Dream Speakers

[Jessica]

We are amassing the coolest list of all time.

[Bizarre Atheist]

Is it a cool list of invitees or a cool list of attendees? The latter, of course, being *much* cooler than the former.

[arms.round.knees]

(Zoe's) Dream List (that could come true);

Helena Kennedy, QC
Geoffrey Robertson, QC
Arundhati Roy (author, "The God of Small Things", and political activist)
Shami Chakrabati
Katherine Rake (Fawcett Society)
Frances Cook (Howard League for Penal Reform)

[Jessica]

But Dave, you're on BOTH lists!

[Philip Goose]

Ha, I remember Chakrabati getting ripped to shreds on Have I Got News For You... when that Lib Dem guy was accused of having an affair with her. Could be entertaining.

[MJC]

Simon Heffer- He tells it as it is.

[RandomMusings]

Rufus Hound (real name Robert Simpson apparently). He does seem to like a good debate - well, if you class 'Argumental' on Dave as a debate show........... He is amusing, confident, voiciferous and has an excellent vocabulary/knowledge-base too.

Failing him..... Anne Robinson?

[Dave the Explosive Newt]

Peter Stevens (engineer, formerly of the McLaren F1 team) on ways of changing transport to face up to climate change.

[James Beadle]

Iain Banks lives in Fife - famous Scottish author who haters the current labour goverment. Would be good to get on civil rights. Also big in the Humanist momvement (a religion for aethists)

Alistair Reynolds is a famous sci-fi writer and post-graduate of St Andrews. Would be good to get to speak on any kind of technology/futerist motion (genetic modification, stem cells, excetra)

There are my two contributions, I know they're not incredibly exciting or anything, but could be quite willing to come and speak.

[Eliot Wilson]

I don't want to seem like the grumpy old man, but have any of these people been approached? Because inviting them really is the first step.

[Owen Wilton]

You can't be very old, and there's nothing wrong with grumpy, Mr Wilson.

Yes, some have been approached. Others will be. Some will say no, some will say maybe, some will say "yes, I can come- in October." Jess is thinking strategically: the more you plan ahead, the more achievable the dream becomes. This list will pass to the next convenor. (If we can we can host any of them this semester, we will.)

[Dave the Explosive Newt]

You can't be very old

You'd be surprised.

[Al]

Old? He is but a fresh-faced young 'un compared to some.

[Dave the Explosive Newt]

Professor Parveen Kumar - medical educationalist, I think she'd be good in a History boys style debate about rounded education vs teaching to exams.
Dr Tony Calland - chairman of BMA Ethics and law committee, good on anything like abortion, stem cells, euthanasia, etc etc. More local (in Glasgow) members of the committee include Dr Lewis Morrison (who works in palliative care) and Professor Sheila McLean, director of Institute of Law and Ethics in Glasgow. Dr Peter Dangerfield is based in Liverpool but always up for med student stuff.

[Jessica]

These are good ideas.

Eliot, in answer to your question (following from Owen), yes, a fair few of them have been approached. We're weighing them up as to their debate potential or solo/joint address potential. Were also prioritising the ones who fit into debates for this semester.

But Owen's completely right about one thing: most of the people suggested and contacted have been approached with this semester's term dates AND next. At least this way, if they say 'no' we know they don't want to come up, not that they're busy on the one Wednesday we've chosen. Also, lots of the people mentioned are quite busy, and I think it's a good idea to get the ball rolling on their invites now (as has been pointed out to me on numerous occasions, Oxford have their convenor-elect for a half year before they even begin so that they can send invites). I think this should help out my successor, at least to a small degree!

More importantly, its really good to have a list of speakers people would really like to see. Kind of like an ongoing motions forum...but for speakers.

Let there be more!

[Philip Goose]

Okay-

David Mitchell- (the author). Would be really good on cultural belonging, grew up in Japan and writes a lot about social belonging and identity in his books. Lives in Ireland unfortunately, but I will fall in love with you forever if you can bring him here.

Chris Hoy- probably impossible. Has already written about being bogged down by these kinds of events, but he did go to St Andrews. Again- he could just talk about anything, determination, inspiring children to take up sport, what it means to represent Scotland or Great Britain.

Mark Beaumont- another cycling guy, smashed the cycling round the world record, comes from Fife. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/edi ... 245381.stm

Michael Palin- wealth of knowledge from round the world travels, meeting other cultures etc. Would be guaranteed to entertain you for more than seven minutes.

Jonathan Agnew- commentator for Test Match Special, knows the ins and outs of the politics of cricket, apartheid SA boycotts, tours of Sri Lanka and the Tamil Tigers, the recent bombings in Mumbai. Could give you some good stuff on politics and sport.