Sydney Ideas

Diabetes is arguably one of Australia's greatest health challenges and fastest-growing chronic conditions. But landmark research shows that type 2 diabetes could be preventable at any life stage - whether you are still young, starting a family, or middle-old age. PREVIEW is a landmark study in diabetes prevention and weight loss management. In this talk, leading researchers from the study will draw on the findings and learnings to share new solutions on how to determine risk, avoid developing type 2 diabetes and safely lose a large amount of weight. This event was held on Tuesday 9 April 2019 at the University of Sydney and was co-presented with Charles Perkins Centre. https://sydney.edu.au/news-opinion/sydney-ideas/2019/diabetes-prevention.html

From ending poverty to climate action, reducing inequality and ensuring quality education — the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) are a collection of 17 global goals set by the United Nations General Assembly in 2015. The aim is to set the agenda for 2030 with a shared blueprint for peace and prosperity, now and into the future. Where does Australia sit with this plan now, almost five years since its inception? Hear from leading advocates including John McArthur, Dr Alana Mann, Patricia Garcia AO and Sam Mostyn. Anthony Capon, Professor of Planetary Health at the University of Sydney moderated the conversation. This event was held on Thursday 28 March at the University of Sydney, and was co-presented with the University's Planetary Health Platform and Sydney Environment Institute. https://sydney.edu.au/news-opinion/sydney-ideas/2019/sustainable-development-goals-john-mcarthur.html

What are the pathways to cultural change? How do we initiate, nurture, but most importantly, entrench cultural change? The University's Vice-Chancellor, Dr Michael Spence, gender equality advocate Elizabeth Broderick AO and journalist Sarah Ferguson explored the most important factors in cultural change movements, and the positive impact for individuals, organisations and society. This event was held on Wednesday 27 March at the University of Sydney. Visit the website to access a transcript of the event: http://bit.ly/2K4KCmi

How is hate shaping society? And what must we do about it? Political philosopher Tim Soutphommasane, reflects on race relations and multiculturalism in Australia and beyond, and what it means for democracy worldwide. In his new book, On Hate, Tim Soutphommasane analyses the troubling rise of nationalist populism and the return of race politics. This event was co-presented with Sydney Policy Lab and School of Social and Political Sciences. It was held on Thursday 21 March, 2019 at the University of Sydney: https://sydney.edu.au/news-opinion/sydney-ideas/2019/on-hate-and-race-politics-tim-soutphommasane.html

Hear from women’s rights champion, Tina Tchen, who delivered a keynote address as part of the University of Sydney’s celebrations for International Women’s Day on Friday 8 March, 2019. Sydney Ideas has partnered with the University’s Diversity and Inclusion team to welcome Tina to our Camperdown campus. She is a leading global voice on issues of gender inequity, sexual harassment, and diversity at work, and co-founder of the TIME’S UP Legal Defense Fund, which connects survivors of workplace sexual harassment with legal and public relations assistance. Tina was joined in conversation with two of the University’s most influential and respected female leaders – Professor Lisa Jackson Pulver (Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Indigenous Strategy and Services) and Professor Annamarie Jagose (Dean of Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences). The Vice-Chancellor, Dr Michael Spence, provided closing remarks. Tina Tchen also appeared at the Sydney Opera House’s annual festival ‘All About Women’ on Sunday 10 March, 2019. https

What is the cost of cashing in on global surveillance? Surveillance has become an unavoidable presence in our everyday lives - it's embedded in our culture. As corporations profit from its rapid growth, inevitable questions about the impact on our society and ethics must be addressed. This Sydney Ideas discussion includes a talk from David Lyon the Director of the Surveillance Studies Centre and Professor of Sociology and Professor of Law at Queen’s University and Dr Benedetta Brevini the Senior Lecturer in Communication and Media at the University of Sydney and Visiting Fellow of the Centre for Law, Justice and Journalism at City University. Held on 7 March 2019: https://sydney.edu.au/news-opinion/sydney-ideas/2019/surveillance-capitalism-david-lyon.html

