Global Questions

We can’t believe we’re saying this, but this is our last Global Questions episode!

After 2.5 years and 100+ episodes, Josh, Rhiannon and Kelly have decided it’s time to turn off the mics and take a well-earned rest.

So, join the entire GQ team as they:

Hopefully you'll miss us just as much as we'll miss you!  Thanks for tuning in and providing us with a reason to put the show together.  

Inequality is complex and varied, but have you ever heard of the digital divide?

As new technologies emerge and we live more of our lives online, the divide between those who have reliable internet access and those who don't only deepens.  

This week, for our final In-Depth episode on technology, Rhiannon talks to Dr George Ingram, a senior fellow at the Centre for Sustainable Development at the Brookings Institution in Washington D.C.  They chat about:

Join Kelly and Josh as they discuss:

Social media has revolutionized terrorism. 

It has made recruitment easier, sped up the process of radicalisation and provided a safe haven for extremists to talk to each other. It's also increased the impact of acts of terror. With a click of a button, terrorists can livestream their acts to millions of people. 

So, what are tech companies doing to address the issue? Should governments step in? And is using AI to remove violent content a good idea, or could it pose hidden dangers?

Rhiannon chats to two guests from Tech Against Terrorism, an UN-supported initiative that helps the global tech industry tackle terrorism while respecting human rights.

Join Kelly and Josh as they discuss:

In this episode we are talking all things space! Does space law actually constrain the behaviour of states? Do we have a responsibility to care for the environment in space? Is there a space race between the US and China, and if so, what are the stakes? Does space exploration represent the latest form of colonialism? 

Discussing all of these questions and more, this episode will look at the overlap between modern technologies and space, focusing on the benefits that space exploration has brought.

Our guest today is Leonard David, a space journalist from the US, who has been reporting on space activities for over 50 years. Leonard is the author of the new book, Moon Rush: The New Space Race, published by National Geographic in May 2019.

They discuss:

In light of the recent federal election, today's episode is a shorter one that keeps with the election theme!  Join Kelly and Josh as they discuss:

As Josh mentioned, here are some fascinating articles on how Labor’s win could shape Australia’s foreign policy:

Artificial intelligence (AI) has been used to augment military capabilities since the missile defence systems of the 1980s, but today’s AI is becoming more sophisticated and pervasive in the development of semi-autonomous weapons. So what does this mean for the future of warfare and contemporary conflicts around the globe?

This week, Rhiannon chats with Dr Peter Layton, a Visiting Fellow at the Griffith Asia Institute, Griffith University. He has extensive aviation and defence experience and, for his work at the Pentagon on force structure matters, he was awarded the United States Secretary of Defense’s Exceptional Public Service Medal. His research interests include grand strategy, national security policies particularly relating to middle powers, defence force structure concepts and the effects of emerging technology. 

They chat about:

Join Kelly and Josh as they discuss …

There is little that is uncontroversial when it comes to cryptocurrency, from its wild fluctuations and energy usage to its links to transnational crime and mysterious origins.

In this episode, Rhiannon chats to David Gerard, an author and cryptocurrency journalist from London.  They talk about:

It's finally here!  Join Josh and Kelly as they discuss some of the *crazy* stories from the last fortnight.  They chat about:

Our first in-depth episode for Season 6 tackles the controversial topic of mass surveillance.  New technology allows governments and companies to track nearly everything we do: what we buy, where we go, who we meet and how we think.  It's given them an unprecedented amount of power.

So, what does this mean for our safety, democracy and global stability?  Join Rhiannon, Kevin Macnish and Moira Paterson as they consider:

Join Josh and Kelly as they unpack the wild stories making news over the last fortnight! 

We chat about: 

We are back!! Join Rhiannon, Josh and our *new co-host* as they reveal the topic for this season's fortnightly IN-DEPTH episodes.

Season 6 will also feature our popular news summaries (THE WRAP UP) and tips for how to start your international career (TRAILBLAZERS). 

First episode is out next Tuesday 12th April. Tell your friends, share it on your socials and get ready for our best season yet!!

This is a throwback to the very first episode ever published on Global Questions!  At the end of 2019, Gen interviewed Gillian Triggs, the former head of the Australian Human Rights Commission and current Assistant Secretary-General of the United Nations.  

