Speaking With...

We can make conscious decisions about how we live together in closer proximity that allow for both cultural diversity and a shared sense of community. Ján Jakub Naništa/Unsplash This is a podcast discussing topics raised in our series, Australian Cities in the Asian Century. These articles draw on research, just published in a special issue of Geographical Research, into how Australian cities are being influenced by the rise of China and associated flows of people, ideas and capital between China and Australia. Migration and population growth are hot-button issues in Australian politics at the moment. State and federal election campaigns have and will focus on them for probably years to come, and it’s not just a local phenomenon: by 2030 it’s estimated 60% of the world’s population will live in cities. Most of the time discussions about the impacts are focused on external pressures – things like road congestion and infrastructure investment – but as more and more people are living in high-density housi

According to Seth Stephens-Davidowitz, everybody lies to preserve social relations. www.shutterstock.com, CC BYHow much do you really know about your friends? Your co-workers? Your community and your country? The fact is that much of what we think we know about the people around us is likely to be skewed, because people tend to lie. We lie in conversation, on social media, and in surveys. But there exists an online trove of data that allows us to paint a much more accurate picture of who we really are. That’s the argument of US data scientist Seth Stephens-Davidowitz, author of the book Everybody Lies and our guest on today’s episode of Speaking with. Stephens-Davidowitz says he uses data from the internet – what he calls “the traces of information that billions of people leave on Google, social media, dating, and even pornography sites” to tell us the surprising and sometimes disturbing truth about who we really are. Seth Stephens-Davidowitz spoke with David Tuffley, a senior lecturer in applied ethics

Growing Up Aboriginal in Australia is a compilation of 52 essays from First Nations authors, some of whom have never been published before. Rounak Amini/AAPAnita Heiss is one of the most prolific writers documenting Aboriginal experiences in Australia today through non-fiction, historical fiction, poetry and children’s literature. Her memoir, Am I Black Enough for You?, was a finalist in the 2012 Human Rights Awards. Growing Up Aboriginal in Australia. Black Inc. Books For her latest book, Growing Up Aboriginal in Australia, Heiss traded the role of writer for editor. The anthology includes 52 essays from First Nations writers spanning the breadth of society, from rural to urban, young to old, coastal regions to the country’s interior, well known authors to emerging writers. There’s even an essay by an opera singer, Don Bemrose, about his experience as what she calls a “double minority” – he’s both Aboriginal and gay. The resul

Governments can use nudges to influence our choices ShutterstockWhat can governments do to stop increasing obesity rates, help people save or get them to file their tax returns on time? The default answer used to be some kind of tax or penalty. Just make people pay more and they’ll do the right thing, right? But what if you could encourage certain behaviour without forcing the issue? That’s where nudges come in. These are small changes in design or presentation, like putting healthy food near the cash register, or sending reminders out around tax time. For this episode of Speaking with, The Conversation’s Josh Nicholas chats with Cass Sunstein, a Harvard professor who worked as a “regulatory czar” for years in the Obama administration. Sunstein literally wrote the book on nudges along with Richard Thaler, who won the 2017 economics Nobel Prize. The book is called Nudge: Improving decisions about health, wealth and happiness. Read more: The promise and perils of giving the public a p

A white supremacist holding a US flag over his face during a Unite the Right rally in Washington in August. Michael Reynolds/EPAThe rise of the radical right-wing movement in the US has become closely linked to Donald Trump’s presidency and the mainstreaming of ideas about race that were not so long ago found only on the furthest fringes of society. David Neiwert’s new book, Alt-America: The Rise of the Radical Right in the Age of Trump, charts the key political and social moments that have shaped these movements. He has spent more than two decades immersing himself in the strange, disturbing world of radical right-wing groups in the US, which are characterised by conspiracy theories unhinged from reality and a growing tendency to espouse violence against liberals as a solution to the world’s problems. Alt-America: The Rise of the Radical Right in the Age of Trump. Verso Books While many of the ideas championed by these groups a

