(In Russian with translation.)Pussy Riot became a global symbol of dissent in Russia with their idiosyncratic blend of feminist art and activism. When they were sent to prison, they became part of the extraordinary group of Russian writers, artists, and activists who have lived and died in the Gulag. Although the Gulags became ‘corrective labour colonies’ after Stalin’s death, what Pussy Riot members Nadya Tolokonnikova and Masha Alekhina found were harsh physical conditions, slave labour, malnutrition and physical violence. They have since founded an NGO to defend prisoners’ rights called Zona Prava, because with almost one million people imprisoned in Russia, this is not something that can be ignored – by Russians or the West.Nadezhda (Nadya) Tolokonnikova and Maria (Masha) Alekhina are Russian conceptual artists and political activists. They are founding members of the art collective Pussy Riot. In August 2012, they were sentenced to two years' imprisonment following an anti-Putin performance in Moscow Cathedral of Christ the Saviour. In March 2014 Tolokonnikova and Alekhina announced the opening of Mordovia office of Zona Prava, their newly created prisoners’ rights NGO. Tolokonnikova and Alekhina are Lennon Ono Grant for Peace recipients. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Anyone who has written a book whose title refers to Australia as “The Stupid Country” is not afraid of the odd dangerous idea, and it turns out that Jane Caro has plenty. She is well-known as an advocate for public education, and as one of the instigators of ‘Destroy the joint’ on Twitter, taking a hatchet to sexism in Australia. But she doesn’t stop there, and will be bringing you dangerous ideas about atheism, schools, politics, men, women and advertising just for a start.Jane Caro is an Australian writer, lecturer, social commentator, and award-winning advertising writer—or, in her own words, a "feminist, atheist, media tart, wife, mother & stirrer." She is a regular panellist on The Gruen Transfer/Gruen Planet, and is the co-author of books such as The F Word: How we learned to swear by feminism and The Stupid Country: How Australia is Dismantling Public Education. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Good governance is the buzzword of the day. Conventional wisdom has it that less corruption would translate into more economic growth, a healthier body politic and reduced likelihood of conflict. But what if this isn’t always the case? In Indonesia, patronage and corruption serve as the glue that keeps an otherwise fractious country together. Although there are cases where corruption has promoted conflict, in other instances it has helped restore peace in the country. A more nuanced and less ideological view of "corruption" is needed if countries are to fight graft without undermining peaceful co-existence.Elizabeth Pisani is a London-based journalist and epidemiologist, best known for her work on HIV/AIDS. Her latest book is Indonesia etc., which looks at one of our most important neighbours and how they live. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

To try and avoid the most catastrophic impacts of climate change, 190 countries have committed to limiting global temperature increase to below 2°C. To achieve this, 60-80% of the world’s existing carbon or fossil fuel reserves need to stay in the ground. Nevertheless, billions of dollars of investments in coal, oil and gas have gone ahead, resting on the speculative bubble of climate change denial or delay. If these assets become stranded by climate action, their revaluation could trigger the next (larger) global financial crisis. So, what’s at risk? Our economy and your retirement savings. Australia’s economy depends on coal exports and around 55% of your superannuation is invested in high-carbon, high-risk assets. Our political system looks chronically incapable of dealing with climate change—but can we trust our financial institutions to do better?John Hewson is the former leader of the Liberal Party of Australia and Chair of the Asset Owners Disclosure Project. He has worked as an economist for the Australian Treasury, the Reserve Bank, the International Monetary Fund and also as an advisor to two successive Federal Treasurers and the Prime Minister.John Hewson appears with the support of The Climate Institute. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

