The work of literature in an age of political polarisation

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Faculty of Arts, the University of Melbourne

Renowned author and scholar Professor Sarah Churchwell leads a timely discussion of America’s stories about itself ahead of the US election.

G06 Theatre - Lecture Theatre, Elisabeth Murdoch Building (134), University of Melbourne

Civic Stories in an Age of Polarisation

The Melbourne Public Humanities Initiative presents a series of timely conversations about literature’s unique ability to illuminate truths and inspire societal change with three leading scholars from the US, Australia, and the UK.

<h4>The work of literature in an age of political polarisation</h4>On 5 November 2024, up to 161 million American voters will go to the polls to vote for the next president of the United States. How do the stories nations tell help us to make sense of claims to truth in such a politically charged and polarised moment? American literary classics contain central narratives of truth, democracy, and freedom that have shaped US national identity for centuries. From the fantasy of the “American Dream” in The Great Gatsby to the racial stratification of Gone with the Wind, literature offers a unique pathway to explore not only the political and cultural concerns of the past but also the contemporary moment. Renowned author, scholar and Chair of Public Understanding of the Humanities Sarah Churchwell leads a timely discussion of the implications of America’s stories about itself ahead of the 2024 Presidential election.

<h4>Presented by Professor Sarah Churchwell</h4>Sarah Churchwell is Professor in American Literature and Chair of Public Understanding of the Humanities at the School of Advanced Study, University of London. Her research and teaching expertise are in 20th- and 21st- century and contemporary American literature and culture; biography and autobiography; American film history; gender theory; cultural studies and popular culture. Sarah’s books include Careless People: Murder, Mayhem and The Invention of The Great Gatsby; The Many Lives of Marilyn Monroe; Behold, America: A History of America First and the American Dream; and The Wrath to Come: Gone with the Wind and the Lies America Tells.As Chair of Public Understanding of the Humanities, Sarah promotes the role that humanities research plays in strengthening and enriching democratic society. As part of this, she leads and coordinates the Being Human Festival in the UK, a nationwide annual festival which celebrates humanities research through engaging with public audiences outside of academia.Sarah’s journalism has been published widely, including in The New York Review of Books, The Atlantic, The Washington Post, the Financial Times, and The Guardian. She frequently contributes to radio, television, and documentary film projects, and has been a judge for the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Booker_Prize" title="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Booker_Prize" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">Booker Prize</a>, the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baillie_Gifford_Prize" title="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baillie_Gifford_Prize" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">Baillie Gifford Prize</a>, the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Women%27s_Prize_for_Fiction" title="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Women%27s_Prize_for_Fiction" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">Women’s Prize for Fiction</a>, and the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Cohen_Prize" title="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Cohen_Prize" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">David Cohen Prize for Literature</a>. Sarah was co-winner of the 2015 Eccles British Library Writer’s Award and longlisted for the Orwell Prize for Journalism in 2021.

<h4>This event is part of the series: 'Civic Stories in an Age of Polarisation: The New Humanity Makers'</h4>The <a href="https://arts.unimelb.edu.au/public-humanities-initiative" title="https://arts.unimelb.edu.au/public-humanities-initiative" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">Melbourne Public Humanities Initiative</a> in the Faculty of Arts is pleased to present a series of timely conversations about literature’s unique ability to illuminate truths and inspire societal change, with leading scholars from the US, Australia, and the UK.Amidst concerns that social media, rapid news cycles, and polarised political opinions hinder civic debate, how can the practices of reading and writing enable us to communicate across difference in meaningful, productive ways? What role do our institutions play in not only reflecting society’s attitudes and values but also challenging them? How do the stories nations tell uncover deep-seated concerns about both the past and the future?In conversation with the Boisbouvier Chair in Australian Literature, Professor Tony Birch, three leading scholars from the US, Australia, and the UK bring to life the work of the public humanities, offering vital insights into issues of access and equality, public discourse, and the transformative power of civic storytelling.<a href="https://www.eventbrite.com/cc/civic-stories-in-an-age-of-polarisation-3531709" title="https://www.eventbrite.com/cc/civic-stories-in-an-age-of-polarisation-3531709">View the full program here.</a>

Questions?Contact arts-tickets@unimelb.edu.au

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