We're used to hearing cries of "NIMBYism" and "money-hungry developers" on both sides of planning debates, but there's actually more subtlety to interactions around urban planning that are worth exploring and understanding. Joel Carrett/AAPOne of the most common complaints about community involvement in the urban planning process is “NIMBYism” – the “not in my backyard” cry from local residents, which developers and potential residents of medium-to-high-density apartments see as an impediment to healthy urban development and affordable housing. At the same time, local residents often see the planning process as freezing them out of having any real say in development that can affect local amenities, transport and neighbourhood character. Recent changes to planning legislation in New South Wales make community participation plans a mandatory part of the process, in an effort to put consultation at the centre of urban planning. But how do you balance these two competing, seemingly

The Death of Stalin is about the chaotic political drama that followed the Russian leader's demise in 1953. Madman FilmsWe’re living in something of a golden age for political satire. Politics and satire can even feel, at times, almost indistinguishable. But politics and comedy have never been that far apart. Charlie Chaplin’s 1941 film The Great Dictator ridiculed Adolf Hitler. More recently The Thick of It mocked the UK political class and Veep satirised US politics with very funny and scarily prescient results. Those latter two were written by Armando Iannucci, a Scottish writer and director who has been described as the hardman of political satire. His new film, The Death of Stalin, stars the likes of Steve Buscemi and Jason Isaacs and is about the chaotic political drama that followed the Russian leader’s demise in 1953. A scene from The Death of Stalin. Madman films For this episode of Speaking With, I spoke to Arma

AndrewLeigh.com, Author providedRandomised controlled trials are the gold standard in medical research. Researchers divide participants into two groups using the equivalent of flipping a coin, with one group getting a new treatment and a control group getting either the standard treatment or a placebo. It’s the best way to prove that a new treatment works. But the benefits of randomised trials aren’t limited to medical applications. Big businesses – like Amazon, Google, Facebook and even media organisations – are increasingly using randomised trials to test designs and processes that increase their engagement with users and customers. Every time you Google something you’re probably participating in a randomised trial. And that world of randomisation is the subject of Andrew Leigh’s new book, Randomistas: How radical researchers changed our world. Leigh is the current federal member for Fenner, and Labor’s shadow assistant treasurer. But prior to his political life he was a profe

Is sleepwalking a legitimate defence for murder? Are victims of family violence protected against the premeditated killing of their abuser? Professor David Field has worked as a public prosecutor, a criminal defence lawyer and as the solicitor for prosecutions in Queensland, a post he occupied for nine years. He spoke to William Isdale about some extraordinary crimes that have resulted in changes to the criminal law, and the precedents these cases have then established. Subscribe to The Conversation’s Speaking With podcasts on iTunes, or follow on Tunein Radio. Additional Audio CBC Digital Archive: 1990: Supreme Court accepts battered wife syndrome defence The New York Times:‘Dingo’s Got My Baby’ Trial by Media Retro Report ABC: Stafford lawyer calls for Holland murder inquiry ABC: Azaria case closes after 32yrs ABC Radio National: Battered woman defence SBS: Is the provocation defence allowing killers to get off lightly? Global Newspaper: Ivan Milat Inside the mind of a serial killer Channel TE

Social researcher Hugh Mackay and The Conversation's FactCheck Editor Lucinda Beaman. “I’ve found 2017 a really disturbing year.” That’s the summary from writer, thinker and social researcher Hugh Mackay. Mackay spoke in December with The Conversation’s FactCheck Editor Lucinda Beaman at the Sydney launch of The Conversation 2017 Year Book: 50 standout articles from Australia’s top thinkers. Among the essays featured in the book is Mackay’s enormously popular and thought-provoking article titled The state of the nation starts in your street. The discussion, which you can hear in full on The Conversation’s Speaking With podcast above, touched on issues ranging from the rise of Donald Trump and what it means for Australian politics, to social dislocation and distrust in our institutions – and in each other. Mackay said: “We’re now seeing many long term trends coming to fruition”. “What is happening to Australian society is that we are edging in that same direction [as America]: more inequality, a gr

