Big Ideas

The Australian federal government wants to restrict social media to those aged over 16. Would that work? Adult and teen experts mount their arguments for and against social media and its harms and benefits.The Great Debate  was presented by the Academy of the Social Sciences in Australia as part of 2024 Social Sciences Week, recorded at the National Library of Australia on 10 September 2024.SpeakersSTUDENT DEBATEFeaturing Year 7 and 8 students at University of Canberra High School KaleenHost Ivy Affirmative team Misha, Sienna and JacobNegative teamUmar, Addy and ShreyaADULT DEBATELisa Given Professor of Information Sciences, RMIT UniversityAnthony Elliott Distinguished Professor of Sociology, University of South AustraliaAuthor, Algorithms of Anxiety: Fear in the Digital AgeGinger Gorman (host) Journalist and author of the book Troll Hunting: Inside the World of Online Hate and Its Human FalloutHost of the Seriously Social podcast

Is social media a contagious force harming young minds, a life saver helping people find their neurodiverse tribes and support, or, for better or worse, a bit of both?From the Festival of Dangerous Ideas, join Natasha Mitchell with renowned social psychologist Jean Twenge, neurodiversity advocate Sonny Jane Wise, technology policy campaigner Alice Dawkins, suicide prevention researcher Dr Sandersan Onie. Young people depressed, distressed, and anxious. ADHD and Autism diagnoses on the increase. All at record rates. Is it a renaissance in awareness, enabled by social media, or are people reaching for labels that risk losing meaning?Speakers:Jean TwengeProfessor of psychologySan Diego State UniversityAuthor ofiGen: Why Today's Super-Connected Kids Are Growing Up Less Rebellious, More Tolerant, Less Happy—and Completely Unprepared for Adulthood (2017)Generations: The Real Differences between Gen Z, Millennials, Gen X, Boomers and Silents—and What They Mean for America's Future (2023)Alice DawkinsExecutive Director, Reset.Tech. AuDr Sanderson OniePsychologist and suicide prevention researcherBlack Dog InstituteUniversity of NSWSonny Jane WiseNeurodiversity advocateAuthor, We’re All Neurodiverse (2023) and The Neurodivergent Friendly Workbook of DBT Skills (2022)Thanks to Danielle Harvey, Director of the Festival of Dangerous Ideas, and the festival team.Further information:Not Just Algorithms: Online Safety, Children and Young People, Data Security, Privacy and Data Protection report (24 March, 2024)Festival of Dangerous Ideas on-demand audio and video archive selected from over a decade of provocative events

Mediation in armed conflicts means sitting down with brutal war lords, hiding your true values and in an open dialogue trying to really understand  all sides of the parties involved. In the most pressurised environments, there are nearly always possible pathways to a win-win outcome — but finding the way requires a combination of imagination, goodwill, timing, and street smarts.Reflections on Diplomacy and Peace Mediation was presented at the TheMHS Conference 2024SpeakerPaul DziatkowiecDirector of Mediation and Peace Support, Geneva Centre for Security PolicyListen to Big Ideas - Is making war more humane in fact prolonging the fighting?

Pressing a full-time  workload into four days sounds like simply adding more stress to your job – even if you keep your pay. But many people who have tried this model say that one would need to pay them double their salary to make them go back to a standard work week. And businesses enjoy better staff retention and get a completive edge on the job market.Presented by UQ ChangeMakersSpeakersDebbie BaileyConsultant Partner, 4 Day Week GlobalShannan QuainChief People Officer, Australian Digital Health AgencyAssociate Professor James KirbyClinical Psychologist and the Co-Director of the Compassionate Mind Research Group, University of QueenslandProfessor Tyler Okimoto (host)Associate Dean (Academic), Faculty of Business, Economics and Law, University of Queensland

