http://www.abc.net.au/tv/fora Latest Culture and Society talks and discussions. From the Australian Broadcasting Corporation's Fora TV en ABC Wed, 24 Dec 2008 16:34:05 +1000 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss XML Engine Fora.TV@abc.net.au ABC TV Fora TV -The best talks, ideas, debates and lectures from the Australian Broadcasting Corporation's Fora TV. Fora TV nospam@abc.net.au http://abc.net.au/tv/fora/stories/2008/12/19/2449915.htm Finding a surrogate mother is an increasingly popular solution for those who can't conceive children themselves. But the medical advances that enable these pregnancies have developed much faster than the legislation which surrounds them. The laws differ from state to state, and legal decisions about issues such as custody can have devastating effects on mothers and families. http://abc.net.au/tv/fora/stories/2008/12/19/2449915.htm Fri, 19 Dec 2008 11:01:00 +1000 Law and EthicsPoliticsHealth and MedicineCulture and Society,Anita Stuhmcke, Surrogacy, Law, Biomedical Law, medical advances, conceiving problems, pregnancy, legislation, custody, family http://abc.net.au/tv/fora/stories/2008/12/19/2449908.htm Despite John Howard's best efforts, Robert Menzies remains Australia's longest-serving prime minister. He's also a polarizing figure, revered by the right and disdained by the left. Delivering the annual Menzies lecture in Melbourne recently, conservative commentator Gerard Henderson gave a very personal argument on why he believes Menzies still Matters. http://abc.net.au/tv/fora/stories/2008/12/19/2449908.htm Fri, 19 Dec 2008 10:48:00 +1000 HistoryPoliticsCulture and Society,Gerard Henderson, politics, australia, menzies, liberal party, longest-serving prime minister, "Mr. Santamaria and the Bishops" , "Menzies' Child: The Liberal Party of Australia". http://abc.net.au/tv/fora/stories/2008/12/19/2444185.htm Chris Puplick was shadow arts minister in the late 1980s, and has since held several positions in arts administration, including serving on the board of the Griffith Theatre Company, the Freelance Dance Company and NIDA, and on the Theatre Board of the Australia Council. He was also President of the NSW Anti-Discrimination Board. http://abc.net.au/tv/fora/stories/2008/12/19/2444185.htm Mon, 22 Dec 2008 11:54:00 +1000 ArtsCulture and SocietyBooks and Authors,Chris Puplick, shadow arts minister, government funding, lobby, Stephen Crittenden, theatre, dance, performance, future http://abc.net.au/tv/fora/stories/2008/12/19/2431702.htm Gustav Niebuhr is an author, journalist and commentator who writes mainly about issues of religion. In this passionate talk, delivered at the Chautauqua Festival in August, he argues that a better society will come from more interaction between faiths, races and creeds. http://abc.net.au/tv/fora/stories/2008/12/19/2431702.htm Fri, 19 Dec 2008 10:47:00 +1000 ReligionCulture and SocietyLaw and EthicsHistory,religion, faith, tolerance, fear, Rodney King, Thomas Payne, George Washington, Judaism, freedom of speech, Roosevelt, media, interfaith organisation, muslims, educating, public, Gustav Niebuhr http://abc.net.au/tv/fora/stories/2008/12/12/2443892.htm Augusten Burroughs has become famous for writing blackly funny accounts of his own seriously dysfunctional life. From his breakthrough memoir "Running With Scissors", to his most recent book "A Wolf at the Table", he recounts his experiences in extraordinary detail. Here, in conversation with Jennifer Byrne at the Melbourne Writers Festival earlier in the year, he was candid about his dreadful childhood, struggle with alcoholism and abusive father. http://abc.net.au/tv/fora/stories/2008/12/12/2443892.htm Fri, 19 Dec 2008 10:54:00 +1000 Books and AuthorsCulture and Society,Augusten Burroughs, memoirs, contraversial, fictional, defamation, black humour, http://abc.net.au/tv/fora/stories/2008/12/12/2443890.htm In an increasingly secular society, where do we look for spiritual meaning? In his book "Ego and Soul", sociologist John Carroll argues that spiritual fulfilment is an essential human requirement. But now we derive our spiritual experiences from every-day things: going to work, playing sport, spending time with family. Here, he's at Gleebooks, with social commentator Clive Hamilton. http://abc.net.au/tv/fora/stories/2008/12/12/2443890.htm Fri, 19 Dec 2008 10:55:00 +1000 Culture and SocietyReligionPhilosophyBooks and Authors,John Carroll, sociology, Clive Hamilton, religion, spirituality, sport, shopping, family, gleebooks http://abc.net.au/tv/fora/stories/2008/12/12/2443917.htm It's been 90 years since the end of the First World War, and only a handful of those who fought are still alive. Yet the war to end all wars is still remembered and commemorated by those born long after it finished. What is it about this war that has caused it to enter our memories and mythologies so profoundly? In a talk given to the Brisbane Institute on Remembrance Day this year, historian Peter Stanley investigates. http://abc.net.au/tv/fora/stories/2008/12/12/2443917.htm Fri, 19 Dec 2008 10:56:00 +1000 HistoryCulture and Society,First World War, rememberance, national identity, history, mythology, Anzac, Gallipoli http://abc.net.au/tv/fora/stories/2008/12/05/2437583.htm With its poor, largely rural populace and huge sex industry, Thailand could be expected to have major problems with overpopulation and HIV/AIDS. However, its birth-rate has been declining since the 1970s. And, it's one of the few developing countries with a slowing rate of HIV infection. Much of the credit for this can be claimed by public health guru Mechai Viravaidya, who has devoted his career to educating Thais in the use of contraceptives. http://abc.net.au/tv/fora/stories/2008/12/05/2437583.htm Wed, 24 Dec 2008 16:21:00 +1000 Health and MedicineEducationPoliticsCulture and Society,Mechai Viravaidya, HIV/AIDS, contraceptive, education, condom, rural populace, developing countries, public health http://abc.net.au/tv/fora/stories/2008/12/05/2424865.htm One of the byproducts of China's extraordinary development in the last few decades has been an explosion in its urban populations. At the recent Metropolis summit in Sydney, Asia researcher Andrew Ness described how this changing landscape has come about, and how the Chinese are planning for an urbanised future. http://abc.net.au/tv/fora/stories/2008/12/05/2424865.htm Fri, 12 Dec 2008 10:04:00 +1000 Culture and SocietyBooks and AuthorsEnvironment,China, development, urban, over-population, climate, infrastructure, housing, polution http://abc.net.au/tv/fora/stories/2008/12/05/2431542.htm It's just over a month since one of the most fascinating US elections of all time. Australian writer and former Paul Keating speechwriter Don Watson was in the United States for Barack Obama's historic victory and shared his first-hand observations of the American political landscape at the Sydney Institute. http://abc.net.au/tv/fora/stories/2008/12/05/2431542.htm Fri, 12 Dec 2008 09:56:00 +1000 PoliticsCulture and SocietyBooks and Authors,speechwriter, Don Watson, American political landscape, Barack Obama's, American Journeys, Walkley Award http://abc.net.au/tv/fora/stories/2008/12/05/2431541.htm The problem of alcohol abuse is one of the focuses of the campaign to close the gap in life expectancy between indigenous and