The Ramsay Centre Podcast
Episodes
The Ramsay Centre Podcast: | Might Makes Right? Great Powers and Challenges to the International Order – Prof Brendan Simms
24 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The “rules-based” international system is under threat, both from within and without. However, this is not the first time it has faced challenges,...
The Ramsay Centre Podcast: The Truth Test: Science and Pseudoscience in a World of Information Overload – Prof Ian Frazer AC.
17 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Science is power. So is the ability to persuade people that something is scientific or supported by science, i.e. that science is “on your side”. ...
The Ramsay Centre Podcast: The future West: How we can harness new technologies to transform lives – Dr Catherine Ball
02 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
From the scientific method, to the post-industrial economy, to new digital technologies, the West has played a pivotal role in many of the most transf...
The Ramsay Centre Podcast: Digging Up History: What the Treasures of the Past Can Teach Us Today – Bettany Hughes
26 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In the age of AI and the smartphone is history a vital form of knowledge? How can the treasures of the past enrich our minds and help us to live more ...
The Ramsay Centre Podcast: Welcome to Oz – Immigration 1788-2100 – Bernard Salt AM together with Professor James Curran
05 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Today some 30 per cent of Australia’s population was born overseas, double the proportion in the US and the UK. How has Australia managed to add so ...
The Ramsay Centre Podcast: The Tragedy of 21st Century Geopolitics – Robert D. Kaplan
13 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Trying to make sense of a world where great power rivalry, war and competition for resources are not ghosts of history but present realities?From the ...
The Ramsay Centre Podcast: Well-Tempered Power: The Rule of Law in Theory & Practice – Professor Martin Krygier
11 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
What is the key to ‘well-tempered power’? Can the rule of law be sustained by the law alone, or does it need to be blended with distinct cultural,...
The Ramsay Centre Podcast: Getting Russia Right – Kyle Wilson
31 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
What is Russian exceptionalism? How can we best understand the mindset of Russians and Russian President Vladimir Putin to ensure the most effective r...
The Ramsay Centre Podcast: Liberal Education in the 21st Century – Andrew Kern
20 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
What is ‘liberal education’? What distinguishes it from vocational education, and even programs of study adopted in many modern liberal arts progr...
The Ramsay Centre Podcast: Living with Leviathans: Australia in a Multipolar Age – Professor Michael Wesley
09 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
What does it mean for Australia that it is part of the West, but geographically remote from it? Must we choose between our geography and our traditi...
The Ramsay Centre Podcast: Navigating between China and the US in Asia - Mike Green, Lavina Lee, Milton Osborne, Sam Roggeveen
25 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Australia’s complex strategic landscape is situated at the crossroads between two global giants – China and the United States. To help explore the...
The Ramsay Centre Podcast: Is the West eccentric? – Rémi Brague
31 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
For our ninth Ramsay Lecture for 2023, the Centre is delighted to present an exploration of the topic Is the West eccentric? in a recorded conversatio...
The Ramsay Centre Podcast: Are the History Wars Worth Fighting? – Robert Tombs
27 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Is our past being misrepresented in our schools, cultural institutions, and the broader society; leading to the history of the West being presented as...
The Ramsay Centre Podcast: Who Will Save Us Now? Searching for Meaning in an Age of Unbelief – John Carroll
17 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
If the modern West is both statistically and culturally no longer Christian, who will save us now? What remains? Are we still searching for meaning in...
The Ramsay Centre Podcast: A Reflection on Liberal Education - An exclusive panel discussion with Emily Langston, Simon Haines and Stephen McInerney
04 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
What is liberal education? How is it different from professional or practical education? What does it set out to do and how does it form us? To help ...
The Ramsay Centre Podcast: Secondary Education: Laying the Foundation - An exclusive panel discussion with Elena Douglas, Sarah Golsby-Smith and Elizabeth Stone
14 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Is our secondary education at risk of becoming second-rate? Is the curriculum too fragmented and lacking in rigour? Have we focused too much on new tr...
The Ramsay Centre Podcast: WEIRD Minds: How religion, marriage and the family made the West psychologically peculiar and particularly prosperous - An exclusive lecture by Dr Joseph Henrich
11 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Do people in the West think differently to other populations across the globe? Are they psychologically peculiar? If so, why: and what role has this p...
