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HowTheLightGetsIn gathers together global thought leaders to find new ways of understanding the world. From pioneering philosophers to comedic legends explore the London 2023 speaker line up below.
Join us in Hay-on-Wye next spring for another world-class lineup.
Interrogating modern physics' theory of time in The Trouble With Time Debate.
Defending his objective theory of ethics in the Debate A Rule To Live By.
Exploring humour and mental health in her Solo Talk Searching For Sanity In A Chaotic World.
"What we usually consider as impossible are simply engineering problems."
Michio Kaku is a trailblazing American theoretical physicist and futurist. He is co-creator of string field theory and continues Einstein’s search to unite the four fundamental forces of nature into one unified theory. He is a Professor of Physics at the City College of New York and CUNY Graduate Center.
Professor Kaku is a New York Times best-selling author of several books about physics and related topics. His new book, Quantum Supremacy, argues that the next generation of quantum computers will solve humanity's greatest challenges, from climate change to global starvation to incurable diseases. Kaku has also hosted several award-winning television specials for global media outlets like the BBC, the Discovery Channel, the History Channel, and the Science Channel.
"An international treasure and a man of infectious enthusiasm."
The Times
“What one generation finds ridiculous, the next accepts; and the third shudders when it looks back on what the first did.”
Peter Singer is undoubtedly one of the world's foremost public philosophers and the most prominent figure in contemporary ethics. He has made groundbreaking contributions to animal welfare, bioethics, effective altruism and practical ethics more broadly.
He is a founder of both Animals Australia and The Life You Can Save, and has been a key figure in the Effective Altruism movement - an initiative that uses evidence and careful analysis to find the very best way for individuals to do good. Singer has received multiple accolades for his work, including a nomination as one of Australia's ten most influential public intellectuals and the $1 million Berggruen Prize in 2021.
"The world's most influential living philosopher." The New Yorker
(Photo: Katarzyna de Lazari-Radek)
”The most cognitively brilliant people usually have had to sacrifice their emotional selves."
Ruby Wax OBE is a seminal British-American talent, excelling as an actress, writer, TV personality, and mental health advocate. Her impressive career includes captivating performances with the Royal Shakespeare Company and a memorable role in the ITV sitcom Girls on Top.
Wax has been a long-standing advocate and campaigner for mental health, sharing her own experiences of bipolar disorder and depression. Recognized for her contributions, she received the Officer of the Order of the British Empire title. Recently, she released a poignant book and audiobook, I'm Not As Well As I Thought I Was, documenting her ongoing journey and relentless battle against depression.
"Nobody can make the serious funny and the funny serious quite like Ruby." Alastair Campbell
"Your country needs you. Your world needs you. Your time is now."
Alastair Campbell is one of the most important voices in modern British politics. Best known for his role as chief spokesman and strategist during Tony Blair’s period as Prime Minister, Alastair now works predominantly as writer and broadcaster, and remains a leading thinker on the centre-left.
Alastair is co-host of the award-winning podcast, The Rest is Politics, alongside Rory Stewart, and they have recently embarked on a number of sold out live shows. He has also recently written a book, But What Can I Do?, in which he explores why politics has gone wrong, and suggests what each of us can do to overthrow a broken political system and truly make a difference in the world.
"One of the most interesting people in Britain." Gavin Esler, former presenter of BBC’s Newsnight
"It all goes back, of course, to Adam and Eve - a story which shows that if you make a woman out of a man, you are bound to get into trouble."
Carol Gilligan is a groundbreaking feminist, ethicist and psychologist. She is the mind behind an ethics of care. This revolutionary theory moves beyond the traditional philosophical divides, bringing together psychology and philosophy to delve into the stages of moral development.
Gilligan is a Professor of Humanities and Applied Psychology at New York University and was a visiting professor at the Centre for Gender Studies and Jesus College at the University of Cambridge.
"Gilligan's book is feminism at its best... Her thesis is rooted not only in research but in common sense." The Boston Globe
"We live in a culture now where impact is more important than intent."
David Baddiel is an acclaimed comedian, screenwriter and author. He shot to fame when he created and stared in The Mary Whitehouse Experience, and is well known and loved for his numerous collaborations with Frank Skinner. The pair created and performed Fantasy Football League and are well loved across the nation for their now iconic song ‘Three Lions’.
David has also written numerous books, most notably his bestseller, Jews Don’t Count, which sought to combat the presence of antisemitism within culture today. The book was met with huge critical acclaim, and was awarded the Sunday Times Politics And Current Affairs Book of the Year, 2021. David joins us following the publication of his recent book, The God Delusion, which provides a fresh, exciting spin on the most ancient of debates.
"Magnificent. Breathtaking. And shockingly rare." Stephen Fry
"Theoretical physicists used to explain what was observed. Now they try to explain why they can't explain what was not observed."
Fearlessly critical of the scientific mainstream, Sabine Hossenfelder is a groundbreaking theoretical physicist who specialises in the foundations of science. She is a leading science communicator, best selling author and researcher. Her recent books include, Lost in Math: How Beauty Leads Physics Astray, and the New York Time's Best Seller, Existential Physics: A Scientist's Guide to Life's Biggest Questions.
Hossenfelder also has a popular YouTube channel, Science Without The Gobbledygook, that has amassed over 80 million views. Her writing has featured in some of the world's top publications including Scientific American, New Scientist, and Nautilus.
“A physicist who is utterly fearless, completely honest, and quite funny.” Peter Woit, mathematical physicist
"In order to change the system, we need to change our ideas."
Martin Wolf is the chief economics commentator of the Financial Times and he is widely regarded as the most connected financial journalist in the world. He is an Honorary Fellow at Nuffield College, University of Oxford, Special Professor at the University of Nottingham, and a fellow of the World Economic Forum.
Martin Wolf's journalism has been credited with the 'Keynesian Resurgence' seen throughout the West in the wake of the financial crisis. His most recent book, The Crisis of Democratic Capitalism, is the culmination of a lifetime at the forefront of economic analysis, and sets out a bold vision to fix the drift between capitalism and democracy.
"He really is the premier financial and economics writer in the world." Kenneth Rogoff
"Democracy is not simply a question of structures. It is a state of mind. It is an activity."
An award winning writer, chart-topping broadcaster, and once major politician, Rory Stewart is one of the leading political figures of his generation. His career began as a diplomat in Indonesia and Montenegro before becoming the deputy governor of the Maysan province in Iraq during the 2003 invasion. He authored an award-winning memoir of his time in Central Asia.
He later became a professor at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government and afterwards a fellow at Yale's Jackson Institute for Global Affairs. He was then elected to be an MP and served as Secretary of State for International Development. Following his withdrawal from front line politics, Rory launched The Rest is Politics podcast with Alastair Campbell, which is regularly the top political podcast in the UK.
"He’s been an author, a diplomat, a soldier, a cabinet minister – and still dreams of changing the world." The Guardian
"Sometimes the most public spirited thing that you can do with despotic laws like these is to ignore them."
Lord Jonathan Sumption is one of the most decorated lawyers of his generation. Having sat as a judge on the Supreme Court between 2012 and 2018, Sumption presided over a number of the most important cases of the decade, as well as appearing as a barrister for the Hutton Inquiry.
Away from the law, Sumption is a critically acclaimed author and political commentator. He was an outspoken critic of the lockdown measures imposed by the UK government, and has authored numerous books, including Trials Of The State, Law In A Time Of Crisis and five volumes chronicling The Hundred Years War.
"Entertaining, brilliant... one of the great lawyers of our time." The Sunday Times
"We can't be certain which path the future will take, but we can control the likelihoods of the path we want."
Liv Boeree is one of the most successful female poker players of all time, with over $4m in live tournament earnings. A self-confessed nerd with a first-class degree in astrophysics, Liv combined her science background and passion for games to become one of the most recognizable faces in professional poker.
She was the #1 ranked female player from 2014-2016, and holds both the European Poker Tour and World Series of Poker championship titles after winning more than $4 million on the international circuit. Since retiring from professional poker in 2018, Liv is now focused on education, keen to inspire others with the rational thinking techniques she has learned through poker and Effective Altruism.
