Spring at The Hive
University of Worcester Public Lecture Series:
Consent from Early Years to Teens with Holly Barnes-Bennetts
Tuesday 21 May, 6:30pm-8pm
Consent is not just a sexual issue but a social issue. In a post #MeToo world people are more and more aware of the 'issue' of sexual consent. We can see this reflected in the changes to the UK Relationship and Sex Education curriculum in 2021 which was amended to include education on consent. The problem with this is that consent is a broad concept with links to issues of bodily autonomy, respect and empathy which simply cannot be taught during one hour in secondary school.
This talk looks at how we might go about embedding the concept of consent in the minds of the next generation from their early years. We will discuss teaching children and young people to understand their own bodily autonomy, develop personal boundaries and to respect that of others, and supporting childhood empathy. This will lead into a discussion of how to support the development of these practices in teenagers, particularly in the area of sexual intimacy.
The University of Worcester Public Lecture Series aims to provide an opportunity for the public to engage with academic research as it is developed, and providing a platform for academic researchers to share their work.
Hay Festival livestream:
David Mitchell - (Un)scripted: Cloud Atlas at 20 Years
Sunday 26 May, 11:30am
David Mitchell's Cloud Atlas burst onto the literary scene in 2004. A novel comprised of six interconnected tales, each written in a unique style and told from a differing perspective, this genre-defying 'Russian doll' epic remains one of the most original, unusual and polarising works of recent times. Shortlisted for the 2004 Booker Prize, in 2012 it was adapted for film with a stellar cast including Tom Hanks and Halle Berry. Mitchell has been nominated for the Booker Prize five times as well as winning the Sunday Times Award for Literary Excellence, given in recognition of a writer's entire body of work. Twenty years after publication, Mitchell reflects on the past, present and future of his novel. He speaks to journalist and director of the Booker Prize foundation Gaby Wood.
Drop in, no need to book.
Hay Festival livestream:
Max Hastings - Operation Biting
Friday 31 May, 2:30pm
Military historian Max Hastings (Operation Pedestal, Abyss) tells an almost-forgotten story with his signature blend of top-down and bottom-up action detail. Operation Biting was a daring assault on the coast of Nazi-occupied Europe to capture key components of a newly-identified radar network. Amid heavy snow 120 men landed, some of whom were mis-dropped almost two miles from their objective. They nonetheless launched the assault, dismantled the German radar, and after three nail-biting hours in France and a fierce battle with Wehrmacht defenders, escaped in the nick of time. Meet the fascinating personalities and hear the wealth of previously unchronicled details in this almost literally cliffhanging tale.
Drop in, no need to book.
Author talk: Lindsey Davis in Conversation
Tuesday 4 June, 6:30pm-8pm
Join us at The Hive to celebrate National Crime Reading month as we welcome author Lindsey Davis to discuss her crime novels and inspiration.
Historical novelist Lindsey Davis is best known for her novels set in Ancient Rome, including the much loved Marcus Didius Falco series, although she has also written about the English Civil War, including in 2014 A Cruel Fate, a book for the Quick Reads literacy initiative. Her examination of the paranoid reign of the roman emperor Domitian began with Master and God, a standalone novel, leading to her new series about Flavia Albia, set in that dark period. Her books are translated and have been dramatized on BBC Radio 4. Her many awards include the Premio Colosseo (from the city of Rome) and the Crime Writers' Cartier Diamond Dagger for lifetime achievement. Most recently she was the inaugural winner of the Barcino (Barcelona) International Historical Novel Prize.
Tickets are free but booking is essential - book your place here.
University of Worcester Public Lecture Series:
Exclusion from Mainstream Primary Schools in the West Midlands with Megan Whitehouse
Tuesday 11 June, 6:30pm-8pm
Approached from a perspective that considers 'childism' and feminist care ethics as tools for thinking differently, this talk will examine how and why children are excluded from primary schools in England, with a particular focus on the West Midlands. In doing so, recently conducted research involving education professionals and parents of children excluded from primary school will be drawn upon in order to explore the key concerns surrounding the practice of exlcusion; leading into a broader conversation about what primary school exclusion can tell us about the issues faced by the school system today. This talk will be relevant to educators, parents and others concerned about the use of exclusion at the primary school level. There will be some time set aside at the end of the talk for a group discussion and general Q&A.
Anyone attending should feel welcome to bring along their children and/or any other dependents.
The University of Worcester Public Lecture Series aims to provide an opportunity for the public to engage with academic research as it is developed, and providing a platform for academic researchers to share their work.
Lisa Power in Conversation
Thursday 20 June, 7pm-8:30pm
Lisa Power MBE, co-founder of Stonewall and the Pink Paper, is an icon of the LGBTQ+ rights movement and a force to be reckoned with. Described by London Friend as “an outspoken lesbian and role model since the 1970s”, Lisa was active in the fight against Section 28, Secretary General of the International Lesbian and Gay Association, and the first openly queer person to speak for LGBTQ+ rights at the UN in New York.
Lisa will speak about her life of campaigning, her biggest achievements and her incredible journey at The Hive, with plenty of time to ask questions.
Tickets are free but booking is essential - book your place here.