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Our term begins on Wednesday 13th January 2021 at 1pm with an online Zoom meeting as we are still unable to meet on campus in person due to the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic.

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Our opening session of 2021 will focus on The Life and Times of Frida Kahlo.

We will begin the session by viewing a 52 minute long documentary on the life of this exceptional Mexican painter before moving into a discussion of the life, work, political and philosophical outlook of one of the most remarkable figures of the 20th century.

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We had hoped to start the term with a lecture by Professor Kamilla Elliott but unfortunately, due to unforeseen circumstances Kamilla is unable to run the lecture this coming week, however she will run the session for us as planned a little further down the line. We will keep you informed

 

 

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This Term’s Reading Group…

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Following the success last term of our first CLG Reading Group, we will run a second one this term.

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The book we will read this term, before discussing it in a session towards the close of term, is ‘The Mountains Sing’ by Nguyễn Phan Quế Mai.

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Published in March 2020, and with truly epic sweep, ‘The Mountains Sing’ tells an enveloping, multigenerational tale of the Tran family, set against the backdrop of the Viet Nam War. Tran Dieu Lan, who was born in 1920, was forced to flee her family farm with her six children during the Land Reform as the Communist government rose in the North. Years later in Hà Noi, her young granddaughter, Hương, comes of age as her parents and uncles head off down the Ho Chí Minh Trail to fight in a conflict that will tear not just her beloved country but her family apart.

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Vivid, gripping, and steeped in the language and traditions of Viet Nam, The Mountains Sing brings to life the human costs of this conflict from the point of view of the Vietnamese people themselves, while showing us the true power of kindness and hope.

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This is celebrated Vietnamese poet Nguyen Phan Que Mai’s first novel in English.

If you would like to take part in this term’s CLG Reading Group then you can buy a copy of this book in any good high street book shop (difficult under current conditions) or via online book vendors. Alternatively new and used copies of many publications can generally be found on ebay.co.uk

 

 

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CLG Zoom Meeting: “Anti-Nazi Germans” Presented by Steve Cushion

Time: Wednesday 9th December 2020 at 1pm

 

Our last Zoom session of the term and our final session of 2020. For this event we are very pleased to welcome authors Merilyn Moos and Steve Cushion who will present a talk based on their acclaimed book ‘Anti-Nazi Germans’.

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It is a commonly held myth that there was little resistance in Germany to the Nazis except for one or two well-known instances. But, regularly ignored or forgotten is the level of opposition from the German working class movement.

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Merilyn Moos will speak about the internal resistance. Here are forgotten stories of brave men and women who organised against the Nazis in German towns and villages, as well as in the concentration camps and the armed forces.

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Steve Cushion then describes how German refugees contributed to fighting the Nazis in France. From spreading anti-Nazi propaganda in the German Army and attempting to organise mutiny and desertion, through to extensive involvement in urban terrorism and the rural guerrilla struggle.

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Merilyn Moos is the author of Beaten But Not Defeated: Siegfried Moos - A German anti-Nazi who settled in Britain and Breaking the Silence: Voices Of The British Children Of Refugees From Nazism. She is Chair of the London Retired Members' Branch of the University and College Union (UCU)

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Steve Cushion is author of The Hidden History of the Cuban Revolution: How the Working Class Shaped the Guerrillas’ Victory. He is joint author, with Danny Reilly of Telling the Mayflower Story, Thanksgiving or Land Grabbing, Massacres & Slavery?. He is Branch Secretary of UCU London Retired Members.

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They are joint authors of Anti-Nazi Germans

 

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CLG Zoom Meeting: CLG Reading Group “Natives: Race and Class in the Ruins of Empire by Akala”

Time: Wednesday 2nd December 2020 at 1pm

 

Our first CLG Reading Group, which went really well. The book we chose was ‘Natives: Race and Class in the Ruins of Empire’ by Akala.

