Free Kiwis! Wed, 04 Mar 2026 15:49:01 -0500 https://www.buzzsprout.com/1578358 en-us © 2026 Free Kiwis! yes be22fba3-1294-5629-ab36-42d51158d293 James episodic false Buzzsprout (https://www.buzzsprout.com) James https://storage.buzzsprout.com/2hdadaw72h5tz0i90j4voj18vtit?.jpg Free Kiwis! Abhishek Saha on the University of Sussex vs the Office for Students Abhishek Saha on the University of Sussex vs the Office for Students Abhishek Saha, Professor of Mathematics at Queen Mary University of London, has taken a close interest in free speech and academic freedom issues. In this episode he tells James about a case that is currently before the UK High Court which will have major implication for how academic freedom is regulated.

]]> Abhishek Saha, Professor of Mathematics at Queen Mary University of London, has taken a close interest in free speech and academic freedom issues. In this episode he tells James about a case that is currently before the UK High Court which will have major implication for how academic freedom is regulated.

]]> James Buzzsprout-18686793 Sun, 15 Feb 2026 09:00:00 -0500 2305 full false The Wizard of New Zealand The Wizard of New Zealand In this episode we talk to the Wizard of New Zealand about how he got his start in wizardry, the Fun Revolution, the humourlessness of Maoists, being engaged for 25 years, *Erewhon,* Anglicanism, the King in Parliament, why tea breaks are essential to proper warfare, grammar school, anarchism, how to avoid becoming too dependent on the state, red telephone booths, whether wizards actually practice magic, how to train wizards properly, making it rain, men and women, violent females (feat. lionesses), mandatory made-up Maori words, Trump and the Royal Family, the UN's raison d'etre, the collapse of Islam, toyboys and the family courts, the Stuart Restoration and above and throughout all, free speech.

]]> In this episode we talk to the Wizard of New Zealand about how he got his start in wizardry, the Fun Revolution, the humourlessness of Maoists, being engaged for 25 years, *Erewhon,* Anglicanism, the King in Parliament, why tea breaks are essential to proper warfare, grammar school, anarchism, how to avoid becoming too dependent on the state, red telephone booths, whether wizards actually practice magic, how to train wizards properly, making it rain, men and women, violent females (feat. lionesses), mandatory made-up Maori words, Trump and the Royal Family, the UN's raison d'etre, the collapse of Islam, toyboys and the family courts, the Stuart Restoration and above and throughout all, free speech.

]]> James Buzzsprout-18602099 Sat, 31 Jan 2026 16:00:00 -0500 5252 full false Helen Joyce Helen Joyce Helen Joyce is Director of Advocacy for Sex Matters, a UK organisation that advocates for sex-based rights. She has held this position since leaving her senior editorial role at The Economist in 2022.

We talked to her about bathrooms, sex differences, whether feminism paved the way for transwomen in female sports, whether men should hold the door open for women, and how we might balance the rights of women and of trans people. We also asked Helen her impressions of where the trans debate is in New Zealand, and where we go from here.

]]> Helen Joyce is Director of Advocacy for Sex Matters, a UK organisation that advocates for sex-based rights. She has held this position since leaving her senior editorial role at The Economist in 2022.

We talked to her about bathrooms, sex differences, whether feminism paved the way for transwomen in female sports, whether men should hold the door open for women, and how we might balance the rights of women and of trans people. We also asked Helen her impressions of where the trans debate is in New Zealand, and where we go from here.

]]> James Buzzsprout-18189079 Thu, 13 Nov 2025 23:00:00 -0500 4079 full false Dialogue on the shooting of Charlie Kirk Dialogue on the shooting of Charlie Kirk A dialogue on the shooting of Charlie Kirk and its aftermath, including Jimmy Kimmel being taken off the air.

]]> A dialogue on the shooting of Charlie Kirk and its aftermath, including Jimmy Kimmel being taken off the air.

]]> James Buzzsprout-18181835 Wed, 12 Nov 2025 21:00:00 -0500 3853 full false Nathan Seuili Nathan Seuili Nathan Seuili is a former pastor who has worked for several years for the NZ Free Speech Union. He has now left the FSU to found a new organization, PILLAR, which is dedicated to Protecting Individual Life, Liberty And Rights.

In a wide-ranging conversation, we talked about Nathan's free speech journey; hierarchy, Christianity, and gender in Samoan culture; and how Christians dedicated to individual freedom might think about laws around euthanasia and prostitution.

Nathan on X: https://x.com/nathan_seiuli
Pillar on X: https://x.com/Pillar_NZ

]]> Nathan Seuili is a former pastor who has worked for several years for the NZ Free Speech Union. He has now left the FSU to found a new organization, PILLAR, which is dedicated to Protecting Individual Life, Liberty And Rights.

In a wide-ranging conversation, we talked about Nathan's free speech journey; hierarchy, Christianity, and gender in Samoan culture; and how Christians dedicated to individual freedom might think about laws around euthanasia and prostitution.

Nathan on X: https://x.com/nathan_seiuli
Pillar on X: https://x.com/Pillar_NZ

]]> James Buzzsprout-17888633 Mon, 22 Sep 2025 19:00:00 -0400 4149 full false David Webb David Webb David Webb is a lawyer and a spokesperson for The Opportunities Party on their Citizens' Voice policy. We talked to him about the party's plan for citizens' assemblies, the benefits and drawbacks of referenda, and how we could improve MMP.

TOP's citizens' voice page: https://www.top.org.nz/citizens-voice
James' article with Geoff Neal: Politicians are disconnected from the people they represent - Newsroom

]]> David Webb is a lawyer and a spokesperson for The Opportunities Party on their Citizens' Voice policy. We talked to him about the party's plan for citizens' assemblies, the benefits and drawbacks of referenda, and how we could improve MMP.

TOP's citizens' voice page: https://www.top.org.nz/citizens-voice
James' article with Geoff Neal: Politicians are disconnected from the people they represent - Newsroom

]]> James Buzzsprout-17870506 Thu, 18 Sep 2025 23:00:00 -0400 3664 full false Musa al-Gharbi Musa al-Gharbi Musa al-Gharbi is an assistant professor in the School of Communication and Journalism at Stony Brook University. He was the Communications Director at Heterodox Academy from 2016 to 2020.

I talked to Musa about growing up in a military family, being cancelled by Fox News, who 'symbolic capitalists' are, the extent to which Donald Trump is comparable to an alligator, and what the future holds for universities.

Musa's book: https://www.thenile.co.nz/books/musa-al-gharbi/we-have-never-been-woke/9780691235349
Intellectuals and motivated reasoning: 

]]> Musa al-Gharbi is an assistant professor in the School of Communication and Journalism at Stony Brook University. He was the Communications Director at Heterodox Academy from 2016 to 2020.

I talked to Musa about growing up in a military family, being cancelled by Fox News, who 'symbolic capitalists' are, the extent to which Donald Trump is comparable to an alligator, and what the future holds for universities.

Musa's book: https://www.thenile.co.nz/books/musa-al-gharbi/we-have-never-been-woke/9780691235349
Intellectuals and motivated reasoning: 

]]> James Buzzsprout-17535057 Sun, 20 Jul 2025 19:00:00 -0400 3552 5 45 full false Doug Elliffe Doug Elliffe Doug Elliffe is a professor of psychology at the University of Auckland. We talked to him about whether crows know what's good for them, the Listener letter and its fallout, and how to foster a culture of free inquiry at New Zealand universities.

]]> Doug Elliffe is a professor of psychology at the University of Auckland. We talked to him about whether crows know what's good for them, the Listener letter and its fallout, and how to foster a culture of free inquiry at New Zealand universities.

]]> James Buzzsprout-17270517 Mon, 02 Jun 2025 19:00:00 -0400 3951 full false Institutional neutrality and the academic freedom legislation, with Steph Martin Institutional neutrality and the academic freedom legislation, with Steph Martin In this episode we are once again joined by our regular correspondent from the Free Speech Union (and the New Zealand Initiative), Steph Martin. We debrief about the FSU's panel events in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch on institutional neutrality and the draft academic freedom legislation. We also talk about that legislation (part of the Education and Training Amendment Bill No. 2), and more particularly about the response to it in Parliament by two opposition politicians.