Simple living in a complex time – is a return to frugality the key to happiness? Xurxo Martínez/flickr, CC BY-NC-SAThey say the best things in life are free – or at least, Emrys Westacott seems to think so. For those who have the choice, the rejection of extravagance is deemed highly virtuous. Many of the great thinkers of history have advocated the moral value of frugal living, but in our culture of excess the temptation to indulge can be difficult to overcome. William Isdale spoke with Emrys Westacott, a Professor of Philosophy at Alfred University, New York, about how a return to simple living could bring greater happiness in our increasingly complex world – though there’s a case to be made for the cultural value of extravagance, too. Emrys Westacott is the author of The Wisdom of Frugality: Why Less Is More - More or Less, a philosophically informed reflection on the benefits of frugal living. Subscribe to The Conversation’s Speaking With podcasts on Apple Podcasts, or follow on Tunein Radio. Addi

Flickr: Pedro Szekely, CC BY-SADuring Xi Jinping’s opening address at the Communist Party’s 19th National Party Congress last week, the Chinese president outlined his vision of a “new era” for China – one that will see “China moving closer to centre stage”. China’s economic and foreign policies have significant implications for Australia. More than 30% of our exports go to China, more than 1 million Chinese tourists visit Australia every year, and about 30% of international students in Australia are Chinese, contributing billions to the economy. It is obvious that Australia needs to maintain a strong relationship with China as it transitions to a “new era”. But the relationship is often complicated by the perception that Australia needs to choose between our military ally, the US, and our biggest trading partner, China. William Isdale spoke with Bates Gill, professor of Asia-Pacific strategic studies at Macquarie University, about Australia’s complex relationship with China

A canine commuter catches up on some sleep on the Paris Metro. Kevin O'Mara/Flickr, CC BY-NC-NDWe’re a nation of pet lovers: 60% of Australian households have some kind of pet. And with dogs in 39% of those homes, it’s only natural that we’re starting to see dogs sitting happily alongside human diners at places like cafes and pubs. But while we have one of the highest levels of pet ownership in the world, our rights and infrastructure planning don’t seem to be built around this reality. No Australian cities allow dogs on public transport – something that’s commonplace in many cities in Europe – and many tenants find that looking for a rental property with a pet is virtually impossible. Dallas Rogers speaks with Emma Power, urban cultural geography senior research fellow at Western Sydney University, and Jennifer Kent, urban planning research fellow at the University of Sydney, about why a nation of pet lovers doesn’t seem very interested in planning for pets. Subscribe to The Conversation’s Speaking

John Gerrard says a developed city like Sydney could not cope with an epidemic of the scale of the recent Ebola outbreak. UNMEER/Martine Perret/Flickr, CC BY-NDThe Spanish Flu of 1918 is estimated to have infected around 500 million, and killed between 20 and 40 million, people around the world - all within the space of a year. It is perhaps the deadliest pandemic in human history. We have seen nothing as devastating since, but outbreaks such as influenza, HIV/AIDS, Zika and Ebola highlight that infectious diseases are a constant threat. William Isdale spoke with Dr. John Gerrard about predicting the next major infectious disease threat, and how we can prevent a pandemic from establishing itself in Australia. Subscribe to The Conversation’s Speaking With podcasts on Apple Podcasts, or follow on Tunein Radio. Additional Audio Next News - Return of Ebola 9 News: A Perth mother of three dying after being struck down by a tick CNN News: There will be a pandemic BBC News: Ebola Virus: Film reveals scenes

New York residents protest against AirBnB at a City Hall hearing into the impact of short-term rentals in 2015. Shannon Stapleton/ReutersAirbnb has turned sharing our homes and living spaces with strangers from a fringe idea into a multi-million dollar business. It’s changed the way many of us travel. But its growth has turned many suburbs and apartment buildings that are zoned for residential use into hotels, with temporary residents who have no long-term investment in the neighbourhoods they inhabit. In cities like Sydney, Barcelona and Lisbon, where housing costs and vacancy are increasingly outpacing the wealth of citizens, Airbnb puts more power in the hands of landlords and threatens to push up prices for everyday tenants. The University of Sydney’s Dallas Rogers speaks with Nicole Gurran, professor in urban and regional planning at the University of Sydney, about what different cities around the world are doing to regulate Airbnb, what the benefits and costs are of the “sharing economy” model in a

