Rear Vision — How History Shaped Today

The government of Emmanuel Macron is struggling to deal with ongoing tension and resentment in France’s external territory, New Caledonia. The latest diplomatic and legislative efforts to determine the archipelago’s future have failed, and recent local elections have only cemented the stalemate between pro-independence supporters and those New Caledonians who want to remain a part of France. We explore what that means for the people of New Caledonia; France’s historic presence in the Pacific; President Macron’s grand Indo-pacific strategy; and for the 2027 French presidential elections.
Guests:
Dr Denise Fisher – Visiting Fellow, Centre for European Studies, Australian National University and former Australian Consul General in Noumea
Cade Winter – Researcher, Yale Review of International Studies, Yale University
Dr Frederic Grare – Senior Research Fellow, National Security College, Australian National University 
Nic Maclellan -Correspondent, Islands Pacific Magazine and Pacific Affairs Correspondent, Inside Story

One third of the world's fertiliser is shipped through the Strait of Hormuz. How did fertiliser supply become so concentrated in the Middle East and what happens when this supply is suddenly at risk?

Americans are preparing for an orgy of red, white and blue as the 250th anniversary of their Declaration of Independence draws near. But what’s not likely to be widely mentioned is the fact that the conflict wasn’t just a revolution against British rule, it was actually America’s first civil war – a bloody and divisive internal conflict. And those rebels who rejected the Crown and called themselves "patriots" were by no means in the majority when war broke out. Historians say understanding more about the conflict could help Americans come to terms with the issues they face today.
Guests:
Dr Maya Jasanoff – Professor of History, Harvard University
Dr Richard Bell – Professor of History, University of Maryland, College Park 
Dr Rebecca Brannon – Professor of History, James Maddison University

As the war in the Middle East teeters on a peace deal, the carefully managed relationship between Saudi Arabia and the United States is starting to show cracks.

Despite constant criticism from the Americans, European NATO members are actively rebuilding and strengthening their militaries. Some are even beginning to think beyond the Alliance and the United States, to an independent united European fighting force. NATO members will meet in early July for their 36th summit.
Guests:
Dr Hugo Bromley – Historian of manufacturing, geopolitics, and international trade, Centre for geopolitics, University of Cambridge 
Dr Simon J. Smith – Associate Professor of Security and International Relations at the Royal Danish Defence College
Stuart Dowell – political journalist and commentator based in Warsaw 
Max Bergmann – director of the Europe, Russia and Eurasia Program, Center for strategic and international Studies
Stavros Atlamazoglou – Defence journalist and Greek Army veteran