Lectures

The University of Oxford holds a number of prestigious annual lectures and events that bring some of the world's leading scholars to Oxford. Some of these lectures are dedicated to intellectual history whilst others are often of great interest to the community of intellectual historians at Oxford. On this page you can explore the links to find out more information. We also include details for upcoming lectures on our Events page.

The Carlyle Lectures

Dedicated to the History of Political Thought, these annual lectures cover a range of periods and geographical locations. Past lecturers include Quentin Skinner, Melissa Lane, Annabel Brett and Samuel Moyn.

Besterman Lectures

The Besterman Lectures in Enlightenment studies are hosted by the Voltaire Foundation and named after its founder, Theodore Besterman.

The Lyell Lectures

The Lyell Readership in Bibliography is endowed by a bequest from James Lyell (1871–1948). Each year since 1952, a distinguished scholar has been elected to deliver the lectures, usually six in number, on any topic of bibliography, broadly conceived.

The Isaiah Berlin Lectures

The Isaiah Berlin Visiting Professorship brings leading scholars in the history of philosophy or history of ideas to Oxford for a term in which they give a series of lectures.

The Dacre Lectures

Created in honour of Hugh Trevor-Roper, Baron Dacre of Glanton, Regius Professor of History at Oxford (1957-1980).

1280px high street oxford painting by turner 1810 crop

The James Ford Lectures in British History

The Ford Lectures in British History were founded by a bequest from James Ford, and inaugurated by S.R.Gardiner in 1896-7. Since then, an annual series has been delivered over six weeks in Hilary term.

Intellectual History Across Borders

28 September

john rogers herbert assertion of liberty of conscience by the independents of the westminster assembly of divines

Spiritual and Secular Authority in Early Modern Europe: Trans-Regional Perspectives

29 September

Enlightenment Decentred: Networks, Media, Practices

30 September

A Social Question before the Social Question: Addressing Poverty in Enlightenment Europe

22 October to 23 September

Karen Stolley (Emory University): Saber/conocer: ways of knowing in the Hispanic Enlightenment

19 November