Humanitas

Emily Bell, the Humanitas Visiting Professor in Media 2015-16, will give an open lecture as part of a series of events she will be doing while in Cambridge on the theme of Facebook Eating the World. A mobile media revolution is changing the basis of the global free press and dictating the future of self expression. Snapchat, Facebook, Twitter, Google and Apple are among the few companies redrawing the boundaries of how we communicate and taking over the role of the global publishers. The future of journalism, the news, free speech and even democratic exchange is changed forever. What does this mean for the news media and for democracy? Is this an exciting new opportunity to remake the news or a long term threat to the public sphere? This lecture examines the rapid changes in the news ecosystem and its implications for the practice and policies of the media industry.

Emily Bell, the Humanitas Visiting Professor in Media 2015-16, will be in conversation with Professor Mary Beard (University of Cambridge). They will discuss issues on the theme of Facebook Eating the World.

How can Peace be Made? Session Two 23 October 2015 Martti Ahtisaari, the Humanitas Visiting Professor in Statecraft and Diplomacy 2015-16, will give two public lectures, participate in a Conversation with other invited speakers, and attend a concluding symposium based on the theme of How can Peace be Made? This is the final event of the series. Confirmed discussants include Professor Jan Zielonka (University of Oxford), Lord Hannay of Chiswick and Professor Jennifer Welsh (European University Institute). The symposium will be chaired by Professor Christopher Hill (University of Cambridge). Further information, including a programme, will follow shortly.

How can Peace be Made? Session One 23 October 2015 Martti Ahtisaari, the Humanitas Visiting Professor in Statecraft and Diplomacy 2015-16, will give two public lectures, participate in a Conversation with other invited speakers, and attend a concluding symposium based on the theme of How can Peace be Made? This is the final event of the series. Confirmed discussants include Professor Jan Zielonka (University of Oxford), Lord Hannay of Chiswick and Professor Jennifer Welsh (European University Institute). The symposium will be chaired by Professor Christopher Hill (University of Cambridge). Further information, including a programme, will follow shortly.

In Conversation with Humanitas Visiting Professor Martti Ahtisaari 22 October 2015 Martti Ahtisaari, the Humanitas Visiting Professor in Statecraft and Diplomacy 2015-16, will give two public lectures, participate in a Conversation with other invited speakers, and attend a concluding symposium during his stay in Cambridge. This is the third event in the series. President Ahtisaari will be in conversation with Professor Marc Weller and Professor John Dunn who are both with the Department of Politics and International Studies at the University of Cambridge. The event will be chaired by Professor Brendan Simms, also with POLIS.

In Order to Succeed in Peace Mediation you have to be an Honest Broker 21 October 2015 Martti Ahtisaari, the Humanitas Visiting Professor in Statecraft and Diplomacy 2015-16, will give two public lectures, participate in a Conversation with other invited speakers, and attend a concluding symposium, based on the theme of How Can Peace be Made?. This is the second of his two public lectures. In the lecture the underlying question is what the preconditions are for a successful conflict resolution process. How do you mediate and solve conflicts in a manner that creates solid and sustainable foundation for a society to continue, or begin, its life in peace? For a mediator it is important to understand how to deal with dignity of the parties and to ensure that the society has the grounds to move in the direction of true reconciliation and peace. In this work creating trust is everything. Peace is not implemented only by institutions, but by people.

Preventing Conflicts and Building Fair Societies: What can we learn from the Nordic countries? 19 October 2015 Martti Ahtisaari, the Humanitas Visiting Professor in Statecraft and Diplomacy 2015-16, will give two public lectures, participate in a Conversation with other invited speakers, and attend a concluding symposium based on the theme of How can Peace be Made? This is the first of his two public lectures. Drawing on his wide experience of conflict resolution and development cooperation as well as reflecting on his personal experience in growing up in an egalitarian Nordic society, President Ahtisaari will discuss the basic tenets for stable and fair societies. He will examine the importance of egalitarian policies for improving the life of all citizens.

CRASSH Humanitas Vistitng Professor in Chinese Studiies, Xu Bing, will give two lectures and participate in this concluding symposium. Confirmed speakers Professor Joshua Jiang (Birmingham City University) Dr Ros Holmes (University of Oxford) Dr Shane McCausland (SOAS) Dr Xiaofan Amy Li (University of Oxford) Professor Vimalin Rujivacharakul (University of Delaware) There are three videos in this series, Session 1, Session 2 and Session 3

CRASSH Humanitas Vistitng Professor in Chinese Studiies, Xu Bing, will give two lectures and participate in this concluding symposium. Confirmed speakers Professor Joshua Jiang (Birmingham City University) Dr Ros Holmes (University of Oxford) Dr Shane McCausland (SOAS) Dr Xiaofan Amy Li (University of Oxford) Professor Vimalin Rujivacharakul (University of Delaware) There are three videos in this series, Session 1, Session 2 and Session 3

