Open lectures: Autumn term 2020
Every term, the University organises free open lectures on a wide variety of topics and aimed at a general audience.
Most require tickets (available on individual event pages) but some do not. Where tickets are needed, this is also indicated in the publicity.
Upcoming events
There are no events to show here right now. Please check back another time.
Past events
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Professor Mark Ormrod Memorial event
A celebration of Professor Mark Ormrod's achievements and his legacy
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Masterclass presentation: Storytelling with data: How to engage audience and drive meaningful actions
Ivan Ling discusses data storytelling and how to weave an interesting and engaging story based on numbers and graphs
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Lessons from an aircraft crash
John Guest tells the story of the British Midland 737 crash in 1989 at Kegworth
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Masterclass presentation: Making fashion sustainable through regenerative textile manufacturing
The latest in the masterclass series on Circular Economy is a collaboration between the University of York Management School and the Local Enterprise Partnership.
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State violence and incarceration in the UK: Intersections of race, disability and mental health
Black and ethnic minority people with disabled, Autistic and mental health identities are often caught at the intersection of structural violence, racism and ableism in the UK.
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The property versatility view of generics
In this talk, we challenge the orthodoxy and defend an alternative account of generics: the property versatility view of generics (PVG).
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Masterclass presentation: The diplomatic arts: Global leadership in uncertain times
Paul Rennie, OBE, will talk about the art of diplomacy in a turbulent world.
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Kyrgyzstan Power Struggle: What’s next?
Kyrgyzstan, the country with Central Asia's most open but volatile political system, is in turmoil again...
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Countdown to success: Marathon runner Charlotte Ellis in conversation
Hear the inspiring story of visually impaired marathon runner Charlotte Ellis as she discusses her remarkable sporting journey with Elly Fiorentini of BBC Radio York.
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Hidden in plain sight: The unexplored histories of the medieval north at the time of the Black Death
This talk will expose and explore some of extensive medieval archives relating to the medieval north (and particularly to Yorkshire) which remain largely unpublished and unexplored
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The state of disbelief: A story of death, love and forgetting - In discussion with Juliet Rosenfeld
Psychotherapist and writer Juliet Rosenfeld will join us to discuss her moving account of bereavement and profound grief, The State of Disbelief: A Story of Death, Love and Forgetting (published February, 2020).
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The rise of the valkyrie: Mythical and real women of the Viking world
Life and death in a Viking battle depended not on military prowess, but on the favour of the valkyries...
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The medium and genre of the Codex of Georgios Klontzas
Is Georgios Klontzas' codex historical, devotional, or prophetic? Is it a Byzantine miscellany grown Baroque, or the fantasy of a printed volume that no printer would ever underwrite?
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Masterclass presentation: Strategy in an age of uncertainty
How can organisations adopt a different approach to strategy and strengthen their strategic capabilities to deal with uncertain times?
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Celebrating outstanding history: An evening with Wolfson History Prize 2020 finalists
From humankind’s relationship with the world’s oceans to Indian cricket, and from Chaucer to the kingdoms of West Africa, how can history shine a light on the big issues we face today?
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Chris Timmerman: DMT, consciousness and the brain
Chris Timmerman works on investigating the effects of DMT (dimethyltryptamine) on the brain, using the latest technology to explore the neural correlates of the most extraordinary states of consciousness
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Access for whom
Rooted in changing the physical environment, with the goal of providing greater access to the workplace and services, does universal design continue to exclude the very disabled people it seeks to benefit?
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What's in a face?
Join AboutFace for a lively panel conversation, where you’ll hear different perspectives on face transplants and their emotional and cultural impacts.
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What is the future for dissidents in Hong Kong? An evening with Luke de Pulford
After over a year since the massive protests, a new national security law banning talk of secession has been introduced and recently all of the pro-democracy lawmakers have resigned, what is the future for dissent in Hong Kong?
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Science and the garden
Join former horticultural science lecturer, and commercial glasshouse co-ordinator Sarah Owen-Hughes as she takes us on a journey through the evolution of plant science and how technology is transforming the shape of our crops.
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The pleasures of censorship
This term's Adam Phillips Lecture focuses on censorship
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De-… Di-… Mounting the challenges to systematic structures of difference in and from histories of art and cultural theory
Griselda Pollock talks about decolonising the curricula of our arts and humanities
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Equality Matters masterclass: Challenging the status quo - breaking the glass ceiling
Diversity and inclusion champion Abisola Barber reviews the impact of the glass ceiling on business and workplace equality policies and assesses the case for intersectionality and other diversity characteristics being subject to the glass ceiling
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Know drugs
Despite years of prohibition illicit drugs continue to be used by millions of people in the UK. Understanding the route from pleasure to harm is critical if we are to think about how to reduce the risks
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The Future of Prisons?
Join us to debate what prisons are for, how they should be reformed, and whether they have a future. The panel will be chaired by Professor Matt Matravers of York Law School
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The Tactile Universe: Accessible astrophysics with the vision impaired community
Blind astronomer, Dr Nic Bonne, discusses growing up with a vision impairment, how this impacted his career, and how it has affected his lifelong fascination with astronomy, a traditionally visual science
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Perfectionism: The hidden epidemic?
Dr Thomas Curran explores how the pressure to be perfect - in our social media feeds, in relationships, and at university and work - is driving a rise in mental ill-health
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Masterclass presentation: Lessons learned on Circular Economy from South America
Find out about one of the most complete industrial ecosystems for Circular Economy in Brazil.