Gillian chats with Gen about:

In 2020, Gen had the privilege to interview the former PM, Kevin Rudd, about his campaign for a royal commission into the Murdoch empire.  They discuss:

In 2021, Gen spoke to Nuria Yu and Nathan Ruser about the ongoing persecution of the Uyghur ethnic group in China.  It's estimated that up to 2 million Uyghurs have been detained in 're-education' camps that are similar to the concentration camps of World War II.  There's evidence the Chinese government is forcibly sterilising, torturing and enslaving Uyghurs -- which human rights groups say constitutes genocide.

Nuria Yu is a Uyghur woman and activist living in Australia.  She has family in China who have been persecuted and detained.  

Nathan Ruser is a research at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI).  Through looking at satellite images, he was able to uncover multiple 're-education' camps.

We may be on a break, but you can still listen to some of our favourite episodes!

In 2021, Josh chatted to Paul Govind and Mark McVeigh about why young people are suing companies and governments over climate change. 

At age 23, Mark took his super company, REST, to court.  He argued the $57bn company failed to consider climate change when investing.  Days before the trial, REST admitted Mark was right!  Mark tells Josh about his experience and why it's necessary to hold companies accountable for their climate change records.  

To understand why people are taking companies and governments to court, Josh also chats to Paul.  Paul is a Lecturer at the Centre for Environmental Law at Macquarie University Law School.  Paul unpacks recent climate change cases and explains how environmental law is changing our globalised world.

We have finally reached the last episode of season 5 on the decline of democracy and boy is it a good one!

This week Rhiannon brings you two incredibly passionate guests, Iain Walker and Tim Hollo.

Iain is the executive director of New Democracy – a research organisation established to ensure citizens trust their government's decision making and democratic processes. Rhiannon chats to Iain about deliberative democracies, increasing participation and community involvement in democratic processes, and what new kinds of democracy could look like in the future.

Then Rhiannon chats to Tim Hollo, who is not only the executive director of the Greens institute and an author but is the Greens candidate for the seat of Canberra. They discuss the crisis of democracy in contemporary society, international and national issues influencing democracy and citizens involvement, and how to work towards ecological democracy.

Our monthly Trailblazer episodes are back and Rhiannon had the absolute pleasure of interviewing Janielle Beh for this month's episode!

After completing her schooling at the Victorian College of the Arts Secondary School, Janielle graduated from the Melbourne Conservatorium with a Bachelor of Music in 2014, and then went on to complete her Master of Teaching (Music Education) at Monash University in 2017.  Since then, she has taken her passion for music and combined it with social change and peacebuilding initiatives all across the globe.

Janielle has run music workshops in Israel, Zimbabwe, Kenya, Rwanda, India and the United Arab Emirates, and was the Head of Piano at the Afghanistan National Institute of Music since 2018 into the period of the Taliban takeover in 2021.

Janielle chats to Rhiannon about:

Join Josh and our special guest, Kelly, as they both unpack:

We're back!!  After the Christmas holidays, it's time to bring you the final episodes in our series on the decline of democracy.

Today, we take a closer look at the Chinese Communist Party.  Under Xi Jingping, China has sought to undermine democratic nations and to export its authoritarian form of government to other countries.  What does this mean for the future of liberal democracy around the world?  

Our guest is Dr Roger Huang, a lecturer in terrorism studies and political violence at Macquarie University.  We discuss:

It is the last episode of the year and boy is it a good one!!

Rhiannon chats to Jesse Walker, a renowned writer and an editor of Reason magazine, on conspiracy theories and political paranoia, and how they are affecting democracy worldwide. Jesse has written numerous books including his most recent book - "The United States of Paranoia: A Conspiracy Theory”.

They discuss:

Join us for Hugh’s final episode on The Wrap Up (more details in the episode!).  Today on the show:

Josh and Hugh also chat about their favourite stories from the year and give a preview of what The Wrap Up will sound like in 2022.

Since receiving its independence in 1947, India has stood as a bastion of democracy in the Indo-Pacific. However, while India boasts a liberal-democratic constitution and a strong culture of political participation, we have seen shifts away from democracy to arguably more authoritarian systems.

In this In-Depth episode, Rhiannon chats with Mauktik Kulkarni, an entrepreneur, neuroscientist, author, and filmmaker from India who currently lives and works in the United States.

After training in engineering, biophysics and neuroscience at several prestigious universities across India and the United States, Mauktik became involved in multiple health care and tech startups, backpacked across 50 countries and even wrote two books!

