Art is Social: ‘The Visible Meaning of a Good Picture’

Professor Janet Wolff

The Lit & Phil 2017/18 Season starts with a lecture by member Professor Janet Wolff on the social factors behind the creation of art.

Please note that the AGM was due to precede this lecture. The AGM has now been rearranged to take place before the lecture on 7 November.

27th September 2017, 7:30pm

Legal and Ethical Title: the selling off of art from historical English country house collections

Dr David Bellingham

This lecture explores the ethical question: does the owner of an historical house art collection have an absolute right to sell them? Or do such works form part of a broader national heritage which has equivalent rights over the ‘ethical title’ of the works? 

4th October 2017, 7:00pm

Dickens and Magic

Ian Keable

Charles Dickens was an amateur conjurer for several years of his life and called himself the ‘Unparalelled Necromancer’. In this lecture Ian Keable will discuss Dickens and his conjuring, as well as performing a few of his tricks as well.

10th October 2017, 7:15pm

Engineering with Graphene

Professor Robert J. Young, FREng, FRS

Graphene has been found to have impressive and exciting properties, but although there has been tremendous interest in this wonder material, the challenge remains in finding industrial applications of graphene that will benefit the UK economy. This lecture will concentrate upon how the mechanical properties of graphene can be realised in practical applications.

16th October 2017, 7:00pm

The Evolution of The University of Manchester Estate: making of the modern masterplan

Diana Hampson

This talk will delve into the various stages of development of the University’s estate, from its inception as England's first civic university to its current position as the largest single-site university in the UK.

24th October 2017, 7:00pm

Insect Control – ideas from the unexpected

Ian Whelan

This lecture will cover the innovation steps from idea to market and the creation of new EU law to allow the marketing of a new insecticide-free method of insect control.

1st November 2017, 7:15pm