Edge Dwellers Café
| ABN: 76 162 868 713
Edge Dwellers Café is a regular(ish) long-form interview-based podcast featuring conversations about politics, environment and neurodiversity in a world on edge, with Ben Habib. Ben is a bridge between different communities as an International Relations researcher, environmental educator, neurodiversity advocate, sci-fi / fantasy nerd and basketball tragic who likes having a chat over a hot coffee. Through deep and thoughtful conversations, the podcast tries to make sense the different kinds of edges that define us, divide us, and shape how we interact with each other in a world that’s under stress, and what it means to be a little different.
Thursday Apr 20, 2023
Thursday Apr 20, 2023
Thursday Apr 20, 2023
Join Ben Habib in this episode of the Edge Dwellers Café Podcast as he sits down with environmental scientist and sustainability expert Dr Alison Mitchell to discuss the pressing question: "What is sustainability asking of us?" We discuss Ali's personal journey from environmental science to education for sustainability, exploring a wide range of topics including the role of sustainability professionals as knowledge brokers, eco-anxiety, citizen science, environmental reporting, risk management, energy system transitions, climate politics and more.
00:00:00 Introduction.
00:03:44 Ali's career journey from environmental science to education for sustainability.
00:10:12 Sustainability professionals as knowledge brokers and disciplinary interpreters.
00:12:02 Ali's 'oh shit' realisation about the environmental crisis and finite Earth.
00:13:47 Eco-anxiety and grounded hope.
00:16:39 Citizen science as mindful connection with environment.
00:19:28 What does sustainability ask of us as consumers?
00:22:25 Sustainability in business strategies, production systems and supply chain management.
00:25:53 Sustainability and risk management.
00:28:07 Rapid evolution of climate-related risk management.
00:33:35 Standardising environmental measurement and reporting metrics.
00:36:10 Engaging with the complexities of energy system transitions.
00:40:44 Chaotic politics of energy system transitions.
00:43:51 Resisting the allure of simplistic doomerism.
00:46:21 Networked community groups and the rise of independent representation in Indi.
00:51:59 Political psychology and behaviour change in sustainability work.
00:56:12 Psychology of greed and the escape fantasies of the rich.
00:59:39 Systems mapping and complex systems thinking for sustainability professionals.
01:04:57 The illusion of absolute freedom in a world of complex interdependence.
01:10:18 Potential dangers of xenophobic localisation as globalisastion breaks down.
01:12:33 Message of hope and encouragement for young people in the face of eco-anxiety and rapid change.
01:16:11 Conclusion.
Show links
NSW TAFE Diploma of Sustainable Practice.
“Friends of Willow Park: An interview with Julie Hind and Alison Mitchell.” Our Voice: Politics Albury-Wodonga. 20 February 2011.
Ecoportal. http://ecoportal.net.au/
Taskforce on Climate Related Financial Disclosures.
Douglas Rushkoff. (2022). Survival of the Richest: The Escape Fantasies of the Tech Billionaires. Norton.
Leyla Acaroglu. “Tools for Systems Thinkers: Systems Mapping.” Medium. 21 September 2017.
Donella Meadows. “Leverage points: Places to intervene in a system.” Academy for Systems Change.
About Dr Alison Mitchell
Dr Alison Mitchell is the Course Coordinator and Learning Facilitator for the Higher Education Diploma of Sustainable Practice at TAFE NSW. She has worked previously as a sustainability educator at Charles Sturt University and as an environmental scientist at the CSIRO. She has a PhD in Environmental Science (Freshwater Biogeochemistry/Nutrient Cycling, CSU), a Graduate Certificate in Natural Resource Management Policy and Planning (UWA), and a Graduate Certificate in Education and Training for Sustainability (Swinburne). She is a Certified Sustainability Excellence Associate and has been a Board member for North East Catchment Management Authority and Albury-Wodonga Community College. A keen community activist, Ali has initiated the community sustainability group site Ecoportal and has volunteered in various community groups including Landcare and, currently, an Australian Conservation Foundation community group in the Albury-Wodonga region known as ‘ACF-AWR’.
Twitter: https://twitter.com/DrAliMitchell
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alison-mitchell-88938042/
About Ben Habib, host of Edge Dwellers Cafe
Ben@Earth: https://drbenjaminhabib.com/
LTU staff profile: https://scholars.latrobe.edu.au/bhabib
Twitter: https://twitter.com/DrBenjaminHabib
Mastodon: https://aus.social/@DrBenjaminHabib
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2oPQqZhJ8CAPbNqIDlf8_g
ORCiD: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3087-4828
Support Edge Dwellers Cafe
Send a one-off tip or ongoing monthly contribution to help cover the costs of producing Edge Dwellers Cafe via Ko-Fi (https://ko-fi.com/edgedwellerscafe). Contributions of any amount are welcome and much appreciated.
Credits
Logo design: Sarah Cook Design (cooklsarah@gmail.com).
Thumbnail artwork developed using Deep Art Effects.
Intro music: “Lala Bass” by Adele_Newiron from Pixabay.
Interlude music: “Relax (Drum and Bass)” by vjgalaxy from Pixabay.
Interlude music: “Centyś - Energy 4” by abctoja from Pixabay.
Interlude voice-over by Jess Love (https://www.jesslovefilmmaker.com/).
This podcast is broadcast from Naarm/Melbourne on the unceded lands of the Wurundjeri people. Edge Dwellers Cafe pays respect to their elders past and present.
Wednesday Dec 07, 2022
Wednesday Dec 07, 2022
Wednesday Dec 07, 2022
In this solo episode of the Edge Dwellers Café Podcast, Ben Habib maps out five broad potential scenarios for the future of the Kim regime in North Korea—(1) state failure and collapse; (2) managed systemic reform; (3) popular uprising and revolution; (4) coup d'état; and (5) externally-imposed regime change—critically evaluating the logic and probability of each scenario and consider the probability of each. This podcast is a teaser for a larger twelve-part video lecture series from Ben's undergraduate subject “Contemporary Politics of Northeast Asia: North Korea."
