Podcasts about political animals

DJ Tauko delivers the perfect cypher session fueled by tasty breaks from Black Heat, Ethiopian Brothers, Political Animals, DJ Mav-One and more. Plus deep rooted soul by Charlie Bereal, Latin boombap from Delinquent Habits, an insane Biggie blend and in-your-face rawness from IDK & JVB. View the full playlist for this show at https://www.wefunkradio.com/show/1246 Enjoying WEFUNK? Listen to all of our mixes at https://www.wefunkradio.com/shows/

With two weeks out from election day, Ottawa is buzzing. Staffers are partying late into the night and reporting to work at 7 a.m., Chipotle's are turning into war rooms, and the polls are telling stories.We went to three party-specific events in Ottawa for a pulse check on how people feel in the nation's capital. From 11-year-old door knockers to Jagmeet Singh to Trump's former trade representative, we heard a LOT of opinions.Host: Noor AzriehCredits: Aviva Lessard (Senior Producer), Sam Konnert (Producer), Noor Azrieh (Host/Producer), Caleb Thompson (Audio Editor and Technical Producer), Max Collins (Director of Audio) Jesse Brown (Editor), Tony Wang (Artwork)Background reading:Liberals lead dips for 1st time in Canada election as Tories gain: poll | GlobalCarney apologizes for fake Trump-style buttons, Liberal staffers 'reassigned' | National PostRecord-tying number of candidates running in Ottawa riding of Carleton | CTVNDP Strategy in the Final Stretch of the Election | GlobalPierre Poilievre is sticking to his greatest hits. That's the problem | Globe and MailSponsors: Visit fizz.ca to learn more about Fizz and its long list of added-value features, and activate a first plan using the referral code CAN25 to get 25$ off & 10GB of free data. Article is offering our listeners $50 off your first purchase of $100 or more! To claim, visit ARTICLE.COM/BACKBENCH, and the discount will be automatically applied at checkoutIf you value this podcast, Support us! You'll get premium access to all our shows ad free, including early releases and bonus content. You'll also get our exclusive newsletter, discounts on merch, tickets to our live and virtual events, and more than anything, you'll be a part of the solution to Canada's journalism crisis, you'll be keeping our work free and accessible to everybody. You can listen ad-free on Amazon Music—included with Prime. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

With two weeks out from election day, Ottawa is buzzing. Staffers are partying late into the night and reporting to work at 7 a.m., Chipotle's are turning into war rooms, and the polls are telling stories.We went to three party-specific events in Ottawa for a pulse check on how people feel in the nation's capital. From 11-year-old door knockers to Jagmeet Singh to Trump's former trade representative, we heard a LOT of opinions.Host: Noor AzriehCredits: Aviva Lessard (Senior Producer), Sam Konnert (Producer), Noor Azrieh (Host/Producer), Caleb Thompson (Audio Editor and Technical Producer), Max Collins (Director of Audio) Jesse Brown (Editor), Tony Wang (Artwork)Background reading:Liberals lead dips for 1st time in Canada election as Tories gain: poll | GlobalCarney apologizes for fake Trump-style buttons, Liberal staffers 'reassigned' | National PostRecord-tying number of candidates running in Ottawa riding of Carleton | CTVNDP Strategy in the Final Stretch of the Election | GlobalPierre Poilievre is sticking to his greatest hits. That's the problem | Globe and MailSponsors: Visit fizz.ca to learn more about Fizz and its long list of added-value features, and activate a first plan using the referral code CAN25 to get 25$ off & 10GB of free data. Article is offering our listeners $50 off your first purchase of $100 or more! To claim, visit ARTICLE.COM/BACKBENCH, and the discount will be automatically applied at checkoutIf you value this podcast, Support us! You'll get premium access to all our shows ad free, including early releases and bonus content. You'll also get our exclusive newsletter, discounts on merch, tickets to our live and virtual events, and more than anything, you'll be a part of the solution to Canada's journalism crisis, you'll be keeping our work free and accessible to everybody. You can listen ad-free on Amazon Music—included with Prime. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We're back with part two of our episode with special guests Mallory & Evan from Pop Capsule Podcast! Enjoy their incredible synopsis and maayybee we get a Bingo or two!How to Build a Better Boy (August 15, 2014)IMDB WikipediaDirected by Paul Hoen (Luck of the Irish, Tru Confessions, You Wish!, Eddie's Million Dollar Cookoff, Read it and Weep, Jump In!, CGOW, Dadnapped, Camp Rock 2, Let it Shine, Cloud 9, ZOMBIES 1-3)Written by Jason Mayland (Space Chimps, Eureka)Starring: China Anne McClain as Gabby Harrison (A.N.T. Farm, Descendants-verse, Black Lightening, House of Payne)Kelli Berglund as Mae Hartley (Lab Rats, The Goldbergs, Heels)Marshall Williams as Albert Banks / X-17 (Glee, When Hope Calls, Hallmark Christmas movies)Matt Shively as Bart Hartley (True Jackson: VP, Winx Club, The Real O'Neals, The Purge, American Housewife, Total Badass Wrestling, Players, Lopez vs. Lopez)Ashley Argota Torres as Nevaeh Barnes (True Jackson: VP, Bucket & Skinner's Epic Adventures, Lab Rats, The Fosters)Noah Centineo as Jaden Stark (To All the Boys I've Loved Before, The Fosters, T@gged, Black Adam, The Recruit)Ron Lea as General McFee (character actor - Street Legal, Wind at My Back, Doc, Orphan Black, Murdoch Mysteries)Roger Bart as Dr. James Hartley (Bram & Alice, Singing voice of Hercules, The Producers, American Gangster, The Event, Desperate Housewives, Political Animals, Easy to Assemble, Revenge, Trumbo, Episodes, Graves, Good Trouble)Synopsis: Two tech-savvy teenagers unknowingly use military software to program robotic boyfriends with ideal qualities when they grow tired of the high school boys around them.Fun Facts: Ashley Argota Torres and Matt Shively previously co-starred in the series True Jackson, VP (2008), which aired on Disney Channel's rival network, Nickelodeon.Next Movie:  Bad Hair Day ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

