Australia has been a close ally of the United States since 1940, but what does this mean for contemporary politics when democracy is more fragile than ever? Chaired by Festival favourite Barrie Cassidy, one of Australia’s most experienced political correspondents and analysts, this expert panel features former BBC foreign correspondent Nick Bryant …

What can we expect from a world of deepfakes where anything you see or hear might be synthetic and the output of AI? Scientia Professor of Artificial Intelligence at UNSW, Toby Walsh unpacks untruths and warns of a future inundated with machine-generated content, predicting that soon, 99% of what we read, see, and hear will be created by AI. Listen…

Carbon markets have been hailed as key pillars in our climate response but in actuality, have turned out to be largely greenwash. Megan Evans, Senior Lecturer at UNSW’s School of Business highlights the flaws in carbon offsetting and questions the effectiveness of emission offsets, revealing that many projects fail to sequester the promised carbon.…

Associate Professor of Media at UNSW, Michael Richardson examines how technology, culture, and power shape knowledge in war, security and surveillance. He warns that AI’s rapid deployment can lead to catastrophic outcomes in warfare, where algorithms determine lethal targets based on biased data and predictive analytics. Listen as Michael calls for…

In a witty and provocative talk, Professor of Psychology at UNSW, Brownyn Graham addresses the longstanding neglect of the female anatomy in medical research, exemplified by the late mapping of the clitoris. She highlights how centuries of male-centric studies have led to a healthcare system that inadequately services women and overlooks the critic…

Biographer Brigitta Olubas and journalist Susan Wyndham have edited a collection of the letters of eminent novelists Shirley Hazzard and Elizabeth Harrower. Reflecting on the correspondence of two important writers, they’ll share what they have learned about the art of writing letters and the relationships that they can sustain, and destroy. Presen…

Ever wondered what makes us tick as individuals, or why societies thrive or fall apart? Michael Muthukrishna, the mind behind the groundbreaking A Theory of Everyone has the answers. By blending psychology, anthropology, and economics into a revolutionary framework Muthukrishna dives into how cultural evolution and social learning shape everything …

Despite rapid technological advancements, increasing affluence and population growth continue to strain our planet. Currently not a single country in the world is operating at sustainable level of resource use – and yet that is what we need to aspire to if we’re going to slow climate change, reduce inequality and increase our quality of life. So, h…

Why do we know so little about women’s bodies? Over half the world’s population have had a period or could be having a period right now – so why do menstruation and menopause remain such medical mysteries? And why are doctors still scratching their collective heads when asked to explain how female anatomy works? Well, New York Times bestseller Jenn…

Haben Girma would prefer not to be called inspiring. But, as the first Deafblind woman to make Harvard history and living in defiance of great social and physical barriers, it is a term often used to describe her achievements. Girma developed a powerful path to success despite facing many social and physical barriers. Overcoming all with an insatia…

Has climate chaos, the cost-of-living crisis and the threat of AI overlords got you feeling like the end is nigh? Don’t stress. As psychologist and evolutionary biologist Athena Aktipis points out, humankind is hardwired to survive big existential crises. In this engaging talk, Athena—armed with her trusty ukulele—and UNSW’s Rob Brooks journey thro…

In today's fast paced digital age where misinformation spreads like wildfire, the importance of science communication has never been more critical. From bogus health claims to pseudoscientific theories, the online landscape is rife with inaccuracies that undermine public trust in science. But New York Times bestseller Jennifer Gunter is trying to c…

From the celestial ballet of exploding supernovae to the cosmic whispers of gravitational waves, acclaimed astrophysicist Tamara Davis’ journey through the cosmos promises to captivate and inspire. With over two decades dedicated to unravelling cosmic mysteries, Tamara Davis has played a pivotal role in monumental astronomical surveys, uncovering o…

When it comes to climate change, answers can be difficult to nail down. Will the world reach net zero in time? What does a climate change future even look like? Will the changes come in my lifetime – or is it my kids or grandkids who will suffer? With every uncertainty, you can feel your head sink a little deeper into the sand... What is it about o…

We. Love. Heat. Bring on the summer! Right? But as each month sees another heat record broken, should we start thinking about heat differently? What’s happening on a local and global level to prepare us for extreme weather events – and for a much sweatier future? This episode features: Sarah Perkins-Kirkpatrick – Professor of Climate Science, ANU L…

As we struggle to reduce carbon emissions, environmental markets are creating a world where money really does grow on trees. But does putting a price on nature, and forcing the economy to value the things it’s always taken for granted, really work? And can it help us prepare for climate change? This episode features: Miri (Margaret) Raven – Senior …

The Earth is cracking under the weight of our expectations, with growth held up as the economic north star. Meanwhile, wildlife populations are collapsing, the ocean is acidifying, and carbon emissions are still increasing. Despite everything we know about what’s wrong and what to do about it, we cling to our current way of life. Civilizations have…