non-indigenous Australia. But how was alcohol introduced to Aborigines in the first place? In this fascinating talk, which takes us back to the beginning of colonisation, ANU researcher Maggie Brady talks about indigenous Australia's first taste of alcohol. http://abc.net.au/tv/fora/stories/2008/12/05/2431541.htm Fri, 19 Dec 2008 10:59:00 +1000 HistoryHealth and MedicinePoliticsCulture and Society,alcohol, abuse, colonisation, indigenous, aborigines, Romlie Mokak, Robin Room, life expectancy, dependency, tabacco, drugs, Maggie Brady http://abc.net.au/tv/fora/stories/2008/11/28/2431439.htm LANGUAGE WARNING: this talk contains frequent coarse language. US writer James Frey's 2003 memoir "A Million Little Pieces", shot to the top of international bestseller lists when it was endorsed by Oprah Winfrey. Three years later it was revealed that many of the experiences described in the book were in fact made up, and a huge controversy erupted. But his latest book, "Bright Shiny Morning", is being hailed by some critics as his return to grace. Here, he's at the New Theatre in Sydney's Newtown reading from it. http://abc.net.au/tv/fora/stories/2008/11/28/2431439.htm Mon, 01 Dec 2008 16:57:00 +1000 Books and AuthorsCulture and Society,Australian, new theatre, Bright Shiny Morning, memoir, family history, fiction, autobiography http://abc.net.au/tv/fora/stories/2008/11/28/2431405.htm The global financial crisis is causing leaders worldwide to re-consider their attitudes to economic management and regulation. Here, at a thought-provoking discussion between activist writer Naomi Klein, Nobel laureate Joseph Stiglitz and internationally feted thinker Hernando de Soto, the ideologies behind economic management are examined. http://abc.net.au/tv/fora/stories/2008/11/28/2431405.htm Fri, 05 Dec 2008 10:40:00 +1000 BusinessPoliticsBooks and AuthorsCulture and Society,economy, unregulated markets, model, capitalism, legal system, national, assistance, bailout, crisis, ownership, government, foreclosures, http://abc.net.au/tv/fora/stories/2008/11/28/2412481.htm Geoffrey Blainey is one of Australia's best-known historians. His latest book is called "Sea of Dangers: Captain Cook and his Rivals". It examines the antipodean voyages of Cook and the French explorer Jean de Surville. Both men were at sea at the same time pursuing similar missions. But while Cook remains one of the most revered cartographers and discoverers of all time, de Surville has been relegated to the margins of history. Here, Professor Blainey is at the State Library of NSW. We join the talk as he's discussing the search for the "missing continent", a great southern land mass that eighteenth century Europeans believed to exist. http://abc.net.au/tv/fora/stories/2008/11/28/2412481.htm Fri, 12 Dec 2008 10:08:00 +1000 HistoryBooks and AuthorsCulture and Society,political commentator, Australian historian, Captain Cook, French explorer, Jean de Surville, http://abc.net.au/tv/fora/stories/2008/11/28/2412501.htm Dr. Rajendra Pachauri was the co-recipient, with Al Gore, of the 2007 Nobel peace prize. He's the chairman of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, or IPCC. Here, he's delivering the 2008 Wallace Wurth lecture at the University of NSW. http://abc.net.au/tv/fora/stories/2008/11/28/2412501.htm Fri, 19 Dec 2008 10:57:00 +1000 EnvironmentPoliticsLaw and EthicsCulture and Society,Rajendra Pachauri climate change, energy, environment, IPCC, forestry, biotechnology, conservation, natural resources, government departments, institutions, corporate organisations http://abc.net.au/tv/fora/stories/2008/11/21/2424864.htm Soon-to-be US President Barack Obama swept to victory with a message of change. He will replace George W. Bush, who has earned the dubious distinction of being the least popular president since opinion polls began. So where did Bush and his administration go wrong? Jacob Weisberg, until recently editor of the Influential online journal Slate.com and now editor-in-chief of the Slate Group, has written a book on the subject, "The Bush Tragedy". Here he's at the Aspen Festival of Ideas. http://abc.net.au/tv/fora/stories/2008/11/21/2424864.htm Fri, 28 Nov 2008 15:51:00 +1000 PoliticsCulture and SocietyHistory,President George W. Bush, neo-conversative, Barack Obama, administration, change, opinion polls, popularity, American public, online journalism, http://abc.net.au/tv/fora/stories/2008/11/21/2424842.htm Former Australian of the year Professor Fiona Stanley has devoted much of her career to trying to improve the health of Aboriginal people, especially children. Delivering the annual Hawke Lecture in Adelaide recently, she discussed some of the causes of poor indigenous health, and outlined some strategies for improving it. http://abc.net.au/tv/fora/stories/2008/11/21/2424842.htm Fri, 05 Dec 2008 10:42:00 +1000 Health and MedicineCulture and SocietyLaw and EthicsPolitics,indigenous health, communites, children, youth, remote, urban, life expectancy, aboriginal, http://abc.net.au/tv/fora/stories/2008/11/21/2424859.htm At the beginning of this week, veteran journalist Chris Masters filed his final story for Four Corners, the ABC current affairs programme he's worked on for 25 years. In this candid conversation with the ABC's Mark Colvin, he reflects back on an illustrious and award-winning career. http://abc.net.au/tv/fora/stories/2008/11/21/2424859.htm Thu, 11 Dec 2008 14:43:00 +1000 Culture and SocietyBooks and AuthorsPoliticsHistory,journalist, author, media, investigative journalism, current affairs, Walkley awards, Chris Masters, Fitzgerald Enquiry, police corruption http://abc.net.au/tv/fora/stories/2008/11/21/2412512.htm Anna Funder shot to international prominence with the publication of her 2003 book "Stasiland", about the East German secret police, and the attempts of some brave citizens to resist their oppressors. Now working on a novel, the author has taken time out to write and deliver the final of the 2008 PEN International Voices lecture series. Her essay is about Courage. http://abc.net.au/tv/fora/stories/2008/11/21/2412512.htm Thu, 18 Dec 2008 17:15:00 +1000 Books and AuthorsCulture and SocietyPhilosophyPolitics,Anna Funder, PEN International Voices, Stasiland, German secret police, courage, BBC Four Samuel Johnson Prize http://abc.net.au/tv/fora/stories/2008/11/14/2418473.htm Arun Gandhi is the fifth grandson of Mahatma Gandhi, and he was a young boy and actually living with his grandfather at the time of the tragic assassination. Born in 1934 in Durban, Arun has spent much of his life actively promoting the principles of non-violence and social activism that made is grandfather such a seminal figure of the 20th century. http://abc.net.au/tv/fora/stories/2008/11/14/2418473.htm Fri, 14 Nov 2008 15:37:00 +1000 HistoryCulture and SocietyPolitics,Mahatma Gandhi, non-violent activism, M.K. Institute for Nonviolence, social causes, displaced persons http://abc.net.au/tv/fora/stories/2008/11/14/2405710.htm Aboriginal leader and rights advocate, Patrick Dodson, was recently awarded the "2008 Sydney Peace Prize". Past recipients have included former U.N. weapons inspector Hans Blix and Palestinian activist Dr Hanan Ashrawi. Dodson is often called the "father of reconciliation" for his determination to build bridges between indigenous and non-indigenous Australians. Here