Assorted Talks

Niall Ferguson: The War of the World

Karl Marx

Epiphanies: Diane Cilento
She made it big in the movies in the 1950s and 60s, married 'James Bond', Sean Connery, but later turned her back on stardom to embark on a life of spiritual discovery. From Gurdjieff to Sufism, Diane's awakening has been profound

Radical Islam in Pakistan

The question of consciousness
This week on The Philosopher's Zone, John Searle, one of the foremost philosophers in the English-speaking world today, discusses the question of consciousness. What is it to be conscious? And is there really a problem here at all?

The Infinite Book
This week's conversation is with the latest winner of the prestigious Templeton Prize awarded for work bridging science and spiritual beliefs. Dr John Barrow is professor of Mathematical Sciences at Cambridge University and he tackles the big cosmic questions in his new book, appropriately titled The Infinite Book

Grumpy Old Scientists

Bird flu: risks, laws and rights

Breaking the Spell: Daniel Dennett on religion

John Gilbert and John Gould
John Gilbert and John Gould were both enthusiastic and dedicated naturalists who were employed by the Zoological Society in London. John Gilbert came to Australia with John Gould in 1838.

Veiling

Baghdad Bell
After the first world war, Iraqis revolted against a British occupation which hadn't moved fast enough to create an independent Iraqi nation. It was the era of Lawrence of Arabia, an intelligence officer who was sent to the middle east to encourage Arab nationalists to side with Britain. But precious few have heard of another talented informer who often crossed paths with Lawrence. Her name was Miss Gertrude Bell. Europe correspondent Jane Hutcheon looks at how a little known woman made a big difference in Iraq

Making a Living; State Agent in the USA,Restaurant cook in South Africa
Bollywood film extra in India

Civil war haunts Sri Lanka again

The walk to find knowledge
Although India is experiencing huge economic growth, it is also a place where 700 million people still live in the countryside, a world away from the nation's newly acquired shiny image

Taking the train to a new life in China

Liberia's child rape victims

The workings of Internet search engines
Jan Pedersen, chief scientist for search and marketplace with Yahoo!

International Celebrities Discuss Darfur
Actor and Director George Clooney, actor Don Cheadle, long-distance track runner Tegla Loroupe and Olympic speed-skater William Cheek discuss the Darfur crisis with the AUC community

Fighting for Air: The Battle to Control America's Media
Author Eric Klinenberg on media consolidation

The Jesuits
So why was education so important to the Jesuit movement? How much influence did they really have in the courts of Europe and in the colonies? And were they really at the heart of conspiracies to murder kings