00:00:00 Introduction.
00:05:31 What happens now in North Korea?
00:06:59 Scenario mapping and the folly of prediction.
00:11:38 Scenario #1: State failure and collapse.
00:14:56 Levels of state decay in the DPRK.
00:17:27 Fragile North Korea 'muddled through'.
00:19:13 Scenario #2: Managed systemic reform.
00:21:34 Lessons for North Korea case from USSR, China and Vietnam.
00:25:37 Piecemeal adjustments to economic management.
00:28:21 Scenario #3: Popular uprising and revolution.
00:31:03 A North Korean spring: Comparing the DPRK with Arab Spring Egypt.
00:42:45 Scenario #4: Coup d'état.
00:43:28 The Kim regime's coup-proofing strategies.
00:46:05 Under what conditions might a coup occur?
00:48:48 Scenario #5: Externally-imposed regime change.
00:50:23 Unacceptable risks associated with attacking North Korea.
00:52:44 Why does the future of the Kim regime matter to regional states.
00:55:59 Lecture summary.
00:58:22 Conclusion.
Show Links
Ben Habib. “Subject Video Content: Contemporary Politics of North Korea.” Ben@Earth.
Andy Jackson. (2018) “Why Has There Been No People’s Power Rebellion in North Korea?” European Journal of Korean Studies. 18(1), pp. 1-34.
Gijs Verbossen, Senior lecturer at University of Amsterdam.
Victor Cha. “A North Korean Spring?” Carnegie Council for Ethics in International Affairs. YouTube. 15 June 2012.
“Pangapsumnida”. YouTube.
Victor Cha and Nicholas Anderson. (2012) “A North Korean Spring?” The
Washington Quarterly, 35(1), pp. 7-24.
Bruce Cumings. (2013) “Why Did So Many Influential Americans Think North Korea Would Collapse?” North Korean Review. 9(1), pp. 114–120.
Nicholas Eberstadt and other articles cited in lecture…
Bruce Bennett and Jennifer Lind. (2011) “The Collapse of North Korea: Military Missions and Requirements.” International Security, 36(2), pp. 84–119.
Daniel Byman and Jennifer Lind. (2010) “Pyongyang’s Survival Strategy: Tools of Authoritarian Control in North Korea. International Security. 35(1), pp. 44–74.
Mark Fitzpatrick. (2013) “North Korea: Is Regime Change the Answer?” Survival: Global Politics and Strategy. 55(3), pp. 7-20.
Francis Grice. (2017) “The Improbability of Popular Rebellion in Kim Jong-un’s North Korea and Policy Alternatives for the USA.” Journal of Asian Security and International Affairs. 4(3), pp. 263-293.
Kent Harrington and Bennett Ramberg. (2014) “The United States and South Korea: Who Does What if the North Fails?” The Washington Quarterly. 37(3), pp. 183–197.
Kim Kyung-Won. (2005) “Downfall Delayed: Endgames for the North Korean regime.” Harvard International Review. 27(3), pp. 56-59.
Marcus Noland. (1997) “Why North Korea will muddle through.” Foreign Affairs. 76(4), pp. 105-118.
Tara O. (2016) The Collapse of North Korea: Challenges, Planning and Geopolitics of Unification. London: Palgrave Macmillan.
Paul B. Stares and Joel S. Wit. (2009) Preparing for Sudden Change in North Korea. Washington DC: Council on Foreign Relations.
The Korea Society. “Three Futures: North Korea and the Korean Peninsula.” 6 December 2022.
Ben Habib. (2022). “North Korea’s flurry of missile tests raises alarm – but are we seeing anything new?” The Conversation. 7 November 2022.
Ben Habib. (2022). “North Korea careens from floods to drought, straining an already fragile system.” NK Pro. 22 June 2022.
Jay Song and Ben Habib. (2020). “Typhoons and Human Insecurity in North Korea.” The Diplomat. 21 October 2020.
About Ben Habib, host of Edge Dwellers Cafe
Ben@Earth: https://drbenjaminhabib.com/
LTU staff profile: https://scholars.latrobe.edu.au/bhabib
Twitter: https://twitter.com/DrBenjaminHabib
Mastodon: https://aus.social/@DrBenjaminHabib
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2oPQqZhJ8CAPbNqIDlf8_g
ORCiD: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3087-4828
Support Edge Dwellers Cafe
Send a one-off tip or ongoing monthly contribution to help cover the costs of producing Edge Dwellers Cafe via Ko-Fi (https://ko-fi.com/edgedwellerscafe). Contributions of any amount are welcome and much appreciated.
Credits
Logo design: Sarah Cook Design (cooklsarah@gmail.com).
Thumbnail artwork developed using Deep Art Effects.
Intro music: “Lala Bass” by Adele_Newiron from Pixabay.
Interlude music: “Relax (Drum and Bass)” by vjgalaxy from Pixabay.
Interlude music: “Centyś - Energy 4” by abctoja from Pixabay.
Interlude voice-over by Jess Love (https://www.jesslovefilmmaker.com/).
This podcast is broadcast from Naarm/Melbourne on the unceded lands of the Wurundjeri people. Edge Dwellers Cafe pays respect to their elders past and present.
Sunday Jul 03, 2022
Sunday Jul 03, 2022
Ben Habib is joined in this episode by Dr Nazanin Zadeh-Cummings, Lecturer in Humanitarian Studies at the Centre for Humanitarian Leadership at Deakin University. We discuss the humanitarian sector, humanitarian aid in North Korea, transitional justice for a post-Kim DPRK, and reflect humorously on the North Korean studies community. We also muse on living in Melbourne vs Hong Kong and Seoul, mental health in academia, and owning one's mental health demons.
00:00:00 Introduction.
00:03:34 Nazanin reflects on her career journey into the humanitarian sector.
