Big Ideas

Meta's Mark Zuckerberg has said “a lot of the corporate world has become culturally neutered” and that it needs more “masculine energy”? Has it and does it? At Meta, he recently shut down initiatives that promote equity and diversity in his workplace. In the USA, so has Ford, Mcdonalds, Walmart, and the Trump administration. But in Australia, less than 5% of CEOs in private companies are women and the gender pay gap is slow to budge. Meanwhile, future male leaders are being courted online by manosphere influencers like Andrew Tate. Where is all this heading? Join Natasha Mitchell and guests to consider the consequences for modern workplaces.This event was produced by the 2025 Sorrento Writers Festival curated by festival director and founder Corrie Perkin.SpeakersCatherine Fox AMAward-winning journalist, author, presenter, and commentator on women in the workforceAuthor, Breaking the Boss Bias: How to Get More Women Into Leadership (2024) and Stop Fixing Women (2017)Josh BornsteinLawyer specialising in employment and labour-relations law. Author, Working for the Brand: How Corporations are Destroying Free Speech (2024).

Democracies in retreat, attacks on science, border disputes, death and destruction. It can feel like we are living in unprecedented times - but here's the thing: world history has a habit of repeating itself. So what lessons does history teach us about this moment in which we find ourselves? Do we humans learn anything from the past, or are we destined to repeat the same mistakes?This event was recorded at Adelaide Writers' Week on 5 May 2025.SpeakersOrlando FigesHistorian of Russia and EuropeEmeritus Professor of History at the University of LondonAuthor, The Europeans: Three Lives and the Making of a Cosmopolitan Culture, The Whisperers: Private Life in Stalin's Russia and many moreBettany HughesClassical historian, writer, broadcasterAuthor, Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, Venus and Aphrodite: history of a goddess and many morePresenter, Bettany Hughes' Lost Worlds: The Nabataeans (SBS)Matthew LongoPolitical scientistAuthor, The Politics of Borders: Sovereignty, Security, and the Citizen after 9/11, The Picnic: A dream of freedom and the collapse of the Iron Curtain (Winner of the 2024 Orwell Prize for political writing)Assistant Professor of Political Science, Leiden University (The Netherlands)Dava SobelScience writer and historianAuthor, Longitude, Galileo's Daughter, The Elements of Marie Curie and many moreAnnabelle Quince (host)Host, Rear Vision, ABC Radio National

After five nominations, Ruthie Foster has taken home the 2025 Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Blues Album - affirming her status as an American music legend. In this intimate conversation, she shares what made her want to be a singer; the roles of her grandmother and mother in her life; why faith is so important to her and why she wants to sing about real people. And much more…A Heartlands Conservation presented at the Blue Mountains Music Festival.SpeakersRuthie FosterAmerican singer-songwriter of blues and folk music. 2025 Grammy Award winner for Best Contemporary Blues AlbumGregg Borschmann (host)Writer, radio producer and oral historian for the National Library of Australia

The exiled founder of Russia's only independent television news channel, Mikhail Zygar, takes us inside Vladimir Putin's Russia, with a firsthand account of how the President has successfully silenced the media, opposition and Kremlin critics, to cement his hold on power.The 2025 AN Smith Lecture: Journalism against autocracy: Putin, Trump and the future of news was recorded at the University of Melbourne's Centre for Advancing Journalism on 31 March 2025.SpeakersMikhail ZygarExiled Russian journalist and commentatorFounder of Russian TV channel Rain TVAuthor, War and Punishment: The Story of Russian Oppression and Ukrainian Resistance, All the Kremlin's Men: Inside the Court of Vladimir Putin and moreWinner, 2014 Committee to Protect Journalists International Press Freedom AwardProfessor Andrew DoddDirector, Centre for Advancing Journalism, University of Melbourne

A story of continents crashing and cleaving apart, the making of a civilisation, the language of the dead, and ... a mummified rat makes a cameo too. The Incan empire was vast and sophisticated. It built the stunning citadel in the clouds of Machu Picchu in the Andes mountains. But within a century its people were catastrophically wiped out by the onslaught of the Spanish conquistadors. Join Big Ideas host Natasha Mitchell with two intrepid researchers — an archaeologist and a leading mammalogist — to hear what amazing discoveries continue to be made in Peru and South America.Thanks to the Australian Museum for hosting and producing this event.SpeakersProfessor Kris HelgenChief ScientistDirector of the Australian Museum Research InstituteAustralian MuseumDr Jacob BongersArchaeologist University of Sydney Further information:Machu Picchu and the Golden Empires exhibitionAssembling the dead: human vertebrae-on-posts in the Chincha Valley, PeruPainting personhood: Red pigment practices in southern Peru

