Commons Conversations Podcast

How did a rank and file led campaign force the University of Melbourne to hand over $31.5 million in stolen wages? To find out Commons Librarian Iain McIntyre chats with Geraldine Fela, a member of the National Tertiary Education Union and a former delegate with the University of Melbourne’s Casual Network. She discusses how a strong group, built around concerted campaigning and a culture of grass...

Commons Librarian Holly Hammond chats with Maddy Rose Braddon, who works as a connector and collaborator with people and networks to help them thrive in communities impacted by climate change. They reflect on the impact of climate change on Northern New South Wales, the lessons to be drawn from community led responses to disaster, and the role of local, grassroots institutions in leading recovery...

This episode features an interview by Commons Librarian Holly Hammond with novelist, playwright, screenwriter, and historian Sarah Schulman. They discuss the nature of effective coalitions, the challenges of accurately documenting social movements, and lessons from campaigns led by the AIDS Coalition to Unleash Power (ACT UP) during the 1980s and 1990s. A participant in the campaigns, Schulman’s b...

Commons Librarian Iain McIntyre interviews Irish activist and researcher Laurence Cox about the nature and role of learning in creating social change. Laurence has been involved in a range of movements for more than 35 years. In his day job he researches social movements and co-edits the activist/academic movement journal Interface. Alongside using reflection, learning and sharing to improve a ran...

In this episode Millie Telford is interviewed by Grace Vegesana, the Climate & Racial Justice Director for the Australian Youth Climate Coalition (AYCC). Millie was active in AYCC prior to co-founding and leading Seed Indigenous Youth Climate Network. She worked with Seed for ten years and has recently moved on, focusing on First Nations justice through a new role at Australian Progress. Durin...

El Gibbs is a campaigner and award winning writer whose work focuses on disability and social justice issues. In this interview she and writer, speaker and disability rights advocate, Elly Desmarchelier, discuss their experiences of campaigning around a range of causes. They also chat about ways in which campaigns can become more effective, strategic and accessible, about learning from mistakes, a...