Rear Vision — How History Shaped Today

Today the Red Sea’s crucial choke-point at the Bab el-Mandeb is becoming as infamous as the Strait of Hormuz.

Dictators and autocrats deride human rights as a “western concept” – think Vladamir Putin and Xi Jinping, among others. They reject the narrative that a global concern for individual freedoms has steadily grown since the end of WWII. What if they’re correct? At least partially so. What if international support for the ideal of universal human rights was never really as strong as it seemed? Could a reassessment of the history of human rights help us explain current threats to personal freedoms across the globe? Guests: Dr Alison Brysk – Distinguished Professor of Global Studies, University of California, Santa Barbara Dr Samuel Moyn – Professor of Law and History, Yale University Dr Barbara Keys – Professor of US History, Durham University Dr Jenna Reinbold – Associate Professor of Religion, Colgate University

This year has seen an uncharacteristic flurry of meetings and engagement between North Korea, China and Russia. Is a North Asia bromance blossoming or are we seeing a calculated collaboration?

The conflict between Israel and Lebanon that flared up in March this year is not new. Despite having no major border dispute or a struggle over resources, Israel and Lebanon have been in conflict for decades.  The history of Lebanon’s relationship with Israel and how it continues to be shaped by the story of the Palestinian people.

Hezbollah has been a key political and military player in Lebanon for decades.  In 2000 it forced the Israeli military out of Southern Lebanon and since then has been in almost constant conflict with Israel. Since the October 7 terrorist attack by Hamas in Israel, that conflict has escalated resulting in an invasion of Southern Lebanon by the Israel military.  For many in the Arab world Hezbollah is an organisation leading the resistance against Israeli aggression in the Middle East. In the West they are seen as an Iranian proxy and a terrorist group. Where does the truth lie and how did Hezbollah come into existence?

Fifteen years ago, events in Libya dominated world headlines. In 2011, during the “Arab Spring”, Western leaders pledged their determination to free the Libyan people from decades of oppression under Muammar Gaddafi. NATO jets were deployed. Today, a decade and a half later, Libya is effectively two nations not one, tyrany still rules, and the plight of the Libyan people has largely been forgotten. We ask, how and why? We also find out why a Trump emissary is now sniffing around Tripoli and Benghazi  Guests: Tim Eaton – Senior Researcher Fellow, Middle East and North Africa Programme, Chatham House  Rhiannon Smith – General Manager, Researcher and Analyst, Libya-Analysis Emadeddin Badi – Associate Fellow, Chatham House

Despite their long history in this country,  Muslims in Australia are often the flashpoint for immigration fears and concern about extremism.

The United States has just imposed new tariffs on Australia and other countries for supposedly not doing enough to combat forced labour in international supply chains. Analysts say the move is political, but regardless it does once again highlight the ongoing issue of slavery. Slavery has been a constant of human history from ancient to modern times. The human rights group Walk Free estimates that almost 50 million people world-wide live in a modern form of enslavement. So how has our understanding of slavery changed over time? And why is it often still portrayed as a thing of the past?  Guests: Dr Catherine Armstrong – Reader in Modern History, Loughborough University Susan Hutchinson – PHD Candidate, Australian National University. Architect of the Prosecute Don’t Perpetrate campaign Dr Paige Gleeson – Adjunct Fellow, History & Classics, School of Humanities, University of Tasmania Dr Justine Nolan – Professor of Law and Justice, UNSW Sydney. Director of the Australian Human Rights Institute

What happens when the bombs and the fighting stop? Who pays for all the damage? It’s estimated that rebuilding Gaza alone, will cost more than US$70 billion.  What strategy is needed to turn battlefields and ruins into peace and prosperity?

