Award-winning author and essayist Luke Carman has been appointed as the 2025 Judy Harris Writer-in-Residence Fellow at the University of Sydney“s Charles Perkins Centre. Carman, a writer from Western Sydney, is known for his exploration of Australia”s cultural margins, mental health issues, and the complexities of the writer”s condition. He will receive a significant grant to support his year-long residency at the centre.
During his time at the Charles Perkins Centre, Carman plans to work on a new novel titled A Quiet Desperation, which will build on his previous writings that focus on mental health, social disconnection, and the quest for meaning in modern life. “I started writing initially unconscious of my motivations, desires or goals, yet each of the three times I”ve applied for the Charles Perkins Centre writer residency have been transformative,” Carman remarked. He noted that the application process prompted him to reflect deeply on his writing purpose and goals.
The Judy Harris Writer-in-Residence Fellowship is now in its ninth year and aims to connect prominent Australian writers with global health researchers to tackle complex health and social issues through literature. “I view the Charles Perkins Centre as a multidisciplinary organization that unites various experts to promote wellness in individuals, culture, and society,” he stated.
Carman”s literary work often addresses life on the fringes, whether it be geographical, social, or psychological. His acclaimed publications, such as An Elegant Young Man and Intimate Antipathies, are recognized for their experimental style and unique voice, encapsulating the contradictions of suburban life in contemporary Australia. “I have always aimed to articulate a poetics of being on the outside, disconnected from the social fabric,” he expressed.
His upcoming project seeks to address broader societal issues, including the breakdown of shared narratives and the feelings of alienation experienced by younger generations. Carman elaborated, “There”s a quiet desperation among all of us, particularly the younger generations, who are looking into a spiritual wasteland to which they feel no connection.”
At the Charles Perkins Centre, he intends to discover a language that helps reclaim meaning in a world that increasingly feels unfamiliar. “My working title, A Quiet Desperation, implies that desperation isn”t the same as resignation. Beneath the growing despair, everyone desires some form of intrinsic humanity to surface,” he explained.
Professor Stephen Simpson, Chair of the Writer-in-Residence Board, praised Carman”s selection, calling him a “fearless and vital voice” in Australian literature. He noted that the program continues to attract compelling writers who are willing to delve into the challenging intersections of personal experience and broader social crises.
Joint Interim Academic Directors Professor David James and Professor Natasha Nassar expressed their excitement in welcoming Carman, highlighting that the program has produced incredible outputs from alumni and has been recognized as a standard for integrating creativity with research translation in Australian universities.
Carman aims to fully engage with the interdisciplinary environment at the centre and collaborate with researchers to gain insights into the societal and psychological themes his novel will address. “I plan to absorb as much as possible,” he concluded.