Dodson presents the "Peace Prize Lecture" in which he urges Australia to follow the lead of the American President-elect, Barack Obama, in its approach to dialogue with our Aboriginal people. http://abc.net.au/tv/fora/stories/2008/11/14/2405710.htm Thu, 11 Dec 2008 15:16:00 +1000 PoliticsCulture and SocietyEducation,reconciliation, Patrick Dodson, peace prize, consultation, self-determination, dialogue, intervention, Northern, Territory, racist, legislation, indigenous, non-indigenous, Australia, http://abc.net.au/tv/fora/stories/2008/11/14/2418412.htm Former Australian Prime Minister, Paul Keating; current Leader of the Federal Opposition, Malcolm Turnbull and former governor of Hong Kong Chris Patten are not the usual people you'd expect to see having a chat after dinner. But here in Sydney, at an event hosted by the Oxford Business Alumni, the three of them got down to business, discussing all of the big events of the minute: the global financial crisis and what governments should do about it, climate change, China and Obama. The event is hosted by our own Tony Jones. http://abc.net.au/tv/fora/stories/2008/11/14/2418412.htm Wed, 24 Dec 2008 16:10:00 +1000 Culture and SocietyBusiness,Paul Keating, Malcolm Turnbull, Chris Patten, global financial crisis, China, Obama, climate change http://abc.net.au/tv/fora/stories/2008/11/07/2405698.htm "America has lost its moral authority" was the proposition that was argued in the most recent of the IQ Squared debates, hosted by the St. James Ethics Centre. If the proposition is correct, then the incoming president faces not only a worsening domestic crisis, but a major challenge to restore America's image in the eyes of the international community. http://abc.net.au/tv/fora/stories/2008/11/07/2405698.htm Fri, 14 Nov 2008 15:38:00 +1000 PoliticsCulture and Society,America, international community, world power, Iraq war, rhetoric, Bob Carr, Owen Harries, Paul McGeough, Mark Carnegie, Geoff Garrett, Martine Letts http://abc.net.au/tv/fora/stories/2008/11/07/2405399.htm William McInnes is probably best known to most of us as Nick in "Blue Heelers", or perhaps Max in "SeaChange". But he's also a prolific author, most recently of a book called "That'd Be Right". Here, at a Dymock's Literary Lunch he's in conversation with Susan Wyndham, Literary Editor of The Sydney Morning Herald. And he's fabulously entertaining discussing the themes of his book: family, sport and politics. http://abc.net.au/tv/fora/stories/2008/11/07/2405399.htm Thu, 27 Nov 2008 12:32:00 +1000 Books and AuthorsPoliticsCulture and SocietyHistory,acting, Australian TV drama, sport, politics, family, Susan Wyndham, author William McInnes. http://abc.net.au/tv/fora/stories/2008/11/03/2408957.htm Each year for over 40 years the ABC Board has invited a prominent Australian to present the Boyer Lectures - an opportunity to present their views on the great social, scientific and cultural issues of the moment. This year, the Boyers are being presented by the head of News Corporation, Rupert Murdoch. His subject? "The Golden Age of Freedom", and in this address, delivered at the Sydney Opera House, one of the world's most powerful men outlines his vision for how Australia can meet the challenges of the future. http://abc.net.au/tv/fora/stories/2008/11/03/2408957.htm Fri, 12 Dec 2008 10:01:00 +1000 Culture and SocietyPoliticsHistoryEducation,rupert murdoch; boyer lecture; education; reform; reconcilliation; economy http://abc.net.au/tv/fora/stories/2008/10/30/2405359.htm In a week that saw James Packer finally sever ties with PBL and the Nine Network, the age of the great Australian media mogul, with a passion for news or broadcasting, seems to be over. Delivering the Andrew Olle lecture last week, veteran journalist and - until recently - Channel Nine stalwart Ray Martin fondly reminisced about the effect that Kerry Packer's patronage had on news in Australia, and slammed the current state of the industry that made him a star. http://abc.net.au/tv/fora/stories/2008/10/30/2405359.htm Thu, 13 Nov 2008 11:33:00 +1000 Culture and SocietyBusiness,online, media, internet, Ray Martin, broadcasters, commercial TV, Kerry Packer, journalism, monopoly http://abc.net.au/tv/fora/stories/2008/10/23/2399081.htm Common Ground is a series of lectures presented by the Centre for Policy Development. It takes the novel idea of bringing together two people from opposite ends of the political spectrum to discuss a subject that they actually agree upon. http://abc.net.au/tv/fora/stories/2008/10/23/2399081.htm Fri, 24 Oct 2008 10:04:00 +1000 PoliticsCulture and SocietyLaw and Ethics,politics, donations, revenue, funding, parties, CPD, interest groups, emerging, reform http://abc.net.au/tv/fora/stories/2008/10/23/2399231.htm Republican Vice Presidential candidate Sarah Palin has identified herself as part of the religious right. So it's timely to consider what this term actually means, and how important a bloc this group is in the U.S. http://abc.net.au/tv/fora/stories/2008/10/23/2399231.htm Thu, 30 Oct 2008 15:20:00 +1000 ReligionCulture and SocietyBooks and Authors,religion, America, conservatism, politics, class, fear, nationalism http://abc.net.au/tv/fora/stories/2008/10/23/2392620.htm In countries where news is censored and limited, how important are blogs in getting information out, and how do people living in these countries use the internet? http://abc.net.au/tv/fora/stories/2008/10/23/2392620.htm Thu, 04 Dec 2008 11:49:00 +1000 Culture and SocietyPoliticsScience and TechnologyBooks and Authors,blog, information, online, media, internet, fairfax, journalism, counter-culture, http://abc.net.au/tv/fora/stories/2008/10/16/2392742.htm He's been a leading force in British theatre for half a century, and is an accomplished actor on both stage and screen. Recently at Sydney Ideas, director Stephen Berkoff delivered a passionate lecture about the perils of limiting artistic freedom. http://abc.net.au/tv/fora/stories/2008/10/16/2392742.htm Thu, 20 Nov 2008 12:52:00 +1000 ArtsCulture and SocietyBooks and Authors,theatre, contemporary, Australia, production, Germany, future http://abc.net.au/tv/fora/stories/2008/10/16/2392622.htm Australian history is full of images of ingenious settlers battling against the harsh, unforgiving land in order to survive. But is the European notion of 'survival' different from the indigenous one? In this brilliant address, the second of the PEN Voices lecture series, Aboriginal writer Melissa Lucashenko argues that it is. http://abc.net.au/tv/fora/stories/2008/10/16/2392622.htm Wed, 24 Dec 2008 15:57:00 +1000 Culture and SocietyHistoryBooks and Authors,Aboriginal, indigenous, history, survival, urban, contemporary, death in custody, Melissa Lucashenko http://abc.net.au/tv/fora/stories/2008/10/09/2380302.htm Wall St Journal writer Walt Mossberg has seen huge changes in the 38 years he's been writing about technology. Here, in a session at the Aspen Ideas Festival in Colorado, he considers where computers have come from, and where they're headed. http://abc.net.au/tv/fora/stories/2008/10/09/2380302.htm Thu, 09 Oct 2008 15:49:00 +1000 Science and TechnologyCulture and Society,internet, mobile phone, communities, interactivity, user-generated content, web 1.0, web 2.0, http://abc.net.au/tv/fora/stories/2008/10/09/2384659.htm This IQ2 Debate