CLT caught up with some members of the ANU community to talk about teaching as part of our on-going video/audio series which pairs two academics from the ANU to discuss topics in teaching + learning.

This edition features two academics from the School of Politics and International Relations, Dr Jill Sheppard and Dr Michael Zekulin.

Topics covered were they response to 2020 remote teaching, fears within academia, and how they view higher education within the context of the life of students and academics.

Dr Jill Sheppard & Dr Michael Zekulin - School of Politics & International Relations

Andrew Leigh was in conversation with Genevieve Bell on his new book The Shortest History of Economics, a small book that tells a big story.

From ancient times to the modern world, The Shortest History of Economics unearths the hidden economic forces behind war, innovation and social transformation. It traces how capitalism and the market system emerged, and introduces the key ideas and people who shaped the discipline of economics.

From the agricultural revolution to the warming of our planet, Andrew Leigh tells the story of economics that ranges across centuries and continents, highlighting the diversity of the discipline. He delves into the radical origins of the game of Monopoly, why the invention of the plough worsened gender inequality, how certain diseases shaped the patterns of colonialism, the reasons skyscrapers emerged first in American cities, and much more.

The result is an illuminating, entertaining book about the economic ideas and forces that shape our world. As Andrew writes, 'The secret of economics is that the most powerful insights come from a handful of big ideas that anyone can follow.'

'If you read just one book about economics, make it Andrew Leigh's clear, insightful, and remarkable (and short) work. Learn why we are richer, live longer, have healthier children, are monumentally more productive and are happier than our ancestors.' – Claudia Goldin, Nobel Laureate, Henry Lee Professor of Economics, Harvard University

Andrew Leigh is the Assistant Minister for Competition, Charities, Treasury and Employment, and Federal Member for Fenner in the ACT. Before being elected in 2010, Andrew was a Professor of Economics at The Australian National University. He holds a PhD in Public Policy from Harvard and is a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Social Sciences. Andrew is the author or co-author of ten books, on topics including innovation, inequality, community, globalisation and existential risk.

Distinguished Professor Genevieve Bell AO FTSE FAHA was appointed the 13th Vice-Chancellor and President of The Australian National University in January 2024, the University’s first female Vice-Chancellor. Genevieve, also a Vice President and a Senior Fellow at Intel Corporation, is best known for her work at the intersection of cultural practice and technology development and for being an important voice in the global debates around artificial intelligence and human society.

The vote of thanks was given by ANU Research School of Economics Associate Professor Martine Mariotti

This event was in association with Harry Hartog Bookshop.

Meet the author - Andrew Leigh

Sarah Bailey was in conversation with Chris Hammer on her new novel Body of Lies, the latest in her award-winning Gemma Woodstock series.

Meet the author - Sarah Bailey

Kathy Lette was in conversation with Karen Hardy on Kathy's new novel The Revenge Club, a subversive, irreverent revenge romp.

Meet the author - Kathy Lette

Julia Baird was in conversation with Virginia Haussegger on her new book Bright Shining. How grace changes everything. From the bestselling author of Phosphorescence comes a beautiful and timely exploration of that most mysterious but necessary of human qualities: grace.

Meet the author - Julia Baird

World-leading forest expert, Professor David Lindenmayer, was in conversation with Alex Sloan on his new book The Forest Wars, which lifts the lid on destruction of native forests by government corporations and logging industry that is making bushfires worse, killing wildlife and costing taxpayers millions, for the sake of woodchips for export.

Meet the author - David Lindenmayer

Award-winning writer and journalist Louise Milligan was in conversation with Amy Remeikis on Pheasants Nest, a gripping, propulsive and brilliantly original debut novel.

Meet the author - Louise Milligan

Paul Tilley was in conversation, moderated by Miranda Stewart, with Ken Henry on Paul's new book Mixed Fortunes. A History of Tax Reform in Australia. Australia's history is sprinkled with attempts at tax reform - some successful, some not. Mixed Fortunes explores these efforts at substantive change in our tax system.

Meet the author - Paul Tilley

Lech Blaine was in conversation with Mark Kenny on his new quarterly essay Bad Cop. Peter Dutton's Strongman Politics. Who is Peter Dutton, and what happened to the Liberal Party? In Bad Cop, Lech Blaine traces the making of a hardman – from Queensland detective to leader of the Opposition, from property investor to minister for Home Affairs. This is a story of ambition, race and power, and a politician with a plan.

