Events
Upcoming events
Past events
27th March 2025, seminar: "The glass ceiling: shattered, cracked or stubbornly intact?"
As women joined the paid workforce in increasing numbers in the twentieth century they battled long-established discrimination. Low pay, exclusion from jobs defined as ‘men’s work’, and forced ‘retirement’ on marriage were just a few of the barriers in place. In the 1970s feminists identified a less-visible form of discrimination — the ‘glass ceiling’, the invisible, but equally-powerful set of assumptions that blocked women from promotion and from appointment to senior management. Many companies now promote their commitment to gender equity, but how real is it? Have women really shattered the glass ceiling, or does it continue to block women’s progress?
Join our three expert speakers as they debate the impact of the glass ceiling on the working lives of women.

6th March 2025: DEI or DIE: How to future proof diversity, equity, inclusion
I chaired an inspiring panel discussion featuring accomplished women leaders/entrepreneurs driving positive social change through their ventures. Panellists shared their journeys, discussing how they have built successful businesses while creating meaningful social impact. They will explore the unique challenges and opportunities they have encountered as women leaders, and offer practical insights on fostering inclusive company cultures during periods of growth.
8th March 2023: Celebrating International Women's Day at UTS Business School
Panel event with Anne Summers (AO), Verity Firth (AM), Anna Bedford, and Tarunna Sebastian (chaired by Bronwen Dalton). We discussed the exceptional leadership contributions women are making in various fields, and the strategies to support gender equality.
9th February 2023: Workshop on women in Australian business history
This is part of my ARC DECRA project, and will examine women and business history, broadly conceived. Contributions included women in leadership, women entrepreneurs and small business owners, women in professional work, the representation of ‘corporate’ or ‘business’ women, and the connection between women workers and corporate capitalism.
23rd November 2022: Redesigning universities for an interdisciplinary future
Professor Carl Rhodes and I in conversation, exploring how we can radically rethink universities – including rankings and key performance indicators, the structure of degrees, and even the physical space of universities – to encourage flexible, innovative, cross-disciplinary knowledge in the future.

12th October 2022: Author panel, Lessons from History, Gleebooks Newtown.
Does history repeat itself in meaningful ways, or is each problem unique? How can a knowledge of Australian history enhance our understanding of the present and prepare us for the future? This panel event will feature myself, Dr Niro Kandasamy and Professor Ann Curthoys in a thought-provoking discussion inspired by Lessons from History – a new collection of essays that shows how the past provides insight that can guide us in future.
9th September 2022: Author panel, Lessons from History, History Week at Inner West Libraries.
Does history repeat itself in meaningful ways, or is each problem unique? How can a hands-on approach to Australian history enhance our understanding of the present and prepare us for the future? Myself and Dr Zora Simic in a thought-provoking discussion inspired by Lessons from History – a new collection of essays that shows how the past provides insight that can guide us in future.
26th August 2022: Book launch and symposium, 'Australasian economic history, past reflections and future opportunities'.
Held online and at the ANU Centre for Economic History, this event brought together a diverse range of contributors to discuss new research and ideas, methodology, teaching, and connecting with parent disciplines. It was a joint celebration, of the CEH’s 10 year anniversary, and the publication of my book, Australian Economic History: Transformations of an Interdisciplinary Field.

30th June 2022: Panel on 'Urgent Histories of Australian Capitalism' at the Australian Historical Association conference, Geelong.
This roundtable builds on a recent special issue of Labour History, Capitalism: New Histories from Australia. Panellists explored the intersections economic, labour, environmental, migration, gender and Indigenous histories to reflect on how a historicising capitalism in Australia can inform public debate. We considered the political implications of new research emerging and the thorny questions that have grown about capitalism’s connections to structures of race, gender, environment, inequality and work.
26th August 2022: Book launch and symposium, 'Australasian economic history, past reflections and future opportunities'.
Held online and at the ANU Centre for Economic History, this event brought together a diverse range of contributors to discuss new research and ideas, methodology, teaching, and connecting with parent disciplines. It was a joint celebration, of the CEH’s 10 year anniversary, and the publication of my book, Australian Economic History: Transformations of an Interdisciplinary Field.

30th June 2022: Panel on 'Urgent Histories of Australian Capitalism' at the Australian Historical Association conference, Geelong.
This roundtable builds on a recent special issue of Labour History, Capitalism: New Histories from Australia. Panellists explored the intersections economic, labour, environmental, migration, gender and Indigenous histories to reflect on how a historicising capitalism in Australia can inform public debate. We considered the political implications of new research emerging and the thorny questions that have grown about capitalism’s connections to structures of race, gender, environment, inequality and work.
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ARC DECRA Fellow at UTS Business School
I acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. In particular, I acknowledge that I live and work on the unceded lands of the Dharawal and Gadigal people. This always was, and always will be Aboriginal land. I pay my respect to their Elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islander peoples today.
All thoughts and opinions posted on this website are my own, and not reflective of the institutions I may represent.
Copyright 2022 Claire E. F. Wright