Public Lectures at Canterbury Christ Church University

Fish and Sandwich: art and cultural politics - Andrea Rose

This lecture looks at why decisions are taken about sending particular works of art abroad, and what they say about us, and about those who receive them. Examples include: David Hockney, sent to Mexico the year after homosexuality was decriminalised in Britain; works by Mona Hatoum, sent to Iran during the Islamic Revolution; and works by Antony Gormley, which we chose not to send to Bosnia despite the artist’s entreaties during the Balkan wars. Other parts of the world, as varied as Saudi Arabia, the US, and Northern Ireland, are also considered in this lecture, and how our perspectives shift when seen from very different angles.

Why are systematic reviews of research on the effects of policies and practices so important?

Acting with the best of intentions, professionals sometimes do more harm than good when they intervene in the lives of other people. Decisions to use or withhold interventions in health care, social care and education should take account of findings in systematic reviews of relevant and reliable research evidence. Continued failure to do this will result in continued avoidable suffering and death, and waste of resources. 

Thats what I go to school for - new perspectives on behaviour and learning

What do pupils come to school for? is a question that is likely to draw different responses from policy makers, employers, parents and the pupils themselves.

The growth of Fairtrade across the world

Chief Executive Officer for the Fairtrade Foundation, Harriet Lamb speaks about the growth of Fairtrade across the world.

Not a load of old rubbish

Not a load of old rubbish - the educational use of archaeological material.

The Annual Martin Luther King Lecture: Life after death - The second coming of Rev Dr Martin Luther King, 1968-present

Professor Kirk explores the memory and legacy of Dr Martin Luther King in modern American society.

Annual Becket lecture: The second martyrdom of Thomas Becket

The suppression of Thomas Becket's cult in 1538 was more than a matter of demolishing his shrine. This lecture will explore how it was entangled with King Henry VIII's bitter battle with another defiant English prince of the Church, and how it made itself felt in every monastery and parish church in the land.

Darwin, Darwinism and Butterflies

The event is part of the 2009 celebrations of the 150th anniversary of the publication of Darwin's 'Origin of Species' and his 200th birthday. The lecture will focus on Darwin, Darwinism and butterflies (Darwin, himself, did not say or do much with butterflies, although what he did say was very interesting). The lecture will touch on Henry Walter Bates on mimicry (a key debate in history of Darwinism), and Alfred Russel Wallace versus Darwin on sexual selection; two examples of where Darwinian 'transference' (proposed by Darwin for birds) appears to have affected butterfly evolution (one, Papilio dardanus, in concert with Batesian mimicry, the other, Appias nero, not). The lecture will conclude with an assessment of the role of behaviour versus genes in evolution.

Faith in media?

In his lecture Reverend Coles will discuss the complex relationship between faith, communities and the media, which for some could be characterised by fear, loathing and mistrust on the part of the former and incomprehension on the latter. He will explore a range of ideas as to why this characterisation has come about and propose that both faith communities and the media might benefit if we can renegotiate the contract between the two.