CRASSH Humanitas Vistitng Professor in Chinese Studiies, Xu Bing, will give two lectures and participate in this concluding symposium. Confirmed speakers Professor Joshua Jiang (Birmingham City University) Dr Ros Holmes (University of Oxford) Dr Shane McCausland (SOAS) Dr Xiaofan Amy Li (University of Oxford) Professor Vimalin Rujivacharakul (University of Delaware) There are three videos in this series, Session 1, Session 2 and Session 3

he CRASSH Humanitas Visiting Professor in Chinese Studies, Xu Bing (Former President of the Central Academy of Fine Arts, Beijing), will give two public lectures and participate in a concluding symposium. He will also attend a talk and reception at the Fitzwilliam Museum to celebrate his visit to Cambridge. Abstracct The lecture will address the motivation of artistic creation through case studies where the artist gets his source of inspiration. -The relationship between the energy of reality and the energy of creativity -From where does the artist get his inspiration? -The tendency to create in a certain style is an artist's destiny -The organic development of artistic creation -Why I say don't take art too seriously and where does its new energy come from?

The CRASSH Humanitas Visiting Professor in Chinese Studies, Xu Bing (Former President of the Central Academy of Fine Arts, Beijing), will give two public lectures and participate in a concluding symposium. He will also attend a talk and reception at the Fitzwilliam Museum to celebrate his visit to Cambridge. Abstract Based on his practice in the past decades, Xu Bing will analyze how the cultural gene has been passed on and has thus influenced art making. -The definition of tradition is something transmitted through cultural DNA -What is the strength and weakness of Chinese tradition? How the two can be mutually convertable -Why we hardly take advantage of our own tradition -How the traditional and the contemporary relate with each other -The cause of certain phenomenon in contemporary China Other events in this series

CRASSH Humanitas Visiting Professor in Chinese Studies, Xu Bing, at the Fitzwilliam Museum. At this special evening at the Fitzwilliam Museum to celebrate his visit to Cambridge you will have the opportunity to meet Xu Bing and to see a small installation of his four birdcages in the Chinese Gallery. Xu Bing will discuss his work with Shelagh Vainker who curated his exhibition at the Ashmolean Museum in 2013.

Richard Haass (American Diplomat), 2015 Humanitas Visiting Professor in Statecraft and Diplomacy, will give a series of three public lectures entitled 'World Order: Its Past, Present, & Prospects' and take part a concluding symposium on Friday 27 April 2015. Abstract World order is one of the fundamental concepts of international relations, as well as a lens through which to view and understand global developments and foreign policy choices. The first lecture, on the past, will discuss the concept of world order and trace its evolution and changing elements in the modern era, beginning with the end of the 30 Years War and the Treaty of Westphalia, through the 19th century Concert of Europe that followed the Congress of Vienna, the various breakdowns of order in the late 19th century and first half of the twentieth, the four decades of Cold War, and finally (and in the greatest detail ) the post-Cold War era that has been our reality for some twenty-five years now. The second lecture, on the present state of world order, begins where the previous talk left off, and will focus on the many sources and manifestations of order and disorder in the current period. These first two lectures will be mostly historical and analytical in nature. The third lecture, on prospects for world order, will also be analytical in part, but it will necessarily be prescriptive as well as predictive, suggesting what needs doing if the balance between order and disorder is, over time, to favor the former

Richard Haass (American Diplomat), 2015 Humanitas Visiting Professor in Statecraft and Diplomacy, will give a series of three public lectures entitled 'World Order: Its Past, Present, & Prospects' and take part a concluding symposium on Friday 27 April 2015. Abstract World order is one of the fundamental concepts of international relations, as well as a lens through which to view and understand global developments and foreign policy choices. The first lecture, on the past, will discuss the concept of world order and trace its evolution and changing elements in the modern era, beginning with the end of the 30 Years War and the Treaty of Westphalia, through the 19th century Concert of Europe that followed the Congress of Vienna, the various breakdowns of order in the late 19th century and first half of the twentieth, the four decades of Cold War, and finally (and in the greatest detail ) the post-Cold War era that has been our reality for some twenty-five years now. The second lecture, on the present state of world order, begins where the previous talk left off, and will focus on the many sources and manifestations of order and disorder in the current period. These first two lectures will be mostly historical and analytical in nature. The third lecture, on prospects for world order, will also be analytical in part, but it will necessarily be prescriptive as well as predictive, suggesting what needs doing if the balance between order and disorder is, over time, to favor the former

Richard Haass (American Diplomat), 2015 Humanitas Visiting Professor in Statecraft and Diplomacy, will give a series of three public lectures entitled 'World Order: Its Past, Present, & Prospects' and take part a concluding symposium on Friday 27 April 2015. Abstract World order is one of the fundamental concepts of international relations, as well as a lens through which to view and understand global developments and foreign policy choices. The first lecture, on the past, will discuss the concept of world order and trace its evolution and changing elements in the modern era, beginning with the end of the 30 Years War and the Treaty of Westphalia, through the 19th century Concert of Europe that followed the Congress of Vienna, the various breakdowns of order in the late 19th century and first half of the twentieth, the four decades of Cold War, and finally (and in the greatest detail ) the post-Cold War era that has been our reality for some twenty-five years now. The second lecture, on the present state of world order, begins where the previous talk left off, and will focus on the many sources and manifestations of order and disorder in the current period. These first two lectures will be mostly historical and analytical in nature. The third lecture, on prospects for world order, will also be analytical in part, but it will necessarily be prescriptive as well as predictive, suggesting what needs doing if the balance between order and disorder is, over time, to favor the former.

