Brisbane Free University

Brisbane Free University is excited to announce that we will be running a couple of sessions at the Laura Street Festival.  This festival is an excellent local initiative, and is packed with heaps of fun stuff, which you can check out in full here.

While you’re there, keep your eye out for these BFU events:

1. BFU Presents ‘Pop Ed-U-Fun: A Radical Enquiry Into Fun and Free-Time’

This session aims to bring new a understanding to our experiences of free-time and fun. In trying to live meaningfully and authentically we may examine many of our lifestyle choices, but do we ever critically reflect on what we do for enjoyment? Is the way we do ‘fun’ an integrated, empowering, joyous part of our lives, or just another consumer activity?

Thank you everyone for a wonderful BFU session last night.  Carol Richards has kindly provided some notes from the presentation, which are available here: Presentation for Brisbane Free University ­ 12th November 2013

Read, share and bon appetit.

Next Tuesday 24th September, Brisbane Free University presents Yancey Orr with moderator (and witty commentator) Gerhard Hoffstaedter talking about Friedrich Engels & Marxism, and their relevance to contemporary discussions of freedom, surveillance, modern technology and alienation. Yancey will give a 40 minute presentation, followed by around 40 minutes of open discussion with audience and moderator. Juicy stuff, don’t miss it!

Speaker:
Dr. Yancey Orr: lecturer of anthropology, School of Social Science, The University of Queensland

Moderator:
Gerhard Hoffstaedter: lecturer in anthropology at UQ, co-founder Melbourne Free University. He writes about culture, talks about life, blogs and tweets about both.

Where?
Carpark under Westpac Bank, 89-91 Boundary Street, West End

When?
6.30pm Tuesday 24 September, 2013

As usual, the session will be completely free and open to all participants.

On Wednesday 2nd October, Brisbane Free University will present a panel discussion between Robert Austin, Rebecca Barrigos and Roxana Valdebenito on the post-Penguin student uprisings in Chile and student struggle in Australia.  These speakers will deliver short presentations, followed by open discussion.  The discussion will be bilingual, between English and Spanish.

(For useful background on the topic, if you’re interested, check out the wiki page on the Chilean protests:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2006_student_protests_in_Chile)

Speakers:
Roxana Valdebenito (joining via Skype)
Final year Sociology student & elected delegate, Student Council, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Chile

Robert Austin, Ph.D. Honorary Research Fellow, School of History, Philosophy, Religion and Classics; University of Queensland, St Lucia, Q. 4072, Australia

Rebecca Barrigos is a student leader and socialist intellectual, with a strong background in and understanding of student action.

Where? B Block, Room 124, QUT, Gardens Point.

When? Wednesday 2nd October, 7pm – 8.30pm

The event is free, open and inclusive.

Brisbane Free University is excited to present our first workshop series: a three part musical adventure with local musician Hannaka Johnson. 

The 1 hour sessions will be presented over 3 weeks, each week covering a different are: rhythm, singing techniques and harmony. 

When: 4:00 Saturday afternoons for the rest of August: that’s the 10th, 17th and 24th.

Where: Please note that this will not be help in our usual car park, but rather in the lovely Pear Cafe and Bar, 43 Gladstone Rd in Highgate Hill. 

As usual, everything is free! 

All welcome.

This Wednesday 24 July at 6.30pm, Brisbane Free University presents Jon Crowe and Hugh Breakey talking through the processes of ethical reasoning.

Jonathan Crowe is an Associate Professor at the University of Queensland, where he teaches legal theory, constitutional law and international humanitarian law. His research centres on the philosophical relationship between law and ethics.

Hugh is a Postdoctoral Fellow at Griffith University, Australia. He researches philosophical issues in ethics, human rights, natural rights and the protection of civilians. He is President of the Australian Association for Professional and Applied Ethics.

Their presentations will be followed by open discussion. All welcome!

Where? Carpark under Westpac Bank, 89-91 Boundary Street, West End

When? 6.30pm – 8.30pm

Brisbane Free University presents a panel on Australia’s indigenous state policies, such as the National Apology, native title and self-determination, and the ways in which they are critiqued and resisted. The event features presentations from Lyndon Murphy, a lecturer in Indigenous studies from Griffith University, and Boe Spearim, the Brisbane Aboriginal Sovereign Embassy’s youth representative, as well as time for open discussion.

Where: Carpark under Westpac bank, 89 – 91 Boundary st, West End. (Stop 5 on the 199 busline.)

When: Tuesday June 25th, 6:30pm – 8:30pm

All welcome!

Out first BFU Film Night has been postponed due to the weather. We’ll soon pick a new date within the next couple of weeks and will let you know.

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