was another sellout in Sydney's Angel Place Recital Hall, and the audience were wildly appreciative of the genuinely funny addresses. The topic under scrutiny was that "For a Sporting Nation, We're Not That Sporting." When the audience was polled on this question when they arrived for the event, a clear majority agreed with the proposition. http://abc.net.au/tv/fora/stories/2008/10/09/2384659.htm Wed, 24 Dec 2008 15:19:00 +1000 Culture and SocietyBooks and Authors,nationalism, national identity, australia, sport, Brett Hutchins, Adam Gilchrist, Peter FitzSimons, Adam Spencer, Tracey Holmes, Gideon Haigh http://abc.net.au/tv/fora/stories/2008/10/02/2380130.htm Did the notion that "Greed is Good" die out with the 1980s? In this thoughtful meditation, the first in the PEN Voices Lecture Series, writer Christopher Kremmer considers greed from all angles: social, historical, economic and cultural. Christopher Kremmer has written extensively on Asia, a region he covered as a correspondent for the ABC and the Sydney Morning Herald, before returning to Sydney where he is based at the University of Western Sydney. His most recent book, "Inhaling the Mahatma", was shortlisted for the 2007 Australian Book Awards prize for Best Non-Fiction. http://abc.net.au/tv/fora/stories/2008/10/02/2380130.htm Thu, 09 Oct 2008 15:55:00 +1000 Culture and SocietyPhilosophyBusinessHistory,Christopher Kremmer, greed, "Inhaling the Mahatma", Australian Book Awards prize, PEN Voices Lecture Series http://abc.net.au/tv/fora/stories/2008/10/02/2380128.htm It's a life of late nights, small clubs and not much money. So why do jazz musicians keep on going, and what's the future for Australia's underground jazz scene? http://abc.net.au/tv/fora/stories/2008/10/02/2380128.htm Thu, 30 Oct 2008 11:14:00 +1000 ArtsBooks and AuthorsCulture and Society,jazz, australian, Peter Rechniewski, Mike Nock, Permanent Underground, jazz clubs, jazz scene, http://abc.net.au/tv/fora/stories/2008/10/02/2380129.htm Former US president Bill Clinton has been back in the spotlight, not just on the campaign trail for Barack Obama. He has also been to Africa, where he has been on a fact finding mission for his philanthropic venture, the William Clinton Foundation. Recently, he attended the Aspen Festival for Ideas, where he discussed the situation across Africa, as well as some more global ideas: the environment, and the future of education. http://abc.net.au/tv/fora/stories/2008/10/02/2380129.htm Thu, 09 Oct 2008 15:59:00 +1000 PoliticsBusinessCulture and Society,politics, Bill Clinton, USA, economy, philanthropy, funding, wealth http://abc.net.au/tv/fora/stories/2008/09/25/2362274.htm Now throughout history, the most frequent types of human conflicts have been civil wars. But what makes a civil war, and why are some conflicts within states called civil wars and others are not? It's a surprisingly complicated question, but well-equipped to grapple with it is professor of history at Harvard University, David Armitage. He's talking as part of the Sydney Ideas lecture series at Sydney University. http://abc.net.au/tv/fora/stories/2008/09/25/2362274.htm Thu, 30 Oct 2008 11:28:00 +1000 HistoryCulture and SocietyPolitics,civil war, Sydney Ideas lecture series, human conflict, history http://abc.net.au/tv/fora/stories/2008/09/25/2373994.htm Should the Australian constitution be altered to refer specifically to indigenous Australians? Should there be a treaty between the Australian nation and its first inhabitants? It's currently a big debate, and recently at the National Archives in Canberra, the former reconciliation commissioner Mick Dodson bought in to the argument. His talk commemorates Constitution Day. http://abc.net.au/tv/fora/stories/2008/09/25/2373994.htm Thu, 23 Oct 2008 15:57:00 +1000 PoliticsLaw and EthicsCulture and Society,Indigenouse, aboriginal, land rights, treaty, reconciliation, Australian constitution, Mick Dodson http://abc.net.au/tv/fora/stories/2008/09/18/2368114.htm WARNING: THIS CLIP CONTAINS FREQUENT COARSE LANGUAGE. "What's So Funny About America"? A good question, and if this genuinely hilarious session at the Melbourne Writers Festival is anything to go by, the answer is "lots". Cult US writer David Sedaris considers the question from the safe distance of his home in Europe, while author and ex-Keating-speechwriter Don Watson takes a ground-level look at the USA from its trains and buses. And Canadian-born, New York-based writer and satirist David Rakoff describes the process by which he became an American citizen. http://abc.net.au/tv/fora/stories/2008/09/18/2368114.htm Thu, 30 Oct 2008 11:22:00 +1000 Culture and SocietyBooks and Authors,David Sedaris, Don Watson, David Rakoff, US culture, http://abc.net.au/tv/fora/stories/2008/09/18/2368198.htm As anyone who has ever seriously considered spending more than $500 on a pair of shoes will suspect: shoes are so, so much more than mere fashion. And now these suspicions are confirmed. In this illustrated talk Louise Mitchell, author of "Stepping Out: Three Centuries of Shoes", looks at the relationship between shoes and culture around the world, since the eighteenth century. Sandals, slippers, clogs and boots from Africa, Asia and Europe, the history of the humble shoe is fascinating and revealing. And the pictures are lovely, too. http://abc.net.au/tv/fora/stories/2008/09/18/2368198.htm Thu, 25 Sep 2008 15:33:00 +1000 ArtsHistoryCulture and Society,shoes, history, fashion, louis mitchell http://abc.net.au/tv/fora/stories/2008/09/18/2362268.htm The annual Macquarie University Vice Chancellor's Debate, and this year's topic is "Does Freedom of Speech have its Limits?" http://abc.net.au/tv/fora/stories/2008/09/18/2362268.htm Thu, 02 Oct 2008 17:39:00 +1000 Law and EthicsCulture and SocietyEducation,freedom of speech, Keith Windschuttle, Bryan Horrigan, Felicity Wilson, Gordon Boyce, Tamer Morris http://abc.net.au/tv/fora/stories/2008/09/11/2361606.htm In another of the I.Q Squared series of public debates, the provocative topic is that "We would be better off without religion". Squaring up to defend this position is a crack international team including legal publisher and columnist Richard Ackland, former Democrats senator Lyn Allison and U.S. professor of philosophy, physics and astronomy Vic Stenger. Taking them on is a brave negative team led by prominent scientist Professor Ian Plimer, with Professor Suzanne Rutland from Sydney Uni's Department of Hebrew, Biblical and Jewish Studies, and Oxford scientist and mathematician Professor John Lennox, author of the book "God's Undertaker: Has Science Buried God?". http://abc.net.au/tv/fora/stories/2008/09/11/2361606.htm Thu, 20 Nov 2008 12:55:00 +1000 ReligionCulture and SocietyPolitics,I.Q Squared, religion, debate, Professor Ian Plimer, Dr John Lennox, Lyn Allison, Richard Ackland, Vic Stenger http://abc.net.au/tv/fora/stories/2008/09/11/2361611.htm Chris Adams has had an extraordinary career across a range of media platforms. An internationally recognised media pioneer, he has worked for a range of clients including Facebook and Lycos. But he is perhaps best known for his work with Participant Pictures, which he co-founded with former Ebay President Jeff Skoll. Their vision was to facilitate the production of Hollywood movies that would raise awareness of socially important