Richard Haass (American Diplomat), 2015 Humanitas Visiting Professor in Statecraft and Diplomacy, will give a series of three public lectures entitled 'World Order: Its Past, Present, & Prospects' and take part a concluding symposium on Friday 27 April 2015. Abstract World order is one of the fundamental concepts of international relations, as well as a lens through which to view and understand global developments and foreign policy choices. The first lecture, on the past, will discuss the concept of world order and trace its evolution and changing elements in the modern era, beginning with the end of the 30 Years War and the Treaty of Westphalia, through the 19th century Concert of Europe that followed the Congress of Vienna, the various breakdowns of order in the late 19th century and first half of the twentieth, the four decades of Cold War, and finally (and in the greatest detail ) the post-Cold War era that has been our reality for some twenty-five years now. The second lecture, on the present state of world order, begins where the previous talk left off, and will focus on the many sources and manifestations of order and disorder in the current period. These first two lectures will be mostly historical and analytical in nature. The third lecture, on prospects for world order, will also be analytical in part, but it will necessarily be prescriptive as well as predictive, suggesting what needs doing if the balance between order and disorder is, over time, to favor the former.

Richard Haass (American Diplomat), 2015 Humanitas Visiting Professor in Statecraft and Diplomacy, will give a series of three public lectures entitled 'World Order: Its Past, Present, & Prospects' and take part a concluding symposium on Friday 27 April 2015. Abstract World order is one of the fundamental concepts of international relations, as well as a lens through which to view and understand global developments and foreign policy choices. The first lecture, on the past, will discuss the concept of world order and trace its evolution and changing elements in the modern era, beginning with the end of the 30 Years War and the Treaty of Westphalia, through the 19th century Concert of Europe that followed the Congress of Vienna, the various breakdowns of order in the late 19th century and first half of the twentieth, the four decades of Cold War, and finally (and in the greatest detail ) the post-Cold War era that has been our reality for some twenty-five years now. The second lecture, on the present state of world order, begins where the previous talk left off, and will focus on the many sources and manifestations of order and disorder in the current period. These first two lectures will be mostly historical and analytical in nature. The third lecture, on prospects for world order, will also be analytical in part, but it will necessarily be prescriptive as well as predictive, suggesting what needs doing if the balance between order and disorder is, over time, to favor the former.

Richard Haass (American Diplomat), 2015 Humanitas Visiting Professor in Statecraft and Diplomacy, will give a series of three public lectures entitled 'World Order: Its Past, Present, & Prospects' and take part a concluding symposium on Friday 27 April 2015. Abstract World order is one of the fundamental concepts of international relations, as well as a lens through which to view and understand global developments and foreign policy choices. The first lecture, on the past, will discuss the concept of world order and trace its evolution and changing elements in the modern era, beginning with the end of the 30 Years War and the Treaty of Westphalia, through the 19th century Concert of Europe that followed the Congress of Vienna, the various breakdowns of order in the late 19th century and first half of the twentieth, the four decades of Cold War, and finally (and in the greatest detail ) the post-Cold War era that has been our reality for some twenty-five years now. The second lecture, on the present state of world order, begins where the previous talk left off, and will focus on the many sources and manifestations of order and disorder in the current period. These first two lectures will be mostly historical and analytical in nature. The third lecture, on prospects for world order, will also be analytical in part, but it will necessarily be prescriptive as well as predictive, suggesting what needs doing if the balance between order and disorder is, over time, to favor the former.

Natasha Walter, Humanitas Visiting Professor in Women's Rights 2014-15, will give two public lectures with CRASSH and participate in the Cambridge Women of the World event on Sunday 8 March 2015. Together with other invited speakers such as Lucy-Anne Holmes and Rehab Jameel she will discuss current trends in social media and activism. Over the last few years there has been a genuine rise in feminist activism and debate, from No More Page 3 to the campaigns against FGM and the detention of refugee women. Join our speakers from some of the key areas of protest to find out how to get the word out and create change in today's world, from online campaigning to street protests. Professor Andrew Webber from the University of Cambridge will chair the discussion.