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The session was expertly facilitated by Caroline Gibson and Dr Louise Innes, prompting discussion and ensuring those who wished to speak had the chance to do so. Caroline is Faculty Librarian, supporting staff and students in the Management School at Lancaster University. Louise provides academic support for all students in the Faculty of Science and Technology.

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The group agreed that the book, which blends socio-political events with biographical material, is informative, educational and a worthwhile read. In the discussion we focused on features of the book which stood out to us - sometimes episodes which mirrored our own experiences of marginalisation. We also spoke about how we felt regarding the national/international events covered in the text, agreeing that our understanding at the time was often limited and inadequate due to poor media coverage. The group recognised that the political narrative we inherited was simplistic, selective and quite inaccurate. The general feeling of group members was that we would like to read more around the issues raised to gain a better understanding.

Caroline explained to the group how there has been somewhat of a failing in the UK in education around race and empire and assured us that universities, including Lancaster University, are currently addressing this failing across all subject areas.

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As promised, Caroline has collated the related references that were suggested by attendees during the session:

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Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

https://www.4thestate.co.uk/.../americanah-chimamanda.../

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Absolute Beginners by Colin MacInnes

https://www.allisonandbusby.com/book/absolute-beginners

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Why I’m no longer talking to white people about race by Reni Eddo-Lodge

https://www.bloomsbury.com/.../why-im-no-longer-talking.../

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Is COVID racist? (Channel 4 documentary)

https://www.channel4.com/programmes/is-covid-racist

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And Howard’s mention…

The Black Jacobins by CLR James

http://ouleft.org/.../CLR_James_The_Black_Jacobins.pdf

 

 

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CLG Zoom Meeting: ‘'The Nature of Personal Experience in Modern Societies'. Presented by Dr Howard Feather

Time: Wednesday 25th November 2020 at 1pm

 

Dr Howard Feather, Tutor of Sociology with the Open University and CLG group member, presented his Lunchtime Lecture ‘'The Nature of Personal Experience in Modern Societies'.

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It was great to have Howard back leading the group with a very interesting lecture on the nature of personal experience and relationships. Howard’s background of over 20 years in Sociology and Philosophy gives plenty of scope for in depth discussion around displacement and everyday life. We looked at how relationships are formed and conducted in the real world and contrasted them with how they are often constructed in formal settings, such as the workplace or in a university. We then went on to look at how organisations tackle shortcomings in these imposed hierarchical, relationship in an often vain attempt to mirror the richness of more successful and productive natural relationships. The irony of imposing hierarchical working relationships when they are often less productive than more democratic and free-flowing networking relationships was not lost on the group.

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We would like to thanks Howard for this thought provoking lecture and at the same time thank our lucky stars that the CLG employ a non-hierarchical structure leading to a successful and generally stress free working environment. Hurrah!

 

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CLG Zoom Meeting: ‘' The COVID-19 Diary Project “. Presented by Koser Khan, Senior Research Associate with the Faculty of Health and Medicine at Lancaster University

Time: Wednesday 18th November 2020 at 1pm

 

Koser Khan, Senior Research Associate with the Faculty of Health and Medicine at Lancaster University ran a session entitled ‘The COVID-19 Diary Project’.

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This interesting presentation focused on The COVID-19 Diary Project which explores public experiences of the pandemic using the dairy method as a research tool. Koser explained details about this valuable study and how it was conducted. She also touched on some of the findings. We were able to see how the project, which at first sight appeared to be quite a simple and straightforward research project, on closer inspection becomes rich, complex and nuanced.

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Koser explained the project methodology before inviting us to discuss our preferred online methods and our experiences. To finish, Koser shared share some of her research findings and discussed the impacts of the Coronavirus pandemic on mental health.

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We wish Koser great success in this study which aims to create a greater understanding of the issues that come when society faces dramatic changes and social aspects are limited.

 

 

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CLG Zoom Meeting: ‘Society from your Sofa’ Linked Event

Time: Wednesday 11th November 2020 at 1pm

 

Our afternoon consisted of two parts. Firstly, attendance at the ‘Society from your Sofa’ event. Followed by a discussion session in our usual online Zoom meeting room.

