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Please join us for a FAD Research Seminar Series hosted by the N&MRCDate: Monday 17 May 2021Time: 1:30pm-2:30pmLocation: 1A21 & ZoomPresenter Dr Nicole Curato Title ‘Thank you for sharing’: Overcoming Disinformation through Democratic Deliberation Abstract There is a dynamic global community of stakeholders working towards addressing the challenges posed by disinformation, especially during elections. Journalists have launched fact check initiatives. Donors continue to invest in media literacy programmes. Tech platforms like Facebook and Twitter are strengthening their content moderation practices.  These initiatives, while valuable, overlook the voices of ordinary citizens. How do citizens characterise the problem of ‘fake news’ during elections? Do they find disinformation a serious challenge to electoral integrity? Does disinformation offer a greater threat than the longstanding issues of electoral fraud, disenfranchisement, and threats of violence? What can we learn from the collective wisdom of ordinary citizens? To answer these questions, our research team conducted a three-day deliberative forum on disinformation in the Philippines – a country that Facebook considered to be the ‘patient zero’ of the global disinformation epidemic. Twenty-six randomly selected Filipinos from all over the country came together to learn about disinformation.  They deliberated on the dangers created by the spread of ‘fake news,’ answering questions of who should be held accountable for the production of disinformation and who should safeguard social media from its harms. Participants were then asked to generate collective recommendations for stakeholders leading campaigns against disinformation.  Findings of the study reveal that ordinary citizens view disinformation as closely linked to structural issues of the role of money in politics and the precarity of economic labour in a middle-income country’s gig economy.  The presentation concludes by making a call to shift the centre of gravity in scholarship of disinformation. Disinformation studies remain largely shaped by the experiences of the Global North even though many of the disinformation innovations (as well as their remedies) are unfolding in the Global South. The presentation seeks to present an alternative account of disinformation grounded on the lived experiences of disinformation producers and ordinary citizens in disinformation ‘hotspots’ around the world.  Biography Nicole Curato is an Associate Professor at the Centre for Deliberative Democracy and Global Governance at the University of Canberra. Her work examines how democracy can take root in communities recovering from the trauma of disasters, armed conflict, and urban crime. She is the author of the prize-winning Democracy in a Time of Misery: From Spectacular Tragedy to Deliberative Action (2019, Oxford University Press) and the editor of the Journal of Deliberative Democracy.  

Please join us for our first presentation in the FAD Seminar Series – hosted by the News & Media Research Centre and the Centre for Deliberative Democracy and Global Governance. Date: Monday 21 March 2022Time: 12:30pm-1:30pmLocation: Online - email nmrc@canberra.edu.au for the link

A part of our seminar series, the Centre for Deliberative Democracy and Global Governance is inviting you to the following event- Seminar- In Conversation with Professor Megan Davis- Uluru Statement from the HeartTuesday, 13th September 2022, 11 am (AEDT)Zoom link- https://us02web.zoom.us/j/7220752429"Uluru Statement from the Heart is an invitation from First Nations to “walk with us in a movement of the Australian people for a better future”. It was issued to the Australian people in May 2017 following almost two years of work. The Uluru Statement calls for structural reform including constitutional change. Structural reform means establishing a new relationship between First Nations and the Australian nation based on justice and self-determination where Indigenous cultures and peoples can flourish, and we all move forward."Source- https://ulurustatement.org/education/faqs/This seminar will delve in to the deliberative processes behind the Uluru Statement from the Heart with Professor Megan Davis, the Co-Chair of the Uluru Dialogue. Speaker Bio: Professor Megan Davis is the Pro Vice-Chancellor Society (PVCS) at UNSW Sydney. Professor Davis is also the Balnaves Chair of Constitutional Law, a Professor of Law and Director of the Indigenous Law Centre UNSW Law. She is a Cobble Cobble woman of the Barunggam Nation and a renowned constitutional lawyer and public law expert, focusing on advocacy for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Her work extends internationally, through roles at the United Nations, focusing on global Indigenous rights. In this capacity, she was elected by the UN Human Rights Council to the United Nations Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples based in Geneva in 2017 and again in 2019 (2019-2022) and served previously as an expert member and Chair of the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, UN Headquarters in New York (2011-2016). She is currently the Chair of the Expert Mechanism. Prof Davis is an Acting Commissioner of the NSW Land and Environment Court, a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Law, and a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Social Sciences. She is also a member of the Australian Rugby League Commissioner.We hope to see you there!

