The Dawson Society for Philosophy and Culture’s 2025 conference, “Home: Family. Place. Economics” drew about 40 attendees and sparked vigorous conversations about the meaning of the home in modern society.
The three-day gathering brought together scholars, clergy, professionals, and members of the public to explore the phenomenon of the home from a wide variety of perspectives. It was held at the University of Notre Dame’s Fremantle campus, July 10-12.
The event was formally opened by Perth Archbishop Timothy Costelloe SDB, who led those assembled in prayer.
This was followed by a public lecture by conference keynote Marc Barnes of the New Polity Institute based in Steubenville, Ohio..
Mr Barnes’ talk, “Human weakness and its discontents: Why modernity hates the home” examined the complementarity of the sexes in making the home and was the cause for considerable discussion following.
Other conference highlights included:
Anna Krohn’s insightful reflection on homemaking and the interior life in her talk, the “Paideia of the Hearth”.
Emeritus Professor John Kinder OSI FAHA, who spoke of memory, language, and cultural inheritance in his talk, “The words of home and the home of the Word”.
A rich exploration of Catholic social teaching on economy and work, including sessions on AI, domestic architecture, the insurance industry, and post-industrial family life.
“We chose ‘home’ as our theme because it sits at the junction of so many urgent cultural questions in today’s society,” Dawson Society president Thomas Gourlay said.
“The success of this year’s conference shows that people are hungry to rediscover the moral, spiritual, and economic foundations of home in a world of fragmentation.”
The event also marked the society’s growing national profile, drawing attendees from across Australia and even Singapore, and reinforcing its role as a leading voice in Christian intellectual renewal.
The Dawson Society for Philosophy and Culture (inc.) was founded in Perth in 2012 as a lay initiative and intellectual apostolate inspired by British cultural historian Christopher Dawson.
Through public lectures, conferences, and educational programs, it seeks to revive the profound connection between faith and culture in the Western tradition.
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Dawson Society’s Conference “Home Family Place Economics ” draws and Timely Reflections on the Future of Family, Place, and Economy (The Dawson Society)