It's the first Thursday of the month, so it's time for another Trailblazer Thursday! Today’s guest is Bronte Munro. Bronte is completing her Master of Cybersecurity at Macquarie University and is the Cyber and Technology Fellow at Young Australians in International Affairs (YAIA). She also interns as a research officer at Thales Australia, a global technology leader that invests in artificial intelligence, cybersecurity and quantum technology. On top of that, she is a contributing writer to the Young Diplomats Society! 

Bronte chats to Rhiannon about:

Join Josh and Hugh as they unpack:

The world has witnessed unprecedented levels of globalisation over the past few decades, and while it has substantially improved living conditions, communication and flow of information, it has also created new levels of inequality within and between countries. 

In today's In-Depth episode, Rhiannon chats to Steven Slaughter, Associate Professor in International Relations at Deakin University, and Estella Kabachwezi, an activist and lawyer in Uganda, on the intersection between globalisation and inequality and whether it is contributing to the decline in democracy internationally. 

They discuss:

Your fortnightly dose of news is here! Join Josh and Hugh as they unpack:

The rise of populism in recent years has provoked profound questions around the viability of existing democratic systems and the future of developing democracies. This week we have two insightful guests to discuss the rise of populism and how it is influencing democracy around the world.

First up, Rhiannon chats to Anastasia Kapetas, the National Security Editor at The Strategist from the Australian Strategic Policy Institute, about the history of populism, its rise throughout politics and politicians in the United States, the impact of faux-populism and if there is any hope for democracy internationally. 

Then, we welcome Brandon Wu, a political activist from the United States, who chats to Rhiannon about Trump-style populism and its influence on democratic processes and institutions in the US in today's society. 

If you want to get in touch you can reach Anastasia via her email - anastasiakapetas@aspi.org.au. You can also touch base with Brandon via his email - brandonw2002@gmail.com. 

We are back with our new Trailblazer Thursdays - our special monthly episode where we chat to young professionals about their global careers. 

Today's guest is Daria Impiombato, a researcher at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute’s (ASPI) International Cyber Policy Centre in Canberra, Australia. Her research includes human rights, technological advancements, activism in authoritarian regimes, Chinese domestic and foreign policy, and the role of communication/media in international politics. 

We chat about:

Josh and Hugh’s fortnightly recap of international news is here!  Join us as we discuss:

Press freedom is the 'cornerstone' of democracy according to the UN. Yet in the past few years, journalism has been under attack. Reporters face physical and legal threats both in Australia and around the world. This week Josh chats with Marcus Strom about the decline in press freedom, what it means for democracy and how we can repair the damage. 

Marcus Strom is the President of the Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance. He's worked as a journalist in Australia and the United Kingdom for over 25 years, including for news outlets like the Sydney Morning Herald. 

Josh and Hugh’s fortnightly recap of international news is here!  Join us as we discuss:

Tune in for the first episode in our In-Depth series on Democracy in Decline. This week, Rhiannon chats to Associate Professor Tom Daly and Asanga Abeyagoonesekera about how the Covid-19 pandemic is affecting democracy around the globe. Tom is the Deputy Director of the University of Melbourne's School of Government. He's also the Director of the research platform Democratic Decay and Renewal. His research focuses on the future of liberal democracy and how it's been tested by the pandemic over the past 18 months. 

Asanga is an international security and geopolitics analyst, as well as a strategic advisor from Sri Lanka. He has almost 2 decades of experience in the government sector, working in foreign policy and defence think tanks. Asanga is an expert in Sri Lankan geopolitical security. 

We discuss how politicians have used Covid-19 as a distraction to consolidate power and the interplay between certain political systems and democracy in the Covid-19 era. We look at Sri Lanka as a case study, focusing on how the Rajapaksa dynasty has used the pandemic to concentrate power. 

Get in touch with Tom Daly via his Twitter page or LinkedIn. 

Check out Asanga’s work and get in touch with him on Twitter and read his article on the Rajapaksa regime here. 

Josh and Hugh’s fortnightly recap of international news is back! (Trust us, we're as excited as you are!!) Join us as we discuss:

Are you enjoying Global Questions? If so, subscribe, leave a review and share us on your socials! 

Given some of our founding members are moving on from Global Questions, we are bringing you their all-time favourite episodes! This week, we are re-sharing Emma's favourite episode - the In-Depth discussion with  Ama Burkoh and Nayonika Bhattacharya on the BLM movement and how it relates to Indigenous Australians.

For this episode we delve into the increasing protests against police brutality in the United States, analysing how systematic racism has transpired through American history, and link it back to Australia’s own systematic racism towards Indigenous Australians.

