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The Conversation Weekly

The Conversation
Women's Roles In Politics
Far-Right Politics
Anti-Feminism
Social Media Influence
Traditional Gender Roles
Social Media Influencers
Online Radicalization
Right-Wing Nationalism
Covid-19 Misinformation
Conspiracy Theories
Auschwitz
Israel
Academic Freedom
Tattoo
Generational Trauma
Dreams
Biodiversity
Conservation
Amazon Rainforest
Cognitive Load

A show for curious minds, from The Conversation. Each week, host Gemma Ware speaks to an academic expert about a topic in the news to understand how we got here.

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes244Founded5 years ago
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News CommentaryNewsScience

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Latest Episodes

As one of the birthplaces of the industrial revolution, the River Mersey in northern England is no stranger to pollution flowing into its waters. Now it's got a new problem: monitoring shows the amount of forever chemicals, also known as PFAS, enteri... more

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Back in the 1980s, when Shimon Sakaguchi was a young researcher in immunology, he found it difficult to get his research funded. Now, his pioneering work which explains how our immune system knows when and what to attack, has won him a Nobel prize.

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As Donald Trump gives oxygen to unproven theories about what might be behind a recent rise in autism cases, experts repeatedly point to the changing nature of how autism is diagnosed and viewed.

A key moment in the history of autism diagnosis was th... more

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Donald Trump is not letting up pressure on the US Federal Reserve. He's taken efforts to fire one of its governors, all the way up to the US Supreme Court.

Trump's clash with the Fed echoes pressure that Richard Nixon put on the central bank in the... more

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Key Facts

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Recent Guests

Patrick Byrne
Professor of Water Science at Liverpool John Moores University
Liverpool John Moores University
Episode: The hidden sources of forever chemicals
Shimon Sakaguchi
Distinguished professor at the Immunology Frontier Research Center, joint winner of the 2025 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine.
Osaka University
Episode: Nobel laureate Shimon Sakaguchi on his immune system breakthrough
Andrew Whitehouse
Deputy Director of the Kids Research Institute Australia and Professor of Autism Research at the University of Western Australia
Kids Research Institute Australia
Episode: The diagnosis dimension to the rise in autism
Cristina Bodea
Professor of comparative politics and international relations at Michigan State University
Michigan State University
Episode: Pressuring the Fed doesn't end well
Maha Nassar
Historian specializing in Palestinian history and an associate professor at the University of Arizona.
University of Arizona
Episode: Palestinian statehood: the route to recognition
Keiran Hardy
Associate professor in the School of Criminology and Criminal Justice at Griffith University, researching counterterrorism and conspiracy-fueled extremism.
Griffith University
Episode: The sovereign citizen movement's spread around the world
Meredith Oyen
Historian and Associate Professor of History and Asian Studies
University of Maryland, Baltimore County
Episode: How China is weaponising the history of WWII
Scarlett Howard
Lecturer and research fellow at Monash University, studying animal cognition.
Monash University
Episode: Teaching animals irrelevant skills can reveal the secrets of cognition
Mark Miodownik
Professor of Materials and Society at University College London
University College London
Episode: How the world got hooked on plastic

Host

Gemma Ware
Host of a show that engages with academic experts to explore complex topics in the news.

Reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars from 345 ratings
  • Amy Gaeta episode

    Gaeta’s defense of people with undiagnosed disabilities cheating their employers to ‘get what they need’ when completely unchallenged by the host. This podcast is insufferable.

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    DJDane
    United States4 months ago
  • Essential listening

    The Conversation Weekly is always interesting, never trivial, and essential listening to anyone wishing to better understand the world we live in.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    monsieur_ghislain
    Canada4 months ago
  • Varied and fascinating

    In-depth discussions on a diverse range of interesting topics. Highly recommended.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    nedbrowne
    United Kingdom8 months ago
  • Sensible and calm discussion

    The podcast on how the world fell in love with plastic is very educational. Clear on how we got to where we are, the value of plastic and the serious situation we are now in. Best I have heard on this subject.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Them Changes first single
    United Kingdom9 months ago
  • High quality

    I love how much I can learn from the experts speaking from their field. Conversations with people who really know what they’re talking about.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Golzed
    New Zealand2 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

The expert guests provide valuable insights, enhancing the educational quality of discussions.
Highly recommended for its in-depth discussions on diverse topics.
Quality production and engaging, informative content, but some find music distracting.
Listeners appreciate the calm and rational approach to controversial issues.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Nobel laureate Shimon Sakaguchi on his immune system breakthrough
Q: Did you realize at that moment that you'd made a big discovery?
I think in immunology, it is something important for understanding immunological diseases, but whether it is a big discovery really depends on if we can demonstrate the cure.
Nobel laureate Shimon Sakaguchi on his immune system breakthrough
Q: How did you become interested in the way the immune system works?
I was very much interested in immunological tolerance, how the immune system protects ourselves from invading microbes but also sometimes reacts with ourselves and causes autoimmune disease.
The diagnosis dimension to the rise in autism
Q: Is there any talk of creating a separate diagnosis again for different ends of the spectrum?
Yes, there is talk about developing a category called profound autism for individuals with very significant disabilities, which has sparked considerable debate.
The diagnosis dimension to the rise in autism
Q: What were the debates leading up to that moment when the definition changed?
The debates were stimulated by research showing that autism could also be present in individuals with above average intellectual abilities, not just those with significant disabilities.
The diagnosis dimension to the rise in autism
Q: If somebody was diagnosed back then as autistic, what would that have meant?
In the early 1990s, autism was diagnosed primarily based on restricted and repetitive behaviors, as well as social interaction difficulties, leading to very few diagnoses.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

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Frequently Asked Questions About The Conversation Weekly

What is The Conversation Weekly about and what kind of topics does it cover?

Engaging with current events through the lens of academic expertise, this podcast focuses on topics widely discussed in news cycles, providing listeners with insightful context and analysis. Each episode features a conversation with an expert who unpacks complex issues, from international relations and environmental concerns to cultural history and technological advancements. This approach not only informs but also enhances understanding of the myriad factors influencing global issues today. The podcast's emphasis on thoughtful dialogue makes it particularly appealing to those interested in deepening their knowledge of the world around them and grappling with pressing societal challenges.

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Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for The Conversation Weekly. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to The Conversation Weekly and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

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How many subscribers and views does The Conversation Weekly have?

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Which podcasts are similar to The Conversation Weekly?

These podcasts share a similar audience with The Conversation Weekly:

1. Politics with Michelle Grattan
2. Full Story
3. Big Ideas
4. Australian Politics
5. Late Night Live — Full program podcast

How many episodes of The Conversation Weekly are there?

The Conversation Weekly launched 5 years ago and published 244 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact The Conversation Weekly?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for The Conversation Weekly?

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What guests have appeared on The Conversation Weekly?

Recent guests on The Conversation Weekly include:

1. Patrick Byrne
2. Shimon Sakaguchi
3. Andrew Whitehouse
4. Cristina Bodea
5. Maha Nassar
6. Keiran Hardy
7. Meredith Oyen
8. Scarlett Howard

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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