ChatterSquare

What does it take to grow in conversation, even in and perhaps especially difficult conversation? Can contemporary Christianity get past the moralism and step into areas of pain? In this final episode for the second season, Fr Timothy Radcliffe talks to 'Australian Catholics' magazine editor, Michael McVeigh. They discuss questions about Catholic identity, education and democracy. Timothy Radcliffe is a Dominican friar and theologian. He is a consultor to the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace. He was director of Las Casas Institute for Social Justice at Oxford, where he is now on the advisory board. Timothy is known for his views on things like homosexuality, divorce and remarriage, and the authority of women in the Catholic Church – areas in which he has pushed for open conversation and an embrace of difference – something which has earned him the description of being controversial. Theme: Aces High by Kevin MacLeod incompetech.com under CCBYA 3.0 licence.

Who or what are universities for? Are they meant to form citizens or workers? What happens when universities turn to a more corporate model? Dr Na'ama Carlin joins us in this episode to reflect on these and other questions. She is a sociologist, writer and lecturer based in Sydney. She is also a casual academic, an experience that raises pressing issues about the way universities operate. Theme: Aces High by Kevin MacLeod incompetech.com under CCBYA 3.0 licence.

In what ways are memory institutions compromised? How do we make sure that galleries, libraries, archives and museums are truly inclusive in the stories they tell? Nathan 'Mudyi' Sentance is a Wiradjuri man who grew up on Darkinjung country in New South Wales. He works to ensure that First Nations stories are being told and controlled by First Nations people. In this episode, we talk about how he came to this role, why our historical records are faulty, and what it means to pursue the truth about ourselves. Theme: Aces High by Kevin MacLeod incompetech.com under CCBYA 3.0 licence.

Antonio Castillo is an academic and journalist, specialising in Latin American history, democracy and politics. He has a deep interest in how news is generated in places of conflict. As a journalist he himself has covered the legacies of historical violence in countries such as Colombia and Argentina, as well as contemporary issues like narcotics-driven crime. Antonio is also a close observer of political tensions in Latin America. He joins us today to talk about the rise of evangelical movements in the region. Why did these groups become so popular? What makes them such a political factor? And what does it mean for them to be politically engaged, in a time when people are looking for alternatives? Theme: Aces High by Kevin MacLeod incompetech.com under CCBYA 3.0 licence.

Although women have been sidelined from power structures within the Catholic Church, history is replete with their examples of service and leadership. So why aren't these women as familiar to us as other workers in the early church and since? And what standards do they set? Eureka Street editor Tim Kroenert introduces a special episode, in which ChatterSquare host Fatima Measham addresses these questions. Recorded at a pub in inner city Melbourne, she talks to members of a Catholic community about why women are critical to the future of the Church. With thanks to St Carthages, Parkville. Theme: Aces High by Kevin MacLeod incompetech.com under CCBYA 3.0 licence.

What does modern slavery look like? What facilitates it? What can be done to protect human beings from such exploitation? In this episode, we talk to the national executive officer of Australian Catholic Religious against Trafficking in Humans (ACRATH). Christine Carolan has been been involved in awareness campaigns and policy advocacy in this area for many years. She touches on the hidden nature of slave-like practices, our complicity, and the importance of systemic responses. Theme: Aces High by Kevin MacLeod incompetech.com under CCBYA 3.0 licence.

The Uluru Statement from the Heart was the culmination of a series of Indigenous dialogues across Australia, a painstakingly crafted response to the question of constitutional recognition. It rejected symbolism in favour of a representative voice to parliament, and a process of truth-telling and treaty. In this episode, we catch up with Thomas Mayor who has been bringing the Uluru Statement to different communities. He is a Torres Strait Islander and the Northern Territory branch secretary of Maritime Union Australia. He talks about what the past year has been like and what he thinks it's going to take make the vision at Uluru a reality. Theme: Aces High by Kevin MacLeod incompetech.com under CCBYA 3.0 licence.

