Alumni Weekend

English, as its vocabulary confirms, is constantly on the move - both words and meaning act as witnesses to time and change, revealing the diverse pathways of contact and conflict with other nations, as well as changes in culture and identity. Please Note: Technical difficulties interrupted the recording. We apologise for this disruption. This talk, by Lynda Mugglestone, Professor of the History of English and Fellow and Tutor in English at Pembroke College, looks at the history of the English language, examining not only the ways in which it changes (and continues to change), but also the challenges of trying to represent English in dictionaries, not least since popular notions of 'the dictionary' often tend to assume that it is a simple and non-problematic entity, neutrally telling us 'the truth' when we look up words and meanings.

For more than two decades, Professor Steve Rayner has led interdisciplinary research programmes on science technology and environment, specifically on global climate change. He is the co-author of a number of controversial articles on climate change policy including 'Zen and the Art of Carbon Cycle Maintenance', 'Lifting the Taboo on Adaptation' and 'Time to Ditch Kyoto', all published in the journal Nature. Steve Rayner is James Martin Professor of Science and Civilization, Professorial Fellow of Keble College, and Director of the Institute for Science Innovation and Society

Professor Marc Stears reflects on his experiences. Marc Stears is a Professor of Political Theory and fellow at University College. He is the author of Demanding Democracy: American Radicals in Search of a New Politics and is one of the co-editors of the widely discussed The Labour Tradition and the Politics of Paradox. He is currently visiting fellow at Britain's leading think tank, the Institute for Public Policy Research, and he works closely with many of Britain's most prominent politicians on questions of political strategy and communication. Chaired by Mark Philp, Fellow and Tutor in Politics at Oriel College who works on political theory, the history of political thought, and is interested in political ethics, corruption and standards in public life.

Iain MacLean, Professor of Politics and fellow of Nuffield College, the British Academy and the Royal Society Edinburgh, has published widely on constitutional issues. MacLean is joined by Professor Will Hutton. His What's wrong with the British Constitution? co-won the WJM Mackenzie Prize for the best politics book of the year and was a member of the Independent Expert Group advising the Calman Commission on Scottish Devolution.

A panel discussion on new techniques and applications in the emerging field exploring the boundaries between man and machine in medical imaging, drug delivery and taking healthcare from the hospital to the home.

A debate on the whether the choice to end their own lives could be safely offered to some people with terminal illnesses.

Director of the Rothermere American Institute Dr Nigel Bowles' intellectual interests lie in American political history and, in particular, in the history of the US Presidency. Among his publications are The White House and Capitol Hill, an exploration of the politics of presidential lobbying; and Nixon's Business: Authority and Power in Presidential Politics in which he examines the relationship between authority and power in five cases of President Nixon's leadership of economic policy.

The Nepali community is one of the newest minorities in the UK, but already numbers more than 100,000, with the biggest concentrations around Farnborough, Ashford, Wembley and Plumstead. Professor David Gellner, Head of the Department of Anthropology, will share his expertise on Buddhism, Hinduism, and shamanism in Nepal, and describe how those religions are being transformed in the UK.

The Coalition Government is committed to greater corporate diversity in the financial services sector, and are promoting 'John Lewis' style mutuals to deliver public services. Can this new agenda be delivered? Professor Jonathan Michie, Director of the Department for Continuing Education and President of Kellogg College will consider the evidence globally and nationally, and discuss how a more sustainable economy might be created.

Professor Hawkins will look at the history of coalition government in British politics over the past 200 years and discuss some of the constitutional implications of the current Conservative/Liberal Democrat government under David Cameron and Nick Clegg.