]]> In this episode we are once again joined by our regular correspondent from the Free Speech Union (and the New Zealand Initiative), Steph Martin. We debrief about the FSU's panel events in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch on institutional neutrality and the draft academic freedom legislation. We also talk about that legislation (part of the Education and Training Amendment Bill No. 2), and more particularly about the response to it in Parliament by two opposition politicians.

]]> James Buzzsprout-17245281 Thu, 29 May 2025 00:00:00 -0400 3905 full false Henare Parata Henare Parata Henare Parata is a teacher of te reo and mātauranga Māori. He has also been involved with The Opportunities Party (TOP), and is a well-known presence on X as @TeHenare. We talked to him about mātauranga Māori and science, what pre-colonial Māori society was really like, and where his favourite marae is.

]]> Henare Parata is a teacher of te reo and mātauranga Māori. He has also been involved with The Opportunities Party (TOP), and is a well-known presence on X as @TeHenare. We talked to him about mātauranga Māori and science, what pre-colonial Māori society was really like, and where his favourite marae is.

]]> James Buzzsprout-17164481 Wed, 14 May 2025 20:00:00 -0400 3591 5 58 full false Brandon McMurtrie Brandon McMurtrie Brandon McMurtrie is a PhD student in psychology at Massey University, where he studies political polarization. He is also a keen Substacker, X-user, and hunter. We talked to him about polarization; whether the way we're currently talking about mental health might have some downsides; psychological research on left- (and right-) wing authoritarianism; and why he goes hunting.

Pew Research on polarization in the US: https://www.pewresearch.org/politics/...
Costello et al. on the traditional political spectrum: https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retri...

Brandon's piece on 'identity satiation': https://backcountrypsych.substack.com...
Steven Pinker on the American Psychological Associations' guidelines: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/17/op...

Quadrant piece on authoritarianism research: https://quadrant.org.au/magazine/unca...
Jesse Smith, 'Old wine in new wineskins': https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/1...
For more links, see the YouTube version: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6MTXAgF1MTs&t=7s

]]> Brandon McMurtrie is a PhD student in psychology at Massey University, where he studies political polarization. He is also a keen Substacker, X-user, and hunter. We talked to him about polarization; whether the way we're currently talking about mental health might have some downsides; psychological research on left- (and right-) wing authoritarianism; and why he goes hunting.

Pew Research on polarization in the US: https://www.pewresearch.org/politics/...
Costello et al. on the traditional political spectrum: https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retri...

Brandon's piece on 'identity satiation': https://backcountrypsych.substack.com...
Steven Pinker on the American Psychological Associations' guidelines: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/17/op...

Quadrant piece on authoritarianism research: https://quadrant.org.au/magazine/unca...
Jesse Smith, 'Old wine in new wineskins': https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/1...
For more links, see the YouTube version: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6MTXAgF1MTs&t=7s

]]> James Buzzsprout-16941355 Tue, 08 Apr 2025 17:00:00 -0400 4244 full false James Lindsay James Lindsay Dr James Lindsay was one of the perpetrators of the 'Sokal Squared' hoax, and is the co-author of Cynical Theories: How Activist Scholarship Made Everything about Race, Gender, and Identity―and Why This Harms Everybody and of How to Have Impossible Conversations: A Very Practical Guide.

We asked him who his favourite post-modern thinker is, whether he went crazy on Twitter, and what he means by terms like 'groomer' and 'the woke right.'

Cynical Theories: https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/1634312023
How to Have Impossible Conversations: https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/0738285323
The New Zealand Free Speech Union: https://www.fsu.nz/

]]> Dr James Lindsay was one of the perpetrators of the 'Sokal Squared' hoax, and is the co-author of Cynical Theories: How Activist Scholarship Made Everything about Race, Gender, and Identity―and Why This Harms Everybody and of How to Have Impossible Conversations: A Very Practical Guide.

We asked him who his favourite post-modern thinker is, whether he went crazy on Twitter, and what he means by terms like 'groomer' and 'the woke right.'

Cynical Theories: https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/1634312023
How to Have Impossible Conversations: https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/0738285323
The New Zealand Free Speech Union: https://www.fsu.nz/

]]> James Buzzsprout-16809246 Mon, 17 Mar 2025 17:00:00 -0400 3854 full false Damien Grant Damien Grant Damien Grant is a Stuff columnist and the Principal of Waterstone Insolvency. We talked to him about occupational licensing, free speech, Trump's likely impact on the Anglosphere, and New Zealand's COVID response.

Damien's column about Janet Dickson: https://www.stuff.co.nz/nz-news/360573233/damien-grant-how-real-estate-agent-lost-her-career-over-90-minute-course
about COVID: https://www.stuff.co.nz/politics/360513485/damien-grant-new-zealand-ashamed-about-what-happened-covid-years
and about National, ACT, and Trump: https://www.stuff.co.nz/politics/360581859/damien-grant-acts-clarity-sticking-point-luxon-his-apparent-struggle-explain-why

John Stuart Mill on liberty: https://gutenberg.org/files/34901/34901-h/34901-h.htm
Jacob Mchangama's book about free speech history: https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/1541600495
Pew Research report on polarization in the US: https://www.pewresearch.org/politics/2014/06/12/political-polarization-in-the-american-public/
Self-censorship now and in the McCarthy era: https://www.persuasion.community/p/americans-are-self-censoring-at-record
James' report on academic freedom: https://www.nzinitiative.org.nz/reports-and-media/reports/unpopular-opinions-academic-freedom-in-new-zealand/
Noah Carl on border closures in countries with few entry-points: https://quillette.com/2021/02/15/do-lockdowns-work-only-if-you-lock-the-borders-down-too/
John Gibson's article about COVID mortality:
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/00779954.2024.2314770

]]> Damien Grant is a Stuff columnist and the Principal of Waterstone Insolvency. We talked to him about occupational licensing, free speech, Trump's likely impact on the Anglosphere, and New Zealand's COVID response.

Damien's column about Janet Dickson: https://www.stuff.co.nz/nz-news/360573233/damien-grant-how-real-estate-agent-lost-her-career-over-90-minute-course
about COVID: https://www.stuff.co.nz/politics/360513485/damien-grant-new-zealand-ashamed-about-what-happened-covid-years
and about National, ACT, and Trump: https://www.stuff.co.nz/politics/360581859/damien-grant-acts-clarity-sticking-point-luxon-his-apparent-struggle-explain-why

John Stuart Mill on liberty: https://gutenberg.org/files/34901/34901-h/34901-h.htm
Jacob Mchangama's book about free speech history: https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/1541600495
Pew Research report on polarization in the US: https://www.pewresearch.org/politics/2014/06/12/political-polarization-in-the-american-public/
Self-censorship now and in the McCarthy era: https://www.persuasion.community/p/americans-are-self-censoring-at-record
James' report on academic freedom: https://www.nzinitiative.org.nz/reports-and-media/reports/unpopular-opinions-academic-freedom-in-new-zealand/
Noah Carl on border closures in countries with few entry-points: https://quillette.com/2021/02/15/do-lockdowns-work-only-if-you-lock-the-borders-down-too/
John Gibson's article about COVID mortality:
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/00779954.2024.2314770

]]> James Buzzsprout-16747686 Thu, 06 Mar 2025 15:00:00 -0500 3583 full false Frances Widdowson Frances Widdowson Frances Widdowson was a professor at Mount Royal University in Calgary until 2021, when the university fired her. Frances gives us her account of the circumstances of her dismissal. She also talks to us about ideas such as 'land-based knowledge' (which she has long criticized) and about the controversy over Canada's residential schools.

Frances' website: https://wokeacademy.info/

Frances' paper on 'land-based knowledge': https://www.elgaronline.com/edcollchap/book/9781802208542/book-part-9781802208542-47.xml

Ian Gentles' long-read on residential schools: https://quillette.com/2023/08/02/not-a-genocide/

]]> Frances Widdowson was a professor at Mount Royal University in Calgary until 2021, when the university fired her. Frances gives us her account of the circumstances of her dismissal. She also talks to us about ideas such as 'land-based knowledge' (which she has long criticized) and about the controversy over Canada's residential schools.