issues. So far, the company has produced films like "Good Night and Good Luck", "Syriana" and "The Inconvenient Truth." http://abc.net.au/tv/fora/stories/2008/09/11/2361611.htm Thu, 18 Sep 2008 16:06:00 +1000 Culture and SocietyScience and Technology,media platforms, Facebook, Lycos, Ebay, interactive content, film, Hollywood, http://abc.net.au/tv/fora/stories/2008/09/11/2355804.htm Since leaving politics, former Prime Minister Paul Keating has spent a lot of time considering the affairs of the world. Here, in a sweeping speech at the Melbourne Writers Festival, he ponders on everything from Australia's place in Asia, nuclear weaponry and the future of Kevin Rudd's Labor government. http://abc.net.au/tv/fora/stories/2008/09/11/2355804.htm Thu, 02 Oct 2008 14:46:00 +1000 PoliticsCulture and Society,Paul Keating, Prime Minister, Labor, Asia, Nuclear, power, weaponry, economy, recession http://abc.net.au/tv/fora/stories/2008/09/11/2361612.htm Has Barrie Kosky finally become too established to continue being described as the "enfant terrible" of the theatre? The Melbourne director of theatre and opera is now living working in Berlin. Here, at the Brisbane Festival, he compares the artistic and creative cultures of Germany and Australia, and discusses his own creative process. http://abc.net.au/tv/fora/stories/2008/09/11/2361612.htm Thu, 18 Sep 2008 16:08:00 +1000 ArtsCulture and SocietyHistory,theatre, contemporary, Australia, production, Germany, future http://abc.net.au/tv/fora/stories/2008/09/04/2355200.htm Australian academic export Professor Germaine Greer has made a career out of being provocative. Her first book, The Female Eunuch, has become an icon of feminist literature and is credited for contributing to the emancipation of the seventies woman. Since then she has provoked inches, miles and now kilometers of outraged attacks from all manner of columnists, journalists and commentators (including other feminists). Be it her request that female circumcision be regarded within cultural context in 1984's Sex and Destiny, or her passionate homage to the beauty of the teenage male body in The Beautiful Boy from 2003, her writing has sparked everything from contempt to outrage. http://abc.net.au/tv/fora/stories/2008/09/04/2355200.htm Fri, 12 Dec 2008 09:58:00 +1000 Books and AuthorsPoliticsCulture and Society,Germaine Greer, feminism, modern literature, journalism, http://abc.net.au/tv/fora/stories/2008/09/04/2355493.htm One of Australia's most renowned architects, Richard Johnson, this year won the prestigious Australian Institute of Architects' annual Gold Medal. This puts him in an exclusive group including Jorn Utzon, with whom he worked on the Sydney Opera House master plan and refurbishments. http://abc.net.au/tv/fora/stories/2008/09/04/2355493.htm Thu, 11 Sep 2008 17:04:00 +1000 ArtsScience and TechnologyCulture and SocietyPhilosophy,Richard Johnson On Architecture http://abc.net.au/tv/fora/stories/2008/08/28/2348784.htm Mandla Mandela was only 32 when he was installed as chief of Mvezo Traditional Council. His famous grandfather, Nelson, had also been offered the job as a young man, but preferred to concentrate his efforts on fighting apartheid rule in South Africa. The younger Mandela was in Australia in mid-2008, and used a speech at the University of NSW to discuss his family history. http://abc.net.au/tv/fora/stories/2008/08/28/2348784.htm Thu, 06 Nov 2008 14:14:00 +1000 HistoryPoliticsCulture and Society,Nelson Mandela, South Africa, apartheid, Mvezo Traditional Council, Mandla Mandela http://abc.net.au/tv/fora/stories/2008/08/28/2350683.htm With the democrat convention just over and the republican convention about to start, it's been a period of big orations in the United States of America. So it's a good time to be reminded of one of the truly great pieces of orations in that nation's history. Forty-five years ago, Martin Luther King delivered his famous speech to the roughly quarter-million strong crowd who formed the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, and, watching it today, it's hard to think of a public address that comes close to matching it for incisiveness and passion. http://abc.net.au/tv/fora/stories/2008/08/28/2350683.htm Tue, 16 Sep 2008 15:24:00 +1000 PoliticsHistoryCulture and Society,Martin Luther King, I have a Dream, segregation, Barack Obama, American Election 2008 http://abc.net.au/tv/fora/stories/2008/08/28/2349122.htm Robert Tercek has had a stellar career on the cutting edge of media as it's developed in the 1980s and 90s. Starting out as a painter and video artist, he's worked for MTV Asia, Sony Pictures and other major media companies. In this talk at the recent Cross Media Lab conference in Melbourne, he reveals the lessons he's learned over the course of his working life. http://abc.net.au/tv/fora/stories/2008/08/28/2349122.htm Thu, 11 Sep 2008 17:05:00 +1000 Culture and SocietyScience and Technology,Robert Tercek, cross-media lab, participatory media, interactive, digital entertainment http://abc.net.au/tv/fora/stories/2008/08/28/2348789.htm Marie Coleman had a front-row seat to many of the developments in the women's movement in Australia in the last century. As a public servant in the Whitlam and the Fraser governments, she was politically active during a period of massive social change. Here, in a frank and funny talk at Federal Parliament House, she recounts some of the key moments in her brilliant career. http://abc.net.au/tv/fora/stories/2008/08/28/2348789.htm Thu, 11 Sep 2008 17:05:00 +1000 PoliticsCulture and SocietyHistory,Marie Coleman, Feminist, social activist, educator, womens rights, Australian government http://abc.net.au/tv/fora/stories/2008/08/21/2348805.htm Parag Khanna is a writer and academic who has advised the US government on geo-political strategies in Iraq and Afghanistan. Here, at the World Affairs Council of Northern California, he discusses his new book, "The Second World: Empires and Influences in the New Global Order". http://abc.net.au/tv/fora/stories/2008/08/21/2348805.htm Tue, 09 Sep 2008 15:12:00 +1000 Books and AuthorsLaw and EthicsCulture and SocietyPolitics,Iraq, Afghanistan, globalisation, emerging markets geo-political strategies, US government, http://abc.net.au/tv/fora/stories/2008/08/21/2342401.htm Stewart Butterfield is known for two things. Co-founding the photo share website Flickr, and writing a strange and hilarious resignation letter to his former employer, Yahoo!, which quickly became famous on the web. In this presentation at the ABC in Sydney, he mused about creativity, inspiration and the development of Flickr. http://abc.net.au/tv/fora/stories/2008/08/21/2342401.htm Wed, 24 Dec 2008 16:21:00 +1000 Culture and SocietyScience and Technology,Flickr, Stewart Butterfield, innovation, user-generated content http://abc.net.au/tv/fora/stories/2008/08/21/2342587.htm Susannah Heschel is from the Department of Jewish Studies at Dartmouth University in the US. Here, she's at an event held by the New School in NYC, critiquing Stephen Beller's new book, "Antisemitism: a Very Short Introduction." http://abc.net.au/tv/fora/stories/2008/08/21/2342587.htm Tue, 09 Sep 2008 15:13:00 +1000 ReligionPoliticsCulture and Society,anti-semitism, Susannah Heschel, anti-zionism, Christian, fear, religion http://abc.net.au/tv/fora/stories/2008/08/21/2342579.htm