2018 THEME
Connected:Divided One of the unique things about us humans is the way that we communicate and connect with each other. These connections can be strengthened through our similarities, tying us together and uniting us. But they can also reveal our differences: if our lines of communication break down, we can become divided, separated and isolated from each other. Thanks to technology, we live in a world that is more connected than ever before, yet division and conict are rarely out of the headlines. At this year’s Festival, we dive into psychology, biology, technology, engineering, anthropology, health, current affairs and so much more to ask what it is that connects and divides us as a species, both locally and around the world.
Events to look out for: The Evolution Of Communication page 17 The Value Of Human Contact page 17 Connected Yet Divided page 18 The Rise Of Extremism page 22 Boredom: The Upside of Downtime page 23 Is Cyber War The New Cold War? page 25 The Future of Human Communication page 30 Connections: Belief And Community page 33 What Is Attraction? page 35 The Art And Science Of Conversation page 39 6