Rephonic
Artwork for The Minefield

The Minefield

ABC Australia
Democracy
Philosophy
Artificial Intelligence
Ramadan
Social Media
Education
Australia
Donald Trump
Ethics
Comedy
Climate Change
Social Cohesion
Friendship
Populism
Taylor Swift
Moral Philosophy
Australian Federal Election
Australian Politics
Freedom
Gaza

In a world marked by wicked social problems, The Minefield helps you negotiate the ethical dilemmas, contradictory claims and unacknowledged complicities of modern life.

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes502Founded11 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
PhilosophySociety & Culture

Listen to this Podcast

Artwork for The Minefield

Latest Episodes

It is hard to imagine a series of events more tragic, more unseemly, more emblematic of the performativity and polarisation that dominate our time, than the premature rise, sudden fall and untimely death of Jason Arday.

In 2023, the University of Ca... more

At a time of profound polarisation, when the fracturing of media ecosystems has been so complete that any agreement on threats to our common life seems impossible, an issue has emerged capable of bringing voters of every political persuasion together... more

The widespread availability of GLP-1 based drugs has been lauded as a “revolution in weight loss” and as inaugurating the “end of obesity”. As we’ve discussed previously, health benefits aside, there are concerns that such weight-loss drugs don’t jus... more

Ever since Aristotle, it has been recognised that money poses a particular threat to the integrity of political office. Ever the realist, Aristotle knew that those who seek political office are invariably motivated by a certain ambition (philótimo). ... more

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
Contact Information
Podcast Host
Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

Recent Guests

Craig Calhoun
University Professor of Social Sciences at Arizona State University and visiting Professor of Sociology at Princeton University
Arizona State University; Princeton University
Episode: Is opposition to data centres good news for democracy?
Renae Fomiatti
Australian Research Council Decra Senior Research Fellow at the Australian Research Centre in Sex, Health and Society
La Trobe University, Australian Research Centre in Sex, Health and Society
Episode: Should fat from cadavers be used for cosmetic procedures?
Yee-Fui Ng
Associate Professor of Law at Monash University
Monash University
Episode: How to protect democratic politics from the malign influence of money?
Adam Piovarchy
Research fellow examining ethics and politics of prediction markets
University of Notre Dame Australia
Episode: Do prediction markets enhance our understanding of the world or corrupt it?
Clare Bowditch
Australian musician, broadcaster, author, actress, film critic
Independent guest on The Minefield
Episode: ‘The Devil Wears Prada’ — high fashion or vision of hell?
Anna Funder
Professor of Practice in Creative Writing, University of Sydney; award-winning author
University of Sydney
Episode: Copyright theft is AI’s original sin — are we doomed to repeat it?
Glenda Ballantyne
Senior Lecturer in Sociology, Swinburne University of Technology; Coordinator of the Australian Intercultural Cities National Network
Swinburne University of Technology
Episode: Why the anxieties over multiculturalism? What’s the appeal of a monocultural society?
Paul Strangio
Emeritus Professor of Politics at Monash University
Monash University
Episode: One Nation is on the rise — but do we know what it means?
Kirsten Mann
Postdoctoral fellow in School of Philosophy, Australian National University
Australian National University
Episode: The ethics of ‘longtermism’ — what are our obligations to the future?

Hosts

Waleed Aly
Host of The Minefield; frequent co-host on ABC Radio National and related programs.
Scott Stephens
Co-host; long-running contributor with a background in journalism and public affairs.

Reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars from 1.5k ratings
  • Great topics but a little less verbosity please

    I really enjoy the topics Waleed and Scott unpack and I think the debate is excellent but I do struggle with Scott’s verbosity

    Apple Podcasts
    4
    Gj_h
    United Kingdom3 months ago
  • Funny and wise

    A huge fan. But Scott could speak more clearly and simply. Waleed gets the tone right and is a wonderful communicator.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    SimonAlfref
    Australia5 months ago
  • Thankyou

    The episode on incarceration of children was excellent and easy listening, I loved you all but the guest was terrific on this episode

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    pakkykid
    Australia9 months ago
  • Listener Questions . . .

    Brilliant‼️ More please‼️

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    M.G.Gaede
    Australiaa year ago
  • Great Show But…

    This is a fabulous show but I’ve been listening less. Mainly because it’s virtually impossible to contact the team. Guving feedback and asking for subjects to be included is sadly very difficult. So I came here! Hopefully they read this

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    davehammond
    Australiaa year ago

Listeners Say

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

Some listeners wish for easier contact with the team and guests.
Guests are generally strong and well-prepared; some critique verbosity from the hosts.
The mix of academia and journalism is valued for rigor and relevance.
Listeners praise deep, civil debates but want tighter pacing.