She was Andy Warhol's muse, she's been sampled by Notorious BIG, and her music was once voted on the ten best songs to dry-hump to. This is the amazing true story of how Indian-born singer Asha Puthli became a music legend.This event was recorded at Rising Festival on 7 June 2024.SpeakersAsha Puthli SingerAdriana Lazaridis (host) DJ

The leading playwright Joanna Murray-Smith makes a powerful case for the role of the arts in Australian public life, arguing that moral righteousness is stifling artistic expression.The last ever Stephen Murray-Smith Memorial Lecture was recorded at the State Library of Victoria on 8 October 2024.SpeakerJoanna Murray-Smith Playwright, screenwriter and novelist

How should we reflect on wars, past and present? Do the rituals of Remembrance Day and Anzac Day hold meaning for young people?Natasha Mitchell is joined by a crowd of high school students and special guests with opinions on the future of commemoration.This event was hosted and organised by Victoria's Shrine of Remembrance to mark its 90th anniversary.Speakers:Che Weon (Michelle) LeeMasters of architecture student, University of Melbourne School of DesignGranddaughter of Korean war veteran(Michelle's Shrine design is linked to below)William MuhlhauserYear 9 student, Haileybury CollegeMember, ‘Winjeels’ student club, Moorabbin Air MuseumRecipient of 2024 Spirit of Anzac PrizeZackary MelvaineYear 11 student, Mill Park Secondary CollegeAustralian army cadetMember of Australian Defense Force's National Drone Racing TeamYouth Mayor of the City of WhittleseaRecipient of 2023 Premier's Spirit of Anzac PrizeThanks to Sue Burgess and Laura Thomas at the Shrine of Remembrance.Further information:"First Songline" Che Weon (Michelle) Lee's design for the Shrine of Remembrance for her Masters degree in ArchitectureVictoria's Shrine of Remembrance 90th anniversary eventsDrone warfare, technology and the psyche: an insider speaks [this episode of Science Friction by Natasha Mitchell is mentioned in this program]What it's really like to live with drone warfare [illustrated feature]Premier's Spirit of Anzac PrizeShrine of Remembrance Young Ambassador Leadership program

It needs strong leadership and good coordination. But most of all, it needs public opinion to rise up and push policy makers to tackle this crisis. Canada can teach us a lesson in how to do that. Homelessness is a systemic housing problem – not caused by mental health issues or drug abuse. Presented at the Australian Homelessness Conference, Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute (AHURI)SpeakersTim RichterFounder, President & CEO of the Canadian Alliance to End Homelessness (CAEH)Carmel HaughSystems and Community Lead for the Brisbane Zero collaboration, Micah ProjectsDavid PearsonCEO Australian Alliance to End Homelessness  Dr Tom AlvesHead of Development, Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute (AHURI)Further informationBig Ideas – Housing as a human right? With Alan Kohler and Kevin Bell

When you're alive, the idea of dying feels weird, remote, alien. Yet it's the one experience we will all have. Can philosophy help us make sense of that weirdness?  What can talking about death and dying teach us about living? Natasha Mitchell is joined by a philosopher, funeral director, and a First Nations' songman for an uplifting, insightful conversation on death.This event is part of the Sophia Club live philosophy event series, presented by Aeon Media, publishers of Aeon and Psyche. Speakers:Kimba GriffithCo-founder and co-owner, The Last HurrahProfessor Klaus JahnPhilosopherSchool of Historical and Philosophical Studies and Graduate School of Humanities and Social SciencesUniversity of MelbourneFred LeoneButchella songman, musician, and performerGarrwa-Mambaliya ClanThanks to Sophia Club event creators and producers Brigid Hains (Editorial director, Aeon Media), Rosie Black, Jasmine Walter.Further information:LIsten and read a Days Like These feature and podcast about Fred Leone’s family story about a king, escape and connection to country.

