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The Uses of Richard Hoggart
Richard Hoggart, the former UNESCO Assistant Director General for Culture, member of the UKNC's former Culture Committee, and one of Britain's foremost post-war public intellectuals and social commentators, died this month aged 95. His biographer, Dr. Michael Bailey, has written a piece exclusively for Network Link readers on Hoggart's life and legacy in the UK, UNESCO and beyond.
A literary critic by training, Hoggart published more than 30 books and contributed to numerous policy documents. His work repeatedly traversed entrenched disciplinary boundaries, addressing a wide range of subject areas, including literature, popular culture, moralism and censorship, broadcasting regulation, media literacy, the arts, educated citizenship, cultural relativism, autobiography, working-class history, and Englishness.
His most celebrated and important publication was The Uses of Literacy (1957). Unlike many of his contemporaries, who dismissed all forms of popular literature and art as vulgar and corrupting, Hoggart argued that it was important for literary critics and educationalists to base their judgements on a more detailed understanding about 'what people might make of that material'.
On the other hand, Hoggart saw a simultaneous undermining of traditional working-class attitudes and social practices, a worsening of a certain valuable 'way of life' that genuinely concerned him. He much preferred what he famously referred to as an urban culture 'of the people' to the 'culturally classless society' that he described as emerging from the 1940s onwards.
In between publishing 'Uses', his time as ADG at UNESCO and publishing a book on his experiences at UNESCO (An Idea and Its Servants: UNESCO from within, 1978), Hoggart was engaged in various public duties, including several appearances as an expert witness for the defence in the Lady Chatterley's Lover obscenity trial in 1960. Hoggart famously declared the book (and its author D.H. Lawrence) as 'virtuous', 'if not puritanical'. He was widely celebrated as the person that had turned the case around in favour of the defence.
After retiring as Warden of Goldsmiths College, Hoggart continued to write. His final publication, Promises to Keep (2005), can be read as a critical commentary on the condition of England and a call to keep 'going on', with 'hope', with 'love' and with 'charity.' While his general argument may seem dated, sometimes patronising, and occasionally contemptuous, his criticisms of 'dumbing down', 'levelling', 'relativism' and 'popularism', represent an increasingly important engagement with the idea of public culture as a primary facilitator of democracy.
Altogether, the uses of Hoggart are considerable and his work continues to inform our understanding of a variety of historical and contemporary lived cultures, literary forms and institutional practices. Whereas other cultural commentators have long since given up on the idea of 'a culture for democracy', Hoggart's writings appeal to the best in each of us and remind us of that which we 'do not yet know, and might not like, but should know for its sake and ours'.
Above all, not unlike the example of Hector, the eccentric teacher in Alan Bennett's play The History Boys, Hoggart's gift is to teach us that culture and education are best understood as social processes to which we all contribute, no matter how fleetingly. Hoggart's own legacy is nothing but exemplary. 'Take it, feel it, and pass it on'.
Richard Hoggart, cultural critic and educationalist, born 24 September 1918; died 10 April 2014.
Dr. Michael Bailey teaches in the Sociology Department at Essex University. He is the co-author (with Ben Clarke and John Walton) of Understanding Richard Hoggart, and co-editor (with Mary Eagleton) of Richard Hoggart: Culture & Critique.
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UK EventsUpcoming events in the UK
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UNESCO Events
Key forthcoming UNESCO events
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UNESCO Publications
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UK National Commission for UNESCO Suite 98, 3 Whitehall Court London, SW1A 2EL
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UNESCO's Executive Board meeting
 | | The 194th session of the UNESCO Executive Board convened this month © UNESCO |
UNESCO's Executive Board meeting took place in Paris this month where the 58 elected Board members - including the UK - convened to examine UNESCO's programme of work. The Executive Board endorsed a continued push to ensure that a clear education goal features in the post-2015 sustainable development goals. It also supported continued work on a Global Geoparks initiative. Another focus of the Executive Board was on how UNESCO could best respond to its financial constraints by trimming expenses. The Executive Board also asked the UNESCO Director General, Irina Bokova, to investigate and take any appropriate action in Crimea following reports concerning numerous issues in UNESCO's fields of competence (including but not limited to access to education, freedom of expression and cultural heritage). During the Executive Board meeting, UKNC Chair Tim Williams met with Eric Falt, UNESCO's Assistant Director General for External Relations, to exchange information on the work of the UKNC and that of other National Commissions around the world. UKNC Director, Professor Kiran Fernandes met with UNESCO's Internal Oversight Service (IoS). This service, which is responsible for internal audits, evaluation and other management support to UNESCO, is currently undergoing an evaluation of its results reporting. Professor Fernandes, through his work with the UKNC, has been offering on-going strategic advice to the IoS as part of this evaluation to help create a more effective and efficient UNESCO.
