Lse: Public Lectures And Events

Contributor(s): Sir Jeremy Hunt | Join us for this talk by Jeremy Hunt in which he will talk about his new book, Can We Be Great Again?: Why a Dangerous World Needs Britain. Since the global financial crisis, Britain has been through a difficult period, leading many to conclude the country is doomed to inevitable decline. Jeremy Hunt was at the top of government as both Foreign Secretary and Chancellor. In Can We Be Great Again? he rebuts those who think Britain is no longer capable of shaping the world we live in.

Contributor(s): Philip Coggan | In this event, former Economist and Financial Times journalist Philip Coggan will talk about his new book, The Economic Consequences of Mr Trump: What the Trade War Means for the World. In the book Coggan argues that Donald Trump has upended the system of global economic and financial cooperation that helped to bring prosperity after World War Two. His rationale is based on a foolish misunderstanding of corporate supply chains, tariffs and the decline in manufacturing employment. Whatever level of tariffs is finally reached, his chaotic decision-making has caused untold damage.

Contributor(s): Ben Chu | Join us for this conversation between journalist and author Ben Chu and LSE's Richard Davies about Ben's new book Exile Economics: What Happens if Globalisation Fails. In Exile Economics Ben Chu argues that nations are turning away from each other. Faith in globalisation has been fatally undermined by the pandemic, the energy crisis, surging trade frictions and swelling great power rivalry. A new vision is vying to replace what we’ve known for many decades. This vision – what Ben calls exile economics - entails a rejection of interdependence, a downgrading of multilateral collaboration and a striving for greater national self-sufficiency. The supporters of this new order argue it will establish genuine security, prosperity and peace. But is this promise achievable? Or a seductive delusion?

Contributor(s): Professor Alan Taylor | Join us for a special lecture by Alan Taylor, the newest member of the Bank of England's Monetary Policy Committee, on monetary policy. He will discuss the natural rate of interest, also known as r*, including empirical estimates. He will also talk about the current economic situation, and the outlook for inflation and interest rates.

Contributor(s): Dr Danielle de Andrade Moreira, Kate Cook, Professor Michael Gerrard, Professor Jacqueline Peel, Dr Joana Setzer | This influential report provides an annual overview of key developments in climate litigation worldwide and identifies emerging trends shaping the future of climate law and governance. This year's report marks a decade since the landmark rulings in Urgenda Foundation v State of the Netherlands and Leghari v Federation of Pakistan. These cases pioneered the ‘rights-turn’ in climate litigation. Ten years on, the field has matured and diversified. In this edition, we expand our typology of case strategies to examine trends in cases heard by Supreme Courts and their equivalents, offering new insights into litigation outcomes at the highest judicial levels.Featured image (used in source code with watermark added): Photo by Kaboompics.com via Pexels: https://www.pexels.com/photo/women-protesting-and-speaking-through-megaphones-8106775/

Contributor(s): Professor Mary O’Mahony, Professor Sir Christopher Pissarides | How can we shape engaging work environments that foster productivity and enable workers to flourish? Using evidence from the Pissarides Report the event will highlight the importance of not only being skilled but also feeling capable of drawing on technological advancements in the workplace.Featured image (used in source code with watermark added): Photo by fauxels via Pexels: https://www.pexels.com/photo/photo-of-people-doing-handshakes-3183197/

Contributor(s): Dr Melissa Chapman, Amy Fisher, Sylvan Lutz, David McNeil, Professor Carmen Nuzzo | Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) are versatile technologies that have drastically lowered the cost of data production and analysis, potentially accelerating global decarbonisation and addressing socioeconomic issues. Nonetheless, concerns persist regarding their environmental impact and the risk of propagating low-quality information, especially with large language models (LLMs). Like any tool, AI can yield both positive and negative outcomes. As the demand for real-time data increases for the net-zero transition, the Transition Pathway Initiative Centre (TPI Centre) at LSE is navigating this challenge. While AI could help process the necessary data for net zero alignment, unchecked reliance on automation may lead to misinformation and greenwashing, jeopardising sound decision-making. This event will explore the TPI Centre’s pilot programme aimed at automating data collection to evaluate t

Contributor(s): William Dalrymple | How did ancient India transform the world and what lessons can we learn for the future? Historian and best-selling author William Dalrymple will be in conversation with Professor in Social Anthropology at LSE, Mukulika Banerjee.This recording contains strong language.  