The government of Emmanuel Macron is struggling to deal with ongoing tension and resentment in France’s external territory, New Caledonia. The latest diplomatic and legislative efforts to determine the archipelago’s future have failed, and recent local elections have only cemented the stalemate between pro-independence supporters and those New Caledonians who want to remain a part of France. We explore what that means for the people of New Caledonia; France’s historic presence in the Pacific; President Macron’s grand Indo-pacific strategy; and for the 2027 French presidential elections. Guests: Dr Denise Fisher – Visiting Fellow, Centre for European Studies, Australian National University and former Australian Consul General in Noumea Cade Winter – Researcher, Yale Review of International Studies, Yale University Dr Frederic Grare – Senior Research Fellow, National Security College, Australian National University  Nic Maclellan -Correspondent, Islands Pacific Magazine and Pacific Affairs Correspondent, Inside Story

One third of the world's fertiliser is shipped through the Strait of Hormuz. How did fertiliser supply become so concentrated in the Middle East and what happens when this supply is suddenly at risk?

Americans are preparing for an orgy of red, white and blue as the 250th anniversary of their Declaration of Independence draws near. But what’s not likely to be widely mentioned is the fact that the conflict wasn’t just a revolution against British rule, it was actually America’s first civil war – a bloody and divisive internal conflict. And those rebels who rejected the Crown and called themselves "patriots" were by no means in the majority when war broke out. Historians say understanding more about the conflict could help Americans come to terms with the issues they face today. Guests: Dr Maya Jasanoff – Professor of History, Harvard University Dr Richard Bell – Professor of History, University of Maryland, College Park  Dr Rebecca Brannon – Professor of History, James Maddison University

As the war in the Middle East teeters on a peace deal, the carefully managed relationship between Saudi Arabia and the United States is starting to show cracks.

Despite constant criticism from the Americans, European NATO members are actively rebuilding and strengthening their militaries. Some are even beginning to think beyond the Alliance and the United States, to an independent united European fighting force. NATO members will meet in early July for their 36th summit. Guests: Dr Hugo Bromley – Historian of manufacturing, geopolitics, and international trade, Centre for geopolitics, University of Cambridge  Dr Simon J. Smith – Associate Professor of Security and International Relations at the Royal Danish Defence College Stuart Dowell – political journalist and commentator based in Warsaw  Max Bergmann – director of the Europe, Russia and Eurasia Program, Center for strategic and international Studies Stavros Atlamazoglou – Defence journalist and Greek Army veteran

President Trump has made it clear he doesn’t think diplomacy on its own will stop Iran from developing nuclear weapons. So what does history tell us about what actually works?  We’re looking back at one of the greatest nuclear risk reduction efforts ever — when the US and Russia joined forces to contain the weapons fallout from the Soviet collapse and convince countries like Ukraine to give up the nuclear arsenal they inherited. An effort that was led by diplomacy, pragmatism and scientific expertise during a brief period of goodwill between the two countries.   GUESTS Graham Allison - Douglas Dillon Professor of Government at the Harvard Kennedy School Mariana Budjeryin - Senior Researcher at the Centre for Nuclear Security at MIT and author of Inheriting the Bomb: The Collapse of the USSR and the Nuclear Disarmament of Ukraine David E Hoffman - author of The Dead Hand: The Untold Story of the Cold War Arms   GUESTS Graham Allison - Douglas Dillon Professor of Government at the Harvard Kennedy School Mariana Budjeryin - Senior Researcher at the Centre for Nuclear Security at MIT and author of Inheriting the Bomb: The Collapse of the USSR and the Nuclear Disarmament of Ukraine David E Hoffman - author of The Dead Hand: The Untold Story of the Cold War Arms

Gerrymandering is endemic in the United States and could determine the outcome of this year's mid-term elections. It has been a feature of the American political system since the beginning of the republic, according to Princeton University's Samuel Wang. So, how did the self-styled “world’s greatest democracy” end up with a system that former California Governor, Arnold Schwarzenegger, says is being rigged by both major parties? Guests: Dr John Hart – School of Politics and International Relations, Australian National University Dr Samuel Wang – Professor of Neuroscience and Head of the Princeton Gerrymandering Project, Princeton University  Dr Ben Reid – data analyst and researcher, Australian and European history, Parliament of Victoria  Dr Melissa Rogers – Professor, Politics & Policy and Co-Director, Inequality and Policy Research Center, Claremont Graduate University

The closure of the Strait of Hormuz continues to affect economies around the world.  But Russia has not only escaped the financial fallout, but has prospered.