We had so much fun with our special guests, Mallory & Evan from Pop Capsule Podcast that we had to split the episode into two parts! Part 2 will be out in two weeks!How to Build a Better Boy (August 15, 2014)IMDB WikipediaDirected by Paul Hoen (Luck of the Irish, Tru Confessions, You Wish!, Eddie's Million Dollar Cookoff, Read it and Weep, Jump In!, CGOW, Dadnapped, Camp Rock 2, Let it Shine, Cloud 9, ZOMBIES 1-3)Written by Jason Mayland (Space Chimps, Eureka)Starring: China Anne McClain as Gabby Harrison (A.N.T. Farm, Descendants-verse, Black Lightening, House of Payne)Kelli Berglund as Mae Hartley (Lab Rats, The Goldbergs, Heels)Marshall Williams as Albert Banks / X-17 (Glee, When Hope Calls, Hallmark Christmas movies)Matt Shively as Bart Hartley (True Jackson: VP, Winx Club, The Real O'Neals, The Purge, American Housewife, Total Badass Wrestling, Players, Lopez vs. Lopez)Ashley Argota Torres as Nevaeh Barnes (True Jackson: VP, Bucket & Skinner's Epic Adventures, Lab Rats, The Fosters)Noah Centineo as Jaden Stark (To All the Boys I've Loved Before, The Fosters, T@gged, Black Adam, The Recruit)Ron Lea as General McFee (character actor - Street Legal, Wind at My Back, Doc, Orphan Black, Murdoch Mysteries)Roger Bart as Dr. James Hartley (Bram & Alice, Singing voice of Hercules, The Producers, American Gangster, The Event, Desperate Housewives, Political Animals, Easy to Assemble, Revenge, Trumbo, Episodes, Graves, Good Trouble)Synopsis: Two tech-savvy teenagers unknowingly use military software to program robotic boyfriends with ideal qualities when they grow tired of the high school boys around them.Fun Facts: Ashley Argota Torres and Matt Shively previously co-starred in the series True Jackson, VP (2008), which aired on Disney Channel's rival network, Nickelodeon. ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

In this, their final episode, Holly and Jonathan discuss political lesbianism. Is lesbianism innate or a political choice? Are political lesbians superior to heterosexual feminists? What is the intersection of lesbianism and feminism? Has the LGBTQ movement domesticated and defanged radical lesbianism?The Political Animals is co-hosted by:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Jonathan Cole⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, an academic interested in conservatism, libertarianism, political ideology and political theology; and⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Holly Lawford-Smith⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, an academic working in moral and political philosophy, with a particular interest in feminist theory and movement. You can find Holly on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.Want to see our faces? Check out our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ channel.Want to suggest a topic for a show, provide feedback or say hello? Email us at polanimalspod@gmail.com.

Holly and Jonathan discuss a controversial article published in the Journal of Controversial ideas that claims to have found that recent immigrants and refugees in Germany have lower average IQs than the German population, with implications for their participation in the labour market. The journal also published three critical responses that Holly and Jonathan discuss.The articles can be found here.The Political Animals is co-hosted by:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Jonathan Cole⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, an academic interested in conservatism, libertarianism, political ideology and political theology; and⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Holly Lawford-Smith⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, an academic working in moral and political philosophy, with a particular interest in feminist theory and movement. You can find Holly on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.Want to see our faces? Check out our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ channel.Want to suggest a topic for a show, provide feedback or say hello? Email us at polanimalspod@gmail.com.

Holly and Jonathan discuss an essay by right-wing libertarian Hans-Hermann Hoppe arguing for a stateless society based on comprehensive private property, along with his view of the different anthropologies that shape the left and the right (and his view that white, heterosexual males are responsible for progress and prosperity). The Political Animals is co-hosted by: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Jonathan Cole⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, an academic interested in conservatism, libertarianism, political ideology and political theology; and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Holly Lawford-Smith⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, an academic working in moral and political philosophy, with a particular interest in feminist theory and movement. You can find Holly on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Want to see our faces? Check out our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ channel. Want to suggest a topic for a show, provide feedback or say hello? Email us at polanimalspod@gmail.com.

With a new administration and one party control of both houses in Congress,  the impact on animal-related legislation, facility oversight, and code enforcement is likely to change from the previous administration. Tom Albert, government affairs consultant for the Zoological Association of America discusses the differing historical perspectives of the two major political parties on the role of zoos as well as steps professionals can take to help garner more bipartisan support for the work of zoos and aquariums at home and globally. Animal Care Software

Talkin' with God about Kings and Kingdoms 2Samuel 2-5 We are political animals. These chapters reveal the normal human involvements in politics in this world. God knows our political nature is the point. Ultimately, the Gospel of God is the good news of God's politics that are not of this world.

Is there an alternative to the hegemony of liberalism? Controversial Russian philosophy Aleksandr Dugin proposes a Fourth Political Theory (beyond liberalism, communism and fascism) to address the empty degeneration of postliberalism, construed as the post-ideological form of liberalism that has triumphed and reigns globally today. Dugin proposes a multipolar civilisational new world order in which various antilibearl traditionalisms can thrive in communities connected by language, religion and culture. Is his critique of liberalism cogent? Does the Fourth Political Theory only make sense in the Russian context? Is Dugin even able to articular its content as a theory and practice? The Political Animals is co-hosted by: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Jonathan Cole⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, an academic interested in conservatism, libertarianism, political ideology and political theology. Jonathan writes for Liberty Itch on Substack; and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Holly Lawford-Smith⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, an academic working in moral and political philosophy, with a particular interest in feminist theory and movement. You can find Holly on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Want to see our faces? Check out our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ channel. Want to suggest a topic for a show, provide feedback or say hello? Email us at polanimalspod@gmail.com.

Jonathan and Holly discuss far-right intentional communities and utopias, using two case-studies that appeared in a recent special issue of the Journal of Political Ideologies focusing on far-right utopias in practice. One case-study focuses on a Traditionalist community in Indiana in the US and the other looks at the Heralds of the Gospel in Brazil. The Political Animals is co-hosted by: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Jonathan Cole⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, an academic interested in conservatism, libertarianism, political ideology and political theology; and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Holly Lawford-Smith⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, an academic working in moral and political philosophy, with a particular interest in feminist theory and movement. You can find Holly on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Want to see our faces? Check out our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ channel. Want to suggest a topic for a show, provide feedback or say hello? Email us at polanimalspod@gmail.com.