Natasha Walter, Humanitas Visiting Professor in Women's Rights 2014-15, will give two public lectures and participate in the Cambridge Women of the World event on Sunday 8 March 2015. The overall theme of all these events is From Sexism to Solidarity. Abstract Where is this new wave of feminism headed? The outspokenness and energy of individuals and organisations is wonderful to see. How can this energy be harnessed for real change and how far-reaching will these changes be? If we carry feminism through to its real conclusion, all women deserve to be heard and to live in safety; including the currently unheard, the poor, the vulnerable and the stateless. Followed through with honesty and vision, this understanding that feminism must speak up for all women, must cross borders and classes, may pull us into truly radical change.

Natasha Walter, Humanitas Visiting Professor in Women's Rights 2014-15, will give two public lectures and participate in the Cambridge Women of the World event on Sunday 8 March 2015. The overall theme of all these events is From Sexism to Solidarity. Abstract In her first lecture, Natasha Walter will map current patterns of sexism in our society and the ways that apparently trivial sexism may be linked to inequality and abuse. But she will also look at how, in the five years since the publication of her book Living Dolls: the Return of Sexism, a new wave of feminism has arisen which relies on solidarity and action, and which is challenging the grip of sexism on our society.

As part of the Inaugural Humanitas Visiting Series in Vocal Music, Sir John Tomlinson took part in three events: the first was a recital entitled "Michelangelo in Song", the second a conversation on the construction of the role of Wotan with Patrick Carnery. This video shows Sir John Tomlinson in conversation with composer Sir Harrison Birtwistle about the construction of the role of the Minotaur. The session was chaired by Professor Jonathan Cross (University of Oxford). During the event, 2 shorts videos from the production of "The Minotaur" at the Royal Opera House were shown. Here are the links: 1. The rape scene: www.youtube.com/watch?v=qh_Fo7tp7kg 2. The death of the Minotaur: www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bf7mZICyEwA

This free-ranging conversation between one of the world’s greatest pianists Murray Perahia and the renowned Chopin scholar John Rink will explore some of the reasons why Chopin’s music continues to have such a hold over musicians and listeners alike. They will begin by discussing a musical depiction of the composer by one of his contemporaries, after which they will turn to some of the principal genres in which Chopin worked, including the Etudes and Nocturnes. Issues of technique and interpretation will be broached along the way. The conversation will also focus on Chopin’s own playing as well as the approaches of legendary pianists over the ages. It will end with an investigation of two large- scale pieces which pose particular conceptual as well as technical challenges. Passages from the repertoire will be illustrated at the piano by Mr Perahia throughout the conversation, laced with spirited commentary and debate. John Rink is Professor of Musical Performance Studies in the Cambridge Faculty of Music. He has published extensively on Chopin’s music and its performance history.

Open rehearsal. Beethoven String Quartet op.130, with Grosse Fuge. The Doric String Quartet will rehearse and discuss with Murray Perahia one of the works in their concert on 20 January.

Doric String Quartet perform Beethoven's Quartet in B Flat op. 130 with Grosse Fuge at the West Road Convert Hall, 19 January 2015. Open rehearsal. Beethoven String Quartet op.130, with Grosse Fuge.

To open the 2015 Humanitas Series in Chamber Music, Murray Perahia’s illustrated lecture will explore the music of composers ranging from Bach to Brahms. Referring to contrapuntal, harmonic, melodic and formal features in select masterpieces, Mr Perahia will describe how music can achieve profound meaning and emotion through sounds alone. Much of his commentary will focus in addition on the reflections of these composers on their own music and on the works of others. All of this will be brought to life in passages played at the keyboard, each confirming the indissoluble union of thought and feeling in artistic performance of the highest standard.

David Derwei Wang (Edward C. Henderson Professor of Chinese Literature, Harvard University David Der-wei Wang (Edward Henderson Professor in Chinese Literature at Harvard University, Director of CCK Foundation Inter-University Center for Sinological Studies, and Academician, Academia Senica) will give a series of three public lectures on The Chinesesness of Chinese Literature and participate in this concluding symposium. Confirmed Speakers: Professor Qian Jun (University of Newcastle) Professor Michel Hockx (SOAS) Professor Hans van de Ven (University of Cambridge) Dr Julia Lovell (Birkbeck College, University of London) Dr Susan Daruvala (University of Cambridge)

Hans van de Ven (Professor of Modern Chinese History, Cambridge University) The Chinese Maritime Customs’ Invention of a Chinese National Language David Der-wei Wang (Edward Henderson Professor in Chinese Literature at Harvard University, Director of CCK Foundation Inter-University Center for Sinological Studies, and Academician, Academia Senica) will give a series of three public lectures on The Chinesesness of Chinese Literature and participate in this concluding symposium. Confirmed Speakers: Professor Qian Jun (University of Newcastle) Professor Michel Hockx (SOAS) Professor Hans van de Ven (University of Cambridge) Dr Julia Lovell (Birkbeck College, University of London) Dr Susan Daruvala (University of Cambridge)

