Thank you for your support and interest this year in the work of the Centre for Applied Philosophy & Ethics.

The Centre was recently renamed the Inglis Clark Centre for Civil Society. Launch and website coming early in 2011!

Highlights of 2010 have included:

SALON/SOUTH. This winter series of invitation-only ideas salons ran in Hobart in July and August 2010, exploring strategies for enhancing the economic, cultural and social vibrancy of Tasmania as we proceed through the twenty-first century. A total of almost one hundred Tasmanian agenda setters across industry, government, academia and the community and philanthropic sectors participated in facilitated sessions themed Justice, Creativity, Prosperity and Integrity. Special thanks to the Tasmanian Council of Social Service, the Museum of Old and New Art, New Ground and McCarthy Mentoring for partnering with this project, and to the expert speakers from outside Tasmania who contributed to each session – Alan Kirkland (CEO of Legal Aid New South Wales, Chair of National Legal Aid and member of the Prime Minister’s Council on Homelessness), Padma Raman (CEO of the Australian Human Rights Commission), Juliana Engberg (Artistic Director of the Australian Centre for Contemporary Art), Rebecca Huntley (Director of The Ipsos Mackay Report) and Wendy McCarthy AO. The initiative was profiled by the Australian Financial Review’s BOSS magazine in November 2010. A detailed report on SALON/SOUTH is attached to this email – feel free to distribute it widely.

The Denison Debates. This new series of public events aims to raise the bar of democratic conversation in Tasmania, with emphasis on the values underpinning topical questions. Four panel-style discussions were held in Hobart in 2010. The first was Integrity in Public Life – featuring Tasmanian political personalities Cassy O’Connor (Greens), Matthew Groom (Liberal) and Madeleine Ogilvie (Labor) – and was held in May, following the Tasmanian state election. The second, Independence, was held in August following the federal election – featuring Andrew Wilkie (the imminently elected federal Member for Denison), Adriana Taylor (Mayor of Glenorchy and Member of the Legislative Council) and Lucy Tatman (Head of the School of Philosophy at UTAS). The third event, in October, was War on Terror vs Security Through Peacemaking – featuring John Langmore, Professorial Fellow at the University of Melbourne, former senior United Nations official and federal parliamentarian, and informed by his 2010 visit to Norway. An additional public event using this format, Connected Tasmania: Work and Play with NBN, was delivered in September in partnership with Queensland University of Technology’s Creative Commons initiative, ICT Tasmania and Hobart legal practice Ogilvie & Associates.

The James Martineau Memorial Lecture. The Inglis Clark Centre co-ordinated this long-standing UTAS School of Philosophy event, whose focus is moral philosophy and/or the philosophy of religion. Phillip Adams AO delivered the 2010 lecture, on the topic An Atheist Defends Religion, to very large audiences in Hobart and Burnie in September. See the lecture broadcast on Channel UTAS – http://www.utas.edu.au/channel-utas/media/streaming-media-channels.

The Sandy Duncanson Social Justice Fund. Tasmanian lawyer Alexander (Sandy) Duncanson died in June at the age of 37, after surviving cancer for sixteen years. Sandy is greatly missed, and was widely respected for his work in the community legal and housing sectors. Sandy’s family and friends have worked with the UTAS Faculty of Law and the Inglis Clark Centre to establish a fund in his name through the University of Tasmania Foundation. The Sandy Duncanson Social Justice Fund will grant a bursary each year to a University of Tasmania student to help them advance a social justice initiative, encouraging more of our graduates to pursue their careers with integrity. Please consider making a tax deductible donation to this fund. See more here:
http://www.utas.edu.au/foundation/sandy-duncanson-social-justice-fund and here: http://www.themercury.com.au/article/2010/12/17/194001_opinion.html

The 2010 Vice-Chancellor’s Award for Outstanding Community Engagement. In December, Natasha Cica, the Director of the Inglis Clark Centre, was awarded a Vice-Chancellor’s Award for Outstanding Community Engagement in the category of Creative Partnerships with the Community. Special thanks to Lucy Tatman, Bronwyn Peters, Sally Laing and Irene Sawford of the School of Philosophy for supporting the activities recognised in this award. See more here: http://www.staff.utas.edu.au/news/articles/staff-excellence-rewarded-at-utas

Exceptional Leadership and Creative Citizenship. These 4-day intensive programmes were offered in 2010 as part of a UTAS degree or as professional development. Exceptional Leadership runs again 8-11 February 2011, delivered by Natasha Cica. Guest speakers for 2011 include AFR BOSS editor Narelle Hooper, UTAS Arts Faculty Dean Professor Susan Dodds, Tasmanian State Architect Peter Poulet, Integrity Commission CEO Barbara Etter, Professor Jeff Malpas, Mark Prichard of Montrose Bay Big Picture High School, Niall Doran of the Bookend Trust, Craig Clifford of INCAT, and jewellery designer Natalie Holtsbaum. For more information, contact the School of Philosophy on +61 3 6226 2255. Thank you to this year’s guest speakers in these programmes, many appearing in the 2011 lineup and also including Pippa Dickson, Jami Bladel, John Martinkus, Sadie Chrestman, Stephen Estcourt, Kate Burton, Raine Paul, Tom Muller, Matthew Groom, Madeleine Ogilvie and Andrew Wilkie.

Very best wishes for a restful holiday season, and I look forward to collaborating with many of you again on new projects in 2011.

Dr Natasha Cica
Director
Inglis Clark Centre for Civil Society
University of Tasmania
Private Bag 41 Hobart
Tasmania 7001 Australia
Natasha Cica