Jonathan and Holly ask whether abortion is more a question of values or science? Whether the ethical or the legal is the most difficult aspect of the issue? Whether men should have any say on abortion? Whether abortion is a question of individual choice or majority opinion? And the role of symbolism in the way people understand the foetus. The Political Animals is co-hosted by: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Jonathan Cole⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, an academic interested in conservatism, libertarianism, political ideology and political theology; and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Holly Lawford-Smith⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, an academic working in moral and political philosophy, with a particular interest in feminist theory and movement. You can find Holly on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Want to see our faces? Check out our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ channel. Want to suggest a topic for a show, provide feedback or say hello? Email us at polanimalspod@gmail.com.

Do white people need to become race conscious? Is America a white supremacist culture? Is racisim a structure rather than an event? Should white women cry in the presence of coloured women? Jonathan and Holly discuss the notion of white fragility popularised by Robin Diangelo in her controversial book White Fragility: Why It's So Hard for White People to Talk about Racism. The Political Animals is co-hosted by: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Jonathan Cole⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, an academic interested in conservatism, libertarianism, political ideology and political theology; and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Holly Lawford-Smith⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, an academic working in moral and political philosophy, with a particular interest in feminist theory and movement. You can find Holly on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Want to see our faces? Check out our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ channel. Want to suggest a topic for a show, provide feedback or say hello? Email us at polanimalspod@gmail.com.

Jonathan and Holly explore decolonisation. What does it mean? What are its goals? Has it overreached and can it succeed? The article discussed in this episode is “On Decolonisation and the University." The Political Animals is co-hosted by: ⁠⁠⁠⁠Jonathan Cole⁠⁠⁠⁠, an academic interested in conservatism, libertarianism, political ideology and political theology; and ⁠⁠⁠⁠Holly Lawford-Smith⁠⁠⁠⁠, an academic working in moral and political philosophy, with a particular interest in feminist theory and movement. You can find Holly on ⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠. Want to see our faces? Check out our ⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠ channel. Want to suggest a topic for a show, provide feedback or say hello? Email us at polanimalspod@gmail.com.

This weak Jonathan and Holly discuss (debate) the issue of hate speech and in particular whether it should be banned or addressed by counterspeech, especially state-based counterspeech. The Political Animals is co-hosted by: ⁠⁠⁠Jonathan Cole⁠⁠⁠, an academic interested in conservatism, libertarianism, political ideology and political theology; and ⁠⁠⁠Holly Lawford-Smith⁠⁠⁠, an academic working in moral and political philosophy, with a particular interest in feminist theory and movement. You can find Holly on ⁠⁠⁠Twitter⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠. Want to see our faces? Check out our ⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠ channel. Want to suggest a topic for a show, provide feedback or say hello? Email us at polanimalspod@gmail.com.

Where is the boundary between legitimate and illegitimate political association? Jonathan and Holly examine the case of the “Let Women Speak” rally held on the steps of the Victorian Parliament in March 2023, which was gatecrashed by neo-Nazis and led to the expulsion of Moira Deeming from the Liberal Party for the alleged sin of political association. The Political Animals is co-hosted by: ⁠⁠Jonathan Cole⁠⁠, an academic interested in conservatism, libertarianism, political ideology and political theology; and ⁠⁠Holly Lawford-Smith⁠⁠, an academic working in moral and political philosophy, with a particular interest in feminist theory and movement. You can find Holly on ⁠⁠Twitter⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠. Want to see our faces? Check out our ⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠ channel. Want to suggest a topic for a show, provide feedback or say hello? Email us at polanimalspod@gmail.com.

Jonathan and Holly pose the question: is LGBTIQ a political ideology? They discuss the concept and meaning of the acronym LGBTIQ, its internal dynamics and conflicts, its incorporation into the state ideology, as well as its broader political connotations, dimensions and ramifications for policy and society. The Political Animals is co-hosted by: ⁠Jonathan Cole⁠, an academic interested in conservatism, libertarianism, political ideology and political theology; and ⁠Holly Lawford-Smith⁠, an academic working in moral and political philosophy, with a particular interest in feminist theory and movement. You can find Holly on ⁠Twitter⁠ and ⁠YouTube⁠. Want to see our faces? Check out our ⁠YouTube⁠ channel. Want to suggest a topic for a show, provide feedback or say hello? Email us at polanimalspod@gmail.com.

Welcome to the relaunch of The Political Animals Podcast! A show where two political philosophers, one a right-wing radical, the other a left-wing heretic, come together to discuss the social, political and cultural issues of our day. The Political Animals is co-hosted by: Jonathan Cole, an academic interested in conservatism, libertarianism, political ideology and political theology; and Holly Lawford-Smith, an academic working in moral and political philosophy, with a particular interest in feminist theory and movement. You can find Holly on Twitter and YouTube. Want to see our faces? Check out our YouTube channel. Want to suggest a topic for a show, provide feedback or say hello? Email us at polanimalspod@gmail.com.

Religion … money … politics … in the modern workplace almost no subject is off limits. This week we help a listener in Texas do the two-step when his new teammates talk politics. The Gaylord hotel, the Curse of Knowledge and the toppling trees of the biosphere are a few more ingredients in this week's stew.Segments in this episode:Damned if You Do, Damning if You Don't in Lubbock - “My new coworkers talk politics all day … do I dare reveal myself as being on the other side of the aisle?”Chris shares his “A-E-I-O-U” framework for enabling productive engagement and fostering genuine dialogueThe Gist: “How to Change Someone's Mind” by Katy Scott as posted on INSEAD.edu. This though-provoking piece references “1,001 and One Nights” and Scheherazade's psychological judo.We want to hear about the drama, the dilemmas, and the conundrums that you face at work! All names will be changed to protect the guilty and innocent.Send your emails to info@cubicleconfidential.comThanks for listening! Connect with us on LinkedIn!

This is our latest weekly market update. Another wild week on the markets, driven by conflicting data, and a reactive FED, who has effectively given up on forward guidance, and who does not know where rates will go. But despite Powell’s protests to the contrary, some are suggesting Central Bankers are being swayed by political … Continue reading "Are Central Bankers Becoming Political Animals?"

