Global Polycrisis and the Powers of Narrative: The Role of Academia, Art, and Public Intellectuals

On the occasion of the annual autumn meeting of the Holberg Committee, the Holberg Prize hosted a panel discussion at the British Academy on 23 October 2025 featuring Paul Gilroy, Griselda Pollock, Gurminder K. Bhambra and Ann Phoenix. ABSTRACT Current planetary realities are shaped by interconnected crises—including climate change, biodiversity loss, the proliferation of warfare to multiple territories and domains of civil society, as well as the rise of disinformation and populist discourses. Narratives—whether textual, digital, spoken, visual and algorithmic—are integral to such polycrises. They inform how problems are perceived, understood, and addressed. In this panel we would like to probe the current status and power of narratives. What role should academia, art and public intellectuals play in shaping, contesting and, perhaps, providing alternative narratives in local and global contexts? How can they challenge proliferating and contradictory populist and political narratives? SPEAKERS Paul Gilroy is Emeritus Professor of Humanities at University College London. Born in London, Gilroy has taught in several universities and written widely on matters of culture, politics, history, music and art. He was awarded the Holberg Prize in 2019. Griselda Pollock is Professor emerita of Social and Critical Histories of Art and former Founder-Director of the Centre for Cultural Analysis, Theory and History (CentreCATH) at the University of Leeds. She was awarded the Holberg Prize in 2020. Gurminder K. Bhambra is Professor of Historical Sociology and Associate Dean for Research and Innovation in the Faculty of Social Sciences at the University of Sussex. Ann Phoenix (moderator) is Professor of Psychosocial Studies at the Institute of Education, University College London, and a former co-director of the Thomas Coram Research Unit. Phoenix is Chair of the Holberg Committee.