The language used to talk about mental ill-health can play a key role in reducing or enforcing stigma. And it's constantly evolving. But what terms should be used and when? And by whom? The wrong word can not only deeply hurt a person's feelings. It can end careers, destroy relationships, cut access to support systems. This special World Mental Health Day PsychTalks event was presented by the Mental Ill-Health Stigma Researchers Australia Network (MISRA), the Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, and the Melbourne School of Global and Population Health, with the support of SANE’s StigmaWatch program.SpeakersProfessor Nicola ReavleyPrincipal Research Fellow and Deputy Director of the Centre for Mental Health, Melbourne School of Population and Global HealthDr Michelle BlanchardChief Executive Officer of VANISH, Honorary Senior Fellow in the Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, University of MelbourneProfessor Nick HaslamProfessor of Psychology, Melbourne School of Psychological SciencesFay JacksonGeneral Manager of Inclusion at Flourish AustraliaSandy JeffsAuthor and poet, advocate in the mental health system for many yearsDr Chris Groot (host)Senior Lecturer in the Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, University of Melbourne

What can a mosquito teach us about time? Noone likes a mosquito bite — but for a brief moment when it stings you, you know you are alive. Humans are temporal beings, but across cultures, our concepts of time are vastly different. This event explores what we can learn from science, philosophy and Indigenous perspectives that can alter experiences of and attitudes to time, to make better decisions for the future.This event was recorded at the Sophia Club in London on 17 October 2024.SpeakersRichard FisherAuthor, The Long View: Why We Need to Transform How the World Sees TimeSenior editor, Aeon MediaAnde SombyYoik singerAssociate Professor of Law, The Arctic University of NorwayBrigid Hains (host)Editorial director, Aeon Media

This election has been described as a boring campaign, but with some fascinating contests. So just what is going on in the minds of voters as Australia heads to the polls this weekend?This event was recorded at the Sorrento Writers Festival on 27 May 2025.SpeakersFrank BongiornoProfessor of History, Australian National UniversityPresident, Council for the Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences, and the Australian Historical AssociationAuthor, Dreamers and Schemers: A Political History of Australia, The Sex lives of Australians: a historyPaul KellyEditor-at-Large, The AustralianAuthor, Triumph and Demise: The Broken Promise of a Labor Generation and The March of Patriots: The Struggle for Modern AustraliaKim CarrLongest serving Victoria Labor Senator (1993 — 2022)Vice Chancellor's Professorial Fellow at Monash UniversityDirector of the Made in Australia Campaign LimitedAuthor, A Long MarchJo Dyer (host)Writer, literary curator and producer of theatre and filmFormer director, Adelaide Writers Week, former CEO, Sydney Writers FestivalIndependent candidate for Boothby at the 2022 federal electionAuthor, Burning Down the House: Reconstructing Modern Politics

Are we living through a key turning point in world history? How do we make sense of this present moment, and what's on the horizon?Trump's trade wars, long-held alliances dismantled, the deadly conflicts in Gaza and Ukraine, the rise and rise of AI, the tech oligarch takeover, China's military build-up, NATO's demise, and much more. It's a confusing time. Four seasoned analysts and journalists with their finger on the pulse join Big Ideas host Natasha Mitchell to share their prognoses. This event was hosted and organised by the 2025 Sorrento Writers Festival curated by festival director Corrie Perkin.SpeakersJohn LyonsWalkley award winning foreign correspondentABC Editor, AmericasABC Washington bureau chiefGreg SheridanForeign editor, The AustralianJournalist and author, Christians, the urgent case for Jesus in our world (2021)Emma ShortisDirector, The Australia Institute's International and Security Affairs program. Author, Our Exceptional Friend: Australia's Fatal Alliance with the United States (2021), After America: Australia and the New World Order (2025)Josh TaylorAward-winning journalist specialising in technology and politicsThe Guardian

It's been called a coming-of-age story for a nation. The Whitlam Government's purchase of Jackson Pollock's Blue Poles in 1973 helped to bring down the government. So how did this abstract expressionist masterpiece become the most famous, most controversial artwork in Australia?Then: how does political portraiture affect how we feel about politicians — and how we vote? Jacqueline Maley looks at The Art in the Optics — and explains why political portraiture is more important than ever today.These events were recorded at the National Library of Australia on 3 March 2025 and the National Portrait Gallery on 20 March 2025.SpeakersTom McIlroyAuthor, Blue Poles: Jackson Pollock, Gough Whitlam and the painting that changed the nationPolitical correspondent, Australian Financial ReviewNiki SavvaPolitical commentator and columnist, Sydney Morning Herald and The AgeJacqueline MaleyColumnist, Sydney Morning Herald and The Age

Until recently, the USA provided about 30% of global health funding. It was dominant in supplying HIV/AIDS medication and funded a major part of medical research. Much of this has now stopped with Donald Trump restricting gender affirming care, withdrawing from the WHO and holding funds from USAID - and the list goes on. What are the impacts on pandemic preparedness, future global health priorities and resource mobilisation?This conversation has been presented by the The Australian Institute for Infectious Disease (AIID) and the Australian Global Health Alliance.SpeakersDr Nina SchwalbeCEO and founder of Spark Street AdvisorsProfessor Brendan CrabbDirector and CEO Burnet InstituteProfessor Sharon LewinDirector Doherty InstituteDr Selina Namchee Lo (host)Executive Director, Australian Global Health Alliance