Experts on democracy and sustainability share their insights, from both research and practice perspectivesAbout this eventDespite the urgency and scale of global environmental threats, many democratic states are struggling to act swiftly on problems such as climate change and biodiversity loss. At the same time, the resurgence of authoritarianism in many countries – often with an anti-environmental streak – is seen by many as threatening progress towards sustainability.In this webinar, a panel of researchers and practitioners will discuss prospects and pitfalls for democratising sustainability transformations in light of current developments in global politics. The session builds on findings from a recent review of research on the nexus between democracy and sustainability published in the Earth System Governance journal.The panel will commence with an overview of the article by Jonathan Pickering (University of Canberra) and a critical commentary by Julia Tschersich (Utrecht University), followed by reflections from two practitioners: Melani Gunathilaka (Climate Action Now Sri Lanka) and Rafael Jimenez Aybar (Westminster Foundation for Democracy). The panel will be moderated by Wendy Conway-Lamb (CDDGG, University of Canberra)The webinar is co-convened by the Earth System Governance Project’s Working Group on Democracy and the Centre for Deliberative Democracy and Global Governance at the University of Canberra, and forms part of each network’s regular speaker/seminar series.

Hosted by CDDGG, University of CanberraDate and time: Tue 2nd Jul 2024, 5:30 pm - 7:15 pm AESTRegister here: https://events.humanitix.com/book-launch-democracy-versus-diablo-in-the-usa-and-australiaYou are invited to a participatory book launch for André Bächtiger and John S. Dryzek, Deliberative Democracy for Diabolical Times: Confronting Populism, Extremism, Denial, and Authoritarianism.You will hear from one of the book’s authors (John Dryzek) as well as special guests Professor John Gastil from Pennsylvania State University and Associate Professor Caroline Fischer of the News and Media Research Centre at the University of Canberra.You will get an opportunity to discuss their points and deliberate your own ideas about the challenges facing democracy in Australia and the USA, and how best to confront them. There will also be a chance to meet and talk more informally.This book launch will be moderated by Keith Greaves from MosaicLab. 

One-Day Conference at the University of CanberraA free event curated by Geert Lovink (Institute of Network Cultures, Amsterdam) and Denise Thwaites (Faculty of Arts and Design, University of Canberra)With lectures, presentations, performances and conversations led by Ella Barclay, Nicole Curato, Sophie Dumaresq, Caroline Fisher, Catherine Page Jeffery, Geert Lovink, David Nolan, Mathieu O'Neil, Phoebe Quinn, Melinda Rackham, Litia Roko, Erin Stapleton, Tyne Sumner, Denise Thwaites, Temple Uwalaka and Ashley Van den Heuvel.Date/Time: Thursday 21 November 2024, 10:00-18:30Location: Building 1 Level A Room 1A21, University of Canberra (NB Room 1a21 is accessed from the foyer joining Building 1 and Mizzuna café); A free event, registration is required. Register here.The full program is available here. Join us for an event that maps the depression, boredom and loneliness that feed (and are fed by) social media platforms. Beyond fake news, our platform dependencies, miseries, and anxieties are all too real. Many feel sadness about our collective inability to change - yet cannot imagine deleting social media accounts for fear of isolation. Platform Blues are an area of interest for multiple and varied forms of research, which intersect with our topic through critical enquiry into techno-feudalism, memes, online dating, doom scrolling, right-wing libertarian/conspiracy cultures and internet 'girl' theory. Alternative ways of community organizing provide glimpses of hope, as seen in protest and solidarity movements, such as those addressing climate action, #metoo, and the ongoing war in Gaza. Platform Blues in Australia exist, but neither strict regulation nor the melancholic dream of going offline will solve it. How can our phones become a tool of connection again? Resisting the distractions of AI eye candy, let's address the reality of our tech-induced mental poverty. This gathering of bodies and souls will coincide with the one-month residency of Dutch media theorist and internet critic, Geert Lovink, at the University of Canberra. Presented by the Centre for Creative and Cultural Research, The Centre for Deliberative Democracy and Global Governance and the News and Media Research Centre (all University of Canberra) and the Institute of Network Cultures (Amsterdam). Supported by the University of Canberra as part of its Distinguished Visiting Fellow Program.For questions and accessibility requests, please contact: cccr@canberra.edu.au.