It may surprise you to know that the Australian parliament has no real say over whether the country goes to war. In the United States its effectively the same, with analysts saying the US Congress has now basically ceded its war powers to the president. A process, by the way, that began long before the arrival of Donald Trump. In this episode we look at how that happened and why calls for war powers reform have had so little success. Guests: Dr Russell Berman – Professor in the Humanities, Stanford University  Dr Sarah Percy – Associate Professor of International Relations, University of Queensland Dr Sarah Burns – Rochester Institute of Technology  Dr Alison Broinowski - Australians for War Power Reform Dr Nicole Townsend - lecturer in War Studies – University of New South Wales, Canberra

The Federal Government is hoping tax reform will help address the widening generational wealth gap and rebalance the tax system in favour of younger people. One policy being targeted for an overhaul in this year's budget is the 50 per cent capital gains tax discount. Australia started taxing capital gains in the mid-1980s to tackle tax avoidance and evasion which was a huge problem at the time. So why in 1999 did the Howard government introduce a discount on that tax?  And why does the concession encourage investment in established housing stock?  Guests: Chris Evans - Emeritus Professor UNSW Business School Peter Martin - economist and presenter of The Economy Stupid Rick Krever - taxation law and policy specialist at UWA Craig Emerson - economist and former Federal Labor MP  Joe Aston - author and business journalist Peter Tulip - Chief Economist at the Centre for Independant Studies Richard Holden - Scientia Professor of  Economics at UNSW Business School

In 1707 the Scottish national parliament was disbanded, not to be reconvened until 1999. How and why Scotland regained its own Assembly is the story of rising Scottish nationalism and Westminster’s attempts to dampen such feelings and keep Scotland in the Union. On May 7th, Scots go to the polls, and the outcome could impact significantly on both the nationalist cause in Scotland and on the ongoing viability of Keir Starmer’s Labour government at Westminster.   Guests: Dr Clement Macintyre – Professor Emeritus, School of Society and Culture, Adelaide University Dr Nicola McEwen – Professor of Public Policy and Governance, University of Glasgow  Alyn Smith – Former UK MP and MEP, candidate for the 2026 Scottish parliamentary elections, Scottish National Party  Tom Chidwick – Manager, Mile End Institute, Queen Mary University of London

IN 1959 Fidel Castro transformed Cuba into a socialist state. And ever since then, American presidents have been trying to undo it. Now it’s Donald Trump’s turn – and he’s determined to succeed.

Australia’s incoming Chief of Army, Lt. General Susan Coyle, will be the first woman ever to hold the Army’s top post. Her appointment in the lead-up to Anzac Day reflects a change that’s been decades in the making. The true history of warfare is the story of men and women together on the battlefield. But in the early 20th century that reality changed, and at the same time, female fighters began to be written out of the history books. This is the story of how western women successfully fought their way back onto the front line. It’s also a story about how the current US administration is once again trying to wrest them from the field. Guests: Ashleigh Percival-Borley – Military historian, Durham University  Dr Sarah Percy – Associate professor, School of Political Science and International Studies, University of Queensland Dr Megan McKenzie – Professor, School for International Studies, Simon Fraser University   Dr Kyleanne Hunter – CEO of the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America Links: Sarah Percy’s Forgotten Warriors   Kyleanne Hunter’s Invisible Veterans  Megan MacKenzie’s Beyond the Band of Brothers

It’s a truism of peace talks that we’re not negotiating with our friends but rather with our enemies. And when our enemies have been designated as terrorists and murderers, it’s not an easy task.  How have violent conflicts ended in the past and are there lessons we can learn from previous peace negotiations? Guests Youssef Mahmoud, Senior Advisor at the International Peace Institute. Former United Nations Under-Secretary-General and head of peace operations in Burundi, the Central African Republic and Chad. Randall Lesaffer, Professor of Legal History at KU University in Leuven, Belgium and author of Peace Treaties and International Law in European History: From the Late Middle Ages to World War One. Philipp Kastner, Senior Lecturer in International law at the University of Western Australia and author of Legal Normativity in the Resolution of Internal Armed Conflict. Luxshi Vimalarajah, senior mediator advisor at the Berghof Foundation. Previously involved in peace negotiations in Sri Lanka, Nepal, Myanmar, Turkey, Yemen, North Macedonia and Colombia.

