Australian Culture

Join us at SOAS for a free discussion with author Mattin Biglari about his book *Nationalising Oil and Knowledge in Iran* (2025). ***Nationalising Oil and Knowledge in Iran: Labour, Decolonisation and Colonial Modernity, 1933–51* by Mattin Biglari** Iran’s nationalisation of oil in 1951 was a key catalyst for the rise of resource nationalism as an animating force of global decolonisation, expelling the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company (AIOC, now known as BP) after nearly fifty years of domination in southwest Iran. *Nationalising Oil & Knowledge in Iran* turns attention to the origins of nationalisation in the everyday struggles between the oil company and subaltern actors in the city of Abadan, then home to the world’s largest oil refinery and deeply imbricated in networks of colonialism and racial capitalism. Engaging with energy history, postcolonial/subaltern studies, and science & technology studies, the book focuses on the politics of expertise: how nationalisation reproduced the epistemic coloniality of the oil company, which rested on local dispossession, social engineering, as well as racial and gendered segregation. It argues that nationalisation diverged from subaltern contestations of oil expertise in Abadan, which presented a more fundamental challenge to colonial modernity. Reservation details: [https://www.eventbrite.com/e/soas-book-discussion-with-mattin-biglari-on-nationalising-oil-in-iran-tickets-1980422394694?aff=ebdssbdestsearch](https://www.eventbrite.com/e/soas-book-discussion-with-mattin-biglari-on-nationalising-oil-in-iran-tickets-1980422394694?aff=ebdssbdestsearch%0A%0A) After the two-hour discussion, we’ll hang around for a chit chat. Are you interested in reading world fiction and non-fiction in English, Spanish and French? Join my other groups: -www.meetup.com/gaia-books -www.meetup.com/gaia-libros -www.meetup.com/gaia-livres -French Art Group (send me a request) -Instagram: @persian_culture_ -Persian Culture Whatsapp group: [https://chat.whatsapp.com/EZk35ZbJZ6W6wwyHyuxoS2](https://chat.whatsapp.com/EZk35ZbJZ6W6wwyHyuxoS2)

**Whose knowledge is centred in design? Whose voices are heard, and whose are overlooked?** Join us for an interactive workshop that goes beyond surface-level inclusion to critically explore power, culture, and equity in design practice. **What’s the event about?** We want to create a space where we can talk honestly and practically about what it means to go beyond inclusive design — to question who design is for, how it’s done, and how we might do it differently. It’s not a lecture, nor is it about having the “right” answers. It’s about exploring the topic together in a way that’s open, hands-on… and a bit of fun too. This event will include an interactive activity designed to provoke thought and discussion about what it means to design beyond inclusivity, creating space for deeper shared reflection. **Who’s it for?** This is for anyone working in or around design — whether you’re in services, research, strategy, policy, or community roles. You might: •⁠ ⁠Be curious about the term “decolonising” but not sure where to start •⁠ ⁠Feel a bit disconnected from this kind of conversation •⁠ ⁠Be looking for a more grounded, less academic way in •⁠ ⁠Just want to meet others thinking about design and equity in new ways **What can you expect?** •⁠ ⁠A hands-on group activity inviting you to explore an unfamiliar world, challenge assumptions, and think differently about power, culture, and design •⁠ ⁠Facilitated group reflection and conversation on how we talk about — and act on — the idea of decolonising design in our work •⁠ ⁠Informal conversations and networking at the pub to follow What you’ll take away •⁠ ⁠A practical framework you can adapt or reuse in your own work •⁠ ⁠A more grounded sense of what “decolonising design” can mean in everyday practice •⁠ ⁠A chance to connect with others exploring similar questions Whether you're completely new to decolonising design or already working with these frameworks, you'll find space to reflect, learn, and connect with others navigating similar questions. **About the Ticket** The ticket cost is to hold your place and ensure commitment from attendees. **All participants who attend the event will be offered the option to request a full refund of their ticket price.** This approach helps us plan effectively while remaining accessible to those with financial constraints. Come ready to participate, question, and imagine design differently.