Wisdom had distinct cultural value in the ancient world. In Hebrew traditions and in the Old Testament, the personification of wisdom was always that of a woman, known as Sophia. This carried to early Christian texts in which Jesus was held as female divine - before this image was suppressed. Rev Dr Sally Douglas is a Uniting Church minister. Her doctoral research led to a book titled 'Early Church Understandings of Jesus as the Female Divine: The Scandal of the Scandal of Particularity'. In this episode, she talks about the qualities that made Jesus compatible with Woman Wisdom, and what made this image so potent for both believers and detractors. What are the implications of reviving the idea of a feminine Jesus? Theme: Aces High by Kevin MacLeod incompetech.com under CCBYA 3.0 licence.

How does sport elevate and constrain our understanding of what it is to be a man? What do grievances about emasculation tell us? Luke Ablett is a former professional football player, who played for the Sydney Swans from 2002 to 2009. In his post-AFL life, he took in an arts degree, a year spent volunteering in Vanuatu to deliver a violence prevention program, and since then a number of roles advocating for gender equality. In this episode, Luke talks about what led him to his current work and the questions raised by toxic masculinity. Theme: Aces High by Kevin MacLeod incompetech.com under CCBYA 3.0 licence.

Water is an indispensable resource, but also the site of many injustices around the world. In this episode we talk to Dr Cristy Clark, whose research on water rights in places like Manila, Michigan and Soweto, shows the effects of a distorted view of water. What leads to these distortions? How can they be remedied? And what happens when we don't act to protect the human right to water? Theme: Aces High by Kevin MacLeod incompetech.com under CCBYA 3.0 licence.

We live in a world full of constant sound and movement. What do we miss when we fail to stop and listen? In this episode, we slow right down and consider the things we need to let go. Miriam-Rose Ungunmerr Baumann is an Aboriginal elder and educator from Nauiyu (also known as Daly River) in the Northern Territory. She is known for spreading the concept of daddiri, which is a dimension of Aboriginal spirituality. We caught up with Miriam at the Catholic Social Services conference earlier this year to talk about daddiri, what it offers to non-Aboriginal people, and why it's more important than ever to pay attention to the natural world. Music: Aces High by Kevin MacLeod incompetech.com under CCBYA 3.0 licence.

Youth detention seems to only attract public attention when there's a crisis, but the problem seems to go back further. What are still not confronting when it comes to children and young people who run into the law? How do we advocate for them in a hostile political and media environment? In this episode, we talk to former Victorian children's commissioner Bernie Geary. Bernie's entire career has been focused on assisting vulnerable young people and their families. He was the first outreach youth worker in Victoria, working in West Heidelberg more than four decades ago. In 2005, he was appointed as the state's inaugural child safety commissioner, and became principal commissioner for children and young people in 2013, the role from which he retired in 2015. Music: Aces High by Kevin MacLeod incompetech.com licensed under CCBYA 3.0.

The persistent gap between the rich and the poor has left many people disillusioned about how the economy and governments function. What does growth mean under these circumstances? Is it still useful to talk about a working class? Labor MP Clare O'Neil takes on these questions and the policy questions they bear. She is a former mayor with a public policy pedigree, and has advised businesses in such disparate contexts as Wall Street and East Arnhem Land. In this episode, Clare is candid about her experience in politics, and what she thinks power is for. Music: Aces High by Kevin MacLeod incompetech.com licensed under CCBYA 3.0.

All around the world, young people are taking things into their own hands. In Australia, 23-year old Tim Lo Surdo is doing what he can to contest the power structures that are reinforced through racism. In this episode he talks about his path to activism, the link between racial and economic injustice, what organising means, and how communities of colour can exert political pressure. Music: Aces High by Kevin MacLeod incompetech.com licensed under CCBYA 3.0.

In many ways, feminism has pushed the boundaries of where and how women participate in the economy. But there is a deepening sense that this has not been enough. So what got missed? Eva Cox is a prominent Australian academic and feminist who has spent decades agitating for a more civil society. She joins us to discuss the impact that neoliberal economic models have had on women, including its emphasis on individualism. She also talks about the social as an essential lens, touching on a range of things such race, universal basic income, and social media. Music: Aces High by Kevin MacLeod incompetech.com licensed under CCBYA 3.0.