Frances' website: https://wokeacademy.info/

Frances' paper on 'land-based knowledge': https://www.elgaronline.com/edcollchap/book/9781802208542/book-part-9781802208542-47.xml

Ian Gentles' long-read on residential schools: https://quillette.com/2023/08/02/not-a-genocide/

]]> James Buzzsprout-16701293 Wed, 26 Feb 2025 22:00:00 -0500 3769 full false 'Hate crime' and VUW's new academic freedom policy, with Steph Martin 'Hate crime' and VUW's new academic freedom policy, with Steph Martin The Law Commission recently put out a consultation paper on whether the law relating to 'hate crime' should be changed, and if so how. The Commission considers whether the current 'sentence aggravation' model (in which hatred may be factored into sentencing as an aggravating factor) should be replaced by a new, specific offence of 'hate crime.' But how should 'hate' (of various sorts) factor into how we think about different offences? How broad should our scope be when considering whether a particular act (or a particular person) has been 'hateful'? And is there a risk that the changes will erode expressive rights, including speech rights?

We are joined by Steph Martin of the Free Speech Union (and also Adjunct Fellow at the New Zealand Initiative) to discuss all of this, as well as Victoria University of Wellington's latest version of their academic freedom policy.

The Law Commission's 'hate crime' consultation paper: https://www.lawcom.govt.nz/our-work/hate-crime/tab/consultation-paper

]]> The Law Commission recently put out a consultation paper on whether the law relating to 'hate crime' should be changed, and if so how. The Commission considers whether the current 'sentence aggravation' model (in which hatred may be factored into sentencing as an aggravating factor) should be replaced by a new, specific offence of 'hate crime.' But how should 'hate' (of various sorts) factor into how we think about different offences? How broad should our scope be when considering whether a particular act (or a particular person) has been 'hateful'? And is there a risk that the changes will erode expressive rights, including speech rights?

We are joined by Steph Martin of the Free Speech Union (and also Adjunct Fellow at the New Zealand Initiative) to discuss all of this, as well as Victoria University of Wellington's latest version of their academic freedom policy.

The Law Commission's 'hate crime' consultation paper: https://www.lawcom.govt.nz/our-work/hate-crime/tab/consultation-paper

]]> James Buzzsprout-16640227 Mon, 17 Feb 2025 15:00:00 -0500 4720 full false Cody Ellingham Cody Ellingham Cody Ellingham is a Kiwi writer, photographer, and Bitcoin enthusiast who's currently based in Kamakura, Japan.

We asked him to explain Bitcoin to us and tell us about the Bitcoin scene in New Zealand.

Lyn Alden, Broken Money: https://www.amazon.com.au/Broken-Money-Financial-System-Failing/dp/B0CG8985FR
Angela Redish, Bimetallism: https://www.cambridge.org/nz/universitypress/subjects/economics/macroeconomics-and-monetary-economics/bimetallism-economic-and-historical-analysis?format=PB&isbn=9780521028936

Cody's 2024 Bitcoin briefing for NZ: https://www.thetransformationofvalue.com/articles/bitcoin-briefing-for-new-zealand-2024
Cody's podcast: https://www.thetransformationofvalue.com
Cody's website: https://codyellingham.com/#home 

James on The Transformation of Value: https://www.thetransformationofvalue.com/episodes/ancient-economies-declining-universities-and-free-speech-with-dr-james-kierstead

]]> Cody Ellingham is a Kiwi writer, photographer, and Bitcoin enthusiast who's currently based in Kamakura, Japan.

We asked him to explain Bitcoin to us and tell us about the Bitcoin scene in New Zealand.

Lyn Alden, Broken Money: https://www.amazon.com.au/Broken-Money-Financial-System-Failing/dp/B0CG8985FR
Angela Redish, Bimetallism: https://www.cambridge.org/nz/universitypress/subjects/economics/macroeconomics-and-monetary-economics/bimetallism-economic-and-historical-analysis?format=PB&isbn=9780521028936

Cody's 2024 Bitcoin briefing for NZ: https://www.thetransformationofvalue.com/articles/bitcoin-briefing-for-new-zealand-2024
Cody's podcast: https://www.thetransformationofvalue.com
Cody's website: https://codyellingham.com/#home 

James on The Transformation of Value: https://www.thetransformationofvalue.com/episodes/ancient-economies-declining-universities-and-free-speech-with-dr-james-kierstead

]]> James Buzzsprout-16598512 Mon, 10 Feb 2025 16:00:00 -0500 3020 full false Alan Davison Alan Davison Alan Davison is Academic Lead at the Governance and Public Affairs Centre at the Australian Catholic University, and was until recently Dean of Arts and Social Sciences at the University of Technology Sydney. He co-founded the Permission to Think series on Josh Szeps' Uncomfortable Conversations podcast. He is also President of the Australian Free Speech Union. We talked to Alan about post-modernism, the evolution of (bad) ideas, and what to do about our universities. Alan's paper 'A Darwinian Approach to Post-Modern Critical Theory': https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper...

]]> Alan Davison is Academic Lead at the Governance and Public Affairs Centre at the Australian Catholic University, and was until recently Dean of Arts and Social Sciences at the University of Technology Sydney. He co-founded the Permission to Think series on Josh Szeps' Uncomfortable Conversations podcast. He is also President of the Australian Free Speech Union. We talked to Alan about post-modernism, the evolution of (bad) ideas, and what to do about our universities. Alan's paper 'A Darwinian Approach to Post-Modern Critical Theory': https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper...

]]> James Buzzsprout-16584165 Fri, 07 Feb 2025 19:00:00 -0500 3995 5 50 full false Peter Boghossian Peter Boghossian Dr Peter Boghossian is a freelance philosopher and former academic. He was jointly responsible for the 'Sokal squared' hoax, as a result of which he was investigated by his then-employer, Portland State University, for research misconduct. He later left the university and now travels the world engaging bystanders in 'street epistemology' - open, reasonable conversations on a range of topics. 

We talked to him about whether there are moral facts, what people think about in prison, whether universities should get state funding, and how to create a post-university educational and intellectual world. 

The 'Sokal squared' hoax: https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2018/10/new-sokal-hoax/572212/
'Street epistemology' on Peter's YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLYNjnJFU-62t25_8aD9loEqZL9J4p-82p

]]> Dr Peter Boghossian is a freelance philosopher and former academic. He was jointly responsible for the 'Sokal squared' hoax, as a result of which he was investigated by his then-employer, Portland State University, for research misconduct. He later left the university and now travels the world engaging bystanders in 'street epistemology' - open, reasonable conversations on a range of topics. 

We talked to him about whether there are moral facts, what people think about in prison, whether universities should get state funding, and how to create a post-university educational and intellectual world. 

The 'Sokal squared' hoax: https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2018/10/new-sokal-hoax/572212/
'Street epistemology' on Peter's YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLYNjnJFU-62t25_8aD9loEqZL9J4p-82p

]]> James Buzzsprout-16316845 Fri, 20 Dec 2024 17:00:00 -0500 3397 5 49 full false Nigel Biggar Nigel Biggar Nigel Biggar is an emeritus professor at Oxford University, where he was Regius Professor of Moral and Pastoral Theology. He is also an Anglican priest. His most recent book is Colonialism. A Moral Reckoning (2023). We talked to Prof. Biggar about the how to assess the British Empire and about the roots of our universities' ongoing travails. 

Colonialism: A Moral Reckoning: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Colonialism-Moral-Reckoning-Nigel-Biggar/dp/0008511632

]]> Nigel Biggar is an emeritus professor at Oxford University, where he was Regius Professor of Moral and Pastoral Theology. He is also an Anglican priest. His most recent book is Colonialism. A Moral Reckoning (2023). We talked to Prof. Biggar about the how to assess the British Empire and about the roots of our universities' ongoing travails. 

