Uncommon Sense

Amy Mullins returns to the airwaves. Regular guest Dr Emma Shortis talks all things US politics, including the 2024 Presidential election debate and race. Will Joe Biden drop out of the race to make way for a different Democratic candidate? What is the status of Donald Trump's legal battles? How has the US Supreme Court transformed US government, society, and politics (once again) through its recent decisions on presidential immunity and the Chevron Doctrine? Emma is Senior Researcher, International and Security Affairs Program at The Australia Institute.

Author and Cornell University Professor of philosophy Dr Kate Manne returns to speak in-depth with Amy about her excellent new book, Unshrinking: How To Fight Fatphobia. As Kate describes it; "part memoir, part polemic, and part (all?) philosophy, this book aims to show why fatphobia is a vital social justice issue, and provide an analysis of what fatphobia is and how it works." She proposes "a radical reevaluation of who our bodies exist in the world for: ourselves and no one else." Kate spoke about her previous best-selling books with Amy in 2020 – Down Girl: The Logic of Misogyny and Entitled: How Male Privilege Hurts Women. Interview from 2020 is here: https://www.rrr.org.au/explore/podcasts/uncommon-sense/episodes/4851-kate-manne-on-sexism-misogyny-and-her-book-entitled-how-male-privilege-hurts-women

Professor Andrew Walter dissects the UK election results, which saw the UK Labour Party romp it in, ousting the Tory government and decimating their levels of representation in the British parliament. What does the new Labour government look like and how has the political landscape shifted? Andrew is Professor of International Relations in the School of Social and Political Sciences at the University of Melbourne.

Professor James Curran delves into the discussions and real intentions behind the AUKUS agreement and Australia's plan to obtain nuclear submarines from the US and the UK. How exactly does the US perceive AUKUS? James reveals how the US' view differs greatly from the Australian government's view. With so many practical questions weighing around the delivery of the submarines and the cooperation of the US, UK, and Australian navies, does Australia have a Plan B? James Curran is International Editor of the AFR and Professor of Modern History at the University of Sydney. In our discussion he talks about his essay on AUKUS in the Australian Book Review, 'AUKUS in the Dock: Questions and challenges for the Albanese government.' Read his ABR essay here and his AFR columns here.

Dr Bertrand Bourgeois speaks in-depth about the snap French elections for the National Assembly (lower house) called by President Emmanuel Macron. With the far-right National Rally or Rassemblement National (led by Marine Le Pen and Jordan Bardella) leading in the polls, closely followed by the far left coalition, the New Popular Front or Le Nouveau Front Populaire (comprising La France Insoumise or France Unbowed, the Greens, Communists, and Socialists), and Macron’s centrist coalition Ensemble, including his Renaissance party coming in third – was it a miscalculated gamble to go early? Why is Jean-Luc Mélenchon such a polarising figure? What do the parties and coalitions stand for and why is the far-right becoming “mainstream” in France? Dr Bertrand Bourgeois is a Senior Lecturer in French Studies at the University of Melbourne.

Alison Croggon, theatre critic and Arts Editor for The Saturday Paper talks with Amy about the state of Australian theatre. Alison writes in The Monthly that, “a generation of small independent theatremakers has been betrayed by government neglect and bad policy, creating a cultural crisis.” Read Alison's essay in The Monthly here.

Dr Bertrand Bourgeois speaks in-depth about the snap French elections for the National Assembly (lower house) called by President Emmanuel Macron. With the far-right National Rally or Rassemblement National (led by Marine Le Pen and Jordan Bardella) leading in the polls, closely followed by the far left coalition, the New Popular Front or Le Nouveau Front Populaire (comprising La France Insoumise or France Unbowed, the Greens, Communists, and Socialists), and Macron’s centrist coalition Ensemble, including his Renaissance party coming in third – was it a miscalculated gamble to go early? Why is Jean-Luc Mélenchon such a polarising figure? What do the parties and coalitions stand for and why is the far-right becoming “mainstream” in France? Dr Bertrand Bourgeois is a Senior Lecturer in French Studies at the University of Melbourne.

Acclaimed writer Ceridwen Dovey brings real space objects to life in her new collection of short stories, Only The Astronauts (Penguin Books). Ceridwen reflects on the stories and inner lives she creates for Elon Musk's rocket test mannequin, 'Starman,' as well as the International Space Station, the first sculpture ever taken to the Moon, the Voyager 1 space probe carrying the Golden Record, and more. Ceridwen speaks with Amy in-depth about the restorative effects of reading and writing fiction, as well as her process for writing these wonderful short stories in the form of a fable. Listen to Amy's past interview with Ceridwen on the commercial satellite mega-constellations damaging the night sky: https://soundcloud.com/uncommonsense-rrr/interview-with-ceridwen-dovey-only-the-astronauts

Ceridwen Dovey is an Australian fiction writer, creative non-fiction writer, science writer, and anthropologist based in Sydney.

She is also the author of Blood Kin; Only The Animals; In the Garden of the Fugitives; On J.M. Coetzee: Writers on Writers; Life After Truth; Inner Worlds Outer Spaces; and Mothertongues (with co-writer Eliza Bell and original songs by Keppie Coutts). Ceridwen's science writing has been recognised with an Australian Museum Eureka Award and two UNSW Press Bragg Prizes for Science Writing.