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UK launch of Education For All Report
The UK launch of the Education for All Global Monitoring Report took place at the Institute for Education earlier this month. Read a summary of the event written by Pauline Rose, former Director of the Global Monitoring ReportUNESCO is leading the global consultation to agree a new set of education goals and measurable targets and indicators for after 2015.  | |
The 2013/14 GMR recognises and evidences the progress that has been made over the past 10 years but reveals that the 6 EFA goals will not be achieved by 2015
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The proposed new goals are likely to include a strong focus on equity and the duty of governments to provide quality education. There is also a strong emphasis on the need to capture accurate data in order to measure progress towards meeting the goals. A series of consultations are planned throughout 2014 to agree the new education goals. These will be formalised at the Global Education Conference in South Korea in May 2015 for presentation to the Heads of State and Government summit in New York in September 2015. The UKNC plans to contribute to the consultation by producing a policy brief on the new EFA goals. The UKNC looks forward to sharing this policy brief and its outcomes with Network Link readers in the late spring.
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UNESCO releases first ever annual report from its National Commissions
The report is intended to provide a foundation for sharing best practice and experience across 120 National Commissions worldwide.  The UKNC summarises its main achievements in 2013, which include; producing a series of policy briefs that offer advice to UK Government on UNESCO's work and how it can be improved and producing the report the 'Wider Value of UNESCO to the UK 2012 - 13' which estimates that UK organizations benefit from UK membership of UNESCO to the amount of an estimated £90 million each year. In the Annual Report, the UKNC explains that its priority for 2014 is to expand its existing network of experts to enable it to continue to provide high-quality policy advice to UK Government and to UNESCO in the fields of education, the sciences, culture, communication and information. The UKNC will be feeding back to Network Link readers on this process and opportunities to get involved, over the coming months.
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Help find the UK's Great Geosites
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Durdle Door, Dorset
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As part of Earth Science Week 2014, The Geological Society and partner organisations are compiling a photographic list of the UK's 100 Great Geosites. The purpose of the list is to highlight the huge range of geological sites across the UK. The Geological Society invites Network Link readers to send photos of their favourite UK geosites via Twitter (#100geosites), Facebook (www.facebook.com/100geosites), or by emailing to 100geosites@geolsoc.org.uk. The final list will be launched in October 2014 for Earth Science Week.
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Bradford
UNESCO City of Film launches Film Office
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The world's first UNESCO City of Film this month launched its new Film Office, to support film and TV production in Bradford and the surrounding area.  | |
Bradford has hosted the production of many films and TV programmes over the past 100 years including BAFTA nominated, 'The Great Train Robbery' BAFTA award winning 'Peaky Blinders'
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This support ranges from liaising with local authorities and business to obtain filming permissions to helping film crews scout for filming locations. Director of Bradford UNESCO City of Film, David Wilson said of the Film Office, "Bradford is using our UNESCO City of Film status to work with partner organisations and businesses across the City to ensure a true film-friendly response to filming requests". Bradford's UNESCO City of Film status bestows international recognition on Bradford as a world centre for film because of the city's rich film heritage, its inspirational movie locations and its many celebrations of the moving image through the city's annual film festivals. As well as offering support to filming in the local area, the UNESCO City of Film is currently working with the UNESCO Creative Cities working group to encourage more cities from around the world to consider applying to be a UNESCO designated City of Film. |
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Tacita Dean: Save the language of film
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 In a recent Radio 4 documentary, British artist and Turner Prize nominee, Tacita Dean travels to UNESCO's Paris headquarters to advocate for photochemical film to be protected as intangible cultural heritage. She makes the case that in a time when photochemical film is being superseded by digital technologies, UNESCO and member states should do all that they can to keep it alive. |
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'Beyond the Statistics'
UNESCO will mark World Press Freedom Day (3 May) by featuring the personal stories of fallen journalists in its annual website segment called 'Beyond the Statistics'.  | | War correspondent, Marie Colvin, was killed in the line of duty in Syria in February 2012. © Reuters |
It is calling on members of the public to submit stories of journalists who have been killed in the line of duty from 2013 - 2014. In the past 10 years, more than 600 journalists and media workers have been killed. In 2012 alone there were 121 journalists killed - almost twice as many killings than in previous years. UNESCO actively promotes the safety of journalists by championing the UN Plan of Action on the Safety of Journalists and believes that they have the right to work free from the threat of violence. The focus for this year's World Press Freedom Day is on three inter-related themes: the media's importance in development; the safety of journalists and the rule of law; and the sustainability and integrity of journalism. An international conference, on these themes, will be held at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris on 5 - 6 May. To submit a story to 'Beyond the Statistics', please send them directly to Mr Ming-Kuok Lim (mk.lim(at)unesco.org) and Ms Lien de Tavernier (l.de-tavernier(at)unesco.org) from UNESCO's Division of Freedom of Expression and Media Development. |
