The event is fully booked. Please register here if you would like to attend remotely and watch the livestream.

Join Dr Emma Shortis in conversation with renowned sociologist Assistant Professor Musa al-Gharbi, with Alex Sloan AM as MC, for a compelling discussion of al-Gharbi’s provocative new book, We Have Never Been Woke.

It explores the paradox of progressive politics in America that celebrates diversity and inclusion as it grapples widening social and economic inequality. Musa al-Gharbi argues that the social justice language of 'inclusion' and 'equality' has too often been co-opted by well-educated elites and used to maintain exclusionary institutions and practices, arguing this ultimately protects the interests of the elites themselves, at the expense of the disadvantaged. This discussion is far from a cynical takedown, but rather an attempt to understand how good intentions can produce harmful outcomes – and what can be done about it.

Don’t miss this event, which examines how we can move beyond elite narratives to create meaningful change. Copies of We Have Never Been Woke will be available for purchase and you will have the opportunity to get the book signed after the formalities conclude.

SPEAKERS:

Musa al-Gharbi - Sociologist and Assistant Professor of Communication and Journalism, Stony Brook University

Musa al-Gharbi is a sociologist and assistant professor in the School of Communication and Journalism at Stony Brook University. His research primarily focuses on the political economy of knowledge production and the social life of scholarly and journalistic outputs. He is a columnist for The Guardian, and his writing has also appeared in the New York Times, the Washington Post, the Atlantic, and more. al-Gharbi’s first book, We Have Never Been Woke: The Cultural Contradictions of a New Elite, was published by Princeton University Press in October 2024.

Dr Emma Shortis - Director of International and Security Affairs, The Australia Institute

Dr Emma Shortis is Director of the Australia Institute’s International & Security Affairs Program. Emma is a historian and writer, focused on the history and politics of the United States and its role in the world. She uses her expertise in history to interpret and explain what is happening in the world today, and what it means for Australia, in a compassionate and accessible way. Emma’s first book, Our Exceptional Friend: Australia’s Fatal Alliance with the United States, was published by Hardie Grant in 2021. She writes regularly for Australian and international outlets, and appears regularly on Australian radio and television.

Alex Sloan AM - Former ABC broadcaster and award-winning journalist and interviewer

Alex Sloan AM is an award-winning journalist and highly regarded interviewer, facilitator and MC. Alex has been a journalist for over 30 years, including 27 years as a broadcaster with the ABC. In 2017, Alex was named ACT Citizen of the Year, and in 2019 was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia.

ABOUT WE HAVE NEVER BEEN WOKE: THE CULTURAL CONTRADICTIONS OF A NEW ELITE:

We Have Never Been Woke: The Cultural Contradictions of a New Elite

Society has never been more egalitarian—in theory. Prejudice is taboo, and diversity is strongly valued. At the same time, social and economic inequality have exploded. In We Have Never Been Woke, Musa al-Gharbi argues that these trends are closely related, each tied to the rise of a new elite—the symbolic capitalists. In education, media, nonprofits, and beyond, members of this elite work primarily with words, ideas, images, and data, and are very likely to identify as allies of antiracist, feminist, LGBTQ, and other progressive causes. Their dominant ideology is “wokeness” and, while their commitment to equality is sincere, they actively benefit from and perpetuate the inequalities they decry. Indeed, their egalitarian credentials help them gain more power and status, often at the expense of the marginalized and disadvantaged.

We Have Never Been Woke details how the language of social justice is increasingly used to justify this elite—and to portray the losers in the knowledge economy as deserving their lot because they think or say the “wrong” things about race, gender, and sexuality. Al-Gharbi’s point is not to accuse symbolic capitalists of hypocrisy or cynicism. Rather, he examines how their genuine beliefs prevent them from recognizing how they contribute to social problems—or how their actions regularly provoke backlash against the social justice causes they champion.

A powerful critique, We Have Never Been Woke reveals that only by challenging this elite’s self-serving narratives can we hope to address social and economic inequality effectively.