School Podcasts

We live in a visual age. Television, film, photographs, new media sources and artworks decisively influence how we perceive and deal with political phenomena as diverse as war, terrorism, refugees and financial crises. But we know surprisingly little about the exact nature and impact of this visual power. 

The purpose of this initiative is to address this gap. Building on existing strengths and resources we forge new interdisciplinary and large-scale collaborations within the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences as well as across UQ and internationally. Our goal is to establish UQ as a world-leading research hub for visual politics and make us competitive for major external funding sources.

The School of Political Science and International Studies Research in Profile Series showcases our world-class research to a public audience. Through short video interviews, the series highlights new publications and ground-breaking research projects within the areas of (and intersections between) governance and public policy, international relations, peace and conflict studies, and political theory. Research in Profile reveals the innovative and dynamic ways in which our research engages with the events and problems of national and global politics.

https://polsis.uq.edu.au/research/research-profile

There is a widespread fear that the modern, ‘liberal’, international order is in crisis. Faced with multiple global challenges, from climate change and economic governance to nuclear arms control and global people movements, existing institutions increasingly appear outmoded, inefficient, and at times, dysfunctional. Meanwhile, existing institutional arrangements are being challenged by a diverse array of actors, from great powers (such as Russia) and transnational insurgents to right-wing nationalists. This university-wide seminar series is designed to foster an interdisciplinary dialogue on the possible futures of the modern international order. What challenges does it face, how will it evolve in the face of such challenges, what futures are desirable if it is to meet human and planetary needs?

Scholars are wrestling with these issues in a wide range of disciplines, from climate science and economics to history, philosophy, law, and political science. We invited scholars from all fields currently working on issues relating to ‘futures of international order’ to present in this seminar series. 

This program was convened in 2019 by Associate Professor Jacinta O’Hagan, Associate Professor Sarah Percy & Professor Chris Reus-Smit.

Associate Professor Sarah Percy discusses pivotal events in international history such as the Cold War and the invasion of Afghanistan, and discusses their political implications. 

Listen to the School's very own Associate Professor Andrew Phillips discuss President Trump on ABC Evenings with Kelly Higgins-Devine.

The series 'Why the Cold War Still Matters' discusses how the Cold War ended, and why it matters for international politics. UQ Chancellor Peter Varghese AO and Associate Professor Andrew Phillips from the School of Political Science and International Studies also feature in the series. All podcasts are available for download on the ABC website. 

The very idea there is such a thing as the internet is an invention of science fiction. When William Gibson coined the term cyberspace in 1984 in the book Neuromancer, he described it as “a consensual hallucination." In this Unscripted interview, Senior Lecturer in Peace and Conflict Studies at the School of Political Science and International Studies at the University of Queensland Sebastian Kaempf explains why it is important not to think of the internet as a special kind of magic. Kaempf's general expertise lies in the areas of international security, the transformation of violent conflict, ethics and the laws of war, and the role a transforming global media landscape plays in contemporary conflicts.

Kaempf is the author of ‘Saving Soldiers or Civilians? Casualty-aversion versus Civilian Protection in Asymmetric Conflicts’ (Cambridge University Press, 2018)

In the ‘HigherEd Heroes’ podcast series, we interview some of the best teachers at UQ to discuss ‘what works’ in their classrooms in a jargon-free, non-technical manner.

Listen to latest episodes. 

War in Ukraine

Watch UQ experts explore Russia’s declaration of war on Ukraine during a special public panel discussion (8 March 2022). You can watch a recording of this Flashpoint Panel on the War in Ukraine on the School's Youtube.

Speakers are:  Professor Christian Reus Smit, Dr Lauren Sanders,  Associate Professor Andrew Phillips, and Dr Sarah Teitt. Moderated by Dr Sebastian Kaempf. 

Flashpoint | Women, Power and Australian Politics

The recording of Flashpoint | Women, Power and Australian Politics is now available via YouTube. This Flashpoint event was held on 24 March 2021 on UQ St Lucia Campus.

*Trigger warning: please note that some content may be confronting or difficult*

Speakers are: Professor Bronwyn Fredericks, Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Indigenous Engagement), The University of Queensland, The Honourable Rachel Nolan, Executive Chair of the McKell Institute, Queensland, Associate Professor Nicole George, Director HDR Program, School of Political Science and International Studies, The University of Queensland Dr Glenn Kefford, Lecturer and DECRA Fellow, School of Political Science and International Studies, The University of Queensland.

Recent events have again starkly reminded us of issues to do with gender parity and equitable treatment in Australian politics. In the halls of parliament, the cabinet room, the legislature and the media, we continue to see powerful mobilisations of gender that perpetuate misogyny, harassment, bullying, and even assault. Australia’s first female Prime Minister suffered overt misogyny, which brought into the open the gendered nature of politics. Since that time, the data have continued to show an under-representation of women in Australian political institutions, as well as a lack of cultural and ethnic diversity in that representation. We have even seen female MPs step down from politics, claiming the environment is too toxic for them to work in.  This panel will consider what this means for gender and the lawmaking environment in Australia, and ask if we have reached a moment of change.

The internet age really challenges long held assumptions about free speech"; Is it time to rethink free speech in the ICT age? 

Broadcast on ABC Radio Northern Tasmania Drive on 13 Jan 2021. 

The decision to ban outgoing President Donald Trump from several social media platforms has sparked debate about free speech, so does our definition of free speech need to change in the internet age?

Professor Katharine Gelber, head of the School of Political Science and International Studies at the University of Queensland, thinks the balance between free speech and spreading disinformation needs resetting.

Was Twitter right to suspend Trump?

Broadcast on ABC Minefield Program Thursday 28 January 2021. Guest Speaker Professor Katharine Gelber. 

Is "cancel culture" really constricting free speech?

Broadcast on ABC Minefield Program Wednesday 15 July 202. Guest Speaker Professor Katharine Gelber.