DOLAN CUMMINGS is an Associate Fellow of the Institute of Ideas, having been its research and editorial director from 2001 to 2010. He continues to edit the IoI’s online review Culture Wars , where he writes about books, films and theatre. He is also one of the co-founders of the Manifesto Club, a campaign group for freedom in everyday life. He recently wrote a report, 28 ¾: How Constant Age Checks Are Infantilising Adults (September 2010). He has edited two collections of essays, The Changing Role of the Public Intellectual (Routledge, 2005) – the introduction is available here –  and Debating Humanism (Imprint Academic, 2006). Dolan has produced several strands and individual debates at the Battle of Ideas over the years, on themes as various as religion and secularism, liberty, culture, community, music, law and America, and he both speaks and chairs at similar events across the UK and beyond. He appears regularly on radio and television as a commentator on the above issues.

Dolan spoke at Close and Remote’s Secure City Talk on 9 May 2013 at Deptford Lounge, London. An audio recording of his opening presentation is below.