informational talks

STEAM

Cambridge Festival Of Ideas 2018

University of Cambridge

books

pod ast

Taken from Regressions Through the Mirrors of Time. Get the CD: http://www.hayhouse.co.uk/cds/140192235X/regression-through-the-mirrors-of-time

Enjoy a meditation in which Dr. Brian Weiss will help you to induce a state of serenity and contentment.

Brian Weiss - A Meditation to Inner Peace, Love and Joy

From Louise Hay's "Meditations for Loving Yourself to Great Health"
The guided meditations in this audio program were created by Louise Hay, Ahlea Khadro, and Heather Dane to support you in changing your way of life to one that focuses on nourishing your body and treating it with love. Sit back, relax, and allow yourself to be guided to more loving choices.

Louise Hay -  Healthy Body, Healthy Mind Meditation

Cosmopolitan Lovesick Blues - The Right Profile

A download of guided meditations aimed to complement the learnings found in Prof Mark William's and Dr Danny Penman's guide to freeing yourself from the stresses of everyday life. Containing all the meditations that are mentioned in the book this is an invaluable resource to cement their teachings on how to find Mindfulness, and how to keep it.

Mindfulness - Finding Peace In A Frantic World - Guided Meditations

Meditation Five: Sounds And Thoughts

Meditation Four: Breath And Body

Meditation One: Mindfulness Of Body And Breath

Every day your immune system is busy protecting you from the thousands of germs around you that can make you sick. It does its job so efficiently that you don’t even notice that it is at work. Micro-organisms are present in your gut and interact with your body during periods of health and disease. When the immune system hits the wrong target, however, it can unleash a torrent of disorders, including inflammatory diseases, cancer, and autoimmune disease. Come along and be enlightened by our experts in the field.

Panelists: Dr Eoin McKinney (Autoimmunity - Dept of Medicine), Dr Maike De La Roche (Immunity - CRUK), Dr Sam Forster (Microbiota - Sanger Institute). Chaired by Prof Clare Bryant (Innate Immunity - Dept of Vet Medicine).

The Good, The Bad And The Ugly

They're paid a fortune — but for what, exactly? What makes a good C.E.O. — and how can you even tell? Is "leadership science" a real thing — or just airport-bookstore mumbo jumbo? We put these questions to Mark Zuckerberg, Richard Branson, Indra Nooyi, Satya Nadella, Jack Welch, Ray Dalio, Carol Bartz, David Rubenstein, and Ellen Pao. (Part 1 of a special series, "The Secret Life of C.E.O.'s.")

Freakonomics Radio

Freakonomics: What Does a C.E.O. Actually Do?

New Books in the Arts and Sciences at Columbia University: a podcast featuring audio from the New Books Series at Columbia University and interviews with the speakers and authors.

Nation Building: Why Some Countries Come Together While Others Fall Apart
by: Andreas Wimmer

Why is national integration achieved in some diverse countries, while others are destabilized by political inequality between ethnic groups, contentious politics, or even separatism and ethnic war? Traversing centuries and continents from early nineteenth-century Europe and Asia to Africa from the turn of the twenty-first century to today, Andreas Wimmer delves into the forces that encourage political alliances to stretch across ethnic divides and build national unity. Using global datasets and three pairs of case studies (Switzerland and Belgium, Botswana and Somalia, and China and Russia), Wimmer’s theory of nation building focuses on slow-moving, generational processes: the spread of civil society organizations, linguistic assimilation, and the states’ capacity to provide public goods. Offering a long-term historical perspective and global outlook, Nation Building sheds important new light on the challenges of political integration in diverse countries.

Andreas Wimmer's Nation Building: Why Some Countries Come Together While Others Fall Apart

Formed as a New York City hardcore band in 1981, Beastie Boys struck an unlikely path to global hip-hop superstardom. Here is their story, told for the first time in the words of band members, Adam "AD-ROCK" Horovitz and Michael "Mike D" Diamond. 