What is the BLM movement? What is systematic racism? What is America's history that concerns African Americans? How can we see this in Australia? What is a good ally? What is white privilege? How can you support the movement?

Ama Berkoh is a 20-year-old African Australian, born in Ghana and raised in Australia, who has recently graduated from UNSW with a Bachelor of Communication (Public Communication) majoring in PR and Digital & Social Media. Ama is passionate about all things technology and is incredibly passionate about utilising empathy, innovative design, and human-centred principles to solve some of the world’s most complex problems through social change.

Nayonika is a 5th year Arts/Law student at UNSW specialising in Politics and International Relations. She is passionate about creating platforms for young women in tech and reforming the law to make it more accessible. She is a City of Sydney ISLA AMbassador, MHAHS International Student Advisor, Executive Assistant to the CISA Education Officer and the UNSW Student Council Welfare Officer.

Given some of our founding members are moving on from Global Questions, we are bringing you their all-time favourite episodes! This week, we are re-sharing Gen's favourite episode - the In-Depth discussion with Bernard Collaery on Witness K during our season on security.

Bernard Collaery is an Australian barrister, lawyer and former Attorney-General being prosecuted for conspiring against the government. Gen and Bernard discuss Australia’s national security through the lens of the Witness K trial. Since this episode aired, Witness K and Bernard Collaery were charged over their alleged roles in exposing how Australia bugged Timor-Leste during negotiations surrounding oil and gas in the region in 2004.

The trial was held in private through special powers meant for counter-terrorism. Out of almost 40 court appearances, little has been publicly reported. The Australian Government was accused of abusing its power for condemning an honest whistleblower and his lawyer to hide its own actions. This case has the potential to inflict negative relationships with Australia's international partners and affect Australia's global reputation.

What was the government hiding from the public in Witness K's case? Why were Collaery and Witness K targeted? Does this represent a change in culture within the Australian government? And how can we make sure this doesn’t happen again?

References in the episode:

Today's episode is a farewell to Genevieve Marcocci and Emma Fabreguette, two of the founding members of Global Questions.

Both Gen and Emma are moving on to bigger and better things, so we wanted to give them a proper send-off by inviting them on the show and quizzing them on a range of topics -- including what it was like to start the podcast and to interview an ex-prime minister.

Surprise!! You thought Season 4 was over, but we have one more bonus episode for you! 

Here at Global Questions, we're making some BIG changes.  And we want your input.

Complete this survey and you could win a $20 voucher to a store of your choice.

In our last episode of Season 4 on Climate Change, Josh chats to Paul Govind and Mark McVeigh on how climate change and the law are increasingly intertwined through both environmental litigation and community-led activism.

Paul is a Lecturer at the Centre for Environmental Law at Macquarie University Law School; his research and interest focussing on the relationship between climate adaptation, extinction, responsibility and environmental law. Josh and Paul discuss climate litigation, how to contextualise the law in a climate change era and how the environmental law fits into our globalised world.

Mark is a pioneer in the way of ensuring companies are held accountable for the risks of climate change. In 2018, then only 23 years old, Mark filed a suit against Rest, the $57bn superfund, alleging that they failed to provide information on climate change business risks and their plans to address the risks. Josh and Mark discuss the impacts of this case, how necessary it is to hold companies accountable for the risks of climate change, as well as how the law is an integral tool in aiding climate change mitigation.

Joshua and Hugh’s fortnightly chat about news from around the world is here! Join us as we discuss:

Emma and Gen chat with Anet McClintock and Professor Stephen M. Walt on the convergence of conflict and climate change on a global scale. Anet is completing her Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in International Relations and German at the University of Melbourne and is also a Senior Correspondent at the Young Diplomats Society, with a particular interest in Africa, development, gender and international security. Stephen M. Walt is the Robert and Renée Belfer Professor of International Affairs at the Harvard Kennedy School and is a Contributing Editor at Foreign Policy magazine. 

Emma and Anet discuss the Egypto-Ethiopian Nile dispute, international involvement in the conflict, the effects on regional communities, and whether we will see the militarization of the conflict. 

Gen and Professor Stephen M. Walt will discuss the intersection between conflict, climate change and sovereignty, the challenges facing the internationalisation of climate change, and the globalisation of the Amazon in the climate change debate. 

