Join us at 6:00pm for 6:30pm on Wednesday 3 July for the Sydney launch of Meanjin 83.2 Winter 2024!
Let’s take a close look at the Australian Constitution: is it fit for purpose? Or is it—as constitutional lawyers Elisa Arcioni and Emily Crawford argue —‘Not one constitution but three constitutions in a trench coat’?
The constitution, the legal system and the operations of government never perfectly align with the nature of community, which changes over time, incrementally. The legal system always lags in responding to change. But there can be points at which the divergence between the people of a nation and the public narratives about who they are and how they’re governed become so separated that the authority and legitimacy of the constitution and broader system of government start to disintegrate…
Of course, we can have a debate about what truth is—whether it is static; how perspective changes how one may experience and communicate a truth. But such debates still need to be informed by practical realities: how can we—all of us—hope to question whether the Australian constitution is fit for purpose if we do not know what it does and does not do? In an era of misinformation and disinformation, where the proverbial lie has already travelled around the world before the truth has even got its shoes on, it is incumbent on us to contribute our expertise and knowledge—not just within our communities of scholars and practitioners but also beyond.
In conversation with Esther Anatolitis, Elisa (left) and Emily (right) will take a look at the confusion surrounding the Constitution, and the impacts they have on its legitimacy.
This season Meanjin writers challenge us to activate—as readers and critical thinkers, as tourists and explorers, as vigilantes and citizens. Pack us into your bag and let’s go.
Free, but bookings are essential.
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