2026 Festival

Speaker Profile

Sean Scalmer

Sean Scalmer is the prize-winning author of seven books of history, on topics ranging from the history of Gandhian nonviolence to the history of electioneering in Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States. He is also a Professor of History at the University of Melbourne. His latest book is A Fair Day’s Work: The Quest to Win Back Time (Melbourne University Press, 2025)

Humanities Need A Hug: Critical thinking in an AI-dominated world

Friday April 24
Portsea Village
9.00am / 60 mins

Elizabeth Finkel, Jane Montgomery Griffiths and Sean Scalmer with Inala Cooper

Anxiety And The Modern Workplace: How IT, AI, WFH and DEI are impacting life in the office

Saturday April 25
Ellen Grant Hall
1.00pm / 60 mins

Sean Scalmer, Sarah Wilson and Toby Walsh with Stephen Lunn