A. C. Grayling special event

We are excited to welcome eminent British philosopher Professor A.C. Grayling to Newcastle for the first time for a special event on 20 May at 7.30pm in the Brennan Room, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, centred on his new book Discriminations: Making Peace in the Culture Wars. The event is presented in partnership with the University of Newcastle and Margaret River Readers & Writers Festival.

It is difficult not to feel concerned about the volatility of global issues, and yet the dominant avenue for social discourse – the online space – is divisive and primed for furore. The results can be horrifying – from online pile-ons and doxing to job loss and, in some cases, death. But how did we get here?

British philosopher A. C. Grayling searches for the middle ground in an otherwise incendiary debate in his nuanced and historically grounded book Discriminations: Making Peace in the Culture Wars. In this keynote, Professor Grayling will explore the history of ‘cancel culture’, from Ancient Greek ‘ostracism’ through to hemlock cups, witch trials and the House of Un-American Activities. He will offer a timely examination of the state of our public culture and the effect it is having on intellectual discourse, and offer a vision for building a more inclusive, harmonious society.

Books will be available thanks to MacLean’s Booksellers and Professor Grayling will be signing books after his event.

Tickets are $35

A. C. Grayling is Master of the New College of the Humanities, UK. He has written and edited numerous works of philosophy and is the author of biographies of Descartes and William Hazlitt. He believes that philosophy should take an active, useful role in society. He has been a regular contributor to The Times, Financial Times, Observer, Independent on Sunday, Economist, Literary Review, New Statesman and Prospect, and is a frequent and popular contributor to radio and television programmes, including Newsnight, Today, In Our Time, Start the Week and CNN news. He is a Fellow of the World Economic Forum at Davos, and advises on many committees ranging from Drug Testing at Work to human rights groups.