00:09:54 Living in Melbourne as non-locals...is it the most liveable city in the world?
00:12:49 Private personal space vs living life in public in Hong Kong, Seoul and Melbourne.
00:14:32 Critically unpacking the 'saviour' impulse of aspiring humanitarians.
00:17:18 Humanitarianism starts at home, rather than 'out there'.
00:20:08 Relationship between research and practice in the humanitarian sector.
00:23:23 Funding shortfalls, palliatives for structural problems, and preventive vs reactive aid.
00:27:53 Deconstructing 'localisation' in the humanitarian sector.
00:32:34 The dance between bureaucratic coordination and grassroots autonomy in humanitarian aid programs.
00:34:36 Centering North Korean people through a perspective of 'solidarity with'.
00:39:19 The challenges of representing North Korean voices.
00:45:16 How the international community gets in its own way in delivering humanitarian assistance in the DPRK.
00:49:34 The ecosystem of different humanitarian organisations working in North Korea.
00:53:00 Prediction vs scenario mapping.
00:54:32 Anticipatory transitional justice for post-Kim scenarios in North Korea.
00:59:17 Are North Korean Studies scholars a bunch of weirdos?
01:03:51 Anxiety, guilt and the cult of productivity in academic labour.
01:10:01 Importance of being part of a community of scholars to feel like you belong.
01:10:44 Nazanin discusses her struggle with Trichotillomania and how she's learned to own it.
01:18:19 Conclusion.
Show links
Nazanin Zadeh-Cummings. “Need, Aid, and Root Causes: The Appropriateness of Humanitarian Response in the DPRK”. Global NK. 8 April 2021. https://globalnk.org/commentary/view?cd=COM000048#_ftn16
Nazanin Zadeh-Cummings, Sarah Son and Danielle Chubb. “Preparing for transitional justice in North Korea”. Australian Journal of International Affairs. 76(2), pp. 121-129. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/10357718.2021.2022597
Erich Weingartner. “Reconciling the Human Factor: Understanding the North Korean Human Rights/Humanitarian Divide”. 38 North. 28 May 2013. https://www.38north.org/2013/05/eweingartner052713/
“Human rights and the future of justice in North Korea | Timothy Cho and Michael Kirby”. Alfred Deakin Institute. 17 September 2021.
“Aid may be inherently racist and colonial, but altruism is not — that’s a cause for hope”. Aid Re-Imagined. 4 July 2020. https://medium.com/aidreimagined/aid-may-be-inherently-racist-and-colonial-but-altruism-is-not-thats-a-cause-for-hope-c77e7a33b899
“Scenario Building in Complex Contexts: Improve your decision-making ability to build better futures” [course]. Center for Humanitarian Leadership. https://centreforhumanitarianleadership.org/education/courses/scenario-building-in-complex-contexts/
Disasters: Deconstructed Podcast. Reflecting on human society from diverse disciplinary and ideological perspectives to understand the root causes of disasters. https://disastersdecon.podbean.com/
Joy Yoon. Discovering Joy: Ten years in North Korea. Germantown: Klug Publishing Group. https://www.joyellenyoon.com/
About Dr Nazanin Zadeh Cummings
Twitter: https://twitter.com/nzadehcummings
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nazaninbagherzadeh/
Centre for Humanitarian Leadership: https://centreforhumanitarianleadership.org/the-centre/our-people/nazanin-zadeh-cummings/
Deakin University profile: https://www.deakin.edu.au/about-deakin/people/nazanin-zadeh-cummings
Researchgate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Nazanin-Zadeh-Cummings
About Ben Habib, host of Edge Dwellers Cafe
Ben@Earth: https://drbenjaminhabib.com/
LTU staff profile: https://scholars.latrobe.edu.au/bhabib
Twitter: https://twitter.com/DrBenjaminHabib
Mastodon: https://aus.social/@DrBenjaminHabib
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2oPQqZhJ8CAPbNqIDlf8_g
ORCiD: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3087-4828
Support Edge Dwellers Cafe
Send a one-off tip or ongoing monthly contribution to help cover the costs of producing Edge Dwellers Cafe via Ko-Fi (https://ko-fi.com/edgedwellerscafe). Contributions of any amount are welcome and much appreciated.
Credits
Logo design: Sarah Cook Design (cooklsarah@gmail.com).
Thumbnail artwork developed using Deep Art Effects.
Intro music: “Lala Bass” by Adele_Newiron from Pixabay.
Interlude music: “Relax (Drum and Bass)” by vjgalaxy from Pixabay.
Interlude music: “Centyś - Energy 4” by abctoja from Pixabay.
Interlude voice-over by Jess Love (https://www.jesslovefilmmaker.com/).
This podcast is broadcast from Naarm/Melbourne on the unceded lands of the Wurundjeri people. Edge Dwellers Cafe pays respect to their elders past and present.
Friday May 27, 2022
Friday May 27, 2022
Friday May 27, 2022
In this episode of the Edge Dwellers Cafe, Ben Habib is joined for special panel discussion with Anastasia Kanjere, Emily Foley, and Pan Karanikolas from the La Trobe Casuals Network, a volunteer group of casualised workers at La Trobe University who are dedicated to improving working conditions for casualised and insecure workers. The conversation explores the 'A new NTEU' campaign, the impacts of widespread precarity of workers in the university sector, systemic wage theft from casual staff, the deliberate evisceration of universities during the pandemic, and building collective power and a solidarity of care in university workplaces.
00:00:00 Introduction
00:04:00 Origins of the La Trobe Casuals Network.
00:07:39 Galvanising impact on organising of the deliberate evisceration of universities during the pandemic.
00:11:41 Renewed solidarity between academic and professional staff in universities.
00:13:31 Fight for the soul of universities.
00:15:08 Sector-wide systematic wage theft from casual staff.
00:21:01 Changing the structure of academic work and workplace relations.