In the popular imagination, preppers are busy hoarding tinned food in their bunkers while they wait for the end of the world. But is this what most prepping looks like? And is climate change as bad as all that? The bin fire of the last few years has ramped the eco-anxiety up to an 11. But as we go about our lives, studying, feeding our families, pa…

Get ready to confront the uncomfortable truths about climate change with investigative humorist and climate action enthusiast Dan Ilic in Preppers, a podcast by the UNSW Centre for Ideas that dives deep into the realities we often avoid. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.UNSW Centre for Ideas

Intuition isn’t just hippie-dippie or woo-woo – it saves lives, averts disasters and drives countless innovative business decisions. Apple co-founder Steve Jobs, for one, regularly relied on his gut instincts. Leading Australian neuroscientist and psychologist Joel Pearson’s The Intuition Toolkit: The New Science of Knowing What, Without Knowing Wh…

Humankind stands at a crossroads: will artificial intelligence make us superhumanly productive, liberating us from life’s most mundane tasks? Or have we opened Pandora’s box, unleashing sentient technology that will eventually destroy us? In a colossal contest of persuasion and wit, two teams of our best and brightest debate whether artificial inte…

Physician and writer Abraham Verghese, author of Cutting for Stone, crafts a masterly narrative of three generations of a family in Kerala, through the eyes of a young girl, from her arranged marriage at the turn of the 20th century to her emergence as the matriarchal figure, Big Ammachi. Solving the mystery of a family affliction – in every genera…

In the wake of a shift in the global power balance, how can Australia best protect itself? Two of Australia’s most interesting foreign policy thinkers take a fresh look at Australia’s place in the world and come to some surprising conclusions. Clinton Fernandes (Sub-Imperial Power) and Sam Roggeveen (The Echidna Strategy: Australia’s Search for Pow…

Money in the 21st century is increasingly cheap, digital and mobile. Looking at the risks and opportunities of low interest rates, cryptocurrencies and the global mobility of money, economist Richard Holden looks at the impact of these forces on our wallets, on the block chain and on major economies. Presented by Sydney Writers' Festival and suppor…

Explore the literary histories of Charmian Clift, Shirley Hazzard and Elizabeth Harrower. Following her biography The Life and Myth of Charmian Clift, Nadia Wheatley contributed the afterword to The End of the Morning, Clift’s final manuscript, which was recently published more than 50 years after her death. Literary scholar Brigitta Olubas (Shirle…

Nobel Prize winner Jennifer Doudna made not just any scientific breakthrough, but uncovered a tool that promises unparalleled control over DNA - the core of existence teetering on the brink between amazing potential and great danger. Hear the fascinating discussion between Jennifer Doudna and Merlin Crossley as they discuss the mentors who fuelled …

The life stories of refugees have all the narrative tropes of myth, replete with world-shattering conflicts, perilous voyages, and courageous heroes who sometimes get to live happily ever after. Go beyond media reports in this discussion with Pulitzer Prize for Fiction-winner Viet Thanh Nguyen (A Man of Two Faces), Miles Franklin-winner Shankari Ch…

As we grapple with the increasing consequences of climate change, experts are warning that it’s not just an environmental issue, declaring it the ‘biggest global health threat of the 21st century’. In the face of these warnings, where does Australia stand in its preparedness to address these health challenges, both locally and globally? In a discus…

As we observe National Sorry Day and another great year of Sydney Writers' Festival comes to a close, we revisit one of the highlights of last year's program. Leading journalist Stan Grant shared insights from his new book, The Queen is Dead – building an impassioned argument on the necessity for an end to monarchy in Australia, the need for a repu…

In this Creative Conversation, the second of the series, Vince Frost of Frost*collective discusses Scaling a Creative Business with Shelley Simpson, Founder and Creative Director of Mud Australia, known for their timeless handmade ceramic homewares, renowned contemporary artist Ramesh Mario Nithiyendran and Professor Frederik Anseel Dean, UNSW Busi…

In today’s scientific landscape, artificial intelligence (AI) is revolutionising research methodologies and scientific writing, reshaping how we conduct and disseminate research. As AI’s presence grows, so do questions surrounding ethics, authenticity and the integrity of scientific publications. While AI brings benefits like efficiency and new ide…

Recently listed among the Top 100 Global Thought Leaders in AI, Marek Kowalkieviczas introduces his latest book, The Economy of Algorithms: AI and the Rise of the Digital Minions. Hear a thought-provoking conversation between Marek and UNSW AI Institute’s Chief Scientist, Scientia Professor Toby Walsh, as they discuss the book's insights, current A…

Is it possible to come from privilege whilst striving for a fierce socialist agenda? Polly Toynbee believes so. The prolific British Guardian journalist, commentator and broadcaster unpacks what it means to be privileged in Britain and Australia, and whether the deepening class divide can ever be transcended. In an evening of conversation with jour…