Susan Daruvala (Senior Lecturer in Chinese Literature, Cambridge University) Zhang Ailing and Stella Benson: Imagery and Understanding David Der-wei Wang (Edward Henderson Professor in Chinese Literature at Harvard University, Director of CCK Foundation Inter-University Center for Sinological Studies, and Academician, Academia Senica) will give a series of three public lectures on The Chinesesness of Chinese Literature and participate in this concluding symposium. Confirmed Speakers: Professor Qian Jun (University of Newcastle) Professor Michel Hockx (SOAS) Professor Hans van de Ven (University of Cambridge) Dr Julia Lovell (Birkbeck College, University of London) Dr Susan Daruvala (University of Cambridge)

Julia Lovell (Senior Lecturer in Modern Chinese History, Birkbeck College) Violent Times, Violent Language: Contemporary Chinese Fiction and the Mimetic Fallacy David Der-wei Wang (Edward Henderson Professor in Chinese Literature at Harvard University, Director of CCK Foundation Inter-University Center for Sinological Studies, and Academician, Academia Senica) will give a series of three public lectures on The Chinesesness of Chinese Literature and participate in this concluding symposium. Confirmed Speakers: Professor Qian Jun (University of Newcastle) Professor Michel Hockx (SOAS) Professor Hans van de Ven (University of Cambridge) Dr Julia Lovell (Birkbeck College, University of London) Dr Susan Daruvala (University of Cambridge)

Michel Hockx (Professor of Chinese, SOAS, and Director of SOAS China Institute) Linguistic, Formal, and Moral Experiments in Contemporary Chinese-Language Poetry on the Internet David Der-wei Wang (Edward Henderson Professor in Chinese Literature at Harvard University, Director of CCK Foundation Inter-University Center for Sinological Studies, and Academician, Academia Senica) will give a series of three public lectures on The Chinesesness of Chinese Literature and participate in this concluding symposium. Confirmed Speakers: Professor Qian Jun (University of Newcastle) Professor Michel Hockx (SOAS) Professor Hans van de Ven (University of Cambridge) Dr Julia Lovell (Birkbeck College, University of London) Dr Susan Daruvala (University of Cambridge)

Qian Jun (Chair of Chinese Studies, Newcastle University): Literariness (Wen) and Character (Zhi) of Modern Chinese Prose David Der-wei Wang (Edward Henderson Professor in Chinese Literature at Harvard University, Director of CCK Foundation Inter-University Center for Sinological Studies, and Academician, Academia Senica) will give a series of three public lectures on The Chinesesness of Chinese Literature and participate in this concluding symposium. Confirmed Speakers: Professor Qian Jun (University of Newcastle) Professor Michel Hockx (SOAS) Professor Hans van de Ven (University of Cambridge) Dr Julia Lovell (Birkbeck College, University of London) Dr Susan Daruvala (University of Cambridge)

David Der-wei Wang (Edward Henderson Professor in Chinese Literature at Harvard University, Director of CCK Foundation Inter-University Center for Sinological Studies, and Academician, Academia Senica) will give a series of three public lectures on The Chinesesness of Chinese Literature and participate in a concluding symposium on Wednesday 21 May 2014. Abstract Sinophone Studies—the study of Sinitic-language cultures born of postcolonial and postsocialist influences—has represented a forceful intervention with Chinese Studies since the turn of the millennium. This talk seeks to examine the recent developments of Sinphone Studies and reflect on their theoretical premises and geopolitical implications. The talk is divided into three parts. The first part takes issue with the definition of “Sinophone” as a homogeneous discourse and highlights the potential of heteroglossia in any Sinophone articulation. The second part proposes "post-loyalism” as a dialogical critique of the extant paradigm which is rooted primarily in post-colonialism and a renewed Cold-War spatial imaginary. The third part introduces the poetics of “disposition,” as inspired by the traditional Chinese poetics of shi, and suggests that beyond the geopolitics of “root,” scholars should look into the momentum arising from the aesthetic and humanistic engagement with Sinophone Studies.

David Der-wei Wang (Edward Henderson Professor in Chinese Literature at Harvard University, Director of CCK Foundation Inter-University Center for Sinological Studies, and Academician, Academia Senica) will give a series of three public lectures on The Chinesesness of Chinese Literature and participate in a concluding symposium on Wednesday 21 May 2014. Abstract This talk proposes that we rethink the critical paradigm of modern Chinese literature in terms of “literary thought” or wenlun. As opposed to “literary theory” or lilun, which derives its conceptual and rhetorical thrust primarily from Western discourse, Chinese literary thought refers to a group of diverse texts, which in turn belong to distinct genres, occasions, and purposes. It tries to “explain the role literature plays in a civilization and to describe literature and literary works in terms that have resonance in other areas of intellectual and social life.” The talk introduces the lyrical in epic time as an exemplary case of modern Chinese literary thought. It critiques the conventional wisdom that associates lyrical representation with romantic escapade and sentimental solipsism, calling attention instead to modern writers’ and critics’ reappraisal as well as invention of the “lyrical tradition” of China. In particular, it features the engagements undertaken by intellectuals such as Shen Congwen (1902-1988), Chen Shixiang (1912 -1971) and Jaroslav Průšek (1906-1980) in the mid-twentieth century, a time often regarded as the “epic.” As such, the lyrical in epic time constitutes a significant part of modern lyrical discourse which includes articulations from Heidegger to Benjamin, Adorno, Brooks and de Man.