It's just 5 months since the Tibetan capital Lhasa was torn apart by demonstrations against the Chinese regime. Many predicted that the Beijing Olympics would prove a catalyst in the development of a more open society in China but will anything really change? http://abc.net.au/tv/fora/stories/2008/08/21/2342579.htm Thu, 21 Aug 2008 14:27:00 +1000 PoliticsLaw and EthicsCulture and Society,China, human rights, government, pollution, Tibet, Sino-Tibetan, uprising, http://abc.net.au/tv/fora/stories/2008/08/14/2335340.htm Somali-born writer, activist and feminist Ayaan Hirsi Ali is best known for her explosive 2007 memoir, Infidel, which recounts a repressed and brutal childhood in a Muslim family, including being genitally mutilated by her devout grandmother. Having publicly lambasted both Islam and the prophet Mohammed, she has been the target of numerous death threats, and when she spoke recently at the Sydney Opera House, security was so tight that her presence at the event could only be announced that same morning. http://abc.net.au/tv/fora/stories/2008/08/14/2335340.htm Thu, 11 Sep 2008 13:22:00 +1000 PhilosophyPoliticsCulture and SocietyBooks and Authors,muslim, feminist, Ayaan Hirsi Ali, Dr Arthur Herman, Islam, Dr Arthur Herman, climate change sceptic, Frank Furedi, fear, politics http://abc.net.au/tv/fora/stories/2008/08/14/2335519.htm US Ambassador Mark Lagon is the Director of the Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons, in the US government. In a recent speech at Georgetown University, he addressed legal and moral issues surrounding human trafficking, or what he terms "modern slavery". http://abc.net.au/tv/fora/stories/2008/08/14/2335519.htm Tue, 09 Sep 2008 10:28:00 +1000 PoliticsCulture and SocietyLaw and EthicsPolitics,Mark Lagon, human trafficking, modern slavery http://abc.net.au/tv/fora/stories/2008/08/14/2335389.htm "By 2020 only the rich will be at home in Australia" was the proposition that was argued in the most recent in the series of the IQ squared debates, hosted by the St James Ethics Centre. With rising interest rates and the cost of petrol and food climbing all the time, is it now impossible for the average Australian to buy into the housing market? Or are we just all a bunch of pessimistic whingers in a panic about nothing that's backed up by stats and facts? http://abc.net.au/tv/fora/stories/2008/08/14/2335389.htm Tue, 19 Aug 2008 15:27:00 +1000 Culture and SocietyPolitics,economy, class, wealth, interest rates, Simon Longstaff, Sharan Burrow, ACTU, Bob Gregory, Michael Pusey, Ross Gittins, John Roskan, Elizabeth Proust http://abc.net.au/tv/fora/stories/2008/08/07/2327086.htm Author Helen Garner is well-known for looking to her own life for inspiration for her writing. In this conversation with Caroline Baum at the 2008 Sydney Writers' Festival, she discusses her latest book, "The Spare Room", and delivers on her promise to "spill her guts". http://abc.net.au/tv/fora/stories/2008/08/07/2327086.htm Thu, 30 Oct 2008 12:28:00 +1000 Books and AuthorsCulture and SocietyArts,Helen Garner, "The Spare Room", Australian novelist, realism, naturalism, personal http://abc.net.au/tv/fora/stories/2008/08/07/2327152.htm American-born Catholic priest Father Robert Sirico, recently in Australia for World Youth Day, found time to deliver the annual Acton Lecture on Religion and Freedom at the Centre for Independent Studies. In his address, "Is Religion a Threat to Liberty?", Father Sirico looks at the issues from historical and contemporary perspectives, and reveals himself as quite a fan of the theologian formerly known as Cardinal Ratzinger, now Pope Benedict XVI. http://abc.net.au/tv/fora/stories/2008/08/07/2327152.htm Tue, 09 Sep 2008 10:28:00 +1000 ReligionLaw and EthicsCulture and SocietyHistory,religion, liberty, Pope Benedict XVI, Father Robert Sirico, World Youth Day, http://abc.net.au/tv/fora/stories/2008/08/07/2327132.htm News Corporation Chief Rupert Murdoch's global corporate reach now includes Fox News, The Wall Street Journal, The Australian, 20th Century Fox, and MySpace, so when he addressed students at Washington D.C.'s Georgetown University, they had plenty of questions to ask about his vision for the future of media. http://abc.net.au/tv/fora/stories/2008/08/07/2327132.htm Tue, 09 Sep 2008 15:15:00 +1000 Culture and SocietyBusinessScience and Technology,Rupert Murdoch, media, online, New Corp Limited, 20th Century Fox, news corporation, http://abc.net.au/tv/fora/stories/2008/07/31/2320488.htm Singer/songwriter Ani di Franco released her first studio album in 1990, and since then has put out almost one a year, on her own label, Righteous Babe Records. Famous for her politics almost as much as her music, here she's in San Francisco talking about war, feminism and illegal music downloading. http://abc.net.au/tv/fora/stories/2008/07/31/2320488.htm Thu, 07 Aug 2008 17:02:00 +1000 ArtsPoliticsCulture and Society,Ani di Franco, political music, war, feminism, illegal music downloading. http://abc.net.au/tv/fora/stories/2008/07/31/2320436.htm Last month, Melbourne was host to the Alfred Deakin Lecture Series, and here's an address from one of the more controversial sessions. http://abc.net.au/tv/fora/stories/2008/07/31/2320436.htm Tue, 09 Sep 2008 15:15:00 +1000 Culture and SocietyEnvironmentBooks and Authors,city planning, sustainability, architecture, Austin Williams, humanism, Professor Paul James, RMIT, Dr Esther Charlesworth, UNESCO, Andreas Ruby http://abc.net.au/tv/fora/stories/2008/07/31/2320395.htm The idea of freedom is enshrined in the U.S. constitution - freedom of religion, freedom of speech, freedom of the press, freedom of assembly. http://abc.net.au/tv/fora/stories/2008/07/31/2320395.htm Tue, 09 Sep 2008 10:33:00 +1000 HistoryLaw and EthicsBooks and AuthorsCulture and Society,Eric Foner, Reconstruction period, freedom of speech, press, constitution, American Civil War http://abc.net.au/tv/fora/stories/2008/07/31/2320474.htm With the Anglican church threatening to split over the issue of gay marriage and gays in the clergy, the outspoken minister of Harvard University's Memorial Church, Peter J. Gomes, recently bought into the debate. Here, the gay, celibate preacher talks about what he thinks Jesus' attitude would be to two of the big social issues: race and homosexuality. He also gives some frank advice to the Anglican church on how to deal with its divisions. http://abc.net.au/tv/fora/stories/2008/07/31/2320474.htm Thu, 18 Sep 2008 14:45:00 +1000 ReligionCulture and SocietyLaw and EthicsBooks and Authors,Peter J. Gomes, gay marriage, Anglican, church, homosexuality, race, http://abc.net.au/tv/fora/stories/2008/07/24/2313398.htm With the dust finally settling on the Bill Henson art, pornography and censorship affair, the artist recently spoke publicly for the first time since the controversy blew up. http://abc.net.au/tv/fora/stories/2008/07/24/2313398.htm Thu, 07 Aug 2008 17:22:00 +1000 ArtsCulture and Society,contemporary art, photography, Bill Henson, pornography, http://abc.net.au/tv/fora/stories/2008/07/24/2313702.htm Professor Catharine Lumby has spent the last three years looking at porn in all its forms. She's a co-author, with Alan McKee and Kath Albury, of "The Porn Report", the most comprehensive examination of pornography and porn consumers in