Sydney Ideas

US author and activist, Linda Tirado explains the rise of Trump and suggests what can and should be done about it.

Across the Western world, we’re seeing a resurgence in plain populism. The blame for this is laid at the feet of the poor. Common wisdom holds that Trump voters are usually rural, white, and lower working class. But is this objective reality, or merely the narrative we’re used to and most likely to rely on?

ABOUT THE SPEAKER:

Linda Tirado is a US writer and activist. Her work focuses on economic inequality and poverty-related issues, and she has lectured across America, Australia, and the UK. Her book is sold in Australia as Hand to Mouth: Being Poor In A Wealthy World. She’s a frequent guest on Australian airwaves, and her work can be found in various outlets across the country, most recently on Q&A and in Daily Life.

Sydney Ideas event page http://sydney.edu.au/sydney_ideas/lectures/2016/linda_tirado.shtml

A Storyology 2016 event co-presented with the Walkley Foundation

Investigative and public-service journalism shine a light on the world’s dark corners. In today’s globally connected world, leaked documents and data can be shared and analysed by reporters and citizen journalists anywhere. Major investigations into finance and corruption like the Panama Papers highlight the growing chasm between the world's elite and everyone else, and the role governments have played in creating it.

Speakers: Gerard Ryle, director, International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (US); Lina Attalah, founder & editor-in-chief, Mada Masr (Egypt); Kate McClymont, investigative journalist with the Sydney Morning Herald: Penny O’Donnell (panel chair), Department of Media and Communications, the University of Sydney .

Lina Attalah was a guest of the Walkley Foundation Australia-Arab International Journalism Speaker Program, supported by the Australian Government through the Council for Australian-Arab Relations (CAAR) of the Department of Foreign Affairs & Trade.

A Storyology 2016 event co-presented with the Walkley Foundation

Investigative and public-service journalism shine a light on the world’s dark corners. In today’s globally connected world, leaked documents and data can be shared and analysed by reporters and citizen journalists anywhere. Major investigations into finance and corruption like the Panama Papers highlight the growing chasm between the world's elite and everyone else, and the role governments have played in creating it.

Speakers: Gerard Ryle, director, International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (US); Lina Attalah, founder & editor-in-chief, Mada Masr (Egypt); Kate McClymont, investigative journalist with the Sydney Morning Herald: Penny O’Donnell (panel chair), Department of Media and Communications, the University of Sydney .

Lina Attalah was a guest of the Walkley Foundation Australia-Arab International Journalism Speaker Program, supported by the Australian Government through the Council for Australian-Arab Relations (CAAR) of the Department of Foreign Affairs & Trade.

A Storyology 2016 event co-presented with the Walkley Foundation

Investigative and public-service journalism shine a light on the world’s dark corners. In today’s globally connected world, leaked documents and data can be shared and analysed by reporters and citizen journalists anywhere. Major investigations into finance and corruption like the Panama Papers highlight the growing chasm between the world's elite and everyone else, and the role governments have played in creating it.

Speakers: Gerard Ryle, director, International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (US); Lina Attalah, founder & editor-in-chief, Mada Masr (Egypt); Kate McClymont, investigative journalist with the Sydney Morning Herald: Penny O’Donnell (panel chair), Department of Media and Communications, the University of Sydney .

Lina Attalah was a guest of the Walkley Foundation Australia-Arab International Journalism Speaker Program, supported by the Australian Government through the Council for Australian-Arab Relations (CAAR) of the Department of Foreign Affairs & Trade.

Part of the 2016 Festival of Urbanism.

A conversation on the divergence of Sydney and Melbourne’s cultural policy between the University of Melbourne’s Dr Kate Shaw and the University of Sydney’s Dr Oliver Watts.

SPEAKERS:

Dr Kate Shaw is an Australian Research Council (ARC) Future Fellow in Urban Geography and Planning at the University of Melbourne. Her current research focuses on urban renewal in the 21st century. Accepting that the economic case for growth combines with the environmental case for limiting urban sprawl to produce an irresistible logic for increasing the densities of Australian cities, the research explores ways of improving on the renewal projects of the last 50 years. The current project examines the legislative, regulatory, financial, political and cultural barriers to socially equitable urban development, and pursues practices elsewhere that do it better. Kate’s background is in alternative cultures. She has particular interest in Melbourne’s live music and indie arts scenes, and advises governments and local campaigns on planning and policies to maintain them.

Dr Oliver Watts is a writer, practicing artist and cultural theorist. Oliver lectures in theory at The University of Sydney, Sydney College of the Arts. He writes regularly for The Conversation and Buro 24/7 on cultural and aesthetic issues of the day from architecture to fashion. His work looks at how power and authority is reified in cultural artefacts. He sees buildings particularly as manifesting cultural history and ideology, society’s concerns, hopes and biases. Not only do buildings mirror our society but they also help create the pattern of our lives. Oliver most recently spoke at the 2016 Vivid Idea Sydney event ‘Voice of the Artist: Age of the Image’.

Part of the 2016 Festival of Urbanism.

A conversation on the divergence of Sydney and Melbourne’s cultural policy between the University of Melbourne’s Dr Kate Shaw and the University of Sydney’s Dr Oliver Watts.

