To whom does 'sovereignty' belong, and what does the Islamic intellectual tradition have to say about this? While some scholars argue that a normative commitment to democracy compromises the sovereignty of God, thinkers like Rached Ghannouchi hold that democracy is an expression of a delegated power of vicegerency (or caliphate) granted to humanity by God.

How does identity influence politics and international conflict? What happens when identities feel threatened or insecure?
In this session, we’ll explore how identity and security intersect, examining how non-physical threats to identity can fuel political tensions and conflict dynamics.
To ground our discussion, we’ll engage with three key articles: one outlines the theoretical framework, while the other two apply it to specific case studies—Turkey–Kurdish relations and the Israeli–Palestinian conflict.

🗓️ Wednesday, 18 June
🕢 20:00 (refreshments from 19:45)

The Oxford Conservative Thought (OCT) Reading Group is a non-partisan group devoted to academic exploration of small-c conservative political thought. We welcome, and actively encourage, viewpoint diversity and constructive engagement across ideological divides (all good-willed participants are welcome!)

Each week we read one assigned text, and we recommend more for anyone who is very keen!

The OCT meets weekly in term time on Fridays from 4-5:30pm.

Week 7 explores conservative views on and debates about freedom of speech, with a reading from John Finnis

08:45 Arrival

09:15 Opening remarks - Rachel Murphy and Genia Kostka

09:30 Roundtable: What is Privacy (in Authoritarian Contexts)?
Daniel Miller (UCL) and WANG Xinyuan (UCL):
“The depth and breadth of privacy”
ZHAO Jun (Oxford):
“Data, algorithmic manipulation, and their privacy implications for young children and families”
LIU Ruoxi (Oxford):
“Privacy – independent cultural workers and youth communities in China”
Moderator: Genia Kostka (Berlin)

11:00 Tea / Coffee

11:30 Privacy: The Party-State View
ZHOU Hui (Berlin):

Prof. Penslar, Prof. Yadgar, and Prof. Peleg will discuss some fundamental themes in Israel Studies through their recently published books:

Professor Derek Penslar, Zionism: An Emotional State (Key Words in Jewish Studies), New Brunswick, Rutgers University Press, 2023
Professor Yaacov Yadgar, To Be a Jewish State: Zionism as the New Judaism, New York, NYU Press, 2024
Professor Yaron Peleg, New Hebrews: Making National Culture in Zion, Cambridge University Press, 2025

Balliol Philosophy Society is pleased to host a panel discussion and Q&A with four prominent critics of the use of public health policy during the Covid-19 pandemic. Open to all members of the university.