Summer 2006 Vol 18 Number 1 Magazine Shaw and the Fabian window A piece of Fabian heritage finds a home at LSE Stranded in the middle? Are the middle classes and middle aged suffering a work ethic crisis? THE MAGAZINE FOR ALUMNI OF THE LONDON SCHOOL OF ECONOMICS AND POLITICAL SCIENCE Groups, families and individuals welcome Singles from £28 Twins from £40 Triples from £62 For further information, please call the residence of your choice direct or write for further details to: Sales team LSE Vacation Accommodation Tel: +44 (0)20 7955 7575 (general information) Fax: +44 (0)20 7955 7676 Email: [email protected] Brochure request answerphone: +44 (0)20 7955 6161 www.lsevacations.co.uk Accommodation Central London availability Summer 2006 1 July – 23 September Accommodation Christmas 2006 9 December – 7 January 2007 Easter 2007 17 March – 22 April Bankside House London SE1 Tel: +44 (0)20 7107 5750 Fax: +44 (0)20 7107 5757 Butlers Wharf London SE1 Tel: +44 (0)20 7107 5798 Fax: +44 (0)20 7403 5797 Carr-Saunders Hall London W1 Tel: +44 (0)20 7107 5888 Fax: +44 (0)20 7107 5905 159 Great Dover Street London SE1 Tel: +44 (0)20 7403 1932 Fax: +44 (0)20 7403 2342 Grosvenor House Tel: +44 (0)20 7107 5950 Fax: +44 (0)20 7107 5955 178 High Holborn London WC1 Tel: +44 (0)20 7107 5737 Fax: +44 (0)20 7107 5735 Rosebery Hall London EC1 Tel: +44 (0)20 7107 5850 Fax: +44 (0)20 7107 5875 www.lsevacations.co.uk Contents Message from Features4 Headline news 15 6 Stranded in the middle? the editor Richard Sennett considers a crisis for those on the career ladder. If there’s a theme for this issue it’s about being in the middle. Richard Sennett writes about middle-aged workers 8 The Fabian window being caught between youth and ‘the scrapheap’. Roger Designed in 1910, mysteriously found in Arizona, Silverstone talks about media, and how those with different then sold at auction, the Fabian window now has perspectives on the world can sometimes be misheard, a home at LSE. or ignored, by modern media. Alumna Julie Masal writes about the ‘middle men’ importing and exporting treasures, 9 Listen to the voices CITY OF WESTINSTER ARCHIVES CENTRE and our student finalists share their experiences of being The School launched a new journalism initiative between graduation and their first job. this year. Roger Silverstone explains the ideas behind POLIS. There’s also a fascinating look back at what used to 12 exist on the School’s site before LSE, then a glimpse into 11 Treasure seekers the future with the School’s New Academic Building and Julie Masal looks at how national treasures are new student residences. bought and sold across continents. We’re also keen to hear how best the Alumni Relations 12 The finalists team and this magazine can be a medium between you Life after LSE? Tom Ketteley and Anne Kroijer and the School. What would you like to read more or chronicle their search for that first job. less of in the magazine, and how else would you like to keep in contact with LSE? The new Alumni Association 15 A corner of London, the heart of is gathering strength after its foundation last year and the campus we look forward to telling you more about its activities in George Kiloh delves into the history of Clare forthcoming issues. Market and Houghton Street before LSE arrived. So, whatever you’re in the middle of, I hope you can break 18 A Cold War legacy of intervention 24 off for a short time, sit down and enjoy reading this issue. Arne Westad considers the Cold War and its after effects. 20 A brief encounter with Sudoku Not heard of Sudoku? Gautam Appa, Kai Judith Higgin Helge Becker and Katerina Papadaki test your logic skills. LSE Magazine is published twice a year by the Press and Information Office at the London School of Economics and Political Science, Houghton Street, London WC2A 2AE. Regulars COVER PPICTURE: Tel: +44 (0)20 7955 7060. Fax: +44 (0)20 7852 3658. Email: [email protected] THE FABIAN WINDOW, SEE P8 Editor Judith Higgin Production Editor Fiona Whiteman Alumni News Editor Bill Abraham 21 Rodent’s Rambles Art and Design Editor Claire Harrison Assistant Art and Design Editor Ailsa Drake Photography (unless stated) Nigel Stead 22 Letters Editorial Assistants Deirdre French, Toni Sym, Jessica Winterstein, Sandra Ma Printed by: Warners 23 News Published by The London School of Economics and Political Science (‘LSE’), Houghton Street, LSE Magazine online London WC2A 2AE. LSE is a School of the University of London. It is a Charity and is incorporated in 35 Reunions England as a company limited by guarantee under the Companies Acts (Reg number 70527). LSE Magazine is now available Copyright in editorial matter and in the Magazine as a whole belongs to LSE ©2006. Copyright in individual articles belongs to the authors who have asserted their moral rights ©2006. 