Intellectual historian Prof Wayne Hudson returns to the show for a discussion about his latest research project: Australian political thought. The Political Animals is hosted by Dr ⁠Jonathan Cole⁠, an academic, writer, speaker and translator specialising in political theology: the intersection of religion and politics. Jonathan was a senior terrorism analyst at Australian intelligence agency the Office of National Assessments where he worked on Islamist terrorism and the global jihadist movement. He is the author of ⁠The Reign of God: A Critical Engagement with Oliver O'Donovan's Theology of Political Authority⁠ and ⁠Christian Political Theology in an Age of Discontent: Mediating Scripture, Doctrine, and Political Reality⁠.

Simon Kennedy joins Jonathan for a conversation about twentieth century American conservative intellectual Peter Viereck and his critique of so-called new conservatism in America. Simon Kennedy has a PhD in history from the University of Queensland (UQ). He is currently Associate Editor of ⁠Quadrant Magazine⁠ and a Research Fellow in the Law School at UQ. His academic research is in the area of law and politics and their interaction with Christianity. The Political Animals is hosted by Dr ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Jonathan Cole⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, a scholar, writer and translator specialising in political theology: the intersection of religion and politics. Jonathan was a senior terrorism analyst at Australian intelligence agency the Office of National Assessments where he worked on Islamist terrorism and the global jihadist movement.  You can contact Jonathan at polanimalspod@gmail.com.

Simon Kennedy joins Jonathan for a conversation about conservative philosophy Eric Voegelin's essay Politics, Science, and Gnosticism, and in particular his thesis that major 20th century political and intellectual movements are modern manifestations of gnosticism. Simon Kennedy has a PhD in history from the University of Queensland (UQ). He is currently Associate Editor of Quadrant Magazine and a Research Fellow in the Law School at UQ. His academic research is in the area of law and politics and their interaction with Christianity. The Political Animals is hosted by Dr ⁠⁠⁠⁠Jonathan Cole⁠⁠⁠⁠, a scholar, writer and translator specialising in political theology: the intersection of religion and politics. Jonathan was a senior terrorism analyst at Australian intelligence agency the Office of National Assessments where he worked on Islamist terrorism and the global jihadist movement.  You can contact Jonathan at polanimalspod@gmail.com.

Ian Tregenza joins Jonathan for a conversation about the history of Quadrant Magazine and its cultural impact in Australia, and particularly on the nature of conservatism in Australia. Ian is an Associate Professor at the School of Social Sciences at Macquarie University. He works in the areas of political theory, the history of political thought and religion and politics. The Political Animals is hosted by Dr ⁠⁠⁠Jonathan Cole⁠⁠⁠, a scholar, writer and translator specialising in political theology: the intersection of religion and politics. Jonathan was a senior terrorism analyst at Australian intelligence agency the Office of National Assessments where he worked on Islamist terrorism and the global jihadist movement. You can contact Jonathan at polanimalspod@gmail.com.

Jonathan talks to Libertarian Party member Pietro Angeli about the anarcho-capitalist alternative to the state. Pietro Angeli is a member of the Libertarian Party State Executive in Victoria. The Political Animals is hosted by Dr ⁠⁠Jonathan Cole⁠⁠, a scholar, writer and translator specialising in political theology: the intersection of religion and politics. Jonathan was a senior terrorism analyst at Australian intelligence agency the Office of National Assessments where he worked on Islamist terrorism and the global jihadist movement. He is the author of ⁠⁠The Reign of God: A Critical Engagement with Oliver O'Donovan's Theology of Political Authority⁠⁠and ⁠⁠Christian Political Theology in an Age of Discontent: Mediating Scripture, Doctrine, and Political Reality⁠⁠. You can contact Jonathan at polanimalspod@gmail.com.

Jonathan is joined by Tim Wilson, Executive Director of NZ think tank Maxim Institute, for a conversation about faith and politics across the ditch (detch). Tim Wilson is currently Executive Director of Maxim Institute. Prior to this role, Tim was an award-winning journalist working in print, radio and television. His work has appeared in The New York Times, The Guardian and Newsweek.com. He was TVNZ's first US Correspondent and has been a business development manager and an English teacher. Tim has written three novels, one of which—Their Faces Were Shining—was a finalist in the New Zealand Post Book Awards. The Political Animals is hosted by Dr ⁠Jonathan Cole⁠, a scholar, writer and translator specialising in political theology: the intersection of religion and politics. Jonathan was a senior terrorism analyst at Australian intelligence agency the Office of National Assessments where he worked on Islamist terrorism and the global jihadist movement. He is the author of ⁠The Reign of God: A Critical Engagement with Oliver O'Donovan's Theology of Political Authority⁠and ⁠Christian Political Theology in an Age of Discontent: Mediating Scripture, Doctrine, and Political Reality⁠. You can follow Jonathan and the show on ⁠Facebook⁠ and ⁠Twitter⁠, and you can email Jonathan at polanimalspod@gmail.com.

This is part 2 of Jonathan's conversation with Josh Lewis of the Saving Elephants podcast on the topic of political theology. Check out the Saving Elephants podcast here: "Millennials defending and expressing conservative values." The Political Animals is hosted by Dr Jonathan Cole, a scholar, writer and translator specialising in political theology: the intersection of religion and politics. Jonathan was a senior terrorism analyst at Australian intelligence agency the Office of National Assessments where he worked on Islamist terrorism and the global jihadist movement. He is the author of The Reign of God: A Critical Engagement with Oliver O'Donovan's Theology of Political Authorityand Christian Political Theology in an Age of Discontent: Mediating Scripture, Doctrine, and Political Reality. You can follow Jonathan and the show on Facebook and Twitter, and you can email Jonathan at polanimalspod@gmail.com.

