In August 2026 Deakin University was once again proud to host the Max Charlesworth Lecture. The Max Charlesworth Lecture is a biennial lecture which recognises Professor Max Charlesworth’s contribution to Deakin University as Foundation Dean of the School of Humanities and one of the foremost figures in Australasian philosophy.

This year’s lecture was delivered by Professor Charlesworth’s daughter, Judge Hilary Charlesworth, on The International Court of Justice and Philosophies of International Law.
Hilary Charlesworth (photo courtesy of Tim Neal)

Judge Hilary Charlesworth has served as a Judge of the International Court of Justice since late 2021. She is the first Australian woman elected to the Court and only the fifth female permanent judge in the Court’s 78-year history. Judge Charlesworth also holds an appointment as Harrison Moore Professor of Law and Melbourne Laureate Professor at Melbourne Law School, and Distinguished Professor at the Australian National University. Her research has included a focus on the international legal-system structure, peace building, human rights law and international humanitarian law, international legal theory, and particularly feminist approaches to international law.

Tim Deane-Freeman talks to Meg McCamley and Tim Neal about his new book Deleuze, Digital Media & Thought, which places Deleuze’s philosophy in dialogue with both cinema and the concept of information. In this context, they discuss philosophy, film, TV and social control, and the broader challenge of embracing a kind of thought which eschews recognition in order to confront the radically new. Tim Deane-Freeman is a sessional lecturer in philosophy at Deakin, and Meg McCamley and Tim Neal are both Deakin PhD candidates.

Where does the emergence of AI technology leave philosophers - as teachers, as researchers, and as practitioners of philosophy? This roundtable discussion held in May 2024 explores these key questions. Features Christopher Mayes (Deakin), Thomas Corbin (Macquarie), Marilyn Stendera (Wollongong), and Jean-Philippe Deranty (Macquarie).

At a time when we could all use a bit more hope, here's Prof. Robert Stern (University of Sheffield) delivering last year's Max Charlesworth Lecture: "Hope Without God: Is Hope a Secular Virtue?"

The role of 'peoples' in global affairs is more pervasive and contested than ever, from issues of indigenous sovereignty to Brexit. But as Dr John Morss, Senior Lecturer in Law at Deakin tells A/Prof Patrick Stokes in this wide-ranging discussion, 'peoples' is itself a very contestable idea.

Mindfulness is big business these days. But how did a Buddhist practice become so prevalent in contemporary Western life, and just how far has contemporary mindfulness strayed from its Buddhist origins? To find out, A/Prof Patrick Stokes chats with Dr Leesa Davis, lecturer in philosophy at Deakin and author of Advaita Vedanta and Zen Buddhism: Deconstructive Modes of Spiritual Inquiry (2010).

Moderated by Dr Sean Bowden. Speakers:

• Prof Aaron Russell, Deakin University

Philosophy has a bad reputation for being stuck in the ivory tower. But just how can you take philosophy down into the marketplace – and what will you find when you get there? On this episode, Dr Valery Vinogradovs shares his experience with public philosophy.

When we think about the ethics and politics of food we tend to think in terms of animal welfare or environmental degradation. But as Deakin’s Dr Christopher Mayes argues in his new book Unsettling Food Politics, there's much more to the politics and ethics of agriculture and food production.

In the wake of the Uluru Statement from the Heart, the issue of indigenous sovereignty has become more visible in Australian life. What role does 'recognition' play in these struggles for sovereignty? Should indigenous groups seek to be recognised by the states and societies they find themselves confronting? Or is seeking recognition itself a form of subjugation? Professor Yin Paradies spoke on this topic at a recent PHI seminar event.