Easter Humanities Conference

The Pembroke Easter Humanities Conference found itself in a new, and historic location this year. Toynbee Hall, 19th century home of the university settlement movement, once more hosted the meeting of a group of East London students and Oxford undergraduates.

Students from Hackney, West London, and the North West of England spent three days working alongside representatives from Pembroke. The undergraduate tutors led the group through a challenging series of seminars on topics ranging from Old English Poetry to racial politics in the 18th century. The conference concluded on Sunday with the presentation of an academic paper by each of the groups.

There was lively debate and challenging questions from all of the students. One particular outstanding contribution came from BSix delegate Barkhadle Yusuf, who helped his seminar group to win the conference prize with an impassioned presentation on Utilitarianism.

The Easter Conference marks the midway point of the Pem-Brooke and Pembroke North outreach programmes. Students are now looking forward to the Summer School in Oxford in August.

Dr. Peter Claus, Access Fellow at Pembroke, said ‘the weekend was absolutely smashing! Toynbee Hall is a wonderful environment for the students to be working in and I’m proud that they took the opportunity to engage with such complex ideas and produced such a high standard of work.’