Join us for our next seminar in our series, Strengthening Democracy: A Research-Practice Exchange:In democratic practice, does research matter? Tuesday 1 April, 12pm- 1pmUniversity of Canberra, Building 24, Fishbowl and Online Democracy is not just an ideal but a practical undertaking that requires continuous effort, innovation, and reflection to address emerging challenges effectively. Research on democracy is vibrant and expanding, offering valuable insights into strengthening democratic processes, enhancing citizen engagement, and addressing threats to democracy. But how do these insights move beyond academic circles and translate into real-world practice? Where do policymakers and practitioners turn when seeking solutions to complex democratic challenges?This seminar will examine the challenges and opportunities of translating research into action, spotlighting current efforts by the Australian government to strengthen democracy alongside the latest developments in democracy research. Alex Fischer (Department of Home Affairs) and Max Grömping (Griffith University) will engage in a conversation on bridging the gap between knowledge and practice in democratic governance.Dr Alex Fischer is Senior Advisor to the Department of Home Affairs Office of Community Cohesion and member of the Dusseldorp Forum. He is an interdisciplinary scholar and practitioner with expertise in global environmental security, social policy, and institutional design. His career has pursued social impact through roles in government, academia, social enterprises, civil society and philanthropy. As a member of the Australia Resilient Democracy Research and Data Network, he seeks to help translate novel research and insights into actionable ideas which inform policy and enable democratic innovators.Dr Max Grömping is Senior Lecturer in the School of Government and International Relations at Griffith University. He studies the dynamics of policy lobbying and advocacy under different political regimes, and how information disorder affects citizens’ trust in political institutions. He is currently co-leading two Australian Research Council-funded Discovery Projects on Public Interest Advocacy in Australian Policymaking, and on Mapping & Harnessing Public Mistrust. He is also Associate Editor of the journal Democratization, and an invited affiliate of the International Panel on the Information Environment.The seminar will be moderated by Prof Selen Ercan, Director of the Centre for Deliberative Democracy and Global Governance, Faculty of Business, Government and Law, University of Canberra.

Join us for our next seminar in our series, Strengthening Democracy: A Research-Practice Exchange:In democratic practice, does research matter? Tuesday 1 April, 12pm- 1pmUniversity of Canberra, Building 24, Fishbowl and Online Democracy is not just an ideal but a practical undertaking that requires continuous effort, innovation, and reflection to address emerging challenges effectively. Research on democracy is vibrant and expanding, offering valuable insights into strengthening democratic processes, enhancing citizen engagement, and addressing threats to democracy. But how do these insights move beyond academic circles and translate into real-world practice? Where do policymakers and practitioners turn when seeking solutions to complex democratic challenges?This seminar will examine the challenges and opportunities of translating research into action, spotlighting current efforts by the Australian government to strengthen democracy alongside the latest developments in democracy research. Alex Fischer (Department of Home Affairs) and Max Grömping (Griffith University) will engage in a conversation on bridging the gap between knowledge and practice in democratic governance.Dr Alex Fischer is Senior Advisor to the Department of Home Affairs Office of Community Cohesion and member of the Dusseldorp Forum. He is an interdisciplinary scholar and practitioner with expertise in global environmental security, social policy, and institutional design. His career has pursued social impact through roles in government, academia, social enterprises, civil society and philanthropy. As a member of the Australia Resilient Democracy Research and Data Network, he seeks to help translate novel research and insights into actionable ideas which inform policy and enable democratic innovators.Dr Max Grömping is Senior Lecturer in the School of Government and International Relations at Griffith University. He studies the dynamics of policy lobbying and advocacy under different political regimes, and how information disorder affects citizens’ trust in political institutions. He is currently co-leading two Australian Research Council-funded Discovery Projects on Public Interest Advocacy in Australian Policymaking, and on Mapping & Harnessing Public Mistrust. He is also Associate Editor of the journal Democratization, and an invited affiliate of the International Panel on the Information Environment.The seminar will be moderated by Prof Selen Ercan, Director of the Centre for Deliberative Democracy and Global Governance, Faculty of Business, Government and Law, University of Canberra.

