Stop the World, the Australian Strategic Policy Institute’s new podcast is finally here!

Everything seems to be accelerating: geopolitics, technology, security threats, the dispersal of information. At times, it feels like a blur. But beneath the dizzying proliferation of events, discoveries, rivalries and unravellings taking place around the world, there are deeper trends that can be grasped and understood through conversation and debate. 

That’s the idea behind Stop the World, ASPI’s new podcast on international affairs and security. Each week, we will cast a freeze-frame around the blur of events and bring some clarity and insight on defence, technology, cyber, geopolitics and foreign policy. We will bring you the best minds and voices—Australian and international guests as well as our own experts—to talk about everything from rising authoritarianism to climate change, from armed conflict to disinformation.

In our first episode, ASPI’s Executive Director Justin Bassi is joined by Elaine Pearson, Asia Director of Human Rights Watch, and Daniela Gavshon, Australia Director of Human Rights Watch.

They discuss the big issues to watch in 2024, the challenges human rights researchers face today, and the difficulty of keeping public attention on human rights issues as multiple crises unfold around the world. They also explore the practice of arbitrary detention, including the case of Australian writer and academic Dr Yang Hengjun, and how governments can respond.

Guests:

Justin Bassi

Elaine Pearson

Daniela Gavshon