This is the first of Jonathan's two-part conversation with Josh Lewis of the Saving Elephants podcast on the topic of political theology. Check out the Saving Elephants podcast here: "Millennials defending and expressing conservative values." The Political Animals is hosted by Dr Jonathan Cole, a scholar, writer and translator specialising in political theology: the intersection of religion and politics. Jonathan was a senior terrorism analyst at Australian intelligence agency the Office of National Assessments where he worked on Islamist terrorism and the global jihadist movement. He is the author of The Reign of God: A Critical Engagement with Oliver O'Donovan's Theology of Political Authorityand Christian Political Theology in an Age of Discontent: Mediating Scripture, Doctrine, and Political Reality. You can follow Jonathan and the show on Facebook and Twitter, and you can email Jonathan at polanimalspod@gmail.com.

From the doghouse to the White House, we've got a menagerie of prime ministerial wannabes, woofing would-be world leaders and purring political animals. Yes, in this bonus episode we explore the curious history of animals running for elected office. On the ballot are the likes of Pigasus The Immortal, Limberbutt McCubbins and Crawfish T. Crawfish, with a special guest appearance by half-squid elder horror, Cthulu himself. Follow us on Twitter: @worstfoot @bazmcstay @VanderLaugh Follow us on Instagram: @worstfoot  Join us on our Discord server! https://discord.gg/9buWKthgfx Visit www.worstfootforwardpodcast.com for all previous episodes and you can donate to us on Patreon if you'd like to support the show during this whole pandemic thing, and especially as we work on our first book and plan some live shows! https://www.patreon.com/WorstFootForward Worst Foot Forward is part of Podnose: www.podnose.com

Constitutional scholar Nicholas Aroney joins Jonathan for an examination of the legal meaning and implications of the proposed new s129 in the Australia Constitution that establishes the Voice, and which is the subject of a referendum on 14 October. Nicholas Aroney is Professor of Constitutional Law at the University of Queensland. He has published over 100 journal articles, book chapters and books in the fields of constitutional law, comparative constitutional law and legal theory. He has held visiting positions at Oxford, Cambridge, Paris II, Edinburgh, Durham, Sydney, Emory and Tilburg universities. You can read Nick's co-authored submission to the Senate Inquiry into the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice here and something he has written on First Peoples and the People of Australia here. The Political Animals is hosted by Dr Jonathan Cole, a scholar, writer and translator specialising in political theology: the intersection of religion and politics. Jonathan was a senior terrorism analyst at Australian intelligence agency the Office of National Assessments where he worked on Islamist terrorism and the global jihadist movement. He is the author of The Reign of God: A Critical Engagement with Oliver O'Donovan's Theology of Political Authorityand Christian Political Theology in an Age of Discontent: Mediating Scripture, Doctrine, and Political Reality. You can follow Jonathan and the show on Facebook and Twitter, and you can email Jonathan at polanimalspod@gmail.com.

Jonathan is joined by Iain Benson for a conversation about values and virtues. They discuss the triumph of technique over purpose in our contemporary culture, the problems with adopting "values" as our primary moral language and the need to recover the ancient moral language of virtue. Iain Benson is Professor of Law at Notre Dame University, Sydney, Australia. He is an academic, lecturer and practicing lawyer in constitutional law and human rights, with a particular focus on freedoms of association and religion, the nature of pluralism, multiculturalism and the relationships between laws, religion and human rigths. The Political Animals is hosted by Dr Jonathan Cole, a scholar, writer and translator specialising in political theology: the intersection of religion and politics. Jonathan was a senior terrorism analyst at Australian intelligence agency the Office of National Assessments where he worked on Islamist terrorism and the global jihadist movement. He is the author of The Reign of God: A Critical Engagement with Oliver O'Donovan's Theology of Political Authorityand Christian Political Theology in an Age of Discontent: Mediating Scripture, Doctrine, and Political Reality. You can follow Jonathan and the show on Facebook and Twitter, and you can email Jonathan at polanimalspod@gmail.com.

Clive Hamilton joins the show to discuss his left-wing critique of wokeness published in the Sydney Morning Herald. Clive Hamilton is Professor of Public Ethics at Charles Sturt University. He is the found of The Australia Institute and the author of many books, including Defiant Earth: The Fate of Humans in the Anthropocene, Silent Invasion: China's Influence in Australia and Provocateur: A Life of Ideas in Action. The article discussed in the show is "Wake up, lefties, and reject wokeness." The Political Animals is hosted by Dr Jonathan Cole, a scholar, writer and translator specialising in political theology: the intersection of religion and politics. Jonathan was a senior terrorism analyst at Australian intelligence agency the Office of National Assessments where he worked on Islamist terrorism and the global jihadist movement. He is the author of The Reign of God: A Critical Engagement with Oliver O'Donovan's Theology of Political Authorityand Christian Political Theology in an Age of Discontent: Mediating Scripture, Doctrine, and Political Reality. You can follow Jonathan and the show on Facebook and Twitter.

Wages are going up, but are people feline better off? Bloomberg's John Stepek discusses what record pay growth means for the economy, the government and pensioners. Plus, we get the inside story on a senior figure at the heart of government: Larry the cat. National Archives historian Chris Day, author of 'Larry the Chief Mouser: And Other Official Cats,' gives us a potted history of the feline residents of Whitehall. Hosted by Stephen Carroll and Yuan Potts. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode, Jonathan engages in a conversation about conservatism with political philosopher and radical feminist Holly Lawford-Smith. They do so by discussing Burke's classic text, Reflections on The Revolution in France, which they both read (Holly for the first time) in preparation for the podcast. The conversation ranges across reform versus revolution, the strengths and weaknesses of liberalism, the role and function of religion in society, social hierarchy and more. Dr Holly Lawford-Smith is an Associate Professor in political philosophy in the school of historical and philosophical studies at the University of Melbourne. Her latest book is (with Angie Pepper): Is it Wrong to Buy Sex? A Debate (Routledge, 2023). She is also the author of Gender-Critical Feminism (OUP, 2022). The Political Animals is hosted by Dr Jonathan Cole, a scholar, writer and translator specialising in political theology: the intersection of religion and politics. Jonathan was a senior terrorism analyst at Australian intelligence agency the Office of National Assessments where he worked on Islamist terrorism and the global jihadist movement. He is the author of The Reign of God: A Critical Engagement with Oliver O'Donovan's Theology of Political Authorityand Christian Political Theology in an Age of Discontent: Mediating Scripture, Doctrine, and Political Reality. You can follow Jonathan and the show on Facebook and Twitter.

