Blue whales are known to migrate thousands of kilometres between their breeding and feeding grounds. But after founding the Sri Lankan Blue Whale Project in 2008, acclaimed marine biologist Asha de Vos discovered that there was a resident blue whale population in the waters near Sri Lanka all year round. 

In this podcast, hear what she has learnt about blue whales and why conservation projects in the developing world should invest in local scientific talent and infrastructure. 

To delve deeper read Asha’s article The Problem with Colonial Science.

This podcast is hosted by Cat (Catharina) Vendl, presented by the UNSW Centre for Ideas and is supported by Inspiring Australia as a part of National Science Week.

Photo credit: Spencer Lowell, WIRED UK.

Blue whales are known to migrate thousands of kilometres between their breeding and feeding grounds. But after founding the Sri Lankan Blue Whale Project in 2008, acclaimed marine biologist Asha de Vos discovered that there was a resident blue whale population in the waters near Sri Lanka all year round. In this podcast, hear what she has learnt about blue whales and why conservation projects in the developing world should invest in local scientific talent and infrastructure. To delve deeper read Asha&rsquo;s article <a href="https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/the-problem-of-colonial-science/">The Problem with Colonial Science</a>. This podcast is hosted by Cat (Catharina) Vendl, presented by the UNSW Centre for Ideas and is supported by Inspiring Australia as a part of National Science Week. Photo credit: Spencer Lowell, WIRED UK.

An initiative of UNSW Sydney, the Centre for Ideas is a thought-provoking program of events and digital content from the globe's leading thinkers, authors and artists.

An initiative of UNSW Sydney, the Centre for Ideas is a thought-provoking program of events and digital content from the globe's leading thinkers, authors and artists.

An initiative of UNSW Sydney, the Centre for Idea…

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UNSW Centre for Ideas

Blue whales are known to migrate thousands of kil…

Asha de Vos on blue whales

Fear of a nuclear apocalypse, despot leaders and a world at war – how did the sharpest minds of the Cold War leave such a legacy of fear? Samuel Moyn’s Liberalism Against Itself: Cold War Intellectuals and the Making of Our Times takes aim at liberalism, portraying it as a failed creed marred by a paranoia of communism.  

Known for his challenging perspectives and boasting a cult following on the left, the Yale Professor explores the transformation of Cold War liberals who, in his view, traded the Enlightenment's moral core for a fixation on individual liberty. Hear this compelling conversation as UNSW political philosopher Jessica Whyte and Samuel Moyn dissect why today’s liberals provide only pessimism, instead of vision. 

Presented by the UNSW Centre for Ideas and Australian Human Rights Institute, and supported by Adelaide Writers’ Week. 



Secure your seat at Refuge, 23rd May 2024:  https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/refuge-viet-thanh-nguyen-shankari-chandran-registration-836801865907?aff=podcastad

Fear of a nuclear apocalypse, despot leaders and a world at war – how did the sharpest minds of the Cold War leave such a legacy of fear? Samuel Moyn’s Liberalism Against Itself: Cold War Intellectuals and the Making of Our Times takes aim at liberalism, portraying it as a failed creed marred by a paranoia of communism.  
Known for his challenging perspectives and boasting a cult following on the left, the Yale Professor explores the transformation of Cold War liberals who, in his view, traded the Enlightenment's moral core for a fixation on individual liberty. Hear this compelling conversation as UNSW political philosopher Jessica Whyte and Samuel Moyn dissect why today’s liberals provide only pessimism, instead of vision.  Presented by the UNSW Centre for Ideas and <a href="https://www.humanrights.unsw.edu.au/">Australian Human Rights Institute</a>, and supported by <a href="https://www.adelaidefestival.com.au/writers-week/">Adelaide Writers’ Week</a>.  
Secure your seat at Refuge, 23rd May 2024:  <a href="https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/refuge-viet-thanh-nguyen-shankari-chandran-registration-836801865907?aff=podcastad">https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/refuge-viet-thanh-nguyen-shankari-chandran-registration-836801865907?aff=podcastad</a>

Samuel Moyn: Liberalism Against Itself

Against the frenetic energy and colour of Delhi, a Muslim school teacher is caught between his love of history and contemporary India. Anjum Hasan’s work sheds light on the complexities of life, love, writing history, and how national and patriotic myths can be maliciously subverted. 