David Der-wei Wang (Edward Henderson Professor in Chinese Literature at Harvard University, Director of CCK Foundation Inter-University Center for Sinological Studies, and Academician, Academia Senica) will give a series of three public lectures on The Chinesesness of Chinese Literature and participate in a concluding symposium on Wednesday 21 May 2014. Abtract This talk examines modern Chinese literature not as a corpus of texts but as a constellation of tastes, discourses, occasions, and productions contested by historical dynamics. The talk starts with the year 1908, when Lu Xun introduced “Mara Poet” as a modern agent to “pluck” one’s heart and thereby transform China. This Mara Poet underwent multiple incarnations in the subsequent decades, from a romantic iconoclast to a modernist rebel and a revolutionary fighter, finally becoming a Maoist Cadre. Meanwhile, since the 1920s, modern Chinese literary culture has been occupied by another figure, Alfred Nobel, as the country was striving to catch up with world literature. When Gao Xingjian and Mo Yan were awarded the Nobel Prizes in the new millennium, however, that produced more questions than answers as to the meaning and function of Chinese literature. From Mara to Nobel by way of Mao, modern Chinese literary culture has been conceived, produced, circulated, and consumed in a multitude of ways. The talk will focus on the following topics: the changing fields of production, the fashioning of literary subjectivity, and the negotiation of literary values, during the pre-May Fourth era, the eve of 1949, and the postsocialist era.

Mona Siddiqui (University of Edinburgh) will give a series of lectures and participate in this concluding symposium, Feminism, Religion, and Women's Rights. Confirmed speakers: Haifa Zangana (Author) Elif Shafak (Author) Razia Iqbal (BBC) Ash Amin (University of Cambridge) Other events in this series. Lecture 1: Monday 10 March Can you Text a Divorce? Negotiating Women’s Rights in Law and Society Lecture 2: Tuesday 11 March Mary in Christian-Muslim Relations Lecture 3: Wednesday 12 March From the Feminine to Feminism: Women in Islamic Thought and Literature

Mona Siddiqui (University of Edinburgh) will give a series of lectures and participate in this concluding symposium, Feminism, Religion, and Women's Rights. Confirmed speakers: Haifa Zangana (Author) Elif Shafak (Author) Razia Iqbal (BBC) Ash Amin (University of Cambridge) Other events in this series. Lecture 1: Monday 10 March Can you Text a Divorce? Negotiating Women’s Rights in Law and Society Lecture 2: Tuesday 11 March Mary in Christian-Muslim Relations Lecture 3: Wednesday 12 March From the Feminine to Feminism: Women in Islamic Thought and Literature

Mona Siddiqui (University of Edinburgh) will give give a series of lectures and participate in a concluding symposium. This first lecture is Can you Text a Divorce? Negotiating Women's Rights in Law and Society. Abstract Much of the practice of Islamic personal law is still located in classical jurisprudence where marriage and divorce laws are essentially viewed as performative utterances. Intention, wording and finality are fundamental to the validity of the marriage contract and the end of a contract. Texting, that most modern of communication is expression through technology but not oral utterance. Yet, recent cases in some Islamic countries shows that judges are allowing Muslim men to divorce via text. Contrary to popular perception and practice, divorce is not a simple process in jurisprudence but with the aid of texting, any possibility of ethical considerations towards the wife is being ignored.

Abstract The Theological and Christological conversations between Chrisianity and Islam have historically centered on Jesus as either prophet or messiah. But Mary or Mariam, mother of Jesus is also mentioned more times in the Qur'an than in the entire New Testament. Some consider her role to be a bridge between the two faiths, an icon of purity and piety. But there is no cult of Mary in Islam and as some have pointed out, her virginal status does not represent the ideal of the feminine in Islamic cultures. Yet Mary as both a woman and devotee, enjoys a distinct position in Islamic thought even if ultimately it is Jesus who became the star of the story. Other events in this series Lecture 1: Monday 10 March Can you Text a Divorce? Negotiating Women’s Rights in Law and Society Lecture 3: Wednesday 12 March From the Feminine to Feminism: Women in Islamic Thought and Literature Symposium: Thursday 13 March Feminism, Religion, and Women's Rights

