2022 Cunningham Lecture: 'What Makes Democracies Work?'

The Cunningham Lecture is the Academy’s flagship annual public lecture. It is named after Dr Kenneth Stewart Cunningham, the first chairman of the Social Science Research Committee (the Academy’s predecessor organisation). The Cunningham Lecture is presented each by an eminent social scientist.

The 2022 Cunningham Lecture will be delivered by Dr Elizabeth Reid AO on the topic ‘What Makes Democracies Work?’.

Elizabeth Reid is a feminist, academic and a retired development practitioner. She taught philosophy at the ANU before being appointed as an Adviser to the Prime Minister of Australia, the Right Hon. E.G. Whitlam QC, in 1973, on matters relating to the welfare of women and children. Her development work since then has taken her to Africa, the Middle East, PNG, the Pacific, Asia, the Caribbean, Central America, and Eastern Europe and the CIS States. Elizabeth has worked as a national and international public servant, with international and local NGOs, and with faith-based organisations. She now lives in Canberra and has an Honorary Professorship in the School of Culture, History and Language at the ANU.

Download the transcript of Elizabeth’s lecture here.