This is the last broadcast by Andrew Graham as Master of Balliol, and as a message to the old members, it will touch many who have watched with increasing appreciation and enthusiasm as Andrew has steered the College
through an exciting decade, and more. Appropriately, he refers to two of the major initiatives launched during his Mastership: the founding of the OII, now celebrating its first 10 years, and the creation of the historical Balliol Archive Centre at St Cross Church, from where he broadcasts. And from that archive he draws on texts from a century ago that have resonance today as the world tries to draw a line under the current financial turmoil.
Sir Drummond Bone, Master of Balliol College and Pro-Vice Chancellor at the University of Oxford delivers a talk on “Where next?” Following Brexit and the election of Donald Trump as US President, he encourages young people to keep going and not to get disheartened during these difficult times. Drawing on his own experiences of co-founding Xi’an Jiaotong Liverpool University in China, he stresses the importance of international collaboration and building relationships, and challenging your own perceptions of what’s possible as you strive to achieve great accomplishments in your life and career.
Highlights of the T-Talks held at Balliol College, University of Oxford on 10th February 2017. President Dr Sung Hee Kim welcomed the guests and audience to Balliol Hall, and thanked the Master of the College for his support during the 8 years of Voices from Oxford.
After a brief introduction from Prof Denis Noble, Master of Balliol Sir Drummond Bone spoke from the heart about how poetry can inspire young people. He was followed by Prof Jean Chen from the International Business School Suzhou in China. She talked on the Rise of China, with a specific focus on how ordinary people have experienced the rapid development of arguably the 21st century’s most important country.
Next up was Edward Howell, a student in International Relations who told the story of how he experienced Brexit and the interactions between East and West in the world. The final T-Talk was given by Nik Powell, Director of the National Film and Television School, who gave an entertaining and lively summary of how his experiences in life have helped him seize opportunities, as well as an analysis of how new technologies will change the ways we consume media in the future.
The evening finished with a Q&A session which featured intelligent and thought provoking questions from the audience, and concluded with a drinks reception.
Watch the full length videos of their T-Talks at t-talks.com.
Prof Denis Noble has been associated with Holywell Manor since 1967 when it became a Graduate Centre, and from 1971 to 1989 he was the Praefectus. In this talk he tells of some of the ‘Ghosts of Holywell Manor’, including the original Praefectus, Russell Meiggs, and a hanged priest.
Sir Drummond Bone, Master of Balliol College, University of Oxford, discusses his passion for the poetry of Lord Byron. He shows how Byron’s extraordinary life fed into his writing to produce the most popular writer after Shakespeare. We are entertained by Sir Drummond’s own readings of his favourite poems and with insights on the use of irony. The video features artistic filming and appropriately romantic music.
This is the last broadcast by Andrew Graham as Master of Balliol, and as a message to the old members, it will touch many who have watched with increasing appreciation and enthusiasm as Andrew has steered the College
through an exciting decade, and more. Appropriately, he refers to two of the major initiatives launched during his Mastership: the founding of the OII, now celebrating its first 10 years, and the creation of the historical Balliol Archive Centre at St Cross Church, from where he broadcasts. And from that archive he draws on texts from a century ago that have resonance today as the world tries to draw a line under the current financial turmoil.
The environmental threat has gained high profile within the media and has been placed at the centre of the political agenda. The Green Movement warns that drastic action is needed to prevent global warming, the exhaustion of raw materials and the extinction of species. But has the alarm they have generated hindered rather than assisted some of the genuine issues at stake?
In this book, Wilfred Beckerman sets out to expose the hollowness of the Green’s claim to the moral high ground in environmental policy and the falsity of their argument that sustainable development is threatened by the exhaustion of so-called “finite resources”. He discusses the difficulties involved in basic ethical issues such as intergenerational justice and the value of species preservation, and sets out the nature of the case for the retention of biodiversity. He aims to show that, far from there being any conflict in the long run between economic growth and the environment, growth is a necessary condition for the solution of genuine environmental problems, particularly those of the Third World.
Doughnut Economics: 7 Ways to Think Like a 21st Century Economist
As citizens around the world vociferously reject the economic ideas that led to rising inequality in the twentieth century, Kate Raworth has identified seven key ways to fundamentally rethink economics and transform the economy into one that works for all.
This book does not set out once more to raise the alarm to encourage us to take radical measures to head off climate chaos. There have been any number of books and reports in recent years explaining just how dire the future looks and how little time we have left to act.
This book is about why we have ignored those warnings, and why it is now too late. It is a book about the frailties of the human species as expressed in both the institutions we built and the psychological dispositions that have led us on the path of self-destruction. It is about our strange obsessions, our hubris, and our penchant for avoiding the facts. It is the story of a battle within us between the forces that should have caused us to protect the Earth – our capacity to reason and our connection to Nature – and those that, in the end, have won out – our greed, materialism and alienation from Nature. And it is about the 21st century consequences of these failures.
Clive Hamilton is author of the bestselling Affluenza and Growth Fetish, of Scorcher, and most recently Freedom Paradox.
Welcome to Transition Studies. To prosper for very much longer on the changing Earth humankind will need to move beyond its current fossil-fueled civilization toward one that is sustained on recycled materials and renewable energy. This is not a trivial shift. It will require a major transition in all aspects of our lives.
This weblog explores the transition to a sustainable future on our finite planet. It provides links to current news, key documents from government sources and non-governmental organizations, as well as video documentaries about climate change, environmental ethics and environmental justice concerns.
The links are listed here to be used in whatever manner they may be helpful in public information campaigns, course preparation, teaching, letter-writing, lectures, class presentations, policy discussions, article writing, civic or Congressional hearings and citizen action campaigns, etc. For further information on this blog see: About this weblog. and How to use this weblog.
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