"I'm not a Blairite. I'm not a Brownite. And I'm not a Corbynista. I am my own women!"
Dame Angela Eagle is a veteran Labour MP, former minister and Labour leadership challenger. She had held a variety of government posts such as the Minister for Pensions and Ageing Society, and Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury, Business and State.
As a member of the 21 MPs who resigned from Jeremy Corbyn's cabinet in 2016, Angela has been an active voice within the Labour party, precipitating change and fighting for justice. As the second openly lesbian MP, Angela has defended LGBTQ+ rights and pushed for greater representation throughout all of politics.
"Angela Eagle stands out as one of the most quietly influential [MPs]." New Statesman
"We need a leader...who can inspire people to want more for our country and for future generations."
Thangam Debbonaire is a British Labour Party politician, serving as the Shadow Leader of the House of Commons as of May 2021 and the Labour MP for Bristol West since 2015, having overturned a Liberal Democrat majority of 11,366. She won the seat again in 2017 and the December 2019 elections, the latter with a vote of 47,028 – the highest of any constituency in the UK.
She has become a regular media contributor, shining a light on MP behaviour and democratic values in Parliament. From problems affecting individuals in Bristol West to changes to national policy, Debbonaire prioritises decent homes for everyone, well-funded schools, the UK-EU relationship, refugee rights, climate issues, and more.
"No matter what I say, to trans people I’ll always be a villain."
A daring and bold philosopher, Kathleen Stock is not afraid to question established dogmas. She was a professor of philosophy at the University of Sussex until 2021. Stock has published on a wide range of topics from aesthetics, fiction, and imagination, to sexual objectification, and sexual orientation.
Stock's most recent book is Material Girls which argues against the idea of gender as a social construct. She has made multiple media appearances after her resignation from Sussex University, including on LBC, Good Morning Britain and BBC's Hardtalk. Most recently, Stock made waves defending her gender-critical views at the Oxford Union.
"A curious mind and a generous spirit." Sarah Ditum
"Russian stories never have happy endings."
Bill Browder is the CEO and co-founder of Hermitage Capital Management, firebrand financier and man who survived Putin's wrath. Following the death of his lawyer in Russian prison and his forced deportation to the UK, Bill successfully lobbied for the passing of the Magnitsky act, which revolutionised sanctions worldwide.
Despite having many of his assets seized, Bill has tirelessly pressured western governments into taking Putin's threat seriously. Bestselling author, outspoken Russian critic and recipient of eight interpol arrest warrants for extradition to Moscow, Bill is a key thorn in Putin's side.
"[Bill] is such a thorn in Mr. Putin’s side that the Russian president singled him out by name during his first official summit with President Donald J. Trump." The New York Times
"Business associates of Mr. Browder have earned over $1.5 billion in Russia. They never paid any taxes." Vladimir Putin
Doon Mackichan is an acclaimed actress, comedian and writer. She co-created, wrote and performed in the double-Emmy-award-winning Smack the Pony. She was nominated for Best Female Comedy Performance at the 2014 British Academy Television Awards for her performance in Plebs, and achieved critical acclaim for her performance alongside John Malkovich in Bitter Wheat in 2019.
Doon joins us ahead of the release of her hotly anticipated My Lady Parts: A Life Fighting Stereotypes, which has already received rave reviews from critics.
"She is, and always has been, a trailblazer." Sandi Toksvig
"In America, we debate everything except capitalism."
Best-selling author, academic and media personality, Richard D.Wolff is a Professor of Economics New York University and founder of the pioneering media channel Democracy at Work. He has devoted his career to bringing Marxist thought up to date with the modern economy and communicating this through innumerable TV and radio appearances.
Wolff's most recent project is the Democracy at Work channel, which seeks to provide a voice to those questioning the traditional workplace. This, alongside his many bestselling books, have placed him as the foremost voice on the American Left, asking the forbidden questions about our economies that challenge the mainstream.
"America's most prominent Marxist Economist." The New York Times
"No one is hankering for a world where we should accept media and take truth as handed down to us. Such a world is fundamentally undesirable."
Alan Rusbridger is a world-renowned journalist, former principal of Lady Margaret Hall and former editor- in-chief of The Guardian. Alan's time in command of The Guardian saw the publication of many groundbreaking stories, including the Wikileaks documents, the phone hacking scandal and various challenges to press freedom. The Guardian was co-awarded a Pulitzer prize for the Wikileaks story.
Since leaving The Guardian, he has been appointed a member of Facebook's oversight board, a fellow of several universities and he has written several books.
"Alan Rusbridger in many ways exemplified the important political role journalists play... as Hannah Arendt puts it in Truth and Politics, truth-tellers." Oxford Political Review
"No one looking at the vast extent of the universe and the completely random location of homo sapiens within it could seriously maintain it was intentionally created for us."
One of the world's foremost philosophers of physics, Tim Maudlin is Professor of Philosophy at NYU and Founder and Director of the John Bell Institute for the Foundations of Physics. He is a member of the "Foundational Questions Institute" at the Académie Internationale de Philosophie des Sciences and is the recipient of a Guggenheim Fellowship.
The influence of Maudlin's research in the foundations of physics, metaphysics, and logic cannot be overstated. He has reinvigorated our understanding of quantum mechanics as pointing to the counterinutitive idea of non-locality, what Einstein called "spooky action at a distance." Maudlin is the author of The Metaphysics Within Physics, Truth and Paradox: Solving the Riddles and Quantum Non-Locality and Relativity.
"To make his case, he’s had to reinvent geometry." Wired
"Demands for moral clarity ring long, loud bells because it is something we are right to seek. Those who cannot find it are likely to settle for the far more dangerous simplicity, or purity, instead."
Susan Neiman is daring American philosopher and writer. She has written extensively on the Enlightenment, moral philosophy, metaphysics, and politics. Her work shows that philosophy is a living force for contemporary thinking and action. Her most recent book is The Left is Not Woke, a polemic against the woke culture that has overcome left-wing progressives.
Born and raised in Atlanta, Georgia, during the Civil Rights Movement, Neiman dropped out of high school to join American activists working for peace and justice. Later she studied philosophy at Harvard University, earning her Ph.D. in 1986. In 2000 she assumed her current position as director of the Einstein Forum in Potsdam.
She is the author of nine books, translated into 15 languages, which have won prizes from, among others, PEN, the Association of American Publishers, and the American Academy of Religion.
"Susan Neiman’s profound wisdom, courage and vision give us a public conception of goodness and a reinvigorated progressive vision. She is a beacon of light and hope in these morally debased times."
Cornel West
"Creating a sense of co-existence and community is about forging a shared identity...I think this will necessarily begin with quite a profound reform of education."
Dr Myriam Francois is a trailblazing journalist, filmmaker and writer. A former columnist at the New Statesman, Myriam’s writing is featured widely in the British press, including The Guardian, TIME, Foreign Policy, The Telegraph, CNN online and Middle East Eye, among others. In 2019, Myriam started the We Need to Talk About Whiteness Podcast to pioneer conversations around structural whiteness in the UK.
Francois recently finished her documentary directorial debut under her production company Mpwr productions, Finding Alaa. The film was shortlisted for the 2021 Whickers Awards and the Cannes MIPDOC 2022. Myriam was nominated as one of only 14 "filmmakers to watch" in 2021 by One World Media.
"My number one priority has and always will be this great country."
Former chancellor of the U.K. and No. 2 in British Politics, Nadhim Zahawi is a U.K. Conservative Politician who has held several ministerial positions under Theresa May, Boris Johnson, Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak. Born in Baghdad, Nadhim rose to prominece in business and in politics as co-founder of the leading market research firm YouGov.
He was first appointed as the Under-Secretary of State for Families and Children under Theresa May, before becoming Under-Secretary for Business and Industry and later assuming responsibility for the UK's lauded vaccine rollout for COVID-19. He may go down in history as the shortest Chancellor of the Exchequer after resigning after 48 hours. He was later appointed head of the Conservative party under Rishi Sunak before his resignation last year.
