About: Battle of Ideas 2007 committee
Simon Belt IT consultant; co-organiser, Manchester Salon
Helen Birtwistle resources and communications manager, Debating Matters Competition
Tim Black writer on arts, entertainment and British politics; journalist, spiked
Cara Bleiman music student, University of Oxford; holder of Bayreuth Scholarship and Leask Music Scholarship
David Bowden coordinator, UK Battle Satellites; poetry editor, Culture Wars; TV columnist, spiked
Sarah Boyes freelance writer and editor; assistant editor, Culture Wars; editor, Battles in Print 2010
Justine Brian national coordinator, Debating Matters Competition
Andrew Calcutt principal lecturer in journalism, University of East London; editor, Proof; co-author, Journalism Studies: a critical introduction
Dave Clements social policy writer; convenor, IoI Social Policy Forum; co-editor, The Future of Community
Robert Clowes research fellow, philosophy of cognitive science, IFL, Universita Nova Lisboa; founder member, The Brighton Salon; founder, Lisbon Salon
Dolan Cummings associate fellow, Institute of Ideas; editor, Culture Wars; editor, Debating Humanism; co-founder, Manifesto Club
Philip Cunliffe lecturer in international conflict, University of Kent, Canterbury; co-editor, Politics Without Sovereignty: a critique of contemporary international relations.
Neil Davenport writer; head of sociology, JFS Sixth Form Centre
Suzy Dean freelance journalist; co-founder, IoI Current Affairs Forum
Shirley Dent head of communications, PhonepayPlus; co-author, Radical Blake
Ceri Dingle director, WORLDwrite, WORLDbytes and Chew On It productions
Wendy Earle educator and researcher in the cultural sector; education programme manager, British Film Institute
Martin Earnshaw co-editor Future of Community: reports of a death greatly exaggerated; chair, IoI Social Policy Forum
Claire Fox director, Institute of Ideas; panellist, BBC Radio 4's Moral Maze
Tony Gilland science and society director, Institute of Ideas; director, Debating Matters Competition
James Gledhill fellow in political theory, LSE; co-convenor, IoI Postgraduate Forum
Maria Grasso lecturer in politics, University of Sheffield
Timandra Harkness journalist and writer; co-writer and performer, Edinburgh Festival Fringe smash hit Your Days Are Numbered: the maths of death
Dennis Hayes professor of education, University of Derby; director, Academics for Academic Freedom; co-founder, East Midlands Salon
Patrick Hayes head, press and promotions, Institute of Ideas; reporter, spiked; co-founder, IoI Current Affairs Forum
Bríd Hehir charity fundraiser; former NHS health visitor and senior manager
Alex Hochuli PhD student in sociology, University of Kent, Canterbury; co-founder, IoI Current Affairs Forum
Tiffany Jenkins arts and society director, Institute of Ideas; author, Contesting Human Remains in Museum Collections: the crisis of cultural authority
Angus Kennedy head of external relations, Institute of Ideas; chair, IoI Economy Forum
Geoff Kidder director, membership and events, Institute of Ideas; convenor, IoI Book Club; IoI’s resident expert in all sporting matters
Danielle Kukwa
Hannah Lake freelance arts consultant, coordinator and educator
Shirley Lawes subject leader, modern foreign Languages, Institute of Education; co-author, Modern Foreign Languages: teaching school subjects 11-19
Ellie Lee reader in social policy, University of Kent, Canterbury; director, Centre for Parenting Culture Studies
Kirk Leech freelance journalist; researcher, development and environment
Sheila Lewis director, Volanti Consulting
Celine Lowenthal schools coordinator, Battle of Ideas
Toby Marshall lecturer and researcher in media, film and communication studies; IoI Education Forum
Ion Martea poet and commissioning editor (film), Culture Wars
Peter Martin lecturer, School of Chemical Engineering and Analytical Science, University of Manchester; Principal Investigator, engaging cogs.
Tessa Mayes investigative journalist; author, Restraint or Revelation? Free speech and privacy in a confessional age
Tara McCormack lecturer in international politics, University of Leicester; author, Critique, Security and Power: the political limits to emancipatory approaches
Sally Millard founder member, IoI Parents Forum; opinionated mother of two
Alan Miller co-director, NY Salon; co-founder, London's Truman Brewery
Hugh Ortega Breton PhD researcher in risk and anxiety in popular culture, Roehampton University
Michael Owens director, Global Cities; contributor, The Lure of the City: from slums to suburbs; member, editorial board, Local Economy
James Panton politics tutor, Hertford College, Oxford and The Open University; politics teacher, Stowe School, Buckingham; co-founder, Manifesto Club
Martyn Perks director, Thinking Apart; co-author Big Potatoes: the London manifesto for innovation
David Perks head of physics, Graveney School; co-founder The Physics Factory; lead author, What is Science Education For?
Amol Rajan columnist, Independent titles; advisor to Evgeny Lebedev; author, Twirlymen: the unlikely history of cricket’s greatest spin doctors
Vivien Regan assistant director/producer, WORLDwrite
Richard Reynolds paralegal, Baha Mousa and Al Sweady Public Inquiries; founder, Student Academics for Academic Freedom
Kevin Rooney head of social science, Queens' School, Bushey; IoI Education Forum; Celtic season-ticket holder
Nathalie Rothschild commissioning editor, spiked; co-ordinator, Young Journalists' Academy; UK correspondent, Judisk Krönika
Jane Sandeman convenor, IoI Parents Forum; contributor, Standing up to Supernanny; director of finance, DACS; chair, Association of Photographers
Karl Sharro architect; writer; Middle East commentator
Stuart Simpson financial services professional; researcher and writer, emerging economies and quantitative finance
Peter Smith director of tourism, St. Mary’s University College, Twickenham, London
Sarah Snider PhD student in sociology
Brenda Stones freelance consultant and author
Martin Summers public affairs consultant
Mark Taylor head of humanities and history teacher, Addey and Stanhope comprehensive school; London convenor, IoI Education Forum
Dan Travis director, Brighton Salon; tennis coach; author How to teach Young Children Tennis and In Defence of Competitive Sport.
Robin Walsh graduate medical student; freelance writer on pharmaceuticals, healthcare and science; co-founder, Sheffield Salon
Austin Williams director, Future Cities Project; convenor, Critical Subjects: Architecture and Design Winter School
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"The Battle of Ideas is like a huge intellectual fair where a bewildering number of thinkers set out their stalls."
Julian Baggini, editor, The Philosophers' Magazine