00:24:21 Significance of the University of Sydney strike.
00:26:21 Building collective power through the union.
00:27:47 Challenges of workplace organising in universities.
00:31:58 Management union-busting and their culture of fear.
00:36:46 Collective action suggestions for university staff and students.
00:41:01 Solidarity of care.
00:45:04 Ongoing staff showing solidarity with casual colleagues.
00:51:26 Conclusion.
Show links
The La Trobe Casuals Network submission to the Senate Enquiry on Wage Theft.
A New NTEU: Anastasia Kanjere for NTEU General Secretary.
Anastasia Kanjere. “In Australia, Precarious University Workers Are Stepping Up the Fight”. Jacobin. 20 April 2022.
Jane McAlevey. “Recent video clips, under 2 minutes each, on Apathy, Winning, Overcoming Fear in a Campaign”.
Thomas Klikauer and Meg Young. “Academentia: the Organization Insanity of the Modern University”. CounterPunch. 28 July 2021.
Organizing for Power, Rosa Luxemborg-Stiftung.
About the Anastasia, Emily and Pan, and the La Trobe Casuals Network
La Trobe University Casuals Network.
Casualised, Unemployed & Precarious Uni Workers AU
A New NTEU on Twitter.
Anastasia Kanjere on Twitter.
Emily Foley on Twitter.
About Ben Habib, host of Edge Dwellers Cafe
Ben@Earth: https://drbenjaminhabib.com/
LTU staff profile: https://scholars.latrobe.edu.au/bhabib
Twitter: https://twitter.com/DrBenjaminHabib
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2oPQqZhJ8CAPbNqIDlf8_g
ORCiD: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3087-4828
Support Edge Dwellers Cafe
Send a one-off tip or ongoing monthly contribution to help cover the costs of producing Edge Dwellers Cafe via Ko-Fi (https://ko-fi.com/edgedwellerscafe). Contributions of any amount are welcome and much appreciated.
Credits
Logo design: Sarah Cook Design (cooklsarah@gmail.com).
Thumbnail artwork developed using Deep Art Effects.
Intro music: “Lala Bass” by Adele_Newiron from Pixabay.
Interlude music: “Relax (Drum and Bass)” by vjgalaxy from Pixabay.
Interlude music: “Centyś - Energy 4” by abctoja from Pixabay.
Interlude voice-over by Jess Love (https://www.jesslovefilmmaker.com/).
This podcast is broadcast from Naarm/Melbourne on the unceded lands of the Wurundjeri people. Edge Dwellers Cafe pays respect to their elders past and present.
Sunday May 22, 2022
Sunday May 22, 2022
Sunday May 22, 2022
In this episode of the Edge Dwellers Cafe Podcast, I’m joined in this spirit of Utopia-inspired critical bewilderment by Sarah Houseman to talk about her PhD research into non-hierarchical organisations. We discuss the many functional problems that arise in hierarchical organisations, from power relationships to functional organisational stupidity and leadership cults. We also explore non-hierarchy and decentralisation as alternative organisational structures, along with the challenges faced by organisations transitioning from hierarchical to horizontal structures.
00:00:00 Introduction.
00:03:55 Sarah's professional background in business and not-for-profit sector.
00:06:59 The limits of Education for Sustainability.
00:10:43 A career spent lamenting the problems of hierarchy in organisations.
00:12:50 Lineage of non-hierarchical organisational governance ideas from the 1960s social justice movements.
00:16:14 Non-hierarchy does not mean no structure.
00:17:12 Case study organisations from Sarah's research: Friends of the Earth (Melbourne),
00:21:31 Influences from recent scholarship on decentralised organisations.
00:23:21 Compatibility of online work with decentralisation.
00:24:05 Power relationships and the transition from hierarchical to horizontal organisation.
00:30:59 Sarah and Ben examine intersectional power relations in their relationship.
00:34:19 Non-hierarchical governance is based on consent.
00:37:39 The toll of psychological de-coupling and the unlearning of hierarchical roles.
00:42:18 Consent vs agreement in non-hierarchical decision-making.
00:45:10 Power, fear and functional stupidity in hierarchical organisations.
00:46:59 Anthropocene-appropriate decision-making and governance.
00:50:38 Problematising the archetype of the 'leader'.
00:54:19 Bringing ecological systems thinking and reflexivity to organisations.
00:56:56 Inter-generational shift in reflexive thinking about hierarchy.
01:00:39 Static relations of power vs dynamic relationships of care.
01:04:23 Illustrating power dynamics and organisational ecologies through drawing.
01:07:09 Creative methodologies and other ways of knowing using the Tarot.
01:10:29 The Tarot as a symbolic interpretive device for unlocking the emotional experience of working in an organisation.
01:15:51 Archetype of the 'circle' as organisational form.
01:19:21 Reflecting on the founder's dilemma in Sarah's case study organisations and in Ben's experience in the permaculture movement.
01:25:17 Organisational life cycles and generational change.
01:27:29 Balancing need for escape and healing vs need for accountability.
01:31:42 Un-learning coercion.
01:33:49 The invisible labour of women in organisations.
01:35:58 Rotation of responsibilities.
01:38:03 Conclusion.
Show links
Leadermorphosis Podcast: Ep. 24 Sarah Houseman on new governance for the Anthropocene.
Sarah Houseman. "Non-hierarchies: Creating the conditions for a new ecology of organisational governance – a response to Professor Farley". ANZSEE 2019 Conference Blog.
André Spicer. "The power of pitfalls and functional stupidity at work". TEDxWandsworth. 10 December 2016.
Brian Robertson. (2015). Holacracy: The New Management System that Redefines Management. New York: Henry Holt and Company.
Frederic Laloux. (2014). Reinventing Organizations: A Guide to Creating Organizations Inspired by the Next Stage in Human Consciousness. Brussels: Nelson Parker.
Sociocracy (Wikipedia).
Jo Freeman. "The tyranny of structurelessness".
