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With year two PhD deadline rapidly approaching (two weeks!), postings here are bound to be quite sporadic over the next few weeks. There's just too much to do to overstretch writing energies.

Though having just returned from the fascinating 1st of the series of this year's Reith Lectures, I can't help but want to make a brief mention. This year's lectures are given by Harvard professor, Michael Sandel, and are entitled 'A New Citizenship'. The audience is primarily invite only (and included David Miliband and Ken Livingstone, among others) so tickets are rather hard to come by. And while I initially inwardly groaned when our host, Sue Lawley, mentioned that there would be plenty of time for questions, the distinguished audience meant that what actually took place was one of the most intelligent and stimulating debates on morality in democratic, capitalist society I've ever witnessed in a public forum. There are four lectures in the series and all are being broadcast on Radio 4 so definitely take the time to listen to a timely and fascinating discussion on what it means to be a citizen in today's society.

I wish I had more time to write about Sandel's lecture and my thoughts on what he had to say, but I fear it shall have to wait for another time. At present, I have a more important man in my life and he's very demanding...