From To Kill a Mockingbird to The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, there are no shortage of options to include on those lists of "The Great American Novel". But which is the real plot in the story of America?This event was recorded at the University of Melbourne on 24 October 2024.SpeakerSarah Churchwell Professor of American Literature and Chair in Public Understanding of the Humanities, University of LondonAuthor, Careless People: Murder, Mayhem and The Invention of The Great Gatsby, The Wrath to Come: Gone with the Wind and the Lies America Tells, and more

Friends are among the most important relationships we will have in our lives. So what makes someone a friend, how do we hold on to them, and how do they shape who we are?This event was recorded at the Sydney Writers Festival on 22 May, 2024.SpeakersGyan Yankovich Author, Just Friends: On the Power, Influence and Joy of FriendshipLifestyle editor, Sydney Morning Herald and The AgeSusan Wyndham Co-editor (with Brigitta Olubas), Hazzard and Harrower: The lettersFormer Literary editor, Sydney Morning HeraldMelanie Kembrey (host), Editor, Spectrum (arts and culture publication), Sydney Morning Herald

Why did acclaimed actor Melissa Jaffer step away from the spotlight and the swinging 60s to enter a strict cloister of Australian nuns for 4 years? Sister Marian McClelland is the last of two surviving members of the same Australian order of contemplative nuns. They became nuns at a time of radical change for women worldwide and for the Catholic Church and have extraordinary stories to tell about how faith shaped their sense of identity and purpose. They join Natasha Mitchell with oral historian Dr Sarah Gilbert, author of Unconventional Women: The story of the last Blessed Sacrament Sisters in Australia.This event was organised by Melbourne University Press and hosted at the Abbotsford Convent in Melbourne.Speakers:Dr Sarah GilbertWriter, researcher, producer, and oral historianAuthor, Unconventional Women: The story of the last Blessed Sacrament Sisters in Australia (Melbourne University Press, 2024)Sister Marian McClellandOrder of the Blessed Sacrament sisters in AustraliaMelissa JafferAustralian actor of stage and screenFurther information:Sisters in arms: Catholic nuns through two millenniaJo Ann Kay McNamaraHarvard University Press, 1998

Literature on crime is huge. Many of you just love to read about a good murder. But do you prefer a soft touch around violent scenes? Or do you want to read it in the drastic, graphic language that shows crime the way it is? Writing crime stories can be a minefield: Do authors have to tell people, if they want to use them in their book? Particularly if they want to paint 'your character' the villain? Can you re-traumatise a victim when you turn their painful experience into a bestseller? A stellar panel of acclaimed crime authors tell how they found their own way to deal with the dilemma of the ethics of writing about murder and corruption.Presented at the Byron Writers Festival.SpeakersMatthew CondonAward-winning journalist and author, host of two true crime podcasts – Ghost Gate Road and Dig: Sirens Are ComingCandice FoxBestselling author, her latest book is 'Devil's kitchen'Benjamin StevensonAward-winning stand-up comedian and USA Today best-selling author of the 'Ernest Cunningham Mysteries', including 'Everyone In My Family Has Killed Someone' and 'Everyone on This Train is a Suspect'Rosemarie Milsom (host)Founding director of Newcastle Writers Festival, former award-winning print journalist with Fairfax Media and broadcaster with the ABC

From mis and disinformation to election interference, parts of the internet have become dystopian, due to a lack of regulation. What is this doing to our democracies, and how are governments around the world trying to reign the tech giants in?The 8th annual Sir Zelman Cowan Centre Oration was recorded on 10 October 2024.SpeakerJon Faine Vice Chancellor's Fellow at the University of MelbourneFormer ABC Radio hostAuthor, Apollo and Thelma

Ninety years ago, in the face of communism, fascism, and the Great Depression, Australian Prime Minister Robert Menzies, asked the question 'Is democracy doomed?' Today, we're asking that same question – with some answers that might surprise you.The 2024 Robert Menzies Oration was presented by the Robert Menzies Institute, recorded on 23 October 2024.The 2024 Henry Parkes Oration was recorded at the Museum of Australian Democracy at Old Parliament House on 22 October 2024.SpeakersSir Niall Ferguson Milbank Family Senior Fellow at the Hoover Institution, Stanford UniversityBarrie Cassidy Chair, Museum of Australian Democracy at Old Parliament House