36 Alumni groups at www.lse.ac.uk/lsemagazine. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means without the prior permission in writing of the publisher, The online link enables readers nor be issued to the public or circulated in any form of binding or cover other than that in which 40 Where are they now? it is published. to have an electronic archive of Requests for permission to reproduce any article or part of the Magazine should be sent to the 44 Obituaries editor at the above address. features as well as quick links In the interests of providing a free flow of debate, views expressed in this Magazine are not necessarily to alumni news, groups and those of the editor, LSE alumni or LSE. 46 Book notes Although every effort is made to ensure the accuracy and reliability of material published in this events, plus advertising and Magazine, LSE accepts no responsibility for the veracity of claims or accuracy of information provided by contributors. contact information. Freedom of thought and expression is essential to the pursuit, advancement and dissemination of knowledge. LSE seeks to ensure that intellectual freedom and freedom of expression within the law is secured for all our members and those we invite to the School. I Summer 2006 I LSE Magazine I 3 Fabian window unveiled Prime minister Tony Blair officially unveiled a window, originally designed by George Bernard Shaw, at the School in April. This Fabian window now sits alongside the famous picture of LSE founders and Fabians Sidney and Beatrice Webb in the Shaw Library. At the ceremony Mr Blair spoke about the remarkable way the Fabians influenced the Labour party, not just in its creation but also in its economic, political and intellectual development: ‘Despite all the very obvious differences in policy and attitude and positioning... MARIA MOORE a lot of the values that the Fabians and George Bernard Shaw stood for would be very recognisable, at least I hope they would, in today’s Labour party.’ Mr Blair concluded that he was ‘absolutely delighted to come to this extraordinary and august centre of learning, which is similarly associated with the Fabians and the Webbs’ for such ‘a wonderful and poignant moment’. Director Howard Davies said: ‘It is a great honour for the School to have this piece of national heritage on campus. The window will be a visible reminder to students, staff and visitors’ of the School’s historical links with Shaw, the Webbs and other Fabians, whose ideas continue to influence our thinking about society, economics and politics.’ See page 8 Next chairman appointed Peter Sutherland KCMG has been elected as a member of the LSE Court of Governors and has agreed to be chairman of the Council and the Court from 1 January 2008. Current chairman will step down in December 2007, at which stage he will have served nine years as chairman. The chairman of governors is chosen by a selection committee which includes staff, students and lay governors. It is a non-executive position, and the principal duties are to chair one meeting of the Court of Governors a term and three meetings a term of the Council. Formerly attorney general of Ireland, a European Commissioner and director general of the World Trade Organisation, among other appointments, Mr Sutherland is chairman of BP plc, chairman of Goldman Sachs International and a UN special representative for migration. Howard Davies said: ‘My academic colleagues and I are delighted that Peter Sutherland has agreed to join us and, in time, to take on the chairmanship of the School. His background in public policy 7 and his business and international interests match the LSE’s profile remarkably well. We look forward to the School continuing to prosper under his leadership.’ New Greek research fellowship The Greek minister of economy and finance Professor George Alogoskoufis announced a new initiative with the Hellenic Observatory at LSE. The Greek government is to fund a new academic post to boost the Observatory’s research on Greece’s economic relations within south east Europe. The new Research Fellow post will enable an experienced academic to spend time at 8 the Observatory producing high quality research for up to one year. Professor Alogoskoufis (MSc Economics 1978, PhD Economics 1981) holds a chair in Economics at the Athens University of Economics and Business. 9 , director of the Hellenic Observatory, said: ‘This is a timely boost for LSE’s focus on south east Europe: it gives us greater specialisation in an area of economic policy of increasing relevance to the European Union as a whole.