Joyce Rothschild-Whitt. (1979). "The Collectivist Organization: An Alternative to Rational-Bureaucratic Models". American Sociological Review. 44(4), pp.509-527.
Katherine K. Chen. Enabling Creative Chaos: The Organization Behind the Burning Man Event. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
Utopia (Australian TV series).
Charles Bramesco. "Office Space at 20: how the comedy spoke to an anxious workplace". The Guardian. 19 February 2019.
About Sarah Houseman
Governance, Systems and the Shaman | Twitter | LinkedIn
About Ben Habib, host of Edge Dwellers Cafe
Ben@Earth: https://drbenjaminhabib.com/
LTU staff profile: https://scholars.latrobe.edu.au/bhabib
Twitter: https://twitter.com/DrBenjaminHabib
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2oPQqZhJ8CAPbNqIDlf8_g
ORCiD: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3087-4828
Support Edge Dwellers Cafe
Send a one-off tip or ongoing monthly contribution to help cover the costs of producing Edge Dwellers Cafe via Ko-Fi (https://ko-fi.com/edgedwellerscafe). Contributions of any amount are welcome and much appreciated.
Credits
Logo design: Sarah Cook Design (cooklsarah@gmail.com).
Thumbnail artwork developed using Deep Art Effects.
Intro music: “Lala Bass” by Adele_Newiron from Pixabay.
Interlude music: “Relax (Drum and Bass)” by vjgalaxy from Pixabay.
Interlude music: “Centyś - Energy 4” by abctoja from Pixabay.
Interlude voice-over by Jess Love (https://www.jesslovefilmmaker.com/).
This podcast is broadcast from Naarm/Melbourne on the unceded lands of the Wurundjeri people. Edge Dwellers Cafe pays respect to their elders past, present and emerging.
Friday Apr 01, 2022
Friday Apr 01, 2022
In this episode, Ben Habib is joined by Toad Dell and Guy Ritani from PermaQueer. PermaQueer is a collaborative project to share ecological sustainability methods through the lens of Permaculture, focusing on accessibility to and building resilience for traditionally marginalised communities. PermaQueer brings a queering, decolonising and trauma-informed approach to community-building. In 2021, PermaQueer won the LUSH Spring Prize for Social and Environmental Regeneration.
00:00:00 Introduction
00:03:45 Acknowledgement of Country.
00:05:39 Finding permaculture through need rather than through reputation.
00:09:14 Permaculture as a design methodology vs permaculture as a movement.
00:11:16 Women are the backbone of the permaculture community-building.
00:15:38 Queering permaculture and the genesis of PermaQueer.
00:22:24 PermaQueer as a network of resource redistribution.
00:25:07 Having privilege and being a pioneer 'species' in social ecosystems.
00:27:54 Understanding 'queering' and the diversity of queer peoples' lived experiences.
00:36:10 The unique aesthetics of PermaQueer's social media presence.
00:40:17 Value the edge, but only in right relationship to it.
00:44:30 Edge cultures and vulnerable people are not a resource to be selectively mined by the mainstream.
00:47:27 Trauma-informed and decolonial practice in permaculture and beyond.
00:56:50 Problematising the construct of 'whiteness'.
00:59:55 Scarcity as reality vs scarcity as mindset.
01:04:37 Critical reflection on the permaculture prophesy of energy descent.
01:12:23 TEDx as a platform for PermaQueer online events.
01:19:17 Queering isn't scary...a call to action.
01:23:41 Conclusion.
Show links
LUSH Spring Prize for Social and Environmental Regeneration 2021. “Winner: PermaQueer”.
“PermaQueer: Intentional Projects Award”. Vimeo.
“PermaQueer: Isn’t they lovely”. Permaculture Visions.
“PermaQueer: Guy Ritani and Toad Dell”. Growing Media Podcast.
TEDx PermaQueer: Community Responses to Climate Change.
TEDx PermaQueer: Cultural Responses to Climate Change.
Ray, SJ. (2021). “Climate Anxiety Is an Overwhelmingly White Phenomenon”. Scientific American. 21 March 2021.
Paxton, M. (2020). “In Good Tilth Perspectives: Hannah Breckbill”. Oregon Tilth. 24 November 2020.
Mahana Culture: Awakening Cultural Dignity..
About PermaQueer
Instagram | Facebook | LinkTree | Guy Ritani on LinkedIn
About Ben Habib, host of Edge Dwellers Cafe
Ben@Earth | LTU staff profile | Twitter | Facebook | YouTube | ORCiD
Support Edge Dwellers Cafe
Send a one-off tip or ongoing monthly contribution to help cover the costs of producing Edge Dwellers Cafe via Ko-Fi. Contributions of any amount are welcome and much appreciated.
Credits
Logo design: Sarah Cook Design (cooklsarah@gmail.com).
Thumbnail artwork developed using Deep Art Effects.
Intro music: “Lala Bass” by Adele_Newiron from Pixabay.
Interlude music: “Relax (Drum and Bass)” by vjgalaxy from Pixabay.
Interlude music: “Centyś - Energy 4” by abctoja from Pixabay.
Interlude voice-over by Jess Love (https://www.jesslovefilmmaker.com/).
This podcast is broadcast from Naarm/Melbourne on the unceded lands of the Wurundjeri people. Edge Dwellers Cafe pays respect to their elders past, present and emerging.
Friday Mar 04, 2022
Friday Mar 04, 2022
Friday Mar 04, 2022
In this episode, Ben Habib is joined by James Blackwell, Research Fellow in Indigenous Diplomacy in the College of Asia and the Pacific at Australian National University in Canberra. A proud Wiradjuri man, James is one of Australia’s only practicing Aboriginal international relations academics, writing and speaking about global Indigenous movements, US electoral politics, and defence policy. Outside of international relations James is an Indigenous public policy researcher, specialising in Australian First Nations constitutional reform, higher education policy, and racial cultural competency in practice. He’s also a member of the Uluru Dialogue out at the University of New South Wales, supporting implementation of the Uluru Statement and a Voice to Parliament.
