The New Humanity Makers
Supported by the Melbourne Public Humanities Initiative.
Civic Stories in an Age of Polarisation
In 2024, the Faculty of Arts was pleased to present a series of timely conversations about literature’s unique ability to illuminate truths and inspire societal change, Civic Stories in an Age of Polarisation: The New Humanity Makers.
Amidst concerns that social media, rapid news cycles, and polarised political opinions hinder civic debate, how can the practices of reading and writing enable us to communicate across difference in meaningful, productive ways? What role do our institutions play in not only reflecting society’s attitudes and values but also challenging them? How do the stories nations tell uncover deep-seated concerns about both the past and the future?
In conversation with the Boisbouvier Chair in Australian Literature, Professor Tony Birch, leading scholars brought to life the work of the public humanities, offering vital insights into issues of access and equality, public discourse, and the transformative power of civic storytelling.
Supported by the Melbourne Public Humanities Initiative.
Don’t read this: AI and the end of human literacy
Public scholar and librarian Tracie D. Hall takes a sobering look at what the rise of machine-learning could mean for human literacy.
Presented on 5 September 2024.
The work of literature in an age of political polarisation
Renowned author, scholar, and Chair of Public Understanding of the Humanities at the University of London, Professor Sarah Churchwell, leads a timely discussion of the implications of America’s stories about itself ahead of the 2024 Presidential election.
Presented on 24 October 2024.
That is part of the beauty of all literature. You discover that your longings are universal longings, that you're not lonely and isolated from anyone. You belong.
― F. Scott Fitzgerald