SPEAKERS:

Dr Kate Shaw is an Australian Research Council (ARC) Future Fellow in Urban Geography and Planning at the University of Melbourne. Her current research focuses on urban renewal in the 21st century. Accepting that the economic case for growth combines with the environmental case for limiting urban sprawl to produce an irresistible logic for increasing the densities of Australian cities, the research explores ways of improving on the renewal projects of the last 50 years. The current project examines the legislative, regulatory, financial, political and cultural barriers to socially equitable urban development, and pursues practices elsewhere that do it better. Kate’s background is in alternative cultures. She has particular interest in Melbourne’s live music and indie arts scenes, and advises governments and local campaigns on planning and policies to maintain them.

Dr Oliver Watts is a writer, practicing artist and cultural theorist. Oliver lectures in theory at The University of Sydney, Sydney College of the Arts. He writes regularly for The Conversation and Buro 24/7 on cultural and aesthetic issues of the day from architecture to fashion. His work looks at how power and authority is reified in cultural artefacts. He sees buildings particularly as manifesting cultural history and ideology, society’s concerns, hopes and biases. Not only do buildings mirror our society but they also help create the pattern of our lives. Oliver most recently spoke at the 2016 Vivid Idea Sydney event ‘Voice of the Artist: Age of the Image’.

Part of the 2016 Festival of Urbanism.

A conversation on the divergence of Sydney and Melbourne’s cultural policy between the University of Melbourne’s Dr Kate Shaw and the University of Sydney’s Dr Oliver Watts.

SPEAKERS:

Dr Kate Shaw is an Australian Research Council (ARC) Future Fellow in Urban Geography and Planning at the University of Melbourne. Her current research focuses on urban renewal in the 21st century. Accepting that the economic case for growth combines with the environmental case for limiting urban sprawl to produce an irresistible logic for increasing the densities of Australian cities, the research explores ways of improving on the renewal projects of the last 50 years. The current project examines the legislative, regulatory, financial, political and cultural barriers to socially equitable urban development, and pursues practices elsewhere that do it better. Kate’s background is in alternative cultures. She has particular interest in Melbourne’s live music and indie arts scenes, and advises governments and local campaigns on planning and policies to maintain them.

Dr Oliver Watts is a writer, practicing artist and cultural theorist. Oliver lectures in theory at The University of Sydney, Sydney College of the Arts. He writes regularly for The Conversation and Buro 24/7 on cultural and aesthetic issues of the day from architecture to fashion. His work looks at how power and authority is reified in cultural artefacts. He sees buildings particularly as manifesting cultural history and ideology, society’s concerns, hopes and biases. Not only do buildings mirror our society but they also help create the pattern of our lives. Oliver most recently spoke at the 2016 Vivid Idea Sydney event ‘Voice of the Artist: Age of the Image’.

The vocation of public service remains a cornerstone of Australian democracy. Yet its traditional virtues are under pressure. Too often exciting innovations have remained at the periphery, failing to deliver on their promise. New approaches to the designing, commissioning and funding of government services have yet to transform the centre of public administration. Bureaucratic structures, regulatory compliance systems and a culture of risk aversion have narrowed the manner in which public accountability and stewardship have been perceived.

Yet, with political authority, governance can become more participatory and inclusive. Businesses, social enterprises and research institutions can partner with government agencies to become co-producers of public benefit. Sectoral boundaries can become porous and relationships collaborative. A new public service can emerge, based upon principles of flexibility, experimentation, facilitative leadership and organisational agility.

ABOUT THE SPEAKER:

Professor Peter Shergold AC is Chancellor of Western Sydney University. He has had a distinguished career in the Australian Public Service. Peter headed a range of Commonwealth agencies and was Secretary of the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet for five years from 2003. He now has a portfolio career serving on the Boards of AMP, Corrs Chambers Westgarth and QuintessenceLabs. He chairs Opal Aged Care. He remains active in public administration, having been appointed as the Coordinator General of Refugee Resettlement in NSW. In the tertiary education arena he chairs both the National Centre for Vocational Education Research and the Higher Education Standards Panel.

Under capitalism, how does the state organise space in our everyday lives through the streets we walk, the monuments we visit, and the places where we meet?

A talk by Univeristy of Sydney Professor Adam Morton, Department of Political Economy.

The vocation of public service remains a cornerstone of Australian democracy. Yet its traditional virtues are under pressure. Too often exciting innovations have remained at the periphery, failing to deliver on their promise. New approaches to the designing, commissioning and funding of government services have yet to transform the centre of public administration. Bureaucratic structures, regulatory compliance systems and a culture of risk aversion have narrowed the manner in which public accountability and stewardship have been perceived.

Yet, with political authority, governance can become more participatory and inclusive. Businesses, social enterprises and research institutions can partner with government agencies to become co-producers of public benefit. Sectoral boundaries can become porous and relationships collaborative. A new public service can emerge, based upon principles of flexibility, experimentation, facilitative leadership and organisational agility.

ABOUT THE SPEAKER:

Professor Peter Shergold AC is Chancellor of Western Sydney University. He has had a distinguished career in the Australian Public Service. Peter headed a range of Commonwealth agencies and was Secretary of the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet for five years from 2003. He now has a portfolio career serving on the Boards of AMP, Corrs Chambers Westgarth and QuintessenceLabs. He chairs Opal Aged Care. He remains active in public administration, having been appointed as the Coordinator General of Refugee Resettlement in NSW. In the tertiary education arena he chairs both the National Centre for Vocational Education Research and the Higher Education Standards Panel.