University of Melbourne welcomes Professor Leila Brammer

Members of the University community welcomed University of Chicago’s Professor Leila Brammer onto campus this week.

Professor Brammer is the inaugural director of the University of Chicago’s Parrhesia Program for Public Discourse. Named for an ancient Greek term meaning “to speak freely and openly,” the program aims to foster “vigorous, inclusive, and productive public discourse” through its undergraduate curriculum, live events, and support for principles of free expression.

During her stay, Professor Brammer engaged in discussions with the University's leadership and community about strengthening academic freedom and empowering students and staff to facilitate productive and respectful discourse.

Professor Brammer also gave the 2024 Sugden Oration at Queen’s College, titled Reclaiming Public Discourse: Freedom of Expression on Campus and in Communities. In her oration, Professor Brammer discussed discourse as the nexus of open inquiry, freedom of expression, and democracy.

Queen’s College’s synopsis of the Oration stated: ‘In the current climate of increasing tensions among groups and individuals, campuses and communities face numerous challenges in responding to, facilitating, navigating, and mediating public discourse. Placing the history and principles of freedom of expression in conversation with theory and practices reveals limitations of common modes of discourse and provides a framework for building the conditions and the capacities for vigorous, inclusive, and productive engagement about, with, and across differences and disagreements.’