00:00:00 Introduction.
00:04:42 James' career path into International Relations.
00:08:59 Incorporating Indigenous scholarship into political science-public policy-international relations curricula.
00:13:03 First Nations perspectives are integral to teaching an International Relations curriculum.
00:17:04 The modern states system exported globally from Europe through colonialism.
00:20:05 First Nations diplomacies vs First Nations foreign policy.
00:23:24 DFAT Indigenous Diplomacy Agenda.
00:31:25 Dominant governance models and institutions misunderstand relationality of First Nations diplomacies.
00:34:21 Individual responsibility within the collective, as part of a web of relationship.
00:39:04 Being 'of' Country, not 'from' Country.
00:42:12 Uluru Statement from the Heart, the Uluru Dialogue, and constitutional enshrinement of a Voice to parliament.
00:45:10 Logic of the Voice-Treaty-Truth sequencing of the Uluru process.
00:52:25 The Voice as a sovereign representative body for First Nations under joint sovereignty with the Crown.
00:54:23 Uluru process of Voice-Treaty-Truth is developing a new, uniquely Australian governance model.
00:57:33 Where to find out more about the Uluru Dialogue.
00:58:46 Decolonising the university: Encouraging and discouraging signs.
01:04:12 Who is decolonisation of the university for?
01:08:13 Reflections on allyship.
01:13:06 How James prepares for TV and radio appearances.
01:18:05 Social media and #BlackfullaTwitter.
01:23:27 Indigenous language reclaimation and the Wiradjuri language course at Charles Sturt University.
01:30:18 James and Ben flesh out a 'zero fucks' analysis of AUKUS.
01:34:00 Disconnect between the Australian foreign policy and defence establishment and the public.
01:38:13 Democratic back-sliding of the United States.
01:42:19 Outtro.
Show links
James’ Twitter call-out for First Nations representation in IR.
James Blackwell and Julie Ballangarry. (2022). "Indigenous Foreign Policy: a new way forward?" AFFPC Issues Paper Series, Issue 1. Australian Feminist Foreign Policy Coalition.
James Blackwell. “A successful referendum on a Voice would be a Christmas gift to all”. The Canberra Times. 22nd December 2021.
James Blackwell. “Where were First Nations people at COP26?”. The Canberra Times, 16 November 2021.
James Blackwell. “Australia is pursuing a more Indigenous-focused foreign policy. But does it miss the bigger picture?” The Conversation. 26 May 2021.
James Blackwell, “With Dutton in defence, the Morrison government risks progress on climate and Indigenous affairs”. The Conversation. 26 April 2021.
Jamese Blackwell. “Foreign policy’s “Indigenous moment” is here”. Lowy Institute: The Interpreter. 12 February 2021.
Kate Clayton and James Blackwell. “Young Australians turn from the US towards Asia. And it isn’t Trump”. Lowy Institute: The Interpreter. 3 August 2020.
James Blackwell. “Voice to Parliament design report still doesn’t meet international human rights standards”. The Conversation. 20 January 2022.
“The U.S. Presidential Election: Managing the Risks of Violence”. International Crisis Group. 28 October 2020.
DFAT Indigenous Diplomacy Agenda.
Brigg, M., Graham, M., & Weber, M. (2021). “Relational Indigenous systems: Aboriginal Australian political ordering and reconfiguring IR”. Review of International Studies, 1-19. doi:10.1017/S0260210521000425.
The Uluru Statement from the Heart.
Tuck, E, and KW Yang. (2012). “Decolonization is not a metaphor”. Decolonization: Indigeneity, Education & Society. 1(1), pp. 1-40.
Linda Tuhiwai Smith and Eve Tuck. (2013). "Decolonizing Methodologies". CUNY Graduate Center. YouTube.
Charles Sturt Unviersity. Wiradjuri Language and Cultural Heritage Recovery Project.
Emma Shortis. “‘What’s the plan?’: Australia needs to prepare for the collapse of American democracy”. Sydney Morning Herald. 5 January 2022.
About James Blackwell
ANU Profile | Twitter
About Ben Habib, host of Edge Dwellers Cafe
Ben@Earth | LTU staff profile | Twitter | Facebook | YouTube | ORCiD
Support Edge Dwellers Cafe
Send a one-off monetary contribution to help cover the costs of producing Edge Dwellers Cafe via Ko-Fi. Contributions of any amount are welcome and much appreciated.
Credits
Logo design: Sarah Cook Design (cooklsarah@gmail.com).
Thumbnail artwork developed using Deep Art Effects.
Intro music: “Lala Bass” by Adele_Newiron from Pixabay.
Interlude music: “Relax (Drum and Bass)” by vjgalaxy from Pixabay.
Interlude music: “Centyś - Energy 4” by abctoja from Pixabay.
Interlude voice-over by Jess Love (https://www.jesslovefilmmaker.com/).
This podcast is broadcast from Naarm/Melbourne on the unceded lands of the Wurundjeri people. Edge Dwellers Cafe pays respect to their elders past, present and emerging.
Thursday Dec 16, 2021
Thursday Dec 16, 2021
Thursday Dec 16, 2021
In this episode, Ben Habib is joined in conversation by Claire Kearns. Claire is a staunch disability and neurodiversity advocate, writer and social media content creator. in 2021, Claire won the La Trobe University Excellence Academy Inaugural Art Competition for her poem entitled “I Was”, about her experiences as a neurodiverse student at university.
00:00:00 Introduction
00:03:42 Online teaching during COVID has made learning more inclusive and accessable for Claire.
00:07:25 Invisible wounds and other peoples assumptions about your 'functionality'.
00:10:41 Growing up with undiagnosed neurodivergence and internalising low self-esteem.
00:12:11 Bullying, power and the externalisation of trauma.