Over 40 A-list stars narrate the Beastie Boys Book audiobook including, Steve Buscemi, Jarvis Cocker, Elvis Costello, Chuck D, Nadia Dajani, Michael Diamond, Snoop Dogg, Will Ferrell, Kim Gordon, Adam Horovitz, LL Cool J, Spike Jonze, Bette Midler, Mix Master Mike, NAS, Amy Poehler, Chloe Sevigny, Jon Stewart, Ben Stiller and many more.

In this clip, Adam Horovitz reads from Wild Card (An Introduction)

Beastie Boys Book, audiobook extract – Wild Card (An Introduction) by Adam Horovitz

The dangers of the dark web are explored in a discussion that looks at how anonymous users can purchase illegal firearms and drugs on this hidden part of the internet. The challenges this poses and what could be done to manage its impact are also examined.

• Giacomo Persi Paoli is a research leader at RAND Europe in the Defence, Security and Infrastructure Group, where he leads the National Security and Resilience research portfolio. Giacomo will give an introduction to RAND Europe’s research into cryptomarkets – the black markets on the dark web – and reveal the size and scope of the dark web and what is available for trade, with a focus on illegal firearms.

• Stijn Hoorens is the head of RAND Europe's Brussels Office and an associate director of RAND Europe. His research interests are broad, but most of his work has revolved around issues related to illicit markets, security, demographic issues, employment, and skills. Stijn will be looking at how the dark web has facilitated the trade in illicit drugs and how the findings converge and differ between firearms and drugs.

• Steve Welsh is a senior manager at the National Crime Agency in the UK and heads up the Dark Web Intelligence Collection and Exploitation department. He will be giving an insight into the evolving threat of dark web markets and sharing some of the UK’s success in combatting it with international partners.

• Judith Aldridge is Professor of Criminology in the School of Law at the University of Manchester in the UK, she is the author of over 80 publications in the drugs field; 19 of these on ‘darknet’ drug markets. As a counterpoint, Judith will explore some of the unexpected benefits of the dark web, such as how it may reduce some of the harms generally associated with global drug prohibition.

15 Oct - SHINING A LIGHT ON THE DARK WEB

Why do fundamentalist beliefs and practices function as they do? Why are they so attractive? How should we distinguish between fundamentalism, extremism, radicalism and orthodoxy?

Professor Kim Knott, Lancaster University, Ed Kessler MBE, Woolf Institute, Cambridge, and Tobias Müller, Woolf Institute and POLIS, University of Cambridge, present their reflections on fundamentalisms, particularly in Jewish, Muslim, Christian and non-religious contexts. They draw on case studies and fieldwork in religious communities in the UK and Europe. In addition, the panellists present some conceptual proposals on how best to study and conceptualise fundamentalism in order to make it an analytical and useful category that takes seriously the historical development of the term. The presentations focus on shared characteristics such as the role of patriarchy, the desire to return to a golden age, the significance of sacred texts and truth claims, anti-pluralist attributes, the importance of charismatic leadership and the influence of globalisation. At the same time, the presentations will point out characteristics that are particularly noticeable amongst some religious fundamentalisms but not others, for example sacred land is important to Jewish, Sikh and Hindu fundamentalists but less so for Christian and Buddhist. Finally, the panel will address how fundamentalism relates to mainstream interpretations of the same religion.

Chair: Dr Sara Silvestri, Senior lecturer, City, University of London and Bye Fellow, St Edmund's College, Cambridge

Read Tobias' feature article: https://www.festivalofideas.cam.ac.uk/what-fundamentalism-and-what-should-we-do-about-it

15 Oct - RETHINKING RELIGIOUS FUNDAMENTALISM

This panel reflects on mystical experiences in epilepsy and what they can teach us about empathy, personal reflection, and how different traditions of faith or non-faith can intersect in big questions about the nature of personal experience.