Joshua and Hugh’s fortnightly chat about news from around the world is here! Join us as we discuss:

Josh chats to Anna Gero about how climate change is affecting the developing world. Anna is a research principal at the University of Technology Sydney's Institute for Sustainable Futures, her work focuses on the intersection between climate change adaptation, disaster risk management and development in the Asia-Pacific region.

In this episode Josh and Anna discuss:

Emma chats to Alana Mann about the intersection between food security, veganism and climate change. Alana Mann is Chair and Associate Professor in the Department of Media and Communications, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences (FASS), University of Sydney, Australia, and a key researcher in the University's Sydney Environment Institute. Her research focuses on food sovereignty and social movements, citizen engagement, and collective action in food systems planning and governance.

In this episode Emma and Alana discuss: 

Joshua and Hugh’s fortnightly recap of news from around the world is here! Join us as we discuss:

- Upheaval in Afghanistan as the Taliban gains new ground.

- The protestors training to take down Myanmar’s military.

- El Salvador's decision to make Bitcoin legal tender.

- Arguments within the UN over how to end HIV/AIDS.

Josh chats to Dr Alessandro Antonello on how climate change has an uneven presence in Antarctic geopolitics. As a senior research fellow at Flinders University in Adelaide, Dr Alessandro Antonello's work focuses on how the Antarctic environment is managed, how scientific and environmental knowledge is formed, and how such information and knowledge intersects with international geopolitics. 

In this episode Josh and Alessandro discuss:

Joshua is a Worimi man who seeks to connect traditional Aboriginal knowledge and history to current contexts. He works as a PwC consultant, business advisor, farmer and climate/environmental advocate, promoting indigenous history, culture and knowledge throughout all of his endeavours.

Gen chats to Josh about:

Emma talks to Dr Celia McMichael about climate-induced migration.

Dr Celia McMichael is an Associate Professor in the School of Geography, Earth and Atmospheric Sciences at The University of Melbourne. Her research focuses on human migration that is related to climatic and environmental change.

In this episode, Emma and Celia discuss:

Joshua and Hugh’s fortnightly recap of global news is back! Join us as we discuss:

- The horrific violence in Israel and Palestine.

- An extraordinary cyber attack on the United States.

- The future of the Tokyo Olympics - will they take place in just 2 months?

- An unexpected win for the Maduro regime.

Joshua and Hugh’s fortnightly chat about the crazy international news you've probably missed. Join us as we discuss:

- The woman who's upended Samoan politics.

- The mysterious death of Chad’s president.

- Why TikTok could owe European children billions of dollars.

- The connection between Pakistani protests and French secularism.

Gen talks to Yasmin Poole about how to navigate which graduate, intern and volunteer opportunities are right for you and how to bring agency and impact into the work you complete. Yasmin is a young person who is a Non-executive Board Director at YWCA Australia and OZHarvest, interned and works at The World Bank, a National Ambassador for Plan International Australia and a freelance speaker, writer and facilitator as well as completing her Bachelor of Law and Intentional Relations at ANU.

In this episode, Gen and Yasmin discuss:

Joshua and Hugh's fortnightly highlight of news from around the world. Join us as we discuss:

- Will Russia invade Ukraine?

- North Korea faces its “worst-ever situation”.

- A mass prison break in Nigeria.

- Is Hong Kong trading democracy for big business?

Josh and Gen's (stepping in for Hugh this week) fortnightly discussion of surprising news from around the world. Join us as we chat about: 
- India's battle with a rare 'double mutant' strain of Coronavirus;
- China's attack on famous Western fashion brands;
- The ongoing conflict at the Columbian-Venezuelan border; and
- Haiti's constitutional, security and humanitarian crisis.

Emma talks to Harrison Rosen about the rise of Anti-Semitism. Harrison is the Fellowship Coordinator at the Susan Wakil Fellowship, he is an advocate for Jewish issues and interested in Holocaust commemoration. He helped founder Youth HEAR, a charity which is dedicated to bridging the gap between Australian youth and the memory of the Holocaust. 

In this episode, Emma and Harrison discuss:

Gen talks to Dr. Joshua Roose about political Evangelicalism and the populist right.

Joshua and Hugh's fortnightly highlight of news from around the world.

In this episode we'll be discussing:

- Turbulence in the Horn of Africa.

- An attempted military coup in Armenia.

- The latest in vaccine diplomacy.

- New Caledonia's new pro-independence government.

