What is a university for?

Posted by Dennis Hayes - October 13, 2014March 2, 2015

In October 2014, the East Midlands Salon hosted a discussion entitled ‘What is a university for?’

Universities are distinct institutions that engage in the pursuit of knowledge and understanding without fear or favour. Historically universities have been seen as custodians and conduits for the best of intellectual thinking within and on behalf of society. This consensus view of what universities are for has been challenged by government and funding bodies concerned with the ‘impact’ of research and its benefits to wider society and the economy.

At the same time we have seen a complementary emphasis on the student as ‘consumer’ and a growing concern with ‘student experience’ and ‘student satisfaction’. Are we seeing the end of the university as a public good and its replacement by commercial forces or a shift in focus for the greater benefit of everyone in society?

Do we need a victims’ law?

Posted by Dennis Hayes - August 20, 2014March 2, 2015

In September 2014, the East Midlands Salon hosted a discussion entitled ‘Do we need a victims’ law?’

Barbara Hewson

In recent years victims have played an increasing role in the justice system, for example the rise of victim statements, and all major parties have pledged to increase their involvement further after the next election. Labour’s proposals for a new ‘victims’ law’ which will put victims at the centre of the criminal justice system is seen by many campaigners as a much needed reform that will give confidence in the legal process to people suffering from violence and abuse. As the Victims’ Taskforce director Sir Keir Starmer QC, says ‘For many victims the adversarial journey through our courtrooms is such an ordeal that most vow never to repeat it’ and we need to do away with the ‘Criminal Justice System’ and replace it with a criminal justice service fit for victims. Continue reading …

Is suicide a sin?

Posted by Dennis Hayes - May 23, 2014March 2, 2015

In June 2014 at The Brunswick Inn, Derby there was a discussion of suicide and assisted suicide, introduced by Kevin Yuill author, ‘Assisted Suicide: the liberal, humanist case against liberalization’.

Kevin says “For some, suicide is the irrational act of an unsound mind requiring medical intervention, but for others it can be a moral decision made by rational individuals, troubled or otherwise. Either way, does emphasising the role of external pressures (such as recession-fuelled hardship or bullying and harassment) risk undermining the individual’s responsibility for the act itself?

‘Pob’ v ‘Blob’: Who is winning the hearts and minds of teachers?

Posted by Dennis Hayes - April 11, 2014March 2, 2015

The May 2014 Salon was a discussion of Education Secretary Michael Gove’s war against ‘The Blob’ – his name for left wing teachers and teacher trainers.

The politics of sport

Posted by Dennis Hayes - March 6, 2014March 2, 2015

In April 2014, the East Midlands Salon hosted a discussion entitled ‘The politics of sport’.

This Salon discussion was introduced by Geoff Kidder – the Membership and Events Director at the Institute of Ideas and their resident expert on all matters sporting and will ask ‘Should we kick politics out of sport?

By way of introduction Geoff says: Continue reading …

Safeguarding vulnerable adults – the State in your living room?

Posted by Dennis Hayes - February 5, 2014March 2, 2015

In March 2014 the East Midlands Salon hosted a discussion entitled ‘Safeguarding vulnerable adults – the State in your living room?’.

This Salon discussion was introduced by Barbara Hewson – a leading barrister based in London who practises civil liberties, public and regulatory law. She has a particular interest in autonomy and in reproductive rights. She has long been an outspoken critic of legal paternalism, and fought a successful campaign to halt the practice of court-ordered Caesareans in the U.K. She regularly writes for spiked. Continue reading …

Is ‘community’ dead?

Posted by Dennis Hayes - January 17, 2014March 2, 2015

In February 2014 the East Midlands Salon hosted a discussion entitled ‘Is ‘community’ dead?‘.

Our speaker was Dave Clements, author of many publications including “Society Wars” (IOI, 2012), “Social Care for Free Citizens” (Manifesto Club, 2010) and “The Future of Community”(Pluto, 2008). Dave convenes the Social Policy Forum at the Institute of Ideas and blogs for the Guardian, the Independent and Huffington Post. As an introduction to his talk, he writes: Continue reading …

Balloon Debate 2013

Posted by Dennis Hayes - December 1, 2013March 2, 2015

At the December Salon the East Midlands Salon is hosting its second ‘Balloon Debate‘.

At this festive event Salon regulars and others will defend their favourite books as they metaphorically float heavenwards in a balloon. The Salon will vote on their attempts and, one by one, they will be thrown out of the balloon until we have a winner….come along and join in the fun!

Balloonists include:

Why Shakespeare?

Posted by Dennis Hayes - October 22, 2013May 28, 2017

At our November Salon Vanessa Pupavac discussed Why Shakespeare?

Why are more people turning or returning to Shakespeare? Not only do tickets to the Globe or the RSC sell out, but so too do initiatives like National Theatre Live bringing theatre performances to cinemas nationally and internationally. People have often turned to Shakespeare in times of crisis. or political oppression. If Ben Johnson said Shakespeare is for all time, CLR James argued this was only because he articulated his own times so… well.

So what is it that makes us feel today that Shakespeare is our contemporary and speaks to our preoccupations?

Vanessa will explore how Shakespeare’s tragic vision offers insights for and challenges to our oh so miserable now anti-humanist culture and its degradation of humanity as a species. Macbeth and other tragic protagonists take us to a nihilistic abyss and see a world devoid of human meaning. Such bleakness has tempted successors to tidy up and sanitize Shakespeare’s tragedies. Nevertheless Shakespeare’s uncompromising tragedies assert a radical humanism affirming humans as speaking, acting, thinking and feeling individuals, and the tragedy of our mortality.

In The Parlour, The Brunswick Inn, 1 Railway Terrace, Derby, DE1 2RU: http://www.everards.co.uk/our-pubs/the-brunswick-inn-derby.

Fiction, fatwa and fear: writing after The Satanic Verses

Posted by Dennis Hayes - August 5, 2013March 2, 2015

The 26 September 2013 sees the 25th anniversary of the publication of Salman Rushdie’s The Satanic Verses. Rushdie has argued that it could not be published today. Have publishers become cowardly and writers taken to consciously or unconsciously engaging in self-censorship? The furore over the publication of Monica Ali’s Brick Lane or more recently of Sherry Jones’ The Jewel of Medina showed the politically correct watchdogs in the academy are at the forefront of the modern literary censorship as much as any mad mullahs. Continue reading …