After five years, the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse concluded with volumes of stories and a set of recommendations. Yet the work hardly seems done. What lies ahead for the Catholic Church, against which so many claims of abuse and cover-up were made? Francis Sullivan is CEO of the Truth Justice and Healing Council, which was convened by Australian Catholic bishops and congregations to coordinate Church engagement with the Royal Commission. He talks about what the process has been like, and the growing unease among ordinary Catholics that church leaders still don't get it. Music: Aces High, The Reveal by Kevin MacLeod incompetech.com licensed under CCBYA 3.0. Clip from ABC News

Every generation brings the past into the present as it reckons with issues of identity and belonging. The role of symbols becomes critical, and in Australia perhaps no symbol has had more claimants than the Southern Cross. Dr Anne Beggs-Sunter is a historian and academic specialising in the history of Ballarat. She takes us through the 1854 miners' rebellion on the Victorian goldfields, where the Eureka flag was first raised. What do people miss about this story? Can the Eureka Stockade be retold in an inclusive way? Is it time to reclaim the Southern Cross from far-right supremacists? Music: Rise Up by Shane Howard from Songs of Love and Resistance(used with permission), Aces High by Kevin MacLeod incompetech.com licensed under CCBYA 3.0

What does solidarity look like in a fractured time? Should we distinguish between activism and organising? Is there a place for allies? Jack Latimore hosted Black Lives Matter leaders in Melbourne, where mutual lessons emerged from encounters with Indigenous leaders and communities of colour. Jack is a Goori journalist and researcher, who is invested in the full participation of all people in political and cultural decision-making. In this episode, he reflects on the Black Lives Matter model, some of the positive things taking shape in Australia, and the work that still needs to be done. 'We need to get smart about the work we want to do, or the endpoint that we desire,' he says. He highlights 'the obligation to listen to other voices'. Music: Aces High by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)licensed under CCBYA 3.0.

'Throughout this process I don't know how many times I've broken down crying, together with my partner.' ChatterSquare catches up with Benjamin Oh as the marriage law postal survey in Australia closes. Ben is co-chair of Equal Voices, a national LGBTI-affirming ecumenical organisation. In this episode, he talks about what it is like to be gay, Catholic and Asian-Australian. What are the things that have helped him deal with homophobia? How does his faith sit with his sexuality? What does he think about the institutional language around gays and lesbians, given strong Catholic support for same-sex marriage compared to other Christian churches? Ben also talks about the ways in which his Chinese Malaysian family has embraced his partner, and grounds for hope. Music: Aces High by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)licensed under CCBYA 3.0.

How are we to engage with views that we disagree with – when they are held by groups that we are part of or that are part of us? In this special episode of ChatterSquare, we present 'Dissent Within', the Eureka Street panel at the 2017 Melbourne Writers Festival. Dr Naama Carlin and Angus McLeay talk about their encounters with people who challenged their long-held assumptions, and the distance required to see one's privilege clearly. Naama is an Israeli-Australian academic who is against the Occupation of Palestinian territories. Angus is an Anglican minister from an evangelical background who supports same-sex marriage. Both have found that the basic tenets of faith can reconcile tensions between loyalty and integrity, but also offer ways forward. This event was chaired by Eureka Street editor Tim Kroenert, with thanks to the Melbourne Writers Festival for the recording. Music: Aces High by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)licensed under CCBYA 3.0.

Is there a way to think about terrorism without politics? Do counter-terrorism responses make us safer? What are sensible ways to sift through news reports about acts of terror? Andrew Zammit takes us through these and other questions. He is a PhD candidate at the University of Melbourne and has worked on terrorism-related research projects at Monash University and Victoria University. He sets out the history of terrorism in Australia, and how injustice is embedded in both terrorism and responses to it. He also considers elements of the recently announced Home Affairs portfolio, which brings together several national security agencies under a single minister. Music: Aces High by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)licensed under CCBYA 3.0.

Dr Massimo Faggioli is a prominent Catholic historian and theology professor at Villanova University in Philadelphia. He is a prolific writer and editor, whose work can be found in publications like Commonweal, La Croix and America magazine. As a historian, Massimo views developments in the Catholic Church with a much longer lens. In this episode, he shares insight into the conservative responses to Pope Francis and the papal shift toward a less abstract understanding of being Catholic. He also discusses the way that the two-party political system in the United States has permeated the Catholic Church there. Finally, he explains why Vatican II is not just unfinished business but an orientation and method for doing things. Music: Aces High by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)licensed under CCBYA 3.0.