Colonialism: A Moral Reckoning: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Colonialism-Moral-Reckoning-Nigel-Biggar/dp/0008511632

]]> James Buzzsprout-16090675 Mon, 18 Nov 2024 05:00:00 -0500 3466 5 48 full false VUW's new academic freedom policy, with Stephanie Martin VUW's new academic freedom policy, with Stephanie Martin Only a few days after its Senate voted down the University of Auckland's 'academic freedom' policy, Victoria University of Wellington has come out with a similar policy of its own. Here to discuss VUW's policy with us is Steph Martin from the Free Speech Union. We also discuss Steph's work to help protect New Zealanders' speech rights on a variety of fronts. 

]]> Only a few days after its Senate voted down the University of Auckland's 'academic freedom' policy, Victoria University of Wellington has come out with a similar policy of its own. Here to discuss VUW's policy with us is Steph Martin from the Free Speech Union. We also discuss Steph's work to help protect New Zealanders' speech rights on a variety of fronts. 

]]> James Buzzsprout-15898263 Wed, 09 Oct 2024 13:00:00 -0400 4423 5 47 bonus false Toby Young Toby Young Toby Young is the founder of the Free Speech Union and The Daily Sceptic, an associate editor of The Spectator, and a former associate editor at Quillette. We talked to him about the prospects for free speech and academic freedom in the Anglosphere, why he left Quillette and founded The Daily Sceptic, and what his experience of free (or charter) schools has been.

https://freespeechunion.org/
https://dailysceptic.org/

]]> Toby Young is the founder of the Free Speech Union and The Daily Sceptic, an associate editor of The Spectator, and a former associate editor at Quillette. We talked to him about the prospects for free speech and academic freedom in the Anglosphere, why he left Quillette and founded The Daily Sceptic, and what his experience of free (or charter) schools has been.

https://freespeechunion.org/
https://dailysceptic.org/

]]> James Buzzsprout-15451429 Mon, 22 Jul 2024 04:00:00 -0400 3605 5 46 full false Peter Ridd Peter Ridd Peter Ridd was formerly head of the Physics Programme and the Marine Geophysical Laboratory at James Cook University in Queensland. We asked him how and why he was forced out of JCU, as well as about the Great Barrier Reef and climate change in the Pacific. An article by Peter calling for greater quality assurance in 'policy-science': https://www.sciencedirect.com/science...

]]> Peter Ridd was formerly head of the Physics Programme and the Marine Geophysical Laboratory at James Cook University in Queensland. We asked him how and why he was forced out of JCU, as well as about the Great Barrier Reef and climate change in the Pacific. An article by Peter calling for greater quality assurance in 'policy-science': https://www.sciencedirect.com/science...

]]> James Buzzsprout-15294849 Sat, 22 Jun 2024 20:00:00 -0400 3549 5 45 full false VUW free speech event debrief (FKs! Dialogues 5) VUW free speech event debrief (FKs! Dialogues 5) The morning after Victoria University of WELLINGTON's free speech event, Michael and James met to discuss the event, including both its set-up and points made by the speakers.

]]> The morning after Victoria University of WELLINGTON's free speech event, Michael and James met to discuss the event, including both its set-up and points made by the speakers.

]]> James Buzzsprout-15155064 Wed, 29 May 2024 02:00:00 -0400 4572 full false Jonathan Rauch Jonathan Rauch Jonathan Rauch is a US writer whose books include The Happiness Curve: Why Life Gets Better After 50 (2018); Gay Marriage: Why It Is Good for Gays, Good for Straights, and Good for America (2004); Government's End: Why Washington Stopped Working (2000); and Kindly Inquisitors: The New Attacks on Free Thought  (1993).

We talked to him about his latest book, The Constitution of Knowledge, and how to get our institutional settings right for a society which is free and, at the same time, oriented towards truth. 

]]> Jonathan Rauch is a US writer whose books include The Happiness Curve: Why Life Gets Better After 50 (2018); Gay Marriage: Why It Is Good for Gays, Good for Straights, and Good for America (2004); Government's End: Why Washington Stopped Working (2000); and Kindly Inquisitors: The New Attacks on Free Thought  (1993).

We talked to him about his latest book, The Constitution of Knowledge, and how to get our institutional settings right for a society which is free and, at the same time, oriented towards truth. 

]]> James Buzzsprout-15154996 Wed, 29 May 2024 01:00:00 -0400 3314 5 44 full false Free speech at VUW (FKs! Dialogues 4) Free speech at VUW (FKs! Dialogues 4) A conversation about Victoria University of Wellington Vice-Chancellor Nic Smith's decision to postpone his original panel on free speech and about the two new panels he's now announced. Topics we discuss include: Is the new panel more balanced or representative? Is Michael right-wing? And is Nic Smith going to be able to force his institution to respect people's basic expressive rights - or is reform from the outside required?

Wilkinson and Jeram's NZI report on inequality:
https://nzinitiative.org.nz/assets/Up...

Our recent column on VUW"s new free speech guidelines in The Post:
https://www.nzinitiative.org.nz/repor...

Our X account:   / freekiwis 
Our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=118142...

]]> A conversation about Victoria University of Wellington Vice-Chancellor Nic Smith's decision to postpone his original panel on free speech and about the two new panels he's now announced. Topics we discuss include: Is the new panel more balanced or representative? Is Michael right-wing? And is Nic Smith going to be able to force his institution to respect people's basic expressive rights - or is reform from the outside required?

Wilkinson and Jeram's NZI report on inequality:
https://nzinitiative.org.nz/assets/Up...

Our recent column on VUW"s new free speech guidelines in The Post:
https://www.nzinitiative.org.nz/repor...

Our X account:   / freekiwis 
Our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=118142...

]]> James Buzzsprout-15013383 Sun, 05 May 2024 18:00:00 -0400 2355 5 43 bonus false Cynical Theories (Book Club 3) Cynical Theories (Book Club 3) The topic of our third Free Kiwis! book club was Helen Pluckrose and James Lindsay's book  Cynical Theories: How Activist Scholarship Made Everything about Race, Gender, and Identity - And Why this Harms Everybody.

We talked about its account of post-modernism and 'grievance studies,' and considered how much this has affected academia and the free speech crisis in New Zealand.

Panellists:
Dr James Kierstead, NZ Initiative
Dr Michael Johnston, NZ Initiative
Dr Matthew Birchall, NZ Initiative
Dr Bryce WIlkinson, NZ Initiative
Prof. Kendall Clements, University of Auckland


The book: https://www.thenile.co.nz/books/helen...

]]> The topic of our third Free Kiwis! book club was Helen Pluckrose and James Lindsay's book  Cynical Theories: How Activist Scholarship Made Everything about Race, Gender, and Identity - And Why this Harms Everybody.

We talked about its account of post-modernism and 'grievance studies,' and considered how much this has affected academia and the free speech crisis in New Zealand.

Panellists:
Dr James Kierstead, NZ Initiative
Dr Michael Johnston, NZ Initiative
Dr Matthew Birchall, NZ Initiative
Dr Bryce WIlkinson, NZ Initiative
Prof. Kendall Clements, University of Auckland


The book: https://www.thenile.co.nz/books/helen...

]]> James Buzzsprout-14988087 Tue, 30 Apr 2024 22:00:00 -0400 4555 5 42 bonus false Graham Linehan Graham Linehan Graham Linehan is the co-creator of Father Ted and other popular UK comedy series. We talked to him about Ted's origins, comedy in a time of censorship, and trans issues.

Graham's time in NZ was hosted by the Free Speech Union: https://www.fsu.nz/

Mia Hughes' report on 'the WPATH files': https://environmentalprogress.org/big...

Graham's X:   / glinner 
Free Kiwis!' X:   / freekiwis  

]]> Graham Linehan is the co-creator of Father Ted and other popular UK comedy series. We talked to him about Ted's origins, comedy in a time of censorship, and trans issues.

Graham's time in NZ was hosted by the Free Speech Union: https://www.fsu.nz/

Mia Hughes' report on 'the WPATH files': https://environmentalprogress.org/big...

