Join us for a conversation with one of Australia’s brightest literary stars. With host Hilary Harper, Hannah Kent discusses the revival of historical fiction, Australia’s literary landscape, the tangled politics of representation/characterisation and her fascination with troubled women in cold climes.

In conversation with Karen Lyon, Mark 'Bomber' Thompson discusses the highs and lows of his football career on and off the field, the personal cost of senior coaching, the supplements scandal and the future of Australian Rules football.

Sami Shah's fantasy/horror novel, Fire Boy, is set in Karachi, Pakistan – and it's riddled with soul-stealing djinns (shape-shifting demon/genies made of smokeless fire) and various other nightmarish creatures from Muslim mythology. Sami chats with fellow writer Nadia Niaz about genre (and particularly, horror) fiction originating beyond the Anglosphere. What creepy spirits lurk under Malaysian, Moroccan and Mexican beds? Do demons and monsters share similar qualities across the world? Or do their powers reflect something of the culture of their origin?

She’s changed the face of American rock music in Sonic Youth, crashed at Cindy Sherman’s place, she’s produced a Hole record, she’s collaborated with Yoko Ono and she’s an idol to the likes of Carrie Brownstein and Michael Stipe. There’s only one Kim Gordon, and in this episode of the Wheeler Centre podcast, she joins Fee B-Squared for a conversation recorded live at the Astor Theatre.

In this talk, we look at the ways writers can seize on the creative and collaborative potential of games. Can great games rival great works of literature?

In this discussion, we’ll examine the relationships between viewers, writers and networks. How do screenwriters deal with the heightened attention of on-demand viewing? How do networks and platforms test new shows and talent? What’s the difference between a network and a platform … and will appointment TV endure in any form?

What’s the state of literary criticism for children’s books? How is the business of children’s book publishing changing, at home and abroad? How do we keep feeding insatiable young bookworms and how do we create new reading converts? Tune in for some answers to these and other questions, in a lively conversation about kids, creativity and the business of books.

If anyone can shed light on the fascinating and powerful political figures of Australian PM Malcolm Turnbull and Opposition Leader Bill Shorten, and their recent political manoeuvres, it’s David Marr and Annabel Crabb. What do these two writers see as the most pressing complications for both Turnbull and Shorten, and for Australia's voting public? Who and what influences these politicians … and what's love got to do with it? Listen as they share a lively, illuminating conversation about political personalities and the will to power.

All sorts of lofty ideals are projected onto the world of competitive sport. Sport is supposed to unite people across races and cultures. It’s supposed to deliver us role models. It’s supposed to provide a common talking point across social divides. Our expectations of sporting figures and sporting events sometimes seem unreasonably high and, at other times, contemptibly low. What happens when we examine these expectations through the lens of human rights? Can sporting boycotts embarrass governments into addressing human rights abuses? What are the costs of major sporting events like the Olympic Games and the World Cup in terms of human displacement? How well do events such as the Paralympics enhance the human rights of people with disabilities? And, what toll does public scrutiny play on the personal lives of athletes? Does the demand that athletes act as model citizens – or model representatives for racial or cultural minorities – infringe on their personal freedom and privacy?

What purpose does punishment play in society? Is punishment good for you? And what is the connection between punishment, justice, catharsis and redemption?