Australia. http://abc.net.au/tv/fora/stories/2008/07/24/2313702.htm Thu, 21 Aug 2008 16:02:00 +1000 Culture and SocietyLaw and EthicsBooks and Authors,Catharine Lumby, Alan McKee, Kath Albury, pornography, sexuality, http://abc.net.au/tv/fora/stories/2008/07/17/2306275.htm With news media budgets shrinking, the foreign correspondent is often one of the first expenses to go. http://abc.net.au/tv/fora/stories/2008/07/17/2306275.htm Thu, 23 Oct 2008 14:20:00 +1000 Books and AuthorsCulture and Society,Kirsty Needham, Leigh Sales, Walkley award, Carmen Lawrence, media, journalism, international http://abc.net.au/tv/fora/stories/2008/07/17/2306251.htm New York Times magazine journalist Matt Bai was in Australia recently, on a break from covering the US presidential race. In an address to the Sydney Institute, he talks about the profound impact of the internet on American politics. http://abc.net.au/tv/fora/stories/2008/07/17/2306251.htm Thu, 30 Oct 2008 11:24:00 +1000 PoliticsBooks and AuthorsCulture and Society,Matt Bai, internet, politics, U.S, presidential, elections, blogs, democracy http://abc.net.au/tv/fora/stories/2008/07/17/2306262.htm Recently retired U.S General John Abizaid has served in many of the major conflicts of recent times: the first Gulf War, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Kosovo and until his retirement, Iraq. http://abc.net.au/tv/fora/stories/2008/07/17/2306262.htm Thu, 24 Jul 2008 20:43:00 +1000 PoliticsCulture and Society,Iraq, John Abizaid, Middle East, oil, U.S. military, Grace Cathedral's Alan Jones http://abc.net.au/tv/fora/stories/2008/07/17/2303919.htm Love, addiction, compulsion, controversy, this sold-out session called 'Under the Influence' at the Sydney Writers Festival digs deep. Join Australian novelist and poet Luke Davies and Canadian novelist Heather O'Neill in conversation with Annette Shun Wah as they explore the relationship between creativity, love and addiction. http://abc.net.au/tv/fora/stories/2008/07/17/2303919.htm Tue, 30 Sep 2008 12:38:00 +1000 ArtsCulture and SocietyBooks and Authors,Sydney Writers Festival, Luke Davies, Love, Addiction, Heather O'Neill http://abc.net.au/tv/fora/stories/2008/07/10/2299847.htm With the Olympics starting in less than a month, China's suitability as host continues to be questioned. Its high level of pollution is a worry for athletes and trainers, and concerns about the Chinese government's record on human rights have sparked rowdy demonstrations around the world. http://abc.net.au/tv/fora/stories/2008/07/10/2299847.htm Tue, 09 Sep 2008 10:38:00 +1000 PoliticsReligionCulture and Society,China, Olympics, human rights, government, pollution, Chin Jin, Simon Balderstone, Michael Milton, Senator Bob Brown, Dr. Paul Monk, Michael Milton, Chin Jin, Simon Balderstone, Hamish McDonald, Geraldine Doogue http://abc.net.au/tv/fora/stories/2008/07/10/2299841.htm Sister Veronica Brady is an academic, author and activist. Here, talking with novelist Gail Jones at Gleebooks, she discusses her recent book of essays, The God Shaped Hole, and gives her startlingly honest opinions on the relationship between indigenous and non-indigenous Australia, World Youth Day, and what makes her angry. http://abc.net.au/tv/fora/stories/2008/07/10/2299841.htm Thu, 07 Aug 2008 15:57:00 +1000 Books and AuthorsReligionCulture and Society,Indigenous, Gail Jones, religion, World Youth Day, Sister Veronica Brady http://abc.net.au/tv/fora/stories/2008/07/10/2299595.htm There are 22 Muslim countries and Israel in the Middle East, which is a pretty big beat for a journalist to cover. http://abc.net.au/tv/fora/stories/2008/07/10/2299595.htm Thu, 17 Jul 2008 17:28:00 +1000 PoliticsReligionCulture and Society,Robin Wright, Middle East, journalism, politics, Warren Olney http://abc.net.au/tv/fora/stories/2008/07/10/2299591.htm The island of Pitcairn is one of the remotest places on earth. A tiny speck in the Pacific, it was here Fletcher Christian and his companions settled after they mutinied against Captain Bligh on the Bounty. http://abc.net.au/tv/fora/stories/2008/07/10/2299591.htm Thu, 14 Aug 2008 14:01:00 +1000 PoliticsReligionCulture and Society,Pitcairn Island, Kathy Marks, major Stephen Christian, 2004, child sex offences http://abc.net.au/tv/fora/stories/2008/07/03/2293702.htm At the University of Sydney's U.S. Studies Centre, American political philosopher Francis Fukuyama looks for reasons that the Muslim world might hate America. http://abc.net.au/tv/fora/stories/2008/07/03/2293702.htm Tue, 09 Sep 2008 10:41:00 +1000 PoliticsCulture and SocietyPhilosophy,Francis Fukuyama, neoconservative, war, Iraq. George W. Bush, Geoffrey Garrett, September 11, Osama bin Laden http://abc.net.au/tv/fora/stories/2008/07/03/2293703.htm It's been six months since Kevin Rudd claimed the 2007 Federal Election and formed a government. So how has he managed the transition from campaign trail to power? http://abc.net.au/tv/fora/stories/2008/07/03/2293703.htm Thu, 07 Aug 2008 12:17:00 +1000 PoliticsCulture and Society,Australia, politics, Kevin Rudd, 2007 Federal Election, government, leadership, Labor, Queensland, Canberra, Prime Minister http://abc.net.au/tv/fora/stories/2008/07/03/2293771.htm Paul Saffo hates to be called a futurist, preferring the term "forecaster". What does this mean? http://abc.net.au/tv/fora/stories/2008/07/03/2293771.htm Thu, 14 Aug 2008 09:37:00 +1000 ReligionCulture and SocietyScience and Technology,Paul Saffo, futurism, Long Now Foundation http://abc.net.au/tv/fora/stories/2008/07/03/2293628.htm WARNING: THIS CLIP CONTAINS COARSE LANGUAGE. A look at the U.S. film industry's response to the war in Iraq. For the recent Sydney Film Festival, Variety film critic Eddie Cockrell programmed a side-bar of American films made about the war in Iraq. http://abc.net.au/tv/fora/stories/2008/07/03/2293628.htm Tue, 09 Sep 2008 10:44:00 +1000 ArtsCulture and SocietyPolitics,U.S.A, Iraq, war, film, combat, Sydney Film Festival, Eddie Cockrell http://abc.net.au/tv/fora/stories/2008/07/01/2291309.htm Looking at the U.S. presidential primaries in the rear-view mirror, it doesn't get any less extraordinary. http://abc.net.au/tv/fora/stories/2008/07/01/2291309.htm Tue, 16 Sep 2008 15:29:00 +1000 PoliticsCulture and Society,U.S.A., Hillary Clinton, Barak Obama, elections, primaries, Dee Dee Myers, Cecile Richards, Ellen Malcolm, Andrea Bernstein http://abc.net.au/tv/fora/stories/2008/06/26/2286897.htm Comedian Judith Lucy has turned self-savagery into a livelihood. Her autobiographical book, The Lucy Family Alphabet, is about her extraordinarily dysfunctional family. http://abc.net.au/tv/fora/stories/2008/06/26/2286897.htm Thu, 16 Oct 2008 10:10:00 +1000 Books and AuthorsCulture and SocietyArts,Judith Lucy, performing arts, auto-biography, family http://abc.net.au/tv/fora/stories/2008/06/26/2286735.htm The Bill Henson Affair and the difference between art and pornography. http://abc.net.au/tv/fora/stories/2008/06/26/2286735.htm Fri, 28 Nov 2008 16:00:00 +1000 ArtsPoliticsCulture and SocietyLaw and Ethics,art, censorship, pornography, bill henson, http://abc.net.au/tv/fora/stories/2008/06/26/2286840.htm A lot of questions are being asked internationally about Iran. Should their nuclear ambition be forcibly stopped? How is the threat of Iran perceived within the Arab world? http://abc.net.au/tv/fora/stories/2008/06/26/2286840.htm