00:13:33 Relationship between the prevailing popular culture and bullying.
00:15:52 As a domestic violence survivor, Claire's choice to return to university study saved her life.
00:20:57 Coming to a place of acceptance of one's neurodivergence.
00:22:21 Extraordinary energy and strength of will required to study obligations through periods of distress.
00:25:27 Watching a friend get sucked into the alt-right social media swamp.
00:27:10 Figuring out what you think and finding your voice as a domestic abuse survivor.
00:29:34 Difficulty of not having space for rest and recharge in communal living during lockdowns.
00:31:53 Empathising with how COVID lockdowns might impact on neurotypical people.
00:33:23 Universities need to assume more responsibility for facilitating equity and inclusion for students and staff.
00:37:50 Are large institutions (including universities) incapable of human-level care?
00:39:56 Claire discusses her reaction to winning the La Trobe University Excellence Academy Inaugural Art Competition.
00:42:17 Recital of Claire's winning poem 'I Was'.
00:46:37 The poem is not a 'Hallmark moment', it's a demand for an equal playing field.
00:49:20 Inclusive practice should be standard practice.
00:51:14 Frustrations of being the token neurodiversity representative in university management processes.
00:55:00 Neurodiverse people finding common ground across political divides.
00:59:26 You're not alone!
01:00:08 Conclusion.
Show links
Kearns, C. (2021). “I Was”. Excellence Academy Inaugural Art Competition Winner. La Trobe University.
Kearns, C. (2019). ““I know what it is to be terrified”: what inclusion advocate Claire Kearns would tell her teenage self”. My La Trobe. 27th November 2019.
Kearns, C. (2020). “Awoken”. Bangor University.
Kearns, C. (2017). “A Disability & A Degree”. Wise ASSC.
Kearns, C. (2017). “Getting Past the Idea of Failure”. Wise ASSC.
Perera, V. (2018). “Let’s level this playing field”. Victorian Council of Social Services.
About Claire Kearns
Claire Kearns is a writer and social media content writer who has published across multiple genres, in magazines, newspapers, university press, student publications, and other outlets. She is most at home digging in her garden and spending time with her guinea pigs, all adopted as rescues. She divides her time between advocacy for teachers and students with neurodiversity, bouts of chronic illness, and semi-functioning as a fully-fledged adult. Despite what might be perceived by others as a negative existence, Claire is extremely happy and wouldn't change a thing, other than folks making small changes to make life more liveable for those with neurodiversity.
Twitter
About Ben Habib, host of Edge Dwellers Cafe
Ben@Earth | LTU staff profile | Twitter | Facebook | YouTube | ORCiD
Support Edge Dwellers Cafe
Send a one-off monetary contribution to help cover the costs of producing Edge Dwellers Cafe via Ko-Fi. Contributions of any amount are welcome and much appreciated.
Credits
Logo design: Sarah Cook Design (cooklsarah@gmail.com).
Thumbnail artwork developed using Deep Art Effects.
Intro music: “Lala Bass” by Adele_Newiron from Pixabay.
Interlude music: “Relax (Drum and Bass)” by vjgalaxy from Pixabay.
Interlude music: “Centyś - Energy 4” by abctoja from Pixabay.
Interlude voice-over by Jess Love (https://www.jesslovefilmmaker.com/).
This podcast is broadcast from Naarm/Melbourne on the unceded lands of the Wurundjeri people. Edge Dwellers Cafe pays respect to their elders past, present and emerging.
Monday Nov 29, 2021
Monday Nov 29, 2021
Hyein Ellen Cho is a PhD candidate at Monash University with research interests in the Korean diaspora in Australia, domestic and family violence, and North Korean migration. Prior to commencing her PhD studies, she worked as a project manager in the Cultural and Economic Affairs Section at the Consulate-General of the Republic of Korea in Melbourne.
00:00:00 Introduction
00:03:30 Intersectionality and Hyein's research on domestic and family violence (DFV) in the Korean diaspora community in Australia.
00:07:42 Amplifying and mainstreaming the voices of DFV survivors, particularly those from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds.
00:12:46 DFV survivor testimony about the limitations of organisational support for CALD women.
00:15:19 Visa status as a complicating constraint for migrant women experiencing DFV.
00:15:02 Understanding one's lived experience of abuse as DFV.
00:19:41 Relationship-building and establishing trust with survivor interviewees.
00:21:54 'The Story of Ari' - Creative artistic rendition of Korean migrant women's DFV survivor testimonies.
00:26:45 Human trafficking of female North Korean refugees in China.
00:31:29 Are there North Korean refugees in Australia?
00:32:25 Initial challenges of university study as an interantional student.
00:34:58 Overcoming self-doubt and the extra effort required to study in a second language.
00:37:46 PhD study as an international student during the COVID pandemic.
00:39:42 Importance of a support network of good academic mentors.
00:44:05 The Australasian Korean Studies Higher Degree Researcher (HDR) and Early Career Researcher (EDR) Support Group.
00:49:58 Building Korea-Australia relations beyond superficial instrumental dealings.
00:52:00 Cross-cultural competency and the politics of Australia's place in Asia.
00:55:45 Impact of Hallyu (Korean Wave) in Australia.
00:57:11 The dual identities of 'Hyein' and 'Ellen'.
00:59:40 Working at the ROK Consulate-General in Melbourne.
01:02:18 Conclusion.
Show links
The Ari Project website. See also the The Ari Project 3-Part Video Series on YouTube.
Australian Government - Department of Home Affairs, Domestic and family violence and your visa.
International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women.
12th Biennial Korean Studies Association of Australia (KSAA) Conference, Monash University, Melbourne.
