Keeping you up to date with all the goings-on at TORCH

Termly Newsletter

28 April 2016

We are delighted to announce our Annual Headline Series for 2016-17 is Humanities & Identities. The project launches in early 2017 and we welcome ideas for research projects and public engagement activities to be part of the series.

We look forward to a richly diverse programme of workshops, talks and performances this term, with speakers including acclaimed playwright Tom Stoppard, world-renowned historian Simon Schama, gifted guitar duo Sérgio and Odair Assad and former British Museum director Neil MacGregor.

Applications are now open for a range of opportunities to contribute to projects, events and exhibitions in collaboration with the Ashmolean Museum, Oxford University Museum of Natural History and the Bodleian Libraries. We also launch our 'Shakespeare Play in a Tweet' competition with the Bodleian Libraries, see below for details!

Annual Headline Series: Humanities & Identities

With funding from the Vice-Chancellor’s Diversity Fund and the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, TORCH’s Annual Headline Series for 2016-17 Humanities & Identities will explore multiple research areas relating to diversity including race, gender, sexuality, disability, poverty, class, and inequality. Launching in early 2017, it will include high profile talks, workshops, performances, a display and an online trail. We welcome ideas for projects, find out more here.

Four New Research Networks

We are delighted to announce the launch of four new TORCH research networks, which will bring Oxford researchers from across the Humanities and beyond together to discuss topics from the Psalms to social media. The new networks, #SocialHumanities, Gender and Authority, Rethinking the Contemporary, and the Oxford Psalms Network, will hold talks, workshops, performances and conversations. Read more here.

Opportunities

Shakespeare Play in a Tweet Competition
Is brevity the soul of wit? We've teamed up with the Bodleian to run a Twitter competition from 23 April to 7 May. Sum up a play in less than 140 characters to win prizes #OxBard.

Vice-Chancellor's Award for Public Engagement With Research
To recognise and reward those who undertake high quality Public Engagement with Research activities. Deadline: 5pm, 16 May.

Writing Partnership Scheme

Do you feel like you're working all the time but never getting enough done? Tired of working on your own? Sign up for the Humanities Division writing partnerships and peer mentoring scheme. Read more here.

Engaging with Collections

Framed! LiveFriday at the Ashmolean Museum
Proposals sought for bite-size talks by researchers using an object from the Ashmolean collections around themes including the face, portraits and framing. Deadline: 29 April.

‘The Life of the Brain’ at the Oxford University Museum of Natural History
Opportunity for humanities researchers to contribute to the events programme of this exhibition on neuroscience. Deadline: 29 April.

FrightFriday at the Ashmolean Museum
We welcome ideas for activities to take place at a special TORCH late night event at the Ashmolean exploring the art and science of fear. Deadline: midday, 13 May.

Highlighted Events

Planned Violence Photo Exhibition

17:15-19:00, Thursday 28 April
Radcliffe Humanities, Woodstock Road, Oxford

Join us for the launch of the poster exhibition, which includes some of the provocative photos from the Leverhulme funded 'Planned Violence' project.

Please click here for more information

Life Writing in the Digital Age

17:30-19:00, Tuesday 3 May
Wolfson College, Linton Road, Oxford, OX2 6UD

Robin Dunbar (Psychology), Lorna Hughes (Digital Humanities) and Max Saunders (English) explore whether life-writing can survive in the digital age. Chaired by David Robey. There will be a free drinks reception.

Please click here to register

How English Became English

13:00-14:00 (lunch from 12:30-13:00), Wednesday 4 May
Saint Luke's Chapel, Woodstock Road, OX2 6GG

Simon Horobin (English) will discuss his new book with Faramerz Dabhoiwala (History), Martin Wynne (Digital Methods Specialist) and Philip Durkin (Oxford English Dictionary). The discussion will be chaired by Susie Dent (lexicographer and host of Countdown's "Dictionary Corner").

Please click here for more information

History's Audience

17:30-19:00, Monday 9 May
Sheldonian Theatre, Broad Street, Oxford

World renowned art historian Simon Schama gives a lecture as part of his Humanitas Visiting Professorship.

Please click here to register

Fires of Faith

17:00-18:30, Tuesday 10 May
Examination Schools, High Street, Oxford

Dr Neil MacGregor, Former Director of the British Museum, gives the Bapsybanoo Marchioness of Winchester Lecture. The talk will be followed by a drinks reception.

Please click here to register

Asylums and Edges

17:30-19:00, Wednesday 11 May
St Anne's College, Woodstock Road

Novelist, short story writer, historian and mythographer Dame Marina Warner gives a lecture as part of her Humanitas Visiting Professorship.

Please click here for further information

Sérgio and Odair Assad

17:00, Wednesday 25 May
St John's College, St Giles, Oxford

The Brazilian-born brothers, who have created a new standard of guitar innovation, ingenuity and expression, will be in conversation with Jason Stanyek about their work.

Please click here to register

Watch Again

Art and Action

A series on the intersections of literary celebrity and politics, from Victorian celebrity culture to author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's fashion politics.

Watch here