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Scholars often describe Australian politics as being a competition between Labor and non-Labor. The implication being that what holds the right-wing of Australian politics together is its shared opposition to the labour movement and its political arm, the Labor Party. Historically, the non-Labor side of Australian politics has formed and re-formed four times, finding its most successful incarnation in the Liberal Party of Australia (1944 - Present). However, if recent polling is to be believed, the Liberal Party's glory days are over. Right-wing populism has finally reached Australia's shores. If an election were held today, One Nation would become the second-biggest party and primary opposition to the Labor Party. To make sense of this profound historical shift, I interviewed Professor Emeritus Judith Brett, who has written several acclaimed books studying Australian liberalism. We discuss the early history of Australian liberalism, its roots in Protestantism, and the gradual erosion of class-based politics in Australia. Get in touch and follow the show on Instagram: @ideasmatterpod

What is post-liberalism, that strange ideology which unites figures as disparate as JD Vance, Patrick Deneen, Maurice Glasman, and Adrian Vermeule? Political theorist Paul Kelly joins Ideas Matter to help make sense of post-liberalism, as well as expose some of its internal contradictions. Paul Kelly is a political theorist at the London School of Economics, and author of several books - including his most recent publication: Against Post-Liberalism (2025) published by Polity Press. You can follow Paul Kelly on Bluesky at @pjthinker.bsky.social Follow the show on Instagram @ideasmatterpod Follow the host, Louis Devine, on Bluesky @louissdevine Reach out via email: [email protected]

The Western world has had a catastrophic experience with difference. Colonialism, racism and imperialism are all uniquely Western phenomena, at least according to today's guest, Professor Shuchen Xiang. China, conversely, has an alternative history - one that embraces and assimilates difference. This is China's cosmopolitan tradition. Shuchen Xiang is Mount Hua Professor of Philosophy at Xidian University, China. I interviewed her about her latest book, Chinese Cosmopolitanism: The History and Philosophy of an Idea (2023) published by Princeton University Press. If you enjoy listening to the show, don't forget to give us a rating. You can contact the show via email, at [email protected], or follow the host on Bluesky (@louissdevine) or Instagram (@ideasmatterpod).

Dr Liam Byrne is a political biographer and historian. He is author of several books, both published by Melbourne University Press: "Becoming John Curtin and James Scullin: The Making of the Modern Labor Party" and "No Power Greater: A History of Union Action in Australia". I recently interviewed Liam to talk about the history of trade unionism in Australia. In this far-reaching discussion, we touch on the values of unionism, how the labour movement responded to the neoliberalism of the 1980s, and some of the unique features of Australia's industrial relations framework. Get in touch with the show on Instagram @ideasmatterpod, or with the host on Bluesky @louissdevine

What do John Stuart Mill, John Rawls, and Chantal Mouffe all have in common? They are all representatives of a distinct liberal socialist tradition, according to today's guest, Matthew McManus. Matt is a lecturer in political science at the University of Michigan, and author of several books on political theory. Today we are discussing his most recent work, The Political Theory of Liberal Socialism. Liberal Socialism seeks to combine the best insights of either tradition, merging strong protections for individual liberties with a more democratic and redistributive economy. So, is it an oxymoron or an idea whose time has come? Let us know what you think! Follow Matt on Bluesky Contact Ideas Matter via email: [email protected] Follow the show on Instagram

What are the ideologies of the Manosphere, and how are they being mainstreamed? Claudia Young, a PhD Candidate at the University of Melbourne, is researching these very questions. In this wide-ranging conversation, we discuss what it means to be 'black-pilled' versus 'red-pilled', how Andrew Tate and Jordan Peterson are popularising misogynistic ideas, as well as Raewyn Connell's path-breaking book, Masculinities. You can follow Claudia's writing on Substack or stay up to date via Bluesky Follow the show on Instagram @ideasmatterpod Email at [email protected]

Can becoming a better liberal really increase your wellbeing? That is the argument made by today's guest, Alexandre Lefebvre, in his latest book: Liberalism as a Way of Life (2024). Liberalism is the hegemonic morality of our times. Rather than despairing at this fact, as many on the post-liberal right do, we should double down on our ideals and strive to become better liberals. A fairer, more playful and fun world awaits us if we do. Lefebvre is Professor of Politics and Philosophy at the University of Sydney. Find out more about his work here. If you enjoy the show, please give us a rating wherever you happen to be listening. Follow the show on Instagram @ideasmatterpod

Kickstarting a new era of Ideas Matter, Louis interviews Canadian-born political theorist Daniel Bell about his latest book, The Dean of Shandong: Confessions of a Minor Bureaucrat at a Chinese University (2023). Bell is currently Chair Professor of Political Theory at the University of Hong Kong. Prior to that, he served as the Dean of Shandong University's Department of Political Science and Public Administration - the first non-Chinese to ever hold such a position. Bell's academic work focusses on Confucianism and how it can be applied to contemporary Chinese politics. He makes a number of controversial but interesting claims, including that Western-style liberal democracy may not be the best way forward for China. Instead, he favours what he calls 'Confucian Political Meritocracy'. If you enjoy the podcast, please leave us a rating. You can reach out on Instagram @ideasmatterpod, or contact the show via email at [email protected] Enjoy!