Are brain and mind conditions such as dementia a case of luck of the draw, or are our body clocks and sleep cycle integral for keeping our brains healthy? Hear from Professor Sharon Naismith, whose research explores sleep and dementia prevention. This talk includes a welcome from Dr Michael Spence AC, Vice-Chancellor and Principal at the University of Sydney, and a keynote address from Professor Naismith. This event was held on Tuesday 26 February at the University of Sydney. https://sydney.edu.au/news-opinion/sydney-ideas/2019/how-sleep-improves-brain-health-and-dementia.html

As many as one million Uyghur people and other Muslim minorities in China have reportedly been detained indefinitely in "re-education camps" since 2017. Why is it happening and what are the political ramifications for us all? This Sydney Ideas discussion explores these issues from a range of perspectives. Erkin Sidick, a Uyghur scientist, offers his analysis of the crackdown in Xinjiang. David Atwill, a historian of Islam in China, discuss the wider questions of the Chinese state’s approach to Islam, and Ruth Gamble offers a comparative perspective on these issues drawing on her knowledge of Tibet. Held on 20 February 2019: https://sydney.edu.au/news-opinion/sydney-ideas/2019/xinjiang-china-reeducation-camps.html

How post-truth politics is wrecking public discourse Hear from Don Watson, award-winning author and former speechwriter for Paul Keating, as he decodes political language and reveals its influence on democracy and civil debate. This Sydney Ideas conversation between Don Watson and Benedetta Brevini considers how post-truth, bullshit and management speak have taken over and fundamentally undermine the quality of public discourse and policy-making. This event was held on Wednesday 13 February at the University of Sydney. https://sydney.edu.au/news-opinion/sydney-ideas/2019/weasel-words-don-watson.html

How much do governments and private corporations really know about our online history? Hear from Ron Deibert, digital detective and founder of Citizen Lab, as he reveals the hidden surveillance systems used to spy on civil society. Ron is joined by Sydney Cybersecurity Network co-founder Aim Sinpeng and James Der Derian, Director of Centre for International Security Studies. This event was held on Tuesday 12 February at the University of Sydney. https://sydney.edu.au/news-opinion/sydney-ideas/2019/digital-espionage.html

To mark International Day of Women and Girls in Science 2019, the University’s Westmead Initiative hosted a discussion about the achievements of women in the field and their ongoing challenges. This was held in collaboration with Westmead Research Hub. Hear from Dr Christina Adler, Professor Nadia Badawi AM, Professor Jenny Gunton, Associate Professor Ruby Lin, Professor Phil Robinson and Elizabeth Wojciechowski with Jenny Brockie (SBS Insight) as moderator. This event was held on Monday 11 February 2019 at the Westmead Education and Conference Centre in Westmead Hospital.

We commemorate United Nations World Soil Day with a discussion about how we can ensure that our soils provide food, biodiversity and healthy ecosystems well into the future. This event was held on December 5 at the University of Sydney. https://sydney.edu.au/news-opinion/sydney-ideas/2018/soil-security.html

On the eve of 70-year anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Gillian Triggs reflects on Australia's human rights record in a public lecture, with an introduction by Elizabeth Evatt and a vote of thanks by Tanya Plibersek. This event was held on Sunday 9 December 2018 at the University of Sydney. https://sydney.edu.au/news-opinion/sydney-ideas/2018/from-good-international-citizen-to-pariah-.html TIME STAMPS: Start - 01:25 | Clara Edwards welcome 01:30 - 12:00 | Elizabeth Evatt introduction 12:05 - 01:01:35 | Gillian Triggs keynote address 01:01:40 - 01:12:00 | Tanya Plibersek vote of thanks 01:12:00 - end | Danielle Celermajer close