Tue, 01 Jul 2008 17:27:00 +1000 PoliticsReligionCulture and Society,Iran, America, Nuclear, Middle East, Islam, Barbara Slavin, Jamal Dajani http://abc.net.au/tv/fora/stories/2008/06/25/2285369.htm Chicago based Palestinian Ali Abunimah edits the website Electronic Intifada, which examines media coverage of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. http://abc.net.au/tv/fora/stories/2008/06/25/2285369.htm Thu, 30 Oct 2008 11:10:00 +1000 PoliticsReligionBooks and AuthorsCulture and Society,journalism, palestine, israel, middle east, ali abunimah, electronic Intifada http://abc.net.au/tv/fora/stories/2008/06/19/2279917.htm Anchorman Tom Brokaw is well known to millions of Americans, and quite a few Australians too. Since his retirement as the face of NBC news in 2004, Brokaw has continued writing and giving public addresses. http://abc.net.au/tv/fora/stories/2008/06/19/2279917.htm Thu, 03 Jul 2008 18:15:00 +1000 PoliticsBooks and AuthorsCulture and Society,sixties, politics, Tom Brokaw, NBC, http://abc.net.au/tv/fora/stories/2008/06/19/2279889.htm After four decades of the women's movement, has feminism achieved its aims? http://abc.net.au/tv/fora/stories/2008/06/19/2279889.htm Fri, 11 Jul 2008 15:28:00 +1000 Culture and SocietyPhilosophyBooks and AuthorsLaw and Ethics,women, feminism, writing, Emily Macguire, Anne Summers, http://abc.net.au/tv/fora/stories/2008/06/17/2278168.htm Climate change has been considered from every angle - scientific, economic and political. But not so many people are discussing the impact of climate change on our culture. http://abc.net.au/tv/fora/stories/2008/06/17/2278168.htm Thu, 10 Jul 2008 17:25:00 +1000 EnvironmentPhilosophyCulture and Society,culture, climate change, society, politics, lifestyle, literature, Jane Goodall http://abc.net.au/tv/fora/stories/2008/06/10/2270392.htm The Pulitzer Prize-winning writer and novelist gives a warm and whimsical address to the closing night audience of the Sydney Writers' Festival. http://abc.net.au/tv/fora/stories/2008/06/10/2270392.htm Thu, 09 Oct 2008 16:41:00 +1000 Books and AuthorsCulture and SocietyArts,novelist, junot diaz, society, politics, pulitzer http://abc.net.au/tv/fora/stories/2008/06/10/2270384.htm In this feisty, fascinating Sydney Writers Festival event, authors Loretta Napoleoni (Rogue Economics) and Sudanand Dhume (My Friend the Fanatic) come together to argue about Islamism, fundamentalism and terrorism, and ask the question: did the west over-react to 9/11? http://abc.net.au/tv/fora/stories/2008/06/10/2270384.htm Thu, 23 Oct 2008 16:01:00 +1000 ReligionPoliticsBooks and AuthorsCulture and Society,terrorism, fundamentalism, society, politics, 9/11, religion, Loretta Napoleoni, Sudanand Dhume http://abc.net.au/tv/fora/stories/2008/06/10/2270389.htm Who has a better understanding of the human journey, the one who looks back, or the one who looks forward? http://abc.net.au/tv/fora/stories/2008/06/10/2270389.htm Thu, 19 Jun 2008 16:57:00 +1000 HistoryCulture and SocietyEducation,history, futurist, Niall Ferguson, Peter Schwartz http://abc.net.au/tv/fora/stories/2008/05/30/2260185.htm The Sydney Writers' Festival brought together internationally-renowned philosophers. In this session, "What's the Big Idea?", Simon Critchley from the New School in NYC, and the London School of Economics' John Gray talk with Maria Tumarkin and Alan Saunders about the big issues: life, death, and religion. http://abc.net.au/tv/fora/stories/2008/05/30/2260185.htm Thu, 10 Jul 2008 17:18:00 +1000 PhilosophyPoliticsBooks and AuthorsCulture and Society,philosophy, sydney writers festival, life, death, religion, simon critchley, john gray, maria tumarkin, alan saunders http://abc.net.au/tv/fora/stories/2008/05/30/2260144.htm Sydney Writers' Festival Session "Modern Citizenship" brought together Lucinda Holdforth, author of Why Manners Matter, University of Western Sydney academic James Arvanitakis and the Australian Youth Climate Coalition's Anna Rose to talk about the notion of citizenship in the contemporary world. In this lively and entertaining session, the three discuss our obligations and responsibilities as citizens, from not watering your driveway during restrictions, to giving way in traffic. http://abc.net.au/tv/fora/stories/2008/05/30/2260144.htm Wed, 08 Oct 2008 11:20:00 +1000 Books and AuthorsPoliticsCulture and Society,society, politics, citizenship, manners, James Arvanitakis, Lucinda Holdforth, anna rose http://abc.net.au/tv/fora/stories/2008/05/20/2250089.htm Legendary American composer Philip Glass is nothing if not surprising. What would you expect a septuagenarian music meister to be? Grumpy? Aloof? Unable to hear a bum note in an orchestral performance of his work? Well you'd be right on one count. Here, Philip is chatting with Australian director of the Oscar-winning 'Shine', Scott Hicks about Hicks' biodoc, Glass: A Portrait of Philip in 12 Parts. Glass looks and acts like a man decades younger than he is. With enthusiasm, honesty, energy and humour, he discusses everything from his daily routines to his creative process, and admits about his ear, "For someone destined to write so much music, I've been given very poor equipment." http://abc.net.au/tv/fora/stories/2008/05/20/2250089.htm Fri, 21 Nov 2008 17:02:00 +1000 ArtsCulture and Society,music, film, phillip glass, scott hicks http://abc.net.au/tv/fora/stories/2008/05/20/2250123.htm "Is Islam Incompatible With Democracy?" Such was the provocative question posed in the first of the IQ2 debate series, hosted by the St James Ethics Centre. http://abc.net.au/tv/fora/stories/2008/05/20/2250123.htm Thu, 16 Oct 2008 10:18:00 +1000 PoliticsReligionCulture and Society,middle east, religion, democracy, islam, debate, Simon Longstaff, Daniel Pipes, Paul Sheehan, Tanveer Ahmed, Amina Rasul, Dr Samina Yasmeen, Waleed Aly http://abc.net.au/tv/fora/stories/2008/05/20/2250148.htm ABC Fora doesn't just bring you the latest speeches, it also brings you the most important. On 13th February, 2008, Prime Minister Kevin Rudd stood in Federal Parliament House and apologised to indigenous Australians for the actions of past governments. Whether you agree with the need for an apology or not, Rudd's speech was quickly recognised as one of the finest pieces of oratory ever delivered in Australia. Watch it in full here, and keep checking ABC Fora for more of the speeches that have influenced our nation. http://abc.net.au/tv/fora/stories/2008/05/20/2250148.htm Thu, 10 Jul 2008 17:17:00 +1000 Culture and SocietyLaw and EthicsHistoryPolitics,sorry, indigenous, Kevin Rudd, apology, stolen generations http://abc.net.au/tv/fora/stories/2008/05/20/2250137.htm Time Magazine is one of the most recognised news sources in the world. How is an old-fashioned, paper-pages-to-turn magazine faring in the new electronic media environment? http://abc.net.au/tv/fora/stories/2008/05/20/2250137.htm Thu, 10 Jul 2008 17:16:00 +1000 Culture and SocietyBusiness,journalism, print, magazines, online, michael elliott, time magazine http://abc.net.au/tv/fora/stories/2008/05/20/2250131.htm Are newspapers really dead? http://abc.net.au/tv/fora/stories/2008/05/20/2250131.htm Thu, 27 Nov 2008 12:44:00 +1000 Books and AuthorsCulture and SocietyScience and Technology,media, journalism, print, online, roy greenslade, death of newspapers