The Voltaire Society invites you

Professor Catharine Lumby

Cancel culture and the rise of intolerance

An evening about disagreement, courage and the Enlightenment principles that sustain liberal democracy.

Reserve your place
Professor Catharine Lumby
DateThursday, 3 September 2026
TimeAfter work. Exact time TBC
VenueRialto, 525 Collins Street, Melbourne. Room and level TBC

What happens when disagreement becomes something to silence?

It has become routine to demand that people with whom we disagree be cancelled. Debate is displaced by bullying, doxxing, slogans and moral virtue signalling. Social media rewards outrage and pushes people towards increasingly narrow political identities.

Drawing on real life case studies, Professor Catharine Lumby will examine the cultural and political costs of this shift. She will argue for a return to reasoned dialogue and the Enlightenment principles that underpin liberal democracy, while challenging illiberal and authoritarian politics on both the left and the right.

Catharine Lumby is Professor in Media and Communications at the University of Sydney, a public commentator, author and former journalist. She was the founding chair of Media and Communications at the University of Sydney.

Join the conversation.

Places are limited. Reserve one place for yourself below. Confirmed guests will receive final room and arrival details by email.