The program for the Sydney Writers’ Festival is now available. Overland‘s doing three events, as below:

An Evening with Germaine Greer
Thursday 21 May, 6-7pm
City Recital Hall

Since storming into public consciousness in 1970 with The Female Eunuch, her acerbic attack on sexist culture, Germaine Greer has been kicking up dust of one type or another. She presents a lecture on ‘The Australian Way: The Influence of Australia and Australians on British Politics and Politicians’ in which she traces the influence of the Australian example on British politics, first as the inspiration for Thatcherism and then as the rationale of New Labour. The most recent example is the adoption by the British government of the points system for incoming migrants. Supported by Overland.

Literary Journals
Event 189

For more than a 150 years, Australia’s most acclaimed writers have launched their careers through the nation’s literary journals. ‘Little magazines’ have been powerful agents for the expression of Australia’s intellectual and artistic culture, for national and international cultural debate, and for showcasing the creative and critical work of emerging literary talent. How can they rise to the challenge of the digital age? Editors Sophie Cunningham (Meanjin), Jeff Sparrow (Overland) and Julianne Schultz (Griffith Review) discuss the role of literary journals in the 21st century with Australia Council Literature Director Susan Hayes.

Stories from the Climate Change Front: A Forum and Launch of Overland 195

David Spratt, co-author of Climate Code Red, Dr Sharon Beder, author of Global Spin: The Corporate Assault on Environmentalism, and Deltoid science blogger Tim Lambert discuss the state of the climate change debate today with Overland editor Jeff Sparrow.

Are the big polluters changing their ways or simply greening their public image? Who are the main climate denialists? What kind of action do we need, and how close are we to achieving it?

Presented by Overland.