Tom Watt, actor, writer and broadcaster; David Beckham's ghostwriter; presenter, Radio 5 Live's Fighting Talk

Anna Elisabetta Galeotti, chair of political philosophy, University of Piemonte Orienatale in Vercelli; author, Toleration as Recognition

Philippe Legrain, advisor to José Manuel Barroso, President of the European Commission (speaking in a personal capacity); author, Aftershock: reshaping the world economy after the crisis

KAS Quinn, children’s writer; lecturer and educationalist; author, The Queen Must Die, first part of a time travel trilogy

George Szirtes, reader in creative writing, UEA; poet; editor; translator; author, The Burning of the Books and Other Poems

GM Tamás, visiting professor, Central European University; president, Green Left; author, Les Idoles de la Tribu

Irma Kurtz, writer; broadcaster; agony aunt, Cosmopolitan Magazine; author, About Time: growing old disgracefully

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Readings

Creativity and curiosity: Do we make stuff up or find it out?, Professor Colin Lawson

Islamophobia: Why we have to get over our fears, Rania Hafez

The growing epidemic of stats misuse, Hilary Salt

Dreaming spires for all? Only if we face up to some hard truths, Jacob Reynolds

Fat tax: Does obesity really cost society a fortune?, Rob Lyons

Surely by now we’ve outgrown the body?, Sandy Starr

Charities should accept their game is up, Dave Clements

Facebook’s impact on the brain, Rob Clowes

A world of seven billion people like you, Daniel Ben-Ami

Corporate Social Responsibility – more harm than good, Bill Durodie

Electric selves?, Rob Clowes

From the sublime to the ridiculous: can we measure the value of the arts?, Tom Hutchinson

Angels: a very short introduction, David Albert Jones

What if we aren’t alone after all?, Richard Swan

The rise of the machines? Not any time soon, Katherine Richardson

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The Battle of Ideas is produced by the
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"I travel far to participate in the BOI; it’s a unique festival of free speech and debate that consistently combines energy, fearlessness and provocation with thoughtful, informed consideration of contemporary politics and culture."
Wendy Kaminer, US-based writer on law, liberty, feminism, religion, and popular culture

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