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opinion

‘Revolution already put in action’: Mozart’s Marriage of Figaro and the ethics of opera

Every time Mozart’s opera The Marriage of Figaro is performed, we are returned to an ethical world lost from the eve of the French Revolution — but a little historical awareness can bring that world back to life, along with its ethical armature.
Glyndebourne’s production of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s ‘Le nozze di Figaro’

by: David Armitage

opinion

It takes 1,000 words to answer 100 words of pseudolaw — therein lies its power

Pseudolegal claims should not be treated as plausible, but their significance cannot be measured by their (lack of) legal success. Pseudolaw is not just a series of bad legal arguments. It is a response to alienation and distrust.
The Australian maritime flag, sometimes used by sovereign citizen protesters

by: Harry Hobbs and Stephen Young

opinion

What debates over voluntary assisted dying tend to leave out

Years have been spent arguing over whether VAD should be permitted, but more is demanded of practitioners than taking a side over patient choice; rather, are we willing to stand with people even when we cannot endorse their choices?
A nurse touches the hand of a patient in palliative care

by: Christopher Dudfield

opinion

What we lost when Rabbi Eli Schlanger’s life was snatched away

Reading Nikki Goldstein’s conversations with Rabbi Eli Schlanger left me grateful for this unlikely friendship between two people trying to understand how to live a moral life in the modern world.
Rabbi Eli Schlanger

by: Nomi Kaltmann

opinion

Could Jason Arday’s legacy be to make us better humans?

As the youngest professor ever appointed at Cambridge University, Jason Arday was subjected to intense scrutiny — but near the end of his life, he encountered a frenzy of public shaming others would not have faced.
Professor Jason Arday at University of Cambridge

by: Bernard Baffour

opinion

Listening to the abuse women religious have suffered

Religious sisters have made extraordinary contributions to Australian society, yet many have carried their experiences of harm in silence. Their stories deserve to be heard, acknowledged and taken seriously.
A religious sister holds rosary beads

by: Tracy McEwan and Kathleen McPhillips

opinion

Food denial, self-deception and the ethics of looking away

The fact that most of our food comes from animals that have been killed isn’t hidden from us, but we rarely have to think about it — this knowledge remains in the background while we continue with the routines of everyday life. 
View of the inside of an abattoir

by: Joseph Phelan

opinion

Are there boundaries in our pursuit of improved bodies?

Our aesthetic goals for our bodies are increasingly entangled in a new kind of “healthism” — a highly individualised preoccupation with anti-ageing and longevity as a central focus of self-actualisation and wellbeing.
Purple colored syringe and face mask on the pink background

by: Renae Fomiatti

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Compass

Holy Trouble

As the New York Sisters of Charity prepare to close their order, they have one final mission: to campaign against President Trump's immigration policies and ICE.
Woman with short grey hair in a crowd of protestors screams and opens jacket to show T shirt saying Holy Trouble Maker

Published:

Sandwiched with Sarah Macdonald

Broadcaster Sarah Macdonald is caught in the sandwich generation, juggling work, ageing parents and kids. She meets the growing army of (mostly) women, copping the consequences of a housing and aged care crisis. 
Elderly woman, middle aged woman and man in his 20's on a balcony with water behind them

Published:

The Way We Care

Emily and Lachlan grew up in Australia's state care system. Now they join a growing community of carers and advocates who are reimagining how we care for children.
Head and shoulders shot of young man and woman looking into camera with paper flying around them in front of a bookshelf

Published:

Faith, Power and Modi

Is Hinduism at a crossroads between spirituality and nationalism? Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Australia exposed divisions within the diaspora.

Published:

Listen

Blind leading the blind?

The reconciliation of Joseph and his brothers with music for the veneration and Assumption of Mary.
With a church steeple in the background, a row of apparently blind men are leading each other across the field.
Duration: 1 hour 59 minutes 59 seconds

Published: Program: For The God Who Sings

Poetry that soars — from Rumi to Australia

Poetry is one of the world's most enduring artforms. It predates writing, and we’re still compelled to express our deepest thoughts through verse.
A woman reads a book of poetry in a field
Duration: 54 minutes 35 seconds

Published: Program: Soul Search

Who's afraid of Cultural Marxism?

Cultural Marxism is many things to many people — at one end of the political spectrum, it's the hidden force behind political correctness, identity politics and 'wokeness', while at the other end it's a shopworn conspiracy theory that explains…
Students on campus
Duration: 45 minutes 54 seconds

Published: Program: Philosopher's Zone

An independent tribunal for Catholic abuse cases?

The conviction of the Catholic bishop of Broome raises new questions about the ability of the church to investigate itself, especially in cases of abuse.
Crucifix on church roof church cross silhouetted against the sunset sky.
Duration: 29 minutes 6 seconds

Published: Program: The Religion and Ethics Report

The Good Mother standard: Can anyone live up to it?

Mother Earth. Mother Mary. The "good mother." Is there a more impossible standard than motherhood itself? Every culture seems to believe in a mother who is endless. Endlessly patient, endlessly giving, endlessly present. 
A close up photo of a woman hugging and kissing a baby in a navy striped top
Duration: 54 minutes 37 seconds

Published: Program: God Forbid

Does the Catholic Church need an independent tribunal?

The conviction of the Catholic bishop of Broome raises new questions about the ability of the church to investigate itself, especially in cases of abuse.
Rosary hanging against a blurred background
Duration: 10 minutes

Published: Program: The Religion and Ethics Report

Is opposition to data centres good news for democracy?

At a time of profound polarisation, when the fracturing of media ecosystems has been so complete that any agreement on threats to our common life seems impossible, an issue has emerged capable of bringing voters of every political persuasion…
Large data centre in a local neighbourhood
Duration: 54 minutes 36 seconds

Published: Program: The Minefield

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