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
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How do we make cancer treatment worth it, work better, and less harmful?
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)
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Pankaj Mishra — the world after Gaza
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
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Uncovering Pompeii — 300 years of archaeology
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.
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When women resist authoritarianism — what's happening in Iran, Afghanistan, Myanmar right now?
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.
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