This panel includes experts on the psychology of religion and people who have had mystical seizures. By using a rare and unusual phenomena that has implications for both medical and faith communities, this talk aims to address how we engage with the hard to understand subjective experiences of others and how competing understandings of the nature of these extreme experiences can share the explanatory landscape. Rather than simply focusing on the science of mystical seizures, this panel aims to address what these experiences tell us about spiritual plurality, interfaith understanding, and how we grapple with first hand accounts of experiences inaccessible to most people.

With Prof. Rev. Alasdair Coles, Joseph Tennant, Ian Ball, Mordecai Zeller

18 Oct - THE MYSTERY OF MYSTICAL SEIZURES

With huge internal and external pressures facing the European Union, including the rise of nationalist and populist movements of all types across Europe - both inside the EU and outside, as well as the power struggle going on for control of Europe, can it survive?

With Ian Kearns, co-founder of the European Leadership Network and author of Collapse: Europe after the European Union, Dr Julie Smith, Director of the European Centre in the Department of Politics and International Studies at Cambridge University, John Breuilly, professor of nationalism and ethnicity at the London School of Economics, and Timothy Less, associate researcher at the University of Cambridge and director of the Nova Europa consultancy, which provides political risk analysis of Eastern Europe.

Chaired by BBC Radio Cambridgeshire's Chris Mann.

18 Oct - EUROPE IN THE AGE OF EXTREMES

Best-selling author Tara Westover talks to Guardian columnist Hadley Freeman about her memoir, Educated, which tells of her experiences growing up in rural Idaho, raised by a radical, survivalist father who was intensely paranoid about government interference in the lives of his family. In the book she writes of how, through the pursuit of knowledge, she evolved into a 'new self'. She says: 'You could call this selfhood many things. Transformation. Metamorphosis. Falsity. Betrayal. I call it an education.'

Read Tara's feature article: https://www.festivalofideas.cam.ac.uk/educated-tara-westover-conversation-hadley-freeman

20 Oct - EDUCATED: TARA WESTOVER IN CONVERSATION WITH HADLEY FREEMAN

Professor David Runciman, Head of the Department of Politics and International Studies at the University of Cambridge and author of How Democracy Ends, argues that, far from following the familiar pattern of military takeover or collapse in the rule of law, it is likely that democracy will fail in the 21st century in ways that we are not yet familiar with and that rather than implosion, it may simply fade away, hollowed out by forces of technological progress and social division that we lack the power to understand, never mind to resist.

Read David's feature article: www.festivalofideas.cam.ac.uk/how-democracy-ends

20 Oct - HOW DEMOCRACY ENDS

Will the future of work be one in which jobs become ever more precarious and robots take over or can we regulate to make the gig economy and artificial intelligence work in our favour? With Magdalena Soffia, former UN consultant and researcher in Sociology at the University of Cambridge, Dr Alex Wood, a sociologist of work and employment at the University of Oxford, Dr Hatice Gunes, associate professor in the University of Cambridge's Computer Laboratory, and Laetitia Vitaud, HR specialist and writer on the future of work.

20 Oct - THE FUTURE OF WORK

In this exclusive chapter extract from the recently released Beastie Boys Book audiobook, Michael 'Mike D' Diamond describes the experience of seeing Black Flag at the Peppermint Lounge in 1981, a gig that would be a catalyst for a number of bands forming, including the Beastie Boys.

Michael Diamond reads an exclusive extract from Beastie Boys Book

What does gender equality mean in practice? Is feminism a threat to men or a collective liberation from social stereotypes? A panel discussion will look at the links between equality at work and equality at home and how the move towards gender equality connects to wider issues of social equality. With Jude Browne, Jessica and Peter Frankopan Director of the University of Cambridge Centre for Gender Studies, economist Victoria Bateman, sociologist Manali Desai, film, TV and theatre director Topher Campbell and Duncan Fisher from the Family Initiative. Chaired by psychologist Magdalena Zawisza.