FREE TO MEMBERS - SIGN UP WHEN YOU ARRIVE! Join us for a relaxing evening exploring the beauty of the Italian Language. This will be an informal gathering where you can learn about the Italian Language, it is nuances and culture. We look forward to seeing you at the Living Room Club for an enjoyable evening of language learning and cultural exchange. Any questions ask Heloisa ‪at 07599593656/ Silas at +39 3403318825

Join the Prime Time Over 50s Social Group for a chilled out evening Following the success of our previous events, like the lively gathering at Oxford Circus, we would like to invite you to an evening that is perfect for mingling with like-minded individuals and making new friends and social connections. As you are aware this is a wetherspoons, so prices will be very reasonable

Unisciti a noi! Pratica l'italiano in modo divertente chiacchierando con madrelingua provenienti da diverse parti d'Italia. 🌳 **Location:** The Lion & The Unicorn - J D Wetherspoon 📍 **Meeting point:** Waterloo Station, York Rd, London SE1 7ND == **Look for a scarf with "ITALY"** 🕛 **Orario:** 19,00 - 20,30

***"The spectacle is the existing order’s uninterrupted discourse about itself, its laudatory monologue. It is the self-portrait of power in the epoch of its totalitarian management of the conditions of existence. The fetishistic, purely objective appearance of spectacular relations conceals the fact that they are relations among men and classes: a second nature with its fatal laws seems to dominate our environment."*** **\- Guy Debord\, *The Society of the Spectacle*** Welcome back readers! By popular request, we're bringing back (for a new generation of LMRG readers) an old favourite: the always-relevant Guy Debord and his masterful *Society of the Spectacle*. We'll kick off with the first three chapters. Find the next here: https://www.marxists.org/reference/archive/debord/society.htm Often maligned as theorymaxxed nonsense but little-read, this slim volume is certainly dense with ideas - all of which carry as much relevance today as those half-forgotten postwar years when the Situationist International made its mark on the world, if not more. With the rise of the Internet and social media, the decline of literacy and the closing of the mass mind, the endless doom-loop of doomscrolling and bed-rotting, increasingly performative protest, the commodification of everything, the Epstein-approved culture war, and the theatre of spectacular cruelty that is imperialist colonial policy from Gaza to Venezuela, we really are living an age where everything that was once directly participated in has passed into representation. Every hand-grip one searches for to get some kind of grasp on the world seems to be a mirage; "participation" in anything, from politics to culture, has been reduced to fandom - limited to nothing more than expressing approval or disapproval through totally mediated social media platforms. Above it all stands an utterly corrupt, irresponsible elite class more and more transparent in how it relishes in conspiratorial play, power-games with unlimited stakes for us and no consequences for them. Such a world where power wears a shit-eating grin and keeps us off our balance by endlessly[ "flooding the zone"](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flood_the_zone) (in Steve Bannon's terms) with distractions so intricate they short-circuit the collective brain is exactly what Debord not only predicted but described in frightening detail, with more than a little bit of humour. So let's dig in and find out: just what can we do to unplug from the spectacle? Is the spectacle even un-plug-from-able? Debord haters, cope and seethe: as a much more orthodox Marxist than he ever gets credit for, there really are some strategies in here. We just need to be creative. Take care and happy reading!

Samba de Bamba is a Brazilian samba group that meets once a month to celebrate samba, Brazilian culture, and heritage. We believe that joy is also a political act of resistance, healing, solidarity, subversion, and well-being. Therefore, on International Women's Day, we prepared a space for everyone to celebrate and remember that our struggle is also carried out with joy. For more information about tickets and prices: instagram Samba de Bamba UK or tickets on enjoytix.co.uk or at the local of the event Cash (bar) Cash and card (entrance and food)