The conflict in the Middle East has led to a sharp rise in energy prices – and highlighted the issue of Australia’s energy security.   Why haven’t we all transitioned to renewables? The story of Australia’s energy transition and why it’s had so many false starts and missteps.

Wrapping yourself in the national flag has become a common practice for far-right activists right across the Western world, particularly anti-immigration demonstrators. In the UK the co-opting of the Union Jack and the flag of St George has become so common it’s now described in derogatory terms as “flag-shagging”. In this episode, we explore the historic power of national flags as symbols of division, not just national unity.  Guests: Dr Anne Platoff – Flag expert and former librarian, University of California, Santa Barbara  Laura Scofield – Design Director, The Atlantic Dr Dominic Bryan – Professor of social anthropology, Queens’s University Belfast

Pete Hegseth U.S. Secretary for War (previously Defense) is one of the most powerful people on the planet. He says that two things have defined his life – his military service and his religious faith.

Donald Trump and China’s Xi Jinping are due to meet in Beijing in the near future, following a March postponement. China’s wish to subsume democratic Taiwan is certain to be one of the topics on the summit agenda. President Xi has reportedly instructed his military to be at capacity for an invasion by 2027, so 2026 could be Taiwan’s last year of freedom. Some analysts fear US military action in Iran and Venezuela may embolden Beijing. The Chinese Communist Party justifies its claim to Taiwan based on what it calls its “One China Principle”. But what exactly does “One China” mean? Guests: Jessica Drun – Washington-based China and Taiwan analyst Dr Andrew Phillips – Professor of International Relations, University of Queensland  Dr Mei-fen Kuo – lecturer in Contemporary Chinese Culture and History, Macquarie University Dr Sow Keat Tok – Asia Institute, University of Melbourne Dr Mark Harrison – Senior Lecturer, Chinese Studies, University of Tasmania

A wide-angle lens on the history of Innovation. An unprecedented surge in human ingenuity has created six great waves of innovation. What drove these breakthroughs? And where are we headed?

The government of Singapore this year sacked the leader of the Opposition — that's the way things happen in Singaporean politics. Though it looks like a model Westminster democracy, critics say it's actually a one-party state, dominated for more than 60 years by the People's Action Party. So, how is it that such a prosperous and modern nation has never managed to free itself from the long shadow of its authoritarian founder, Lee Kuan Yew. Guests: Dr Stephan Ortmann — Assistant Professor of Politics and Public Administration, Hong Kong Metropolitan University Dr Michael Barr — Associate Professor of International relations, Flinders University Dr Gillian Koh — Senior Research Fellow, Institute of Policy Studies, National University of Singapore Joshua Kurlantzick — Senior Fellow for SE Asia and South Asia, Council on Foreign Relations

China is now the number one trading partner of South America. How realistic are U.S. plans to dominate the Western hemisphere?

High speed rail spread around the globe from the 1960s when the first bullet trains took off in Japan. Rear Vision looks at why previous attempts to introduce high speed rail in Australia have failed. Japan opened the world's first high-speed rail line - between Tokyo and Osaka - in time for the 1964 Olympics. Japan’s ‘Bullet Train’ was the first to run on a dedicated line – a high speed service for passengers only. Over the last 30 years, millions of dollars have been spent in Australia on studies and proposals but is a fast train service on the east coast any closer?

