ESJ Uninterrupted

In this season final episode, Ben, Catherine and Katrina tackle the big buzzword that is often used but scarcely understood: cancel culture. Touching on some recent ‘victims’ of cancel culture—from Yassmin Abdel-Magied, to Trump, to Chimamanda Ngozi Adicihie—and quoting commentary from Nyadol Nyuon, this open, opinionated discussion seeks to stimulate a reframing of this topic. As we think more critically about so-called cancel culture, its strengths and its dangers, we can decide how best to call for accountability in public discourse.

Homelessness is somewhat of an enigma in our cultural consciousness. The offensive stereotype of ‘the homeless’ we see in popular culture dehumanises the people behind this experience, and it does not reflect the reality: that homelessness is a transitory experience which results from social inequities, often engrained in complex and multifaceted ways—making already marginalised groups most at risk. Ben and Katrina are joined by special guest Noah Yang, the founder and managing director of Mobilise. Mobilise is a national social impact organisation which provides functional care and connection to people experiencing homelessness, while contributing to changing the narrative underpinning this issue: ‘Homeless, not Hopeless’. Learn more about their work, and get involved in monthly outreaches here: wearemobilise.com

Alanah and Ben decipher the recently released sixth report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). The report confirmed what scientists have been saying for years, and what Indigenous peoples around the world have known long before that: (industrialised) human-influenced climate change is having dire consequences on our planet and vulnerable societies, and we are reaching a point of no return. We hone our focus on some of the biggest drivers of climate change — fossil fuels, animal agriculture, and deforestation — and try to divert from the doom and gloom to consider ways that you can make a difference.

Catherine and Ben explore some of the most pivotal moments in Australia’s history of environmental protest and activism. Contrasting different approaches to environmental activism – from tree-hugging, to organised political movements, to eco-terrorism. They then look to the current age of the school strike for climate, and a movement which is becoming more mainstream as the state of our climate becomes increasingly dire. As we look to some of the key upcoming international events which could ‘make-or-break’ the climate change agenda, we have to ask ourselves, how can this next wave of environmental activism lead us to a more sustainable way of living?

The words we use day-to-day are often taken for granted and used without a second thought. But the way we use language can shape our reality, and the reality of those around us. Joined by linguistics student Christine Zhong as we discuss the ties between language, discrimination and historical oppression, the capacity of language to shape cognition and the way we perceive the world, as well as the intersection between linguistic diversity and biodiversity. This show also ends with a side-note on the developing situation in Palestine, outlining ongoing oppression in Sheikh Jarrah, and the need to stay informed.––––––––––––––––––––In this episode we discussed the importance of avoiding language which reduces persons with disabilities to their disability itself (and doing so in a negative light). This episode emphasised that it can be preferable to use ‘person-first’ language (e.g. ‘a person with disability’) to avoid dehumanisation, however this is only one perspective – others in the disability community may in fact prefer the use of ‘identity-first’ language (e.g. ‘ a disabled person’) to embrace their disability as a natural and acceptable part of their identity. It is always important to ask people what language they use to identify themselves.

Whether it’s individuals stopping their activism at posting a black square on instagram, or corporations disingenuously marketing a greenwashed campaign without incorporating sustainable practices, performative activism is about wanting to be part of the solution without actually doing anything about it. Join Alanah and Fatima in discussing performative activism- what it is, why it is dangerous, and how we can recognise it and do better. Our hosts also take a moment to reflect on the devastating impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on India, and consider how we can use our privileged position to support those struggling through it.

This week Catherine and Ben shine a light on Australia’s policy for processing asylum seekers and refugees, with an accessible discussion illuminating what these terms actually mean and what the realities of life for an asylum seeker can look like. In particular, they looked at the current situation of the so-called ‘Medevac refugees’, who were transferred to Australia from offshore detention centres to receive medical treatment which never came, and who have now been detained in make-shift hotel detention in Melbourne for around 2 years. They busted some common myths about people with these backgrounds, and provided some critical insights into where Australia’s policies stand within our international relations, our human rights obligations, and our national spirit. Have a listen to learn more about refugees in Australia and how we can support them!

In the very first episode of ESJ Uninterrupted for 2021, we introduce the engaging hosts who you’ll be joining each episode: Alanah, Fatima, Catherine and Ben. We then dived into a discussion about the ‘best’ approach to activism in social and environmental justice- is it bottom-up individual actions, or top-down systemic change? Through the course of our discussion, we discussed the different pros and cons of each form of activism, talked about some specific examples of contexts they apply to, and came to see that this might be a false dichotomy- every contribution counts for something.