Acclaimed British historian Sir Simon Schama reflects on the history of antisemitism, the Holocaust and contemporary culture. He says that for millennia Jewish people have been "the other of convenience. We are the dark mirror in which the wish fulfilment of other societies takes it out on people who are said to represent its opposite."Presented at the Adelaide Writers Festival in partnership with the University of Sydney.SpeakerSir Simon SchamaBritish historian and television presenterProfessor of Art History and History, Columbia University

Cancer is common and chemo and radiotherapies can save or extend our lives. But sometimes they don't, or they stop working, or they come with disabling long-term side effects. In a state of desperation, some of us seek out unproven alternatives which might even put us at greater risk of cancer. Join Big Ideas host Natasha Mitchell and guests to find out how scientists are attacking the problem of cancer treatment.This event was organised by the Australasian Society of Stem Cell Research, University of Adelaide, and National Stem Cell Foundation of Australia.SpeakersProfessor Mark DawsonHaematologist and clinician-scientistAssociate Director of ResearchPeter MacCallum Cancer Centre and the University of Melbourne.Associate Professor David ElliotStem cell researcher and leader of the Heart Disease group, Murdoch Children's Research InstitutePrincipal investigator, Novo Nordisk Foundation for Stem Cell Medicine (reNEW). Professor Megan MunsieImmediate Past President, Australasian Society of Stem Cell Research (ASSCR)Professor of Emerging Technologies (Stem Cells) Murdoch Children's Research Institute and the University of MelbourneThank also to Tanya Ha from Science in Public and Dr Luke Isbel from the South Australian immunoGENomics Cancer Institute.Further listeningHow surfing writer Tim Baker and doctor Peter Goldsworthy learnt to live well and laugh with cancer (Big Ideas, 2025)

For the past 18 months, Israel's war in Gaza has polarised the world. The Indian author and essayist Pankaj Mishra reckons with the conflict through the lens of colonialism, morality and history.This event was recorded at the University of NSW Centre for Ideas on 27 February 2025.SpeakersPankaj MishraAuthor, The World After Gaza, From the Ruins of Empire and Age of Anger: A History of the PresentEssayist, New York Review of Books, London Review of Books, The New Yorker and moreSimon LongstaffDirector, The Ethics CentreCo-founder, Festival of Dangerous IdeasAdjunct Professor, Australian Graduate School of Management at University of NSWFurther information:The Shoah after Gaza by Pankaj Mishra - London Review of Books, 24 March 2024

Two thousand years ago, life in Pompeii stood still when Mount Vesuvius erupted, preserving the town in volcanic ash for centuries. Today, this ancient Roman city captures the imagination like few others.This event was recorded at the National Museum of Australia on 14 December 2024.SpeakersDr Sophie HayRoman archaeologist, press and communications officer, Paco archeological de PompeiiProfessor Steven EllisProfessor of Classics and Roman Archaeology at the University of CincinnatiDr Lily WithycombeCurator at the National Museum of AustraliaVirginia Trioli (host)Journalist, broadcaster and author, A Bit on the SideHost, ABC TV's Creative TypesFurther information:The exhibition Pompeii is on at the National Museum of Australia in Canberra until 4 May 2025.

Authoritarian regimes are threatened by women who fight for their freedom — and are pushing back in even more extreme and deadly ways. The world watched wide-eyed as Iranians took to the streets and social media for the #WomenLifeFreedom movement. We watched Afghan women and children run towards American planes taking off from Kabul as the Taliban returned to power. In Myanmar, women have taken up arms against the military junta. What do women at these front-lines need you to know right now? Join Natasha Mitchell and guests.This event was hosted by Monash University's Maureen Brunt Women and Democratic Change program and the ARC Centre of Excellence for the Elimination of Violence against WomenSpeakersDr Farkondeh AkbariResearch FellowAustralian Research Council Centre of Excellence for the Elimination of Violence against WomenMonash UniversityDr Rana DadpourResearch Fellow in Social and Economic RiskThe Cairns InstituteJames Cook UniversityDr Isabella (Bella) AungResearch FellowMyanmar Policy & Community Knowledge Hub, University of TorontoMyanmar Initiative Fellow, University of British ColombiaHead of Comparative Politics Diploma Program, Spring University Myanmar (SUM)Professor Jacqui TruePolitical scientist and Professor of International Relations Director, Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for the Elimination of Violence against Women (CEVAW)Monash UniversityGlobal Fellow, Peace Research Institute, OsloAuthor, Violence against Women: What Everyone Needs to Know (Oxford University Press, 2021)Special thanks to Daniela Philipson Garcia, Program Manager for the Women and Democratic Change Initiative and PhD candidate.