Since the 1970s central banks around the world have increasingly become “independent” of government. They’ve developed that way over time to ensure that monetary policy isn’t impacted by partisan political motives. But there are those who now seek to turn the clock back and to rein in that independence. The current US president is at the front of the pack. Guests: Cristina Bodea – Professor of political science, Michigan State University John Hawkins – Head of the Canberra School of Government, University of Canberra https://Dr Isaac Gross Isaac Gross - Senior lecturer in Economics, Monash University Links: David Marr's Late Night Live interview with biographer RICHARD VAGUE about the US banker Thomas Willing

Bangladesh is having its first free and fair election in over 18 years. Rear Vision looks back at the tumultuous history of this young nation.

Only a few decades ago China was known as the land of the bicycle – today it’s an automotive goliath. The PRC is now the world’s biggest car manufacturer and exporter. It also has the largest domestic car market. We explore how it achieved such a dramatic turnaround in only a few short decades. And what role European and American car makers inadvertently played in creating a super rival.  Guests:   Ilaria Mazzocco – Chinese business and economic expert, Center for Strategic and International Studies  Dr Tessa Thorniley – freelance business journalist  Zeyi Yang – technology journalist and senior writer, WIRED  Mike Colias – Us Autos Editor, Reuters

Since the start of the 20th century, oil has been the lifeblood of global development. Today, the story behind oil — and the politics of supplying oil and denying oil.

From sanctions to tariffs to seizing oil fields — it feels like we've entered a new age of economic warfare. But experts say we're really just returning to the past. To the time before the rules-based international order was established at the end of the Second World War. Gunboat diplomacy it seems is once again de rigueur. Guests William Alan Reinsch — Senior advisor, Center for Strategic and International Studies Saadia Zahidid — Economist and Managing Director of the World Economic Forum Markus Jaeger — Adjunct professor, International and Public Affairs, Columbia SIPA Abraham Newman — Professor of Government, Georgetown University. Author of Underground Empire: How America Weaponized the World Economy (Holt/Penguin 2023) Hugo Slim — Senior Research Fellow, Institute for Ethics, Law and Armed Conflict, University of Oxford

For just over three weeks huge street protests have swept across Iran and threatened to topple The Islamic Republic regime of Iran. The regime has responded with a brutal crackdown on dissent and imposing a total internet blackout. President Donald Trump has urges Iranians to keep protesting and has promised that 'help is on its way'. So how should we understand what’s happening in Iran and why does President Trump care so much. In this podcast extra we trace the story of Iran from the 1953 CIA coup that overthrow the democratically elected government of Mohammad Mosaddegh and ushered in the rule of the Shah through to the events that lead to the 1979 Iranian Revolution that ousted the Shah and the return of the Ayatollah, and finally, Iran post 1979 and the role that Iranian women have played in resisting the rule of the Ayatollahs.

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 economy and can we blame Donald Trump and his wrecking ball or are there deeper forces at play?

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.

This year, the Australian Labor government changed the country's superannuation rules — and reduced the 15% tax concession on balances over 3 million dollars Is this enough? And is our retirement system serving its purpose?

President Trump wants to buy or take control of Greenland from Denmark. But Denmark has made very clear, they don’t have the right to sell Greenland because Greenland is owned by the people of Greenland.  Donald Trump is not the first US president to try and buy Greenland. The story of Greenland and America’s many attempts to gain control of the largest island on the planet.

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

Back in 1996 Pauline Hanson – rocked Australian politics when she was elected to the House of Representative in the seat of Oxley espousing anti-Asian and anti-Aboriginal views. But her time in Canberra didn’t last. Two years later she lost her seat.   Over the next two decades Hanson stood for re-election 8 time, failing at each attempt. She looked like a spent force in Australian politics. But that was wrong – today she is back in federal parliament, and her Party’s numbers are surging. How has Pauline Hanson been able to make such an incredible political comeback.

Rear Vision traces the story of the World Trade Organization from its origins as The GATT - and asks whether the WTO can still play a meaningful role in managing the trade realities of the 21st century?