"Nadhim Zahawi: from refugee to multimillionaire chancellor." The Times
"I think, for me, one of the greatest moments of making peace with science was to realise that rather than taking away the mystery, it added to the mystery."
Sunetra Gupta is an acclaimed novelist, essayist and scientist. She is currently Professor of Theoretical Epidemiology at the University of Oxford, and was an outspoken critic of public health measures to curb COVID-19. Her academic interests lie in the infectious disease agents that are responsible for HIV, the flu, malaria and bacterial meningitis.
Sunetra has won many awards including the Scientific Medal by the Zoological Society of London, and the prestigious Royal Society Rosalind Franklin Award for her research. In 2012, she appeared on the popular BBC Radio 4 programme, The Life Scientific, to discuss her epidemiological work, as well as the link between fiction and mathematics.
"Intoxicatingly brilliant." The Times
"Ukrainians have two big dreams. One: to win the war. Two: to see how the Kremlin burns."
Inna Sovsun is a fearless Ukranian MP, deputy leader of the Holos party, and professor at Kyiv School of Economics. From 2014 to 2016 she served as Ukraine's deputy Minister of Education and Science, and is currently an MP and member of the Committee on Energy, Housing and Utilities Services of the Verkhovna Rada. Beyond this she is an outspoken advocate for green energy, improving education and LGBT+ rights, and proposing a bill for Ukraine to legally recognise same-sex partnerships earlier this year.
Sovsun has spoken about the Ukraine war on major news outlets including 5 News, MSNBC and Times Radio. At the helm of a war-torn country, Sovsun brings a unique and urgent perspective and to the festival.
"One of the most eloquent spokespeople for the Ukrainian perspective." UnHerd
"What motivates me is deciphering a complex economic story and explaining it in plain language."
Liam Halligan is an award-winning economist, journalist, broadcaster and author. Revered for his unique outlook on the economic climate, Liam is currently the Economics and Business Editor of GB News, co-hosts The Telegraph’s Planet Normal podcast, and has written for The Spectator, UnHerd and New Statesman.
His most recent book, Home Truths, offers a radical new solution to the current housing shortage across the UK, and has been met with acclaim from both critics and the general public.
"[Halligan’s book] is a must-read across Westminster, Whitehall and beyond." Andrew Neil
"We have a world to win."
Aaron Bastani is the co-founder of Novara Media, described as 'the slickest of the guerrilla news and opinion operations that have sprung up in Britain' by The Guardian. From its humble origins in 2011, it is now a prominent power on the new left, with its pundits regularly invited onto Newsnight and its videos receiving hundreds of thousands of views.
His book, Fully Automated Luxury Communism: A Manifesto, sets out a future of technological optimism and abundance without work, and his arguments for universal basic income and reduced working weeks have inspired debate across the political spectrum.
"Overall, I think that Bastani’s fully automated luxury communist manifesto is essential reading for those interested in thinking beyond the contemporary late capitalist impasse." Theory, Culture and Society
"If we want a science of consciousness, we need to find a way of putting consciousness back in the physical world."
A radical and revolutionary philosopher of consciousness , Philip Goff is a leading academic in his field. Goff is a defender of panpsychism, the controversial proposal that everything contains consciousness, as the solution to the hard problem of consciousness.
Philip's 2019 book, Galileo's Error, sets out his defence of panpsychism, rooted in an analysis of the work of Arthur Eddington and Bertrand Russell. He is a co-host of the philosophy podcast Mind Chat, and has appeared on some of the biggest podcasts in the world, including The Joe Rogan Experience and Lex Fridman.
"Suddenly the universe appears in a new and much more revealing perspective." Phillip Pullman
“I’m a skeptic not because I do not want to believe, but because I want to know.”
Michael Shermer is an acclaimed writer and historian best known for his searing critiques of pseudoscience and the supernatural. Shermer is the founder of The Skeptics Society, the editor-in-chief of its magazine Skeptic, and a Presidential Fellow at Chapman University, where he teaches Skepticism 101.
Alongside his award-winning podcast, The Michael Shermer Show, his regular magazine contributions and numerous television appearances, Michael is a prolific science writer, whose twenty books include, most recently, Conspiracy: Why the Rational Believe the Irrational.
"Michael Shermer is a beacon of reason in an ocean of irrationality." Neil deGrasse Tyson
"For thousands of years, philosophers and theologians have talked about the meaning of life, yet we currently face a crisis of life’s apparent meaninglessness."
John Vervaeke is an award winning professor at the University of Toronto in the departments of psychology, cognitive science, and Buddhist psychology. He is the director of the Cognitive Science programme and he is the director of the Wisdom Studies Laboratory, a group designed to find meaning in a meaningless world.
He is also a popular Youtuber and author. With over 90,000 subscribers, his content covers everything from science and spirituality to his long standing After Socrates series. His books include Zombies in Western Culture and Awakening From The Meaning Crisis, which both seek to uncover the hidden causes of popular discontent.
"With enormous erudition and expertise, here was someone talking about the roots of our current crises." Emerge
"You can't be transgender and not know that there is a crack in everything."
Sophie-Grace Chappell is an eminent Professor of Philosophy at the Open University, who writes about ethics, politics, feminism and epistemology. She is known for her criticism of contemporary moral philosophy's attempts to garner a monopoly on truth. Her upcoming book is Trans Figured: How To Survive As A Transgender Person In A Cisgender World.
Chappell also writes poetry, and is the UK's first openly transgender academic philosopher, an experience she has written about for Aeon and The Lovepost.
On Knowing What To Do: "an inspiring expression of an ethical vision with deep historical roots and urgent contemporary relevance... an ethical exemplar." The Times Literary Supplement
"The riches are in the niches."
Matt Kelly is a career journalist and the owner of The New European, a paper that has taken the UK by storm since its humble beginnings in the wake of the Brexit vote. With the first edition being released nine days after the referendum, and going on to sell 40,000 copies. The fledgling publication has gone from strength to strength with Matt being awarded with 'Pioneer of the Year' by the Society of Editors.
Prior to The New European Matt worked at the Daily Mirror for 18 years, as well as the Local World.
"Those who claim to be the most liberal and open of all are actually the first to try and shut down those who challenge this new consensus."
Matthew Goodwin is an academic, bestselling author, pollster, and firebrand political philosopher, challenging the new elite. He is a Professor of Politics at the University of Kent and has contributed to research with Chatham House, the Leverhulme Trust and the UK Home Office. His most recent work, Values, Voice and Virtue, is a Sunday Times bestseller.
Goodwin's research is at the forefront of understanding populism. His insights have seen him win the Richard Rose Prize, an award given to a single scholar for their contribution to politics; and he has been awarded the Political Studies Association Communicator Prize for explaining politics to general audiences.
"[Matthew] seeks to marry his past themes into a single missile laser-targeted at a careless, feckless ruling elite." The Times
"It’s not just that women aren’t being listened to enough, it’s that their voices aren’t being heard in the first place."
Mary Ann Sieghart is a distinguished journalist, radio presenter, and Chair of the Social Market Foundation - a think tank that believes in fairer markets and open public services. Much of her career as a journalist was spent working for The Times, The Independent, The Economist and the Financial Times, writing on politics and social affairs.
She spent a year as a Visiting Fellow of All Souls College, Oxford, where she researched and wrote her best-selling book, The Authority Gap: Why Women Are Still Taken Less Seriously Than Men, And What We Can Do About it.
"Her confidence is legendary." The Independent
"Every human being, in a way, is a philosopher. Because that's what it is to be human."
Hilary Lawson is a philosopher, renowned critic of philosophical realism, and editorial director of the Institute of Art and Ideas. His main work, Closure: A Story of Everything, has been described as ‘the first non-realist metaphysics’. His early work made the case that twentieth-century philosophy was centrally concerned with the paradoxes of self-reference. Closure can be seen as an attempt to resolve these paradoxes and at the same time to provide an account of language that doesn't require reference to an external reality. In doing so, it outlines a metaphysics which abandons the traditional relationship between language and the world in favour of a vocabulary of closure and openness. The theory has dramatic consequences for how we understand ourselves and the world, and the role of both science and religion.
