Simone Weil Lecture on Human Value

The Simone Weil Lecture on Human Value is hosted by the ACU School of Philosophy. First held in 2000 as an initiative of Professor Raimond Gaita, it is a free public lecture held annually in Brisbane and Melbourne.

Each year, a distinguished international scholar is invited to give a public lecture and academic seminar at ACU. The lectures are inspired by Simone Weil's ethical vision that is rooted in attentive compassion and obligation to others, her unstinting desire for the good, and her non-negotiable commitment to justice.

2025 Simone Weil Lecture

When Words Fail Us: Reclaiming a Language of Love

The 2025 Lecture will be delivered at both the Brisbane and Melbourne campuses by Professor Stan Grant FASSA.

About the speaker

We are honoured to welcome Professor Stan Grant to deliver the 2025 Simone Weil Lecture on Human Value.

Stan Grant is one of Australia's most distinguished journalists and public intellectuals. A proud Wiradjuri man, Stan's early interest in journalism led him to a career spanning more than three decades across Australian and international media, reporting from capitals such as London, Hong Kong, Shanghai and Abu Dhabi for major networks such as CNN International, SBS, and Al Jazeera, and serving as International Affairs Analyst for Australia's ABC. He has numerous accolades, including three Walkley Awards, a Peabody Award and a DuPont Award.

In addition to his journalism, Stan also holds a PhD in theology and has held significant academic appointments, including Professor of Global Affairs at Griffith University and the Vice-Chancellor's Chair of Indigenous Belonging at Charles Sturt University. He is a leading voice on issues of identity, belonging, and justice in Australia, and his critically acclaimed books - including The Tears of Strangers, Talking to My Country, Australia Day, and On Identity - have shaped national conversations about race, reconciliation and national identity. He also wrote The Australian Dream, a powerful documentary exploring racism and the experiences of AFL player Adam Goodes.

Stan brings a deep commitment to truth-telling, human dignity, and the moral complexities of our time - ideals that resonate profoundly with the spirit of the Simone Weil Lecture.

About the lecture

This two part series is inspired by Weil's essay, Human Personality (composed in the final year of her life in 1942-43) - especially her call for us to reach for a higher language of the soul, and to look beyond the usual language of politics. In addressing one of the great sins of modernity - our incomprehensibility - these lectures will respond to the populist politics of our time, exacerbated by the politics of identity, and the dehumanising effects of technology in our lives. In the first lecture, Professor Grant focuses on how the current political context constricts our ability to speak. In the second lecture, the focus is on how we might together reclaim a higher order of humanity, and the crucial role that is played in that by faith.

Dates 

Wednesday 20 August
6pm arrival for a 6.30pm start
The Greg Craven Centre, ACU Melbourne Campus
Level 7, St Teresa of Kolkata Building, 115 Victoria Parade, Fitzroy

Please note, the Melbourne lecture will now be held at the Greg Craven Centre.

Catering and refreshments will be served from 6.00pm.
Vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free dietary requirements considered.