Plenary 4: Civil Society
Welcome to the civil society plenary
At the dawn of the 21st century, people have become connected in ways never seen before, and on an unprecedented scale. The rise of democracy, the dominance of the free market and the sharing of knowledge through the internet has shifted power decisively away from institutions and into the hands of ordinary people.
How we decide to organise ourselves, the identities we choose to adopt and our ability to communicate and to co-operate will determine whether we can exert this power for the benefit of ourselves and our communities.
The Civil Society plenary will investigate and analyse the role of key popular forces on the power and politics of global helath : the repeated victory of ideology over evidence; the increasing influence of religion and faith; our dependence upon, and manipulation by, reporters and the media; and the continued concern over the independence, legitimacy and accountability of non-governmental organisations.
Our hope is to empower delegates by highlighting the strengths and vulnerabilities of civil society in this new era, and to inspire them to keep informed and keep campaigning during their lives and careers.
Speakers
For details, click on the speakers name.
- Therese Hesketh (Chair) Paediatrician and academic at the UCL Centre for International Health and Development
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Elisabeth Pisani Author: The Wisdom of Whores: bureaucrats, Brothels and the Business of AIDS.
- Chris Van Tulleken Journalist and aid-worker
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Tamsin Bradley Course leader for Social Anthropology, London Metropolitan University
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Paul Hilder UK Campaign Director for Avaaz.org
For workshops related to this plenary, click here.
Educate. Inspire. Act.