AI is becoming an ever-present force in our lives, shaping how we access information, engage in discussions, and even participate in democracy. New AI tools make democratic participation more accessible through AI facilitation and live translation. But it may also undermine democracy by inhibit critical thinking skills or eroding public trust through deepfakes. This seminar brings together leading international academics and practitioners to discuss which AI tools can enhance democracy, how AI can be democratically governed and how our identities reshaped through the everyday use of AI. Join us for a dynamic exchange of ideas on the promises and challenges of AI in shaping the democracies of tomorrow.Reema Patel directs Elgon Social, as an independent researcher and practitioner with expertise in deliberative and participatory approaches. She currently works on the Digital Good Network, Public Voices in AI, and the Global Climate Citizens Assembly led by Iswe Foundation. She is also an EDI associate to the Wellcome Trust, advising them on the development and implementation of their equity framework. Dr James Muldoon is an Associate Professor in Management at the Essex Business School, a Research Associate at the Oxford Internet Institute and Head of Digital Research at the Autonomy think tank. His research examines how modern technologies such as artificial intelligence and digital platforms can create public value and serve the common good. It explores how notions of freedom, power and democracy need to be rethought in a digital age and what we can do to harness the positive potential of new technology.The seminar will be moderated by Dr Hans Asenbaum, Senior Research Fellow, Centre for Deliberative Democracy and Global Governance, Faculty of Business, Government and Law, University of Canberra.

Expanding the Demos: How Do Nonhumans Have Political Agency? is a thought-provoking seminar exploring the frontiers of political participation beyond the human. This session will delve into urgent and imaginative questions: Can animals, plants, rivers and other nonhuman entities participate in democratic life? How might they express preferences, needs or forms of agency? And how can facilitation practices evolve to accommodate more-than-human voices? Through interdisciplinary dialogue, the seminar invites a reimagining of the demos in an era of ecological entanglement. Moderated by Dr Lucy Parry, Research Associate, Centre for Deliberative Democracy and Global Governance. This event is online only. Register to get the Zoom link.

Get ready to dive deep into the messy world of public policy - it's all about embracing the chaos and finding beauty in complexity!We warmly invite you to a workshop organised by the University of Canberra’s Centre for Deliberative Democracy.The workshop seeks to preview and discuss the forthcoming book Life as Practice: Complexity, Entanglement, and Public Policy by Professor Hendrik Wagenaar (Adjunct, Centre for Deliberative Democracy, University of Canberra), and Fellow at the Centre for the Study of Contemporary Solidarity (CeSCoS), University of Vienna, Austria?. We are delighted that Dr Severine van Bommel (Senior Lecturer, University of Queensland's School of Agriculture and Food Sustainability), with a life-long interest in social practices, has agreed to be the discussant.This workshop reframes policymaking as a set of lived practices and explores how complexity, material entanglement, and ethics shape the way policies are designed, implemented, and experienced.The workshop will be of particular interest to students and scholars of public policy, as well as policymakers, and practitioners seeking new ways of understanding and engaging with the messy realities of governance.Location & ProgrammeCentre for Deliberative Democracy, Building 11, Room 11B50, University Drive South, University of Canberra, ACT 2617, AustraliaTime: 10:00 – 14:00Please note, this is an in-person event.