Common Ground
Event description
If you feel like Australia is more divided than ever, you’re probably right. According to a study in 2023*, more than three-quarters of Australians say they would refuse to help someone who strongly disagreed with their views. Wander into a political post on social media and you’ll read people saying things in the comments they’d never dream of saying to another person’s face. What is going on, and what can we do to change this nasty trend?
Join us at Common Ground. Join philosophers, psychologists and everyone in between for an ongoing, eye-opening, open-minded conversation.
The first event begins with a Q&A between MC Alex Morris and local philosopher Dr Russell Blackford, whose books, articles, essays, and stories are widely published in Australia, Europe, and the United States. Alex and Russell will discuss his new book, How We Became Post-Liberal: The Rise and Fall of Toleration, and today’s problems in communicating across moral and political divides. The Q&A is followed by a panel with Russell, political scientist Dr John Tate and psychiatrist Dr Caroline Devries on the state of public discourse and finding common ground in an increasingly polarised society. Audience participation is encouraged, and tea and coffee are available.
Mission Statement: Worried by the heated and divisive state of public discussion today, we seek to build a conversational community to facilitate productive discussion and critical thinking about complex and controversial issues. People with different opinions and perspectives are welcome. Common Ground is a place to share and a space to listen.
Come along. Learn something new, make a friend! BYOB. (Bring Your Own Brain).
Doors open from 6:30pm for a 7pm start. Thursday, 29 February 2024.
*Here is the study about Aussie divisiveness if anyone is curious. https://www.edelman.com.au/aus...
Meet the guests:
Russell Blackford is a philosopher and widely published author. He is currently Deputy Editor of The Philosophers’ Magazine and has an honorary appointment at the University of Newcastle as Conjoint Senior Lecturer in Philosophy. Russell grew up in Newcastle, attending Belmont High School and completing degrees at the University of Newcastle, but he then lived in Melbourne for 30 years, where he undertook further study at the University of Melbourne and Monash University. In 2009, he returned to Newcastle for family reasons. He holds First Class Honours degrees in Arts and Law, and separate doctorates in English and philosophy. His career has included stints in academia, public policy management, and the legal profession. Russell is the author, co-author, or co-editor of numerous books, both fiction and nonfiction, as well as book chapters, academic and popular articles, op-eds, short stories, and book reviews. His recent books include The Tyranny of Opinion: Conformity and the Future of Liberalism and (most recently) How We Became Post-Liberal: The Rise and Fall of Toleration, both from the London-based publishing house Bloomsbury. For his contributions to humanist thought, he was inducted in 2014 into the International Academy of Humanism.
Caroline de Vries, MBBS, FRANZCP cert. Child and Adolescent psychiatry. Caroline has worked for over 25 years in the field of psychiatry and child and youth mental health specifically. In March 2020, she founded of The Base Health and Community, an integrated mental health centre in the heart of Newcastle. The Base is a safe place for people to engage in their mental health journey, as well as a place to gather and (re)-connect. The Base team is a collective of passionate mental health clinicians and non-clinicians who are determined to contribute to creating communities of care. The team has expanded over time to a collaborative group of nearly 30 mental health clinicians, supported by a dedicated administration team of 9 people.
Alex Morris is a writer, content creator, MC and events organiser. Originally from the States, she's lived in Newcastle for over a decade and has been involved in hosting and running all kinds of interesting and fun events. She loves throwing/attending a good party and equally adores intelligent, thought-provoking conversation. Learn more about Alex by reading her Substack Newsletter, The Weekly Write.
John William Tate B.Ec (Hons. Class I) (Syd) PhD (Syd) is Senior Lecturer in Politics and International Relations, Newcastle Business School, College of Human and Social Futures, University of Newcastle, Australia. Dr. Tate teaches in the areas of Australian politics, international relations, politics of globalisation, political theory, and Australian public policy. His primary research interests are political philosophy and history of political thought. He has published in these areas in the American Journal of Political Science, Political Theory, European Journal of Political Theory, Political Studies, Philosophy and Social Criticism, Telos, Journal of European Studies, and Journal of Religion. He has also published in these areas as they apply to Australia in the Australian Journal of Political Science, Australian Journal of Politics and History, and Journal of Australian Studies. He has published on New Zealand native title in the Victoria University of Wellington Law Review, Canterbury Law Review, and Waikato Law Review. He has published a book on the political philosophy of John Locke with Routledge and co-authored a university textbook on Australian Politics, this being Martin Drum and John William Tate, Politics in Australia: Assessing the Evidence (Palgrave Macmillan, 2012).