Event type: Talk

Talking Culture is a series of friendly discussions where curious people can come together to think, talk, and explore today’s major issues. The next session will take place on Thu 3 Sep, and will focus on questions associated with masculinity online

The Rise of the Manosphere

What is happening with masculinity online? Against a complicated backdrop shaped by all sorts of social and economic pressures, masculine norms are often said to be undergoing radical transformation. Take, for example, the recent media debates addressing the ‘manosphere’, or UK policy proclamations of a male epidemic of loneliness; something is changing or is said to be with respect to masculinity and online life.

What sense can be made of this context? Does social life online profoundly reshape our ideas of what it means to be a man? Are men’s friendships and emotional lives fundamentally altered by the increased time spent online? What does all this mean for gender relationships more broadly?

In this open discussion led by Dr Brittany Ralph, Lecturer in Sociology at the University of Liverpool, we will reflect together on the fascinating context of masculinity online. As ever, no prior knowledge is necessary, and we look forward to hearing your views.

Free, booking required

How Warfare Changed During WW1

A talk by Wing Commander Steve Chaskin (retired)

1914 The Domination of the Battlefield by Artillery The start of the First World War saw years of development in the capability of artillery fully realised. However, the very success achieved by Field Artillery and Super Heavy Siege guns resulted in a total change to the nature of warfare.  The artillery of all nations had to react to changed conditions and to counter new threats, such as aircraft.

The talk will examine the use of artillery in 1914 and illustrate the rapid changes required by trench warfare. This talk will also contain lots of genuine examples for the public to see.

About Wing Commander Steve Chaskin

Wing Commander Steve Chaskin OBE RAF (Retd) joined the Royal Air Force in 1980 and trained as a fast jet navigator, a role known as a Weapon Systems Officer in the United States Air Force. He flew F4 Phantom and then the Tornado F3 in the air defence role, amassing over 1000 flight hours on both aircraft types. From 1983 to 2000 he contributed to protecting NATO’s borders in Western Europe, intercepting Soviet intruders, operating between Iceland and Norway before policing the Inner German Border until the fall of the Soviet Union. He has extensive operational experience including flying from diverse locations such as the Falkland Islands in the South Atlantic, to the deserts of Southern Iraq.

After his flying career he worked in both the Royal Air Force electronic warfare and intelligence communities. For this service he was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE). He also completed a deployment to Tashkent, Uzbekistan as the UK Defence Attache in support of operations in neighbouring Afghanistan. His last appointment before retiring in 2024 was commanding 611 Squadron (reserves) at RAF Woodvale.

Iraq Op Telic 9 – Arnhem in Basra by Carl Gardner

Book Launch & Q&A with the Author 

Join highly decorated veteran and author Carl Gardner for the launch of Iraq Operation Telic 9 – Arnhem in Basra, a gripping first-hand account of Arnhem Company’s deployment to Basra City in 2006.

Told from the perspective of the Company Sergeant Major, this powerful memoir chronicles seven months of intense combat, constant lethal attacks, and the harsh realities of life on the front line. Through previously untold stories, Carl reflects on the courage, sacrifice, loss and resilience of the soldiers who served during one of the most challenging periods of the conflict.

Both compelling military history and a deeply personal story, Iraq Operation Telic 9 – Arnhem in Basra offers an honest perspective of those who lived through it.

During the evening, Carl will share the experiences behind the book, the realities of conflict, and his journey from soldier to writer.

Copies of the book will be available to purchase

Where Are All The Women Artists? – a talk by Dr Julia Clayton

 Can you tell, just by looking at it, whether a specific artwork was made by a man or a woman? This talk, presented in conjunction with The Atkinson’s exhibition Taking Centre Stage: Female Artists in The Atkinson’s Collection, explores the reasons why women artists are under-represented both in major collections and in traditional narratives of art history.

While this is partly due to the social, economic and educational barriers historically faced by women artists, it’s also the case that some artworks by women were misattributed to their male contemporaries. This talk looks at how these misattributions arose, how they were consolidated by the pressures of the art market, and whether there is such a thing as a distinctive style of women’s art.