Chart Rankings

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

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Should fat from cadavers be used for cosmetic procedures?
Q: Can we be clear about longevity aesthetics and how it differs from simple cosmetic enhancement?
The guest clarifies that longevity aesthetics seeks to stimulate bodily processes to sustain appearance and perceived vitality, blurring lines between appearance and health, rather than pure superficial improvement.
Should fat from cadavers be used for cosmetic procedures?
Q: What do you mean by aesthetic medicine?
A guest explains that aesthetic medicine focuses on procedures and surgeries aimed at cosmetic outcomes, not just corrective or reconstructive work, and involves a broad range from implants to non-surgical treatments.
What happens to our moral lives when we stop reading books?
Q: Can modern technology support or hinder this deep reading practice?
Technology can both hinder and help: it can enable discussion and access to texts, but excessive AI assistance or distraction can erode cognitive offloading and deep engagement unless used to supplement genuine reading and dialogue.
What happens to our moral lives when we stop reading books?
Q: Why do we need reading to have this kind of deep contemplative engagement?
Reading trains us to linger with difficult ideas, to imagine being in another mind, and to develop a broader working vocabulary that underpins complex thought and empathy, which in turn supports virtuous social living.
Last Words: ‘I’ve Been to the Mountaintop’ — Martin Luther King, Jr in Memphis
Q: Can you explain the architecture of the speech and why King chose Memphis as a focal point for the Poor People's Campaign?
The speech combines a sweep through world history with a concrete focus on economic injustice in America, using the sanitation workers' struggle to illustrate how legal gains must be reinforced by economic and social justice. Memphis served as a strategic launching point for the Poor People's Campaign, linking civil rights to broader economic grievances.

Audience Metrics

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

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About The Minefield

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

The show consistently centers around big ethical questions that intersect politics, philosophy, and culture, featuring sharp exchanges between two hosts and a rotating roster of expert guests. Episodes routinely unpack topics like nationalism, democracy, law, and technology through rigorous debate, literature, and academic perspectives, often layering historical context with contemporary policy implications. A standout trait is the integration of diverse viewpoints from scholars, journalists, and policymakers, which can produce deeply nuanced conversations that challenge assumptions while staying accessible to engaged, curious listeners. A notable strength is the willingness to tackle abstract ideas—from moral philosophy to international la... more

Where can I find podcast stats for The Minefield?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for The Minefield. 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 Minefield and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does The Minefield get?

Rephonic provides a full set of podcast information for four million podcasts, including the number of listeners. View further listenership figures for The Minefield, including podcast download numbers and subscriber numbers, so you can make better decisions about which podcasts to sponsor or be a guest on. You will need to upgrade your account to access this premium data.

What are the audience demographics for The Minefield?

Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for The Minefield, including gender skew, age, country, political leaning, income, professions, education level, and interests. You can access these listener demographics by upgrading your account.

How many subscribers and views does The Minefield have?

To see how many followers or subscribers The Minefield has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to The Minefield?

These podcasts share a similar audience with The Minefield:

1. Big Ideas
2. Late Night Live — Full program podcast
3. Philosopher's Zone
4. Global Roaming with Geraldine Doogue and Hamish Macdonald
5. Rear Vision — How History Shaped Today

How many episodes of The Minefield are there?

The Minefield launched 11 years ago and published 502 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 Minefield?

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 Minefield?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for The Minefield from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

View all the reviews in one place instead of visiting each platform individually and use this information to decide if a show is worth pitching or not.

How do I access podcast episode transcripts for The Minefield?

Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of The Minefield. Search within each transcript for your keywords, whether they be topics, brands or people, and figure out if it's worth pitching as a guest or sponsor. You can even set-up alerts to get notified when your keywords are mentioned.

What guests have appeared on The Minefield?

Recent guests on The Minefield include:

1. Craig Calhoun
2. Renae Fomiatti
3. Yee-Fui Ng
4. Adam Piovarchy
5. Clare Bowditch
6. Anna Funder
7. Glenda Ballantyne
8. Paul Strangio

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.

Find and pitch the right podcasts

We help savvy brands, marketers and PR professionals to find the right podcasts for any topic or niche. Get the data and contacts you need to pitch podcasts at scale and turn listeners into customers.
Try it free for 7 days