Big Ideas

Music can hold up a mirror to society and capture a particular time and place. Songs are often a vehicle for telling stories. But can a song really be an agent for social or political change? Writing protest songs, or songs with an overtly political message, isn’t easy. While the message may be a vital one, this is no guarantee the song will, necessarily, be any good. A song like Billie Holiday’s 'Strange Fruit', however, retains its power after almost 80 years. What's the secret? Paul Barclay talks to two songwriters and a music writer. Recorded at the Rock and Roll Writers Festival in Brisbane on April 2nd, 2016.

Forgiving can sometimes look like an impossible task. How do you forgive murder, rape, genocide? After the end of apartheid in South Africa, many expected the country to be devastated by a bloodbath. Yet, the new nation chose the path of confession and reconciliation. Reverend Canon Mpho Tutu van Furth says that it’s possible to forgive and still pursue justice. Forgiveness is the only path forward.

Far from being exhausted, classical scholar Mary Beard explains why the subject of ancient Rome continues to surprise and resonate.

Chronicler of modern Russia, Masha Gessen, and award-winning historian Simon Sebag Montefiore look at the histories and dynasties that continue to define Russia today.

Is society broken? Theodore Dalrymple offers his diagnosis.

Digital technology is changing how we live, but does the future remain in our own hands?

What creepy spirits lurk under Malaysian, Moroccan and Mexican beds? And do their powers reflect something of the culture of their origin?

What does our response to politics in sport tell us about who we are. Is it good for the games we love?

Why did Australia reject conscription for WWI? And do the implications of this vote still affect our society today?

How can two million years of human history possibly be summed up in one hundred objects? This is the challenge the British Museum set itself with its 'A history of the world in 100 objects' exhibition, which is currently on display at the National Museum of Australia. Why is it important for museums to collect and preserve these historic artefacts? What meaning do inanimate objects have to us, as individuals?   RN's Fran Kelly speaks with with a panel of guests about why objects matter and what they can tell us about our history.