I Know What I Know: The Story of Graceland
Thu 21 Nov 2024, 17:00 - 18:15
- Accessibility
- Accessible parking
- Online and in person
- Wheelchair accessible venue
Contact the events team for further information about accessibility at this event.

- Venue
- Humanities Lecture Theatre, Arts Complex, University of Bristol, 7 Woodland Road, Clifton, Bristol, BS8 1TB
- Price
- Free, booking required
- Event series
- The British Academy Lectures
Event ended
Delivered by the most outstanding academics in the UK and beyond, the British Academy’s flagship Lecture Programme showcases the very best scholarship in the humanities and social sciences.
In the early 1980s, Paul Simon’s career was in turmoil. Despite a long streak of success as a solo artist and as one half of the iconic duo Simon & Garfunkel, he faced uncertainty in a rapidly changing musical landscape. With the rise of MTV and a changing musical landscape punctuated by new romantics, new wave, synth-pop, and arena rock, Simon’s future in music seemed unclear. This talk will explore what many consider Simon's greatest work: the 1986, multi-award-winning album 'Graceland'. It will examine his decision to ignore the cultural boycott during South Africa's Apartheid and the ripple effects of this choice, particularly on the township musicians he collaborated with. Was Simon simply a self-interested musical genius following his melodic ear, or was this a bold act of political defiance and cross-cultural collaboration? Join us as we reflect on one of the most seminal and controversial albums of all time.

Speaker: Professor Jason Arday, University of Cambridge
Jason Arday is Professor of Sociology of Education at the University of Cambridge, Faculty of Education. He was formerly a Guest Editor on BBC Radio 4’s Today Programme and listed fourth on the prestigious Shaw Trust Disability Power 100 in 2023. Professor Arday has previously held the position of Professor of Sociology of Education at the University of Glasgow, School of Education; Associate Professor in Sociology at Durham University in the Department of Sociology; and Deputy Executive Dean for People and Culture in the Faculty of Social Science and Health. He is a Visiting Professor at The Ohio State University in the Office of Diversity and Inclusion, University of Glasgow in the School of Education, and an Honorary Professor at Durham University in the Department of Sociology. He is a Trustee of the Runnymede Trust, the UK’s leading Race Equality Thinktank, and the British Sociological Association (BSA). Jason sits on the Centre for Labour and Social Studies (CLASS) National Advisory Panel, the NHS Race and Health Observatory Academic Reference Group and the ITV Cultural Advisory Council.
Chair: Professor Esther Dermott, University of Bristol
Free, booking required
This event includes a reception for all attendees after the lecture.
This event will take place in person in partnership with the University of Bristol. If you have any questions about this event please email [email protected].
Image credits: Michael Putland / Hulton Archive / Getty Images.