Universities and other antidotes to authoritarianism episode artwork

EPISODE · Nov 17, 2025 · 55 MIN

Universities and other antidotes to authoritarianism

from Big Ideas · host Australian Broadcasting Corporation

The United States has long been famous for its world leading universities. But in the face of research funding cuts, government attacks on free speech, DEI and the right to protest, and the persecution of foreign students, could all that be changing?The speech, Poison Ideas: Universities and other Antidotes to Authoritarianism, was recorded at the 2025 conference of the Australasian Council of Deans of Arts, Social Sciences and Humanities (DASSH) representing 350 deans and associate deans from Australian and New Zealand universities.SpeakersSimon Adams - President & CEO, Centre for Victims of Torture, Professor of Human Rights, Murdoch University

The United States has long been famous for its world leading universities. But in the face of research funding cuts, government attacks on free speech, DEI and the right to protest, and the persecution of foreign students, could all that be changing? The speech, Poison Ideas: Universities and other Antidotes to Authoritarianism, was recorded at the 2025 conference of the Australasian Council of Deans of Arts, Social Sciences and Humanities (DASSH) representing 350 deans and associate deans from Australian and New Zealand universities. Speakers Simon Adams - President & CEO, Centre for Victims of Torture, Professor of Human Rights, Murdoch University

NOW PLAYING

Universities and other antidotes to authoritarianism

0:00 55:15

No transcript for this episode yet

We transcribe on demand. Request one and we'll notify you when it's ready — usually under 10 minutes.

No similar episodes found.

No similar podcasts found.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long is this episode of Big Ideas?

This episode is 55 minutes long.

When was this Big Ideas episode published?

This episode was published on November 17, 2025.

What is this episode about?

The United States has long been famous for its world leading universities. But in the face of research funding cuts, government attacks on free speech, DEI and the right to protest, and the persecution of foreign students, could all that be...

Can I download this Big Ideas episode?

Yes, you can download this episode by clicking the download button on the episode player, or subscribe to the podcast in your preferred podcast app for automatic downloads.
URL copied to clipboard!