The Ramsay Centre Podcast: The Socratic Method in the Western Tradition - An exclusive lecture by Peter Boghossian
27 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
How do we have “impossible conversations”? What is the basis of belief? How do we disagree fruitfully across philosophical, ideological, and relig...
The Ramsay Centre Podcast: Western Civilisation: An Australian View - An exclusive panel discussion with Paul Kelly, John Lee and Dave Sharma
08 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
What form does Western civilisation take in modern Australia? What are our unique considerations on being part of the West? How has Western civilisati...
The Ramsay Centre Podcast: John Minford | Four Classics of Chinese Literature: Thoughts from Another Great Civilisation
14 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this lecture, the world’s foremost living translator of Chinese literature, Emeritus Professor John Minford, explores four great works in the Chi...
The Ramsay Centre Podcast: Hon. Kim Beazley – Australian Self-Reliance: The Task for Our Defence Review
09 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
What must Australia do to counter the rising military presence of China on Australia’s doorstep? How can it best position itself to meet its securit...
The Ramsay Centre Podcast: Mary Eberstadt – How the West Really Lost God
14 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In the sixth Ramsay Lecture for 2022 US author and cultural critic Mary Eberstadt expands on the central thesis of her 2013 title, How the West Really...
The Ramsay Centre Podcast: Roosevelt Montás - The Liberal Arts: why they matter more than ever
13 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
What is the effect of reading a whole curriculum of ‘Great Books’? Can prolonged exposure to such texts radically alter the course of a life? Can ...
The Ramsay Centre Podcast: Professor the Hon Bob Carr - How politics and books shaped a life
29 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In the fifth Ramsay Lecture for 2022, former NSW Premier and Foreign Minister, and one of Australia’s most well-read public figures, and an author h...
The Ramsay Centre Podcast: Gary Johns - Charity, Enhancing its value to Australian society
17 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In the first in-person Ramsay Lecture for 2022, former Commissioner of the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission, the Hon Dr Gary John...
The Ramsay Centre Podcast: Peter Craven - Classics and why we must keep them alive
26 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In the third Ramsay Lecture for 2022, one of Australia’s leading public intellectuals and our most distinguished independent literary critical voice...
The Ramsay Centre Podcast: Rowan Callick OBE - The party that ate China: the subsuming of a great culture
12 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In the second Ramsay Lecture for 2022, Walkley Award winner and distinguished China commentator Rowan Callick OBE offers unique insight into the Chine...
The Ramsay Centre Podcast: Bettany Hughes - Venus and Aphrodite: A Biography of Desire
29 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In the first Ramsay Lecture for 2022, world-famous historian, author and broadcaster Professor Bettany Hughes OBE, takes us on a journey piecing toget...
The Ramsay Centre Podcast: Tom Holland – ‘Why the West is more Christian than it thinks’
06 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
What has been the impact of Christianity on the development of Western civilisation? Could it have been so profound that it is now hidden from view? E...
The Ramsay Centre Podcast: Socrates and his Athens - An exclusive lecture by Professor Bettany Hughes OBE
24 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In the eighth Ramsay Lecture for 2021, world-famous historian, author and broadcaster, Professor Bettany Hughes OBE, takes us back to Golden Age Athen...
The Ramsay Centre Podcast: The Great Covid Panic: Ramsay Centre CEO Prof. Simon Haines in Discussion with Prof. Gigi Foster
25 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In this seventh Ramsay Lecture for 2021, Professor Gigi Foster joins Ramsay Centre CEO, Professor Simon Haines, in discussion on The Great Covid Panic...
The Ramsay Centre Podcast: "Istanbul, Constantinople, Byzantium – the Queen of Cities" An exclusive lecture by Bettany Hughes OBE
19 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In the sixth Ramsay Lecture for 2021, world-famous historian, author and broadcaster, Professor Bettany Hughes OBE, takes us on ‘dazzling historical...
The Ramsay Centre Podcast: The sensible centre: can it hold? In conversation with award-winning journalist Chris Uhlmann
28 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In the fifth Ramsay Lecture for 2021, Ramsay Centre CEO Professor Simon Haines interviews Chris Uhlmann about Australia’s response to COVID-19, and ...
The Ramsay Centre Podcast: Great Books of the Western Canon – Podcast 13 – Aeschylus’ The Oresteia: The Eumenides
07 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The Ramsay Centre Podcast: The Last Straw: has Covid-19 finally broken freedom’s back? Lord Daniel Hannan in conversation with Professor Simon Haines
25 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In the fourth Ramsay Lecture for 2021, Ramsay Centre CEO Professor Simon Haines interviews Lord Daniel Hannan where they discuss and answer the questi...