Author Anjum Hasan’s latest book, History’s Angel, is a darkly funny portrait of one of Australia’s most important neighbours. Mild mannered teacher Alif feels the burden of his own time pressing down, but his wife is focused on a bigger house, his son wants to quit school and strike it rich, and his colleagues begin to question a Muslim teaching Indian history. 

Hasan and fellow Indian fiction luminary, and UNSW academic, Roanna Gonsalves talk about how we understand ourselves, how we reflect on our histories, and drawing inspiration from others in a time of suspicion and indifference.

Presented by the UNSW Centre for Ideas and supported by Adelaide Writers’ Week. 

Against the frenetic energy and colour of Delhi, a Muslim school teacher is caught between his love of history and contemporary India. Anjum Hasan’s work sheds light on the complexities of life, love, writing history, and how national and patriotic myths can be maliciously subverted. 
Author Anjum Hasan’s latest book, History’s Angel, is a darkly funny portrait of one of Australia’s most important neighbours. Mild mannered teacher Alif feels the burden of his own time pressing down, but his wife is focused on a bigger house, his son wants to quit school and strike it rich, and his colleagues begin to question a Muslim teaching Indian history. 
Hasan and fellow Indian fiction luminary, and UNSW academic, Roanna Gonsalves talk about how we understand ourselves, how we reflect on our histories, and drawing inspiration from others in a time of suspicion and indifference.
Presented by the UNSW Centre for Ideas and supported by <a href="https://www.adelaidefestival.com.au/writers-week/">Adelaide Writers’ Week</a>.

Anjum Hasan: History's Angel

Human existence has always been bound with the health of our natural world. What can we learn from how a changing climate has already, for centuries, dramatically shaped the development and demise of civilisations across time? 

In the 2024 Gandhi Oration, renowned historian and author Peter Frankopan unraveled the historical narrative, framing the natural environment as the crucial factor impacting humankind.  



ABOUT THE GANDHI ORATION
Since 2012, UNSW Sydney has hosted the annual Gandhi Oration celebrating the legacy of Mahatma Gandhi as a champion of human rights. The Oration features discussions on the significant human rights issues of our time. Past speakers have included Senator Pat Dodson, Peter Greste, Pat Anderson, Shoma Chaudhury, Reverend Tim Costello, Rosie Batty and Shen Narayanasamy. 

Presented by the UNSW Centre for Ideas, and supported by Adelaide Writers’ Week and The Wheeler Centre.

Human existence has always been bound with the health of our natural world. What can we learn from how a changing climate has already, for centuries, dramatically shaped the development and demise of civilisations across time? 
In the 2024 Gandhi Oration, renowned historian and author Peter Frankopan unraveled the historical narrative, framing the natural environment as the crucial factor impacting humankind.   
ABOUT THE GANDHI ORATION Since 2012, UNSW Sydney has hosted the annual Gandhi Oration celebrating the legacy of Mahatma Gandhi as a champion of human rights. The Oration features discussions on the significant human rights issues of our time. Past speakers have included Senator Pat Dodson, Peter Greste, Pat Anderson, Shoma Chaudhury, Reverend Tim Costello, Rosie Batty and Shen Narayanasamy. 
Presented by the UNSW Centre for Ideas, and supported by <a href="https://www.adelaidefestival.com.au/writers-week/">Adelaide Writers’ Week</a> and <a href="https://www.wheelercentre.com/">The Wheeler Centre</a>.

Asha de Vos on blue whales

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