Public Forum | 'The Death of Reading? Confronting our Cultural Moment'
Description
At a time when reading habits are in decline, what is at stake for our intellectual and cultural life?
Join Professor Simon Haines, Distinguished Professor of Liberal Arts at Campion College, and Dr Nick Dyrenfurth, historian and commentator, as they explore the place of reading in the West and what we stand to lose if the art of reading is lost.
This public forum will feature short presentations from both speakers, followed by a conversation and Q&A.
This is a free, ticketed event. Open to the general public, all welcome. Dress code: Business attire.
~
This event is hosted by Campion College Australia, an independent institution built on the traditional idea of a university, where the study of great books and ideas, intellectual inquiry and meaningful dialogue remain at the heart of tertiary education.
Agenda
- 6:00 pm
Arrival
- 6:30 pm
Official proceedings
- 7:30 pm
Event concludes
Lineup
Professor Simon Haines
Professor Simon Haines is Distinguished Professor of Liberal Arts at Campion College Australia. An Oxford-trained scholar of English literature, he taught at the Australian National University for almost two decades, including as Head of the School of Humanities, before becoming Chair Professor and Head of English at The Chinese University of Hong Kong. From 2017 to 2024, Simon served as the inaugural CEO of the Ramsay Centre for Western Civilisation, helping to shape national conversations about the study of Western civilisation and the renewal of humanities education. He has also worked as a diplomat and analyst with the Department of Foreign Affairs and the Office of National Assessments and is a Fellow of the Royal Society of New South Wales. He is the author or editor of five books, including the prizewinning Companion to European Romanticism, and has written extensively on literature and philosophy.
Dr Nick Dyrenfurth
Dr Nick Dyrenfurth is a historian, author and Executive Director of the John Curtin Research Centre. A prominent commentator on Australian politics and public policy, he has authored or co-authored numerous reports and discussion papers on subjects including economic reform, housing, energy, artificial intelligence, manufacturing and the future of work. Nick is the author or editor of twelve books examining Australian politics, labour history and national identity. His writing has appeared across major Australian publications including The Australian, The Age, The Sydney Morning Herald, The Australian Financial Review, The Monthly and The Saturday Paper. He is also a frequent television and radio commentator on Australian politics, elections, public policy and political history. Earlier in his career, he worked as a political adviser and speechwriter and served as secretary of the Australian Labor Party’s National Policy Forum.
Tickets for good, not greed Humanitix dedicates 100% of profits from booking fees to charity