Emma talks to Dr. Raihan Ismail about Reclaiming Saudi Salafism. Dr. Raihan Ismail is an ARC DECRA fellow and a Senior Lecturer at the Centre for Arab and Islamic Studies, ANU. She is the author of Saudi Clerics and Shia Islam, published by Oxford University Press in 2016.

In this episode, Emma and Dr. Raihan Ismail discuss:

Emma talks to Joel MacKay about using your passion and finding jobs that fit that interest. Joel MacKay works as a strategic campaigns lead at Amnesty International. He's also worked in government relations and Indigenous rights advocacy. 

In this episode, Emma and Joel discuss:

Gen talks to Nuria Yu & Nathan Ruser about Uyghur Muslims experiencing genocide and human rights abuses. 

Nuria Yu is an Uyghur Muslim and advocate who grew up in Xinjiang. Nuria is currently studying full-time and research assistant at Melbourne University. 

Nathan Ruser is a satellite data expert at the Australia Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI) and has contributed to large bodies of research on the topic.   

In this episode, Gen, Nuria and Nathan discuss:  

SAY HELLO TO YOUR NEW HOSTS - JOSH AND HUGH! Every fortnight, they will recap the biggest news from around the world in under 30 minutes. 

In this episode we'll be discussing:

- What is the global impact of the disrupted vaccine rollout in the EU?

- Why are farmers protesting in India and what influence will this have on their government?

- What impact is the Biden administration having on Israel and Iran's relationship?

- Why are Brazil Indigenous leaders suing President Jair Bolsonaro for crimes against humanity?

Emma talks to Ronald Zweig about the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict. Ronald Zweig is the Taub Chair of Israel Studies at NYU and director of the Taub Centre for Israel Studies. He obtained his PhD in Modern History from the University of Cambridge, England (1978).  In 1977-1978 he was the Junior Fellow in Modern History at the Oxford University Center for Hebrew Studies, after which he joined the Hebrew University, Jerusalem. 

In this episode, Emma and Ronald Zweig discuss:

Zweig has published three books: Britain and Palestine during the Second World War; German Reparations and the Jewish World: a History of the Claims Conference; and The Gold Train as well as many scholarly articles 

Gen talks to Noah Sobe about what the future holds for education globally and how do we adapt to it. Noah Sobe is the senior project officer at UNESCO's Futures of Education initiative. UNESCO's Futures of Education initiative aims to rethink education and shape the future. The initiative is catalyzing a global debate on how knowledge, education and learning need to be reimagined in a world of increasing complexity, uncertainty, and precarity.

In this episode, Gen and Noah discuss:

Gen talks with Joshua Kaye (Global Questions Audio Producer) and Saacha Neilson (Global Questions Marketing Officer) about global news topics that shaped 2020.

In this episode, Gen, Josh and Saacha reflect on:

Emma talks with Hugh Mcfarlane (Global Questions OutReach Officer) and Kelly Phan (YDS Marketing Director) about global news topics that shaped 2020.

In this episode, Emma, Hugh and Kelly reflect on:

Join Gen and Emma as they highlight fort-nightly news around the world.

- The difference between money laundering and legal remittance

- Rallies in West Papua and government response

- France's charter of Republican values and its potential influence on the secular state

- UN security council's negligence following the killing of an Iranian scientist

Genevieve and Emma highlight global news from the past 2 weeks!

In this episode, we discuss:

- Why are acts of terror on the rise around the world?

- What does  Bidens Presidency mean for Iran?

- Is Thailand becoming a democracy?

- Is Ethiopia on the brink of civil war?

Emma talks to Thomas Corben about Australia and South Korea's bilateral relationship over the past decade. Thomas is a Lloyd & Lilian Vasey Fellow at Pacific Forum, a tutor in foreign policy at UNSW and completed his honours in 2017 focusing on International Relations & Asia Studies, specialising in Japan and Korea. Thomas spent two years working on US Asia Policy at the United States Studies Centre while publishing articles with The Diplomat and had a six-month residency as the Indo-Pacific Fellow for Young Australians in International Affairs. 

In this episode, Emma and Tom discuss:

- Tom's current research on South Korea-Australia relations and how the global pandemic can be leveraged to further cooperation

- Tom’s professional background, giving us insight and tips about stepping out from university into working in a think tank, writing articles for online publications and getting his first internship.

- Why is the development of Australia-South Korea defence cooperation important?

- Why should Australia be interested in the Korean Peninsula?

- What is Australia's current Korea Policy?

- How can their bilateral relationship be deepened and what benefits would they bring?

