Populism is on the rise. A consequence of populism has been the challenge of ‘Truth in the Media’. In the world of social media, ‘fake news’ and bubbles, misinformation is rife, which can have terrible effects in a time of pandemic. As vaccines are rolled out and countries seek to return to something like ‘normal’, how should we understand the challenges of populism to equipping society with the right information, and what solutions might there be. You’re invited to a live webinar with experts on the topics of populism and media.

Benjamin Moffitt

Senior Lecturer in Politics, Australian Catholic University

Benjamin Moffitt is Senior Lecturer in Politics and Australian Research Council DECRA Fellow in the National School of Arts at the Australian Catholic University, Melbourne. His research is located at the intersection of comparative politics, contemporary political theory and political communications, and focuses on contemporary populism across the globe. He is the author of The Global Rise of Populism: Performance, Political Style and Representation (Stanford University Press, 2016) and Populism (Polity, 2020); co-author of Political Meritocracy and Populism: Curse or Cure? (Routledge, 2020); and co-editor of Populism in Global Perspective: A Performative and Discursive Approach (Routledge, 2021). He is currently writing a book on the visual politics of populism.

William Hasselberger

Professor of Politics, Universidade Católica Portuguesa (Institute for Political Studies)

William Hasselberger is a philosopher and professor of politics in the Institute for Political Studies (IEP) of Catholic University of Portugal (UCP). He is an integrated researcher in UCP's Political Studies Research Center (CIEP), where he leads the research group in "Technology, Data, and Politics." William is also a Visiting Research Fellow at the Institute for Advanced Studies in Culture at the University of Virginia. William's research interests include philosophical questions concerning human nature, ethics and moral character, autonomy and free agency, and the nature of the emotions. He also researches ethical issues raised by emerging technologies such as Artificial Intelligence, algorithmic decision-making, Big Data, Affective Computing, and automated surveillance. His work has appeared in journals such as The European Journal of Philosophy, Social Research, Philosophy, The Pacific Philosophical Quarterly, Utilitas, and The Hedgehog Review.

Simona Beretta

Professor of International Economics, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore

The Q&A will be moderated by Simona Beretta, Professor of International Economics at Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, School of Political and Social Sciences, Milano, and Director of Centro di Ateneo per la Dottrina Sociale della Chiesa (University Research Centre on Catholic Social Teaching). Her research interests concern the intrinsic ethical dimension of Economics analysis, policymaking and policy implementation, with special focus on the centrality of human labor in sustainable development, and on development as a transformative process, occurring within personalized and durable relations. Among her recent publications: Freedom and Agency: The Importance of Time and Relations for Development, in Paolo G. Carozza and Clemens Sedmak (eds), The Practice of Human Development and Dignity, University of Notre Dame Press, 2020.