What are the implications for the legal profession as blockchain technologies, smart contracts, apps and online dispute resolutions shift our approach to matters of law? Kate Galloway joins us to talk about how tech is disrupting the way we think about lawyering. She is a Eureka Street columnist, former practicing lawyer, and academic, with a keen interest in the intersection between tech and legal practice. In this episode, she discusses how digital access to information has democratised the way people engage with the law, whether lawyers can remain relevant, and how liability fits into algorithm-driven decisions. She also touches on the legal and ethical problems posed by tech, especially when legislators have limited understanding of it. Music: Aces High by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)licensed under CCBYA 3.0.

Climate change continues to be politically charged in Australia, even as other countries ramp up their renewable energy investments. It raises questions around salesmanship. Evidence and expertise seem to only be part of the argument for action – so how can we build momentum? Do conservatives in fact have a role? Greg Foyster is a Eureka Street columnist and freelance journalist, specialising in environmental issues. He is also a communications manager for Environment Victoria and used to work as an advertising copywriter. In this episode, Greg walks us through the language and approaches that have fallen short. He also opens up conservative arguments that could potentially lead to breakthroughs. Music: Aces High by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)licensed under CCBYA 3.0.

When UK Labor leader Jeremy Corbyn appeared to some acclaim at Glastonbury Festival, it triggered some amount of pining in Australia. Why do we not have someone like that? We unpack what this sentiment is about and whether it gets to the heart of what is wrong with our current politics. Osmond Chiu is the Secretary of the NSW Fabians and Deputy Editor of Challenge magazine. He is a keen reader of the internal workings of the political left and offers insight on the broader shifts in thinking in the post-GFC period. What propels polarisation? Is consensus really something to aim for? Are facts and evidence a substitute for a moral worldview? Music: Aces High by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)licensed under CCBYA 3.0.

The latest exodus from The Age has again drawn attention to shifts in the media industry. Are Fairfax papers indispensable? What does the future hold for Australian journalists who have lost their job? If the business model for newspapers is no longer viable, what does that mean for the value we place on journalism? Jonathan Green joins us on ChatterSquare to ponder these and other questions. He has had a varied career in print and radio, including as editor at The Age, Crikey and The Drum (ABC Online). He can be heard on ABC radio programs such as RN Drive. He also edits Meanjin, one of Australia's oldest literary journals. In this episode, he discusses the expectations around journalism: not just in terms of its role in liberal democracies, but as a career, as the content base for revenue, and as an expression of 'a basic human desire to know what's going on.' He touches on the effect of technology, as well as the current challenge in paying for the cost of production. Music: Aces High by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)licensed under CCBYA 3.0.

Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle is the Archbishop of Manila and president of Caritas International. He is associated with Pope Francis in terms of pastoral sensibility. In this episode of ChatterSquare, he tackles some of the uneasy questions of our time. What does leadership look like in polarised and violent places? How do we hold together diversity within the Catholic Church? How can religious wisdom be brought to bear on public life without crossing the line between church and state? Cardinal Chito, as he is fondly called, offers a take on contemporary society that seems consoling – but he poses serious challenges. 'Modernity is all about differentiation,' he says, adding that this does not have to mean division. He distinguishes between politics and partisanship. He sheds light on the disconnect between professed and lived faith, particularly as it plays out in complex settings like the Philippines. Finally, he lends insight on what the spirit of communication means in a tech-driven world. Music: Aces High by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)licensed under CCBYA 3.0.

Is science political? Does it actually have something in common with religion? And how do the humanities enhance scientific endeavour? We tackle these questions with @realscientists co-founder, science communicator and nanotech researcher Upulie Divisekera. Music: Aces High by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)licensed under CCBYA 3.0.

Former FBI Director James Comey's latest testimony, foreign donations to Australian political parties, and freelance hackers reportedly triggering a diplomatic crisis in the Arabian Peninsula: what does it all mean? We also touch on the implications of a hung parliament in the UK, including lessons from recent Australian experience. We finish with Wonder Woman and the elements that made it work. Music: Aces High by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)licensed under CCBYA 3.0.