Gen talks to The Honourable Kevin Rudd about the monopoly that is the Murdoch empire, the News Media Bargaining Code and the News Royal Commission petition.

In this episode, Gen and Mr. Rudd discuss:

- Why news media diversity is so important 

- The power dynamic between Murdoch's media coverage, politics and public discourse

- What you can do on a local level to propel media diversity in Australia

- What does the code mean for the future of Australia and the rest of the world 

Emma (She/Her) talks with Asher (He/Him) about how he found his passion in his current degree and the journey of discovering what you actually want vs what others expect of you. Asher Klein is a Uni Student studying Secondary Education and English at the University of Sydney. He works as an informal educator at Emanuel school and as a private English Tutor and has had experience teaching English in East Timor, Israel and New York. He’s a big fan of film, TV and books.

In this episode, Emma and Asher discuss:

- What tools in and out of university help you develop better understanding of your values and core interests.

- How to open up to new experiences and listen to what genuinely excites you.

- Removing the fear of switching degrees or careers and normalising "failure".

Gen (She/Her) talks with Jacob Thomas (They/Them) about how they started their career path and how it led them into advocacy, equality projects and public speaking. Jacob Thomas is an expert in Mental Health, Human Rights and LGBTIQI+ equality. They have written a chapter on the Sustainable Development Goal 5 (SDG5): Gender Equality and Women's Empowerment, focusing on Youth and their role in attaining SDG5. They currently work as the Alliance Education Project Coordinator at Monash Warwick Alliance, and previously have worked as the Coordinator at the Commonwealth Youth and Gender Equality Network. They have met the Queen, been ban from certain countries and have worked on many grass-root equality projects. 

In this episode, Gen and Jacob discuss: 

- What it means to be an advocate and work in human rights   

- How to be the best ally and check your privilege 

- How you can make a difference in some difficult spaces of inequality 

Join Gen and Emma as they highlight fort-nightly news around the world.

What does Trump's COVID positive actually show?

Where is Armenia and Azerbaijan and why are they fighting over Nagorno-Karabakh?

Why are there protests going on in Indonesia?

What is the cost of being a citizen of the Republic of Cyprus?

For today’s IN-DEPTH episode Gen is joined with Damien Manuel, the Chairman for the Executive Advisory Board for Cyber at Deakin University as well as the Chairman of the Australian Information Security Association.

Exploring cyber securities key concepts that we  hear in the media yet don't know much about. As people around the world settle in to the new normal of working from home and Zoom meetings, how vulnerable are we? The government is being proactive to towards possible threats that may arise yet, what are the main focuses of these threats? Hear about the evolving changes occurring in the cyber security industry.

How can you protect yourself from state-base actors? How much is the government to blame for cyber interference? What does the future look like for Australia Security defences? How important is investment into cyber security? Why should you care about cyber security?

Join Genevieve and Emma as they highlight fort-nightly news around the world.

How has COVID-19  helped the Italian Mafia grow?

How is Australia balancing its relationship with China?

What are the allegations of the US forcing immigrant sterilisation?

Who has been charged for Breonna Taylor's death?

For todays IN-DEPTH episode Emma is joined with William Clapton, senior lecturer in International Relations at the University of New South Wales. He is the author of Risk and Hierarchy in International Society: Liberal Interventionism in the Post-Cold Era (Palgrave, 2014) and is currently preparing a forthcoming volume on risk and the immigration practices of the Trump administration, Risk, Security, and Immigration Under the Trump Administration: Keeping Undesirables Out (Palgrave, 2021).

They delve into the concept of risk and its centrality to understanding security discourse and practice over the last 20 years.

What is Securitisation Theory and Security Discourse? How has it affected the way we see the world? Why and who has the power to create them? What are the hidden motives for it? What are some examples of it here in Australia and in the United States? Can this be changed?

Join Genevieve and Emma as they highlight fort-nightly news around the world. Who is Alexei Navalny and what's the tea with Putin? How is America's postal service being dragged into a political battle? How have the Himalayan mountains caused a Nuclear Power stand-off? How does forced labour in Xinjiang differ from usual supply chain concerns?

Genevieve is joined with Bernard Collaery, Australian barrister, lawyer and former Attorney-General being prosecuted for conspiring against the government. They discuss Australia’s national security through the lens of the Witness K trial. 