Free speech warrior Brendan O'Neill joins Jonathan for a discussion about free speech, cancel culture, linguistic tyranny and the Orwellian assault on reality afflicting contemporary Western societies. Brendan is a journalist who has written columns for the Australian, the Spectator and the Big Issue. He is best know for his work at Spiked, where he is Chief Political Writer and formerly Editor. He has published several collections of essays, including Anti-Woke, Duty to Offend and most recently A Heretic's Manifesto: Essays on the Unsayable. The Political Animals is hosted by Dr Jonathan Cole, a scholar, writer and translator specialising in political theology: the intersection of religion and politics. Jonathan was a senior terrorism analyst at Australian intelligence agency the Office of National Assessments where he worked on Islamist terrorism and the global jihadist movement. He is the author of The Reign of God: A Critical Engagement with Oliver O'Donovan's Theology of Political Authority and Christian Political Theology in an Age of Discontent: Mediating Scripture, Doctrine, and Political Reality. You can follow Jonathan and the show on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Jonathan is joined by Russian-Australian scholar Andreas Berg for a deep dive on contemporary Russia. They cover the anarchic chaos of the 1990s transition from communism, the rise of Vladimir Putin, the nature and operation of Putin's regime, the complex and fraught relationship between Russia and Ukraine, the current war in Ukraine, the would-be rebellion of Evgeny Prigozhin's Wagner PMC and the fate of Russia post-Putin. Dr Andreas Berg is an intellectual historian with a PhD from Griffith University on the interplay between the Enlightenment and mystical discourses in eighteen century Russia. For over a decade, he taught the humanities at Griffith and Bond Universities and he is currently pursuing post-graduate study in international relations at the Australian National University. The Political Animals is hosted by Dr Jonathan Cole, a scholar, writer and translator specialising in political theology: the intersection of religion and politics. Jonathan was a senior terrorism analyst at Australian intelligence agency the Office of National Assessments where he worked on Islamist terrorism and the global jihadist movement. He is the author of The Reign of God: A Critical Engagement with Oliver O'Donovan's Theology of Political Authority and Christian Political Theology in an Age of Discontent: Mediating Scripture, Doctrine, and Political Reality. You can follow Jonathan and the show on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Jonathan is joined by Pieter Valk for a conversation about how churches that adhere to traditional Christian teaching on sexuality and sexual ethics can care for and support gay and trans Christians. Pieter Valk is the founder and director of Equip, a consulting ministry aimed at helping churches to be places where gay and LGBT Christians can thrive in line with the church's traditional and historic sexual ethic. Valk is also the founder of the Family of Brothers, an organisation aimed at fostering family and community among men called to vocational singleness. The Political Animals is hosted by Dr Jonathan Cole, a scholar, writer and translator specialising in political theology: the intersection of religion and politics. Jonathan was a senior terrorism analyst at Australian intelligence agency the Office of National Assessments where he worked on Islamist terrorism and the global jihadist movement. He is the author of The Reign of God: A Critical Engagement with Oliver O'Donovan's Theology of Political Authority and Christian Political Theology in an Age of Discontent: Mediating Scripture, Doctrine, and Political Reality. You can follow Jonathan and the show on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Jonathan is joined by conservative commentator Gray Connolly for an examination of the good, the bad and the ugly of contemporary conservatism. They cover the traditional conservative understanding of government, authority, society, family, duty, inheritance and culture and the many libertarian (and populist) heresies perverting this understanding amongst so-called "conservatives." Gray Connolly is a Barrister in Sydney, Australia. He has a broad public law and commercial law practice, including constitutional law, energy and resources law, and admiralty/shipping law. In particular, Gray has advised the Australian Government on national security law and public law matters. Gray also lectures in constitutional law and he also serves part-time as a Senior Member of the Administrative Appeals Tribunal of the Commonwealth of Australia.  Gray served previously as a Naval Intelligence officer in the Royal Australian Navy in the South China Sea, the Indian Ocean, the Arabian Sea, the Gulf of Oman, the Persian Gulf, East Timor, and the Middle East, including service in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.  Gray writes on what interests him at his blog “Strategy Counsel” and in various publications. Gray's Twitter is @GrayConnolly. Please note that all of Gray's opinions are his opinions only and not those of any Australian Government entity. The Political Animals is hosted by Dr Jonathan Cole, a scholar, writer and translator specialising in political theology: the intersection of religion and politics. Jonathan was a senior terrorism analyst at Australian intelligence agency the Office of National Assessments where he worked on Islamist terrorism and the global jihadist movement. He is the author of The Reign of God: A Critical Engagement with Oliver O'Donovan's Theology of Political Authority and Christian Political Theology in an Age of Discontent: Mediating Scripture, Doctrine, and Political Reality. You can follow Jonathan and the show on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

John Milbank joins Jonathan for wide-ranging tour of political theology, contemporary secular politics, contemporary political problems, cultural decadence and the opportunities and challenges for a Christian contribution to our contemporary political malaise. John Milbank is an Emeritus Professor in the Department of Theology and Religious Studies at the University of Nottingham. He is a co-founder of the radical orthodox movement and author of the seminal book, Theology & Social Theory: Beyond Secular Reason. His work traverses systematic theology, social theory, ethics, aesthetics, philosophy, political theory and political theology. The Political Animals is hosted by Dr Jonathan Cole, a scholar, writer and translator specialising in political theology: the intersection of religion and politics. Jonathan was a senior terrorism analyst at Australian intelligence agency the Office of National Assessments where he worked on Islamist terrorism and the global jihadist movement. He is the author of The Reign of God: A Critical Engagement with Oliver O'Donovan's Theology of Political Authority and Christian Political Theology in an Age of Discontent: Mediating Scripture, Doctrine, and Political Reality. You can follow Jonathan and the show on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Knox Peden returns to the show to discuss his interesting, and by today's standard unusual, journey from secular intellectual influenced by Spinoza and Marx to practicing Catholic. Dr Knox Peden is an intellectual historian who has taught philosophy and history at the University of Melbourne, the Australian National University and the University of Queensland. He has published widely on French philosophy and on a variety of topics in intellectual history, including Spinozism and Marxism. The Political Animals is hosted by Dr Jonathan Cole, a scholar, writer and translator specialising in political theology: the intersection of religion and politics. Jonathan was a senior terrorism analyst at Australian intelligence agency the Office of National Assessments where he worked on Islamist terrorism and the global jihadist movement. He is the author of The Reign of God: A Critical Engagement with Oliver O'Donovan's Theology of Political Authority and Christian Political Theology in an Age of Discontent: Mediating Scripture, Doctrine, and Political Reality. You can follow the show on Twitter and Instagram.