"Lawson shows himself to be a latter-day 'metaphysician' on the grand scale ... a quite astonishing achievement." Alan Montefiore, University of Oxford
"I was always attracted by the cosmos— the deep, dark mysteries it held have always seduced me."
An up and coming physicist and science communicator, Priyamvada Natarajan is a Professor of Astronomy and Physics at the University of Yale. She is the author of the pioneering work Mapping the Heavens: The Radical Scientific Ideas That Reveal the Cosmos. She was also the first woman in astrophysics to be elected as a Fellow of Trinity College Cambridge.
Natarajan is widely regarded for her work on the cutting-edge of physics, like mapping dark matter, dark energy, and particularly her work in gravitational lensing.
"She has pioneered the mapping and modeling of the universe’s invisible contents." Quanta Magazine
"Unless we win the culture war, society will never meet the needs of ordinary people"
Frank Furedi is an emeritus professor of sociology at the University of Kent and a prolific author of modern political philosophy in the public sphere. His recent books cover the culture wars, democracy, borders and fear as broad topics. The through line of his work is an analysis of how western democracies fail to account for risk and uncertainty in decision-making.
He also regularly comments on radio and television. He has appeared on Newsnight, Sky news and BBC news. he has also been published in the New Scientist, Guardian, Financial Times and Daily Telegraph to name but a few.
"In 1997, Frank Furedi published a book called Culture of Fear. It was widely acclaimed as perceptive and prophetic. Now Furedi returns to his original theme, as most of what he predicted has come true" London Review Bookshop"
“The way we organize our domestic sphere often upholds the prevailing political and economic norms in our society.”
Kristen Ghodsee is an award winning author and firebrand ethnographer. She is a professor and chair of Russian and East European Studies at the University of Pennsylvania.
Her most recent publication, Everyday Utopia, has been described as 'invigorating writing for a cheerless era' by Yanis Varoufakis, while her critically acclaimed Why Women Have Better Sex Under Socialism has been translated into fifteen languages. A specialist on gender and post-socialist cultural studies, her articles and essays have been published in The New York Times, The Washington Post, The New Republic, Le Monde Diplomatique, and Jacobin.
"Ghodsee is going to start a revolution." Daisy Buchanan
"We do a lot of throwing of stones, without recognising the glass house we live in."
Jolyon Maugham KC is an activist barrister, founder of the Good Law Project, and thorn in the side of the government. He has written for The Telegraph, The Guardian and New Statesman on the legal implications of Brexit.
Jolyon is most famous for his use of the law to hold government to account. Through the Good Law Project, Jolyon has sought to challenge the UK government's approach to Brexit, COVID-19 and transgender rights. From humble origins to a major legal force, Jolyon has become a key defender against government overreach.
"He’s the ‘lawfare’ barrister who almost derailed Brexit." The Times
"Don’t accept the world as it is. Dream of what the world could be – and then help make it happen."
Peter Tatchell is considered to be one of the most important human rights campaigner in the UK today. Best known for his work with the LGBTQ+ movement, he is a member of the gay rights group Outrage! and director of the Peter Tatchell Foundation, a human rights organization.
Peter began campaigning in London, organizing sit-ins at pubs that refused to serve gay people and protests against the classification of homosexuality as an illness. He famously performed a citizens arrest on Robert Mugabe for crimes against humanity. Peter also identifies as a humanist, believing that reason, science and ethics are the best way to promote human rights and welfare.
"A national hero." The Sunday Times
"Meritocracy prizes achievement above all else, making everyone—even the rich—miserable. Maybe there's a way out."
Daniel Markovits is an American legal scholar, best known for his work on law and behavioral economics, contract law, distributive justice, and market regulation. His best-selling book, The Meritocracy Trap: How America's Foundational Myth Feeds Inequality, Dismantles the Middle Class, and Devours the Elite, has sparked a significant discussion about the problems inherent in meritocratic societies.
Markovits has spent his career analyzing the complex interplay of law, economics, and social justice. A graduate of Yale Law School, where he is currently a Guido Calabresi Professor of Law, Markovits has consistently challenged the status quo in both academic circles and public discourse. His groundbreaking work exploring how meritocracy exacerbates inequality and undermines democracy has been widely cited in academic and popular media.
"The meritocrat who wants to unwind the meritocracy." The New York Times
"We can never compromise on compromise."
Sophie Scott-Brown is an inspiring intellectual historian with research interests in modern European political thought, Anarchism and the history of education. A director at the Europaeum Institute at the University of Oxford, Sophie is a fellow of the Higher Education Academy and of the Royal History Society. Sophie Lectures on intellectual history at the University of Oxford.
She is the author of The Histories of Raphael Samuel: A Portrait of a People’s Historian (2017) and Colin Ward and the Art of Everyday Anarchy (2022).
"Engineering really has the power to change our futures."
Dr Shini Somara is an award-winning media broadcaster and a highly accomplaished British mechanical engineer specialising in Computational Fluid Dyanmics.
In her mission to bring complex science, technology and engineering to everyone, Dr Somara has published 6 childrens STEM books and runs a podcast for women in STEM. Her passion, knowledge and fascination with innovation has led to multiple TV appearances as an engineering expert on Sky, Discovery, The Science Channel, UKTV, Yesterday Channels. She is a TEDX Speaker and hosted Crash Course's hit YouTube series on physics and engineering, collectively garnering over 60 million views.
"This book is accessible, inspiring and inclusive." BookTrust
"Don’t argue about how much salt there is in food — this can save relationships — you live in different taste worlds; you’ve got different taste buds."
Multi-talented Barry Smith is director of the Institute of Philosophy at the University of London's School of Advanced Study and co-director of the Centre for the Study of the Senses. In 2010, he made waves with his insightful BBC World Service series, The Mysteries of the Brain.
Barry also harbours a deep passion for wine, often hosting engaging wine tasting events at festivals. He ingeniously incorporates his studies on the multisensory nature of experience into these sessions, creating a unique, fascinating blend. Barry also lends his wine expertise to The World of Fine Wine and Prospect Magazine as a regular contributor and wine columnist. His unique blend of academia and viticulture creates an intriguing persona that's both enlightening and enjoyable.
"Well up to the task of situating wine-centered questions within a larger framework of questions about taste and perception, subjectivity and objectivity." The Times Literary Supplement
"Every time we have a mental health awareness week my spirits sink."
Simon Wessely is a celebrated psychiatrist, renowned for his work on military healthcare and psychological medicine. He is Regius Professor of Psychiatry at King's College London. His work has led to him being described as both "the most hated doctor in Britain" and "one of the most respected psychiatrists working in Britain today".
His work on the importance of parity between mental and physical health has inspired many and changed the way medicine thinks about mental health. He write regularly for the New Statesman, the Financial Times, The BMJ and many more newspapers and magazines.
"One of the most respected psychiatrists working in Britain today." The Times
“Imagination abandoned by reason produces impossible monsters: united with her, she is the mother of the arts and the source of her wonders.”
Simon Blackburn is an immensely thought-provoking philosopher. With over a dozen books under his belt and numerous appearances on popular radio and TV shows, Blackburn is a master at making complex philosophical issues accessible to a wider audience. His groundbreaking work in meta-ethics, including his highly regarded quasi-realism theory, has challenged traditional views on ethical statements and their place in our understanding of the world.
Blackburn's latest book, On Truth, delves into the fundamental concept of truth and its significance in our lives. By examining various philosophical approaches to truth, Blackburn invites us to question how we think about this concept and why it matters so much. Get ready to be captivated by Blackburn's intellectual prowess and his ability to bring philosophical ideas to life for all to enjoy
"Learned, astute, admirably sensible, and possesses an elegant and clear prose style." The Guardian
"Change what you do, not how you think."
Paul Dolan is Professor of Behavioural Science at the LSE. His main research interests are human behaviour and happiness, and the relationships between them, particularly as they apply to policy. He is author of the bestselling books Happiness by Design and Happy Ever After. He is also host of the Duck / Rabbit podcast about the polarisation problem in our society.