About Hyein Ellen Cho
Hyein Ellen Cho is a PhD candidate at Monash University in the School of Languages, Literatures, Cultures & Linguistics. She received both her BA in International Studies (International Relations, Middle Eastern Studies and History) and MA in International Relations. Prior to commencement of her PhD journey here at Monash, she worked as a project manager (Cultural and Economic Affairs Section) at the Consulate-General of the Republic of Korea in Melbourne. Hyein’s current research project is entitled ‘An intersectional approach to the lived experience of DFV in South Korean Australian diasporic communities’. Her research interests include the Korean diaspora in Australia, domestic and family violence (DFV), and North Korean migration.
Twitter | LinkedIn | Monash University profile
About Ben Habib, host of Edge Dwellers Cafe
Ben@Earth | LTU staff profile | Twitter | Facebook | YouTube | ORCiD
Support Edge Dwellers Cafe
Send a one-off monetary contribution to help cover the costs of producing Edge Dwellers Cafe via Ko-Fi. Contributions of any amount are welcome and much appreciated.
Credits
Logo design: Sarah Cook Design (cooklsarah@gmail.com).
Thumbnail artwork developed using Deep Art Effects.
Intro music: “Lala Bass” by Adele_Newiron from Pixabay.
Interlude music: “Relax (Drum and Bass)” by vjgalaxy from Pixabay.
Interlude music: “Centyś - Energy 4” by abctoja from Pixabay.
Interlude voice-over by Jess Love (https://www.jesslovefilmmaker.com/).
This podcast is broadcast from Naarm/Melbourne on the unceded lands of the Wurundjeri people. Edge Dwellers Cafe pays respect to their elders past, present and emerging.
Monday Nov 08, 2021
Monday Nov 08, 2021
Monday Nov 08, 2021
In this episode, Ben Habib is joined by Dr Terry Leahy, Conjoint Senior Lecturer in Sociology at the University of Newcastle. Terry’s research explores food security and rural development, environmental politics and global environmental crisis, and the philosophy of the humanist realist perspective in sociological analysis. Terry’s research and consultancy work has taken him from the Hunter Valley region of New South Wales, to Southern Africa and Southeast Asia. Terry is the author of the recently-released book The Politics of Permaculture, published by Pluto Press.
00:00:00 Introduction
00:03:36 The flower of permaculture practice can't take root in the barren soil of the market system.
00:07:49 Ambiguous definitions of permaculture and what distinguishes it from the broader environment movement.
00:13:20 Permaculture's contribution to the quest for sustainable urban environments.
00:16:57 Sustainability transition: Post-capitalism or re-feudalisation?
00:19:05 The different political visions within the permaculture movement.
00:25:37 Different political visions are distributed globally across members of the permaculture movement.
00:27:22 Grappling constructively with class stratifications within the permaculture movement.
00:35:03 Patriarchy inside the permaculture movement.
00:38:26 Generational transition in the permaculture movement and new directions in permaculture thinking.
00:41:19 Permaculture as an embodiment of Paolo Freire's 'Pedagogy of the oppressed'.
00:44:45 Permaculture as a case study in Gramscian counter-hegemony.
00:47:52 Terry's work on food systems in Africa and Indonesia.
00:50:31 Permaculture as a methodology for international aid and development in the Global South.
00:53:08 COVID and vax vs anti-vax debates in the permaculture movement: Will this become a non-issue in twelve months time?
00:58:42 COVID policy responses complicated by systemic inequaltiy, insecurity, precarity and frustration with bureaucratic hierarchy.
01:01:23 Do some permies misunderstand the role of the state during the COVID pandemic?
01:04:58 What's the lesser of two evils: The late-capitalist state or its collapse?
01:08:47 Problematising the faith in exclusively low-tech responses to COVID and sustainability transitions.
01:14:09 Yearning for low-tech utopias and disdain for elites.
01:15:10 Resentment, fear, masculinity and the rhetoric of absolute freedom.
01:19:06 Energy descent and collapse narratives and the danger of co-optation by the far right.
01:21:36 Conclusion.
Show links
Leahy, Terry (2021) The Politics of Permaculture. London: Pluto Press.
Permaculture Australia (2021). The Politics of Permaculture – Terry Leahy (interview).
Leahy, Terry (2019) Food Security for Rural Africa: Feeding the Farmers First. London and New York: Routledge.
The Chikukwa Project: http://www.thechikukwaproject.com/
Leahy, Terry and sister Leahy, Gillian (2013) The Chikukwa Project (documentary video).
Leahy, Terry and Leahy, Gillian. (2013) A Zimbabwe Permaculture Project (documentary video).
About Terry Leahy
Dr Terry Leahy has undertaken research and consultancy work on environmental attitudes, landcare and sustainability in the Hunter Valley, Australia, as well as in Indonesia and Southern Africa. At present his research covers three broad topics. The first is food security in the context of rural development. The second is the global environmental crisis and the response of the public to environmental politics. The third is social theory, the philosophy of the social sciences and the place of a humanist realist perspective in sociological analysis.
University of Newcastle academic profile | Website: The Gift Economy: Anarchism and Strategies for Change | YouTube: What’s Wrong with the World and How to Fix it.
About Ben Habib, host of Edge Dwellers Cafe
Ben@Earth | LTU staff profile | Twitter | Facebook | YouTube | ORCiD
Support Edge Dwellers Cafe
Send a one-off monetary contribution to help cover the costs of producing Edge Dwellers Cafe via Ko-Fi. Contributions of any amount are welcome and much appreciated.
Credits
Logo design: Sarah Cook Design (cooklsarah@gmail.com).
Thumbnail artwork developed using Deep Art Effects.
Intro music: “Lala Bass” by Adele_Newiron from Pixabay.
Interlude music: “Relax (Drum and Bass)” by vjgalaxy from Pixabay.
Interlude music: “Centyś - Energy 4” by abctoja from Pixabay.
Interlude voice-over by Jess Love (https://www.jesslovefilmmaker.com/).
This podcast is broadcast from Naarm/Melbourne on the unceded lands of the Wurundjeri people. Edge Dwellers Cafe pays respect to their elders past, present and emerging.