GCHU Public Seminars

Can polarisation be addressed through community dialogue?

One of the key challenges facing society in the 21st century is  increasing polarisation. Multiple examples, including the recent US elections and the Brexit referendum, demonstrate the challenges and potential negative consequences of such divisions in relation to social cohesion.

In recent years, polarisation has also increased as a result of climate action related to mitigation and adaptation, where national and local governments have introduced policies which have divided opinion. An example on our doorstep in Oxford is the introduction of the Low Traffic Neighbourhoods which have divided opinion sharply and exacerbated polarisation in some local communities.

This seminar explores ways in which this growing polarisation can be addressed. Bringing together four speakers who are experts in the field, we will discuss different approaches to this increasingly urgent issue, and suggest ways forward for policy makers and communities, to alleviate tensions and division.

This seminar will be chaired by Dr Astrid Krisch, GCHU Research Fellow

Speakers will be announced shortly.

This event will take place at 5:30pm on Wed 4th December 2024 at Kellogg College.

Upcoming events

2024-25 Event dates:

  • Wed 22nd January - Can polarisation be addressed through community dialogue?
  • Wed 12th March
  • Wed 30th April
  • Wed 18th June

All seminars are hosted between 5:30pm and 6:30pm at Kellogg College.

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Past events

Our GCHU seminars are filmed and are available to download and watch. Below is an archive of links to the recordings of all events in the GCHU Public Seminar series.

Video to be uploaded shortly.

Why should we care about healthier homes?

4th December 2024
Chair: Dr Lidia Katia C. Manzo
Speakers: Professor Susan J Smith, Professor Ken Gibb, Virginia Barbaro, Sammy-Jo Hagan

Cycling in cities: can active travel work for everyone?

16th October 2024
Chair: Dr Juliet Carpenter
Speakers: Professor Rachel Aldred, Kate Ball, Duncan Dollimore, Hassan Sabrie

What makes an age-friendly neighbourhood?

12th June 2024
Chair: Dr Hannah Grove
Speakers: Professor George Leeson, Charlotte Lewis, Sir Tony Baldry, Kelly-Marie Rodgers

Creating Thriving Communities: How do we build socially productive places?

24th April 2024
Chair: Emeritus Professor Timothy Dixon
Speakers: Dr Ani Raiden, Liane Hartley, Simon Grove-White, Nigel Carter

Roads to ruin? Public transport, inequality, and the way forward

6th March 2024
Chair: Dr Juliet Carpenter
Speakers: Sarah Leeming, Luke Marion, Anna Plyushteva, Pete Brunskill

COP28: Over and Out?

17th January 2024
Chair: Dr David Howard
Speakers: Professor Isabel Oliver, Dr Rosie Rowe, Paul Skinner, Cassie Sutherland

How can community wellbeing be supported in the neighbourhood?

29th November 2023
Chair: Dr Astrid Krisch
Speakers: Professor Jane South, Ansaf Azhar, Joanne Smithson, Simon Sadinsky

15-minute cities: Can they work for everyone?

11th October 2023
Chair: Dr Juliet Carpenter
Speakers: Professor Tim Jones, Julia Thrift, Cllr Louise Upton, Professor Richard Dunning

Re-imagining our urban future: how can city visions help us shape healthy and sustainable places?

14th June 2023
Chair: Emeritus Professor Timothy Dixon.
Speakers: Professor Michael Keith, Cllr Anna Railton, Dr Tolullah Oni, Mike Hood.

Systems change: How can cities accelerate progress towards net zero?

26th April 2023
Chair: Dr Katherine Maxwell.
Speakers: Dr Andy Kerr, Caroline Green, Dr Gireesh Shrimali, Maia Kutner

Why Adapt our Homes to Rising Temperatures?

7th March 2023
Chair: Dr Jesus Lizana.
Speakers: Dr Radhika Khosla, Dr André Paul Neto-Bradley, Dr Patrick Fahr, Charlie Luxton

Can citizens' juries help to address urban challenges?

18th January 2023
Chair: Dr Alison Chisholm.
Speakers: Dr Juliet Carpenter, Sven Evans, Professor Alan Renwick, Claire Taylor.

What Creates Healthy Cities?

12th October 2022
Speakers: Lord Best, Julia Thrift, Dr Stephanie Tierney, Councillor Susan Brown

Retrofitting and designing healthy built environments: How can buildings help our health?

15th June 2022
Speakers: Professor Rajat Gupta, Dr Anna Ulrikke Andersen, Cllr Michael O'Connor, Dr Sydney Ayers Mercer

Healthy by design: What role for the built environment in creating healthy cities?

27th April 2022
Chair: Lord Best
Speakers: Dr Helen Pineo, Iona O'Carroll, Dr Rosie Rowe

Artificial Intelligence in Urban Health: Is AI a solution for healthy cities?

9th March 2022
Speakers: Prof Gina Neff, Dr Alison Powell, Dr Esra Suel

The cycling paradox - how can cycling be encouraged as a healthy, sustainable, and safe mode of transport?

1st December 2021
Speakers: Dr Tim Jones, Dr Alison Hill, Steve Unwin, Louis Odgers, Professor Carl Heneghan

Low Traffic Neighbourhoods: Can they work for everyone?

13th October 2021
Speakers: Dr Rachel Lee, Patrick Lingwood, Lucy Saunders, Dr Scott Urban

Delivering healthcare for rapid urbanisation

22nd January 2020
Speakers: Annette Pluddemann, Lucy Stevens, Hubert Lam, Mikaela Patrick, Carl Heneghan

Managing migration: cities, governance, integration.

4th December 2019
Speakers: Cecile Riallant, Colleen Thouez, David Howard, Thomas Lacroix

Next steps? Mixed use, walkable cities.

24th October 2019
Speakers: Karen Barrass, Daniel Elsea, Joanne Murraybrown, Ben Murphy, David Howard

Europe, Migration and Cities.

9th July 2019
Speakers: Sarah Spencer, Phoebe Clay, Michael Keith

Kellogg Urban Knowledge Exchange seminar: Healthy Cities

8th January 2019
Speakers: Carl Heneghan, Danny McDonnell, Sian Whyte, Chris Naylor

Kellogg Urban Knowledge Exchange: Rapid Urbanisation

27th June 2018
Speakers: Fiona Harvey, Peter Osborn, Ben Bolgar, Bob Allies, Victoria Hills

Kellogg Urban Knowledge Exchange: Urban Heritage

7th June 2018
Speakers: Geoffrey Tyack, Leidulf Mydland, Debbie Dance, Barbara Weiss, Oliver Cox

Kellogg Urban Knowledge Exchange seminar: Urban Public Art

24th April 2018
Speakers: Cathy Oakes, Leon Wainwright, Clare Melhuish, Sean Henry, Steven Parissien