"The book that will make you quit your job." New Statesman on Happiness by Design
"One of the most rigorous articulations of the new mood of acceptance... a persuasive demolition of many of our cultural stories about how we ought to live." The Guardian on Happy Ever After
"Policies a stone’s throw from the left-of-centre are now considered revolutionary."
Kimberly McIntosh is a writer and senior researcher at the Child Poverty Action Group. She was previously the senior policy officer at the Runnymede Trust, the UK's leading race equality think tank. Her research is at the forefront of racial and postcolonial politics and seeks to uncover how our imperial past still impacts people of colour today.
In addition to her recent book, black girl, no magic: essays and reflections on living whilst black, she has written lifestyle and opinion pieces for a range of publications including The Guardian, The Washington Post, and The Independent, and also penned a love and dating column for gal-dem, a unique publication highlighting the stories of women and non-binary people of colour.
"Smart, accessible, thoughtful, entertaining and frank." Literary Hub
"It all depends on what the nature of new physics is — and as we don't know this, we have to try every avenue we can think of to find it."
Gavin Salam is a theoretical physicist celebrated for his groundbreaking work in quantum chromodynamics, the theory describing the strong nuclear force. He is the Royal Society Research Professor at the Department of Physics in Oxford, as well as a Senior Research Fellow at All Souls College, Oxford.
Throughout his career, Salam has continually challenged conventional wisdom in theoretical physics. His work has provided significant insights into the interactions that govern particles that make up the universe. His contributions have helped to shape the course of particle physics research worldwide.
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"The art of thinking again is exactly what philosophy is."
Kathleen Higgins is an eminent professor of philosophy focusing on a wide range of topics from continental philosophy, philosophy of the emotions, and aesthetics, particularly musical aesthetics. A Professor of Philosophy at the University of Texas at Austin, her work on Nietzsche has been widely celebrated.
Always willing to change her mind and re-examine the question, Kathleen's work now focuses on the power of music and grief.
"Kathleen Higgins is always jiving on the big philosophical questions." 3:AM Magazine
"Postulating the existence of something that one can't observe is useless to describe what we do observe."
Eleanor Knox is a groundbreaking philosopher of physics. Her research grapples with the most foundational concept in our universe, the nature of spacetime. She is also an expert on the relationships between scientific theories.
Before taking up a permanent lectureship at King's College London, Knox was a Leverhulme Early Career Fellow. In 2015, she received the Cushing Memorial Prize for History and Philosophy of Physics.
"We are smart enough to realize that we are stupid, and stupid enough to make the problem of becoming smarter hard."
Anders Sandberg is a senior research fellow at the Future of Humanity Institute at Oxford, where his research focuses on the societal and ethical issues surrounding human enhancement and new technologies. He is also the co-founder of, and a writer for, the think thank Eudoxa, and chaired the Swedish Transhumanist Association for 4 years.
A regular commentator and participant in public debates concerning human enhancement, Anders comes to the festival in support of an exciting transhuman future. On Twitter, he describes himself as an academic jack of all trades, and we are sure he is a master of some.
"He might just be the most interesting academic at Oxford." Robert Wiblin and Keiran Harris.
"I love philosophy but it shouldn’t be just for the elite. We should all be asking these questions."
Joanna Kavenna is an award-winning writer. A seasoned traveler, she was born in the UK, but has lived in the US, France, Germany, Scandinavia and the Baltic states. Her travels led to her first book, The Ice Museum, which details her experience traveling in the remote North.
In 2013, she was named as one of Granta’s Best Young British Novelists. Her latest book, Zed, is a blistering, satirical novel about life under a global media and tech corporation that knows exactly what we think, what we want, and what we do -- before we do.
"Wonderful, impossible, dynamic." The Observer
Güneş Taylor is an award-winning geneticist and pioneer of public engagement in her field. She is a training fellow at the Francis Crick Institute, where her research predominantly focuses on the genetic formation of ovaries and testes. Both "an incredible science communicator" and scientist herself, she has become a distinguished HowtheLightGetsIn host, sharing the stage with Slavoj Zizek, Richard Dawkins, Yuval Noah Harari, and more.
Güneş has debated the implications of genome editing on The Guardian's podcast Science Weekly, the UK's longest-running science podcast, with the episode doing "exceptionally well" according to Guardian producer Max Sanderson. In 2018, Güneş was awarded the Crick Public Engagement Prize for her efforts in the public communication of science.
"Güneş has performed a significant service to disseminating the work within her field." Anastasia de Waal
"Don't panic about misogyny - the toxic male is as old as history itself."
Zoe Strimpel is an outspoken British journalist, historian, author, and political commentator. A prolific writer on all things gender and relationships, she writes a weekly column for The Sunday Telegraph and regularly contributes to The Spectator and UnHerd.
Beyond her cultural commentary, Strimpel is a qualified academic, having studied at Cambridge and completed a PhD at the University Sussex. She has authored three books, including Seeking Love in Modern Britain: Gender, Dating and the Rise of the 'Single', which was rated five stars by The Telegraph.
"[Strimpel's book] is like watching Love Island in the company of Michel Foucault." The Telegraph
"I had an abortion – and my experience shows how broken the UK system truly is."
Maya Oppenheim is a British journalist and tireless advocate for women's rights. She is the Women's Correspondent - the only such job title at a UK news outlet - at The Independent, where she championed social issues including human rights, sexual violence, domestic abuse, abortion, health, childcare, sex work, poverty, the criminal justice system and more. Prior to her current role, Maya had an extensive freelance career working for Vice, New Statesman and i-D magazine and more.
Her debut book, The Pocket Guide to the Patriarchy, is a searing exploration of the patriarchal systems that shape our world, combining poignant stories with startling evidence to leave no stone unturned.
"We’ve got our hands on the levers of power, but the levers are limited and constrained."
As the Deputy Mayor of London for Housing, Tom Copley is Sadiq Khan’s right-hand man. A groundbreaking politician leading the way in council house building and development in London. He is a member of the Labour and Co-operative party. He served as a London-wide member of the London Assembly from 2012 to 2020, and is a former councillor on Lewisham Council.
Copley is an advocate for London devolution, bringing more power into London to take the lead in its own future. A life long advocate of democratic values and accountability, and a relentless campaigner for the rights of council tenants and those renting in the private rented sector.
"A leading voice in housing policy across the UK." Sadiq Khan
"The simpler a theory, the more probable it is."
Richard Swinburne is a world-leading philosopher and theologian based at the University of Oxford. Swinburne is best-known for his arguments in favour of the existence of God. He is the author of an acclaimed trilogy on the subject: The Coherence of Theism, The Existence of God, and Faith and Reason. Swinburne has been awarded honorary doctorates by the Catholic University of Lublin in 2015, and by Dimitrie Cantemir Christian University, Bucharest in 2016.
Swinburne is also well-known for his defense of 'substance dualism' - the view that we fundamentally consist of two kinds of substances: soul and body. His latest book, Are We Bodies or Souls?, offers a powerful rejection of materialism, the thesis that we are ultimately material beings. The book also brilliantly defends the idea that substance dualism is supported by modern neuroscience.
"Swinburne is in that class of thinkers from whom one always learns much, even when one ends up having to disagree." Edward Feser
"What motivates me is deciphering a complex economic story and explaining it in plain language."
Liam Halligan is an award-winning economist, journalist, broadcaster and author. Revered for his unique outlook on the economic climate, Liam is currently the Economics and Business Editor of GB News. He also co-hosts the Telegraph’s Planet Normal podcast, and has written for The Spectator, UnHerd and New Statesman.
His most recent book, Home Truths, offers a radical new solution to the current housing shortage across the UK, and has been met with acclaim from both critics and the general public.
"[Halligan’s book] is a must-read across Westminster, Whitehall and beyond." Andrew Neil
"Longer life...might facilitate a richer, deeper life."
David Gems is a distinguished British geneticist and gerontologist known for his groundbreaking research on ageing and longevity. Gems' contributions have earned him recognition as a leading authority in the quest for a longer, healthier lifespan. He is currently Professor of Biology of Ageing at University College London, where he is also deputy director of the Institute of Healthy Ageing.
