Lecture: Higher Learning in the Post-Truth Age

What are universities’ responsibilities in an era undergoing profound technological and political change and one marked increasingly by misinformation and declining trust in major institutions?

Professor Duncan Ivison draws on his background in political philosophy, as well as extensive experience in higher education, to explore the place of universities in today’s world. Despite immense challenges—both recently and in the past—universities have proved themselves as surprisingly resilient and adaptable civic and public institutions (so far). But our social license and the very value proposition of a university education is today under pressure as never before. This lecture invites us to reflect on the purpose of universities, how they might continue to serve the public good, while renewing their intellectual and ethical foundation for the future.

The lecture will be introduced by Professor Irene Tracey, the Vice-Chancellor at the University of Oxford, who will give the vote of thanks.The lecture will be followed by an In Conversation with Duncan Ivison and Irene Tracey. They will be joined by the editors of a new series, A Cultural History of Higher Learning (Bloomsbury Academic 2025), which explores the dynamic forces shaping higher learning over the last 2500 years, including the modern era.

More information about the speakers and the pannelists can be found here.

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