Shouldn't religion be treated like an essential news desk? What does journalistic competence in this area look like? How do funding cuts affect the way religion is covered? In this Extra episode of ChatterSquare, Rohan Salmond and Tito Ambyo take us through the challenges and benefits of religion reporting. Music: Aces High by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)licensed under CCBYA 3.0.

Should Pope Francis be meeting the likes of Donald Trump? Do politicians owe journalists anything? And what makes the Uluru Statement a potential game-changer? Join Jim and Fatima as they dive into these and other questions. Music: Aces High by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)licensed under CCBYA 3.0.

We come to grips with the dismissal of FBI director James Comey. Is this about optics, process or something else? Then we turn to a more sedate pace in Australia, where the federal budget has neither damaged or boosted the Turnbull government. We finish with a few ways to stay intact in a tumultuous world. Music: Aces High by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)licensed under CCBYA 3.0.

Is there such a thing as bad debt when it comes to national budgets? Is infrastructure spending a great idea by default? We also take a glance at the first 100 days of the Trump presidency. As an antidote, we finish with a quick reflection on the latest moves by Pope Francis. Music: Aces High by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)licensed under CCBYA 3.0.

On this episode, we take a moment to remember satirist John Clarke. Then we do an initial read of the story that the Australian federal budget might tell. We also break down that United Airlines incident. There might be detours, so stick close. Music: Aces High by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)licensed under CCBYA 3.0.

In this episode, we try to take a knife through Donald Trump's entanglements with Russia. We also discuss coalcare, which is like government insurance for terminal fossil fuel industries. We finish with a quick note on a couple of films that have not been well-received.

We turn to the Philippines, nearly a year from the elections that made Rodrigo Duterte president. Along with other ructions from 2016, his presidency continues to raise questions about the nature of democracy. To help us make sense of the current moment, we talk to Christopher Tan, a Manila-based lawyer with a public policy background. Music: Aces High by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)licensed under CCBYA 3.0.

In this episode, we touch on energy, infrastructure and the political lens through which we receive nation-building ideas. We talk about Jay Weatherill, the South Australian Premier, who gave a master class this week in how to make federal ministers squirm. We also ask whether it is possible for journalists to remain neutral, a quarter into the Trump presidency. Music: Aces High by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)under CCBYA 3.0 licence. Audio clip via ABC News (Australia).

Justin Trudeau became Prime Minister of Canada in 2015, taking the Liberal Party to a strong majority after nearly a decade of Conservative rule. He signaled many things that were seen as progressive. But is he really all that? In this episode of ChatterSquare Extra, we catch up with Neal Jennings, Canadian politics nerd, who joins us from Vancouver. Music: Aces High by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)licensed under CCBYA 3.0. Audio clip: The Beaverton 13 Feb 2017.

In this episode, we feel a bit sorry for Malcolm Turnbull and wonder whether the electorate even cares who is leader anymore. We also discuss scapegoating and how attempts to discriminate lead to indiscriminate effects. Hosted by Fatima Measham and Jim McDermott. Music: Aces High by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)licensed under CCBYA 3.0.

In this episode of ChatterSquare Extra, we chat with Dr Evan Smith, from the School of History and International Relations at Flinders University, Adelaide. We go over some of the historical analogies being made about the Trump administration, why people are drawn to them, and the pitfalls of reaching into the past to make sense of the present. Music: Aces High by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)licensed under CCBYA 3.0.

Is there an upside to Hansonism? In this episode, we try to figure out what One Nation actually has to offer. We also talk about fear and how some Americans are dealing with the Trump era by turning to fantasy literature. Is this just escapism? Hosted by Fatima Measham and Jim McDermott. Music: Aces High by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)licensed under CCBYA 3.0.

In the pilot episode of ChatterSquare, we talk about that phone call between the US president and Australian Prime Minister, and how it foreshadows foreign policy. We also try to work out what it means to be in opposition on both sides of the Pacific under current conditions. Hosted by Fatima Measham and Jim McDermott. Music: Aces High by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)licensed under CCBYA 3.0.