The only certainty in life is that we will all some day die. Most of us don't know when that day will come. But others must face their mortality front on. Mark Rafael Baker was no stranger to death, losing three loved ones in seven years — and then he was confronted with his own.This event was recorded at Readings Bookshop Melbourne in October 2024.SpeakersMichelle LeshLecturer at Melbourne Law School, University of MelbourneRaimond GaitaEmeritus Professor of Moral Philosophy, King's College LondonHonorary Professorial Fellow, Melbourne Law School, University of MelbourneAuthor, Romulus, My Father, Justice and Hope, and morePaul Barclay (host)Journalist, broadcaster and moderatorFormer host, Big Ideas

Join Natasha Mitchell and guests to grapple with some gritty paradoxes about science and religion, and in this era of misinformation, conspiracy theories, and existential angst — are they serving the needs they used to? Science drives much of modern life, and yet fewer people are drawn to studying it at school putting scientific literacy at risk. There's been a rise in anti-science sentiment and a questioning the authority of scientific expertise. Many societies are becoming more secular with fewer people claiming to follow a formal religion, yet religious fundamentalists and populists are being elected to power throughout the world.This episode was first published on 29 May 2024SpeakersPeter HarrisonHead, Institute for Advanced Studies in the Humanities, University of QueenslandAuthor, Some New World: Myths of Supernatural Belief in a Secular AgeAnik WaldowProfessor of Philosophy, University of SydneyAuthor, Experience Embodied: Early Modern Accounts of the Human Place in NatureCharles WolfeProfessor of Philosophy, University of Toulouse-2 Jean-JauresAuthor, The Philosophy of Biology Before Biology: A History of VitalismThis event was hosted by the University of Sydney's Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences and Department of Philosophy at a conference in honour of the eminent scholar of history of philosophy of science, the late Stephen Gaukroger.

We know them as Zuckerberg, Musk, Bezos, Gates, Jobs. But to Kara Swisher, they're Mark, Elon, Jeff, Bill, and Steve. She was once a Silicon Valley insider, but now she's one of big tech's most vocal critics.This event was recorded at Adelaide Writers Week on Monday 3 March 2025.SpeakersKara SwisherAuthor, Burn Book: A Tech Love Story, aol.com: How Steve Case Beat Bill Gates, Nailed the Netheads and Made Millions in the War for the Web and There Must Be a Pony in Here Somewhere: The AOL Time Warner Debacle and the Quest for a Digital FutureHost of podcast On with Kara Swisher, and co-host of podcast, Pivot (with NYU Professor Scott Galloway)Former tech journalist with Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, contributing opinion editor New York TimesMarc Fennell (host)Host of new podcast, Noone saw it coming ABC Radio NationalCreator and host Stuff the British Stole ABC Radio National and ABC TVFormer host, Download this Show ABC Radio National

Jobs vs the environment. Profits vs environmental protection. One pitted against the other. That dominant story has defined environmental regulation in Australia, drowning out the stories scientists or environmental campaigners want to tell. Scientist, environmentalist, and government insider, Peter Cosier, has worn all the hats and he wants to change how we think and talk about Nature. An eye opening account of Australian environmentalism and its politics.Presented at the Lyrebird FestivalSpeakersPeter CosierChair of Accounting for NatureFounding Member of the Wentworth Group of Concerned Scientists, Former Policy Adviser to the Australian Environment Minister Robert HillGregg BorschmannOral Historian for the National Library of Australia, Writer & Radio Producer

Teenagers 'live' online and on social media. How can they reap the many benefits that social media can offer? There are plenty of them: an endless pool of knowledge and curiosity. But parents need to help them navigate the risk and threats online — of which there're also plenty.On Big Ideas, we have a panel of experts with a plethora of valuable information, advice and resources.Presented by the Raising Children Network and hosted at the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute.Check out the ABC TV series 'Role of a Lifetime' on iview with more details about parenting in the social media era.SpeakersDerek McCormackDirector of Raising Children NetworkDr. Julie Inman GrantAustralia's eSafety CommissionerDr. Sarthak GandhiHeadspace Board Youth Advisor and Researcher at Murdoch Children's Research InstituteProfessor Marie YapResearch Professor at Monash University and Psychologist with expertise in Parenting & Youth Mental HealthBeverley Wang (host)ABC's National Culture CorrespondentFurther informationRaising Children NetworkeSafety CommissionerHeadspaceKits HelplineReach Out Parent lineYouth Safe

Two of Australia’s most influential and legendary storytellers, author Tim Winton and filmmaker Rachel Perkins, join Natasha Mitchell at WOMADelaide’s Planet Talks to discuss the power of stories and the role of artists to create change in the world.SpeakersRachel PerkinsMulti-award-winning filmmaker, and founder of Blackfella filmsDirector, presenter, co-writer, co-producer The Australian Wars series (available on SBS On Demand)Co-director, co-writer, co-producer First AustraliansTim WintonMulti-award-winning author of Juice, Dirt Music, Cloudstreet and more.Patron of the Australian Marine Conservation Society Host and writer, Ningaloo Nyinggulu series (available on ABC Iview)Activist, Protect Ningaloo and Exmouth Gulf campaignThis event was recorded live at the annual 2025 WOMADelaide festival produced and presented as part of its Planet Talks program, held on the traditional lands of the Kaurna people. Thanks to Planet Talks producer Rob Law.