Australian universities are confronting a firestorm, the loss of foreign students, the lay-off of academics, the underpayment of staff and radical changes to domestic university fees. Why is our university sector in so much trouble? Guests  Raewyn Connell, professor emerita at the University of Sydney Professor Glyn Davis, The Australian idea of a university Hannah Forsyth, historian of education and associate Professor at the University of New England James Waghorne, Senior Research Fellow in the faculty of Education at the University of Melbourne Presenter and producer Annabelle Quince

Sudan is engulfed in a civil war. We know little about it, but we should. Sudan sits at the crossroad between Africa and the Middle East, and many of its neighbours, the UAE, Egypt, Russia, and Saudia Arabia – are directly or indirectly involved in this conflict. In this second part of our series on Sudan - Sudan’s deeper history and the regional factors that are shaping the current conflict.

The history of the current conflict in Sudan is complex and long, but it's a history that matters. Sudan sits at the crossroad between Africa and the Middle East, it controls a strategic trading port on the red Sea, Port Sudan, it has large gold reserves and is the point where the Blue and the White Nile meet before flowing into Egypt. All of which make it important in the region.

Rear Vision puts contemporary events in their historical context.

Rear Vision puts contemporary events in their historical context.

The six countries of the Persian Gulf. From their rapid arrival on the world stage to their influence in Middle East politics today.

Venezuela  -  the latest country on US President Donald Trump's radar in his fight against drugs.

India and China - one of the most complex and consequential relationships in modern geopolitics.

In 1998 The Good Friday Agreement was signed in Britain and Ireland, bringing an end to 30 years of violence, murder and religious conflict. How did this come about? and are there lessons we can learn?

The last two months has seen a shift in international politics as Israeli westerns allies move to recognise a Palestinian state. Could this be a historical tipping point in the conflict between Israel and Palestine, like the moment that led to the end of Apartheid in South Africa in the 1990’s. Rear Vision explores the similarities and difference between the Anti-Apartheid movement and the growing international pressure being placed on Israel.Rear Vision puts contemporary events in their historical context.

Rear Vision puts contemporary events in their historical context.

Since the end of WW2, the security alliance between Australia and the United States ANZUS has been the cornerstone of our foreign policy and security. And the AUKUS agreement announced in 2021 by Prime Minister Morrison only deepens that alliance. But just how well has the alliance served Australia and will the AUKUS deal enhance our security or lead us into a war with China we don’t want? And if AUKUS does pan out, do we have a plan B or is our plan B to make sure plan A works?

It was after the September 11 terrorist attacks on New York and Washington – that the drone became America’s weapon of choice in war on terror. Unpiloted planes, capable of finding and destroying target on the other side of the world, known as – Reaper or Predator Drones. But it’s over the past 25 years the use of drones - both civilian and military - has really taken off globally. Nowhere more so than in the war between Ukraine and Russia where they have literally reshaped the battlefield. The history of the drone.

Since the end of World War II, America has dominated the Pacific, but China’s expanding economy and growing military might is  challenging that dominance

What can Australia do to maintain its mineral wealth in a decarbonising world?  Rear Vision drills down into our coal and iron-ore industries.  And asks, can Green Iron save us?

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 Russia?

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 well as a critical moment for the Russian president.  Rear Vision looks at this moment which arguable led to the 2022 invasion of Ukraine by Russia.

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 Romania and possible the European Union?

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 economy and can we blame Donald Trump and his wrecking ball or are there deeper forces at play?

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 story of race relations and inclusion in America has a long history. Over three weeks we trace that history from the end of the Civil War through to the presidency of Donald Trump. In part one we looked at the period from the end of the Civil War through to the beginning of the 20th century, and part two we move into the 20th century and the events that led to the Civil Rights movement.  And in this the final program, why - segregation and discrimination remains stubbornly entranced in America today.

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 story of race relations and inclusion in America has a long history. Over three weeks we trace that history from the end of the Civil War through to the presidency of Donald Trump. In part one we looked at the period from the end of the Civil War through to the beginning of the 20th century. In this episode part two - the civil Rights movement and its impact on 20th century America.