Gems' insights have been immortalized in influential books such as Ageing: The Paradox of Life and Decoding Longevity. Recognized for his exceptional contributions, Gems has received accolades, including the Royal Society Wolfson Research Merit Award. His unwavering dedication and groundbreaking work continue to inspire and reshape our understanding of aging.
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“The research I do is like science fiction with real-life applications. It’s the best of both worlds.”
Katarzyna (Kate) Adamala is a pioneering synthetic biologist and genetics professor at the University of Minnesota. Her groundbreaking work spans the realms of astrobiology, synthetic cell engineering, and biocomputing.
Adamala is the driving force behind the Build-a-Cell Initiative and co-founder of the synthetic cell company, Synlife. Adamala's research has even uncovered the vital role of citric acid in the primordial metabolism, unveiling fascinating secrets of our ancient world. Amongst her many public engagements, Adamala presented a widely watched TEDx talk on the concept of building synthetic minimal cells, with its biotechnological, biomedical and basic science implications.
"Kate Adamala wants to make life from scratch!" Wilhelm Huck
"Don't mistake the fact that you don't like my view as an argument against it."
Michael Della Rocca is one of the world's leading authorities on Spinoza and an expert in early modern philosophy, rationalism, and contemporary metaphysics. He is Sterling Professor of Philosophy at Yale University, which is awarded to a tenured faculty member considered one of the best in his or her field and is Yale University’s highest faculty honour.
Della Rocca’s most recent book, The Parmenidean Ascent, has been praised by scholars as issuing a deep challenge to the overly restrictive ways in which philosophical debates often take place. The book argues for a radical picture of reality. According to Della Rocca's radical view, the ideas of relations, distinctions and differentiation are all incoherent.
"One of the greatest living scholars of early modern philosophy." Tamar Gendler
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"By posing a clear question, we are already increasing the amount of information by reducing the uncertainty."
Eörs Szathmáry, the visionary Hungarian evolutionary biologist, stands as a one of the pioneers of theoretical biology, captivating the scientific world with his groundbreaking insights on life and evolution.
Renowned for his exceptional achievements, Szathmáry has won the Balzan Prize and the Széchenyi Prize. He has authored seminal books, such as The Origins of Life: From the Birth of Life to the Origin of Language and The Major Transitions in Evolution, which have revolutionised our understanding of life's origins, evolution, and the intricate complexities of living systems.
"We are going to need white men to play their part in dethroning the white man’s god."
Chine McDonald is the director of Theos, an author, broadcaster and leading theological voice in the UK. Having studied Theology and Religious Studies at Cambridge, Chine regularly contributes to the BBC, presenting 'Thought for the Day' on BBC Radio 4’s Today Programme.
She is the author of God is Not a White Man, a work that seeks to interrogate the church's connection to racism, colonialism and oppression from within the faith. Through her work with Theos and a number of Christian charities, Chine seeks to bring faith to the forefront of everyday life.
"[Chine] is one of the most prominent Black evangelical voices in Britain." Christianity Today
"Unlike the theological hell, the hell of physics, quantum mechanics, is willing to offer us some precious gifts for those things we abandon."
Avshalom Elitzur is deemed by many to be an intellectual powerhouse in physics and philosophy. Having left school at sixteen to go work as a lab technician, he presented an unpublished paper on quantum mechanics at Temple University, after which he was invited to Tel Aviv University to complete a doctoral thesis on the subject.
He was a senior lecturer at the Israeli Institute for Advanced Research working on physics and philosophy, where his work on the Elitzur–Vaidman bomb-testing problem in quantum mechanics inspired Roger Penrose in his book Shadows of Mind.
Timothy Nguyen is a leading AI researcher at Google DeepMind. A mathematician whose work moved from gauge theory to the mathematical problems at the foundation of quantum field theory, noting how often these problems have been overlooked.
He has now moved into machine learning, where his groundbreaking work on fundamental research and real-world problem-solving is changing how we interact with the world. He is also the host of the Cartesian Cafe - a must-listen podcast on science and mathematics.
"Young people haven’t turned their backs on spirituality altogether, even if they are exploring it in less predictable (or perhaps, less restricted) ways."
Madeleine Pennington is Head of Research at Theos, the UK’s leading faith and society think tank. She is the lead researcher on the Free Churches Commission, a major research project investigating the impact of churches on social cohesion across England; and authored the British Academy’s Faith and Social Cohesion Report (2020) as part of the ongoing Cohesive Societies series. Pennington is the author of four trailblazing books, including most recently Quakers, Christ, and the Enlightenment.
Madeleine holds a doctorate in theology from the University of Oxford, and previously held the Henry J. Cadbury Scholarship at Pendle Hill, Philadelphia. Her research challenges the widespread assumption that persecution and a desire to conform drives change in new religious movements.
"The risk of nihilism is that it alienates us from anything good or true. Yet believing in nothing has positive potential."
Nolen Gertz is an Assistant Professor of applied philosophy at the University of Twente and a senior researcher of the 4TU.Centre for Ethics and Technology in Eindhoven, both in the Netherlands. He is the author of a number of books, including The Philosophy of War and Exile and Nihilism and Technology. His research focuses primarily on the intersection of political philosophy, existential phenomenology, and philosophy of technology.
His traillblazing work has appeared in The Washington Post, The Atlantic, and on the ABC Australia website, as well as in interviews for BBC World, Al Jazeera, Austrian Public Radio, Ireland's National Independent Radio, and France's Philosophie Magazine.
"He always satiates when I seek meaningful bites on the seemingly meaningless political, social, and economic existences so many parts of the world are experiencing today." 032c Magazine
"The construction of scientific authority and credibility [is] a recent and fragile creation."
Jimena Canales is a pioneering historian of science and an expert in nineteenth and twentieth century history of the physical sciences. She is currently Vice-President of the Board of the American Council of Learned Societies (ACLS). Canales's most recent book, Bedeviled: A Shadow History of Demons in Science, was awarded the Cosmos Prize for science popularization. Her work on the history of science has been published in Aperture, Artforum, WIRED, Nautilus, The Atlantic, and The New Yorker.
Canales' work challenges the authority of science to unilaterally pronounce on the nature of reality from a feminist and humanistic standpoint. Canales' bold challenges to scientism have reinvigorated the importance of the humanities in the search for truth.
"Canales has rescued from near oblivion a fascinating, highly significant debate." John Banville, London Review of Books
"Humans are very complicated things and very delicate things, and very powerful things."
Isabel Millar is one of the UK's leading interdisciplinary philosophers working across psychoanalysis, AI and film. Her first book, Psychoanalysis of Artificial Intelligence, was published in 2021 and has received widespread critical acclaim. Isabel will soon release her second book, Patipolitics, which explores the politics of suffering. She is also an Associate Researcher at Newcastle University and Research Fellow and Faculty at the Global Centre for Advanced Studies.
Her work can be found across a variety of media, including recent appearances on BBC2's Frankie Boyle's New World Order, Netflix, BBC iPlayer, The Freud Museum and more. Millar is one of the 50 thinkers worldwide writing Manifesto: A Struggle of Universalities, edited by Nicol A. Barria-Asenjo and Slavoj Zizek.
"an enviable psychoanalytic erudition." - Dr. Lorenzo Chiesa, Newcastle University
Oliver Ready is a celebrated translator and literary scholar. He is College Lecturer in Russian at St Edmund's Hall, University of Oxford; and previously served on the editorial board of the Russian Library (Colombia University Press), and as Consultant Editor for Russian and East-Central Europe at the Times Literary Supplement.
Ready has received prizes for his translations of Dostoevsky’s Crime and Punishment, Yuri Buida’s story-cycle, The Prussian Bride, and Vladimir Sharov’s novels, Before and During and The Rehearsals. He is the author of Persisting in Folly: Russian Writers in Search of Wisdom, 1963-2013, and is currently working on a book on Nikolai Gogol.