Sex. The Ego. Repression. Sublimation. The Death Drive. That's right, we're reading Freud. Specifically we are reading two essays by Freud, "Civilised Sexuality Morality and Modern Nervous Illness" (1908) and "Civilisation and its Discontents" (1930). These works provide a brief introduction to core Freudian concepts such as repression and sublimation. Join us for a critical reading of one of the twentieth century's most important thinkers. Follow the show on Instagram @ideasmatterpod Follow co-host Louis on Bluesky @louissdevine Email the show: [email protected]

Some call him "The First Teacher", others simply refer to him as "The Philosopher" - but you probably know him as Aristotle. If all philosophy is a footnote to Plato, then Aristotle is footnote number one. Join us as we discuss the most influential work of moral philosophy in the whole world, The Nicomachean Ethics. The mentioned essay by Quentin Skinner is called "Meaning and Understanding in the History of Ideas". Follow the show on Instagram @ideasmatterpod or reach out via email at [email protected]

Ideas Matter discusses its first non-Western text: the Dao De Jing by Lao Tzu. Daoism is one of the three major religions/philosophies in China, alongside Confucianism and Buddhism. Unlike most other cultures however, these religions are not mutually exclusive. Confucianism is deeply informed by Daoist cosmology, which was in turn informed by the introduction of Buddhism into China from India. The result is a fascinatingly rich and complicated philosophical school of thought with huge contemporary resonance. In this episode we primarily discuss the ideas of 'the Way' (Dao 道) and 'effortless action' (Wu Wei 无为). Please remember to rate the show so that more people can discover Ideas Matter. Stay updated by following the show on Instagram @ideasmatterpod or reach out via email: [email protected]

Alex makes his long-awaited return to the Ideas Matter studio, just in time for a special guest appearance by Dan Crowley. Dan is a man of many talents, a true renaissance man. Most relevant for our purposes is his day job as a scholar of Ancient Greece, particularly of the historian Herodotus. We interview Dan about his research which seeks to reinvigorate Herodotus' approach to historical story-telling by drawing on postmodern theories of history. We both really enjoyed recording this episode and have no doubt that you will love listening to Dan. Please subscribe to his newsletter, Some Writing. If you enjoyed the episode, please rate the show on Spotify or wherever you listen. As always, you can contact the show on Instagram @ideasmatterpod or via email: [email protected]

"All political action has then in itself a directedness towards knowledge of the good: of the good life, or of the good society", writes Leo Strauss in his well-known essay 'What is Political Philosophy?', published in 1957. For Strauss, political philosophy is essentially normative. We do not understand political things unless we take them as phenomena which cry out to be evaluated as good or bad, just or unjust. Today's episode is a brief recapitulation of Strauss' essay, which includes his thoughts on the nature of political philosophy and the difference between classical and modern approaches to the discipline. This episode forms a nice contrast to our episode on Raymond Geuss and his approach of political realism. Do you agree with Strauss that political philosophy is always normative? Or do value-judgements also fall prey to criticism by positivists and historicists? As always, we would love to hear what you think. Contact the show on Instagram or Twitter @ideasmatterpod Please rate and share the podcast, so that more people can learn about ideas that matter!  What is Political Philosophy? By Leo Strauss: https://amzn.to/424WAjT (As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases)

What does it mean to be realistic about politics? Why does Raymond Geuss, a Cambridge political theorist, describe himself as a "neo-Leninist"?   In this episode, Louis gives a run-down of Geuss' hugely influential text Philosophy and Real Politics (2008), which revives the longstanding tradition of political realism in Western philosophy. Political realism is a way of studying politics which treats the political realm as distinct or seperate from the realm of ethics or morality. In this sense, realists treat political philosophy as distinct from moral philosophy. Notable realists throughout history include Aristotle, Augustine, Machiavelli, Hobbes, Niebuhr, Morgenthau, and Lenin.    This is such an excellent book. Geuss writes clearly and to the point. Best of all, it's only 100 pages. I could not recommend it highly enough.   Purchase 'Philosophy and Real Politics' (2008): https://amzn.to/3F2XFi7 (As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases)   View more at ideasmatterpod.com   Follow the show on Instagram @ideasmatterpod    Please rate, share and follow the podcast!

In this video Louis gives a run through of John Rawls' seminal text "A Theory of Justice" published in 1971.  A Theory of Justice is a must-read for anyone interested in Anglo-American political theory. It spawned the liberal-communitarian debate which dominated the academy for twenty years and produced some of the most well-known names in political philosophy: Michael Sandel, Alasdair Macintyre, Charles Taylor and Michael Walzer.  You've probably heard of the "veil of ignorance" and the "original position" - but just what are these conceptual devices and how do they serve Rawls' argument? Does Rawls succeed in defending welfare-state liberalism, or is his theory simply neoliberal apologia? Listen and find out! Watch on Youtube here Follow the show on Instagram @ideasmatterpod Don't forget to rate and share the episode!