Politics and Society
Understanding the world helps us to understand our place in it. Learn about the important political and social events and people that have shaped, and are shaping, our world. Referendums and elections, democracy and dictatorships, recessions and depressions come to life when we explore the people whose power politics, passions and obsessions are unpacked.
Available Classes
Trump's Tariffs
<p>President Trump was elected promising to reintroduce tariffs as part of his America First agenda. Trump kept this promise on 2 April 2025, his self-declared Liberation Day. This was a daring move,
...Available Classes
AI & The Economy
<p>Artificial Intelligence is changing the way we work, live, and do business. This session explains what AI is, how it improves productivity, and how it changes the value of different skills. We’ll
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Political Ideas in Australia from European Settlement to Federation
<p>From the earliest European settlement, Australia’s political culture has been shaped by ideas about the role of government and the nature of a just society. Transportation was the penalty applied
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AI and Society
<p>AI and Society is a 7-week introductory course designed to help understand the role of artificial intelligence in everyday life. Through friendly, practical sessions, participants will explore what
...AI and Society
<p>AI and Society is a 7-week introductory course designed to help understand the role of artificial intelligence in everyday life. Through friendly, practical sessions, participants will explore what
...Available Classes
Should MPs give up their seat if they quit their party?
<p>When a Federal MP defects from the party they were elected with, heated public debate follows. Should they resign from parliament and let the party fill the seat? Political defections have been an
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Available Classes
Let's hear it for Old Nick (on Machiavelli)
<p>The word “Machiavellian” has come to imply all sorts of sinister, deceptive and cunning behaviour – in politics, diplomacy, marketing and management. Is this fair? Nicolo Machiavelli had a career
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The Australian Constitution - It's Worth Talking About
<p><em>"Britain has no written constitution - the Americans are obsessed with theirs"</em>. The Australian Constitution fundamentally shapes our government and politics and hence has an impact on all
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Available Classes
Australian Citizenship - Not a Simple Matter
<p>Australia acquired full independent sovereignty in 1901 but there were no Australian “citizens” until 1948. We were all still British “subjects”. How did all this happen? What are the rights and
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Across the Border - How do elections differ around Australia?
<p>If you moved across a border in Australia, you might be surprised to find state and local government elections aren’t quite the same. Australia's democracy is not static. Over the years, the way
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Available Classes
The Dismissal of the Whitlam Government
<p>Fifty years ago Governor-General Sir John Kerr removed the elected Prime Minister Gough Whitlam from office and installed the opposition leader Malcolm Fraser as interim Prime Minister. The
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