Sociologic

Is the Racial Discrimination Act standing in the way of hate speech, or free speech? On this episode of Sociologic, learn about the origins of the contentious law called 18C, and what this law (in conjunction with neighbouring law, “18D”) means for the offenders and the offended. Joining us to unpack the situation is Peter Wertheim, Executive Director of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry. Recorded on 1 September 2016. Edited by Harry Domanski.

With the election finally behind us, let’s remember when Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull called a double dissolution in the hopes of ridding the Senate of obstructive minor parties and single issue independents. Has this strategy backfired? Pauline Hanson’s One Nation party and former shock-jock Derryn Hinch join an already eccentric cast in the Senate. On this episode of Sociologic we want to understand who is at this bar, and what has influenced Australians to vote them there. To help us unpack it we will be joined by Matt Wade, senior columnist from the Sydney Morning Herald. Recorded: July 28.

The attack on LatinX night at Pulse in Orlando was the deadliest incident of violence against LGBT people in U.S. history and the deadliest terrorist attack in the U.S. since September 11. No gunman has killed more individuals in the U.S in one shooting. In the wake of the incident, gun control, gay hate crime, racism, revenge and terrorism have all been cited. How do we understand Orlando? Asiel Adan Sanchez joined us to give us his perspective. 

When celebrity property tycoon Donald Trump made his presidential bid, it was met with a lot of LOL and WTF. But now, a lot of OMG is setting in, with Trump sitting pretty as the Republican presumptive nominee. What’s going on in the States that could give rise to The Donald? And what are the implications of a Trump Presidency? To get our heads around it, we’ve called on the smarts of Dr David Smith, Senior Lecturer in American Politics and Foreign Policy at the US Studies Centre (USYD).

The University of New South Wales came under attack for suggesting students should refer to Australia as being ‘invaded', not 'discovered’. The mainstream media took issue with their guidelines, with the Daily Telegraph saying they were ‘rewriting the history books’, and Kyle Sandilands saying it happened 200 years ago, and that indigenous Australians should "just get on with life." Professor James Arvanitakis and Ash Berdebes spoke with writer and educator Luke Pearson from IndigenousX about racism, patriotism and the idea that Indigenous Australians should just ‘get over it’.