Alumni Weekend

W.H.Auden described Spain as "...that arid square, that fragment nipped off from hot Africa, soldered so crudely to inventive Europe". This discussion looks in more detail at Spain's place in Europe, as well as the image and reality of Spain today. The panel includes Charles Powell, Director of the Elcano Royal Institute, Esperanza Aguirre DBE, former President of Madrid, and eminent journalist and author Tom Burns, who was awarded the OBE in 2001 for services to UK-Spain relations.

A session chaired by Dr Frances Lannon that examines this period of flourishing arts and literature in Spain, which coincided with the political rise and subsequent decline of the Spanish Habsburg dynasty. Renowned historian and author Professor Sir John Elliott (Oriel) gives the first talk on 'Art and Politics in Golden Age Spain'. This is followed by a talk by Dr Jonathan Thacker (Merton), an expert in Spanish Golden Age drama and author of 'A Companion to Spanish Golden Age Theatre'.

Professor of English, Katherine Duncan-Jones, discusses the real life characters and contemporaries of Shakespeare that inspired, shaped, and on occasion performed the various roles of the 'fool' in much of his work. Shakespeare's fools, in sync with Shakespeare's revolutionary ideas about theatre, began to depart from a more simple representation of the traditional jester. Like other of his characters, Shakepeare's fool began to speak outside of the narrow confines of exemplary morality, to address themes of love, psychic turmoil, and the innumerable themes that arise in Shakespeare, and indeed, modern theatre.

Dr John Wheater, Chairman of the Department and other members of the Oxford University Physics team about all the latest projects and ideas that they are working on. With Alan Barr and Henry Snaith.

Dr Rob Simpson from Zooniverse talks about the awe-inspiring aurorae, the Northern Lights, and other effects the sun can have on the earth. Find out why 2013 will be a spectacular year for this phenomenon and how and where is best to view it.

Dr Chris Lintott and Dr Rob Simpson explain using 'citizen power' to expand our knowledge of the Universe.

Sir Peter Lampi, founder and chairman of the Sutton Trust (which aims to improve social mobility through education) and founder of the Education Endowment Foundation. Outlining the impetus for these organisations, their key research findings, major projects and future direction, as well as thoughts on improving social mobility in the UK.

Professor Richard Jenkyns, Oxford University's Public Orator, looks at where what we call classical antiquity came from, whether it differed from other ancient civilisations and what it can tell us about Western Civilisation now and in the future.

A lecture exploring the differences and similarities between the rich and poor of Dickens' era and that of today. Alison Jackson, Jane Humphries, Helen Small and Paul Donovan bring forward their views in a panel discussion.

A talk from Matthew Leigh, Fellow and Tutor from St Anne's College, Oxford University, on Military Ethics; taken from the Alumni Weekend 2012.