John Anderson: Conversations

Through rigorous historical and ethical analysis, Nigel Biggar presents a strong case for why the ubiquitous anti-colonial narrative has little grounding in historical fact. Rather, Biggar argues, a survey of the actions of the British Empire in particular reveals it to be a strong force against slavery, racism, and the long list of other sins that are often attributed to it.

Philosopher, scholar and political theorist Dr. Yoram Hazony joins John for a rich and interweaving conversation about conservatism, nationalism, democracy and modern politics. Dr. Hazony, who has recently completed books on several of these topics, provides a compelling critique of the political right - where has gone wrong, the great benefits it can convey for society and how it diverges from liberalism.

John joins Konstantin Kisin for the third time for a wide-ranging conversation. They discuss Kisin's experience as a new father and how that has changed him, his recent viral Oxford Union speech, and the conflict between Ukraine and Russia.

In this conversation, John is joined by British journalist and author, Melanie Phillips. An outspoken British journalist with a reputation for fierce and honest opinions, Melanie offers cut-through commentary on a number of significant cultural and geopolitical issues. She and John discuss the coronation of Charles III, the cultural problems gripping the UK, and the relationship between Israel and the West.

John is joined by Walter Russell Mead, an American academic widely regarded for his incisive analysis of geopolitics and foreign affairs. They consider the worrying isolationist streak that seems to be running through US politics, the continuing struggle for supremacy and global leadership between China and the US, the effectiveness of nuclear deterrence, Western cultural decadence and Israeli democracy.

In this conversation, John is joined by Professor Steven Pinker, world renowned cognitive psychologist, psycholinguist and public intellectual. John and Steven discuss why, despite the profound influence of the Enlightenment on the modern world, so many have been captivated by postmodernism and critical theories which reject the essence of the Enlightenment - rationality and objective truth. They consider what it is to be rational, how rationality relates to being morally 'good', the difference between wisdom and knowledge, science and it's impact on modernity and why bad ideas so often stem from the halls of academia. Steven applies his mind to other topical questions, including the erosion of free speech, the rise of artificial intelligence and how aspiring writers can hone their craft.

In this Conversation, John is joined by former cabinet colleague Peter Costello. Alongside John, Peter was an integral member of the Howard government, serving as Treasurer between 1996 and 2007. No Treasurer in Australia's history has held the position longer than he.

In this conversation, John travels to Seattle to interview Katy Faust and Stacy Manning, co-authors of Them Before Us, a book which argues for a revolution in how we think about the family, and a re-focus on the needs of children above the desires of parents. We need to consider government policies and social changes from the child's perspective, because they don't have a voice of their own.

As Australia prepares to vote in a referendum on a constitutionally enshrined First Nations Voice to Parliament, John sits down with one of Australia's foremost experts on constitutional law for a detailed analysis of what the Voice is likely to be, what it means for the Australian Constitution and system of representational government and what the implications of changing the Constitution to accomodate the Voice could be. 

John Anderson enjoys a long conversation with Douglas Wilson on culture wars, American politics, what it means to be a Christian, and whether Christians can be nationalists.

John is joined by Nicholas Eberstadt for a Direct interview focused on his recent book, Men Without Work. Nicholas scrutinises economic figures in the United States, arguing that the often-cited unemployment rate doesn't account for the millions of prime-age men who have distanced themselves from work and civil society more broadly.

John and Vishal Mangalwadi look at how the Bible has created our modern world, through the lens of the British Empire in India.

In this Direct interview, John is joined by author, essayist, novelist and commentator Mary Eberstadt to delve into contentious issues including the impacts of the sexual revolution, the abandonment of the nuclear family, the #MeToo movement, the politicisation of sexual identity and much more.

The central notions of a healthy relationship, according to Professor Wilcox, are built upon foundations of religious virtues, that can help withstand the challenges that married couples generally experience in a lifetime together.

As Christians around the world prepare to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, John is joined by author Os Guinness to remind us how vital that event was.

John is joined by Joel Kotkin to discuss neo-feudalism and the American middle class' declining faith in democracy, as well as the burden they're facing as a collective.

John is joined by Zuby for a conversation on everything from the trans movement, to Black Lives Matter, to how he's using rap as a force for good.

John joins Professor Paul Rahe for a conversation about the current state of the West and our fragmented world order, centred on the importance of understanding history.

John speaks with national security and technology expert Klon Kitchen, exploring the impact of technology on the American social contract, and its role in contemporary warfare, including the role American 'Big Tech' companies have played in supporting Ukraine in their war with Putin's Russia.

In this Direct interview, John is joined by professors Jay Bhattacharya and Gigi Foster for a scintillating reconsideration of global responses to the Covid pandemic. Among their topics of discussion includes the influence of public health bureaucracies in democratic nations, the impacts and necessity of lockdowns, essential tools for modelling public health economics and a consideration of the efficacy and safety of Covid-19 vaccines.