July 8, 2025, 3:02 am
In 2020, then Presidential candidate Joe Biden ran on a platform of empathy. He championed it as a tonic to heal the divisions and the toxic tone of politics that had emerged during the previous four years. He was not the only one to note its importance. In New Zealand, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern had made it a central feature of her leadership, particularly valued in the early days of the pandemic, and during President Barak Obama’s time in office he spoke often of its vital role in politics and society. Although often overlooked during discussions of empathy’s potential, President Trump also used it as a part of his campaign platform in 2016, aware of its value in political discourse and imagery.
With the return of President Trump to office, heightened divisions and polarisations in American political life, and a rapid series of initiatives in the US designed to remove diversity, equity and inclusion programmes, cut international aid, and reduce America’s commitment to key allies, it begs the question: has empathy had its day? What role should it play over the next four years?
It is relevant not only to America. With elections pending in Australia and growing divisions here too, what is needed from our politics and our public discourse? Is empathy key to our politics? Or is it insufficient to meet the challenges of today? This talk will explore these questions, and offer a vision for how it should remain a key feature of our politics, providing it can be given the muscle and impetus needed to be effective.
Content Creator – Australian Institute of International Affairs
