Free Thinking Folgen

Anne McElvoy explores some historic tussles over who read what, when, how and why. Bodleian scholar Dennis Duncan reveals how disputatious monks took the book out of the monastery; the novelist and New Generation Thinker Sophie Coulombeau uncovers public frothing over political pamphlet reading in pubs in the 18th century; 19th century literature expert Katie McGettigan celebrates a loophole in copyright law which resulted in American literature dominating British bookshelves; Katherine Cooper from Newcastle and another New Generation Thinker reveals the role of women in expanding the horizons of literature in the 20th century and Matthew Rubery, author of The Untold Story of the Talking Book, reflects on the way technology spread reading across society and he gives us a demonstration of the Optophone - an early machine to bring books to the blind.Pres: Anne McElvoy Guests: Katherine Cooper, University of Newcastle Sophie Coulombeau, University of York; author of 'Rites' Dennis Duncan, The Bodleian Centre for the Study of the Book Katie McGettigan, Royal Holloway University, London Matthew Rubery, Queen Mary University, London; author of 'The Untold Story of the Talking Book' forthcomingThe Optophone appears courtesy of Blind Veterans UK. New Generation Thinkers is a scheme run by BBC Radio 3 and the Arts and Humanities Research Council to find academics who can turn their research into radio programmes. You can find more programmes in the BBC #LoveToRead campaign http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p04b5zz8/members And hear more over the #LovetoRead weekend 5-6 November.Producer: Jacqueline Smith

New Generation Thinker Chris Harding presents a discussion with writer Chris Hannan and director Roxana Silbert about a new Birmingham Rep play about Enoch Powell. Also James Zirin describes what he calls the partisan nature of the Supreme Court in America and artists Jananne Al-Ani and John Keane and curator Vivienne Jabri talk about providing an alternative to the visual language of war employed by the media.What Shadows runs at Birmingham Rep Theatre from October 27th to November 12th and stars Ian McDiarmid playing Enoch Powell.James Zirin's book is called Supremely Partisan: How Raw Politics Tips the Scales in the United States Supreme CourtTraces of War, curated by Vivienne Jabri, is at King's College, London until 18th DecemberJohn Keane's exhibition - If You Knew Me, If You Knew Yourself, You Would Not Kill Me - opens at Flowers Gallery, London on 4th NovemberProducer: Torquil MacLeod.

Does art have to reflect politics and history in South Africa? Is it harder to make art now than it was in the past? As major exhibitions of South African art open in London and Edinburgh Philip Dodd discusses the challenges of creating a visual language for a country with the artists William Kentridge, Vivienne Koorland and Gavin Jantjes. Joining them is Professor Stephen Chan from London University's School of Oriental and African Studies, an expert on the country's recent history. South Africa: the art of a nation runs at the British Museum from October 27th - 26th Feb 2017 William Kentridge and Vivienne Koorland: Conversations in letters and lines runs at Edinburgh's Fruitmarket Gallery 19 November 2016 – 19 February 2017 Vivienne Koorland's Soft Heart is at the Leyden gallery November 2nd -November 26 William Kentridge: Thick Time is at the Whitechapel Gallery in London 21 September 2016 – 15 January 2017 William Kentridge's production of Lulu is on at English National Opera from November 9th - 19th and is being broadcast on BBC Radio 3 in the New Year. Producer: Zahid Warley.