More of us now live in cities than ever before, and the spaces we live in are increasingly governed by agendas of safety and security. Arguing against safety may seem counter-intuitive. However, a culture of safety brings limitations and fears that have the capacity to turn us into passive spectators in our own lives, especially in cities where high land values create dense areas of exclusion. Yet there is always a city within the city to explore. Underground and in the sky, the secret arteries of infrastructure and the forbidden heights of buildings are open to urban explorers who want to reclaim lost history and their right to roam the urban wilds. Bradley Garrett argues that rather than accepting the pre-packaged, safe, passively consumed entertainment on offer, we must make our own adventures by embracing the unsafe city as our playground.Bradley Garrett is an American researcher, explorer and social/cultural geographer at the University of Oxford. He is the author of Explore Everything: Place-hacking the city, an ethnographic account of the activities of urban exploration group London Consolidation Crew (LCC). Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The stories of Anders Behring Breivik and Lance Armstrong may seem to have little in common, but each shows the consequences of the epidemic of narcissism that marks our age. Our lives no longer centre on social and family groups, but have become highly individualistic. We are primed for narcissism by consumer culture, changing family dynamics and growing inequality. A society full of people who are self-obsessed, have a deep need for admiration and a lack of empathy for others is not going to be a happy place. It’s time we looked at the sources of this epidemic and how it can be stopped.Anne Manne is an Australian writer and social commentator. She is the author of Motherhood: How should we care for our children?, So This is Life: Scenes from a country childhood and soon to be published The Life of I: The new culture of narcissism. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Life is painful. It's full of doubt and uncertainty. And it ends, in this world anyway, with death. For many, the antidote to this pain has been religion. The appeal is obvious: comforting stories, a clear sense of right and wrong and eternal life as the carrot at the end. Even New Atheists such as Alain De Botton have retrieved some of the comfort traditionally offered by the church. But has the church taken up the easy sell of "ending suffering" and promising answers to unanswerable questions.In contrast to this "Good News," Peter Rollins argues for a radical and initially disturbing Gospel: we can't be satisfied, life is tough, and we don't know the secret. We should attack the idea of God as that which makes us whole, removes our suffering, and offers us the truth. Rollins is less concerned with the question of life after death than with the possibility of a life before death, and his "churches" challenge escapist versions of spirituality, inviting us to embrace complexity, ambiguity and pain. Doubt is part of life, and religion should be able to explore it -- instead of presenting an all-singing, all-dancing distraction.Peter Rollins is a leading figure of the radical Christianity movement and author of books such as How (Not) to Speak of God and Insurrection. A philosopher, theologian, believer, and doubter, he has developed a number of contemplative practices to help Christians accept doubt and complexity, such as 'Atheism for Lent.' Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A legal figure like no other, Michael Kirby carefully trod the line between judicial impartiality and outspoken human rights advocacy throughout a distinguished thirty five year career that included thirteen years on the High Court of Australia. Watch as Kirby returns to Sydney Opera House to discuss his new and very intimate authorised biography Michael Kirby: Law, Love & Life. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Remote assistants respond to calls and emails. Life coaches assist with personal decisions. Smartphone apps tell us where to eat dinner. Nameologists help choose names for babies that will be raised by live-in au pairs.Welcome to an emerging world, where the individual is a client in every interaction. Traditional functions of family and friends have been replaced by hired help and consultants. It may save us time, what do we lose by handing over control of our personal lives to third-parties? Who are we if our jobs, our houses, our furniture, and our spouses are all recommended to us by experts or algorithms. If we are the sum of our decisions, then what's left when those decisions have been handed over entirely to others? Sociologist Arlie Hochschild looks at the long-term consequences of a frictionless existence and the implications of replacing the community with a marketplace in favour of faster, lonelier lives.Arlie Hochschild is a professor emerita of sociology at the University of California, Berkeley. She is the author of eight books, including The Outsourced Self, The Second Shift, and So How's the Family? and other essays. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the course of his career, Geoffrey Robertson has been involved in many of the key human rights issues of recent history. In his session at the Opera House he talks about his latest book 'Mullahs without Mercy' which brings together his thinking about nuclear weapons and their dangers in the Iranian context, but also looks at the human rights record of the Iranian regime. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.