Graham's X:   / glinner 
Free Kiwis!' X:   / freekiwis  

]]> James Buzzsprout-14734513 Wed, 20 Mar 2024 23:00:00 -0400 3980 5 41 full false Eric Kaufmann Eric Kaufmann Eric Kaufmann is Professor of Politics at the University of Buckingham. He talked to Michael about whether the Amish will inherit the earth, whether wokeness is a religion-substitute, and how we can protect liberal science and civilization.

Eric's book on religious groups and population growth: https://www.amazon.com/Shall-Religiou...
Eric's course on wokeness: https://www.buckingham.ac.uk/courses/...

]]> Eric Kaufmann is Professor of Politics at the University of Buckingham. He talked to Michael about whether the Amish will inherit the earth, whether wokeness is a religion-substitute, and how we can protect liberal science and civilization.

Eric's book on religious groups and population growth: https://www.amazon.com/Shall-Religiou...
Eric's course on wokeness: https://www.buckingham.ac.uk/courses/...

]]> James Buzzsprout-14734495 Wed, 20 Mar 2024 23:00:00 -0400 4220 5 42 full false Iona Italia Iona Italia Iona Italia is Managing Editor of Quillette and a former Editor-in-Chief of Areo. We talked to her about her life and career; the virtues of letter-writing; and her work with heterodox online publications like Areo and, now, Quillette.

Iona' Substack: https://www.drionaitalia.com/

Jamie Palmer's long-read on the lab-leak hypothesis: https://quillette.com/2023/08/19/the-lab-leak-illusion/
Iona's writing for Quillette: https://quillette.com/author/iona/
James' writing for Quillette: https://quillette.com/author/james-kierstead/

]]> Iona Italia is Managing Editor of Quillette and a former Editor-in-Chief of Areo. We talked to her about her life and career; the virtues of letter-writing; and her work with heterodox online publications like Areo and, now, Quillette.

Iona' Substack: https://www.drionaitalia.com/

Jamie Palmer's long-read on the lab-leak hypothesis: https://quillette.com/2023/08/19/the-lab-leak-illusion/
Iona's writing for Quillette: https://quillette.com/author/iona/
James' writing for Quillette: https://quillette.com/author/james-kierstead/

]]> James Buzzsprout-14523583 Sun, 18 Feb 2024 01:00:00 -0500 4341 5 40 full false Jonathan Sumption Jonathan Sumption Lord Sumption is a historian and jurist who served on the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom between 2012 and 2018. He is also a widely-respected commentator.
We talked to him about our current free speech predicament in English-speaking countries, what led to it, and how to re-build a truly liberal culture.
We are grateful to the NZ Free Speech Union for hosting Lord Sumption in NZ. You can support the work of the Free Speech Union here:
https://www.fsu.nz/donation

]]> Lord Sumption is a historian and jurist who served on the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom between 2012 and 2018. He is also a widely-respected commentator.
We talked to him about our current free speech predicament in English-speaking countries, what led to it, and how to re-build a truly liberal culture.
We are grateful to the NZ Free Speech Union for hosting Lord Sumption in NZ. You can support the work of the Free Speech Union here:
https://www.fsu.nz/donation

]]> James Buzzsprout-14479352 Sun, 11 Feb 2024 02:00:00 -0500 3414 4 39 full false Melissa Derby Melissa Derby Dr. Melissa Derby is Senior Lecturer in Education at the University of Waikato, where she teaches at the Tauranga campus. We talked to her about why she prefers not to be introduced as a 'Māori academic'; whether the concept of 'inter-generational trauma' can bear the weight that's been placed on it; and what the future holds for the New Zealand Free Speech Union.

'Literacy is not a Maori Thing': https://openinquiry.nz/literacy-is-no...
Inter-generational trauma: https://www.tekaharoa.com/index.php/t...
New Zealand Free Speech Union: https://www.fsu.nz/

]]> Dr. Melissa Derby is Senior Lecturer in Education at the University of Waikato, where she teaches at the Tauranga campus. We talked to her about why she prefers not to be introduced as a 'Māori academic'; whether the concept of 'inter-generational trauma' can bear the weight that's been placed on it; and what the future holds for the New Zealand Free Speech Union.

'Literacy is not a Maori Thing': https://openinquiry.nz/literacy-is-no...
Inter-generational trauma: https://www.tekaharoa.com/index.php/t...
New Zealand Free Speech Union: https://www.fsu.nz/

]]> James Buzzsprout-13392222 Sat, 12 Aug 2023 00:00:00 -0400 3886 4 38 full false Rodney Hide Rodney Hide Rodney Hide entered parliament in 1996, was elected leader of the ACT party in 2004, and was appointed Minister for Local government in 2008 in the fifth National government. He retired from the ACT leadership and from parliament in 2011. Rodney has studied zoology and botany, worked on an oil rig, and is a keen proponent of yellow jackets.

Real Talk with Rodney Hide: https://realitycheck.radio/host/rodne...
Karl Popper, The Open Society and its Enemies and its Enemies: https://press.princeton.edu/books/pap...
W.W. Bartley on universities: https://www.amazon.com/Unfathomed-Kno...
Bjorn Lomborg, The Skeptical Environmentalist: https://www.amazon.com/Skeptical-Envi...

]]> Rodney Hide entered parliament in 1996, was elected leader of the ACT party in 2004, and was appointed Minister for Local government in 2008 in the fifth National government. He retired from the ACT leadership and from parliament in 2011. Rodney has studied zoology and botany, worked on an oil rig, and is a keen proponent of yellow jackets.

Real Talk with Rodney Hide: https://realitycheck.radio/host/rodne...
Karl Popper, The Open Society and its Enemies and its Enemies: https://press.princeton.edu/books/pap...
W.W. Bartley on universities: https://www.amazon.com/Unfathomed-Kno...
Bjorn Lomborg, The Skeptical Environmentalist: https://www.amazon.com/Skeptical-Envi...

]]> James Buzzsprout-13392124 Fri, 11 Aug 2023 23:00:00 -0400 4974 4 37 full false Te Maire Tau Te Maire Tau Prof. Te Maire Tau is Pou Whakarae at the Ngāi Tahu Centre at the University of Canterbury. We talked to him about Māori traditional knowledge and (Western) science; local traditions and New Zealand democracy; and whether Polynesians discovered Antarctica.

Papers by Te Maire Tau and others that we discussed:
The Death of Knowledge: https://www.nzjh.auckland.ac.nz/docs/...
Mātauranga Māori as an epistemology:
https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper...
A Short Scan of Māori Journeys to Antarctica: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/...
The improbability of Pre-European Polynesian Voyages to Antarctica:
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/...

]]> Prof. Te Maire Tau is Pou Whakarae at the Ngāi Tahu Centre at the University of Canterbury. We talked to him about Māori traditional knowledge and (Western) science; local traditions and New Zealand democracy; and whether Polynesians discovered Antarctica.

Papers by Te Maire Tau and others that we discussed:
The Death of Knowledge: https://www.nzjh.auckland.ac.nz/docs/...
Mātauranga Māori as an epistemology:
https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper...
A Short Scan of Māori Journeys to Antarctica: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/...
The improbability of Pre-European Polynesian Voyages to Antarctica:
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/...

]]> James Buzzsprout-12929371 Sat, 27 May 2023 04:00:00 -0400 3707 4 36 full false Nadine Strossen Nadine Strossen Nadine Strossen is Professor Emerita at the New York Law School, a past national President of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and a member of the advisory boards of the ACLU, the Academic Freedom Alliance, the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE), Heterodox Academy, and the National Coalition Against Censorship.

We had a wide-ranging conversation with her on free speech and its limits; free speech and 'hate speech' legislation in the US and beyond; and how we can get out of the current free speech crisis, in New Zealand and elsewhere.

Nadine's book on hate speech: https://www.amazon.com/HATE-Should-Re...
Nadine's book on pornography: https://www.amazon.com/Defending-Porn...

Michael, James, and their colleagues' survey on free expression among NZ undergraduates: https://www.academia.edu/97599824/Per...
The NZ Free Speech Union's survey on free expression among NZ academics:
https://www.academia.edu/97599824/Per...

