Winter/Spring 2011 events launched

Date posted: 9 December 10

Bristol Festival of Ideas launched its Winter/Spring 2011 programme today. Subjects covered include international aid, the ethics of eating animals, the internet and society, the impact of offshore investments on UK finance and society, the future of public welfare under the coalition government, the future of life on earth, continental philosophy, new research in physics and the history and politics of the Middle East.

Andrew Kelly, director of the festival, said today:

‘Once again we have a magnificent programme of some of the finest international speakers in Bristol. We’re delighted that they will be here to present their new books and ideas and to meet with, debate and discuss them with the people of the city. We’re especially pleased that many of the sessions will have panels made up of Bristol’s academics and campaigners responding to what the speakers put forward.’

The festival also welcomes Clarence B Jones, who worked with Martin Luther King for many years and co-wrote with Dr King the ‘I have a Dream’ speech. This launches a new strand in the festival on heroes and includes Tom Segev, the leading Israeli journalist and writer on Simon Wiesenthal and Bettany Hughes on Socrates.

Another new part of the festival’s work looks in detail, over four sessions, at the future of public welfare. This programme, organised with the UWE School of Health and Applied Social Sciences brings together leading academics, campaigners, trade unionists and others. Another new series, on the politics of law and organised again with UWE, will launch in 2011.

The main Festival of Ideas will take place 13-22 May 2011 and the programme will be announced in March 2011.