The Political Animals

In this, their final episode, Holly and Jonathan discuss political lesbianism. Is lesbianism innate or a political choice? Are political lesbians superior to heterosexual feminists? What is the intersection of lesbianism and feminism? Has the LGBTQ movement domesticated and defanged radical lesbianism? The Political Animals is co-hosted by: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Jonathan Cole⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ , an academic intereste...

Holly and Jonathan discuss a controversial article published in the Journal of Controversial ideas that claims to have found that recent immigrants and refugees in Germany have lower average IQs than the German population, with implications for their participation in the labour market. The journal also published three critical responses that Holly and Jonathan discuss. The articles can be found he...

Holly and Jonathan discuss an essay by right-wing libertarian Hans-Hermann Hoppe arguing for a stateless society based on comprehensive private property, along with his view of the different anthropologies that shape the left and the right (and his view that white, heterosexual males are responsible for progress and prosperity). The Political Animals is co-hosted by: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Jonathan Cole⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠...

Is there an alternative to the hegemony of liberalism? Controversial Russian philosophy Aleksandr Dugin proposes a Fourth Political Theory (beyond liberalism, communism and fascism) to address the empty degeneration of postliberalism, construed as the post-ideological form of liberalism that has triumphed and reigns globally today. Dugin proposes a multipolar civilisational new world order in whic...

Jonathan and Holly discuss far-right intentional communities and utopias, using two case-studies that appeared in a recent special issue of the Journal of Political Ideologies focusing on far-right utopias in practice . One case-study focuses on a Traditionalist community in Indiana in the US and the other looks at the Heralds of the Gospel in Brazil. The Political Animals is co-hosted by: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠...

Jonathan and Holly ask whether abortion is more a question of values or science? Whether the ethical or the legal is the most difficult aspect of the issue? Whether men should have any say on abortion? Whether abortion is a question of individual choice or majority opinion? And the role of symbolism in the way people understand the foetus. The Political Animals is co-hosted by: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Jonathan Cole...

Do white people need to become race conscious? Is America a white supremacist culture? Is racisim a structure rather than an event? Should white women cry in the presence of women of colour? Jonathan and Holly discuss the notion of white fragility popularised by Robin Diangelo in her controversial book White Fragility: Why It’s So Hard for White People to Talk about Racism. The Political Animals i...

Jonathan and Holly explore decolonisation. What does it mean? What are its goals? Has it overreached and can it succeed? The article discussed in this episode is “On Decolonisation and the University." The Political Animals is co-hosted by: ⁠⁠⁠⁠Jonathan Cole⁠⁠⁠⁠ , an academic interested in conservatism, libertarianism, political ideology and political theology; and ⁠⁠⁠⁠Holly Lawford-Smith⁠⁠⁠⁠ , an...

This week Jonathan and Holly discuss (debate) the issue of hate speech and in particular whether it should be banned or addressed by counterspeech, especially state-based counterspeech. The Political Animals is co-hosted by: ⁠⁠⁠Jonathan Cole⁠⁠⁠ , an academic interested in conservatism, libertarianism, political ideology and political theology; and ⁠⁠⁠Holly Lawford-Smith⁠⁠⁠ , an academic working in...

Where is the boundary between legitimate and illegitimate political association? Jonathan and Holly examine the case of the “Let Women Speak” rally held on the steps of the Victorian Parliament in March 2023, which was gatecrashed by neo-Nazis and led to the expulsion of Moira Deeming from the Liberal Party for the alleged sin of political association. The Political Animals is co-hosted by: ⁠⁠Jona...

Jonathan and Holly pose the question: is LGBTIQ a political ideology? They discuss the concept and meaning of the acronym LGBTIQ, its internal dynamics and conflicts, its incorporation into the state ideology, as well as its broader political connotations, dimensions and ramifications for policy and society. The Political Animals is co-hosted by: ⁠Jonathan Cole⁠ , an academic interested in conserv...

