SURVEILLANCE, THE STATE AND THE MEDIA

SURVEILLANCE, THE STATE AND THE MEDIA

Joint RSA Fellows’ Media, Creative Industries, Culture and Heritage Network meeting with CRISP (Centre for Research into Information, Surveillance and Privacy) and CTPI (Centre for Theology and Public Issues, University of Edinburgh). Registration 1730 for 1745 start.

Please see footnotes before registering: they will be deemed to have been read and understood if you book a seat.

The event will be chaired by Professor Kevin Dunion OBE FRSA, Honorary Professor and Executive Director, Centre for Freedom of Information, School of Law, University of Dundee, which is particularly focused on research and development in support of Information Commissioners and Ombudsmen internationally. In 2012 he was appointed to The World Bank’s Access to Information Appeals Board and as a Visiting Professor at Northumbria University. Prior to this Kevin Dunion was the first Scottish Information Commissioner, (2003-2012). As an international consultant on implementing and enforcing access to information rights, Kevin has worked on behalf of international agencies and NGOs in Africa, Caribbean, China, India and Brazil. He is author of a number of books and articles on access to information, as well as on environmental justice.

The panellists/speakers, listed alphabetically, are

Michael McCahill is Senior Lecturer in Criminology, School of Social Sciences, University of Hull. His main research interests include the social impact of 'new surveillance' technologies and media representations of crime and surveillance. He has published widely on the topic of surveillance and social control. His books include The Surveillance Web (2002, Willan), Surveillance and Crime (2011, Sage) and Surveillance, Capital and Resistance (2014, Routledge).

Iain Macwhirter, Broadcaster and Journalist. Iain Macwhirter is the political commentator for the Herald and the Sunday Herald. Iain joined the BBC from Edinburgh University, becoming Scottish political correspondent in 1987. In 1989 he moved to Westminster to present political programmes for BBC network such as Westminster Live and was a member of the Westminster Lobby for nearly ten years, during which time he also wrote op-ed columns for The Observer and contributed to numerous publications. In 1999 he returned to Scotland to launch the Sunday Herald and to present the BBC Holyrood Live programmes from the Scottish Parliament. Iain has been a regular contributor over the years to publications like Public Finance, Big Issue, New Statesman and the Guardian. He is also former Rector of Edinburgh University. In June he will be presenting three one hour documentaries The Road to the Referendum for STV.

Professor Martyn Percy, Principal of Ripon College, Cuddesdon and the Oxford Ministry Course. He is also Professor of Theological Education at King’s College London, and Professorial Research Fellow at Heythrop College London. An Honorary Canon of Salisbury Cathedral, he has served as curate at St. Andrew’s, Bedford, and Chaplain and Director of Studies at Christ’s College, Cambridge before being appointed as Director of the Lincoln Theological Institute 1997. He was a Canon of Sheffield from 1997-2004, and Canon Theologian of Sheffield from 2004-10. He moved to Oxford in 2004 to take up his current position at Cuddesdon. Martyn has served as a Director and Council member of the Advertising Standards Authority, and as a Commissioner of the Direct Marketing Authority. He is currently a member of the Independent Complaints Panel for the Portman Group (the self-regulating body for the alcoholic drinks industry), a member of the BBC Standing Committee on Religion and Beliefs, as well as an Advisor to the British Board of Film Classification. Since 2003 he has co-ordinated the Society for the Study of Anglicanism at the American Academy of Religion. Prior to ordination, Martyn worked in publishing. He is also the Patron of St. Francis’ Children’s Society – an Adoption and Fostering Agency.

Professor Charles Raab, Professor of Government in the University of Edinburgh is a co-Director of CRISP (Centre for Research into Information, Surveillance and Privacy). His research includes policy and regulatory issues, including privacy, data protection, surveillance, police co-operation, identity management, data sharing and e-government. He has published (with C. Bennett) The Governance of Privacy (2003; 2006) and many other books, journal articles, book chapters, and reports for several organisations, including A Report on the Surveillance Society (2006) and an Update Report (2010) for the UK Information Commissioner. He serves on boards of many research projects and academic journals, and on governmental expert groups. He was the Specialist Adviser to the House of Lords Select Committee on the Constitution for an Inquiry resulting in Surveillance: Citizens and the State, HL Paper 18, Session 2008-09. He participates in several EU-funded research projects concerning surveillance, security, privacy and democracy. He is an Academician of the Academy of Social Sciences (AcSS) and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts (FRSA).

FOOTNOTES: Data Protection Act: The three host organisations (RSA MCICH Network, CRISP and CTPI will have access to the registration data, will act in compliance with legislation and will not share it with third parties. PHOTOGRAPHS will be taken at the event which will not be held under Chatham House Rule. ACCESS is not easy so please be sure to advise requirements via apmcich@btinternet so that realistic help may be offered. It is anticipated there should be time for networking over a quick glass of wine at the event conclusion unless the pressure of questions and debate is such that the event itself runs on till the event conclusion time of 7.30pm