If you’re artistic and creative — or were always that kid who dreamed of working in exciting sexi professional worlds of entertainment, fashion, music or the performing arts — then this one’s exclusively for you! An insider showbiz and entertainment walk led by someone who’s lived inside the industry - a radio music founder, presentator and club DJ, a former international journalist for the biggest global News Agency, an advertising / media agency executive, a red-carpet luxury fashion brand strategist and a failed boy band muscian (I still got the spiked hair though!). So expect stories told with passion and authenticity. This 90 mins backstage wander will take you straight through London’s creative arts & entertainment industry showbiz bloodstream. We’re talking broadcasting nerve centres, global pop stars, legendary stages, Hollywood hideouts, iconic comedy clubs, ad agencies that won general elections, recording studios, fashion designers, radio powerhouses, and the secret corners where reputations are negotiated over overpriced cocktails — all set against the music soundtrack of a city that’s launched everything from Britpop to boybands to global club culture. You’ll hear where the UK’s biggest radio stations broke chart‑toppers, where stars of the film and stage made their name, how certain streets shaped entire genres, how comedians went from dingy basements to national treasures, and why London’s music scene has always been the city’s loudest, messiest, most influential creative engine in the world This free tour will unapologetically appeal to: * **Pop‑culture lovers** who treat celebrity interviews and album drops like sacred texts * **Creatives & media people** who love a bit of insider sparkle and know the difference between a PR stunt and a genuine cultural moment * **Culture lovers** who collect fun facts from music, film, art and can name their favourite live performance of all time * **People working in or consuming** **films, theatre, radio, music, comedy, TV, dance, media, advertising**, **performing arts** and everything in between * Anyone craving something authentic, fun, and just the right amount of chaotic fabulous Expect a crowd that gets excited about the things normal people pretend not to care about — iconic ad campaigns, legendary performances, scandalous headlines, radio gossip, film magic, music history, and the beautiful mess of how culture actually gets made. You’ll walk, you’ll laugh, you’ll learn things you absolutely did not expect, and you’ll leave feeling like you’ve unlocked a secret level of London — the one where the stories, the scandals, and the soundtracks all collide Lucas — The Entertainment Mongul

Gentle people, It is my pleasure to invite you to Part III of Italian artists at the V&A, and a luscious afternoon of socialisation at the Grand Cafe at the V&A which is absolutely stunning. **Please note that there is no social before the tour, but only after.** I will be giving a guided tour of the Italian artists to the members of LGBT Culture Lovers group, throughout this year in multiple parts. **There's no need to have attended previous sessions as I always recap.** ***In the third event of the series, we will be looking at the sculptures of quattrocento and cinquecento.*** Included are works by **Donatello, Andrea del Verrocchio**, **Michelangelo, Raphael**, & many others. The tour will last around 60 minutes. **And here is the agenda:** * 1:45pm: Meet at the Italian style entrance on Cromwell Gardens (not the brutalist one on Exhibition Road). We will wait for 15 minutes. * 2pm: The tour starts right on the dot. * 3pm: Social at the V&A Grand Cafe! (appreciate a drink😜) I really encourage you to watch the two short videos in the further resources section, if you can. I hope to see there. J x **Further Resources** [Donatello's marble carving technique](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4dn8F06y5mc)*,* V&A, video. [Donatello's clay modelling technique](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vcoRoP3Abt8), V&A, video. *Due to the high demand of these tours, and the amount of preparation it takes, those with poor or problematic attendance will be moved to the waiting list, to give the space to more committed members.*

