Rear Vision — How History Shaped Today

The Israeli settlements in the occupied territories of the West Bank and East Jerusalem are are illegal under international law. They are a key stumbling block to the creation of a viable Palestinian state. Yet for 50 years they have increased in number and size. Today, the story of the Israeli settler movement and its impact on Israeli politics.

Despite the collapse of the Soviet Union in the 1990's, Vladimir Putin has emerged as a powerful player in world events. How has this happened?

The Baltic States, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania – once part of the Soviet Union - are now all members of NATO. But Latvia and Estonia both have large Russian speaking minorities. Analysts worry that Russia could use these minorities as an excuse to impinge on their sovereignty.  Could the Baltic States become the new Ukraine and if so, would the rest of NATO invoke article 5 and go to war with R...

The history of the Russia Ukraine conflict. The situation in Ukraine today and why Russia invaded. 

The rise and rise of Australian superannuation. Having now reached the 4 trillion dollar mark we ask,  How did we get here? And is our retirement system serving its purpose? 

After 1991 Ukraine followed the bumpy path of many post-Soviet states, attempting to forge a modern democracy next door to a powerful neighbour with interest and influence in its internal affairs. The 2014 political crisis in Ukraine turned into a tug-of-war between the Russia and the West. Russia’s occupation of Crimea, an autonomous region in Ukraine, become a test of US power and its limits as...

The United States like to see itself as a nation of immigrants, yet it’s always had a difficult relationship with immigrants. The history of US immigration and detention policy from the nation's founding in 1776 through to Donald Trump.

This week on Rear Vision, the story of Israel's nuclear industry.

This week on Rear Vision we revisit the story of Iran's nuclear industry.

The story behind the assassination of Maltese journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia on October 16, 2017.

Rare earth minerals are in the headlines.  Their  supply and who control’s them, are ringing alarm bells, as Tariff negotiations put world trade on edge. Rear Vision looks into their backstory, their significance, and their role in today's geopolitics. 

Periods of rapid technological and social unrest are not unique. Over 100 years ago, many of the same conditions existed.  What can we learn from this period in American history  known as The Gilded Age -  and what might it tell us about where the country is heading.

Rear Vision puts contemporary events in their historical context.

100 years ago there were more electric vehicles on the road than gasoline or petrol cars. 

Last Sunday a far-right anti-European candidate won the first round of the Romanian presidential election with 40 per cent of the vote. The stage is now set for the second-round runoff between the far-right candidate George Simion and the progressive pro-European Mayor of Bucharest Nicusor Dan. So why has a far-right candidate done so well in Romania and how might the election result reshape Roman...

Kashmir is a mountainous region bordering India and Pakistan. The Pakistanis will tell you that Kashmir is in the north east corner of Pakistan. The Indians, that it is in the north west corner of India.  Today on Rear Vision we take a look at the long history of this dispute. 

As the world becomes an increasingly dangerous and uncertain place – how prepared are we in Australia to face these new challenges?  This week on Rear Vision the story of one nation that take security and preparedness very seriously – Finland.  

Chocolate is one of our most popular indulgences but there is a darker side to the industry – one connected with colonialism, the industrial revolution and modern-day slavery.

Is the liberal international rules-based order – that has underpinned international relations for the past 80 years - about to collapse. The United States once its greatest champion is withdrawing funding from hundreds of international organisations, and at the same time unending the global economy by imposing of tariffs across the board. What might this mean for global security, and the global ec...

While many children miss out on vaccines due to poor health services, some parents choose not to have their children vaccinated.  This Rear Vision  looks at the political history behind this trend.

President Trump not only want to make America great, he also wants to make it bigger and incorporating Canada as the 51st state would certainly do that – except for the fact that Canada is a sovereign nation. The story of Canada and the United States and why President Trump wants to turn Canada into the 51st States of the Union.

President Trump loves tariffs but most economists hate them. We look at how tariffs work and what history can tell us about their impact on economies. And the industries protected by them.

Over 95% of the world’s communications travels over undersea cables. In the last few months, in two of the most politically volatile regions of the world, the Baltic Sea and the waters around Taiwan, communication cables have been cut. So just how vulnerable are these cables to both accidental and malicious damage and what does this mean for the security of are our communications networks.

In his first weeks in office, President Donald Trump has made a point of purging the federal government of D.E.I. - Diversity Equity and Inclusion initiatives. For many Americans the message is clear –  women, African Americans and non-white communities are less capable, and if they are in positions of power or authority in business or government, it’s because the standards were lowered.​ The stor...

In his first weeks in office, President Donald Trump has made a point of purging the federal government of D.E.I. - Diversity Equity and Inclusion initiatives. For many Americans the message is clear –  women, African Americans and non-white communities are less capable, and if they are in positions of power or authority in business or government, it’s because the standards were lowered.​ The stor...