Dirty Dancing and Me: Katy Brand in Conversation with Hannah MacInnes
Award-winning comic Katy Brand pays homage to her obsession – a monster hit and work of genius with much to say about sex, love, romance, rights and responsibilities: Dirty Dancing. Katy Brand is one of our most celebrated talents – a comedian, actor, novelist and playwright whose journey from fringe sketch comic to national sensation […]
How to Win the Culture Wars in an Age of Austerity
The 2010s have been a double-edged decade. Socioeconomic factors have led to the widespread and increased disenfranchisement of poorer people from the mainstream media and the institutions shaping it. This has coincided with a growing number of people from low income backgrounds also receiving better educations than ever before and having the means at their […]
Death Machines: The Ethics of Violent Technologies
As innovations in military technologies race toward ever-greater levels of automation and autonomy, debates over the ethics of violent technologies tread water. In her talk Dr Elke Schwarz reframes these debates, arguing that the way we conceive of the ethics of contemporary warfare is itself imbued with a set of bio-technological rationalities that work as […]
The Theory and Practice of Anarchism
Anarchism routinely gets a bad press. It is seen as meaning chaos and disorder — or even nothing at all. Contrary to popular perception, different strands of anarchism — from individualism to collectivism — do follow certain structures and a shared sense of purpose: a belief in freedom and working towards collective good without the […]
Out Of The Box Thinking: Addressing The Climate Change Emergency
Join us at this meeting in Conway Hall where we discuss the most crucial issue of our times – climate change and how or if we can address it. In September there were massive world wide protests over climate change as school children left school and often with their parents protested that their Governments are […]
The Irrational Ape: Why flawed logic puts us all at Risk, and How Critical Thinking can save the World
It may seem a big claim, but knowing how to think clearly and critically has literally helped save the world. In September 1983, at the height of the Cold War, the Soviet Union’s early warning system showed five US missiles heading towards the country. Stanislaw Petrov knew his duty: he was to inform Moscow that […]
Reflection: Conway Photography Group Exhibition
“A picture is a secret about a secret, the more it tells you the less you know.” Diane Arbus The Conway Photography Group, led by photographer Grace Gelder, presents Reflection; an exhibition of work that is inspired by and connected with the local area around Conway Hall, personal projects and moments on the journey of […]
The Haunted Landscape: Magic and Monsters of the British Isles
The year grows darker. The London Fortean Society and friends return to the Haunted Landscape, our one-day symposium on the folklore, magic and monsters of the British Isles and beyond. Authors and researchers discuss the undead, fairies, witchcraft, witches and their familiars and the magic of the common folk. Up the airy mountain, Down the […]
Small Steps, Big Ideas
We are so thrilled to be bringing you this weekends Sunday Assembly as part of the Bloomsbury Festival. Small Steps, Big Ideas is a celebration of endeavour, progress, and pioneering achievements. Our speakers this week are from Jangala, a UK-based charity dedicated to enabling internet access for people in need of urgent humanitarian aid or […]