In a world where female sexuality has been hijacked by forces such as porn, patriarchy, and male entitlement – how can we make sexual consent a priority for everyone? Whether it’s on campus, at the workplace or in their homes, Australians are shocked week after week at the violence visited upon women who are simply living their lives.  In 2023, the…

Fear of a nuclear apocalypse, despot leaders and a world at war – how did the sharpest minds of the Cold War leave such a legacy of fear? Samuel Moyn’s Liberalism Against Itself: Cold War Intellectuals and the Making of Our Times takes aim at liberalism, portraying it as a failed creed marred by a paranoia of communism. Known for his challenging pe…

Acclaimed Tamil-language author Perumal Murugan’s books were once burned by far-right groups, and now he’s longlisted for one of the most prestigious awards in literature. Explore Murugan’s profound literary odyssey, from the challenges of being a Tamil writer in rural India, to the turmoil of book burning and societal backlash. This exclusive even…

Against the frenetic energy and colour of Delhi, a Muslim school teacher is caught between his love of history and contemporary India. Anjum Hasan’s work sheds light on the complexities of life, love, writing history, and how national and patriotic myths can be maliciously subverted. Author Anjum Hasan’s latest book, History’s Angel, is a darkly fu…

Human existence has always been bound with the health of our natural world. What can we learn from how a changing climate has already, for centuries, dramatically shaped the development and demise of civilisations across time? In the 2024 Gandhi Oration, renowned historian and author Peter Frankopan unraveled the historical narrative, framing the n…

This third session of the Accountability in crisis: the rise of impunity as a challenge to human rights explores how to restore public faith in the values and structures underpinning representative government and the role of key stakeholder groups such as business, media and civil society in resisting impunity, reclaiming accountability and reinfor…

In this opening session of the 2023 Australian Human Rights Institute conference, Accountability in crisis: the rise of impunity as a challenge to human rights, the panel considers the key conference theme of the elevation of impunity over accountability and the consequences for national democratic institutions and global stability. Accountability …

This second session of the 2023 Australian Human Rights Institute conference, Accountability in crisis: the rise of impunity as a challenge to human rights, explores the decline of accountability, and the methods employed to protect human rights both in Australia and internationally. Unlike democratically-elected governments, businesses have unprec…

Has the patriarchy always prevailed? We tend to see gendered oppression as a universal truth, but in her radical book, The Patriarchs: How Men Came to Rule, Angela Saini argues that the history of this deep-rooted hierarchy is a little more complicated… In conversation with UNSW Sydney legal expert Rosalind Dixon, journalist Angela Saini takes us o…

As our climate continues to change, reducing our carbon emissions and environmental footprint has become the moral imperative of our generation. To achieve this, the Australian Government has set a target of 82% renewable electricity by 2030 and has set a legislated target to achieve net zero by 2050. But what is the role of fossil fuels in this tr…

Hear renowned globally recognised leader in AI and Co-Founder of Coursera, Andrew Ng, in a thought-provoking dialogue with UNSW AI Institute’s Chief Scientist Scientia Professor Toby Walsh, shedding light on the latest trends, challenges, and the future of AI. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.…

In this first conversation, Creative Disruptions, Vince Frost of Frost*collective is joined by neuroscientist and founder of Future Minds Lab Professor Joel Pearson, intellectual property specialist and Director of Simpsons Jules Munro and Kartini Ludwig Director and founder of digital design and innovation studio Kopi Su. The panel unpack current …

In 2023 the Judith Neilson lecture was given by Professor Briony Rogers. Australia is at a time of reckoning. Fires, floods, droughts, heat, cyclones – we have realised that business-as-usual is not enough to grow the climate resilience needed for communities, cities and Country. Professor Briony Rogers reveals her pioneering initiatives and rethin…

In the wake of the 2021 military coup in Myanmar, Sean Turnell was held for 650 days in Myanmar’s terrifying Insein Prison on the trumped-up charge of being a spy. His improbable story as an optimistic economics professor unfolds in his book, An Unlikely Prisoner, where he recounts how he survived his traumatic incarceration. In conversation with M…

Good theatre holds a mirror up to society, forcing audiences to shine a light on the darkest corners and recesses of society. In these tumultuous times, it’s easy to wonder where is our world headed, and how we might navigate the new obstacles that arise when we get there? Fortunately, British playwright Sir David Hare, is no stranger to pondering …

In a world inundated with deep fakes, fake news and misinformation, is it possible to see beyond the tall tales and reach the truth?  Evolutionary biologist Carl Bergstrom believes we can. His book, Calling Bullshit: The Art of Scepticism in a Data-Driven World, serves as a vital tool to unblur the line between fact and fiction in our fast-paced di…

BioNTech founders Professor Uğur Şahin, M.D. and Professor Özlem Türeci, M.D., in an exclusive conversation with UNSW Provost, Professor Vlado Perkovic, discuss how to translate science into survival by combining fundamental research and operational excellence to develop new immunotherapies. Together with its partner Pfizer, BioNTech led the global…