Contributor(s): Professor Jason McKenzie Alexander, Professor Charlie Beckett, Hardeep Matharu | In a world of mass information, and misinformation, truth seems both easier and harder to find than ever before. As trust in traditional media erodes and social media blurs the line between fact and fiction, with authoritarian regimes weaponising disinformation and post-truth world leaders taking centre stage, how do we defend and promote knowledge, evidence and informed debate?

Contributor(s): Dr Sakshi Ghai, Adam Ingle, Michael Murray, Professor Dylan Yamada-Rice | One in three internet users is a child, yet the digital world was not designed with children in mind. As we witness an acceleration of the development of technologies like generative AI, rapidly transforming children’s lives, tech regulation often prioritises speed over human and children’s rights. Yet the technology-related challenges children face and will face in coming years differ greatly worldwide. What can we learn from engaging children from around the world in imagining what children’s digital lives might look like in the future and what changes are needed to ensure child rights respecting digital environments and tech regulation?

Contributor(s): Adejoké Bakare, Dipo Faloyin, Dr Edwini Kwame Kessie, Professor David Luke | Food is family, food is fuel, nourishment, cultural and fundamental. Connections made through food are an effective way to change minds, shift narratives, and amend policies to guard against food deprivation seen in many parts of Africa today. As explored in David Luke’s new book How Africa Eats, this diverse panel of tastemakers will explore the history of African cuisine; production and distribution, as well as considering the factors which may disrupt these; food security, food trade, and climate risks. 

Contributor(s): Kofi Mawuli Klu, Lidia Thorpe, Dr Imaobong Umoren | How can we reckon with the complex and painful legacies of the British Empire? What would it mean to create an international truth-telling commission, and why is this conversation so urgent today? This event explores the vision for a Peoples' International Truth-Telling Commission on the British Empire - a platform to uncover historical injustices, amplify voices silenced by colonial histories, and challenge enduring inequalities. The Commission will foster dialogue and accountability that transcends national borders, acknowledging the shared but unequal impacts of empire on the Global South and North alike.

Contributor(s): Roger Highfield, Suhair Khan, Isabel Losada, Professor Michael Muthukrishna | Where should we look for optimism about the future? Our final panel come together to share some of the ideas, innovations and discoveries that could shape the world to come for the better.

Contributor(s): Dr Sara Geneletti, Dr Laura Gilbert, Professor Helen Margetts | Routinely collected UK government data sets contain staggering amounts of information. The potential for the use of these data to understand how government policies are changing people’s lives, to aid better decision making and to hold government accountable for the policies they make is enormous. The process is not however all plain sailing. Good, big, and representative data sets are essential, and datasets are often far from perfect with inherent biases and missing entries. Cleaning data is time consuming and labour intensive and analysis requires skilled data scientists. These issues can be overcome or at least mitigated, and in the future government policies could be based on evidence drawn from these data and tested on model populations prior to implementation.

Contributor(s): Lila Ibrahim | Lila Ibrahim, Chief Operating Officer of Google DeepMind, is shaping the company's strategic operations and partnerships to drive innovation and impact. At this event, she will share her vision for the future and discuss the transformative potential of AI in the years ahead.

Contributor(s): Professor G. John Ikenberry, Professor Rana Mitter, Professor Nathalie Tocci | Navigating the US-China relationship will be one of the great challenges of our time. It will impact everything from geopolitics to global growth to technological innovation. Can this pivotal international relationship be managed peacefully and productively, or are we heading toward a world of economic fracture, military rivalry, and multiple blocs?

Contributor(s): Professor Martin Knapp, Professor Lord Layard, Dr Laura Taylor | The panel explore how we can identify cost-effective policies to improve societal wellbeing — and why it will be key to shaping the future of the UK and beyond.

Contributor(s): Anthony Scaramucci | Anthony Scaramucci, LSE alumnus and American financier and broadcaster, who briefly served as the White House Director of Communications, joins LSE's President Larry Kramer for a conversation about his visions for the future. This recording contains strong language.

Contributor(s): Professor Nava Ashraf, Nick Dalton, Dr Daniel Susskind | As the world of work evolves, so do our expectations, values, and definitions of success. How can we adapt to new ways of working while staying connected to purpose and meaning?

Contributor(s): Dr Zhamilya Mukasheva, Dr. Aaron Reeves, Dr Boris Walbaum, Lord Willetts | Is a university education still worth the investment of rising tuition fees and time spent studying towards a degree rather than gaining valuable work experience? Higher education around the world is undergoing a series of rapid transformations. The effects of AI and emerging technologies, the lasting impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on today’s job market, the complex global challenges requiring interdisciplinary attention, and the rise of campuses as the site of contestation around free speech have all led to many questioning both the form and function of contemporary universities.