Fear and Identity – are these the tools of modern politics?

Venue: The Irish Club, 171 Elizabeth Street, City

Thursday 5 July 2007, 6.30 for 7 pm start

All welcome, entry by donation

Organised by Willy Bach, Greens candidate for Griffith.

Introduced by Larissa Waters, Greens lead Senate candidate for Queensland.

Dr Winnifred Louis (PhD, McGill, Canada) is a Lecturer in the School of Psychology and a Research Associate of ACPACS, UQ. Her research focus is on decision-making in intergroup conflict. She will present research examining the role of threat in prejudice towards asylum seekers in Australia, and the ways that threat perceptions are shaped by social factors - entitled ‘The Psychology of Threat’ Dr Louis explains her work on John Howard’s ‘children overboard’ strategy which led to his victory in the 2001 federal election.

Dr Richard Matthews, is a philosopher and ethicist based at Mount Allison University in Sackville, New Brunswick, Canada. His forthcoming book responds to recent claims by some commentators that, in an age of global terrorism, torture is justifiable and necessary in some cases. His book, The Absolute Violation: Why Torture Must be Forbidden, argues against this and defends the absolute prohibition against torture.

The topic of his book, ‘The indefensibility of torture’ will be discussed at this public lecture. The Howard government’s tacit support for the use of torture in the ‘War on Terror’ is well documented.

Both of our speakers will welcome questions.

The Irish Club is a licensed venue.

Contact Willy Bach: 04007 15627

Authorised by Ian Gittus, 26 Horan Street, West End, Qld 4101