Annual Emma Hutchison Memorial Lecture

Mobilising Compassion

Join the School of Political Science and International Studies for the first Annual Emma Hutchison Memorial Lecture on Thursday 4 December 2025. 'Mobilising Compassion' will be presented by Professor Michael Barnett (George Washington University), with comments from Professor Bina D'Costa (ANU) and Dr Fiona Terry (formerly ICRC).

This thought-provoking event confronts one of the most urgent challenges of our time: how to mobilise compassion amid a crisis of humanitarian ideals and dwindling support. The lecture honours Emma Hutchison’s legacy and takes place within a broader workshop and collaborative project she co-led, exploring the Politics and Ethics of Visualising Humanitarian Crises.

Engage with leading thinkers and practitioners as we reflect on Emma’s impactful work and the future of humanitarian engagement.

Guest speakers

Michael Barnett is University Professor of International Affairs and Political Science at the George Washington University. He is one of the leading scholars on humanitarian politics and international relations. Among his many books are Eyewitness to a Genocide: The United Nations and Rwanda; Empire of Humanity: A History of Humanitarianism; Sacred Aid (co-edited with Janice Stein); Humanitarianism in Question (co-edited with Thomas Weiss) and Humanitarianism and Human Rights (co-edited with Jon Pevehouse and Kal Raustiala). Barnett’s new book, co-authored with Unni Karunaka, is called The End of Humanity: Humanitarianism in a Post Liberal Age and will be forthcoming with Cambridge in 2026.

Two prominent scholars on humanitarian affairs will comment on the lecture: Bina D’Costa, who is Professor of International Relations at the Australian National University; and Fiona Terry, who was until recently Director of Research at the International Committee of the Red Cross and an Honorary Professor at UQ.

About the Annual Emma Hutchison Memorial Lecture

This annual lecture is held in honour and memory of Emma Hutchison, who was Associate Professor of International Relations at The University of Queensland at the time of her passing in November 2024. For more information on Emma see a brief Tribute by UQ as well as a longer one by her husband and research collaborator Roland Bleiker.

The annual lecture honours Emma’s creative and pioneering work on the role of emotions and images in international relations and on broader political and ethical challenges, including those related to conflict resolution and humanitarian responsibilities.

Event details

Date: Thursday 4 December 2025
Time: 4:15pm for 4:30–5:45pm followed by light refreshments
Location: Room 206, Steele Building (3), UQ St Lucia (view map)

Enquiries:
Faculty of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences
Email: engagement@hass.uq.edu.au

Please note, this is an in-person only event, however the lecture will be recorded and shared online following the event. 

Photography/Videography: There will be images and video/audio content captured at this event. The material may be used for domestic and international marketing purposes and be displayed on our website, social media, in printed and electronic publications. If you do not wish to be have your photo or video taken, please make yourself known to our event staff on the day.