Raymond William’s ‘Keywords: A Vocabulary of Culture and Society’

The motif ‘culture is ordinary’ played a huge part in the development of Raymond Williams’ life work. His examinations of the interplay of ‘ordinary’ and ‘higher’ culture, his studies of ‘media’, his political activity, and his determination to remain culturally linked to his boyhood home of Pandy are themes around which his extraordinary output evolved. Within the wealth of his work the book ‘Keywords’ occupies a special place. Williams believed that by tracing the historical development of key words in the English language it was possible to examine the rifts in the cultural worlds in which they were embedded. The result is much more than an etymological treatise, it is a revelation of the inner life of the words we use. The intention of this lecture is to reveal how this inner life of the lexicon also reveals to us the inner worlds of the people whose words they are.

Inspired by our Church of England foundation, Canterbury Christ Church University’s mission is to pursue excellence in higher education: transforming individuals, creating knowledge, enriching communities and building a sustainable future.

It is only since the Education Act of 1870 that most primary-aged children have attended school, and it was not until the Education Act of 1944 was there an expectation that all children, including those from the working class, get free education up to the age of 16 years. Since that time, the class system has dictated the nature and remit of schools, and many would argue that it continues to do so. Drawing on several disciplines across the Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Education, we warmly invite you to join us as we explore some of the most pressing issues around class, education and social change in 21st Century. The talks will introduce you to some of the great educationalists of our time, offering a “language of critique” of existing power relations and a “language of possibility” for creating a new society through educational and social practice (Giroux, 1985).

To ensure the safety of our guests and speakers and following government guidance, the lectures will be presented online (using web browsers Chrome, Firefox or Safari - not Internet Explorer or Edge) and booking is required.

Each lecture will last for 50 minutes and there will be the opportunity to ask questions of the speakers, which will be answered during a live question and answer session that will take place at the end of the lecture.

The lectures will be recorded and made available after the live event takes place.

All ticket holders will find access details on their Print at Home tickets. Please book one ticket for each device you will be using, rather than per person, i.e. book one ticket if there will be two of you viewing together.