Unbroken: Resilience, Dissent, and the Future of Democracy in Southeast Asia - a public lecture with Dr Chee Soon Juan
Description
Join the Sydney Southeast Asia Centre (SSEAC) for a timely and thought-provoking public lecture with Dr Chee Soon Juan, exploring democracy, resilience, and civic life in Southeast Asia.
Across the region, societies are navigating complex political, economic, and social challenges—balancing rapid development with growing concerns around democratic participation, media freedom, inequality, and youth disengagement. This lecture will examine these tensions, with a particular focus on Singapore as a compelling case study of governance, dissent, and the limits of technocratic success.
Drawing on his decades-long experience as an opposition figure and his latest book Unbroken: The Power of Resilience, Dr Chee will reflect on the psychological dimensions of political participation—resilience, fear, burnout, and hope—and share insights into sustaining agency and dignity in restrictive political environments.
Co-hosted with the Malaysia and Singapore Society of Australia (MASSA), this event offers students, scholars, and the broader community an opportunity to engage critically with questions of democracy, freedom of expression, and civic engagement in Southeast Asia.
Program
5.00-6.00pm – Registration and light refreshments
6.00-7.15pm – Lecture by Dr Chee Soon Juan
7.15pm – Close
Event details
Date and Time: Thursday 20 August 2026, 5.00pm
Venue: Institute Lecture Theatre (1) N295, Institute Building, University of Sydney, Darlington Campus.
Format: Public lecture followed by Q&A. In‑person only
Speaker
Dr Chee Soon
Dr Chee Soon Juan is a Singaporean pro-democracy leader whose decades-long struggle against authoritarian rule has made him a prominent voice for freedom and human dignity in Asia. With a PhD in neuropsychology and a background as a university lecturer, his work uniquely bridges political activism and psychological insight, focusing on resilience and the human capacity to endure and rebuild hope.
Co-hosted by Malaysia and Singapore Society of Australia
FAQs
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