"Ready has delivered Dostoyevsky’s "whirlpools, gyrating sandstorms, waterspouts" to the modern reader without losing a grain or a drop." Los Angeles Review of Books
"Nothing we experience is a direct transmission from the body, it is our subjective interpretation."
Camilla Nord is Group Leader at the University of Cambridge, MRC Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit, and Director of Studies in Psychological and Behavioural Sciences at Christ's College Cambridge. Her work has received various accolades - from the Association for Psychological Science ('Rising Star'), European Society of Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience ('Young Scientist Award'), and Brainbox ('Young Investigator Award').
Nord is currently particularly interested in understanding the overlap between homeostatic processes in the brain and body and mental health disorders, and has written a groundbreaking book on mental health, which is coming out in September 2023 with Penguin. Her research has already contributed to interventions that target disrupted body-brain processes across a number of mental health conditions.
"Simply brilliant. This is science writing at its best. If you want to understand mental health - really understand it - read this book." Nichola Raihani
"If humanity’s saga were a novel, we would be on the very first page."
Hilary Greaves is a groundbreaking professor of philosophy at the University of Oxford and director of the Global Priorities Institute. A modern-day polymath, Hilary's academic work has chartered new territories at the intersection of philosophy, mathematics, and physics.
Now a trailblazer in the field of effective altruism, Hilary has redefined how we approach making a positive impact on the world. In 2022, Hilarywas included in Vox's 'Future Perfect 50', which listed the most groundbreaking scientists, thinkers, scholars, writers and activists building a more perfect future. Her innovative approaches to prioritising and measuring the effectiveness of charitable efforts have inspired a movement that's changing lives and transforming communities on a global scale.
"Hilary Greaves is the world’s leading philosopher of the long-term future." Vox
Praveetha Patalay is an exceptional researcher whose work revolves around unraveling the intricacies of population mental health. Patalay completed her PhD at University College London's Department of Clinical, Educational and Health Psychology. Her research harnesses a variety of data sources, delving into the complex realm of mental ill-health over populations and lifetimes. She is now Professor of Population Health and Wellbeing at UCL.
Patalay has received the British Psychological Society's Award and has even been listed in 'Forbes 30 under 30' for Science and Healthcare. Patalay is situated at the intersection of the MRC Unit of Lifelong Health and Ageing and the Centre for Longitudinal Studies at UCL. In her engaging 2018 TedX talk, she shared her insights on comprehending and classifying mental health.
"Patalay’s research is focused on improving one of society’s biggest health issues: depression." Forbes
"We can't afford to wait two years, five years, 10 years - this is the moment!"
Alok Sharma is a Conservative MP, and the former President for COP26, Secretary of State for International Development and Minister of State for Housing. He has been a vehement defender of the net zero target and even threatened to resign if the incoming Sunak government watered down the target. Through his presidency of the COP26 conference, he was able to help obtain the widest reaching climate agreement ever signed.
Alongside his climate activism, Alok has campaigned for greater emphasis on international development, free school meals, and global equity. Since leaving the cabinet, he was awarded a knighthood and has become a leading conservative voice in defence of the climate.
"Alok Sharma has one of the best reasons in the world to fly." Mike Berners-Lee, Professor of Environmental Science, University of Lancaster
"In the anthropocene era, corporations can no longer operate solely on the primary profit motive."
Mike Berners-Lee is one of the world's leading voices on the systemic changes needed to tackle climate breakdown and the wider "polycrisis". He is a professor and fellow of the Institute for Social Futures at Lancaster University, and a bestselling author. His books, How Bad Are Bananas and There Is No Planet B, have been lauded for their explanations of complex climate science in a digestible way.
Mike is the founder and director of Small World Consulting, which exists as a response to our climate and ecological emergency. He regularly contributes to The Independent, BBC Radio 4 and various international news outlets.
"Mike Berners-Lee is one of the world’s foremost experts on climate, carbon footprinting and sustainability." Thought Economics
"I write daily, I always write, no matter what I’m doing. Even if I’m in a full-time job I’ll still be writing because I have to live, but this is the thing that keeps me alive."
Florence Read is a producer at UnHerd and presenter for UnHerd TV. She has presented for a range of topics from psychedelic research to aliens to Russia's invasion of Ukraine and everything in between. She has interviewed the likes of Slavoj Zizek, democratic presidential candidate, Marianne Williamson, and Jaron Lanier.
Prior to her work at UnHerd, Flo was a contributing writer and editor of The Idler magazine and a visiting lecturer at Berkeley University and Boston University.
"I think the characterisation of engineering and maths as "manly" is total nonsense and a social construction."
Rosalyn Moran is a Professor of Computational Neuroscience and Deputy Director of the King's Institute for Artificial Intelligence at King's College London. Her work charts a revolutionary new approach to training AI's instead of traditional large language models. Instead Rosalyn's work starts with how our brains respond to stimuli and works backwards to design AI's capable of genuine self-understanding and novel problem solving. In tests, her AI was even able to defeat a traditional AI at Doom.
Alongside her academic career, Rosalyn is the director of a new AI Start-up called Stanhope AI, editor of the NeuroImage and NeuroImage: Clinical journals, and was formerly a senior lecturer at Bristol University.
"Fast paced, erudite, amusing and highly informative." Anil Seth, bestelling author of Being You
"The world is sleepwalking into disasters that could have been avoided."
Sophie Howe is a Welsh politician who held the role of first Future generations Commissioner for Wales from 2016 to January 2023. The first role of its kind, Sophie acted as "the guardian of the interests of future generations in Wales", instructing government and public bodies to shift policy away from the short-termist thinking of party manifestos and budget cycles.
Recently, Sophie has been at the forefront of discussions about climate change, sustainable development, and future-focused policy making. Her involvement with HowTheLightGetsIn ensures a dialogue that emphasizes long-term thinking and the responsibilities that current generations owe to the future.
"The world's first minister of the unborn." The Guardian
"We know of no path that will take us from where we are now, in terms of computing and AI technology, to the singularity."
Michael Wooldridge is a prominent figure in the field of Artificial Intelligence. As a Professor of Computer Science at the University of Oxford and previously as head of that department, Wooldridge's contributions to the development and understanding of multi-agent systems have been seminal. His approach to AI isn't just about algorithms but emphasizes the societal implications of this rapidly evolving technology.
Recently, Wooldridge has been vocal about the ethics of AI, bringing attention to its implications for society and the responsibilities of AI developers and users. His participation at HowTheLightGetsIn promises an in-depth exploration of the future of AI and its impact on humanity.
"Nobody understands the past, the present, the promise and the peril of this new technology better." Matt Ridley
Gerry Mitchell is a social researcher and writer, who is also experienced in political campaigning, community engagement and teaching. She recently worked with Compass, the Edinburgh Voluntary Organisations’ Council, Foundation for European Progressive Studies Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung and the Think Tank for Action on Social Change. She has recently co-authored, with Marcos González Hernando, Uncomfortably Off, a book inspired by research on the relatively overlooked subject of high earners and their relationship with inequality.
https://policy.bristoluniversitypress.co.uk/uncomfortably-off
Mike Herd spent more than two decades at The Guardian, during which he launched and edited 'Guardian Cities' and the 'Inequality Project', having previously served as deputy editor of the News, Features and Sports pages. He also advised on the launch of the Wellcome Trust's longform site Mosaic, and more recently dusted off his economics degree to become the Consulting and Cities Editor at Oxford Economics.
Dr Louise Ashley is a leading researcher of diversity and inclusion programmes and has consulted for many multinational companies on the subject. She is an associate professor at Queen Mary University London, and has led teams appointed by the government to explore non-educational barriers into elite professions. Louise's work has been cited in the national and international press at outlets including the BBC's Radio 4, The New York Times, Financial Times and The Guardian. She is the author of Highly Discriminating, which explores how current diversity initiatives are inadequate.
"Our job is to communicate the complexity and the many contradictions you get in China to a foreign audience, and that is much harder when there are fewer of us."
Yuan Yang is the Europe-China correspondent for the Financial Times. She was previously the Beijing bureau chief and spent five years reporting within China. She began her career as a Marjorie Dean intern writing about economics for The Economist.
