York Union

York Union Society
Formation2013
FoundersAdam Seldon and Harry Lambert (2013)
Findlay Milne, Adam Moses, Josef Bräutigam, Cameron Bennett, and Henry Howard (2023)
TypeUniversity debating union
HeadquartersBerrick Saul Building, University of York
President
Luke Draper
Formerly called
York Union (2013-2023)
York Dialectic Union (2023-2026)

The York Union - previously known as the York Dialectic Union - is the University of York’s union debating society. Originally founded in 2013, the Union is affiliated with the University of York Students' Union and membership is limited to students at the University. It hosts distinguished speakers and debates on a regular basis as well as social events and formal dinners for its members.

History

The original York Union arose from a branch of Nouse Events (founded 2012), affiliated to the University’s student paper Nouse. At this time, debates and addresses were not attended by a wide range of students, and thus a separate organisation was created with a purpose of publicising and hosting these events. This ultimately led to the founding of an independent society in the traditions of similar institutions at other universities, the York Union, in 2013. The Union’s original founders were students Adam Seldon and Harry Lambert.

The Union was negatively affected by COVID-19. Due to safety restrictions, attendance and popularity decreased, with events ending in 2022. Following the end of the pandemic, the union was reaffiliated with YUSU before the start of Autumn Term in 2023. From this point onwards, the society has been known as the York Dialectic Union. The York Dialectic Union was founded with a distinct ethos of accessibility and anti-elitism, hence why their debates are not subject to formal dress requirements.

Speakers since 2023 included former drug kingpin Shaun Atwood, ex-jihadist Manwar Ali, SDP leader William Clouston, Labour Party MP Rachel Maskell and former Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn. Corbyn took part in a debate on the introduction of a wealth tax hosted in the university's Piazza Building, with spaces for non-members selling out within days.

2024 began with an address by Darren Hughes, Managing Director of the Electoral Reform Society. Other events featured the then-Deputy Leader of Reform UK Ben Habib and Nick Newman, former head of Homeland Security Consulting. The Union hosted Thomas Harrison, Keeper of Greece and Rome at the British Museum as well as a debate on the controversies surrounding Just Stop Oil.

April 2024 saw debates on sentences for disruptive activists (featuring Hunted’s Peter Bleksley)[self-published source?] and on Western funding for Ukraine (featuring Peter Hitchens),[self-published source?] and the efficacy of faculty strikes.[citation needed] Speaker addresses included entrepreneur Liz Earle,[self-published source?] former ambassador to Iran Nicholas Hopton,[self-published source?] ex-Green Party Leader Baroness Natalie Bennett[self-published source?] and author Clare Mulley.[self-published source?]

In August 2026, Union members voted unanimously to rename the society the "York Union" once more.

See also

References

  1. ↑ "York Union enjoys success". University of York. Retrieved 26 March 2024.
  2. ↑ Brates, Alexandra. "President's Welcome". York Dialectic Term Card. No. 3. p. 3.
  3. ↑ @theyorkunion; (13 May 2026). "Meet your new committee for the next semester! Hope to see you all at our events after the summer!". Retrieved 26 September 2026 – via Instagram.
  4. ↑ "York Union enjoys success". University of York. Archived from the original on 30 March 2024. Retrieved 26 March 2024.
  5. 1 2 3 Warner, Emily (24 October 2023). "York Dialectic Union: An Interview with the President". MUSE. Archived from the original on 26 February 2024.
  6. ↑ Best, Dominic (14 October 2023). "Debating how to Spend a Friday Night". York Vision. Archived from the original on 10 July 2024. Retrieved 11 July 2024.
  7. ↑ Couture, Daisy (14 October 2023). "'For a long time, I lived for death': York Dialectic Union Hosts Ex-Jihadist Speaker". Nouse. Retrieved 11 August 2024.
  8. 1 2 Beattie-Zarb, Kaitlyn; Shaw, Eleanor (13 December 2023). "Jeremy Corbyn Takes the Stage at the University of York". York Vision. Archived from the original on 30 March 2024. Retrieved 30 March 2024.
  9. ↑ "An accountable second chamber: why the House of Lords needs replacing". York Dialectic Term Card. No. 3. p. 7.
  10. ↑ "The extinguishing of the United Kingdom". York Dialectic Term Card. No. 3. p. 8.
  11. ↑ "The Law of Unintended Consequences". York Dialectic Term Card. No. 3. p. 9.
  12. ↑ Morris, Ellen (4 May 2024). "Should Museum Artefacts Always Be Returned to Their Country of Origin?". Nouse. Retrieved 11 August 2024.
  13. ↑ "This House Believes Just Stop Oil is On the Right Side of History". York Dialectic Term Card. No. 3. p. 19.
  14. ↑ @theyorkdu; (12 October 2024). "This House Opposes Long Sentences for Disruptive Activists". Retrieved 24 November 2024 – via Instagram.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  15. ↑ @theyorkdu; (17 November 2024). "This House Would End Western Military Assistance to Ukraine". Retrieved 24 November 2024 – via Instagram.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  16. ↑ @theyorkdu; (5 November 2024). "Liz Earle MBE - Women in Entrepreneurship, and Wellbeing". Retrieved 24 November 2024 – via Instagram.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  17. ↑ @theyorkdu; (11 November 2024). "British-Iranian Relations: Challenges, Opportunities, and the Future". Retrieved 24 November 2024 – via Instagram.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  18. ↑ https://www.instagram.com/p/DAnsXMLsggo/?hl=en-gb&img_index=1
  19. ↑ @theyorkdu; (12 October 2024). "Clare Mulley - Krystyna Skarbek: The Spy Who Loved". Retrieved 24 November 2024 – via Instagram.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  20. ↑ "Instagram". www.instagram.com. Retrieved 26 September 2026.