24 Oct - BRIDGING THE GENDER DIVIDE

Speaker(s): Nils-Axel Braathen, Ben Groom, Joseph Lowe, Susana Mourato, Tanja Wettingfeld | A number of OECD countries make extensive use of cost benefit analysis (CBA) to help inform environmental policy decisions. This discussion panel will reflect on this use and take stock of recent developments in environmental CBA and the challenges this presents to policy makers. The panel will be comprised of some of the LSE authors of a recent book published by OECD on environmental CBA as well as policy practitioners. The book is entitled Cost benefit analysis and the environment: further developments and policy use. Nils-Axel Braathen is a Principal Administrator in the Environmental Performance and Information Division of OECD’s Environment Directorate. Ben Groom (@ben_d_groom) is Professor of Environment and Development Economics, LSE. Joseph Lowe is Head of Economic Branch, HM Treasury. Susana Mourato (@smmour) is Professor of Environmental Economics, LSE. Tanja Wettingfeld (@tanjawett) is Economic Advisor on Smart Energy, Department of Business, Energy, and Industrial Strategy. Giles Atkinson is Professor of Environmental Policy, LSE. Department of Geography and Enviroment (@LSEGeography): a centre of international academic excellence in economic, urban and development geography, environmental social science and climate change. Twitter Hashtag for this event: #LSEEnvironment

Cost Benefit Analysis and the Environment: further developments and policy use [Audio]

The University Library is delighted to have been given the archive of the satirical TV programme Spitting Image. The first latex puppet to arrive is Margaret Thatcher. In this podcast, by Made For Your Podcasts, Spitting Image creator explains why the archive is coming home, and Mrs Thatcher speaks form beyond the grave...

Spitting Image archive comes to Cambridge University Library

Grace Blakeley argues the case for 'Lexit' (a left-wing exit from the European Union) while Laurie Macfarlane thinks 'Remain and Reform' is our best option.

With a vote on the Prime Minister's deal imminent, what are the options? Paul Mason recently described Lexit – the leftwing case for Brexit – as a political fantasy, but is there still a progressive case for leaving the EU? Was there ever one? Or is our best chance to stay in the EU and reform it? Can it even be reformed?

We wanted to get to the bottom of all this, so on this week's podcast are two economists who share the same values but have come to very different positions about Lexit.

Enjoying the show? Tweet us your comments and questions @NEF!

Produced by James Shield.

Music: Podington Bear, Mr Frisby's Beat Pocket, and Jey Row, licenced under Creative Commons.

The award-winning Weekly Economics Podcast is brought to you by the New Economics Foundation – the UK's only people powered think tank. Find out more at www.neweconomics.org

Weekly Economics Podcast

Apple Podcasts

Lexit vs Remain and Reform

Britain is one of the wealthiest nations in the world, so why do so many feel short-changed? In this episode of Philosophy for our Times, Labour MP and former minister Angela Eagle sees an urgent need to protect social cohesion and makes a case for radical economic reform.

In association with the New College of the Humanities: www.nchlondon.ac.uk

Bonus Episode: The Struggle for Social Justice | Angela Eagle

Most think that social progress should be driven by ideas and persuasion not force. Yet from the French and Russian Revolutions to the Suffragettes, violent action has been instrumental to generating change. Is violence ever justified as a political strategy? In this episode of Philosophy for our Times,  Enlightenment Now author Steven Pinker, filmmaker and author of The Clash of Fundamentalisms Tariq Ali and Kurdish Women's Movement activist Elif Sarican grapple with the forces of history.

In association with the New College of the Humanities: bit.ly/2FdPgLD

Fires of Progress | Steven Pinker, Tariq Ali, Elif Sarican

Has parliament taken back control and if so, are MPs about to shed their traditional party loyalties to prevent a no-deal Brexit? Listen to David Howarth, Professor of Law and Public Policy and former Cambridge MP, and Simon Deakin, Professor of Law, discuss what’s likely to happen in the Brexit negotiations in both the short and longer term.

