News archive 2009

Top King’s thinkers

22 May 2009, PR 103/09

Alex Callinicos, Professor of European Studies, and Dr Christopher Hamilton, Senior Lecturer in the Philosophy of Religion, will be speaking this  weekend at ‘How The Light Gets In’ - the UK's first ever philosophy and music festival.



The festival includes top thinkers and philosophers who will explore modern social and philosophical values in Philosophy Session debates.  On Saturday 23 May, Dr Christopher Hamilton will be discussing, ‘The Age of Immorality’, with economist Richard Bronk and political theorist Phillip Blond, asking whether we live in a time without morals and if we are facing a moral anarchy, and how we might find a solution. Dr Hamilton is the author of Living Philosophy: reflections on life, meaning and morality.

Dr Hamilton comments 'I’ve long believed that philosophy should aim to engage with interested non-specialists, and this festival promises to provide exactly that opportunity. Thinkers from many different backgrounds will be taking part, and the range of topics covered is broad and deep. I’m delighted to have this opportunity to discuss philosophical matters in a public forum, and to reflect in this way with others on some aspects of the modern condition.'

Dr Hamilton will also speak on Monday 25 May in a discussion on ‘New Ways of Thinking’ with writer Shahidha Bari and post-postmodern philosopher Hilary Lawson.

On the same day Professor Callinicos will debate ‘The Return of Revolution’ with Phillip Blond, proponent of ‘Red Toryism’ and Geoff Mulgan, former Director of Policy under Tony Blair and chief advisor to Gordon Brown in the 1990s. Alex Callinicos, is also Director of the Centre for European Studies at King’s College London.  Alex Callinicos is author of Against the Third Way and An Anti-Capitalist Manifesto and a member of the central committee of the Socialist Worker’s Party.

The festival runs from May 22-31 and has a notable line up of speakers, bands and comedy acts, including debates.  There will be speeches Zygmunt Bauman, AC Grayling, Susan Neiman, Kenan Malik, Will Hutton and more music from Michael Nyman, Stephen Fretwell and Baka Beyond and comedy sketches from Ed Aczel and Robin Ince, among others.



Notes to editors

For more information on the festival visit: www.howthelightgetsin.org

King's College London
King's College London is one of the top 25 universities in the world (Times Higher Education 2008) and the fourth oldest in England. A research-led university based in the heart of London, King's has more than 21,000 students from nearly 140 countries, and more than 5,700 employees. King's is in the second phase of a ?1 billion redevelopment programme which is transforming its estate.

King's has an outstanding reputation for providing world-class teaching and cutting-edge research. In the 2008 Research Assessment Exercise for British universities, 23 departments were ranked in the top quartile of British universities; over half of our academic staff work in departments that are in the top 10 per cent in the UK in their field and can thus be classed as world leading. The College is in the top seven UK universities for research earnings and has an overall annual income of nearly £450 million.

King's has a particularly distinguished reputation in the humanities, law, the sciences (including a wide range of health areas such as psychiatry, medicine and dentistry) and social sciences including international affairs. It has played a major role in many of the advances that have shaped modern life, such as the discovery of the structure of DNA and research that led to the development of radio, television, mobile phones and radar. It is the largest centre for the education of healthcare professionals in Europe; no university has more Medical Research Council Centres.

King's College London and Guy's and St Thomas', King's College Hospital and South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trusts are part of King's Health Partners. King's Health Partners Academic Health Sciences Centre (AHSC) is a pioneering global collaboration between one of the world's leading research-led universities and three of London's most successful NHS Foundation Trusts, including leading teaching hospitals and comprehensive mental health services. For more information, visit: www.kingshealthpartners.org.



Further information
Alex Bevis, Communications Officer
Public Relations Department
Email: alex.bevis@kcl.ac.uk
Tel: 020 7848 3202



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