What Happens Next?

We’re wrapping up this season of What Happens Next? with some hope. The 2020 murder of George Floyd by former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin sparked the embers of a long-smouldering conflict centred around racial injustice. The issues of systemic and institutionalised racism that have been brought to light in the wake of the movements that followed this incident can seem overwhelmi...

Understanding racism is the key to positive social change. The ‘Racism: It stops with…..?’ panel discussion, moderated by Dr Susan Carland, focused on progressive, positive and inclusive ways to eliminate racism within the community and the workplace, in the education sector, and in our communities. Panelists: Nyadol Nyuon, Chair, Harmony Alliance Australia, lawyer and human rig...

What are some of the ways we are making our cities more welcoming and how can we as individuals encourage a more diverse and inclusive society? In this episode, Dr Susan Carland asks some of Australia’s most knowledgeable and sought-after commentators on migration and inclusion about the policies and attitudes shaping society’s approach to immigration. Our guests are Bel Schenk, coordi...

There’s no doubt about it: Migration has shaped and changed Australia. The country’s history is marked by a series of migrations – the British, the Chinese, the Greeks, the Italians. We’re a nation largely built on the shoulders of those who came here seeking a better life, but we’re still wrestling with what that means for our modern identity. In the first of this tw...

Class inequality is not inevitable, and it’s not too late to change things here in Australia to promote a better experience for all. In our second episode exploring class inequality, Dr Susan Carland asks the experts: How can we change things? How can we ensure that a diverse range of voices occupies equal weight in the halls of power and the rooms where decisions are made? Hear from the Mon...

Who holds the power in Australia? In this two-episode arc, Dr Susan Carland seeks to answer that question – and understand how we got here. Over the past several decades, Australia’s social stratification has become more pronounced. It’s partially the result of economic trends such as trickle-down theory and the increasing casualisation of employment in the gig economy, but...

Attitudes towards psychoactive drugs for the treatment of PTSD are changing, and for good reason – it’s hard to disagree with the evidence of the therapeutic benefits of psychedelic medicines for the treatment of mental illness. Compelling studies are being conducted around the world, several of them here at Monash. And it won’t be long until you see the results of thes...

After years of very little pharmaceutical innovation in the treatment of mental illness, psychiatry is on the verge of something big: Psychedelic medicine is emerging as a game-changer. The evidence of the efficacy of drugs like psilocybin (also known as magic mushrooms) and MDMA, used in conjunction with therapy for illnesses such as depression, anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder, is asto...

Growth comes with growing pains, and as we work to create a more inclusive, welcoming society, we see that reflected in how audiences respond to art. Artists and entertainers alike have been ostracised from social media and have even lost work for offensive conduct. But what if it’s your job to shock and satirise? Comedians go where the rest of us can’t – occasionally crossi...

Public opinions and attitudes shift, but the internet is forever. In recent years, we’ve seen example after example of entertainers and comedians “cancelled” by pop culture for old tweets and bad behaviour, even if the artist themselves have evolved.  In an all-new series of ‘What Happens Next?’, an all-star lineup of comedians discuss the future of comedy with h...

If humans are the ones programming artificial intelligence, are we stuck with the human biases that inadvertently work their way into AI systems? Our guests today don’t think so. AI is undoubtedly playing a beneficial role in society, helping us respond more effectively to medical emergencies, improving surgical procedures, and even making our buildings smarter. There are already methods in...

Humans have long dreamed of artificial intelligence and smart machines that can help us make better decisions or even just cut down on our own chores. What was once a sci fi fantasy is now a reality – AI is an increasing presence in our day-to-day lives. But AI is built by humans, and its algorithms are sometimes guided by very human biases. The more we rely on automated decision making, the...

The last episode of What Happens Next? explained what we learned from the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody (RCIADC) inquiry, why Indigenous incarceration rates remained so high in Australia, and its impacts on our society.   What needs to happen to shift the needle in this complex issue?   In this episode, Dr Susan Carland talks again with Monash University pro vice-cha...

More than 30 years ago, the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody (RCIADC) was set up to investigate black deaths in custody, but in those three decades, very little has changed. Although the recommendations in the report continue to influence Australian social and criminal justice policy, many of the commission’s 339 recommendations have yet to be implemented. Today, Aboriginal...

Last week’s episode of ‘What Happens Next?’ investigated the downsides of hustle culture – the pervasive idea that the only way to earn respect is by using every minute of the day to be productive. This attitude, embraced by LinkedIn influencers and productivity gurus, has far-reaching consequences, affecting us physiologically, psychologically, and even spiritually. But hu...

Productivity hacks and optimisation have long been buzzwords of success. Start-up founders and LinkedIn gurus are encouraging us to have side hustles rather than hobbies, telling a generation of young workers that a 24/7 work ethic is the way to achieve their dreams. Why are we so down on downtime? Is being busy the same thing as being productive? And what happens to our brains, bodies, and social...

Welcome to the final instalment of our topic on the culture of Sport. Richmond Football Club CEO Brendon Gale has a unique perspective on the culture of sport. He's been a player, head of the Players Association and now a member of the executive. He talks to host Susan Carland about how the game's culture has changed, and the work clubs like his are doing to try and drive change.  We’ve...

In this episode of the What Happens Next podcast, we look at what’s happening to change the culture in elite sport and find out why calling out sexist, racist and homophobic language is helping tackle the toxicity. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sport keeps hitting the headlines for what happens off the field. Experts in sport, gender and media Brett Hutchins and Ruth Jeanes explain why we idolise sporting legends, and why we’re often let down.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is our last look at the gig economy, but it’s unlikely to be the last time we find ourselves part of it. That’s why we’ve gathered all the best tips and advice from our featured experts to help us as individuals make change.   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This time on our investigation into the future of the gig economy, we’re talking about what’s helping to change it for people in a tough job market, and also ethical alternatives to popular sharing economy platforms. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Covid19 has shone an unflattering light on our reliance on casual and gig economy workers.  Stories of people working numerous jobs across multiple workplaces unwittingly spreading the Corona virus.  Drivers being killed while delivering food on bikes and scooters have brought into sharp relief the impact of the gig economy. But long before the pandemic, gig workers were facing dangers a...

In this final episode about exploring our history, Monash Alum Elizabeth Finkel explains why she tells the stories of how science works, and our experts offer their best tips and advice on where to do a deeper dig for knowledge.      See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Indigenous communities have deep connections to their physical and environmental history, and have been studying and preserving it for tens of thousands of years. Many are now generously sharing their knowledge and understanding, that is passed down from generation to generation, with non-indigenous archaeologists, anthropologists and palaeontologists and helping us all to better understand our co...

We’re kicking off Series 4 of What Happens Next by looking back, way back. This time we’ll ponder what happens if we stop exploring natural history - what would we lose? How can finding fossils help shape our future? And will humans ever grow wings? Monash experts help us get to the bottom of these big questions in a brand new series of What Happens Next? See omnystudio.com/listener fo...