Rhodes Scholars discuss civil rights, women's leadership, and 'rendering war improbable'

21 December 2011

This term has seen Rhodes Scholars engage in stimulating discussions on diverse topics from civil rights, to women’s leadership, to 'rendering war improbable' through naval partnerships. 

The term began with activities to welcome the class of 2011 to Oxford. For details, click here.

Subsequent talks at Rhodes House have included:

• a discussion on ‘Racial Spectacle and Shame Through and Beyond Civil Rights’, by Professor Jonathan Holloway, Professor of History, African American Studies, and American Studies at Yale, and Master of Calhoun College, Yale,
• a lecture by prominent Nigerian leader Babatunde Fashola, Governor of Lagos State, on progress and challenges as Lagos develops rapidly towards being the third largest 'megacity' in the world,
• a discussion about the future of women’s leadership with Professor Nannerl O. Keohane, former President of Duke University and Wellesley College, who has recently led a major review of women's undergraduate leadership at Princeton,
• a discussion about religion and faith in politics with Reverend Professor Michael Tate AO, former Dean of the University of Tasmania Law School, former Australian Minister for Justice (1987-93), former Australian Ambassador to the Netherlands and the Holy See, and a Catholic priest,
• a talk by Richard Potok (New South Wales & St John's 1984) on the Aspiration Initiative and other aspects of Indigenous education in Australia,
• an address by Admiral Gary Roughead, former Chief of US Naval Operations, on ‘Rendering war improbable: the experience of naval partnerships in the 21^st century’,
• a discussion about the future of NATO and the nature of leadership with Major General Michelle Johnson (Iowa & Brasenose 1981), the most senior Rhodes woman in the U.S. military, who serves as Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations and Intelligence for Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE),
• a seminar on political and economic changes in the world, including the fragmentation of ideas and power, with Nader Mousavizadeh (Denmark & Christ Church 1992), Chief Executive Officer of Oxford Analytica, and former Special Assistant to then UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan,
• the inaugural Rex Nettleford Memorial Lecture by Sir Shridath Ramphal,  former Secretary-General of the Commonwealth, who urged greater Caribbean unity, one of the hopes of Rex Nettleford (Jamaica & Oriel 1957), as a pioneer and leader in cultural studies, dance, higher education, and more in the Caribbean, and
• a discussion entitled '2012 US election forecast - can government be fixed?’ led by Nicholas W. Allard (New York & Merton 1974).

Other activities for Scholars this term have included a breakfast for Indian Scholars with Rhodes Trustee Narayana Murthy, a lunch for Australian Scholars with Malcolm Turnbull MP (New South Wales & Brasenose 1978), and a dinner for Jamaican and Commonwealth Caribbean Scholars with the Jamaican High Commissioner to London, His Excellency Mr Anthony Johnson.

The busy term has drawn to a close with the annual Christmas dinner at Rhodes House, where  Rhodes Scholars and partners enjoyed gifts from a jovial ‘Father Christmas’ (who bore a striking resemblance to Head Porter Bob Wyllie!).

Also this term, an inspiring group of young scholars have been newly elected as the Class of 2012.

The texts of a number of talks at Rhodes House during 2011 are on this website:

• George Bizos’s lecture in memory of the anti-apartheid Rhodes Scholar lawyer Bram Fischer (Orange Free State & New College 1931) - here
• Nobel laureate F. W. de Klerk’s lecture on ‘Leadership in South Africa’s transition’ - here
• a speech by Elias Chipimo Jr (Zambia & Oriel 1990) on his vision for leadership for Africa’s future - here
• a lecture by Governor Fashola of Lagos State, Nigeria, on transforming a megacity - here
• a talk by Professor Nan Keohane on ‘The future of women’s leadership’ - here
• a speech by Her Excellency Ms Quentin Bryce AC, the Governor-General of Australia, on the contribution of Australian Rhodes Scholars - here
• remarks by Steve Crown (Washington & Queen's 1980) at the celebration of the 50th anniversary of Eastman House - here, and
• Sir Shridath Ramphal’s lecture in memory of Caribbean cultural icon Rex Nettleford (Jamaica & Oriel 1957) - here.