Populism is part of American political history. It has been and still is the dominant vocabulary of dissent. But the current resurrection of authoritarian politics in the US is different. While the two parties could absorb populist movements in the past, this time populism has absorbed the party.Presented at the American Academy in BerlinSpeakerJefferson CowieJames G. Stahlman Professor in American History at Vanderbilt UniversityAmerican Academy in Berlin, Axel Springer Fellow — Class of Spring 2025

In his influential 1964 book The Lucky Country, Donald Horne wrote that Australians played an aristocratic role in Asia: "rich, self-centred, frivolous, blind". A lot has changed in 60 years, but does Australia still think it's better than its neighbours?Recorded at the Australian Academy of the Humanities annual symposium, The Ideas and Ideals of Australia — The Lucky Country turns 60, on 13 — 15 November 2024 at the Australian National University.SpeakersLouise EdwardsEmeritus Scientia Professor of Chinese History, University of New South WalesNick HorneEditor, Donald Horne: Selected Writings (2017)

Australia's housing crisis hasn't always been with us. So what choices created it, and what choices are now needed to fix it? Buying a house is now out of reach if you're on an average wage, and rental options are expensive and precarious. If we don't address the issues urgently, generations to come will face homelessness or profound poverty paying rents on a pension. There are solutions. Are politicians courageous enough to try them? Join Natasha Mitchell and guests at Adelaide Writers Week.SpeakersMaiy AzizeDeputy Director of Anglicare AustraliaNational spokesperson, Everybody's Home campaignAlan KohlerFinance journalist and presenter with ABC NewsAuthor, Quarterly Essay: The Great Divide: Australia's Housing Mess and How to Fix it (2023)Amy Remeikis aka @PyjamaPoliticsChief Political Analyst, The Australia InstituteJordan van den Lamb aka @PurplePingersRental activist and advocate2025 Senate candidate, Victorian SocialistsThank you to Adelaide Writers Week and to Anna Chang from the Australia Institute.

How many times have you checked your phone today? How many tabs are open in your web browser? Do you feel in control of your attention? In the digital age, attention is now a commodity. Can practices like meditation and mindfulness help us feel more free to focus on what really matters?This event was hosted at the Brunswick Ballroom by the Sophia Club in partnership with the University of Melbourne's Contemplative Studies Centre.SpeakersJess HuonMeditation trainer, authorised Dharma teacher, writer (The Dark Wet)Nicholas Van DamDirector of the Contemplative Studies Centre at the University of MelbourneAssociate professor, School of Psychological Sciences, University of MelbourneBrigid Hains (host)Editorial director, Aeon MediaMatthias Schack-Arnott Musician

The structures of our families have become more bespoke, complex, sometimes messier. Some find comfort in a 'chosen family', choosing friends over blood-relatives as kin. Patchwork families are increasingly common. You can a birth mother, a genetic mother and a social mother. How is the family changing and with what impacts? Meet three writers here to help you re-imagine the ties that bind. Presented at the Byron Writers Festival, supported by the Byron Shire Council.SpeakersKon KarapanagiotidisCEO and Founder of the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre; author of A Seat at My Table: PhiloxeniaMarina KamenevFormer deputy arts editor of the Moscow Times, author of KinMolly SchmidtWriter and journalist, author of Salt River RoadRosemarie MilsomFounding director of Newcastle Writers Festival, journalist and broadcaster Also listen to Future Tense: The greatest demographic shift in a century is being ignored: single living

The Murray Darling Basin is the most important river system in Australia, and the most contested. What does it mean to live by those rivers, through the droughts, the floods, and the water politics that shape these communities. A beautiful and evocative history of the Murray Darling Basin, as told by people who live there.This speech was recorded at the History Council of Victoria's annual lecture at the State Library of Victoria on 14 November 2024.SpeakersKatie HolmesProfessor in History and Director of the Study of the Inland at La Trobe UniversityAuthor, Mallee Country: land, people, history, Reading the Garden: the Settlement of Australia and more

How has the fossil fuel industry wielded influence over Australian governments and their policies? What does it take to make ambitious change in the public interest, without vested interests getting in way? Join Natasha Mitchell and guests at Adelaide Writers Week.SpeakersDr Richard DennissEconomist and Executive Director of The Australia InstituteAuthor of BIG: The Role of the State in the Modern Economy (2022)Ross GarnautEconomistProfessor Emeritus in business and economics, University of MelbourneBoard director of renewable energy company ZEN ENERGYAuthor of Let's Tax Carbon: And other ideas for a better Australia (2024), Superpower: Australia's Low Carbon Opportunity (2019)Sarah Hanson-YoungSenator for South AustraliaGreens spokesperson for arts and communications, and environment and waterRoyce KurmelovsFreelance journalistAuthor of Slick: Australia's Toxic Relationship with Big Oil (2024)

The citizens of France have a notoriously conflicted relationship with the state. Their suspicion, if not resentfulness, of state power has played out in myriad revolts over the centuries and continues with repeated protests and riots to this day. It shapes the country's political and social fabric … from the set-up of their local sports clubs to their global foreign politics ambitions. The picture that emerges is one of a nation struggling to reconcile its core political values with the realities of a diverse society.Presented at FASStival, the University of Technology Sydney Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences FestivalSpeakerEmile ChabalProfessor of Contemporary European History at the University of Edinburgh, Author of France

