Abstract

Australia often claims a national self-identity based on a tradition described as ‘larrikin’. ‘The Larrikin Paradox’ explores the nexus between ‘larrikin’ and Enlightenment-informed normative theories relating to journalism’s public responsibility in Western liberal democracy. With its connotations of irresponsibility, ‘larrikin’ has more often than not been considered as an inappropriate frame of reference through which to conceptualise journalism’s public role. Yet, paradoxically, ‘The Larrikin Paradox’ theorizes, it is the larrikin’s capacity for irresponsibility that gives him, or her, the potential to be an enacting agent of journalism’s public responsibility. Indeed, throughout Australian journalism history, ‘larrikins’ have facilitated and protected democratic freedom in the public sphere. Yet, because this freedom is in a constant state of vulnerability, contemporary journalism, in Australia and elsewhere, could use the ‘larrikin’ to vouchsafe a work culture capable of maintaining its self-declared responsibility to, in the words of Australian journalism’s professional association, ‘inform citizens’ and ‘animate democracy’ (Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance. Available: httpp://www.alliance.org.au/code-of-ethics.htm/, accessed July 3, 2009).