Mona Siddiqui (University of Edinburgh) will give give a series of lectures and participate in a concluding symposium. This first lecture is Can you Text a Divorce? Negotiating Women's Rights in Law and Society. Abstract Much of the practice of Islamic personal law is still located in classical jurisprudence where marriage and divorce laws are essentially viewed as performative utterances. Intention, wording and finality are fundamental to the validity of the marriage contract and the end of a contract. Texting, that most modern of communication is expression through technology but not oral utterance. Yet, recent cases in some Islamic countries shows that judges are allowing Muslim men to divorce via text. Contrary to popular perception and practice, divorce is not a simple process in jurisprudence but with the aid of texting, any possibility of ethical considerations towards the wife is being ignored. Other events in this series: Lecture 2: Tuesday 11 March 2014 Mary in Christian-Muslim Relations Lecture 3: Wednesday 12 March 2014 From the Feminine to Feminism: Women in Islamic Thought and Literature Symposium: Thursday 13 March 2014 Feminism, Religion, and Women's Rights

Symposium Session Chair : Professor Chris Clark (University of Cambridge) Prof. Margaret MacMillan (University of Oxford) Respondents Professor Holger Afflerbach (University of Leeds) Professor Lieven (University of Cambridge) Dr Annika Mombauer (The Open University) Professor David Stevenson (LSE) Professor Thomas Otte (University of East Anglia)

Margaret MacMillan (St Anthony's College, Oxford) will give a series of lectures about war and society and militarism in Europe before 1914; thinking about war; planning for war; and then the nature of World War One itself. Abstract This lecture looks at the changing relationship between war and European society after the French Revolution as well as the changing nature of war itself. Topics to be covered include the military and changes in its organization, technology, and training as well as the trend towards total war.

Margaret MacMillan (St Anthony's College, Oxford) will give a series of lectures about war and society and militarism in Europe before 1914; thinking about war; planning for war; and then the nature of World War One itself. Abstract This will look at the ways in which military planners and others tried to deal with the great changes that European society was undergoing before 1914. It will examine the nature and values of the European officer corps and consider the impact on them of broader forces such as the rise of nationalism and militarism. It will also offer reasons for the pronounced bias towards the offensive.

Humanitas Visiting Professors in War Studies Margaret MacMillan (St Anthony's College, Oxford) will give a series of lectures about war and society and militarism in Europe before 1914; thinking about war; planning for war; and then the nature of World War One itself. Abstract This lecture looks at the changing relationship between war and European society after the French Revolution as well as the changing nature of war itself. Topics to be covered include the military and changes in its organization, technology, and training as well as the trend towards total war.

Humanitas Visiting Professor in Media 2013-14: Alastair Campbell The Humanitas Chair in Media has been made possible by the generous support of the Blavatnik Family Foundation. Alastair Campbell will give two public lectures and participate in this concluding symposium, Media and Politics in a Changing World. The event is free to attend but registration is required. You can book your place online by clicking on the registration link on the right hand side of this page. A programme will be available shortly. Confirmed speakers: Natalie Fenton (Goldsmiths, University of London) Aeron Davis (Goldsmiths, University of London) Angela Phillips (Goldsmiths, University of London) Charlie Beckett (LSE)

Humanitas Visiting Professor in Media 2013-14: Alastair Campbell The Humanitas Chair in Media has been made possible by the generous support of the Blavatnik Family Foundation. Alastair Campbell will give two public lectures and participate in this concluding symposium, Media and Politics in a Changing World. The event is free to attend but registration is required. You can book your place online by clicking on the registration link on the right hand side of this page. A programme will be available shortly. Confirmed speakers: Natalie Fenton (Goldsmiths, University of London) Aeron Davis (Goldsmiths, University of London) Angela Phillips (Goldsmiths, University of London) Charlie Beckett (LSE)

Humanitas Visiting Professor in Media 2013-14: Alastair Campbell The Humanitas Chair in Media has been made possible by the generous support of the Blavatnik Family Foundation. Alastair Campbell will give two public lectures and participate in a concluding symposium, Media and Politics in a Changing World, on Wednesday 20 November. This second lecture is Journalism and democracy: grounds for optimism in the face of the future? Here Mr Campbell will address the challenges facing journalists, and the potential for positive changes in how journalism is conducted and regulated. He will attack what he calls the Big Lies told by the press to fight the planned Royal Charter, urge politicians to hold firm, and insist the public want and will benefit from regulatory and cultural change in the UK media. - and so will journalism. The event is free to attend and no registration is required. Other events in this series: Lecture 1: Why journalism, and why it matters in a world of flux Symposium: Media and Politics in a Changing World About the Professorships: Humanitas is a series of Visiting Professorships at Oxford and Cambridge intended to bring leading practitioners and scholars to both universities to address major themes in the arts, social sciences and humanities. Created by Lord Weidenfeld, the Programme is managed and funded by the Institute for Strategic Dialogue with the support of a series of generous benefactors, and co-ordinated in Cambridge by the Centre for Research in the Arts, Social Sciences and Humanities (CRASSH). Humanitas Visiting Professorships are held by distinguished academics and leading practitioners who have contributed to interdisciplinary research and innovation in a broad range of contemporary disciplines in the arts, social sciences and humanities. Covering areas of urgent or enduring interest in today’s society, including the performing arts, Humanitas Visiting Professors present their pioneering work through a series of lectures or performances open to University audiences and the wider public.

