Following the Palm D'or winning success of his latest film Shoplifters, FLJS Films is pleased to present master director Hirokazu Kore-eda's previous film, The Third Murder, his elliptical reworking of Kurosawa's Rashomon for modern times. The Third Murder is an existential crime drama through which Kore-eda takes up his trademark themes of unconventional parent–child relations, while subjecting to his forensic gaze the gap that emerges between the letter of the law and justice truly served. From the arresting opening scenes of a factory worker's cold-blooded murder of his boss, the film employs an intriguing and expertly woven narrative of shifting stories to carry us into a profound essay on the subjectivity of truth. In doing so, The Third Murder stands as an understated yet powerful indictment of the death penalty that continues to cast a long shadow over modern-day Japan. Sir Tim Hitchens introduces Tony Rayns, expert in Asian cinema

The conflictual politics of Brexit – characterized by entrenched divisions between Leavers and Remainers – can be traced back to long-standing and more recent features of the British constitution that encourage discord over dialogue; tribal loyalty rather than broad consensus. This is the case both of the traditional system of ‘strong’ party government through parliamentary executive, and of the recent turn to binary-choice plebiscites – in referendums on Scottish independence and membership of the European Union. This kind of divisiveness has also contributed to the turn to populism – to claims by those with very particular agendas to represent ‘the People’ as a whole, with no allowance made to the views of those others, often castigated as ‘elites’, who do not share their particular agenda.

In this lecture, lawyer Mary Bartkus shares her firsthand experience of the international litigation of multibillion dollar claims against Big Pharma when a medication taken by millions of users worldwide is withdrawn. She will address the impact of the withdrawal and United States litigation on regulators, legislators, and on cross-border litigation in common law and civil law jurisdictions across six continents. When Merck & Co., Inc. withdrew the innovative painkiller Vioxx (Rofecoxib) from more than eighty countries following evidence that high-dosage use could cause an increased risk of heart attack and stroke, thousands of US citizens brought personal injury claims. The lecture considers this landmark international litigation alongside the challenges companies face when investing billions of dollars to develop innovative medications, and asks: Who won and who lost?

This Oxford symposium aims to bring together reasearchers from UNSW, Australia, and institutions in Europe, researching and developing technology for improved silicon solar cells. It promotes an informal exchange of technical and scientific information between international researchers in the field of Silicon Photovoltaics, through a combination of oral presentations and open discussions. Through this exchange the delegates aim to expand their knowledge of silicon photovoltaic technology, discuss the different technological challenges for future silicon cells, and propose solutions through the development of future research projects. 

The AWRC presents Professor Sir Fergus Millar ‘In Conversation’ with Professor Martin Goodman on ‘From Murrayfield to Mesopotamia’. Exploring the Ancient World from Italy to the Near East. Sir Fergus Millar, Member of Wolfson Common Room and Emeritus Camden Professor of Ancient History at the University, is amongst the most influential ancient historians of recent times and has published widely on ancient and late antique history. Martin Goodman is Professor of Jewish Studies and President of the Oxford Centre for Hebrew and Jewish Studies, and is a Governing Body Fellow of the College.

The Wolfson College Choir is teaming up with the choir of St Cross to bring you an evening of musical delights! Come to the Pusey House chapel to hear a range of folk songs and other choral works, celebrate the end of the term, and support your choir!

After 35 years in diplomacy, Sir Tim Hitchens considers how 21st century will be different from 20th century diplomacy. He will consider the evolution of diplomatic tradecraft, and the different cultures of diplomacy around the world. He will argue that the biggest challenge this century will be between rules-based international relations and power-based; but that for rules-based diplomacy to survive, the rules themselves need to evolve to reflect changing realities, and that arguing for the status quo is a dead end.

Sir Peter Gluckman will deliver the lecture “Expanding the diplomatic toolkit: the further evolution of science diplomacy”.

Science diplomacy has become much more than international science collaboration; it is primarily the intentional application of science (both natural and social) or scientific expertise in furtherance of diplomatic objectives. Structures for effective science diplomacies are often lacking; emerging issues drive a new emphasis on the global commons and thus the need for science diplomacy. The paradox, however, is that while globalization is being impaired, the need to address issues of the global commons is rising. Science can assist with most policy challenges, and in this lecture Sir Peter Gluckman explains that this is true also for much of diplomacy.