Utopia's Shadow: Just Societies, New Possibilites, Old Pathologies

Presenters: Peter Beilharz and David Freeman

Peter Beilharz is Professor of Sociology at La Trobe University, Melbourne, and founding Director of the Thesis Eleven Centre for Cultural Sociology.  Beilharz is author or editor of twenty-three books, and has published over four hundred journal articles, book chapters and reviews.  He is one of the world’s foremost authorities on the history of socialism.  Beilharz examines the paradox of emancipatory ideas that can dissolve into unethical practice.  He argues that these problems can originate in excessive romanticism and persuasive, yet flawed thinking.  He has been keen to document socialist traditions and individuals that were in fact ethical, and to insist upon a historical sensibility modest enough to realise that we walk in others’ footprints. The Intensive closes with the WA launch of Peter’s latest book, Socialism and Modernity (Uni. Minnesota Press 2009) by Professor Doug McEachern (Deputy Vice-Chancellor Research and Innovation, UWA) from 4.30 pm.  

David Freeman is Director of the Edmund Rice Institute for Social Justice and a sociologist and political scientist by training.  He has taught sociology and political science in four Universities, and previously worked in public policy, youth, trade union and church fields.  Freeman has been a social justice activist over three decades.  In both his activism and research, he has been disturbed by social justice traditions that undermine their own project.  His conclusion is that social justice considerations may have limited influence until we confront our frequently weak thinking and toxic culture.