Democracy in Our Time: Is It Worth Defending? (Part 2 of 2)

Dr Vince Giuca

Recently, there has been a plethora of books and articles on the topic of democracy’s demise. We find authors who point to a number of countries that are moving towards authoritarian rule (such as America, Hungary, Turkey and the Philippines), while others argue that, despite these exceptions, democracy is alive and well. In particular, Dr Vince Giuca will examine two important threats to democracy. First, populism, where (authoritarian) leaders claim to represent the people and their interests and, yet, introduce anti-pluralistic and anti-liberal measures. Second, digital technology, which is becoming all too pervasive in our lives and has significant implications for political power and civil liberties, and consequently, for democracy itself. Vince will introduce these ideas and ask questions about their ramifications for Australian democracy and whether we need to take action in defending and, perhaps, shoring up aspects of our body politic.

Bio: Dr Vince Giuca teaches post-graduate management students as a sessional/part-time staff member at Monash University. He has been teaching since early 2015. Prior to this, Vince has held a wide range of positions, including Ministerial Adviser to two Industrial Relations Cabinet Ministers (during the Hawke Government), Senior Consultant/Manager with multinational consultancy firms, Human Resources Director with IT and financial services firms, and Managing Director of an electronic security firm. He has post-graduate business and management degrees (MA and MBA) and a PhD encompassing HRM and related disciplines. Vince continues to have a strong interest in politics, reflecting earlier studies in this area (BA and MLitt).

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