The trial has been held in private through special powers meant for counter-terrorism. Out of almost 40 court appearances, little has been publicly reported. The Australian Government has been accused of abusing its power for condemning an honest whistleblower and his lawyer to hide its own actions. This case has the potential to inflict negative relationships with Australia's international partners and effect Australia's global reputation.

What is the government hiding from the public in Witness K's case? Why are Collaery and Witness K being targeted? Does this represent a change in culture within the Australian government? And how can we make sure this doesn’t happen again?

References in the episode:

Join Genevieve and Emma, highlighting the latest news around the world.

Did someone say weekly episodes? Yes! We did.

Global Questions is back! In Season 2, we’re coming back bigger and better to break down global issues for young people who want to know more.

Emma Fabreguette and Genevieve Marcocci will be your hosts for this now weekly podcast.

Heres how its going to look:

THE WRAP-UP will be posted every first and third week each month, Genevieve and Emma will be highlighting latest news around the world for you.

We also have fortnightly IN-DEPTH episodes, where we  analyse topics with leading experts. The next series is on security.

Last but not least! Every second month we will be posting TRAILBLAZER episodes. We have interviewed some very cool young professionals in global affairs on how you can get your foot in the door of a global career.

Follow our socials to get up-to-date news, memes and podcast recommendations on everything to do with global affairs!

Sharon Hudson-Dean is a career American diplomat currently serving as U.S. Consul General in Sydney, Australia.  Ms. Hudson-Dean was the Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary for Public Diplomacy and Nordic/Baltic Affairs in the European and Eurasian Affairs Bureau at the Department of State from 2017-18.  Prior to that, she served as Chargé d’Affaires, a.i. and Deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S. Embassy in Riga, Latvia for three years. She has also represented the United States in Georgia, Russia, Zimbabwe, South Africa, Nepal, and Australia.

We delve into Australia and The United States special bilateral relationship. We discuss the historic ties between both nations and how they translate in everyday life. Reflecting both on the past and ongoing allyship, we also analyse what it may look like in the future, particularly in relations to the effects of COVID-19.

Why is The United States considered as Australia’s greatest ally? What common values do they share? What is the role of a Consul General? Why has the United States been more affected by COVID-19 than Australia? What does this mean for the US’s role as an economic powerhouse? What is the future of their relationship?

Bill Birtles, ABC's China Correspondent explains the deteriorating Aus-China relationship, the WHO probe into COVID-19 and China's harsh calls to boycott and impose tariffs on Australian imported goods.  

The future of Australia's relationship with China is hard to pinpoint. However, it is going to get a lot worse before it gets better. Listen to this episode to hear Bill Birtles discuss trade, the Belt & Road Initiative and how the US is involved in AUS-China relations.

Julian Burnside AO QC is an Australian barrister, human rights and refugee advocate, and author. He is known for his staunch opposition to the mandatory detention of asylum seekers and has provided legal counsel in a wide variety of high-profile offshore-detention legal cases. 

In this podcast, we delved into Julian’s experience representing refugees and asylum seekers against the Australian government and its departments - principally the ‘Department of Immigration and Border Protection’ (now subsumed into the new 'Department of Home Affairs’). Throughout, we discussed the importance of human rights advocacy, explore his impact in the Tampa case and beyond and prompted his reflections on the past and present detention policies as well as some of the rationales put forward to justify them. Finally, Julian sheds light on what we can look forward to in the future and where he sees the need for change.

Ms Erika Feller dives deep into her work in aiding governments to resettle refugees and asylum seekers and resolve issues of statelessness. Ms Feller worked with the UNHCR for 26 years, and with DFAT for 14 years. What is the importance of the UNHCR? what are the processes the UNHCR undertake? What is statelessness? How does someone become stateless?

PART 2: Gen sits down with Gillian Triggs to explore the hard truths of current immigration policies and practices. No stone is is left unturned as the discussion delves into detention centres, off shore processing and the role of bureaucracy in change making. 

Gillian is an accomplished public international law academic with numerous publications, formerly the President of Australia’s Human Rights Commission and was recently appointed as the Assistant High Commissioner for Protection, Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. 

PART 1: Gen sits down with Gillian Triggs to explore the hard truths of current immigration policies and practices. No stone is is left unturned as the discussion delves into detention centres, offshore processing and the role of bureaucracy in change making. 

Gillian is an accomplished public international law academic with numerous publications, formerly the President of Australia’s Human Rights Commission and was recently appointed as the Assistant High Commissioner for Protection, Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. In Part One, Gillian explains how her role in Australia has influenced and interacted with policymaking.