Democracy is in retreat, authoritarianism on the rise. But this has happened before. So how did big thinkers of the past respond to the threats to democracy, and what can we learn from them?The Humanities Research Centre 50th Anniversary Distinguished Lecture was recorded at the Australian National University on 31 July 2024.SpeakersScott Stephens Co-presenter (with Waleed Aly) The MinefieldDigital editor, ABC Religion and EthicsCo-author of Quarterly Essay 87, Uncivil Wars: How Contempt is Corroding Democracy (2022)Editor of Justice and Hope: Essays, Lectures and Other Writings by Raimond Gaita (2023)Dr Kim Huynh Senior Lecturer in Politics and International Relations, Deputy Director of the Humanities Research Centre

When you're swimming in the ocean, do you ever startle at a piece of seaweed? Mistake a wave for a fin? Does the thought of sharks cross your mind at all? Nearly 50 years ago, a little movie by the name of Jaws, changed everything.This event was recorded at the National Film and Sound Archive, in partnership with the Australian National University, on 28 February 2024.SpeakersDr Hannah Calich Postdoctoral research fellow, Australian National UniversityProfessor Kenneth Lampl Convenor, Composition for Film and Video Games, School of Music, Australian National UniversityDr Anna-Sophie Jürgens Senior Lecturer in Science Communication, Australian National Centre for the Public Awareness of ScienceHead of Popsicule, ANU's Science in Popular Culture and Entertainment Hub

Remember the 8cm living worm found inside a woman's brain last year? Where the hell did it come from? Parasites have bizarre and whacky stories to tell. Join Natasha Mitchell to meet three scientists listening to what they have to say. The science, medicine, and mayhem of parasites. You'll have a whole new respect for these clever survivors and their biology.Thank you to the event organisers, the 2024 World Science Festival Brisbane and Queensland MuseumSpeakersProfessor Katherine Andrews Parasitologist, malaria researcher Founder of the That’s RAD! Science project     Author of My mum is a parasite scientist. That’s RAD! Associate Professor Vincent Ho Gastroentorologist The Gut Doctor (GutDr) on Youtube Western Sydney University Dr Terry Miller Ecologist and parasitologist Head of Biodiversity and Geosciences at Queensland Museum 

Irish Times columnist and author Fintan O'Toole draws on the Irish experience to explain the rise of populism and authoritarianism in the United States.This event was recorded at the Vice-Chancellor's Democracy Forum at University of Technology Sydney (UTS) on 26 September 2024.SpeakersFintan O'Toole Columnist with the Irish TImesLiterary Editor with the New York Review of BooksAuthor of We Don't Know Ourselves: A Personal History of Ireland Since 1958, Heroic Failure: Brexit and the Politics of Pain, and Ship of Fools: How Stupidity and Corruption Sank the Celtic TigerProfessor of Irish letters at Princeton UniversityAnna Funder (host) Author, Wifedom, Stasiland, All That I AmLuminary and Ambassador, UTSRoy Green (host) Emeritus Professor and Special Innovation Advisor, UTSFormer Dean, UTS Business School

David McAllister invites you backstage and reveals gloriously gossipy anecdotes about the stars he's met in his long dancing career. But it's not all tutus and tiaras: ballet is at the top of transforming sport science.Presented at the Brisbane Writers Festival.SpeakersDavid McAllisterGuest artistic director of the West Australian Ballet, former principal dancer, former artistic director of The Australian BalletAuthor of Ballet Confidential: A personal behind-the-scenes guide, Thames & Hudson Australia 2024Leanne BenjaminQueensland Ballet's Artistic Director, former principal dancer