Alongside her journalism career, Yuan is the co-founder of Rethinking Economics, a charity that aims to widen the economics curriculum within school and university.
"With her unique vantage point, courageous reporting and deep understanding of inequality,...Yuan Yang is a major talent." Bloomsbury
"What has been called political common sense over recent decades - that greed is good, inequality doesn’t matter and we can keep treating the planet as a mine and a dumping ground - has been proved to be the exact opposite. It has been a recipe for disaster."
Former leader of the Green Party and former editor of The Guardian Weekly, Baroness Natalie Bennett is also founder of the blog Carnival of Feminists and an active campaigner on women's issues.
Since stepping down as leader of the Greens, Natalie has become a key environmental voice in the House of Lords. She is also currently crowdfunding a book Change Everything, that seeks to challenge the political status-quo.
"Ms Bennett is seen as the new great hope by all those fed up with British politics." The Times
"It is not about drawing within the lines. It’s about discovery and creativity."
Recent winner of the New Horizons in Physics Prize and the Schmidt Science Polymaths Award, Suchitra Sebastian is an up-and-coming condensed matter physicist. She is based at the Cavendish Laboratory at the University of Cambridge where she is a Professor of Physics.
Professor Sebastian is known for her discoveries of exotic quantum phenomena that emerge in complex materials. She was named as one of thirty Exceptional Young Scientists by the World Economic Forum, and as one of The Next Big Names in Physics by the Financial Times, in 2013.
"A world-class physicist." Quanta Magazine
"From the intricacies of organic chemistry to the profound questions of life's emergence."
Addy Pross is Professor Emeritus at Ben Gurion University. His keen interest in theoretical organic chemistry, chemical reactivity, systems chemistry, and the very origin of life have set him apart in his field. Pross has dedicated himself to bridging the divide between the physical and biological worlds, advocating for a theory of evolution articulated in physical-chemical terms.
He has served as a Visiting Professor at NYU Shanghai, Rutgers University, Stanford University, and Auckland University, to name a few. With a commitment to knowledge dissemination, Pross has authored 120 papers and reviews, and penned two significant books: Theoretical and Physical Principles of Organic Reactivity, and the influential What is Life: How Chemistry Becomes Biology.
"Pross's growing sense of excitement is palpable in his lucid, thoughtful, and accessible exploration of the very foundations of that most exquisite and extraordinary property of matter, life." Peter Atkins
"I think sometimes in politics you’ve got to accept that someone is going to be upset, otherwise you’re not making progress on things."
Kerry McCarthy is the shadow minister for Climate Change and MP for Bristol East. Having been an MP since 2005, Kerry has held a litany of posts across both the government and the shadow cabinet, previously serving as shadow minister for Rural Affairs, Junior Treasury Secretary and a shadow Foreign Office minister.
In her role as shadow minister for Climate Change, Kerry has argued profusely for agricultural reform. As a outspoken vegan, she has spearheaded Labour's stance on agricultural emissions and the climate crisis.
"If the price of food had increased at the same rate as house prices in the UK over the past 50 years, then today a chicken would cost just under £70….in the capital…that's £140."
Dr Anna Minton is an investigative journalist, policy researcher and author specialising in the London housing crisis. Starting her career in journalism, Anna moved to think tanks and policy organisations before finally compiling her first book, Ground Control.
Anna has since joined the University of East London as a Reader in Architecture where she leads the 'Reading the Neoliberal City' programme. Alongside her more recent book Big Capital, Anna also regularly contributes to The Guardian, Financial Times and Prospect.
"Fierce, incisive, important. Anyone who lives or works in a building should read this book." Will Self on Big Capital
"Industrial-era faith in progress is turning against all but a tiny elite of women."
Mary Harrington is a columnist and editor for UnHerd and runs her own weekly Substack, 'Reactionary Feminist'. Renowned for her searing cultural critiques, Mary’s work has been published in First Things, American Affairs, The New York Post, The Spectator, New Statesman, The Times, and The Mail on Sunday.
Her debut novel, Feminism Against Progress, tackles women's rights in the biotech age, arguing that progress has now stopped benefiting the majority women.
"One of progressive feminism's most ingenious critics." Kathleen Stock
"There is a lot of serendipity in science. You can't find answers if you aren't asking the questions."
Lucy Cooke, a zoologist and broadcaster, has been challenging popular misconceptions about the animal kingdom for years. Her work is characterized by a combination deep scientific insights with a humorous approach, which makes her a favorite among audiences. Known for debunking myths about sloths and other creatures, Cooke emphasizes that many of our ideas about the natural world are anthropomorphic projections.
With biodiversity and conservation becoming central themes in recent times, Cooke's work brings a fresh perspective on how we view and relate to the animal kingdom. Her participation at HowTheLightGetsIn is expected to bring both levity and depth to discussions on nature and wildlife conservation.
"Eye-opening, informative and very funny!" Chris Packham
Julia Davies is an angel investor, lawyer, philanthropist and environmental campaigner dedicating her time, skills and resources to tackling the climate and environmental crises, and inter-connected social issues. Julia works under the mantra "We Have The Power!" (https://wehavethepower.org/). Her mission is to catalyse practical action by investing in start-up companies offering sustainable products and services, and by providing philanthropic loan finance to accelerate regeneration. She is a founder member of Patriotic Millionaires UK.
https://patrioticmillionaires.uk
"Commercial lawyer turned green activist." The Guardian
"Society will need to shed some of its obsession for causality in exchange for simple correlations: not knowing why but only what."
Kenneth Cukier is deputy executive editor and host of the hugely popular weekly podcast, Babbage. He is the co-author of the New York Times Bestselling book Big Data with Viktor Mayer-Schönberger. In 2016, he was elected as a trustee of Chatham House, a British international affairs institute; and a year later, he was named an associate fellow at the University of Oxford's Said Business School, where he lectures on artificial intelligence and business.
An internationally respected journalist, Kenneth was the technology editor of the Wall Street Journal and has written for The New York Times, Financial Times, International Herald Tribune and Foreign Affairs.
"One of the world’s most respected data experts." The London School of Economics
"I want readers to be able to identify the sources of our current political climate and recognize in the future when a popular but dangerous idea emerges."
Sasha Polakow-Suransky is a dynamo in the world of international affairs. As a deputy editor at Foreign Policy, he brings a wealth of experience from his previous work as an op-ed editor at The New York Times and senior editor at Foreign Affairs. He's a 2015-2016 Open Society Foundations fellow and holds a doctorate in modern history from Oxford University, where he was a Rhodes Scholar.
Polakow-Suransky is the author of two groundbreaking books that tackle some of the most pressing issues of our time: The Unspoken Alliance: Israel’s Secret Relationship With Apartheid South Africa and Go Back to Where You Came From: The Backlash Against Immigration and the Fate of Western Democracy. His expertise and insights are second to none, making him a true thought leader in the field.
"It's certain that we need creativity and invention in order to meet the confluence of crises facing Britain today."
Niki Seth-Smith is an editor, journalist, and fiction writer. Editor of the historic New Humanist, she helps lead one of the oldest running rationalist magazines in the world. Niki is also a novelist working on a speculative novel and auto-fiction set in Athens.
Her poetry and fiction have been published in Open Pen, The London Magazine, and Dove Release, while her writings on politics, culture, and gender have appeared in Vice, Al Jazeera, openDemocracy, and New Humanist.
Chrisantha Fernando is a multifaceted scientist who began his journey in medicine at Oxford and transitioned into AI research. He earned an MSc in Evolutionary and Adaptive Systems at Sussex, followed by a PhD in simulating the origin of life with Eors Szathmary. Currently at DeepMind, he specializes in the intersection of evolution and learning in AI, with a particular interest in open-ended evolution. In addition to his research, Chrisantha is an avid enthusiast of art and technology. He maintains a blog dedicated to the pursuit of creating artificial artists, or tools that facilitate his artistic endeavors. Through his work and contributions, Chrisantha Fernando continues to be at the forefront of AI research and innovation.
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