Connect with us
Event_
The Solutionists live: Liberalism may be the source of your soul
Thursday 19 September, 6:00 pm
Can liberalism be the basis of a meaningful and fun way of life? Philosopher Alexandre Lefebvre delves into this idea with Mark Scott, Vice-Chancellor at the University of Sydney and host of The Solutionists podcast.
Where do you get your values, sensibility, and general vibe from? If you aren't religious and grew up in a Western democracy, the answer is probably liberalism. Ask yourself: are my topline values and commitments to such things as freedom, fairness, tolerance, reciprocity, and irony? Well, that's a liberal package, according to Professor Alexandre Lefebvre.
In this event, Alexandre presents key ideas from his latest book, Liberalism as a Way of Life (Princeton University Press, 2024). He expands on the idea of liberalism beyond political ideology, and places it as a public philosophy that combines arguably the two most popular non-fiction topics of our day: the fate and future of liberal democracy, and self-help. Informed in equal parts by philosophy and popular culture, this conversation offers plenty of practical suggestions to unleash your inner liberal.
Professor Mark Scott AO, Vice-Chancellor and President of the University of Sydney, joins Alexandre on stage to host this conversation in a special live recording of The Solutionists, a podcast that dives into the most pressing issues of our time and introduces you to the people unearthing the seeds of remarkable solutions.
Praise for Liberalism as a Way of Life
- “Stirring and clarifying.” David Brooks, The New York Times
- “Richly erudite and thoughtful. A lot of this book is fun, and none of it is frivolous.” Adam Gopnik, The New Yorker
- "Daring and engrossing ... At last, someone has developed a rigorous, unsentimental vocabulary with which to probe the relationship between the moral and political strains of the liberal tradition." Becca Rothfeld, Washington Post
Event details
| When | Thursday 19 September, 6:00 pm – 7:00 pm (AEST) |
| Where | The event will be held at the University of Sydney Camperdown campus and livestreamed. Register for the details. |
| Getting here | In the interest of sustainability and where possible, we encourage attendees to take public transport to this event. Visit Transport for NSW to plan your journey. |
| Parking | There is limited parking on campus. For details about parking and travel options, visit the University's page on getting to our campus. |
| Accessibility | Lift and wheelchair access, and hearing loop is available at the venue. When you register for this event, please advise of any access requirements. If you have questions, get in touch with the team via email (sydney.ideas@sydney.edu.au). |
| Will this event be recorded? |
Subscribe to The Solutionist podcast and Sydney Ideas YouTube channel to get it in your feeds or check back this page post-event for the video, podcast and transcript. |
The speakers
Professor Alexandre Lefebvre, University of Sydney
Alexandre Lefebvre teaches and researches in political theory, the history of political thought, French philosophy, and human rights. He grew up in Vancouver, Canada, studied in the United States (PhD, The Johns Hopkins University, Humanities Center 2007), and now calls Sydney home.
For the past decade, Alexandre’s work has focused on one big idea: “political” ideas and institutions can and do inspire rich and rewarding ways of life. Read more about his research and books on his personal website. Alexandre’s latest book, Liberalism as a Way of Life (Princeton University Press, 2024), is about how so many of us are liberals all the way down and draw our values (and our sense of what’s good, right, normal, outrageous, wrong, funny, worthwhile, and much more) from liberalism.
Professor Mark Scott, AO, University of Sydney
Mark Scott is the Vice-Chancellor and President of the University of Sydney. Mark is a highly respected and successful senior leader of large and complex institutions, across public service, education, and the media. His notable roles include Secretary of the NSW Department of Education (2016 to 2021), Managing Director of the ABC (2006 to 2016) and Editor-in-Chief of Fairfax newspapers. In addition to his role as Vice-Chancellor, Mark is currently the Chair of the Group of Eight universities and Chair of the Conversation Media Group board.
Mark is also the host of The Solutionists, a podcast from the University of Sydney, produced by Deadset Studios. The Solutionists dives into the most pressing issues of our time and introduces you to the people unearthing the seeds of remarkable solutions. From why we need more sleep with Dr Carmel Harrington, to political powerhouse Alastair Campbell on broken politics, and why he’s grateful for his mental health breakdown. Find it wherever you listen to podcasts.
Header image: credit Jason Hawke via Unsplash