Humanitas Visiting Professor in Media 2013-14: Alastair Campbell Journalism and democracy: grounds for optimism in the face of the future? (Audio Version, Video Also Available) The Humanitas Chair in Media has been made possible by the generous support of the Blavatnik Family Foundation. Alastair Campbell will give two public lectures and participate in a concluding symposium, Media and Politics in a Changing World, on Wednesday 20 November. This second lecture is Journalism and democracy: grounds for optimism in the face of the future? Here Mr Campbell will address the challenges facing journalists, and the potential for positive changes in how journalism is conducted and regulated. He will attack what he calls the Big Lies told by the press to fight the planned Royal Charter, urge politicians to hold firm, and insist the public want and will benefit from regulatory and cultural change in the UK media. - and so will journalism. The event is free to attend and no registration is required. Other events in this series: Lecture 1: Why journalism, and why it matters in a world of flux Symposium: Media and Politics in a Changing World About the Professorships: Humanitas is a series of Visiting Professorships at Oxford and Cambridge intended to bring leading practitioners and scholars to both universities to address major themes in the arts, social sciences and humanities. Created by Lord Weidenfeld, the Programme is managed and funded by the Institute for Strategic Dialogue with the support of a series of generous benefactors, and co-ordinated in Cambridge by the Centre for Research in the Arts, Social Sciences and Humanities (CRASSH). Humanitas Visiting Professorships are held by distinguished academics and leading practitioners who have contributed to interdisciplinary research and innovation in a broad range of contemporary disciplines in the arts, social sciences and humanities. Covering areas of urgent or enduring interest in today’s society, including the performing arts, Humanitas Visiting Professors present their pioneering work through a series of lectures or performances open to University audiences and the wider public.

Humanitas Visiting Professor in Media 2013-14: Alastair Campbell Why journalism, and why it matters in a world in flux (Audio Only Version - Video Version Available) The Humanitas Chair in Media has been made possible by the generous support of the Blavatnik Family Foundation. Alastair Campbell will give two public lectures and participate in a concluding symposium, Media and Politics in a Changing World, on Wednesday 20 November. This first lecture is Why journalism, and why it matters in a world in flux. Mr Campbell will discuss the importance, power and attraction of journalism, its rapidly changing environment and practice, and its centrality to a liberal democracy. The event is free to attend and no registration is required. Other events in this series: Lecture 2: Journalism and democracy: grounds for optimism in face of the future? Symposium: Media and Politics in a Changing World About the Professorships: Humanitas is a series of Visiting Professorships at Oxford and Cambridge intended to bring leading practitioners and scholars to both universities to address major themes in the arts, social sciences and humanities. Created by Lord Weidenfeld, the Programme is managed and funded by the Institute for Strategic Dialogue with the support of a series of generous benefactors, and co-ordinated in Cambridge by the Centre for Research in the Arts, Social Sciences and Humanities (CRASSH). Humanitas Visiting Professorships are held by distinguished academics and leading practitioners who have contributed to interdisciplinary research and innovation in a broad range of contemporary disciplines in the arts, social sciences and humanities. Covering areas of urgent or enduring interest in today’s society, including the performing arts, Humanitas Visiting Professors present their pioneering work through a series of lectures or performances open to University audiences and the wider public.

Humanitas Visiting Professor in Media 2013-14: Alastair Campbell Why journalism, and why it matters in a world in flux (Audio Only Version - Video Version Available) The Humanitas Chair in Media has been made possible by the generous support of the Blavatnik Family Foundation. Alastair Campbell will give two public lectures and participate in a concluding symposium, Media and Politics in a Changing World, on Wednesday 20 November. This first lecture is Why journalism, and why it matters in a world in flux. Mr Campbell will discuss the importance, power and attraction of journalism, its rapidly changing environment and practice, and its centrality to a liberal democracy. The event is free to attend and no registration is required. Other events in this series: Lecture 2: Journalism and democracy: grounds for optimism in face of the future? Symposium: Media and Politics in a Changing World About the Professorships: Humanitas is a series of Visiting Professorships at Oxford and Cambridge intended to bring leading practitioners and scholars to both universities to address major themes in the arts, social sciences and humanities. Created by Lord Weidenfeld, the Programme is managed and funded by the Institute for Strategic Dialogue with the support of a series of generous benefactors, and co-ordinated in Cambridge by the Centre for Research in the Arts, Social Sciences and Humanities (CRASSH). Humanitas Visiting Professorships are held by distinguished academics and leading practitioners who have contributed to interdisciplinary research and innovation in a broad range of contemporary disciplines in the arts, social sciences and humanities. Covering areas of urgent or enduring interest in today’s society, including the performing arts, Humanitas Visiting Professors present their pioneering work through a series of lectures or performances open to University audiences and the wider public.