“Openness may not completely disarm prejudice, but it’s a good place to start.” - *Jason Collins* “…fascinating and super informative, as well as seriously important” - [*Review by Xena Frailing at VoiceMag*](https://www.voicemag.uk/review/16159/queer-britain-bfi-review) Join us on **Sunday 8th March** at **Queer Britain**, the U.K.’s first and only dedicated LGBTQIA+ museum, in Granary Square near Kings Cross. “Journey through queer culture and heritage in our galleries at Queer Britain. Our gallery redevelopment features a takeover from BFI Flare, with early promotion and annual posters celebrating the landmark film festival's 40-year history. The main gallery presents six new themed displays that tell the stories of the Black Lesbian and Gay Centre, AIDS Quilt 23, Justin Fashanu, Women's Liberation Music, Club Kali, and Dora Carrington and Lytton Strachey. In our temporary exhibition space, modern print culture is explored through Queer Britain's own collections in Queer Print.” Read more here: [Queer Britain Website](https://queerbritain.org.uk) **Due to the small footprint of the museum, we’ll be limiting this event to 15 people maximum.** **MEET DETAILS** - Sunday 8th March **From 2:15PM: MEET IN GEOFFREY’S CAFE (optional)** Address: 7 Beaconsfield St, London N1C 4EW **3PM: ENTER QUEER BRITAIN** Address: 2 Granary Square, London N1C 4BH **4PM till late: PUB SOCIAL (optional)** We'll head to a nearby pub for a social chit chat over drinks. *Location TBC 24 hours before event.* **TICKETS** **Please book your ticket for Sunday 8th March [here](https://www.outsavvy.com/event/31711/queer-britain-museum#anchor)**. * General Admission: £10 * Pay What You Can: Minimum £1 If you’ve bought a ticket but can no longer attend, please see the ticket disclaimer at the bottom of this event description. **GETTING THERE** [Click here to see the museum’s visit us website page](https://queerbritain.org.uk/visit) **EVENT WHATSAPP GROUP:** Please join the event WhatsApp group to help you find the group on the day. Link will be posted in the Event Comments 48 hours before the event, for those on the confirmed going list. *NB* *Joining this WhatsApp group will make your phone number visible to other members in the group.* **PLEASE READ:** LoMAZ events are run by volunteers. This event has an attendee limit as we prefer a smaller, friendlier group. If you RSVP but can no longer attend, please change your RSVP as soon as possible, **otherwise you will be marked as a 'no show'.** We remove members from the group who: * repeatedly sign up for events then 'no show' * repeatedly change their RSVP to 'No' * are on the event waitlist or have not RSVPd but turn up anyway. Please see the [About Us section](https://www.meetup.com/london-museums-a-z-for-30s-40s/) for more information about the group and how it works. Thank you for your interest in the group & being part of LoMAZ.
 Image credit: "Queer Britain Window Display" by PinkEM is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. To view a copy of this licence, click [here](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/?ref=openverse). **TICKET DISCLAIMER** If you can’t attend for any reason, please change your RSVP to “Not Going”. Regarding your unused ticket, you can either: 1. Ask for a refund from the museum; 2. Ask the museum if the date can be changed so you can attend on a different date that suits you; 3. Sell the ticket on yourself. Please do NOT advertise your ticket on any LoMAZ WhatsApp group; 4. Donate the ticket to us and we will see if someone wants it. Please do NOT advertise that you wish to donate your ticket on any LoMAZ WhatsApp group. Please message Camilla privately on Meetup if you would like to donate your spare ticket. Please note: - as LoMAZ is a volunteer group, we do NOT pay for unused tickets; - if you sell your ticket to someone in LoMAZ, that DOES NOT give them a place at this event. There are attendee limits on LoMAZ events to help our volunteer hosts manage and plan.

**Do you ever feel the pull to be creative, but don’t know how to start, or even what you want to make?** **Do you ever get a flash of inspiration, but never have the time or energy to follow it through?** **Do you worry that you have to become technically skilled before you have the 'right' to make art?** **If you answered yes to any of the above, then this event is for you!** As children, we create all the time. We sing, draw and write as part of our normal lessons. We make sandcastles, secret dens, friendship bracelets, invent ball games and make up elaborate storylines for dolls and action figures. We don’t fear failure because the point isn’t to succeed, but to express ourselves and have fun. In fact there’s a whole branch of folklore called childlore! But as adults, it can become hard to connect with that creative instinct, whether that’s due to time, energy, cost or self-doubt. So for this event, we’ll be taking time and space to connect with what inspires us and flex our creativity just for the fun of it. Skill and experience levels don’t matter (although those who are skilled or experienced are welcome!)-what matters is remembering what creative inspiration feels like to you personally, and pursuing it to create something authentic to you. To do this, we’ll be emulating artists across millennia in using folklore as inspiration. A collection of folklore genres will be supplied, each containing a collection of prompts, and you will be picking a piece of folklore that speaks to you on that day and creating a piece of art based on your own interpretation of your prompt. This art can be anything, from poetry to sketching, sewing to architecture, make up, set design, tattoo art, songwriting, fashion, game design or event planning-whatever your prompt inspires you to create! You can choose to do several pieces or spend the whole session on one. Paper and pencils will be provided, but please feel free to bring other materials so long as they are not disruptive to the people or environment around us (eg no liquid paints, musical instruments, etc). Please note: this is not a technical lesson! No specific creative skills will be taught, as the aim is connecting with your own personal creative process. But you are welcome to take your pieces home with you to hone your skills. We are currently exploring free spaces to have this event so location and accessibility details will be confirmed closer to the time. (And if you know of a good location, do let us know!) (This is a free event, so we ask that you please keep RSVPs updated to ensure that as many people as possible who want to come are able to. Cancellations with less than three days’ notice may be removed from the group to prevent wasted spaces in future. Many thanks for your understanding!)

