General Elections: Manufacturing Consent in a Democratic Society?
Graham Bell Walter Lippmann was one of the most influential US public intellectuals in the twentieth century. His image was celebrated on a 6 cent postage stamp, probably more for his contributions to journalism than for his development, along with others, of a systematised propaganda system. The US overtly counters the existence of such a home-grown system […]
Bankers are a Force for Good
DEBATE: Jonathan Parker v Paul Carroll Banks and bankers play an essential part in society by protecting, investing and lending money. They play direct and diverse roles at government, company and the individual level. They make absolutely critical decisions in investing in the future success of the UK, including pension, infrastructure and mortgage provision. It is no […]
Migrants or People?
Dr Jim Walsh As well as being the Chief Executive Officer of Conway Hall Ethical Society, Jim has continued thinking about ethical issues since completing his PhD in 2007. Most recently, his thoughts have taken shape in the form of a blog – An Ethical Thirst – that looks at philosophers such as Hans-Georg Gadamer […]
Freedom’s Debt: The Politics of the Atlantic Slave Trade (1672 – 1752)
This talk will discuss the parts played by freedom and liberty in developing England’s contribution to the trans-Atlantic trade in enslaved Africans. It argues that Britain’s relationship with slavery has largely been viewed in terms of Britain’s contribution to the abolition of the trade. It suggests that British identity, British ideas, British institutions did much to […]
A British-Owned Congo: Roger Casement’s Battle with Slavery in Peru (1910-1914)
Roger Casement was the twentieth century’s first outstanding humanitarian. Best known for his 1904 chilling report on conditions in King Leopold’s Congo, Casement continued his campaign for human rights in the Putumayo Valley bordering Peru and Colombia, where a rubber company with headquarters in London was abusing and murdering indigenous people on a massive scale […]
Identifying Unfinished Business: The UK Modern Slavery Act (2015)
Almost two hundred years after the anti-slavery legislation associated with William Wilberforce, the UK government passed the Modern Slavery Act, acknowledging the fact that slavery had never really gone away. What is different now is that “modern slavery”, is present within the UK itself rather than in far-flung countries where Britons preferred to overlook working […]
First Prime Minister of the London Empire: William Beckford, Jamaican Planter & Lord Mayor of London (1709 – 1770)
This talk examines the life of William Beckford, twice Lord Mayor of London, and one of the largest slave-owners in the British Empire. In a remarkable political career, he gained fame as a proponent of British liberties, while overseeing a transatlantic family business founded on colonial slavery. The talk will seek to demonstrate how these apparent contradictions […]
London Thinks – Facts and Fantasy About Your Diet and Health
When most of us hear the word “genome” we think of human DNA, the material that was long seen as the blueprint of human health and disease. Today, we know that there are many more factors than our DNA that make us who we are, including our lifestyles, our emotions, our environments. But there is […]
Evidence Matters – Accountable Elections, Effective Politics
Prateek Buch After telling us a little about Sense about Science, Prateek Buch will focus on how asking for evidence can increase public pressure on politicians to use evidence effectively and transparently. This is particularly apt now that the general election is over. Prateek will draw on topical examples, celebrating where it’s done well (MPs […]