please save the date!
OUR NEXT DCM SEEKING WISDOM CONFERENCE WILL BE 21-22 MARCH 2025 (9TH WEEK HILARY TERM)
Please do save the dates for our next two DCM Conferences, ‘Christianity and the Life of the Mind’ on Friday 31 January & Saturday 1 February 2025 (2nd Week Hilary Term) and ‘Seeking Wisdom’ on Friday 21 & Saturday 22 March 2025 (9th Week Hilary Term). An example programme from our 2024 Social Sciences Stream can be found below.
Social Sciences & LAW Stream
FriDay 15th March : The Social Sciences and the Christian World View
SAturday 16th March : The christian perspective on International Migration and Refugees
Fri 15th March (10:30 am - 9:00 pm) and Sat 16th March (9:00 am - 2:00 pm)
Magdalen College, Oxford
Senior Conveners: Donald Hay, Emeritus Fellow, Economics; Timothy Endicott, Vinerian Professor, English Law
Convener: Andrew Marshall, JRF, Politics
The Social Sciences and Law Stream is one of five disciplinary streams that make up Seeking Wisdom, the spring conference of Developing a Christian Mind. It includes law, business, and all other subjects in the University of Oxford Social Sciences Division. Past attendees are encouraged to come, listen to new talks, and take part in discussion with new attendees.
**Please note our eligibility criteria: This event is for University of Oxford and Oxford Brookes postgraduates, postdocs, academic staff. If you do not fit this criteria, are DCM Alumni, or in a continuing education program, please complete this form and we will review your request **
Friday March 15th : The Social Sciences and the Christian WorldView
What does it mean to be human? How should societies be governed? How should we situate our Christian worldview within a pluralistic society? Two sessions with break out groups to discuss the issues:
10:30 am Registration in Magdalen College’s Old Kitchen Bar with coffee & tea
11:00 am Introductions and gathering in break-out groups
11:30 am Social scientific and Christian understandings of human beings in society - Donald Hay, Emeritus Fellow, Economics
This talk has focusses on comparing (and contrasting) Christian anthropology with rational choice theory (including behavioural economics and cooperative game theory), social theory/constructionism, and persons/agency (including the social theory of Christian Smith).
1:00 pm Lunch in the Old Kitchen Bar
2:00 pm Part One: Social ethics in the social sciences: theological and secular approaches - Tom Simpson, Associate Professor, Philosophy & Public Policy
The talk considers the implicit commitments in social sciences about the way society should be structured, considers whether there is a Christian view and if so, what constitutes that view, and then presents a critique of the dominant secular proposals. The talk starts with a case study, to focus attention on the questions that need to be addressed.
3:30 pm Coffee & tea in Room
4:00 pm Part Two: The role of the political authorities - Tom Simpson, Associate Professor, Philosophy & Public Policy
The talk will consider a range of views about the role of the political authorities in the Christian tradition, and contrast these with contemporary understandings in social and political thinking in the social sciences and law.
5:15 pm Interview with Mary Louis, Senior Fellow, Business Management Practice, by Bethan Willis, Chaplain, the Oxford Pastorate
The following events are held jointly with all streams at New College.
6:30 pm Walking together from Magdalen College to New College*
6:40 pm Drinks at the New College Bar
7:30 pm Dinner in the New College Dining Hall
*Due to scheduling needs, those in the Social Science & Law Stream will be skipping Friday evening prayer from 6-6:30pm in Magdalen Chapel and walking straight to New College for the drinks reception and dinner
Saturday March 16th : The Christian Perspective on International Migration and Refugees
9:00 am Registration in Magdalen College Old Kitchen Bar with coffee & tea
9:05 am Prayer in Magdalen College Chapel
9:30 am A roundtable discussion on the Christian perspective on International Migration and Refugees. The following have agreed to participate as presenters:
Romu Meango, Associate Professor, Economics
Thiago Alves Pinto, Lecturer & Director of Studies, Religion and Theology, Continuing Education
John Owen, Professor, Politics, University of Virginia
Robert Heimburger, Lecturer, Theological Ethics, University of Cardiff
Chaired by Timothy Endicott, Vinerian Professor, English Law
11:30 am Coffee & tea in the Old Kitchen Bar
12:00 pm Roundtable discussion continued
1:00 pm Lunch in the Old Kitchen Bar
2:00 pm Closing