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 story of race relations and inclusion in America has a long history. Over three weeks we trace that history from the end of the Civil War through to the presidency of Donald Trump. In this part one - the end of the Civil War and the freeing of millions of slaves through reconstruction and the emergence of the Jim Crow laws

Historically Germany has been one of the most politically stable nations in Europe and an economic powerhouse. But over the past few year’s things have changed – the German economy has started to slow; politics has become more fragmented and the extreme far right party the Alternative for Germany or AfD has doubled its political support. Last year the centre left three-party coalition government of Olaf Scholz collapsed. Next Sunday Germany goes to the polls to elect a new government, also likely to be a coalition. What are the key election issues, will the new collation government be any more stable and why does this election matter not just in Germany but also across Europe?

President Donald  Trump wants Panama to hand back, one of the most important waterways on the planet, the Panama Canal, to the United States and he hasn’t ruled out force if Panama won’t agree. It’s a far cry from 48 years ago when another very different US President - formally gave the Panama canal to the nation of Panama. This week from the Rear Vision archives - the story of the building of the Panama Canal and a US president who believed that fairness and not force should lie at the heart of the United States dealing with the nations of the world.

President Trump wants to buy or take control of Greenland from Denmark. But Denmark has made very clear, they don’t have the right to sell Greenland because Greenland is owned by the people of Greenland.  Donald Trump is not the first US president to try and buy Greenland. The story of Greenland and America’s many attempts to gain control of the largest island on the planet.

On 26 January 1788, the ships of the First Fleet started unloading the first of more than a thousand people – convicted criminals, officers, marines, women and children – who would set up camp in what became the city of Sydney. What happened during the first days, weeks and months of contact between the British who arrived and the Aboriginal people who lived there?

In June 2015 Donald Trump, real estate tycoon and TV personality, announced he was running in the Republican Presidential race. At first many people dismissed him as having no chance but within weeks of nominating, his polling numbers rocketed, and he became the front runner in a field of 17 candidates and the rest as they say is history. This week on Rear Vision we revisit the story of Donald Trump before he became US President.

It’s a truism of peace talks that we’re not negotiating with our friends but rather our enemies. And when most of our enemies have been designated as terrorist and murderers it’s not an easy task. How have violent conflicts ended in the past and are there lessons we can learn from previous peace negotiations.

The assassination attempt on Trump was a shocking mission failure for the Secret Service.   From JFK to Reagan, we examine what the agency’s history and response to past failures.

Nancy Pelosi was the Democrat Speaker of the House of Representative, during Donald Trump's first presidency. She was a constant thorn in his side and lead the push to impeachment him. For over four decades has has been a major player in US politics. And despite having retired from the House is said to have played a key role in getting Joe Biden to step aside last year. So, who is Nancy Pelosi.

Joe Biden became the 46 President of the United States. Twice before he ran for the Democrat presidential nomination and both times he lost - but he didn't give up. Born in 1942 he has spent most of his working life in the US Senate, except for the eight years as Vice President in the Obama administration. What does his record in the Senator, and his previous attempts at the presidency tell us about Joe Biden the man and the politician.

While America was founded on lofty ideas – like democracy, equality and freedom – it’s was also shaped and continues to be shaped by political violence. The history of political violence in America from the time of slavery through to the assassination attempt on Donald trump.

Australia starting taxing capital gains in 1986, stamping out a whole lot of tax evasion in the process. So why in 1999 did the Howard government introduce a discount on that tax? And how has that concession impacted investing in property?

Rear Vision puts contemporary events in their historical context.

Bernie Sanders was the first independent and first self-professed socialist to be voted first into the House and then the US Senate, for decades. He has espoused the same message for over 40 years: affordable education, universal health care and economic equality. For most of those 40 years he was a voice in the wilderness but suddenly his message is resonating with thousands of young Americans - so what’s going on?

International leaders are calling for a two-state solution – as the only long-term way to solve the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians in the occupied territories. But just how viable is the creation of a Palestinian state and does the political will exist on either side to negotiate a final agreement?