]]> Nadine Strossen is Professor Emerita at the New York Law School, a past national President of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and a member of the advisory boards of the ACLU, the Academic Freedom Alliance, the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE), Heterodox Academy, and the National Coalition Against Censorship.

We had a wide-ranging conversation with her on free speech and its limits; free speech and 'hate speech' legislation in the US and beyond; and how we can get out of the current free speech crisis, in New Zealand and elsewhere.

Nadine's book on hate speech: https://www.amazon.com/HATE-Should-Re...
Nadine's book on pornography: https://www.amazon.com/Defending-Porn...

Michael, James, and their colleagues' survey on free expression among NZ undergraduates: https://www.academia.edu/97599824/Per...
The NZ Free Speech Union's survey on free expression among NZ academics:
https://www.academia.edu/97599824/Per...

]]> James Buzzsprout-12686324 Wed, 19 Apr 2023 19:00:00 -0400 3461 4 35 full false Kathleen Stock Kathleen Stock Recent events in Auckland have reminded us that a tiny minority of radical activists are determined to shut down the speech of so-called TERFs ('Trans-Exclusionary Radical Feminists') and stop trans issues being openly discussed. So we invited leading feminist thinker Kathleen Stock on the podcast to have a wide-ranging discussion of trans rights, women's rights, and related issues.

Kathleen was a professor of philosophy at the University of Sussex until 2021, when she was driven out by a campaign of targeted harassment. We talked to her about the Posie Parker episode; feminism and free speech; what gender is anyway; and what futures there might be for those who want to be able to discuss things openly and freely but who no longer feel at home in universities.

Kathleen's Twitter: https://twitter.com/Docstockk
Free Kiwis! Twitter: https://twitter.com/FreeKiwis

]]> Recent events in Auckland have reminded us that a tiny minority of radical activists are determined to shut down the speech of so-called TERFs ('Trans-Exclusionary Radical Feminists') and stop trans issues being openly discussed. So we invited leading feminist thinker Kathleen Stock on the podcast to have a wide-ranging discussion of trans rights, women's rights, and related issues.

Kathleen was a professor of philosophy at the University of Sussex until 2021, when she was driven out by a campaign of targeted harassment. We talked to her about the Posie Parker episode; feminism and free speech; what gender is anyway; and what futures there might be for those who want to be able to discuss things openly and freely but who no longer feel at home in universities.

Kathleen's Twitter: https://twitter.com/Docstockk
Free Kiwis! Twitter: https://twitter.com/FreeKiwis

]]> James Buzzsprout-12627544 Tue, 11 Apr 2023 05:00:00 -0400 3850 4 34 full false David Lillis David Lillis Dr. David Lillis is a statistician and data scientist who has worked for the Royal Society of New Zealand, the New Zealand Qualifications Authority, and the New Zealand Institute for Sport. We talked to him about some recent studies of the representation of Māori and women in NZ academia. We also talked about reforms to the school curriculum and about the response to Listener letter on science.

McAllister 2022, 50 Reasons Why There Are No Māori in Your Science Department: .
https://www.journalofglobalindigeneity.com/article/55788-50-reasons-why-there-are-no-maori-in-your-science-department

McAllister et al. 2019, Why Isn't My Professor Māori: https://www.journal.mai.ac.nz/content/why-isn%E2%80%99t-my-professor-m%C4%81ori-snapshot-academic-workforce-new-zealand-universities

McAllister et al 2020, Glass Ceilings in NZ Universities: https://www.journal.mai.ac.nz/content/glass-ceilings-new-zealand-universities-inequities-m%C4%81ori-and-pacific-promotions-and-earnings

Lillis 2023, Allegations of Racism in NZ Universities: https://breakingviewsnz.blogspot.com/2023/03/dr-david-lillis-allegations-of-racism.html

Brower and James 2020, Research Performance and Age Explain Less than Half of the Gender Pay Gap in NZ Universities: https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0226392

Pluckrose, Lindsay, and Boghossian, Academic Grievance Studies and the Corruption of Scholarship: https://areomagazine.com/2018/10/02/academic-grievance-studies-and-the-corruption-of-scholarship/

Kierstead and Johnston 2022, Rift Exposes Why NZ Science Body Needs Serious Reform: https://www.nzinitiative.org.nz/reports-and-media/opinion/rift-exposes-why-nz-science-body-needs-serious-reform/

]]> Dr. David Lillis is a statistician and data scientist who has worked for the Royal Society of New Zealand, the New Zealand Qualifications Authority, and the New Zealand Institute for Sport. We talked to him about some recent studies of the representation of Māori and women in NZ academia. We also talked about reforms to the school curriculum and about the response to Listener letter on science.

McAllister 2022, 50 Reasons Why There Are No Māori in Your Science Department: .
https://www.journalofglobalindigeneity.com/article/55788-50-reasons-why-there-are-no-maori-in-your-science-department

McAllister et al. 2019, Why Isn't My Professor Māori: https://www.journal.mai.ac.nz/content/why-isn%E2%80%99t-my-professor-m%C4%81ori-snapshot-academic-workforce-new-zealand-universities

McAllister et al 2020, Glass Ceilings in NZ Universities: https://www.journal.mai.ac.nz/content/glass-ceilings-new-zealand-universities-inequities-m%C4%81ori-and-pacific-promotions-and-earnings

Lillis 2023, Allegations of Racism in NZ Universities: https://breakingviewsnz.blogspot.com/2023/03/dr-david-lillis-allegations-of-racism.html

Brower and James 2020, Research Performance and Age Explain Less than Half of the Gender Pay Gap in NZ Universities: https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0226392

Pluckrose, Lindsay, and Boghossian, Academic Grievance Studies and the Corruption of Scholarship: https://areomagazine.com/2018/10/02/academic-grievance-studies-and-the-corruption-of-scholarship/

Kierstead and Johnston 2022, Rift Exposes Why NZ Science Body Needs Serious Reform: https://www.nzinitiative.org.nz/reports-and-media/opinion/rift-exposes-why-nz-science-body-needs-serious-reform/

]]> James Buzzsprout-12584488 Tue, 04 Apr 2023 04:00:00 -0400 3785 full false Nick Matzke Nick Matzke Dr. Nick Matzke is Senior Lecturer in Biological Sciences at the University of Auckland. We talked to him about what phylogenetic biogeography is; his involvement in the debate over creationism (including 'intelligent design' theories) in the US; and to what extent Maori traditional lore can be considered science.

Nick's open letter on vitalism in the NZ school science curriculum: https://plainsight.nz/letter-to-the-nz-herald-ncea-pseudoscience-mauri-is-present-in-all-matter/

]]> Dr. Nick Matzke is Senior Lecturer in Biological Sciences at the University of Auckland. We talked to him about what phylogenetic biogeography is; his involvement in the debate over creationism (including 'intelligent design' theories) in the US; and to what extent Maori traditional lore can be considered science.

Nick's open letter on vitalism in the NZ school science curriculum: https://plainsight.nz/letter-to-the-nz-herald-ncea-pseudoscience-mauri-is-present-in-all-matter/

]]> James Buzzsprout-12567241 Sun, 02 Apr 2023 05:00:00 -0400 4881 4 32 full false Roger Openshaw Roger Openshaw Roger Openshaw is Emeritus Professor of Education at Massey University. We drew on his rich knowledge of NZ educational history as we discussed the changing relationship between central government and NZ schools over the past century or so; the perils and promises of the new history curriculum; and how solid the evidence is for the common assertion that the NZ education system is racist.

The review mentioned by James: https://www.academia.edu/494364/Roger...
Roger's book that is reviewed there: https://www.abebooks.com/978086469179...

]]> Roger Openshaw is Emeritus Professor of Education at Massey University. We drew on his rich knowledge of NZ educational history as we discussed the changing relationship between central government and NZ schools over the past century or so; the perils and promises of the new history curriculum; and how solid the evidence is for the common assertion that the NZ education system is racist.

The review mentioned by James: https://www.academia.edu/494364/Roger...
Roger's book that is reviewed there: https://www.abebooks.com/978086469179...