Meet the author - Lech Blaine

James Bradley was in conversation with Beejay Silcox on his new book Deep Water: The World in the Ocean, which through the lens and narratives of the ocean, offers vital new ways of understanding and being in the world, and how we anticipate our climate future.

The ocean holds a vast space of meaning and connections. It has shaped and sustained life on earth for billions of years, nurturing the evolution of species, fostering a deep connection with Indigenous cultures, witnessing the devastation of colonial exploration, and suffering the consequences of extractivist expansion.

Deep Water is both a hymn to the beauty, mystery and wonder of the ocean, and a reckoning with our complex relationship to the natural world. . Weaving together science, history and personal reflection it explores the way the ocean connects every living being on Earth, the origins of the environmental catastrophe that is overtaking us and the question of what lies ahead.

‘This beautiful lucid hymn to the sea is a reminder of what we still have, what we stand to lose and why we must never stop fighting to save our home ' Tim Winton

James Bradley’s books include the novels Wrack, The Deep Field, The Resurrectionist, Clade and Ghost Species and The Penguin Book of the Ocean. His essays and articles have appeared in The Monthly, The Guardian, Sydney Review of Books, Griffith Review, Meanjin, the Weekend Australian and the Sydney Morning Herald. In 2012 he won the Pascall Prize for Australia’s Critic of the Year, and he has been shortlisted twice for the Bragg Prize for Science Writing and nominated for a Walkley Award.

Beejay Silcox is an Australian writer and critic, the Artistic Director of Canberra Writers Festival, and chair of the 2024 Stella Prize. Beejay’s literary criticism and cultural commentary regularly appears in literary and arts publications including the Times Literary Supplement,TheGuardian, and the New York Times.

The vote of thanks was given by Tim Hollo, Executive Director of the Green Institute

This event was in association with Harry Hartog Bookshop.

Meet the author - James Bradley

Hugh Mackay was in conversation with Virginia Haussegger on his new book, The Way We Are. Lessons from a lifetime of listening, in which Australia's leading social psychologist examines our society today and asks timely and urgent questions about its future

Life is messy. Relationships are complex. Outcomes are uncertain. Yet none of our differences—whether based on ethnicity, politics, religion, cultural tastes and preferences, or gender—are nearly as significant as the humanity we share. Amidst our epidemics of loneliness, anxiety and depression, and the impacts of entrenched poverty and ubiquitous technology, The Way We Are examines the major trends that are shaking the foundations of the Australian way of life.

Drawing on thousands of interviews over a lifetime of research, Hugh Mackay presents a compelling portrait of Australia today. He celebrates the march towards gender equality and explains the stubborn persistence of misogyny, the anti-social consequences of social media, the complex legacy of the Baby Boomers, and the 'fake wisdom' that guides too much of our thinking. Exploring the steady decline in religious faith and practice, Hugh identifies the many gods we continue to worship, and points to the positive role that dreaming can play in our lives. Though some of his observations may not be easy reading, Hugh's analysis is suffused with affection for our country.

Inspiring, provocative and powerfully argued, The Way We Are is the most important—and uplifting—book you'll read all year. It will encourage you to reflect deeply on the question: What kind of society do we want to become?

Hugh Mackay AO is a social psychologist and bestselling author. His non-fiction covers social analysis, psychology, communication and ethics. He is also the author of nine novels. Hugh has had a 60 year career in social research and was a weekly newspaper columnist for twenty-five years. He is a fellow of the Australian Psychological Society and the Royal Society of New South Wales and has been awarded honorary doctorates by five Australian universities. He is currently an honorary professor in the School of Medicine and Psychology at the Australian National University.

Virginia Haussegger AM is an award winning journalist, broadcaster & former ABC News anchor in Canberra. Virginia is an Adjunct Professor at the University of Canberra and Deputy Chair of the media think-tank PIJI, the Public Interest Journalism Initiative. In 2019, Virginia was named ACT Australian of The Year, in recognition of her community leadership and women's rights advocacy.

The vote of thanks was given by Frank Bongiorno AM Professor of History ANU and President of the Australian Historical Association.

This event was in association with Harry Hartog Bookshop.

Meet the author - Hugh Mackay

The Centre for Learning and Teaching provides expert advice and support to the ANU education community. We do this through collaborative partnerships focusing on innovative learning & teaching - and hope to work with you soon!

Dr Jill Sheppard & Dr Michael Zekulin - School of Politics & International Relations

ANU Centre for Learning & Teaching

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