Registrations now closed.
No book in the history of western political thought has attracted as much intrigue and controversy as Niccolò Machiavelli’s The Prince. Written in 1513 while exiled in the hills outside Florence, and against a background of extraordinary artistic, architectural, and intellectual creativity, Machiavelli offered a clear-eyed examination of politics and the ‘art of ruling’. Conceived as an advice book for rulers, The Prince discarded conventional moral virtues for specifically political ones. Machiavelli’s ruler must adapt to the times, must know when to behave like a fox and when like a lion, and learn how not to be good.
Machiavelli’s name and vision of politics thus became synonymous with cunning, corruption, and cruelty. But what was Machiavelli really doing in writing The Prince? Come and investigate a text that one modern scholar called ‘a bomb in a prayer-book’ and decide for yourself how (not) to rule the world.
The Western Civilisation Winter School is a two-and-a-half-day residential program that will situate Machiavelli’s explosive little book in the context of Renaissance culture and explore questions about the nature and ends of power, the place of morality in politics, and the characteristics of political virtue. It will also provide opportunities to discuss the influences on Machiavelli’s writing as well as how The Prince has influenced modern political discourse and debates.
Other activities include an evening at the Queensland Parliament, a trip to the Queensland Art Gallery and Queensland State Library, and a Machiavelli-inspired film night.
If you enjoy reading, writing, or thinking about big ideas, this is the Winter School for you.
Event Details
Dates: The Winter School commences at 3pm on Monday 24 June 2024 and finishes at 2pm on Wednesday 26 June 2024.
Location: Women's College, College Rd, St Lucia QLD 4067.
Eligibility: The Winter School is open to all Year 11 and Year 12 high school students.
Cost: The Winter School is free. Accommodation and full-board during the Winter School are provided. Travel subsidies for students with financial disadvantage and/or who are travelling from over 400 km away from Brisbane are available.
For more information, email westernciv@uq.edu.au.