On the 70-year anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, we bring together a panel of human rights heroes to reflect on the positivity the declaration provided and how it could go forward. TIME STAMPS: 10’07'' - 19’33’’ Larissa Baldwin, Senior Campaigner, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Rights at Getup. 19’37’’ - 25’00’’ Dulce Muñoz, the National Convener of Mums4Refugees Sydney, a grassroots network of mothers that provides social, legal and material aid to people seeking asylum and people from refugee backgrounds. 25’15’’ - 31’49’’ Nas Campanella, a journalist and newsreader with the ABC and triple J. In 2013 she earned a newsreading position at triple J, becoming the first blind newsreader in the world to read and operate the studio for herself live to air. 31’53’’ - 40’16’’ Danny Xanadu has been involved in advocacy and education for the Queer community for 25 years. 40’23’’ - 50’25’’ Dinesh Wadiwel is a Senior Lecturer in human rights and socio-legal studies at the Unive

Why does race seem to be the hardest word for white people? Dr Robin DiAngelo – a renowned anti-racism educator – argues that the underlying cause is environmental. White people in settler colonial contexts live in a racially insular social bubble. This environment builds an atmosphere of racial comfort but reduces their capacity to tolerate racial stress. Dr DiAngelo – author of What Does it Mean To Be White? Developing White Racial Literacy – describes this lack of racial stamina as 'White Fragility'.

In a fun and interactive manner, Australian Local Hero of the Year and one of the world's most inspirational mathematics teachers demonstrates why everyone should love mathematics. His talk is followed by the conversation between Eddie and Secretary of the NSW Department of Education, Mark Scott AO, and the questions from the audience. TIME STAMPS 5:59 - 45:50 – Eddie Woo demonstrates why everyone should love mathematics 48:30 – 60:07 - Eddie Woo in conversation with Secretary of the NSW Department of Education, Mark Scott AO 60:07 – 60:25 - Audience Q&A A Sydney Ideas event held at the Seymour Centre on Monday 3 December 2018. https://sydney.edu.au/news-opinion/sydney-ideas/2018/eddie-woo-wonderful-world-of-maths.html

Sir Eric Thomas, former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Bristol and former Chair of the Worldwide Universities Network joins an esteemed panel of university professors, private sector representatives and former politicians for an important debate - what should universities be? They look at the question from five specific perspectives, those of: a) students, b) tax payers, c) the academy, d) employees, and e) private donors. TIME STAMPS 5:30 - 19:30 – What should universities be from the perspective of students? 20:00 – 28:00 - What should universities be from the perspective of the Government, representing citizens and tax payers? 28:50 – 37:00 - What should universities be from the perspective of the academy? 37:45 – 49:30 - What should universities be from the perspective of business, as employers, and investors in research and development? 49:30 - 58:40 - What should universities be from the perspective of private donors and philanthropists? 58:45 – Audience Q&A A Sydney Ideas event held at the

Do we need cultural change in our relation to truth? Celebrate the launch of the Sydney Social Sciences and Humanities Advanced Research Centre (SSSHARC). Our expert panel will discuss the role of humanities in addressing the 'post truth' crisis.

In 2015 more Australian military personnel and veterans took their lives than were killed in Afghanistan during 13 years of war. Our expert panel brings together medical experts and social scientists to discuss the growing problem of military suicide - why is it happening and how should it be addressed politically? This Sydney Ideas event was held at the University of Sydney on Tuesday 20 November 2018.

Deaths in controversial and contested circumstances include deaths in custody, immigration detention, health care, at borders and following disasters. In Australia and internationally it is evident that institutional responses to contested deaths are inadequate and fail to address families’ and communities’ demands for transparency, public scrutiny and accountability. The Guardian’s Deaths Inside database and the website Deathscapes are excellent digital initiatives dedicated to raising awareness. Our panel reflect on these important initiatives and discuss how activism and advocacy can increase transparency and obtain justice. TIMESTAMPS: 00:17 - 04:30 | Introduction by Rebecca Scott-Bray 04:31 - 18:20 | Lorena Allam (Indigenous Affairs Editor, Guardian Australia)explores the Deaths Inside database 18:21 - 36:58 | Suvendrini Perera & Joseph Pugliese discuss the Deathscapes project 36:60 - 01:07:00 | Phil Scraton takes us through case study of 1989 Hillsborough disaster