The International Criminal Court has issued high-profile arrests warrants for Russian President Vladimir Putin and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over their conduct in the wars in Ukraine and Gaza. But although the court's role is to end impunity for war crimes, many are now questioning whether it has the power to perform that vital duty.This event was recorded at the University of Tasmania on 11 February 2025.SpeakersAlex WhitingProfessor of Practice, Harvard Law SchoolFormer Acting Specialist Prosecutor for the Kosovo Tribunal in The HagueFormer Investigation Coordinator and then Prosecution Coordinator in the Office of the Prosecutor at the International Criminal Court in The HagueTrial Attorney and then a Senior Trial Attorney with the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia, 2002-2007Regina Weiss (host)Barrister, Tasmanian BarFormer war crimes prosecutor, International Criminal CourtCounsel to the ICC on victims, defense, sexual and gender-based violenceChair of the Australian Red Cross — Tasmania International Humanitarian Law CommitteeTim McCormack (host)Professor of International Law, University of TasmaniaFormer Special Adviser on War Crimes to the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court in The Hague (2010-2024)

A "Homeric struggle", a desperate night-ballet, an ethical training ground for boys and men. Aussie Rules is a multimillion-dollar industry, but at its heart, to thousands of people, it's much more than that. Including to Australian literary great, Helen Garner.This event was recorded at the National Library of Australia on 20 February 2025.SpeakersHelen GarnerAuthor, The Season, Monkey Grip, The Children's Bach, The First Stone, Joe Cinque's Consolation, The Spare Room, This House of Grief and moreBeejay Silcox (host)Critic, writer, outgoing Artistic Director, Canberra Writers Festival

Donald Trump's return to The White House is up-ending the way America works — at home and on the global stage. Does it herald the potential social, political, and constitutional collapse of United States? The world has watched nations sleepwalk into ultranationalist fascism before, is this that moment? Or is American democracy more resilient than any one demagogue? Are we on the cusp of new world order, and how will Australia play its cards if the USA no longer has our back?This event was presented by Adelaide Writers Week and the Australia Institute.SpeakersDr Emma ShortisAuthor, Our Exceptional Friend: Australia's Fatal Alliance with the USDirector of The Australia Institute's International & Security Affairs programDr Nick BryantJournalist, historianAuthor, The Forever War: America's Unending Conflict with ItselfFormer BBC correspondentPresenter of Saturday Extra on ABC Radio NationalAllan BehmAuthor, The Odd Couple: The Australia-America Relationship (2024)Special Advisor, International Political Affairs, The Australia InstituteDr Prudence FlowersAuthor, The Reagan Revolution (2025)President, Australian and New Zealand American Studies AssociationSenior lecturer in US history at Flinders University

A trip to Bunnings, a Medibank or Optus account, a new smart car or vacuum, every facet of our daily lives is now up for grabs. So should privacy continue to be our individual responsibility, or is it time for governments do more?This event was recorded at the State Library of Victoria on 19 November 2024.SpeakersHugh de KretserPresident, Australian Human Rights CommissionLizzie O'SheaFounder and chair of Digital Rights WatchPrincipal lawyer at Maurice BlackburnEd SantowCo-Director of the Human Technology Institute at the University of Technology SydneyCo-author, Machines in Our Image: The Need for Human Rights in the Age of AIDaniel NellorPhilosopher, playwright and co-author, Machines in Our Image: The Need for Human Rights in the Age of AIFurther information:First tranche of the Federal Government's privacy reformsPrivacy and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2024

Europe needs to rethink its strategies and policies to protect the continent in the future. Russia's invasion of Ukraine, China's predatory mercantilism, and the rise of populist neoisolationism in the United States mean that depending on the status quo won't cut it anymore. But after decades of neglect, restoring Europe's military capacity, economic competitiveness, and strategic autonomy will be difficult. Can NATO evolve into a more balanced team, and may the time finally have come for a European pillar within it? Can increased trade and economic dynamism be squared with increased security and international competition?Presented by the American Academy in BerlinSpeakersGideon RoseFormer editor and managing editor of Foreign Affairs; 2025 Axel Springer Fellow at the American Academy in BerlinAdjunct senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations; adjunct professor of political science at Columbia UniversityDaniel BenjaminPresident of the American Academy in Berlin

Humans have a conflicted relationship with animals: We love our pets and admire our wildlife. But we continue the industrial production of dairy, meat and eggs, that often leaves animal suffering in dreadful conditions. We create a division between US and THEM, if it suits us. What does that say about how we value animals in our lives?Presented at the Byron Writers FestivalSpeakersPeter SingerBioethicist and author of Animal Liberation, Practical Ethics, and The Buddhist and the EthicistFounder of the charity The Life You Can Save and co-hosts of the Lives Well Lived podcastJames BradleyAward-winning author of Deep Water: The World in the OceanLaura Jean McKayAward-winning author of The Animals in That Country and GunflowerDr David RolandClinical psychologist and honorary associate with the School of Medicine, University of Sydney