World Book and Copyright Day UNESCO marked World Book and Copyright Day this year with the launch of its new report, Reading in the Mobile Era. The report argues that millions of people around the world do not read because they do not have access to books and that the spread of mobile technology is vital for advancing literacy and learning. World Book and Copyright Day, which took place on 23  April, the birthday of William Shakespeare and Miguel de Cervantès, recognises the book as the embodiment of human creativity and the desire to share ideas and knowledge in order to inspire understanding and tolerance. The UNESCO Chairholder in New Media Forms of the Book, Professor Alexis Weedon (University of Bedfordshire) recently published a journal article, which explores how today, the book is challenged by the Internet as a source of information. Professor Weedon calls for a redefinition of the book as a system rather than a material object. A system through which creative, artistic, innovative, and cutting edge scientific ideas reach an audience. This is where its economic value and cultural worth lies, argues Professor Weedon.
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Applications are open for the following
BIS Science and Society Community Challenge Grant Scheme
This new scheme - open to scientists and researchers through to artists and educators - offers financial support to individuals and organisations who are looking to create and run pilot projects which take science to diverse audiences, and engages them with science in their own communities.
The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills has allocated up to £500,000 to this scheme during the financial year 2014 to 2015, and is expecting to fund 20 - 25 projects.
Closing date is 16 May 2014
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Royal Society Pairing Scheme
This scheme builds bridges between Parliamentarians, Civil Servants and some of the best research scientists in the UK. Parliamentarians have the opportunity to explore the science behind their decisions and scientists gain a valuable insight into how science policy is formed.
Applicants are required to have at least two years postdoctoral research experience or equivalent research experience in industry.
Closing date is 23 May 2014
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ICT in Primary Education course The University of London, in collaboration with the Institute of Education and the UNESCO Institute of IT in Education is currently taking applications for its new course on ICT in Primary Education. The six week course is designed as a professional development course for teachers and policymakers in primary education but is also open to all with an interest in this area. The course is free and open to all. It runs from 27 May to 8 July.
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NERC Call for ideas The Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) is inviting individuals and organisations to share their ideas to address societal challenges and develop NERC's strategic research agenda.
NERC research looks to improve our quality of life and grow economies while living within the Earth's limits. During 2014 NERC is introducing a 'bottom-up' generation of ideas to identify and prioritise its strategic scientific research priorities in the environmental sciences.
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Call for nominations for the L'Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science International Laureates  Scientists around the world are invited to submit candidates for the L'Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science International Laureate Awards. Each year, five Laureates from five regions around the world are recognized for their contributions to the advancement of science, in Life or Physical Sciences in alternating years. This years will designate five outstanding scientific researchers in the Physical Sciences. Each of the five Laureates will receive an award of €100,000. To be considered eligible for an award, it is necessary to be nominated in writing by an eminent scientist. Self-nominations are not eligible. Closing date is 15 June 2014
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Water Workshops at the University of Dundee Annual International Law and Transboundary Freshwaters Workshop
 The purpose of the 5-day workshop, co-organised with Global Water Partnership, is to explore the contribution of international law to the challenges faced by transboundary basins (rivers, lakes and aquifers) throughout the world.
A key focus will be on exploring not only the content of the law, but also the range of challenges faced in its implementation. It will benefit from the collective knowledge and expertise of world-renowned speakers all of whom have a 'real world' focus.9th - 13th June 2014, University of Dundee
Water Negotiation and Governance: Advanced Skills Workshop
The workshop is targeted at future decision-makers, negotiators, lawyers and policy-experts and others involved in transboundary water negotiations. The workshop presumes a basic knowledge of international water law.
16th - 19th June 2014, University of Dundee
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Queen Elizabeth Prize for Engineering
 Nominations for the Queen Elizabeth Prize for Engineering (QEPrize) can now be submitted. This international £1 million prize, aims to raise the public profile of engineering and inspire young people to take up the challenges of the future and become engineers.
Nominations are open to any individual who is personally responsible for a ground breaking innovation in engineering that has been of global benefit to humanity. Self-nominations will not be accepted.
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