Big Ideas

Big Ideas brings you the best of talks, forums, debates, and festivals held in Australia and arou...

How many deaths are acceptable in warfare and how many are excessive? Does having a lower body-count automatically mean you win a war? And most importantly, who does the counting. On Big Ideas, Oxford historian Erica Charters challenges the quantitative approach to war. The metrics of warfare developed in the early European wars many centuries ago – but numbers remain at the core of military decision-making to this day.

Is there a silver lining in the seemingly never ending COVID-19 pandemic? Might there be opportunities, if we can learn right lessons, to emerge from the pandemic with a determination build back better? Some hope, ultimately, the pandemic will help re-invent our cities, improve public health, reinvigorate the economy, and tackle social disadvantage. Paul Barclay talks to Peter Doherty and Andrew Wear about the post pandemic possibilities

Can I interest you in some pasta fortified with crickets or a burger made from plants which looks like meat? This may not sound immediately appetising but,  as the world population grows and climate change bites, the hunt is on for alternative sources of protein. We hear from plant scientists who are hard at work developing climate resistant crops with the added benefit of new sources of fuel and fibre. And projects to grow insects for food.

Do you trust scientists or question their independence? Science historian Naomi Oreskes investigates how funding shapes scientific research and how climate science in particular has been misrepresented by fossil industries. She says science needs both public trust and public awareness of the potential use of science to further special interests.

For too long ordinary people have been singled out - their actions, and consumption habits, blamed for climate change. Instead, we should be pointing the finger at large corporations, and growth-based economics. So believes writer Jeff Sparrow, whose book Crimes Against Nature argues that unless the economic system changes, no amount of recycling, or individual action, is likely to achieve much. He tells Paul Barclay that, despite this, he is optimistic, because he believes collective action can bring about real change.

Can Australia better manage international relationships and responsibilities in a changing world? Climate change, human rights abuse or COVID-19 for example require a coordinated international response – a coalition of the willing. But is Australia playing its role? Our country has been labelled a ‘rogue nation’ by some. But how bad is our reputation overseas – really?

All through the pandemic we've talked about returning to normal. But normal life looks and feels very different if you're in a marginalized group. In the Alan Saunders Memorial Lecture , philosopher Dr Bryan Mukandi says we should seize the opportunity to question the way the world works in order to create a new normal without social and racial inequality.

Many Australians feel a great kinship with New Zealand describing New Zealanders as family who live across the ditch and there’s a large ex-pat community in both countries. Our histories are intertwined and we have similar strategic challenges as Pacific nations. In the face of great power politics, New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern is determined to pursue an independent foreign policy .

Defence and security analyst, Hugh White, is concerned Australia may be ‘sleepwalking’ to war with China, because of our alliance with America. He believes the US is unable to constrain a growing China in East Asia, nor win a future war against them over Taiwan. What does all this mean for our regional security, and our relationships with the US & China? Paul Barclay speaks to Hugh White, author of the Quarterly Essay, 'Sleepwalk to War', in which he also criticises the AUKUS nuclear submarine deal, and our strategic and defence planning.