Past Institute lectures

Healing

Find out about and watch a series of lectures and discussions that explore how we might heal divisions in public life.

About the series

The vocation to public service often expresses itself in a desire to make the world a better place. To mend what is broken, heal what is hurt. That surely has to begin with realising the need to heal ourselves. It also requires taking a step back to reflect on what is wrong in the first place, not mistaking symptoms for causes.

As the challenges before us threaten to become overwhelming, are we growing the wisdom we need? Ecological collapse looms ever larger on our horizon. If not Covid-19 then some future virus promises to be too much to manage. The fractures and fissures in our own society seem too numerous and too deep to mend. Is technology a help or a hindrance? Meanwhile our modes of dialogue are becoming increasingly angry; toxic nationalism is on the rise; the boundaries between us seem to be hardening.

How should public servants respond?

Watch the lectures

Healing our society

Daniel Hobbs, Director at the Home Office and Rachel Okello, a solicitor specialising in immigration law, discuss healing in our society.

Healing our planet

Tamara Finkelstein, the Permanent Secretary at the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) and Charlie Burrell, owner and rewilder of the Knepp estate in West Sussex discuss healing our planet.

Healing ourselves

The Very Reverend Dr Sarah Rowland Jones, Dean of St Davids and Dr Alison Wood, Fellow and Academic Director Homerton Changemakers, University of Cambridge discuss healing ourselves.

Symposium - Harnessing technology 

Listen to a discussion regarding the potential use of technology to heal divisions in public life. Featuring Rory Cellan-Jones, former BBC technology correspondent; Chi Onwurah, Labour MP for Newcastle and Dr Michael Burdett, philosophical theologian and Assistant Professor, Nottingham University.