Divided or United? The Psychology Behind Polarisation

Join us for a thought-provoking evening that goes beyond the headlines, asking not only why polarisation takes hold but also what gives us hope for a more connected future.

Headlines warn of growing division in our politics, communities and even families. Social media feeds often overflow with outrage, misinformation can spread at lightning speed, and it can feel as though people are living in completely different realities.

What is driving polarisation? And is society as polarised as it seems?

In this panel discussion, leading researchers will explore the psychology behind polarisation and misinformation, examining how biases, group identities and media algorithms can shape our beliefs and amplify divisions. Importantly, they will also highlight what people share in common, and how empathy, shared identity and evidence-based interventions can help us find common ground.

At the end of this discussion, there will be a Q&A followed by refreshments.

🗣️ SPEAKERS
Professor Fiona White, School of Psychology, Faculty of Science
Fiona White is the Director of the Sydney University Psychology of Intergroup Relations (SUPIR) Lab and Professor of Social Psychology at the University of Sydney. She is recognised internationally for developing, integrating and evaluating social cognitive strategies to reduce stigma, prejudice and discrimination, and is a recipient of two prestigious 2024 ARC grants to reduce racism.

Fiona was the expert host of the ABC three-part docuseries titled The School That Tried To End Racism, which was nominated for a 2021 Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts Award (AACTA) and the 2022 Logie Award for the most outstanding factual or documentary program.

Professor Micah Goldwater, School of Psychology, Faculty of Science
Micah Goldwater co-directs the Sydney SEEDLing developmental psychology lab, and leads the Charles Perkins Centre research node on “Fighting Truth Decay”, an interdisciplinary group researching ways to counter misinformation. He earned his PhD from the University of Texas at Austin, and previously held a research fellowship at Northwestern University. His work focuses on how to make people better at thinking. He’s never won any awards, but he seems like a decent enough guy.

Dr Francesco Bailo, School of Social and Political Sciences, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences
Francesco Bailo is a lecturer in Data Analytics in the Social Sciences at the University of Sydney and Deputy Director of the Centre for AI, Trust and Governance. He is interested in researching forms of political engagement and political talk on social media. He has researched the emergence and dynamics of online communities, the role between news organisations and social media, and the interdependence between social media activists and news organisations. On these issues, he has recently published two pieces in The Conversation: one on GenAI and another on the communicative power of platforms in fragmenting audiences and steering political conversations.

Host: Reged Ahmad, Co-host/senior producer, Guardian Australia, Full Story podcast
Reged was with the BBC in London for 12 years as a chief presenter and senior journalist with BBC World News TV and World Service Radio, anchoring breaking and rolling news in the studio during Donald Trump's first US presidency, as well as other major stories such as Brett Kavanaugh's US Senate vote, the London Borough Market terror attack, Myanmar Coup and the Thai King Coronation. Once back home, Reged then joined the ABC News Channel in Sydney as a senior producer and presenter, before finding her home at Guardian Australia.

🎟️ Free Event. Registration is essential for catering purposes
Book now at https://www.sydney.edu.au/science/news-and-events/events/divided-or-untied.html