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Migrants and refugees facing Covid-19: UK and global concerns
This session will discuss and explore the impacts of COVID-19 on patterns of migration, both within states and across state borders.
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The emergence of the English
Can the origins of the English be found among 5th and 6th-century immigrants to Britain from North Western Europe?
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How the Vikings "got Allah": Toward an Integrated Medieval Studies in an Age of White Nationalism
Dr Stephennie Mulder discusses some of the recent controversies in Islamic Medieval studies
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Reading the passions
Sir Nicholas Penny explores various ways in which the study of Greek and Roman antiquity influenced the painting and sculpture of Western Europe between 1500 and 2000
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Reflections on public health system responses during Covid-19 in low-and middle-income countries
Strong, resilient health systems are effective bulwarks against shocks, but the COVID-19 pandemic has revealed the existing and diverse nature of weaknesses of health systems across the world, especially in low-and-middle-income countries (LMIC).
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Beethoven: Trauma and recovery
Three major crises in Beethoven’s life —the acknowledgment of untreatable deafness, the loss of his ‘immortal beloved’, and the disastrous conclusion to the guardianship of his nephew Carl — gave rise to periods of intense creativity...
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Politics Society does Election 2020
Join the York Politics society as we cover a truly remarkable election day with an evening full of events.
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Medieval hygiene
Everyone knows that medieval people were dirty, smelly and largely indifferent to their own filth - or were they?
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How to be more pirate
Challenging the cliched image of peg legs and parrots, we explore what we can learn from the golden age of piracy in an age where rule breaking is now the most socially responsible thing to do. Join the Mutiny!
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Sam Gandy: Psychedelics and the nature connection
In a time of disconnect, alienation and ecological destruction, Sam will be focusing on how consciousness change can enable greater connection to our world, and the implications for the health of humanity and the planet as a whole.
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Masterclass presentation: Green, competitive and resilient in times of uncertainty
Discover the impact of investing in green marketing on firms’ competitiveness and resilience in times of deep economic uncertainty
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The science of sleep
Across a lifetime, the average person will spend 236,987 hours asleep. Why do we devote so much time to sleep? What happens when we deprive ourselvesof sleep? How can we make our sleep more efficient?
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An evening with Peter Brathwaite
An unparalleled opportunity to quiz this talented and versatile artist and performer, and to see key moments of England's -- and the world's -- artistic and musical heritage in new ways
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Building for good change with OpHouse York
Join the first York Design Week panel, with the women behind OpHouse, and special guests, in collaboration with York Ideas
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England’s hidden history
Among the glamour and intrigue that surrounds the Tudor period is the untold story of people of African descent who lived and worked throughout England – not as slaves but as members of society
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A dis-United Kingdom: The nationalist perspective on devolution
In a time when the fabric of the Union is being stretched by the Covid-19 pandemic and Brexit, what is the future for the favoured Unionist policy for dealing with independence claims?
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Funerals from an expert perspective
Find out about new research which indicates that it is important not to be prescriptive about what bereaved people 'need' from a funeral
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Revolutionary love, revolutionary weddings: Marriage in the Black Panther Party
Dr Traci Parker discusses her exciting new book project, Beyond Loving: Love, Sex, and Marriage in the Black Freedom Movement
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Masterclass presentation: Circular Malton - Engaging people and driving change
Exploring how to initiate broad community engagement in environmental change and how to unlock business managers’ mindsets to make environmental change a priority
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Composite formations: Sigmund Freud’s picture of Rome
Whitney Davis talks about Sigmund Freud's fascination with the archaeology and history of the ancient city of Rome
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Isaac Julien film screening
To mark Black History Month, Norman Rea Gallery and the History of Art Department invite you to an exclusive screening of two moving image works, Who Killed Colin Roach? (1983) and Derek (2009) by acclaimed British artist and filmmaker Isaac Julien
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Mental health: Another casualty of coronavirus?
Join us for an evening of talks and discussion on the implications and effects of COVID-19 on the mental health of different groups and communities
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Decolonizing the syllabus: Teaching China through Black History
Dr Keisha Brown will discuss how we can address diversity, equity, and inclusion
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An evening with Professor Emma Crewe
Celebrated anthropologist Professor Emma Crewe discusses her work in the Palace of Westminster and the importance of analysing political culture
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Equality Matters masterclass presentation: Inclusive Leadership - a practitioner's approach
Alice Maynard discusses how to practice being a more inclusive leader.
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Music and the Arts of Industry in Victorian Britain
A discussion of the intersection of visual and musical cultures in the machine age, 1851-1901
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On Fire: The Burning Case for a Green New Deal
Naomi Klein speaks about how the climate crisis is not only as a profound political challenge but also a spiritual and imaginative one
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Populism in Poland: The re-election of Andrzej Duda and the ramifications for Eastern Europe
Over the summer controversial Polish president Andrzej Duda was narrowly re-elected. Our panel explores the ramifications of this election and the consequences for it in Eastern Europe and Europe as a whole.
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Don’t Stop: Negotiating Autism and Academia
This talk charts the ‘unlikely’ trajectory of an Autistic individual who started speaking at age 11, and then learned to read and write at the age of 18.
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Masterclass presentation: Yorkshire strategy and business cases for the circular economy
Hear an overview of the strategy to create the UK's first carbon-negative, circular region.
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Peace in Afghanistan: Exploring the Afghan Peace Process and the possibility of a lasting and stable solution
With negotiations beginning between Afghanistan, the USA, and the Taliban our panel examines the potential for this to provide a solution to Afghan's decades of war and whether they can result in peace.