Public Lecture Series 2014/2015 launches this week
Monday, 13 October 2014
The Iraq wars: past, present and future - 15 October
This year's public lecture series launches on Wednesday with Dr Patrick Porter's lecture: The Iraq wars: past, present and future.
It is the first of many free talks for the new academic year, aimed at tackling big issues head on and sharing the University's ethos of learning and inquiry with members of the public.
Our popular Public Lecture Series was established over 40 years ago, and this year's series promises to be yet another engaging and thought-provoking set of lectures:
Wednesday 15 October 2014: The Iraq wars: past, present and yet to come
Iraq's wars never seem to end. From the middle ages to modern day, outsiders have presumed to impose their will on the country. In this lecture, Dr Patrick Porter, Department of Politics & International Relations will examine what he argues to be the flawed ideology behind these invasions, and, ultimately, the determination of Iraqis to make their own history.
Wednesday 19 November 2014: Planet of the Apes. What makes us human?
Chimpanzees are our closest living evolutionary relatives; they share some 94% of our DNA and possess many qualities that can be described as human. In this lecture, Professor Emma Borg, Department of Philosophy, will discuss the philosophical conundrum, ‘what makes us human?' and will explore whether this really is a planet of the apes.
Wednesday 4 February 2015: The psychology of babies
In this lecture, Professor Lynne Murray, School of Psychology & Clinical Language Sciences will examine how a child's psychological development - their social understanding, attachments that they form, emotional control and even their intelligence - can be affected by different parenting techniques.
Wednesday 18 March 2015: The weather at war
Dr Andrew Charlton-Perez, Department of Meteorology will explore the science behind one of the most important weather forecasts in modern military history: the D-Day landings.
The lectures are open to all and admission is free. All lectures will take place in the Palmer Building, Whiteknights campus. Doors will open at 7.15pm for an 8pm start.
For more information, and to register, please visit the Public Lecture Series website
To join the debate on Twitter - or ask questions on the night - follow @UniofReading #UoRLectures