]]> James Buzzsprout-12351623 Wed, 01 Mar 2023 00:00:00 -0500 4033 4 31 full false Free Speech: A History from Socrates to Social Media (FK! Book Club 2) Free Speech: A History from Socrates to Social Media (FK! Book Club 2) In this second Free Kiwis! book club, we were joined by Dane Giraud of the NZ Free Speech Union to discuss our previous guest Jacob Mchangama's book Free Speech: A History from Socrates to Social Media.

The book: https://www.amazon.com/Free-Speech-History-Socrates-Social/dp/1541600495

]]> In this second Free Kiwis! book club, we were joined by Dane Giraud of the NZ Free Speech Union to discuss our previous guest Jacob Mchangama's book Free Speech: A History from Socrates to Social Media.

The book: https://www.amazon.com/Free-Speech-History-Socrates-Social/dp/1541600495

]]> James Buzzsprout-12308756 Wed, 22 Feb 2023 18:00:00 -0500 4390 4 3 bonus false The Coddling of the Kiwi Mind? (FKs Reviews #1) The Coddling of the Kiwi Mind? (FKs Reviews #1) On many American university campuses over the last few years speakers have been shouted down, students and professors say they are walking on eggshells and are afraid to speak honestly, and rates of anxiety and depression are rising. 'Deplatforming' is also not unknown at New Zealand universities.

In this episode we review Haidt and Lukianoff's book The Coddling of the American Mind and ask to what extent similar tendencies are present on Kiwi campuses.

https://www.thenile.co.nz/books/jonat...

]]> On many American university campuses over the last few years speakers have been shouted down, students and professors say they are walking on eggshells and are afraid to speak honestly, and rates of anxiety and depression are rising. 'Deplatforming' is also not unknown at New Zealand universities.

In this episode we review Haidt and Lukianoff's book The Coddling of the American Mind and ask to what extent similar tendencies are present on Kiwi campuses.

https://www.thenile.co.nz/books/jonat...

]]> James Buzzsprout-12245029 Mon, 13 Feb 2023 16:00:00 -0500 3215 4 2 bonus false Eric Crampton Eric Crampton Dr. Eric Crampton is Chief Economist at the New Zealand Initiative. We talked to him about how much Kiwis know about their political system, and how much it matters; content regulation, on- and off-line; and why Wellington's latest regulations about smoking have made him want to join forces with pirates.

Eric's Twitter: https://twitter.com/ericcrampton
Eric's blog: http://offsettingbehaviour.blogspot.com

]]> Dr. Eric Crampton is Chief Economist at the New Zealand Initiative. We talked to him about how much Kiwis know about their political system, and how much it matters; content regulation, on- and off-line; and why Wellington's latest regulations about smoking have made him want to join forces with pirates.

Eric's Twitter: https://twitter.com/ericcrampton
Eric's blog: http://offsettingbehaviour.blogspot.com

]]> James Buzzsprout-12067359 Wed, 18 Jan 2023 03:00:00 -0500 3622 4 1 full false David Rozado David Rozado David Rozado is an Associate Professor of Information Technology at Otago Polytechnic. One of his interests is in word frequencies and word associations in large collections of texts, especially from the news media.

We talked to David about our recent survey of free expression among NZ undergraduates; his work on prejudice-denoting terms in news media and in academic papers; and his work on negative emotionality in news media.

David's Twitter: https://twitter.com/DavidRozado
David's Substack: https://davidrozado.substack.com

Our survey of NZ undergraduates: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0760/11/11/502

Nicholas Wade's piece: https://thebulletin.org/2021/05/the-o...

FreeKiwis! Twitter: https://twitter.com/FreeKiwis

A version of this episode with graphs is available on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dE-3gCtKs3Y

]]> David Rozado is an Associate Professor of Information Technology at Otago Polytechnic. One of his interests is in word frequencies and word associations in large collections of texts, especially from the news media.

We talked to David about our recent survey of free expression among NZ undergraduates; his work on prejudice-denoting terms in news media and in academic papers; and his work on negative emotionality in news media.

David's Twitter: https://twitter.com/DavidRozado
David's Substack: https://davidrozado.substack.com

Our survey of NZ undergraduates: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0760/11/11/502

Nicholas Wade's piece: https://thebulletin.org/2021/05/the-o...

FreeKiwis! Twitter: https://twitter.com/FreeKiwis

A version of this episode with graphs is available on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dE-3gCtKs3Y

]]> James Buzzsprout-11776990 Mon, 28 Nov 2022 18:00:00 -0500 4202 full false Catherine Healy Catherine Healy Dame Catherine Healy is a spokesperson and founding member of the New Zealand Sex Workers' Collective. We talked to her about all aspects of sex work in New Zealand, from the legislative environment to social attitudes. 

The NZ Sex Workers' Collective: NZPC > New Zealand Prostitutes Collective

]]> Dame Catherine Healy is a spokesperson and founding member of the New Zealand Sex Workers' Collective. We talked to her about all aspects of sex work in New Zealand, from the legislative environment to social attitudes. 

The NZ Sex Workers' Collective: NZPC > New Zealand Prostitutes Collective

]]> James Buzzsprout-11732281 Sun, 20 Nov 2022 17:00:00 -0500 3008 3 34 full false Paul Moon Paul Moon Prof. Paul Moon teaches at the Auckland University of Technology and is the author of a score of books. We talked to him about the Treaty of Waitangi, its context and reception; the evidence for cannibalism; the new New Zealand history curriculum; and the intellectual atmosphere in modern universities.

Paul's latest book: https://www.routledge.com/Colonising-...



]]> Prof. Paul Moon teaches at the Auckland University of Technology and is the author of a score of books. We talked to him about the Treaty of Waitangi, its context and reception; the evidence for cannibalism; the new New Zealand history curriculum; and the intellectual atmosphere in modern universities.

Paul's latest book: https://www.routledge.com/Colonising-...



]]> James Buzzsprout-11710660 Wed, 16 Nov 2022 19:00:00 -0500 3632 3 33 full false Jacob Mchangama Jacob Mchangama Jacob Mchangama is a lawyer, writer, and the founding Director of Justitia, a Copenhagen-based think tank.

Has history, at least in the West, been a continual record of progress towards more and freeer speech? Or is the history of this ideal marked, rather, by constant setbacks, reversals, and even betrayals? And what might all this tell us about the prospects for free speech today?

Jacob's book: https://www.amazon.com/Free-Speech-Hi...

]]> Jacob Mchangama is a lawyer, writer, and the founding Director of Justitia, a Copenhagen-based think tank.

Has history, at least in the West, been a continual record of progress towards more and freeer speech? Or is the history of this ideal marked, rather, by constant setbacks, reversals, and even betrayals? And what might all this tell us about the prospects for free speech today?

Jacob's book: https://www.amazon.com/Free-Speech-Hi...

]]> James Buzzsprout-11678567 Fri, 11 Nov 2022 18:00:00 -0500 1865 3 31 full false Jonathan Ayling (Free Speech Union) Jonathan Ayling (Free Speech Union) The New Zealand Free Speech Union recently released its first annual free speech ranking of the country's universities. We talked to the NZFSU's Chief Executive Jonathan Ayling about the report and about free speech at NZ universities more broadly.

The full report: https://assets.nationbuilder.com/free...

SHOW LESS



]]> The New Zealand Free Speech Union recently released its first annual free speech ranking of the country's universities. We talked to the NZFSU's Chief Executive Jonathan Ayling about the report and about free speech at NZ universities more broadly.

The full report: https://assets.nationbuilder.com/free...

SHOW LESS



]]> James Buzzsprout-11200168 Wed, 24 Aug 2022 22:00:00 -0400 4180 3 28 full false Elizabeth Rata Elizabeth Rata Elizabeth Rata is a professor in the School of Education and Social Work at the University of Auckland. We talked to her about the nature of science; her theory of 'neo-tribal capitalism'; and why 'partial loyalty' might be crucial to liberal democracy.

Elizabeth's 2003 book A Political Economy of Neotribal Capitalism: https://www.booktopia.com.au/a-politi...