Dr Richard Denniss, Executive Director of The Australia Institute, joins Amy as he talks all about inequality in Australia – the topic of his current national speaking tour. To attend the online live-streamed event being hosted in Adelaide, visit: https://australiainstitute.org.au/event/unequal-australia-adelaide/

To listen back to Amy's past interview with Richard about his book, Econobabble: How to Decode Political Spin and Economic Nonsense: https://soundcloud.com/uncommonsense-rrr/interview-with-richard-denniss-econobabble

With pressure on the government (again) to raise the rate of JobSeeker, will they finally prioritise the welfare of those on the lowest incomes in the country? Greg Jericho, Guardian columnist and Chief Economist for The Australia Institute previews the upcoming Federal Budget with Amy, which is to be delivered on Tuesday 14th May. Greg tells us what budgets are really all about – choices.

British best-selling author Johann Hari joins Amy Mullins to talk about his excellent new book, Magic Pill, which examines the benefits and risks of controversial new weight-loss drugs, like Ozempic and Wegovy. Johann has in fact tried this medication himself and is conflicted about whether they are the miracle solution for obesity that they appear to be. We get into all the nuances of the science and debate around these medications, as well as the real causes of obesity and why people who try to lose weight the old-fashioned way (through diet and exercise) – may initially lose weight but struggle to keep it off. Hint: it actually isn’t your fault. This interview is essential listening for all people wanting to understand how our modern society has geared us towards obesity and disrupted our metabolic systems.

Victoria Johnson, spokesperson for the Gippsland Forest Guardians, talks about a significant discovery of Slender Tree-ferns (Cyathea cunninghamii) in the Strzelecki ranges, south-east of Melbourne. They are critically endangered in Victoria and the total population is estimated at less than 1,000. Slender Tree-ferns are listed as Critically Endangered under the Flora and Fauna Guarantee (FFG) Act 1988 and have current species-specific prescriptions in the Code of Practice for Timber Production 2014 (as amended in 2022). However, they are currently under threat due to logging operations occurring very close to the endangered ferns at Turtons creek, in some cases only 5 metres away. Victoria tells us about this unique plant species and what we can do to ensure its protection.

British best-selling author Johann Hari joins Amy Mullins to talk about his excellent new book, Magic Pill, which examines the benefits and risks of controversial new weight-loss drugs, like Ozempic and Wegovy. Johann has in fact tried this medication himself and is conflicted about whether they are the miracle solution for obesity that they appear to be. We get into all the nuances of the science and debate around these medications, as well as the real causes of obesity and why people who try to lose weight the old-fashioned way (through diet and exercise) – may initially lose weight but struggle to keep it off. Hint: it actually isn’t your fault. This interview is essential listening for all people wanting to understand how our modern society has geared us towards obesity and disrupted our metabolic systems.

Amy speaks with Bruce Pascoe and partner Lyn Harwood about their new book, Black Duck: A Year at Yumburra (Thames & Hudson), which is a personal reflection on life, Country and the consequences of Dark Emu through six seasons on Bruce and Lyn’s farm. Bruce Pascoe is a Bunurong, Yuin and Tasmanian Aboriginal writer of literary fiction, non-fiction, poetry, essays and children's literature. He is the enterprise professor in Indigenous Agriculture at the University of Melbourne. He is best known for his work, Dark Emu: Aboriginal Australia and the Birth of Agriculture (Magabala Books, 2014). Lyn Harwood has worked as a teacher, a dancer, an editor, a publisher and an artist. She is a director on the Board of Black Duck Foods, promoting Indigenous food agriculture and has instigated a community based fuel management practice for the Mallacoota township.

Amy Mullins is joined by renowned author and Professor of Philosophy A. C. Grayling for a deep examination of his new book, Who Owns The Moon? In Defence of Humanity’s Common Interests in Space.

With rare earths and natural resources that are essential for future technology from microprocessors to EV batteries running out on the Earth – humanity is now looking towards its closest solar neighbours for future resources. Moving away from the question of should we harness these resources, A. C. Grayling instead asks 'who' should access these natural resources, what rules are required to govern its use, and what they owe to the denizens of planet Earth.

Grayling tells Amy, “What we are actually trembling on the brink of at the moment is humanity in the form of Chinese and private entrepreneurs now taking possession of the moon and space beyond the moon, shaping how things will happen out there – unconstrained by any really serious mature-minded, robust and enforceable set of agreements of how they should behave out there. And so we’ve just stepped out of the front door of our house and found a complete wild west.”

Julian Assange's brother Gabriel Shipton joined Amy Mullins to update us as to Julian's state of mind and health ahead of the UK High Court's impending decision, which is to be handed down tonight 9.30pm AEDT (10.30am London time). The court will decide whether Wikileaks founder and journalist Julian Assange will be able to appeal the decision to extradite him from Britain to the United States where he faces 18 charges for publishing US military documents and diplomatic cables and up to 173 years in prison or even the death penalty. Gabriel tells us about his attendance as a guest of Kentucky Rep. Thomas Massie at President Joe Biden's 2024 State of the Union Address and the intense lobbying efforts happening behind the scenes at the US Congress. When will the Australian government make greater representations to the United States on its citizen's behalf? Gabriel Shipton is a film producer and produced a documentary on the persecution of Assange called, ITHAKA (free to watch on ABC's iView). You can listen to that May 2022 interview here. To support Julian Assange and take action, visit the campaign website: https://www.action.assangecampaign.org.au