The Festival of Debate has been taking place in Sheffield since 2016 and involves a series of panel discussions, speeches and debates. In 2018 the events will be taking place throughout April, May and June and a number of these will be happening at SHU. A list of those events and some information about each one can be found below. Further information and links to book can found on the Festival of Debate website.
Yanis Varoufakis
Wed 18 Apr | 7-9pm | Pennine Lecture Theatre |
In association with DiEM25
Yanis Varoufakis – former Greek finance minister and Member of the Hellenic Parliament, co-founder of the European movement for democratisation, DiEM25, and author of political autobiography, Adults in the Room – talks about why it matters for democrats in Britain and Europe as a whole that we get Brexit right, and why together we need to revive internationalism, the real alternative to the globalisation process which is robbing all of us of our futures.
Preaching to the Converted?
Sunday 20 May | 2pm | The Void |
We are all accused of living in our own echo chamber we rarely hear or consider views that oppose our own. Here is a chance to watch two films from opposing political perspectives; Noam Chomsky, the linguist and political activist, and Dinesh D’Souza, best-selling author and political commentator, and be see if you are persuaded by their arguments.
Sohrab Ahmari – The New Philistines
Sunday 20 May | 7pm | The Void |
Sohrab Ahmari is a senior writer at Commentary magazine. Previously he spent five years as an editor and columnist with The Wall Street Journal opinion pages in London and New York. He co-edited the 2012 book Arab Spring Dreams, an anthology of essays by young Mideast dissidents.
Ahmari’s book, The New Philistines, a polemic on how identity politics are corrupting the arts, was released on October 20, 2016.
RENI EDDO-LODGE: WHY I’M NO LONGER TALKING TO WHITE PEOPLE ABOUT RACE
Thu 17 May | Pennine Lecture Theatre | TBC | Join award-winning journalist and author Reni Eddo-Lodge to find out why she’s ‘No Longer Talking to White People About Race’ following the publication of her bestselling debut book last year. Reni writes, and talks, about feminism and structural racism. Reni has written for publications including The New York Times, the Guardian, Dazed and Confused and the hit anthology The Good Immigrant.
DISMEMBERED: POLLY TOYNBEE & DAVID WALKER
Wed 20 June | 7:30-9pm | Pennine Lecture Theatre | £10/£8
Guardian columnists Polly Toynbee and David Walker’s new book Dismembered is a searing critique of the current government and investigates the dismantling of public services. The authors travelled the country meeting people who make up the state. As key public services are cut back and increasingly outsourced to private companies, the authors ask the question: How can these services be protected?