The Ramsay Centre Podcast: Great Books of the Western Canon – Podcast 12 – Aeschylus' The Oresteia: The Libation Bearers
14 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The Ramsay Centre Podcast: Great Books of the Western Canon – Podcast 11 - Aeschylus' The Oresteia: Agamemnon
26 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The Ramsay Centre Podcast: Why are we so rich - Prof Deirdre McCloskey, University of Illinois at Chicago
03 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Prof Deirdre McCloskey, University of Illinois at Chicago discusses why Liberalism and not investment or exploitation or Christianity made us rich.
The Ramsay Centre Podcast: Why Liberalism Failed - Prof Patrick Deneen in conversation with Dr Stephen McInerney
04 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Prof Patrick Deneen discusses his latest book, Why Liberalism Failed, highlighting issues that are facing the west and our democracies.
The Ramsay Centre Podcast: ABC Radio Newcastle Drive program: Paul Turton discusses Western Civilisation with Ramsay Centre CEO Professor Simon Haines
20 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Feature interview with Centre CEO Professor Simon Haines on Western Civilisation. What is it? What are its notable achievements? Why is it worth s...
The Ramsay Centre Podcast: Margaret Thatcher: Lord Charles Moore in conversation with the Hon John Howard OM AC
07 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In the first Ramsay Lecture for 2021, former Australian Prime Minister John Howard interviews Lord Charles Moore, the authorised biographer of former ...
The Ramsay Centre Podcast: Prof Peter Tregear OAM - A Matter of Some Notes
09 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Conductor, singer, author, Professor Peter Tregear OAM discusses the importance of, and the changes to the study of classical music in our universitie...
The Ramsay Centre Podcast: Ita Buttrose AC OBE – The ABC, Democracy and the Importance of Press Freedom
23 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
ABC Chair, Australian media and publishing icon, and 2013 Australian of the Year, Ita Buttrose presents a Ramsay Lecture titled ‘The ABC, Democracy ...
The Ramsay Centre Podcast: Peter Baldwin Part 1 – Turning Back the Woke Tide
11 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Peter Baldwin former ALP Politician presents a two part Ramsay Lecture titled “Turning Back the Woke Tide” - Part 1
The Ramsay Centre Podcast: Peter Baldwin Part 2 – Turning Back the Woke Tide
11 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Peter Baldwin former ALP Politician presents a two part Ramsay Lecture titled “Turning Back the Woke Tide” - Part 2
The Ramsay Centre Podcast: Prof Bettany Hughes – The Odyssey – Odysseus’ Journey and His Women
28 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Award-winning historian, author, and broadcaster, Professor Bettany Hughes presents a Ramsay Lecture titled ‘The Odyssey – Odysseus’ Journey and...
The Ramsay Centre Podcast: Lionel Shriver – Just Because We’ve Been Okay Doesn’t Mean We’ll Stay That Way
14 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Award-winning author and journalist Lionel Shriver presents a Ramsay Lecture titled - ‘Just because we’ve been okay doesn’t mean we’ll stay...
The Ramsay Centre Podcast: Prof Andrew Roberts – Why we Must Believe in Western Civilisation
21 Aug 2020
Contributed by Lukas
‘Why we must believe in Western Civilisation’ – Ramsay Lecture by UK historian Professor Andrew Roberts, introduction by Ramsay Centre CEO Profe...
