Understanding our changing world: AHRC anniversary debates announced

Debates to be held as part of the AHRC’s anniversary activities were announced today (27/03/15). The announcement follows an open call issued late last year and peer review of the more than 40 applications received from Higher Education institutions and Research Organisations.

The theme of the series is ‘The Way We Live Now’ and the debates, covering topics such as the Nation, Change, the Book and Faith, will examine key aspects of our human world, the ways in which these subjects are changing and shaping our lives, and will explore how the arts and humanities can help us understand our changing world.

The call sought applications from Research Organisations to co-host and co-fund debates and encouraged creative and innovative proposals for delivering and promoting these events and engaging wider audiences.

The successful organisations with their debate topics are:

– Independent Research Organisations led by Imperial War Museums and British Museum: Curating the Nation

– Newcastle University: The Challenge of Change

– Cambridge University: Faith and Education

– Ulster University: Beyond the Digital

– University of Huddersfield: Rethinking the Nation

– University of the Arts London: Books and the Human

The debates are a central element of the AHRC’s tenth anniversary activities which include the Research in Film Awards, a partnership with Cheltenham festivals, a highlight follow-on funding call, a series of international workshops in the USA and India, and many others.

The series will be launched with the ‘Curating the Nation’ debate on June 11th at the British Museum and will run for several months. Other debates are being scoped with partner organisations on such topics as Language and Demographics, British culture and ‘Machine World’ and further details will follow in due course.

Jan Dalley, Arts Editor of the Financial Times, a member of the AHRC Council, said: “The AHRC’s anniversary gives us an exciting opportunity to engage in discussion and debate about some of the central questions facing us today and to reflect on the vital role of the arts and humanities in our lives. These inspiring debates and the many associated activities will open up interesting avenues to exploring and understanding the challenges of the way we live now.”

For further information on the AHRC anniversary activities, please go to: www.ahrc.ac.uk/ahrc10