Stephen Hill is an award winning actor (Best Male Actor, ABFF Star Project 2010), known for solid work in a variety of roles in film, TV, theater, web series, etc. Recently cast in the lead role of York in the HBO mini-series, Lewis & Clark, he is also on HBO, in Pete Chatmon's BlackCard, and in the fifth season of Boardwalk Empire in the recurring role of Clarence, right hand man to Jeffrey Wright's, Dr. Narcisse. On Netflix, in Kiara Jones' Christmas Wedding Baby, Stephen gives a heartfelt and truthful performance in the lead role of Issac. Look out for him on Law & Order SVU, Blue Bloods, It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Louie, Political Animals, and Unforgettable. Hill can also be seen embodying the role of Jackie Robinson in the award winning documentary, Jackie Robinson: My Story. Watch Stephen online in the soulful film Runaway, starring opposite Grammy nominated vocalist Carolyn Malachi, and in the hilarious series Fort Knox. Stephen considers it a privilege and and honor to play make believe for a living.

Constantine Campbell joins Jonathan for a discussion of his provocative book Jesus v. Evangelicals: A Biblical Critique of a Wayward Movement. They discuss Penal Substitutionary Atonement, the hierarchy of evangelical sins, megachurch culture, Evangelical social and political engagement and more. Constantine Campbell is a New Testament scholar who has taught at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, Chicago, and Moore Theological College, Sydney, Australia. He is currently professor and associate director at the Sydney College of Divinity. He is the author of Jesus v. Evangelicals: A Biblical Critique of a Wayward Movement. The Political Animals is hosted by Dr Jonathan Cole, a scholar, writer and translator specialising in political theology: the intersection of religion and politics. Jonathan was a senior terrorism analyst at Australian intelligence agency the Office of National Assessments where he worked on Islamist terrorism and the global jihadist movement. He is the author of The Reign of God: A Critical Engagement with Oliver O'Donovan's Theology of Political Authority and Christian Political Theology in an Age of Discontent: Mediating Scripture, Doctrine, and Political Reality. You can follow the show on Twitter and Instagram.

Jonathan is joined by sociologist Kristina Stoeckl for a deep dive on the Russian Orthodox Church, tracing its complex journey from repression under Soviet communism to support for Vladimir Putin and source of an orthodox nationalist state ideology. Kristina Stoeckl is Professor of Sociology at LUISS Guido Carli University in Rome, as well as an adjunct professor at the University of Innsbruck in Austria. Her main areas of research are sociology of religion, political sociology and social and political theory. She is a leading specialist on Russian Orthodoxy and religion-state relations in Russia. Her most recent book, co-authored with Drmitry Uzlaner, is The Moralist International: Russia in the Global Culture Wars. The Political Animals is hosted by Dr Jonathan Cole, a scholar, writer and translator specialising in political theology: the intersection of religion and politics. Jonathan was a senior terrorism analyst at Australian intelligence agency the Office of National Assessments where he worked on Islamist terrorism and the global jihadist movement. He is the author of The Reign of God: A Critical Engagement with Oliver O'Donovan's Theology of Political Authority and Christian Political Theology in an Age of Discontent: Mediating Scripture, Doctrine, and Political Reality. You can follow the show on Twitter and Instagram.

Sociologist John Carroll joins Jonathan for an examination of the decline of Western culture. They discuss the failure of humanism to find meaning on the big metaphysical questions in a post-Christian world, the importance of archetypes and their transmission through a canon of great literature, the way that popular culture has replaced high culture, and why that might be a good thing (it's more conservative than people realise), the role of universities in the decline of Western culture and what is wrong with young people today, plus more! John Carroll is Emeritus Professor of Sociology at La Trobe University, Melbourne. He is the author of many books, including On Guilt: The Force Shaping Character, History, and Culture, The Existential Jesus and The Wreck of Western Culture: Humanism Revisited. He also writes for The Australian. The Political Animals is hosted by Dr Jonathan Cole, a scholar, writer and translator specialising in political theology: the intersection of religion and politics. Jonathan was a senior terrorism analyst at Australian intelligence agency the Office of National Assessments where he worked on Islamist terrorism and the global jihadist movement. He is the author of The Reign of God: A Critical Engagement with Oliver O'Donovan's Theology of Political Authority and Christian Political Theology in an Age of Discontent: Mediating Scripture, Doctrine, and Political Reality. You can follow the show on Twitter and Instagram.

Mario Baghos joins Jonathan for a conversation about the symbolic and sacred function of ancient cities and the decline and mutation of this function in modern cities. Dr Mario Baghos is an Academic Sessional in the Department of Philosophy and Theology at the University of Notre Dame, Sydney, as well as Adjunct Lecturer in Theology in the Faculty of Arts and Education at Charles Sturt University. From 2010 to 2022 he taught patristics and church history at St Andrew's Greek Orthodox Theological College, Sydney. He has also lectured in the discipline of Studies in Religion at the University of Sydney. His most recent book is From the Ancient Near East to Christian Byzantium: Kings, Symbols, and Cities. Use promo code PROMO25 at checkout for a 25% discount! The Political Animals is hosted by Dr Jonathan Cole, a scholar, writer and translator specialising in political theology: the intersection of religion and politics. Jonathan was a senior terrorism analyst at Australian intelligence agency the Office of National Assessments where he worked on Islamist terrorism and the global jihadist movement. He is the author of The Reign of God: A Critical Engagement with Oliver O'Donovan's Theology of Political Authority and Christian Political Theology in an Age of Discontent: Mediating Scripture, Doctrine, and Political Reality. You can follow the show on Twitter and Instagram.

