The Campion College Shakespeare Symposium
Campion College’s Centre for the Study of the Western Tradition (CSWT) hosted its annual Shakespeare Symposium from 5–6 September 2025 at the College’s Sydney campus. The event brought together scholars, students, and educators to explore the intersections between Shakespeare’s works and key themes in Western philosophy[1]. As part of Campion’s mission to promote liberal education grounded in the classical tradition, the symposium provided a platform for rigorous literary and philosophical engagement[1][2].
“Shakespeare & Philosophy”: The 2025 Theme
The 2025 symposium was held under the theme Shakespeare & Philosophy, encouraging participants to consider how Shakespeare’s plays reflect, challenge, and contribute to philosophical thought[2]. Papers and panels ranged across topics such as metaphysics, ethics, natural law, and political theory within the Shakespearean canon. The event showcased both emerging and established voices in humanities scholarship, united by a shared interest in deepening our understanding of literature’s role in articulating enduring human questions[3].
Simon Haines’ Contribution and Broader Significance
Among the speakers was Simon Haines, a distinguished literary scholar and former CEO of the Ramsay Centre for Western Civilisation. Haines presented a paper titled Shakespeare and Value and Diamond, exploring the moral and ethical resonances in Shakespeare’s plays through the lens of philosopher Cora Diamond[4]. His presentation addressed the ways in which literature reveals forms of moral understanding that resist abstraction or reduction. Haines’s contribution exemplified the symposium’s interdisciplinary ethos and affirmed the importance of literary study in grappling with fundamental questions of value and meaning. His presence at the event further reinforced the growing dialogue between philosophical inquiry and the Shakespearean tradition within Australian academic life[4].
References
[1] Campion College – Centre for the Study of the Western Tradition, 2025 Symposium Overview
[2] Campion College – Shakespeare & Philosophy Symposium Program, 5–6 September 2025
[3] Campion College – Symposium Highlights and Themes (CSWT News, September 2025)
[4] Campion College – Speaker Abstracts and Presenters (Symposium 2025)