2008-09 Weidenfeld Debates

‘Life after Kyoto: Old Habits Die Hard'

25 May 2009, Manor Road Building, Oxford

Julian Morris, challenged Dr Chucks Okereke on the issue of whether the Kyoto Protocol provides a solid basis for tackling climate change, provoking a robust exchange of views. Dr Okereke maintained that the Protocol had performed well in terms of efficiency, equity and effectiveness and that failures were due to poor implementation rather than poor design.  By contrast, Mr Morris argued that the Protocol was founded on an erroneous understanding of the climate change issue and that resources should be redirected towards new policies aimed at combating the effects of climate change.

Speakers: Dr Chucks Okereke, Research Fellow at the Smith School of Enterprise and the Environment and Julian Morris, Director of the International Policy Network

Moderated by Professor Gwyn Prins, Director of the Mackinder Programme for the Study of Long Wave Events at the London School of Economics

‘Financial Crisis: A Government or a Market Failure'

26 May 2009, Manor Road Building, Oxford

Whilst Professor Salin, a prominent proponent of the Austrian School of economics, argued in favour of the free market and criticised the role of governments, Professor Fitzgerald maintained that market failure was largely responsible for the current financial crisis and its economic consequences. This produced a lively debate on this timely and highly contested topic.

Speakers: Pascal Salin- Professor Emeritus, University Paris-Dauphine and Former President of the Mont Pèlerin Society and Valpy Fitzgerald- Professor of International Development, Oxford University and Director, Department of International Development

Chair: Colin Mayer, Peter Moores Dean of the Saïd Business School and Peter Moores Professor of Management Studies

‘Is there One Islam?'

16 June 2009, St Anthony's College, Oxford

During this session, Professor Tariq Ramadan and Ed Hussain explored the following questions: Is there a 'right' interpretation of Islam? Who decides which interpretations are authentic and which transgress the boundaries of orthodoxy? Is Islamic political thought flexible enough to provide substantive solutions to the needs of the various adherents all over the world? Or is the complete separation of religious authority and the state, restricting religion to the private sphere alone, the only solution to the current quagmire? These questions produced a fascinating discussion.

Speakers: Tariq Ramadan- Professor of Islamic Studies, Oxford and President of European Muslim Network and Ed Husain- Co-Director Quilliam Foundation, London and author of The Islamist

Moderated by Nadia Oweidat - Middle East Analyst, the RAND Corporation and Weidenfeld Scholar, St. Antony's College