This May, Eminent scholars Professor Axel Bruns and Professor John Dryzek will be featured in three seminars:
Axel Bruns | The Filter in Our (?) Heads: Digital Media and Polarisation 2 May
John Dryzek | Deliberative Democracy for Diabolical Times 9 May
Both scholars - Panel Discussion | Future-Proofing the Public Sphere 16 May
Seminars take place from 11:00am to 12:30pm
1. The Filter in Our (?) Heads: Digital Media and Polarisation – Professor Axel Bruns
Climate change, Brexit, Trump, COVID, Ukraine: there is hardly a major topic in contemporary public debate online that does not attract heated discussion, entrenched partisanship, widespread misinformation, and conspiracy theorists. Rational, evidence-based contributions often fail to cut through while affective polarisation is prevalent and difficult to overcome. Professor Bruns argues that the simplistic view of these developments is that digital and social media has disrupted the traditional ‘public sphere’, enveloped us all in ‘echo chambers’ and ‘filter bubbles’ that contain our narrow ideologies, ushering in the post-truth age. But he points out that these explanations have been debunked as not acknowledging the full complexity of the present moment in public communication.
Professor Axel Bruns is an ARC Laureate Fellow (2021-2026) and Professor at the Digital Media Research Centre at QUT.
Chaired by Dr Katarina Esau
Building 24 at the University of Canberra (in the research centres' meeting room)
Zoom link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/7220752429
2. Deliberative Democracy for Diabolical Times – Professor John Dryzek
Most people forget that, in spite of the advance of democracy in the 1990s and 2000s, most states and empires throughout history have been inhospitable to democracy. What’s new about our bad times for democracy is that they have seen new forms of public and political communication in what Professor Dryzek refers to as a diabolical soundscape. However, given the chance, citizens and ‘publics’ can avoid manipulation and polarization, reach well-reasoned positions, and join public conversations in deliberative systems that also involve the media, leaders, and activists. Deliberative democracy is a communication-centric approach and offers a chance to rethink democracy. What’s more, this can begin with the deliberative practices that all societies already possess.
Professor John Dryzek was an ARC Laureate Fellow (2014-2020) and Professor at the Centre for Deliberative Democracy and Global Governance at the University of Canberra.
Chaired by Dr Adele Webb
Building 24 at the University of Canberra (in the research centres' meeting room)
Zoom link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/7220752429
3. Future-Proofing the Public Sphere - Professor Axel Bruns and Professor John Dryzek
The two previous seminars will culminate in an panel event on Tuesday 16 May in room 23B05 at the University of Canberra (and on Zoom). The two scholars, who hold vastly different perspectives on the challenges the public sphere faces in the age of digital communications, will then discuss their unique perspectives, and address questions from the audience.
Chaired by Professor Selen A. Ercan
Building 23, Room B05 at the University of Canberra (above Retro Cafe)
Zoom link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/7220752429