Author In-Conversation: Hugh Mackay

Join us for this special in-conversation event that promises to be as uplifting as it is provocative. Hugh Mackay AO is a celebrated bestselling author, social psychologist and researcher. A lifetime of research informs his latest book, The Way We Are, which examines the major trends that are shaking the foundations of the Australian way of life.

This event is proudly brought to you by the City of Melville Libraries and Dymocks.

About the Author:

Hugh Mackay is a social psychologist and researcher, and the bestselling author of 24 books, including nine novels. His latest non-fiction book, The Way We Are, will be published in May 2024.

Hugh has had a 60-year career in social research, and was also a weekly newspaper columnist for over 25 years. He established and ran The Centre for Communication Studies in Bathurst from 1975-1990, and is currently an honorary professor in the School of Medicine and Psychology at ANU. Among other appointments, he has been deputy chairman of the Australia Council for the Arts and an honorary professor at Macquarie, Charles Sturt and Wollongong universities.

He is a Fellow of the Australian Psychological Society and the Royal Society of NSW. In recognition of his pioneering work in social research, he has been awarded honorary doctorates by five Australian universities. He was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia in 2015.

About The Way We Are:

Life is messy. Relationships are complex. Outcomes are uncertain. Yet none of our differences—whether based on ethnicity, politics, religion, cultural tastes and preferences, or gender—are nearly as significant as the humanity we share.

Amidst our epidemics of loneliness, anxiety and depression, and the impacts of entrenched poverty and ubiquitous technology, The Way We Are examines the major trends that are shaking the foundations of the Australian way of life.

Drawing on thousands of interviews over a lifetime of research, Hugh Mackay, much loved and highly respected social psychologist, presents a compelling portrait of Australia today. He celebrates the march towards gender equality and explains the stubborn persistence of misogyny, the anti-social consequences of social media, the complex legacy of the Baby Boomers, and the ‘fake wisdom’ that guides too much of our thinking. Exploring the steady decline in religious faith and practice, Hugh identifies the many gods we continue to worship, and points to the positive role that dreaming can play in our lives. Though some of his observations may not be easy reading, Hugh's analysis is suffused with affection for our country.

Inspiring, provocative and powerfully argued, The Way We Are is the most important—and uplifting—book you'll read all year. It will encourage you to reflect deeply on the question: What kind of society do we want to become?