The fourth Cambridge series at the Hay Festival this June will address all of these questions and more. Celebrating the prestigious literary festival’s 25th anniversary this year, the Cambridge series will for the first time include a series of debates by some of the world’s leading thinkers alongside talks by individual academics.
Professor Alison Sinclair, Dr Jennifer Wallace and Professor Adrian Poole will debate whether the media and public respond to tragic events now in ways that echo age-old traditions which go back to Greek tragedy or whether classic ideas about tragedy’s purpose need revising.
Professor Richard Sennett and Dr Brendan Burchell will explore the future of work and ask whether new technology will liberate us or lead to longer hours and increasing social isolation.
Professor Saskia Sassen, Dr Wendy Pullan, Dr Sara Silvestri and Max Sternberg will discuss the changing nature of urban violence, from the streets of Jerusalem to the avenues of Toulouse.
Professor Brendan Simms, Professor Robert Tombs and Professor Christopher Hill will debate whether the UK will ever get on with Europe and Andrew Gamble, David Runciman and Glen Rangwala will discuss whether democracy is right for our current global problems.
Other speakers in the Cambridge series include Professor Lawrence Sherman on intelligent policing. His talk will be chaired by Sir Denis O’Connor, Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Constabulary.
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Image: Hay Festival Credit: Cambridge University
Reproduced courtesy of the University of Cambridge
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Confronting global challenges at Hay
12 April 2012
Is democracy up to our 21st-century problems? Will the UK ever sort out its relationship with Europe? Is tragedy the perfect form for the modern plight?