Ideas at the House

With pithy and insightful observations, journalist and author Arkady Ostrovsky examines today's political reality from the perspective of Putin's Russia in the award winning book The Invention of Russia. Tracking a clear path from Gorbachev to Yeltsin to Putin, he paints a beguiling history: Putin's rise was not an aberration, but a deliberate move, generated by careful control of the media and security services. Join Arkady as he takes a closer look at what is real, what is fake, and what is possible in today's new world order. Chaired by Emma Alberici.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sydney's first Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras ended in shocking violence and multiple arrests. Julie McCrossin was there. Forty years on, the celebration's activist roots remain urgently relevant. Join Julie as she reflects on the cultural change that still needs to happen. Chaired by Benjamin Law.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Recent years have seen the largest street protests in human history – but do they create real change? The co-founder of Occupy Wall Street explores the future of social action. Chaired by Edwina Throsby.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Creating a much needed space for Muslim women online, Amani Al-Khatahtbeh's MuslimGirl rose from humble beginnings on Livejournal to becoming the number one Muslim women’s blog in the United States. Now a regular contributor to media outlets CNN, Al Jazeera, and the BBC, Amani has been featured in The New York Times and The Guardian, and made Forbes' '30 Under 30' list. Chaired by Yassmin Abdel-Magied.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Year by year, our planet grows warmer. Can a not-for-profit environmental law organisation save the world? Martin Goodman and James Thornton's recent book Client Earth has been called 'a soaring force in environmental activism'. With their passion and groundbreaking insight they attempt to tackle the big questions about how we can save our planet. Chaired by Alessandro Pelizzon.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What are the risks of internet success? Join Reni Eddo-Lodge, Celeste Liddle, Van Badham and Tim Highfield as they share the joys and pitfalls of online activism. Chaired by Steph Harmon.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Shashi Tharoor is an Indian politician and diplomat. His book, Inglorious Empire: What the British Did to India, considers the devastating legacy of British colonialism. He's in conversation with Guardian reporter Ben Doherty.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The refugee crisis makes many people feel helpless –but Kirstin Shirling proves one person can make a difference. Join her at Antidote Festival 2017 as she speaks about her time in France's notorious refugee camp, The Jungle. Hosted by the Guardian's Lucy Clark.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Two decades after Eve Ensler's play radicalised how women think about their bodies, the activist and writer is still calling for revolution. She took to the Sydney Opera House stage at Antidote Festival with journalist Van Badham, where they discuss 20 years of the landmark play and what's next in the global fight for women's rights.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

NASA is in the early stages of preparing to send the first astronauts to the red planet. The 2020 Rover mission will be searching for signs of habitable conditions on Mars, as well as past microbial life.

Is this the first step to humanity spreading out into the galaxy? Is there already simple life on the red planet? Do we have galactic neighbours?

Physicist Professor Paul Davies from Arizona State University, geologist Dr Abigail Allwood of NASA, Dr Mitch Schulte of Mars 2020 Rover mission and UNSW’s Professor Martin van Kranendonk tackle these questions and more as they discuss life on Mars. Chaired by Graham Phillips.

Recorded live at Sydney Opera House, August 17 2017.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.