The initial event was part of the ESRC Festival of Social Science 2020 (FoSS) funded by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), part of UK Research and Innovation. The talk CLG members attended was ‘Disability: Alternative Explanations Virtual Exhibition’.

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‘The AHRC-funded Disability Inclusion Africa project is working to improve understandings of the impact of alternative explanations for disability on disabled people, their communities, advocates and policy makers. These alternative explanations may stem from assumptions and misconceptions, traditional beliefs, religious beliefs, medical determinist, supernatural or witchcraft-related beliefs.

Through international dialogue at events in across Africa and in the UK, collaborative research, fieldwork, and community engagement, the Disability Inclusion Africa project aims to bring about a step-change in the ways in which disability is understood by communities, civil society, international development and the academy.’

The event, led by Dr Elvis Imafidon of SOAS and Dr Charlotte Baker of Lancaster University, discussed the work being carried out by Disability Inclusion Africa to reduce stigma and oppression of disabled people across Africa by sharing stories and experiences, supporting disabled people and helping communities to become more understanding and accepting of disability.

This was followed by the chance to visit the online exhibition which carries forward the work of the DIA Network, highlighting the impact of alternative explanations for disability on disabled people, their communities, activists, civil society and policy makers.

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If you would like to visit, you can do so here:

http://dia-network.com/exhibition-disability-alternative.../

Though few CLG attendees were, unfortunately, able to make it along to the talk, mainly due to ticket availability, we were still able to follow on with a small discussion in our usual Zoom meeting room afterwards. Those who were able to attend shared some of the information and understanding they had gleaned.

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CLG Zoom Meeting: ‘Handling Stress Anxiety and Covid” Presented by Arron Calvert

Time: Wednesday 04th November 2020 at 1pm

 

In this session Aaron, kindly agreed to share his time and expertise with the group for free, he spoke on the effects of Covid on our mental and physical health.

Aaron began by asking the group to list negative issues that they have noticed during the last 6 months or so, such as disrupted sleep patterns, increase in work related stress, reduced physical fitness etc.

Aaron then went on to look at how these issues arise and showed us how they’re often the result of changes in our bodies resulting from stress acting on us. He went on to examine what we might do to start to tackle these issues. Aaron explored routine building, healthy eating, exercise and the importance of awareness to our situation which then allows us to make necessary changes before our general health is severely impacted.

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In the last part of the session, for those that wished to get involved, Aaron conducted a relaxation exercise using techniques which attendees could use daily to help reduce stress.

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This was a very interesting and wide-reaching session which had something to benefit everyone. The CLG Steering Group would like to thank Aaron for his input into how we might improve our health and wellbeing in the face of a pandemic. We aim to put the session on our website over the coming weeks.

 

 

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CLG Zoom Meeting: ‘The Curiosity Cabinet” 2019 Lecture recording presented by Dr Sarah Perry

Time: Wednesday 28th October 2020 at 1pm

 

In this session we viewed Lancaster University’s Department of English Literature & Creative Writing's Annual Lecture on Literature and Religion from March 2019. In this lecture.

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Author Dr Sarah Perry took the motif of a curiosity cabinet as a way to explore the significance of small objects, or items within her writing.

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This highly engaging talk touched on a number of interesting things. Sarah’s strict Baptist upbringing, her relationship with literature and how her upbringing informs her work in a positive way.

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The talk provided great insight into Sarah’s life and motivation, leaving many people in the group quite eager to pick up one of her 3 novels and give it some attention.

