ADI lunchtime seminars are relaxed, informal monthly discussions on current research projects and publications. Each session features a 20-30 minute talk followed by a Q&A.  

We welcome contributions from all researchers affiliated with ADI—from early-stage ideas to completed projects. Early Career Researchers (ECRs) are especially encouraged to present. If you’re interested, please contact ciara.barker@deakin.edu.au and mark.duckworth@deakin.edu.au. 

Over the past 25 years, public discourse around solitude has grown significantly, especially in non-academic spaces such as TED Talks and popular media. These narratives often frame solitude not as loneliness or social detachment, but as a conscious rejection of conformity and the pressures of modern mass society. 

In this talk, A/Prof Vince Marotta explores how contemporary texts—primarily written for general audiences—frame solitude as a path to freedom, individuality, and creativity. While some of these works fall within the self-help genre, many draw on academic and scientific literature to support their claims. 

• Examine key themes in popular literature on solitude
• Explore how solitude is linked to theories of self, individualisation and mass society 
• Critically assess whether these narratives adopt a non-relational view of solitude 
• Introduce the concept of radical relationality to argue that solitude is always embedded in social relations—past, present, and future 

• Explore a Timely Topic: Delve into the growing cultural fascination with solitude and its implications for how we understand selfhood in contemporary society. 
• Interdisciplinary Insight: Gain a unique perspective that bridges sociology, philosophy and popular culture—ideal for researchers across the humanities and social sciences. 
• Engage with Cutting-Edge Research: Hear from A/Prof Vince Marotta, a leading scholar in relational theory and cosmopolitanism, as he presents new work on solitude and the relational subject. 
• Challenge Assumptions: Rethink common narratives around solitude as isolation and consider how it might instead be deeply relational and socially embedded. 
• Interactive Format: Participate in an open Q&A session where you can ask questions, share ideas and connect with fellow researchers. 
• Support ECR Engagement: Be part of a supportive academic community that values early-stage research and encourages contributions from Early Career Researchers. 

A/Prof Vince Marotta is an Associate Professor of Sociology in the School of Humanities and Social Sciences at Deakin University. His research spans social theory, multiculturalism, cultural identity, cosmopolitanism and relationality. He is the author of Theories of the Stranger: Debates on Cosmopolitanism, Identity and Cross-Cultural Encounters (Routledge, 2017) and his current work explores themes of liminality, silence, slowness, solitude, and stillness.