#### **Mother’s Day Pop-Up Market** Mother's Day is fast approaching, am organising a pop up if you are in the area would be great to see you. Saturday 7th & Sunday 8th March 11AM – 6PM  West Norwood Picturehouse 1–7 Norwood High Street London SE27 9JU Step inside as the lounge area transforms into a beautiful Mother’s Day pop-up market, filled with unique gifts and thoughtful finds you won’t find on the high street. You will find Unique gifts for Mum Handmade treasures Beautiful crafts & art Nigerian food on Saturday Caribbean food on Sunday Homemade Jams, sauces and herbal tea paste Skin care Crochet Jewellery Iconic prints of artists of yesteryear Key rings Fashion, accessories & more. Support small businesses, creatives & local makers Skip the last-minute rush and grab something thoughtful, personal and one-of-a-kind Bring your friends, bring your mum, make a day of it! Well behaved dogs are always welcome Want to exhibit with us at our pop ups email info@mypopupevents.co.uk Hope you can make it, would be good to see you x

Let's grab some coffee/food and share a morning chat! The East Market has an ample parking lot and outdoor and indoor seating. Grab a cup of coffee from Winston's Coffee & Waffles or on your way to East Market and meet us on the second floor - table behind or east of the elevator. Per what this group is about: "Everyone is welcome! International transplants to Columbus who want to improve language skills, Columbus residents who want to discuss international travel and culture, and anyone who enjoys getting together for good conversations."

Join us for a Japanese Book Fair + Ramen Meetup! We’ll browse the used Japanese Book Fair together at Yokoso Center, then head next door to Tensuke Ramen from 5–6 PM to enjoy ramen and other Japanese dishes. After we eat, we’ll hang out and play a few casual games. Come for books, stay for food and community, open to all!

Inspired by our successful events like "Saturday Mornings @ East Market" and other "Pot Luck in the Park" lunches, this gathering promises to be a blend of fun conversations, language exchange, and cultural insights, all while sharing wonderful foods with each other. Please bring a dish to share and anything you would like to drink. We will provide plates, plastic silverware and napkins. So, come hungry and ready to chat!

Ciao a tutt\*! Let's meet Monday at 6.30pm at the Upper Arlington Library (**Tremont** Branch) in **Meeting Room A** to speak in Italian for 1 hour. Keeping Monday for consistency but we can discuss if there are better days/times/locations!

The topic for March is "Our Bodies, Ourselves" Speak Easy: true stories, told live. The idea is simple: an audience, an open microphone, and great stories. Hilarious, gripping, poignant- it's up to you. Audiences are invited to come to listen or come to tell as folks from all corners of Columbus offer their stories live on stage! Held at Wild Goose Creative's warm, intimate space, this night of tales occurs on the 3rd Thursday of every month. Doors open at 6:30 pm, show starts at 7:00 pm. Please arrive early if you want to tell, as we generally only have room for a limited number of tellers, and the sign-up sheet has a tendency to fill up fast. Formed around the idea that people need stories--they're what hold and draw us together--SpeakEasy celebrates the strangeness and commonness of being human. And in a world of smartphones, Facebook, Twitter, and more . . . it gives people a real, breathing, in-person way to connect. The night is geared for true stories of all kinds, taking the best tales told around kitchen tables, in darkened pubs, on the street corner, and at late-night parties and giving them an audience. Speak Easy is also a great outlet for performers, writers, and artists looking to share their favorite stories and perfect their skills. We strongly encourage tellers to please tell the story rather than read it so we keep within the spirit of good storytelling and stay engaged with the audience. All are welcome. Hang around after the show for a drink and build community!

Let’s meet and discuss this fun but moving collection of wildly creative short stories. (Photo credit: TimesNowNews.com)

Let’s meet, wander the exhibits and open galleries, and enjoy an evening out in the Franklinton Arts District. (Nearby pay parking is available in the garage on McDowell, right around the corner from One Line Coffee, and, past it along the curb as McDowell dead ends.)