Across the United Kingdom and around the world, people experience violence in cities not only through acts of physical harm but also through entrenched structural and social inequalities. Identity-Based Mass Violence in Urban Contexts: Uncovered, a new, innovative edited volume, offers fresh insights from global examples on how chronic and acute mass violence are related to one another, the drivers of various forms of violence, and the proactive steps leaders can take to address exclusions and harms experienced by communities.

Any large organization, whether a global conglomerate, a government or a political party, must grapple with two perennial challenges when its top leadership gathers: people and money. China’s ruling Communist Party is no exception. The four-day, closed-door Fourth Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee – known as the Fourth Plenum – offered a rare glimpse into how Beijing manages both. In this talk, Dr Yu Jie will outline and analyse what we should know about the outcome of ‘The Fourth Plenum’ and what key priorities are for China’s upcoming 15th Five Year Plan.

The ‘Lobito Corridor’ is a daring plan to put Africa at the heart of the global economy and tilt the global geopolitical equilibrium. By investing billions in Africa’s roads and railways, the United States hopes to challenge China’s dominance on the continent, secure the resources needed for a high-tech future and unlock potentially trillions of dollars of fresh GDP.

But is it too late? Has the West been left behind in Africa? And what do local people feel about the economic battle intensifying around them?

Professor Khwaja will share ideas on a new vision for global development that moves from a traditional poverty based lens to one that seeks to maximize each individual’s innate potential. Together with colleagues at the Harvard Center for International Development, this reimagining seeks to build a thriving world for all and not simply a surviving world for some. By reframing development as a co-investment in people’s potential, the talk will explore how to unlock trillions in global GDP growth and foster more inclusive, sustainable societies.

On Wednesday, 26th November, the RAI will host author and historian, Tim Greiving, to discuss his new biography, John Williams: A Composer's Life. The talk will be moderated by the composer Daniel Pemberton.

Daniel Pemberton is an Ivor Novello Award and multi-BAFTA nominated composer. His film scores include 'Into the Spider-verse', 'Slow Horses', and 'The Materialists' among others.

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!

Week 4 focuses on conservative views of freedom and markets, with a reading from Kevin Vallier

Find our reading list here:

—> https://bit.ly/OCTMT25