Gresham Lectures on the History of British Coronations and more in May
Here are some highlights of the free May lectures at Gresham College:
British Coronations: A History by Dr Alice Hunt
British Coronations: A History
Why do we Crown Kings and Queens? And why has this ancient ritual survived in Britain, uniquely among European countries? What purpose can pomp and pageantry serve in a modern constitutional monarchy? This talk introduces the history of the British coronation, from its 10th -century origins to the present day, and explores how its meaning has changed over time. It will focus on moments when this religious ceremony came under intense scrutiny, such as during the Reformation, or when the first ever queen regnant, Mary I, was crowned.
Tuesday 2 May, 6pm-7pm Gresham College, Barnard’s Inn Hall, or Online/ Watch Later. Ticketed, free.
Cybersecurity for Humans by Professor Victoria Baines
Faceless hackers in hoodies, intergalactic warriors, and technology out of human control: are these representations of cyber threats accurate? How might we empower people to protect themselves and help address human issues in the IT sector by thinking differently about how we portray security threats and operations.
Tuesday, 9 May 2023, 6pm, Gresham College, Barnard’s Inn Hall, or Online/ Watch Later. Ticketed, free.
Dementia: A Cultural History by Professor Joanna Bourk
Dementia is often designated the “plague” of the twenty-first century. What does a cultural history of dementia reveal about commonly circulating ideas relating to the brain, personhood, embodiment, and normal/abnormal?
Thursday, 11 May 2023, 6pm, Gresham College, Barnard’s Inn Hall, or Online/ Watch Later. Ticketed, free.
AI in Business by Professor Raghavendra Rau
This lecture discusses how AI systems are used in business and their limitations. One big problem with AI systems is that they lack context. An AI system is a pattern recognition machine devoid of any understanding of how the world works.
Monday 22 May 2023, 6pm, Gresham College, Barnard’s Inn Hall, or Online/ Watch Later. Ticketed, free.
How the World Agreed on Net Zero by Professor Myles Allen
How the World Agreed on Net Zero
The climate had a bad year in 2009. Talks collapsed. Emails were hacked. And several papers found even 50-80% reductions weren’t enough: we had to get to net zero. Yet six years later, negotiators from 190 countries acknowledged the need for net zero in the Paris Agreement, even resolving to try to limit warming to 1.5 °C, which means net zero global emissions around 2050. Can it be done? It certainly can. Will it be done? That’s up to all of us.
Tuesday 23 May 2023, 6pm, Gresham College, Barnard’s Inn Hall, or Online/ Watch Later. Ticketed, free.