Seeing a whale in the wild takes your breath away. But so much of what they do remains mysterious. Join Natasha Mitchell with two world leading whale researchers unearthing the secret world of cetaceans. You'll want to change jobs when you hear what they get up to! Thousands of humpback whales will soon leave their Summer feeding grounds in Antarctica with full bellies to begin the world's longest mammalian migration. How do they live, breed, behave, survive, thrive? Commercial whaling might have declined, but can we work out what these magnificent creatures make of what's happening in their home now — from offshore oil drilling and seismic testing to ship collisions and climate change? This event was hosted by the Island Whale Festival Phillip Island. Find out more about the festival held annually in July. Listen to the rest of our special series Animals — Us and Them?SpeakersDr Barry McGovern Cetacean scientist Australian Research Associate, Pacific Whale FoundationDr Pete Gill Cetacean scientist Founder and CEO of The Blue Whale Study

Cherished companions, or cunning predators? Cats kill five million native animals in Australia every day — so how can we better manage our feline friends?Listen to the rest of our special series Animals — Us and Them?SpeakersAlex Patton Invasive species ecologist and PhD candidate, University of TasmaniaNoel Hunt CEO, Ten Lives Cat CentreDr Catherine "Cat" Young Biodiversity coordinator, NRM SouthDr Tiana Pirtle (host)Conservation officer, Invasive Species CouncilFurther information:Cats in Australia - Invasive Species CouncilCat Management Actions for Eastern Quoll on Bruny Island - NRM SouthThreat abatement plan for predation by feral cats - Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water

Zoos are changing — they are no longer just places for us humans to gawk at animals in cages. In the midst of a global extinction crisis, they are now playing a vital role. So what is their future?This event was recorded at the International Society of Behavioural Ecology Congress in Melbourne on 2 October 2024, with thanks to organiser Professor Andy Bennett from the University of Melbourne.Listen to the rest of our special series Animals — Us and Them?SpeakersDr Sally SherwinDirector of Wildlife Conservation and Science, Zoos VictoriaProfessor John WoinarskiConservation biologist, Charles Darwin UniversityAuthor, A Bat's End: The Christmas Island Pipistrelle, Cats in Australia: companion and killer and moreDirector, Australian Wildlife ConservancyCo-chair, IUCN Australasian Marsupial and Monotreme Specialist GroupMember of the science advisory committees of Zoos Victoria and of Invertebrates AustraliaAssociate Professor Lee BergerMelbourne Veterinary SchoolFellow of the Australian Academy of ScienceProfessor Dan BlumsteinProfessor of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology and Professor in the Institute of the Environment and Sustainability, University of California, Los AngelesDr Jen Martin (host)Associate Professor in Science Communication, and founder of the Science Communication Teaching Program, University of MelbourneHost, Triple R community radioAuthor, Why am I like this? The science behind your weirdest thoughts and habits

Satyajit Das presents a provocative examination of the use and abuse of images of wild animals, and how they shape our relationships with the natural world. These pictures can create an impression of abundance and untouched ecosystems, and lull us into a false sense of security, at a time when the natural world faces ecological calamity.The Attenborough Effect — Shaping Our Relationship With Wild Animals was presented by the Australian National Maritime Museum.SpeakerSatyajit DasAuthor of Wild Quests. Journeys into Ecotourism and the Future for Animalsformer banker, recognised as one of the world's leading financial thinkers.

We’re past the brink of civilisational collapse. And many environmentalists are pushing a “fake green fairytale”. Jem Bendell’s arguments have inspired the Extinction Rebellion movement’s civil disobedience pushing for climate change action. But Jem doesn’t think protest is enough now. Find out why the self-confessed eco-libertarian and author of Breaking Together: A freedom-loving response to collapse thinks we should break together not apart. Jem joins Big Ideas host Natasha Mitchell at the 2024 Festival of Dangerous Ideas (FODI)SpeakerJem Bendell Author, Breaking Together: A freedom-loving response to collapse (2023)Author, Deep Adaptation: A Map for Navigating Climate Tragedy (2018, 2020)Co-founder of Bekandze Farm - Regenerative Training CentreFounder, the Deep Adaptation ForumBand member, the Barefoot StarsEmeritus Professor of Sustainability Leadership, University of CumbriaSenior Distinguished Fellow, Schumacher Institute

For 30 years, Maltese investigative journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia exposed corruption and wrong doing in her country. Her youngest son, Paul Caruana Galizia, details the impact of her life, her assassination in a car bomb explosion in 2017, and how her legacy lives on.

