Latest Email Update
UPDATE: Brazil
We will be thinking…
Upcoming events from current Demos projects
Brazil: The Natural Knowledge Economy
The landscape for innovation in Brazil is changing fast. R&D budgets are rising. Brazilian researchers are at the forefront of developments from biofuels to human genomics. But how can the UK and Europe scale up collaboration with this emerging scientific player? On the 8th July, Demos will launch the results of six months of research, undertaken in partnership with the Brasilia-based think tank CGEE, with a panel of key UK and Brazilian thinkers and policymakers.
To find out more or attend go to the Brazil page
Contact atlasofideas@demos.co.uk
The Cultural Age
On the 23rd June Demos will be hosting the second of two seminars on culture, integration and education, in partnership with the Arts and Humanities Research Council.
The debate will address how to make the best of opportunities for integration that the cultural age has to offer. This is part of the wider aim of the seminars to explore how cultural practitioners and academic thinkers can work with policy-makers to meet the challenges that arise in an intercultural world.
To attend please email seminars@demos.co.uk
Contact claire.coulier@demos.co.uk
Social Change/Contemporary Art?
The 19th June sees the first Peckham Space public talk, focusing on the role of cultural production in democracy. Demos' Pete Bradwell, Joost Beunderman, and Samuel Jones will be talking to Peckham TV artists Harold Offeh and The People Speak about whether, and how, contemporary art can lead to social change.
To find out more or attend go to www.peckhamspace.com
Contact samuel.jones@demos.co.uk
Local Party Politics: An Agenda for Change
On 26th June Demos will host the fifth seminar in an ESCR-funded series on The Future of Political Parties in Local Government. The day-long event will consist of a series of speaker presentations on the theme of local government, followed by a discussion session.
To find out more or attend go to local party politics
Contact j.a.plowman@bham.ac.uk
We have been thinking…
Updates on recent Demos work
Politics and Emotions
Demos recently hosted a debate at the Hay-on-Wye literary festival. The debate explored how emotions operate in the political sphere and affect issues like citizenship, which are normally thought of in terms of impartial rationality. The event was the forerunner of a pamphlet, to be published in September, which aims to open a new, wider debate about emotions in politics.
To contribute to the debate, go to Politics and Emotions
Contact catherine.fieschi@demos.co.uk
Resilient Nation
This week Demos kicks off a new project on resilience. Looking across the spectrum of risks, from floods and pandemics to power failures and terrorism Resilient Nation will explore how communities respond to systemic breakdown.
To find out more go to Resilient Nation
Contact charlie.edwards@demos.co.uk
The Cultural Age
This month saw the first of the Demos Cultural Age seminars. It addressed education for our increased cultural encounters and was followed by a lively debate from academic thinkers and policy makers.
To read the presentation which was delivered at the seminar go to Samuel Jones' Speech
To find out more about the seminars go to the Cultural Age
Contact samuel.jones@demos.co.uk
Open Secrets
On 4th June, Demos hosted a seminar to coincide with the publication of the Government’s risk register later this summer. The event explored society's relationship to risk as well as how central government, local authorities and agencies engage and communicate with the public during crises.
To find out more go to Open Secrets
Contact charlie.edwards@demos.co.uk
Divided Democracy
On 14 June Demos hosted a session at the Compass Conference ‘Born Free & Equal’. Using Demos’ Everyday Democracy Index, Jon Cruddas, Patrick Diamond, Paul Skidmore, Helena Kennedy QC and Catherine Fieschi debated the relationship between citizen participation and economic equality.
To find out more about the event go to Compass
Contact claire.coulier@demos.co.uk
Partner Thinking…
As a charity our work is funded on a project by project basis. If you are interested in discussing funding a project, please get in touch
Bodyshopping – The Politics of Medical Tourism
Medical tourism is shooting upwards from 25,000 people in 2004 to more than 100,000 in 2007. By 2010, the UK is likely to see more than 200,000 people leave seeking medical treatment. This has enormous implications for the NHS, but it also asks bigger questions about globalisation. Medical tourism might seem to be a logical extension of global trade, increasing competition and empowering the developing world. But it raises safety and ethical concerns. Desperate patients are travelling to India and the Netherlands for unproven stem cell treatments, spurred on by false promises. So how do we manage a global health system?
If you would like more information, or would be interested in partnering any of these research projects, please contact jack.stilgoe@demos.co.uk
You Think
Do you have an idea that you want some feedback on or a project that you need some help with? Do you have a job you need doing that other people who receive this update might be able to help you with? If so, email mona.chalabi@demos.co.uk and we will try and put it in this space next time.