The Danish Choir “Gangstativerne”, singing at a conference launching the European Year for Active Ageing and Solidarity Between Generations in 2012. DG EMPL/ flickr, CC BY-NCDue to advances in medicine, hygiene and nutrition we are now living longer than ever before. In our region, the percentage of people over the age of 60 doubled in just 20 years - something that took 120 years in Europe and the United States. And while there are definitely losses as we age – fine motor skills and a higher probability of conditions like dementia – there’s evidence that for many people brain development continues healthily into their eighties. So how do we leverage the knowledge and social capital that older people accrue over their lives and help them to feel engaged, supported and energised during what has traditionally been characterised as a time of decline? The University of Melbourne’s Will Isdale spoke with Nancy Pachana, Professor of Clinical Geropsychology at the University of Queensland and author of the book

Land rezoning, sales, and planning approvals are just a few of the ways 'grey gifts' can decide who benefits from government decisions. Dean Lewins/AAPThe role of declared gifts and donations has driven a lot of discussion around government corruption in recent years. But what about the clique of developers, banks and superannuation companies who reap the benefits of policies and approvals that preserve monopolies? How do we decide who the winners and losers are in society, without even going into the more obvious acts of money changing hands for sweetheart deals between friends? Cameron Murray is a lecturer in economics at the University of Queensland and the co-author (with Paul Frijters) of the Game of Mates. The book explores the murky world of “grey gifts”: favours and promises given to bureaucrats and politicians in order to secure favourable decisions and judgements. The University of Melbourne’s William Isdale spoke with Murray on how these arrangements occur, who benefits, and who ultimate

Antibiotics Staphylex, used to treat the infection Golden Staph. TONY PHILLIPS/ AAPSince the discovery of antibiotics in the mid-20th century, millions of lives have been saved from bacterial infections. But the over-prescription of these drugs has led to some types of bacteria becoming resistant to treatment. It’s estimated at least two million people are infected with antibiotic-resistant bacteria in the United States each year. These “superbugs” can spread rapidly and stopping them is increasingly challenging as new antibiotics need to be developed to treat them. William Isdale spoke to Dr Mark Blaskovich about the the overuse of antibiotics and the risks superbugs pose to communities. Subscribe to The Conversation’s Speaking With podcasts on iTunes, or follow on Tunein Radio. Additional Audio New study raising alarms about ‘superbugs’, CNN ‘Nightmare’ drug-resistant bacteria found in U.S., CNN Music Free Music Archive: Blue Dot Sessions - Wisteria Free Music Archive: Johnny_Ripper - Gaël

Could genetic engineering one day allow parents to have designer babies? Tatiana Vdb/flickr, CC BYWhat if humans are genetically unfit to overcome challenges like climate change and the growing inequality that looks set to define our future? Julian Savulescu, visiting professor at Monash University and Uehiro professor of Practical Ethics at Oxford University, argues that modifying the biological traits of humans should be part of the solution to secure a safe and desirable future. The University of Melbourne’s William Isdale spoke to Julian Savulescu about what aspects of humanity could be altered by genetic modifications and why it might one day actually be considered unethical to withhold genetic enhancements that could have an overwhelmingly positive effect on a child’s life. Subscribe to The Conversation’s Speaking With podcasts on Apple Podcasts, or follow on Tunein Radio. Additional Audio VPro Extra - The Perfect Human Being: Julian Savulescu on human enhancement Channel Four Television Corpor

Editing DNA has the potential to treat disease by repairing or removing defective genes. Kyle Lawson/flickr, CC BY-NC-NDCRISPR, or clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats, is a technology that is able to alter DNA. While this sounds like the realms of science fiction, right now scientists are investigating its potential to eliminate genetic diseases in humans by repairing or replacing defective genes. The University of Melbourne’s William Isdale spoke with Professor Peter Koopman from the University of Queensland about his research into CRISPR and the possibilities it could offer to future generations, as well as those suffering from genetic conditions right now. Subscribe to The Conversation’s Speaking With podcasts on iTunes, or follow on Tunein Radio. Additional Audio CBS - CRISPR How CRISPR lets us edit our DNA | Jennifer Doudna Music Free Music Archive: Blue Dot Sessions - Wisteria Free Music Archive: Johnny_Ripper - Gaël William Isdale does not work for, consult, own sh