The Ramsay Centre Podcast: Emeritus Prof John Fitzgerald AM – Trust in Time of Pandemic: The Use and Abuse of Civilisations - Episode 1
01 Jun 2020
Contributed by Lukas
The Ramsay Centre Podcast: Emeritus Prof John Fitzgerald AM – Trust in Time of Pandemic: The Use and Abuse of Civilisations - Episode 2
31 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
The Ramsay Centre Podcast: Emeritus Prof John Fitzgerald AM – Trust in Time of Pandemic: The Use and Abuse of Civilisations - Episode 3
31 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
The Ramsay Centre Podcast: Emeritus Prof John Fitzgerald AM – Trust in Time of Pandemic: The Use and Abuse of Civilisations - Episode 4
31 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
The Ramsay Centre Podcast: Great Books of the Western Canon – Podcast 1 - Sophocles’ Oedipus Rex
11 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
The Ramsay Centre Podcast: Great Books of the Western Canon – Podcast 2 - Plato’s Apology
11 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
The Ramsay Centre Podcast: Great Books of the Western Canon – Podcast 3 - Augustine’s Confessions
11 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
The Ramsay Centre Podcast: Great Books of the Western Canon – Podcast 4 – Machiavelli’s The Prince
11 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
The Ramsay Centre Podcast: Great Books of the Western Canon – Podcast 5 – Shakespeare’s Macbeth
11 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
The Ramsay Centre Podcast: Great Books of the Western Canon – Podcast 6 – Aristotle’s Ethics (Bk 1) and Aquinas’s ST I-II (Qs 1-5)
10 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
The Ramsay Centre Podcast: Great Books of the Western Canon – Podcast 7 – Nietzsche's Genealogy of Morals
10 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
The Ramsay Centre Podcast: Great Books of the Western Canon – Podcast 8 – Shakespeare’s The Tempest
10 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
The Ramsay Centre Podcast: Great Books of the Western Canon – Podcast 9 – Shakespeare’s Hamlet
10 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
The Ramsay Centre Podcast: Great Books of the Western Canon – Podcast 10 - Prufrock and Other Observations
10 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
The Ramsay Centre Podcast: Simon Haines in conversation with John Bell AO OBE on Shakespeare
26 Nov 2019
Contributed by Lukas
On Tuesday 19 November John Bell AO OBE, actor, theatre director, founder of Bell Shakespeare, joined our CEO Professor Simon Haines for a conversatio...
The Ramsay Centre Podcast: Simon Haines speaks with Anastasia Lin
26 Nov 2019
Contributed by Lukas
On Tuesday 27 August Canadian-Chinese actress and human rights advocate Anastasia Lin and Ramsay Centre CEO Professor Simon Haines discussed the West,...
The Ramsay Centre Podcast: Rachel Fulton Brown – Great Books of the Middle Ages and How to Read Them
10 Sep 2019
Contributed by Lukas
On Wednesday 14 August Rachel Fulton Brown from the University of Chicago delivered a Ramsay Lecture for 2019 at the Sydney Harbour Marriott Hotel. ...
The Ramsay Centre Podcast: Anastasia Lin - Has the Cultural Revolution arrived in the West?
02 Sep 2019
Contributed by Lukas
On Tuesday 27 August Canadian-Chinese actress and human rights advocate Anastasia Lin and Ramsay Centre CEO Professor Simon Haines discussed the West,...
The Ramsay Centre Podcast: Stephen McInerney speaks with Rachel Fulton Brown
19 Aug 2019
Contributed by Lukas
What is the Middle Ages and what can we learn from that period about truth, beauty and goodness, to enhance the joy of modern learning? Ramsay Centre ...
The Ramsay Centre Podcast: Stephen McInerney speaks with Helen Pluckrose
29 Jul 2019
Contributed by Lukas
What does a fake ‘dog park study’ tell us about scholarship in certain areas of the humanities? Is feminism what it once was? What does it mean to...
The Ramsay Centre Podcast: Helen Pluckrose - The Rise and Whys of Grievance Studies
18 Jun 2019
Contributed by Lukas
On Tuesday 18 June Helen Pluckrose, Editor in Chief for Areo Magazine delivered the fourth Ramsay Lecture for 2019 at the Sydney Harbour Marriott Hote...
The Ramsay Centre Podcast: Rod Dreher - Recovering and Sustaining Cultural Memory
21 May 2019
Contributed by Lukas
On Tuesday 21 May Rod Dreher, Senior Editor for The American Conservative, delivered a Ramsay Lecture at the State Library of NSW. The title of his le...
The Ramsay Centre Podcast: Greg Sheridan AO - The Case for God
09 Apr 2019
Contributed by Lukas
On Tuesday 9 April, Greg Sheridan AO, Foreign Editor, The Australian and Author delivered the second Ramsay Lecture for 2019. The title of his lecture...
The Ramsay Centre Podcast: Professor Fiona Wood AM - The impact of western science on today’s society
19 Mar 2019
Contributed by Lukas
On Tuesday 19 March, national living treasure and former Australian of the Year, Professor Fiona Wood AM, Plastic and Reconstruction Surgeon, delive...