]]> Elizabeth Rata is a professor in the School of Education and Social Work at the University of Auckland. We talked to her about the nature of science; her theory of 'neo-tribal capitalism'; and why 'partial loyalty' might be crucial to liberal democracy.

Elizabeth's 2003 book A Political Economy of Neotribal Capitalism: https://www.booktopia.com.au/a-politi...

]]> James Buzzsprout-11080295 Thu, 04 Aug 2022 02:00:00 -0400 4406 3 26 full false Catherine Churchman: China, South-East Asia, New Zealand (Episode 25) Catherine Churchman: China, South-East Asia, New Zealand (Episode 25) Dr. Catherine Churchman is Lecturer in the Asian Studies Programme in the School of Languages and Cultures. We talked about the mysterious bronze drum culture; Chinese languages, both within and outside of China; and to what extent the CCP is impacting academic freedom in New Zealand.

Catherine's book on the bronze drum culture: https://www.amazon.com/People-between...

Salvatore Babones' article on China and Australian universities: https://quadrant.org.au/magazine/2022...

]]> Dr. Catherine Churchman is Lecturer in the Asian Studies Programme in the School of Languages and Cultures. We talked about the mysterious bronze drum culture; Chinese languages, both within and outside of China; and to what extent the CCP is impacting academic freedom in New Zealand.

Catherine's book on the bronze drum culture: https://www.amazon.com/People-between...

Salvatore Babones' article on China and Australian universities: https://quadrant.org.au/magazine/2022...

]]> James Buzzsprout-10655296 Fri, 20 May 2022 21:00:00 -0400 4155 3 25 full false Jeremy Waldron, The Harm in Hate Speech roundtable (Free Kiwis! Book Club #1) Jeremy Waldron, The Harm in Hate Speech roundtable (Free Kiwis! Book Club #1) Michael, James, and two guests discuss distinguished Kiwi legal philosopher Jeremy Waldron's book The Harm in Hate Speech and his conception of hate speech as 'group libel.'

Waldron, The Harm in Hate Speech: https://www.hup.harvard.edu/catalog.p...

]]> Michael, James, and two guests discuss distinguished Kiwi legal philosopher Jeremy Waldron's book The Harm in Hate Speech and his conception of hate speech as 'group libel.'

Waldron, The Harm in Hate Speech: https://www.hup.harvard.edu/catalog.p...

]]> James Buzzsprout-10655262 Fri, 20 May 2022 21:00:00 -0400 4554 3 24 bonus false Dane Giraud (Episode 15) Dane Giraud (Episode 15) Dane Giraud is a comedy writer with a background in performance (music and acting). He's also an active member both of the NZ Jewish community and of the NZ Free Speech Union. We talked to him about the government's proposed 'hate speech'  laws, the importance of free expression in the arts, and how things have changed since the days of Monty Python.

Join the NZ Free Speech Union: https://www.fsu.nz/join

The Religious diversity Centre Aotearoa NZ panel on the 'hate speech' proposals: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hWCAd...

Steven Price's blog post: https://www.medialawjournal.co.nz/?p=733
James' reply: https://owlofathena.substack.com/p/ha...

Dane on Twitter: https://twitter.com/akadanegiraud?lan...
Free Kiwis! on Twitter: https://twitter.com/FreeKiwis

Free Kiwis! on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/FreeKiwis
Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/FreeKiwis/
Discord server: https://discord.com/invite/VMaawX68

]]> Dane Giraud is a comedy writer with a background in performance (music and acting). He's also an active member both of the NZ Jewish community and of the NZ Free Speech Union. We talked to him about the government's proposed 'hate speech'  laws, the importance of free expression in the arts, and how things have changed since the days of Monty Python.

Join the NZ Free Speech Union: https://www.fsu.nz/join

The Religious diversity Centre Aotearoa NZ panel on the 'hate speech' proposals: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hWCAd...

Steven Price's blog post: https://www.medialawjournal.co.nz/?p=733
James' reply: https://owlofathena.substack.com/p/ha...

Dane on Twitter: https://twitter.com/akadanegiraud?lan...
Free Kiwis! on Twitter: https://twitter.com/FreeKiwis

Free Kiwis! on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/FreeKiwis
Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/FreeKiwis/
Discord server: https://discord.com/invite/VMaawX68

]]> James Buzzsprout-10327727 Sun, 27 Mar 2022 18:00:00 -0400 5168 2 15 full false Kendall Clements (Episode 20) Kendall Clements (Episode 20) Prof. Kendall Clements is a leading fish biologist who teaches at Auckland University. He has also contributed to the ongoing debate about science and mātauranga Māori (Māori traditional lore). We talked to him about his research, the nature of science, and academic freedom in New Zealand.

The largest bacterium in the world: https://app.dimensions.ai/details/pub...

The Listener letter (scroll down for the full text): https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/news/edu...

Free Kiwis! Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/FreeKiwis

]]> Prof. Kendall Clements is a leading fish biologist who teaches at Auckland University. He has also contributed to the ongoing debate about science and mātauranga Māori (Māori traditional lore). We talked to him about his research, the nature of science, and academic freedom in New Zealand.

The largest bacterium in the world: https://app.dimensions.ai/details/pub...

The Listener letter (scroll down for the full text): https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/news/edu...

Free Kiwis! Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/FreeKiwis

]]> James Buzzsprout-10314906 Fri, 25 Mar 2022 01:00:00 -0400 4229 2 16 full false Dialogue 2: Truth, Science, and Narrative Dialogue 2: Truth, Science, and Narrative What do we mean by scientific truth? And how is it different to what we mean when we say a story rings true? Michael and James try to figure this out, touching on everything from mythology to neurons along the way.

The Popperian podcast with Maarten Boudry: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QtHlNHQdoPo

James on the Milesians: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KjwaeoO0GZw&t=12s
James on Heraclitus: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FipXtijPN0Y

]]> What do we mean by scientific truth? And how is it different to what we mean when we say a story rings true? Michael and James try to figure this out, touching on everything from mythology to neurons along the way.

The Popperian podcast with Maarten Boudry: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QtHlNHQdoPo

James on the Milesians: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KjwaeoO0GZw&t=12s
James on Heraclitus: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FipXtijPN0Y

]]> James Buzzsprout-9990636 Tue, 01 Feb 2022 04:00:00 -0500 4556 3 2 bonus false Episode 1: Michael Johnston Episode 1: Michael Johnston In the inaugural episode of Free Kiwis!, recorded in August 2020, James asks Michael about his research into mental imaging, single-sex schools, and much more besides. 

]]> In the inaugural episode of Free Kiwis!, recorded in August 2020, James asks Michael about his research into mental imaging, single-sex schools, and much more besides. 

]]> James Buzzsprout-9949924 Tue, 25 Jan 2022 12:00:00 -0500 3465 1 1 full false Episode 4: Jamie Whyte Episode 4: Jamie Whyte In January 2021 we talked to the philosopher and commentator Dr. Jamie Whyte about the climate for free expression in universities, the past and future of ACT, and his vision of a 'libertarian populism.'

]]> In January 2021 we talked to the philosopher and commentator Dr. Jamie Whyte about the climate for free expression in universities, the past and future of ACT, and his vision of a 'libertarian populism.'

]]> James Buzzsprout-9920029 Thu, 20 Jan 2022 08:00:00 -0500 4397 2 1 full false Free Speech, Democracy, and Rationality: A Dialogue Free Speech, Democracy, and Rationality: A Dialogue Michael and James discuss some of the complexities of free speech, and how it might be linked to both democracy and rationality.

]]> Michael and James discuss some of the complexities of free speech, and how it might be linked to both democracy and rationality.

]]> James Buzzsprout-9906807 Tue, 18 Jan 2022 09:00:00 -0500 4444 3 1 bonus false Jon Haidt Jon Haidt We talk to NYU professor and academic psychologist Jonathan Haidt about safetyism, resilience, and the future of universities.

]]> We talk to NYU professor and academic psychologist Jonathan Haidt about safetyism, resilience, and the future of universities.

]]> James Buzzsprout-8984322 Fri, 06 Aug 2021 05:00:00 -0400 4134 full false