Welcome to the relaunch of The Political Animals Podcast! A show where two political philosophers, one a right-wing radical, the other a left-wing heretic, come together to discuss the social, political and cultural issues of our day. The Political Animals is co-hosted by: Jonathan Cole , an academic interested in conservatism, libertarianism, political ideology and political theology; and Holly L...

Jonathan chats to Mark Hornshaw, a libertarian and Austrian economist who is also socially conservative and a Christian. You can check out some of the articles Mark mentions in the show here: Australia’s Violent Enforcement of Lockdowns Sparks Memories of the Eureka Rebellion. Isaiah’s Job. Jeremiah’s Job.

Jonathan talks to Jack Jacobs about the influence of Burke on his political thought and why he describes himself as an old whig in the mould of Burke.

Jonathan talks to Dr Luke Torrisi about living through the demographic and cultural transformation of southwestern Sydney in the 1980s, his involvement on the right of the NSW Liberal Party in the 1990s and 2000s, and finding his spiritual home in traditionalist conservatism.

The second in a series exploring the political ideas of the Right through intellectual biography. Terrain covered in this episode: Libertarianism Anarcho-capitalism Traditionalist Conservatism Conservative Liberalism Ordoliberalism

A new series profiling interesting personalities and thinkers on the Aussie Right (conservatives, libertarians, liberals and populists). Jordan Dittloff is the lead Senate candidate for the Libertarian Party in Victoria.

Intellectual historian Prof Wayne Hudson returns to the show for a discussion about his latest research project: Australian political thought. The Political Animals is hosted by Dr  ⁠Jonathan Cole⁠ , an academic, writer, speaker and translator specialising in political theology: the intersection of religion and politics. Jonathan was a senior terrorism analyst at Australian intelligence agency the...

Simon Kennedy joins Jonathan for a conversation about twentieth century American conservative intellectual Peter Viereck and his critique of so-called new conservatism in America. Simon Kennedy has a PhD in history from the University of Queensland (UQ). He is currently Associate Editor of  ⁠Quadrant Magazine⁠  and a Research Fellow in the Law School at UQ. His academic research is in the area of...

Simon Kennedy joins Jonathan for a conversation about conservative philosophy Eric Voegelin’s essay Politics, Science, and Gnosticism, and in particular his thesis that major 20th century political and intellectual movements are modern manifestations of gnosticism. Simon Kennedy has a PhD in history from the University of Queensland (UQ). He is currently Associate Editor of Quadrant Magazine and a...

Ian Tregenza joins Jonathan for a conversation about the history of Quadrant Magazine and its cultural impact in Australia, and particularly on the nature of conservatism in Australia. Ian is an Associate Professor at the School of Social Sciences at Macquarie University. He works in the areas of political theory, the history of political thought and religion and politics. The Political Animals is...

Jonathan talks to Libertarian Party member Pietro Angeli about the anarcho-capitalist alternative to the state. Pietro Angeli is a member of the Libertarian Party State Executive in Victoria. The Political Animals is hosted by Dr  ⁠⁠Jonathan Cole⁠⁠ , a scholar, writer and translator specialising in political theology: the intersection of religion and politics. Jonathan was a senior terrorism analy...

Jonathan is joined by Tim Wilson, Executive Director of NZ think tank Maxim Institute, for a conversation about faith and politics across the ditch (detch). Tim Wilson is currently Executive Director of Maxim Institute . Prior to this role, Tim was an award-winning journalist working in print, radio and television. His work has appeared in The New York Times, The Guardian and Newsweek.com. He was...

This is part 2 of Jonathan's conversation with Josh Lewis of the Saving Elephants podcast on the topic of political theology. Check out the Saving Elephants podcast  here : "Millennials defending and expressing conservative values." The Political Animals is hosted by Dr  Jonathan Cole , a scholar, writer and translator specialising in political theology: the intersection of religion...

This is the first of Jonathan's two-part conversation with Josh Lewis of the Saving Elephants podcast on the topic of political theology. Check out the Saving Elephants podcast here : "Millennials defending and expressing conservative values." The Political Animals is hosted by Dr  Jonathan Cole , a scholar, writer and translator specialising in political theology: the intersection o...