The British Empire was once the biggest in the world. But now, some countries are cutting ties, and some want reparations. So just what is the legacy of British imperialism?This event was recorded at the Ubud Writers and Readers Festival in October 2024.SpeakersSathnam SangheraAuthor, Empireworld: how British Imperialism shaped the globe and Empireland: how Modern Britain is Shaped by its Imperial Past, and moreColumnist with the Sunday TimesGill Westaway Owner-operator at Villa Karingal, Lombok, IndonesiaFormer British Council employee

Being who we are in public (with our mental illness) is the only way to create lasting change. Amanda Tattersall, co-founder of the campaigning organisation Get-Up, speaks powerfully about her experience of living with bipolar disorder and its role in driving social change. Hear how storytelling, sharing lived experiences, and forging solidarity through difference can make all the difference.Her keynote address: Making Change and Mental Illness — reimagining how we make a difference from the inside out was presented at the 2024 TheMHS ConferenceSpeakerAmanda TattersallAssociate Professor of Practice, Urban Geography, School of Geoscience University of SydneyCo-founder of GetUp, founder of the Sydney Alliance, host of the ChangeMakers podcast

Cancel culture has ruined careers and lives — but did they deserve it? What consequences should people face for what they say and do? And what does redemption look like in the digital age?This event was recorded at the Festival of Dangerous Ideas in Sydney on 25 August 2024.SpeakersRoxane GayEditor, social commentator, contributing opinion writer for The New York TimesAuthor, Bad Feminist, Hunger: A Memoir of My Body, Opinions: A Decade of Arguments, Criticism, and Minding Other People's Business and moreMegan Phelps-RoperFormer member, Westboro Baptist ChurchAuthor, Unfollow: A Journey from Hatred to HopePresenter and co-producer, The Witch Trials of J.K. RowlingAndy MillsReporter and podcast producer, Reflector, The Witch Trials of J.K. Rowling and formerly The Daily, Rabbit Hole and CaliphateDavid BaddielComedian, screenwriter and television presenter Social Media, Anger and Us (BBC)Author, Jews Don't Count, The God Desire and moreTim Dean (host)Senior Philosopher and Manos Chair in Ethics at The Ethics Centre

Sara Shams had both legs amputated at age six — it became her superpower. 15-year-old Taylor Ladd-Hudson turned a shark experience into something bigger. Amy Parry got subversive after she was told women's stories on screen were too niche. Jody Rallah wanted to make sense of the world and art led the way. And Anisa Nandaula turns it all into performance poetry. Meet these changemakers joining Big Ideas host Natasha Mitchell at the Women of the World (WOW) Festival in Brisbane in October 2024.SpeakersTaylor Ladd-Hudson15 year old environmentalist, shark conservationist, social media influencerAmy ParryFilm-maker, producer, screenwriterJody RallahArtist and yuggera-yugggerabul and biri-bindal womanSara ShamsPharmacist, disability advocate, speaker, modelAnisa NandaulaSlam poet, stand-up comedian, writerAuthor, Melanin Garden

Imagine a world where your brain is enhanced through cutting-edge technologies and next-generation AI, blurring the lines between organic and digital realms … and unlocking unprecedented potential. We are already some steps on the way in such a future. What would this mean for intelligence, human agency and consciousness?Your Brain on AI From organoids to consciousness was presented by the Sydney Opera House.SpeakersPaul DaviesTheoretical physicist, cosmologist, astrobiologist, Arizona State University and best-selling authorDr Inês HipólitoAssistant Professor of Philosophy of Artificial Intelligence, Macquarie UniversityDr Brett J. KaganChief Scientific Officer at Cortical LabsDr Sandra PeterDirector of Sydney Executive Plus, Associate Professor the University of Sydney Business School

With more than 3 billion people playing video games worldwide, they have the potential to wield tremendous power and influence. So is it time to take video games more seriously?This event was recorded at the Melbourne International Games Week on 3 October 2024.SpeakersGeorge OsbornFounder, Half-Space ConsultingRad Yeo (host)Television and podcast presenter, video game critic, and technology journalist

When Kasey Chambers was growing up, her dad had one simple, yet profound piece of advice. Just don't be a d***head.This event was recorded at the Athenaeum Theatre in Melbourne, with thanks to Readings bookshop.SpeakersKasey Chambers Musician, 13th album BackboneAuthor, Just Don't Be A D**khead And Other Profound Things I've LearntYoungest female inductee, ARIA Hall of Fame (2018)24-time Golden Guitar winnerClare Bowditch (host) MusicianAuthor, Your Own Kind of Girl

President Donald Trump’s administration is already muzzling government-funded scientists. Closer to home, Australian scientists have their own stories to tell about science censored, stymied or watered down when its findings aren’t convenient to industry or politicians. Should scientists stand up as things fall down? A Tasmanian panel argue why scientists should speak up, and consider the tensions between advocacy and impartiality when they do. SpeakersAlexandra de BlasScience and environmental communicator, consultantMember, Tasmanian Independent Science CouncilLouise CherrieEnvironmental management consultantDr Lila LandowskiNeuroscientist and science communicatorCollege of Health and Medicine, University of TasmaniaBoard director, Science & Technology Australia The Honourable Megan (Meg) Webb Independent Member for NelsonTasmanian Legislative CouncilRobyn WilliamsHost of The Science Show, ABC Radio National Dr Lisa-ann GershwinBiologist, marine scientist, authorMember, Tasmanian Independent Science Council