A free public talk by Emma Dabiri, Jon Harvey, Catrin Nye and Professor Lady Sue Black on personal identity, social media, AI relationships and mental health.
The Sheldonian Theatre hosts Personal Identity in a Digital Age on Tuesday 10 November, part of the Sheldonian Series. It's a discussion about how we hold onto ourselves in a digital world, and the line-up brings together voices from the arts, sciences and public life. Emma Dabiri, author and broadcaster, sits alongside Jon Harvey, comedian and writer — better known as the human alter-ego of Count Binface — and Catrin Nye, investigative journalist. Professor Lady Sue Black, President of St John's College, moderates the conversation.
They'll be talking through social media, fabricated identities, AI relationships, and mental health, and the tension between our digital selves and our physical or biological identities. It's a broad remit, and having a writer, a comedian and a journalist on the same panel should keep the conversation from leaning too far in one direction.
The session is part of the Sheldonian Series, a termly programme convened by the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Oxford to open up discussion on the big issues of the day. It's built on a commitment to free and inclusive speech, diversity of thought and the exchange of ideas. Now in its third year, the series is focusing on identity, working across Michaelmas, Hilary and Trinity terms to explore its personal, national and cultural dimensions. This particular session, Personal Identity in a Digital Age, is the personal one.
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The Sheldonian Theatre itself is a unique Oxford setting that stages a rich programme of concerts, talks and lectures alongside the university's graduation ceremonies. The discussion runs from 5.30pm to 6.45pm, with doors opening at 4.45pm. Tickets are free.
