2025 ABC Boyer Lecture series examines Australia as a Radical Experiment in Democracy
Justin Wolfers, a professor of economics and public policy at the University of Michigan and a visiting professor of economics at the University of Sydney will deliver a keynote speech at the 2025 ABC Boyer Lecture series.
Academics, writers and policy experts will explore Australia: A Radical Experiment in Democracy across a series of five orations for the 2025 Boyer Lecture series, hosted by its creative director Julia Baird.
In this groundbreaking series, each of the five speakers will examine the strengths of Australian democracy as well as growing threats to it. The speakers will reflect on what has made our democracy so resilient and how, while Australians are lacking trust in our politicians, they have remarkable trust in our electoral processes. But they will also examine what each believes to be some of the challenges to it: shifting and uncertain global alliances, angry algorithms, artificial intelligence and rising autocracies.
ABC Chair Kim Williams said “This year it is proposed that we host five distinguished speakers, having had four in the 65th series last year. In presenting an anthology series again, this year with Julia Baird as interlocutor to bind the series seamlessly, we are confident that the magic of a ‘thought kaleidoscope’ through our speakers will deliver captivating contrasting perspectives.
“I believe anthology series are better suited to the current era where undertaking four or more consecutive lectures is probably too big a request on prospective speakers with time pressures. Rather than having just one thinker why not have five with closely argued divergent viewpoints which Julia will then explore in conversation. The ABC Board is confident that an anthology series better suits contemporary temperament and offers the audience a variety of perspectives on contemporary directions in Australian democracy.”
The series will commence with a keynote delivered by Justin Wolfers, (pictured), professor of economics and public policy at the University of Michigan and a visiting professor of economics at the University of Sydney.
Mr Wolfers’ keynote will be recorded on 14 October in front of a live audience in ABC Ultimo Studio 22. This will be followed by a panel discussion with all five speakers, moderated by journalist, historian and creative director of the Boyer lectures, Julia Baird. The keynote and panel will air on ABC Radio National and ABC News Channel on 19 October.
“Australia’s radical experiment has held to date - but we need to be clear-eyed about the challenges to it.” said Julia Baird.
For the first time in Boyer history, every subsequent lecture in this series will be broadcast on the ABC News Channel as well as ABC Radio National on consecutive Sundays from 26 October.
In another first for the Boyers, the ABC will partner with The Monthly to expand on the reach and impact of the lecture series.
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