The Bodley Club
The Bodley Club was founded in 1894 as a literary discussion group, but has over the years developed into the College's speaker society. The only criterion for selecting speakers is that they should be "fabulously interesting", and the Club hosts prominent individuals from all fields, including authors, scientists, and other public figures. All suggestions are welcome via our Facebook page. Events are usually open to any member of the University, but some are restricted to Mertonians only.
The Bodley Club has had a wonderfully full and engaging year, with a wide range of speakers and events that have truly lived up to our aim of hosting ‘fabulously interesting’ discussions. From the complexities of global politics to the quirks of architectural history, this year’s talks have taken us in all sorts of fascinating directions. Alongside our speaker events, we also introduced a new collaboration, and of course, enjoyed the annual Bodley Club Dinner.
We began the year in Michaelmas term with Dr Edward Howell (Mertonian and Lecturer in Politics, New College), who gave a sharp and timely talk on North Korean politics and diplomacy. Drawing on both his academic work and personal visits to North Korea, he spoke with real depth and clarity about a subject that is often difficult to approach. His recently published book, North Korea and the Global Nuclear Order: When Bad Behaviour Pays (2023), gave structure to the evening, and the discussion that followed was lively and insightful.
Our second speaker of the term was Professor Sabina Alkire, Director of the Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative. Professor Alkire introduced us to the Alkire– Foster method, which she developed with economist James Foster, and which is now used around the world to measure multidimensional poverty. Her talk combined serious academic insight with real-world applications and was one of the highlights of the term for many.
The Bodley Club Dinner, as always, was a real occasion. Held in the SCR dining room, it brought together members of the club for an evening of excellent food and conversation. It was a chance to reflect on the term and to celebrate the kind of community that the Bodley Club continues to foster: thoughtful, curious and welcoming.
In Hilary term, we continued with a particularly charming talk by Oxford alumnus Rory Fraser (Trinity, 2015). Rory, a historian, podcaster, painter and writer, spoke about England’s architectural follies; those curious, often beautiful buildings with little practical use but lots of personality. His talk combined humour, history and visual storytelling, and offered a fresh way of thinking about how we use and understand space.
Later in the term, we hosted a joint event with the newly revived Neave Society; the first collaboration of its kind for the club in recent years. Together, we welcomed Sebastian Neave, grandson of Airey Neave and a trustee of the Airey Neave Trust. He spoke about his grandfather’s life and legacy, and the work the Trust continues to do today. It was a reflective and moving evening, and a great success.
As we reached the end of the year, we said goodbye to three committee members who have given a huge amount to the club. Nat Otley and Bea Bannister (co-presidents 2023–24) and Jamie Ngo (secretary 2024–25) have all worked tirelessly to organise events and keep everything running smoothly. Their energy and commitment have shaped the year in ways that will last well beyond their time on the committee.
A special thank you is also due to Frà John Eidinow, whose support and advice have once again been invaluable. His quiet encouragement and long-standing involvement with the Bodley Club are deeply appreciated.
As ever, we’re looking ahead to the next year with enthusiasm. There are already ideas taking shape for new speakers and partnerships, and we’re excited to continue growing the Bodley community. A huge thank you to everyone who attended an event this year; your interest and engagement are what keep the club going.
If you are interested in attending events, or indeed speaking at one, please contact me: eleanor.hamiltonclark@merton. ox.ac.uk
Eleanor Hamilton Clark (2023) Bodley Club President (2024–25)
Since being founded as a literary discussion group in 1894, the Bodley Club has evolved into Merton’s speaker society, with this year’s talks drawing in a broad audience from across the University.
A wonderfully informative first talk came from a titan in the Law, Sir Brian Leveson, former President of the Queen's Bench Division and Head of Criminal Justice. Sir Brian gave a fascinating talk about his impressive life and career ranging from his first days at Merton to the inquiry for which he is perhaps most well known. His talk blended the many threads of his life into such a perfectly pitched mix of humour, wisdom and advice that it set a very high bar for our future speakers.
This bar was, however, met by our second speaker, Merton’s own Dr James Kempton (2011), who recently received publicity for his team’s rediscovery of Attenborough’s lost echidna in the Cyclops Mountains of Indonesian New Guinea. James provided us with a gripping overview of the expedition itself (no gory details spared), alongside a thought-provoking reflection on the nature of scientific evidence and what it means to have rediscovered a species that locals have seen much more recently than western scientists. He also provided background on the wider aims of the expedition and his hopes for the future, which were compelling to listen to.
Our third speaker was arranged by our wonderful secretary Eleanor Clark (2023), who invited George Zachariah (1991), a Merton alumnus now working for the UN. George gave us a captivating overview of his role in peacekeeping processes in a variety of countries, highlighting the nuances and more general themes in each situation. The talk left us with many points to reflect on about the current global situation as well as a much better understanding of the breadth and variety of the work the UN does.
A particular highlight of this year was our annual Bodley Club Dinner, held in Hilary for members and guests in the SCR. As ever, we are indebted to our senior member, Fra’ John Eidinow, without whom none of this would have been possible. We look forward to seeing what the next year holds.
Nat Otley and Bea Bannister (2022)
Bodley Club Co-Presidents 2023-24
Unfortunately this has been a very quiet year for the Bodley Club, as the ongoing pandemic has made it rather difficult to fulfil the Club’s mandate to invite speakers from without or within the College who are deemed to be ‘fabulously interesting’ and from wide-ranging disciplines. Although it is a shame to have had to delay or cancel events throughout the year, including our Annual Dinner and Garden Party, we very much look forward to resuming our series of speakers as things begin to open up. Watch this space for Michaelmas 2021!
I am delighted to be handing the presidency of the club to Guy Smith (2018), whom I’m sure will take the lead in reinvigorating our programme of speakers once we can return to in-person events. I would like to thank Alex Beukers (2018) and Victor Ajuwon (2015, Secretary) for their continuing efforts in running the Club, as well as to our Senior Member, Fra’ John Eidinow (1986, Fellow), whose advice is always invaluable.
Wick Willett (2017)
Bodley Club President 2019-21