Expanding the Boundaries of Public Debate

The Academy was founded in 2000 to provide a forum committed to open and robust public debate in which ideas can be interrogated, argued for and fought over. We organise intelligent public debates, on controversial topics, and most importantly challenge contemporary knee-jerk orthodoxies. One focus of our work is to ensure that new generations look behind the headlines and avoid over simplistic conclusions on difficult topics. We are especially concerned about the ‘dumbing down’ of debate, and to this end we organise a range of high-profile public events.

We aim through our events, projects and salons to create an atmosphere of intellectual freedom and a space for open-ended exploration of new ideas, research and trends, but very much in the sense of a public intellectual gathering: a truly accessible, living university.

Founder and Director Claire Fox was publisher of LM (Living Marxism) and set up the Academy of Ideas when LM magazine was closed after a libel action in 2000. The Academy is not associated with any particular political party, but we are passionately interested in politics and taking a robust stance on contentious issues.

The Academy of Ideas is committed to:

The legacy of the Enlightenment: scientific and social experimentation, intellectual ambition and curiosity.

Embracing change and making history.

Art for art’s sake, knowledge for its own sake, and education as an end in itself.

Freedom. To think, to act, to say what needs saying - even if it offends others.

Challenging irrational social panics.

Open and robust debate, in which ideas can be interrogated, argued for and fought over.

Civil liberties: no ifs; no buts.

Outside of our main debating projects, we are often proud to support a range of political movements, causes and campaigns which we believe are worth backing. For a general indication of our perspective, you may want to examine our ’21 Pledges for Progress’, which we published in the run-up to the 2010 General Election. Or just listen to our Podcast of Ideas to hear our take on current affairs.

Yet whatever event we organise we always hold on to one defining principle: free speech allowed.