Free Speech Seminar Series

The University of Buckingham Branch of Academics For Academic Freedom (AFAF) is organising a series of seminars looking at freedom of speech from a variety of philosophical and political perspectives. We are pleased to have support for this initiative from the University All the talks are free, but preregistration is required.

Summer 2025

Dr Diane Rasmussen McAdie will give a talk ‘In Defence of Libraries‘. Diane is the commissioning editor for UK Column and was previously professor of social informatics at Edinburgh Napier University. Details to follow.

Spring 2025

On 3 April The Buckingham Free Speech and Debate Union held its first formal debate: ‘This house believes that cancel culture is beneficial‘. Speaking in OPPOSITION were Baroness Claire Fox, Peter Bleksley and Professor Dennis Hayes. Only 2 people voted for the proposition!

Autumn 2024

Our speaker on Monday 18 November was Dr Alka Sehgal Cuthbert, the director of Don’t Divide Us, who asked Is talking common sense about race taboo?

Summer 2024

On International Academic Freedom Day – Monday 20 May – we invited Professor Umut Ozkirimli to discuss Is there a left way out of woke? the subject of his new book Cancelled: the left way back from woke.

Spring 2024

On Tuesday 26 March, as part of her ‘victory tour’, Professor Jo Phoenix was ‘in conversation’ with Professor Dennis Hayes about her employment tribunal triumph and its implications for gender-critical voices in higher education.

Autumn 2023

Professor Anthony O’Hear talked about How ‘my truth’ militates against free speech on Wednesday 11 October at 18.00 in the Vinson Auditorium.

Summer 2023

To launch our series we were pleased to welcome Dr Joanna Williams to talk about Free Speech In a Time of Woke on Wednesday 7 June at 18.00 in the Vinson Auditorium.

(Photo credit: Dennis Hayes)