A Center for Business Research Podcast: January 28th 2019

Brexit and its consequences for the UK economy and political systems

Nina from UCL Grand Challenges chats with Dr Miriam Orcutt, a researcher in forced migration and health systems, and the Coordinator of the UCL-Lancet Commission on Migration and Health. Dr Orcutt discusses progress since the launch of the Commission’s report in December 2018, and illustrates how involving a variety of stakeholders, including migrants themselves, informs research and policy.

UCL’s Grand Challenges convene and cultivate cross-disciplinary collaborations that bring researchers together, explore joined-up solutions in six areas related to matters of pressing societal concern, and set the agenda for future research while building bridges with external partners.

Music © Benjamin Mastripolito

Voices from Grand Challenges – Migration and Health with Dr Miriam Orcutt

Get ready to enjoy both series 1 and 2 of the heady combination of maths, science and comedy that is Domestic Science. 

Featuring Matt Parker, Steve Mould and Helen Arney as Festival of the Spoken Nerd, these 8 episodes use stand-up, songs and experiments to investigate the world around us with a level of scientific accuracy not normally found in your average comedy series.  

If you've ever pondered where the mint in your toothpaste really comes from, or wondered what The Hot Chocolate Effect is, then come explore and play along at home. The team also investigate everything from radioactive bananas and musical bicycle tyres to assisting you with mathematically efficient sock storage and how to host your very own static electricity party.

UK science comedy phenomenon Festival of the Spoken Nerd created this truly experimental radio show for BBC Radio 4, alongside appearances on BBC2’s QI and sharing stages at the Hammersmith Apollo and Royal Albert Hall with comedian Robin Ince, Professor Brian Cox and Commander Chris Hadfield. They toured their most recent stand-up science show to over 50,000 curious nerds (and non-nerds) and have accumulated millions of views on YouTube for their stand-up maths, songs and science explanations.

Domestic Science: Series 1 and 2 - audiobook extract

The Green New Deal has rocketed to the top of the agenda in the US. It's an ambitious plan, spearheaded by Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, to decarbonise the US economy and eliminate economic insecurity at the same time.

But in fact the Green New Deal has some of its origins here at the New Economics Foundation. So what's the story behind the development of the idea? And how would a Green New Deal actually work, both in the UK and across the pond?

Ayeisha Thomas-Smith is joined this week by:

- Ann Pettifor, director of Prime Economics and one of the co-authors of the Green New Deal report published by NEF in 2008;

- Miatta Fahnbulleh, chief executive of the New Economics Foundation;

- Waleed Shahid, communications director of the Justice Democrats, who also worked on the campaign to elect Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. 

Enjoying the show? Tweet us your comments and questions @NEF!

Produced by James Shield.

Music this week is by Podington Bear, used under Creative Commons licence.

The award-winning Weekly Economics Podcast is brought to you by the New Economics Foundation – the UK's only people powered think tank. Find out more at www.neweconomics.org

What's the deal with the Green New Deal?

Is living sustainably a plausible proposition? That's the crucial question today's first guest on Sea Change Radio, David MacKay, is trying to answer. MacKay, the Chief Scientific Advisor to the Department of Energy and Climate Change in Great Britain and the author of the seminal work, "Sustainable Energy Without the Hot Air," is one of the most important figures in the environmental policy field. 

A physicist and information theorist, MacKay is a master of breaking down the numbers for us all to better assess the planet's renewable energy options. He discusses his pro-nuclear stance and his advocacy for the development of carbon capture and storage technology, which remains unpopular in many environmental circles. Next, host Alex Wise speaks with the Mayor of Sebastopol, California, Michael Kyes, who has advanced environmental policy in his own way - the small  town recently passed an ordinance requiring all new homes to be solar-equipped.