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If you would like to view this fascinating talk, you can do so here:

https://youtu.be/Tv7DGQrYzEs​

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If you would like information about courses in English literature and creative writing at Lancaster University, please visit: https://www.lancaster.ac.uk/english-literature-and.../

 

 

CLG Zoom Meeting: ‘Atheistic Scientists and Christian Theologians as Travel Companions ‘presented by Dr Franco Manni

Time: Wednesday 21st October 2020 at 1pm

 

Our old friend and one-time Steering Group member, Dr Franco Manni visited us all the way from Brescia in Italy (via Zoom) to present us with a thought provoking lecture entitled ‘Atheistic Scientists and Christian Theologians as Travel Companions’.

For those of us who know Franco from his time spent in Lancaster, it was good to see him again after quite a long time.

Franco began by looking at the “New Atheists”, a term coined by the journalist Gary Wolf in 2006 to describe the positions promoted by some atheists of the twenty-first century, such as Richard Dawkins, along with other popular atheist writers and academics well known in the UK and the USA such as Christopher Hitchens, Daniel Dennett, and Sam Harris. Franco went on to explain how the Dominican priest, theologian and philosopher Herbert McCabe (the subject of Franco’s current academic work) thought that the theologian, rather than being an adversary, should be a “travel companion” of any serious atheist.

Franco explored McCabe’s theology, born of a close affinity with Aquinas, which seeks to avoid anthropomorphisation of God. Repositioning God outside of the traditionally understood concept of creation which many of us are familiar with. Seeing God as the cause of existence rather than inside and part of it, as contemporary thought generally assumes.

Franco then moved on to examine the Theory from Design as a modern, enlightenment theory and pointed out that for many theologians such as McCabe, with his affinity with Aquinas, somewhat inadequate in its attempts to explain the existence of God.

Franco then went on to assert that this refusal to accept the Theory from Design as an adequate theory, effectively highlights some common ground between those who share the views of Aquinas/McCabe and many atheists.

Taking inspiration from McCabe's respectful attitude, Franco explained how we might envisage gains both for theology and social/natural sciences, leaving behind anthropomorphic interpretations of God and scientific attempts to find a complete explanation of human history and physical nature.

Following Franco’s lecture, the group then undertook an interesting discussion around this form of understanding of God, issues around creation and existence.

Franco’s work, published under the title ‘Herbert McCabe: Recollecting a Fragmented Legacy‘ is available to buy on Amazon:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Herb.../dp/1725253305/ref=sr_1_1...

 

 

CLG Zoom Meeting: “Secrets and Lies: The Psychology of Conspiracy Theories”  a lecture recording presented by Professor Karen Douglas

Time: Wednesday 14th October 2020 at 1pm

 

Attendees viewed a lecture by Professor Karen Douglas, Professor of Social Psychology and Director of Graduate Studies in the School of Psychology at the University of Kent entitled ‘Secrets and Lies: The Psychology of Conspiracy Theories’.

Conspiracy theories have always been prevalent but rarely as prevalent and prolific as they are right now. Research suggests that about half of the population believes at least one - and in recent years psychologists have begun to investigate what makes these conspiracy theories appealing to so many people.

In this fascinating lecture Professor Karen Douglas discussed what research has discovered so far, and outlined her own programme of research on the psychology of conspiracy theories. This gave the group plenty of food for thought and led to a vibrant discussion following the lecture.

If you would like to view Karen’s excellent lecture, you can do so here:

https://youtu.be/6ugOaDZxfhI

 

CLG Zoom Meeting: "There Is No Planet B”  a lecture recording presented by Professor Mike Berners-Lee

Time: Wednesday 07th October 2020 at 1pm

 

In our first session of this term we viewed a talk by Mike Berners-Lee, Professor at Lancaster University Environment Centre, given to the Oxford Climate Society to promote his book "There Is No Planet B", In his talk (and book) Mike examines the what are the knock-on effects of our actions on the planet and what we might do to reduce harm. Mike looked at a broad range of approaches we might take such as tweaking our diets, travelling using greener means and employing technology to reduce harm. For his excellent and informative book Mike crunched the numbers and plotted a course of action that is practical and even enjoyable.

If you would like to watch Mike’s talk, you can view it here:

https://youtu.be/bLa3CnM7sSg

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