Nottingham Contemporary

Poet and performer John Hegley will be joined by author Geoff Dyer for an evening of verse, music and discussions around the poetry and letters of Nottinghamshire’s legendary international author D.H. Lawrence. The event follows Hegley and Dyer’s appearance on BBC Radio 4’s Great Lives series where they started their investigation into Lawrence.

Geoff Dyer’s book Out of Sheer Rage: In the Shadow of D.H. Lawrence (1997) was shortlisted for the National Book Critics’ Circle Fiction Award in the USA. John Hegley has produced ten books of verse and prose pieces, two CDs and one mug. An Edinburgh Festival regular he explores topics as diverse as dog hair, potatoes, handkerchiefs and the general misery of human existence.

Dr Adib–Mohhaddam is Lecturer in Comparative and International Politics at the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London. He has written widely on Islamism and the politics of the Persian Gulf and is a frequent contributor to newspapers and TV. At Nottingham Contemporary he will trace the history of Islamophobia, confronting the idea of a “clash of civilisations” between “Islam” and “the West.” He calls for a new understanding that appreciates our common historic, cultural and political interdependence

Historian Carole Hillenbrand is among the world’s top scholars of the Crusades. Professor Emerita of Islamic History at the University of Edinburgh, her work focuses on the Islamic perspective of the Crusades, using Arab source material. Her talk will expand on the themes of Wael Shawky’s Cabaret Crusades:The Horror Show File.

Historian Carole Hillenbrand is among the world’s top scholars of the Crusades. Professor Emerita of Islamic History at the University of Edinburgh, her work focuses on the Islamic perspective of the Crusades, using Arab source material. Her talk will expand on the themes of Wael Shawky’s Cabaret Crusades:The Horror Show File.

Chicago Boys: while we were singing, they were dreaming... is an ongoing project initiated and conceived as a 1970s cover band and neo-liberalism study group by the Kurdish Iraqi artist Hiwa K. Drawing from the You tube videos, a team of global lay researchers accessed via Skype, and band members' personal experiences, the group has played songs from the 1970s and performs comparative studies of neoliberalism around the world. Pop songs from Holland, Iran, Iraq, Lebanon, Bangladesh and Poland are interspersed with discussions and stories about the processes through which free market values such as those espoused by their namesake - the Chicago Boys - a group of Chilean students who studied under economist Milton Friedman - are experienced in specific locations around the world. Chicago Boys sessions respond to the location they are in and have focused on topics such as migration, education and privatisation of public space.

Chicago Boys: while we were singing, they were dreaming… was originally commissioned by the Serpentine Gallery’s Edgware Road Project at the Centre for Possible Studies, where Hiwa K was artist-in-residence. It has since developed in relation to the sites of Alternativa (Wyspa, Gdansk, Poland), Casco Projects and if I can't dance, I don't want to be part of your revolution (Holland) and The Arts Against Cuts Direct Weekend (London) among others.

China is now the world’s second economy, poised to overtake the US. Professor Shujie Yao and Dr Zhengxu Wang from the Contemporary Chinese Department of The University of Nottingham will discuss the “Chinese Century” – a period when economic transformation has had profound internal – and world wide effects.

Professor Shujie Yao is Head of the School of Contemporary Chinese Studies and Professor of Economics and Chinese Sustainable Development at The University of Nottingham. He was recently ranked among the world’s top ten China scholars. Dr Wang is the Acting Director of the China Policy Institute at The University of Nottingham. His research area is Chinese political reform and democratic change

Razia Iqbal is a Special Correspondent for BBC News, with extensive experience in both the arts and politics. She reports for the BBC’s 6 and 10 o’ clock news and other programmes, including the PM Programme, Woman’s Hour, Front Row, the BBC’s World Service and 5LIVE. From 2003 to 2009 she was the BBC’s Television Arts correspondent. She has also been a reporter in Pakistan and Sri Lanka. At Nottingham Contemporary she will discuss Wael Shawky’s work, in the context of Middle Eastern politics and culture.

Wael Shawky will talk about his work – an attempt, he says, to create “hybridised society”. This event will offer a fascinating insight into his art work, at a time of turmoil in the Middle East.

Wael Shawky will talk about his work – an attempt, he says, to create “hybridised society”. This event will offer a fascinating insight into his art work, at a time of turmoil in the Middle East.

Wildlife artist and illustrator Chris Orgill was trained by Wollaton Hall’s late and legendary taxidermist Don Sharp. He gives a personal insight into the history and craft of taxidermy, followed by a tour of Wollaton Hall’s extensive collection