Michael Bird returns to the show for a discussion about secularism. Jonathan and Michael cover the Christian origins of secularism, why it is in the interests of religious people to have a secular government, the threat to the secular compact by militant secularism and the inimical impact of the contemporary perversion of genuine secularism. Dr Michael Bird is Academic Dean and Lecturer in New Testament at Ridley College, Melbourne, Australia. He is the author and editor of more than thirty books, including Religious Freedom in a Secular Age: A Christian Case for Liberty, Equality, and Secular Government. He writes at michaelbird.substack.com. The Political Animals is hosted by Dr Jonathan Cole, a scholar, writer and translator specialising in political theology: the intersection of religion and politics. Jonathan was a senior terrorism analyst at Australian intelligence agency the Office of National Assessments where he worked on Islamist terrorism and the global jihadist movement. He is the author of The Reign of God: A Critical Engagement with Oliver O'Donovan's Theology of Political Authority and Christian Political Theology in an Age of Discontent: Mediating Scripture, Doctrine, and Political Reality. You can follow the show on Twitter and Instagram.

Michael Jensen joins Jonathan for an exploration of the ins and outs of Sydney's unique, and influential, brand of Anglicanism. The conversation covers the historical origins of the Sydney diocese and its distinct character, controversies surrounding the chasuble, lay presidency (administration) and women in ministry, as well as Sydney Anglican politics (ecclesial and secular), and whether Sydney Anglicans (and other Evangelical Anglicans) can, and should, remain part of the Anglican Church of Australia. Rev Dr Michael Jensen is the Rector at St Mark's, Darling Point, Sydney, a former lecturer in theology at Moore Theological College, and the author of many books, including Sydney Anglicanism: An Apology. He is also the co-host of the With All Due Respect Podcast. The Political Animals is hosted by Dr Jonathan Cole, an academic, writer, speaker and translator specialising in political theology: the intersection of religion and politics. Jonathan was a senior terrorism analyst at Australian intelligence agency the Office of National Assessments where he worked on Islamist terrorism and the global jihadist movement. He is the author of The Reign of God: A Critical Engagement with Oliver O'Donovan's Theology of Political Authority and Christian Political Theology in an Age of Discontent: Mediating Scripture, Doctrine, and Political Reality. You can follow Jonathan and the show on Twitter.

Late last year Jonathan Cole had Saving Elephants host Josh Lewis on his podcast, The Political Animals, to talk about the quirkiness of American conservatism, the rise of the NatCons, and whether there's any hope for Josh's brand of fusionist conservatism in the future.  The conversation was simply too good not to share, so here is a re-podcast of Jonathan's original episode.   About Jonathan Cole From Jonathan Cole's website: Dr Jonathan Cole is a scholar, writer, translator and lecturer specializing in political theology—the intersection between religion and politics.   He is currently Assistant Director of Research at the Australian Centre for Christianity and Culture at Charles Sturt University, Canberra, Australia, and host of The Political Animals Podcast: "Honest conversations about the political, theological and cultural ideas that shape who we are in the 21st century."   He has a PhD in political theology from CSU, an MA in Islamic theology and Middle Eastern politics from the Australian National University and a BA Hons in Modern Greek language and history from La Trobe University.  He speaks Greek.   He spent 13 years working in a number of Australian federal government departments and agencies in Canberra, including seven years in intelligence, most recently as a Senior Terrorism Analyst at the Office of National Assessments (2010–2014).   Follow Jonathan on Facebook, Twitter, or Academia for his latest content. CenterClip Saving Elephants host Josh Lewis is honored to share he's joined the small but growing team of contributors at CenterClip, an exciting, new audio content platform featuring elevated political discourse.  CenterClip is a free app with short audio clips from established political pundits, journalists, commentators, and politicians from across the political spectrum.  All content is created and heard within the CenterClip app, including contributors interacting with each other's posts covering political commentary in real time.  Download the app today and enjoy its elevated discourse.  

Everything is dark. I'm walking around on stage, selling the idea that I can't see anything. And it's giving me a golden opportunity to find the truth of the story. You see, I'm playing Carol, the lead in a play called Black Comedy by Peter Shaffer. In it, a sculptor and his fiancée (me) borrow expensive antique furniture from our out-of-town neighbors to try and impress an art collector. But then the power goes out (hence the black), and everything goes wrong (hence the comedy). What's really cool about the experience, though, is that the lighting is transposed. When the stage is lit, the cast is seemingly in darkness, and the characters can't see anything. But only when the stage goes dark can the characters finally be able to see themselves and their surroundings. This ended up being my favorite play to perform because I got to embody a character so far removed from what I'm used to. My special guest Brittany Ishibashi is no stranger to this experience. She lives her life immersed in story and has been a working actress since high school!  In this episode, she and I talk about playing characters, effective elements to enhance storytelling, and discuss questions like: What's the inside-out vs. outside-in approach to playing a character, and why is it crucial to gaining audience empathy? Why is an audience of just one person all you really need? And how can you easily and effectively open a story? What you will learn in this episode: How characters and story (in all its forms) can truly change or save lives How to encourage the spirit of play in your life and business Why music is such a universal part of the human experience in storytelling Who is Brittany? Born in Orange County, California, Brittany Ishibashi was raised by musical parents. Seeing her love for the arts, they encouraged her to try out the different facets of the entertainment world. Her passion for musical theater emerged at a young age, and she became a triple threat in dance, music, and acting. Brittany got her first big break right after graduating from high school when she was cast on J.J. Abrams' Felicity. She continued her education in Theatre, Film, and Television at UCLA while establishing her career and has gone on to work consistently over the years on numerous TV series. She's been on shows such as This Is Us, Political Animals, Grey's Anatomy, Grace and Frankie, The Office, Supernatural, and more. Most recently, you can watch Brittany play the villainous Tina Minoru on Marvel's Runaways, Claire Cormier on the CW's Tom Swift, and Tamiko Masuda on CBS' Hawaii Five-0. She also played the villain Karai in Paramount's Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows. She lives in Los Angeles with her husband, Jeff, and their three children. Links and Resources: @BrittIshibashi on Instagram @BrittIshibashi on Twitter Storytelling School Website @storytellingschool on Instagram @storytellingSchool on Facebook