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Emma Shortis

Research Fellow, RMIT University
I’m a historian and writer focused on the history and politics of the United States. I use my expertise in history to interpret and explain what is happening in America today, and what it means for Australia, in a compassionate and accessible way. In a conversation dominated by the same voices, I offer a fresh perspective on the United States grounded in moral questions about how we might imagine a post-American future.

My first book, Our Exceptional Friend: Australia’s Fatal Alliance with the United States, was published by Hardie Grant in August 2021. I also co-host RMIT’s popular history podcast, Barely Gettin’ By, with my friend Dr Chloe Ward.

I’m a regular guest on ABC radio and television and programs like Triple RRR’s Uncommon Sense. I’ve appeared on ABC’s The Drum, Channel 9’s Today Show, and ABC podcasts like Russia, If You’re Listening and The Signal. I write regularly for popular outlets including ABC News Online and the Sydney Morning Herald. In 2020, I was named RMIT’s Media Commentator of the year.

I’m currently a Research Fellow at RMIT. Before that, I spent a year in the United States as the Fox-Zucker International Fellow at Yale University, where I finished writing my PhD in History. My academic research focuses on the history of global climate policy and global environmental governance, and the role of the United States in the world.

In a largely uneventful and inconsequential US vice presidential debate, no one can claim victory

Oct 03, 2024 00:04 am UTC| Politics

Just like vice presidents themselves, in US politics, debates dont really matter until they do. The most recent debate (and likely the last of the 2024 election cycle) between aspiring vice presidents Senator JD Vance and...

Are you ready for it? What a Taylor Swift endorsement means for Kamala Harris

Sep 16, 2024 06:04 am UTC| Insights & Views Entertainment

As the US Presidential debate wrapped up on Wednesday, commentators and journalists regrouped and drew breath. But then, enter Taylor Swift. The pop superstar posted her endorsement of the Kamala Harris and Tim Walz...

Is America ready to elect a Black woman president?

Sep 09, 2024 08:16 am UTC| Insights & Views Politics

Its the big question that has loomed over Kamala Harris presidential campaign from the start: is the United States ready for a Black woman president? I get asked this almost every time I speak about American politics....

Global Geopolitics Series

How will US foreign policy affect Joe Biden’s chances of re-election in November?

Apr 22, 2024 03:28 am UTC| Insights & Views Politics

When big questions about American foreign policy collide with an election, its rarely good news for a sitting president. Like many leaders before him, US President Joe Biden has had some of these questions thrust on...

US Election Series

Who will Trump pick as his running mate?

Apr 01, 2024 03:45 am UTC| Insights & Views Politics

Being second in line for leadership of the most powerful country in the world is not an easy job. But for Mike Pence, vice president under Donald Trump, things were even harder than usual. As insurrectionists descended...

Some truths are self-evident: Joe Biden is too old. But who could possibly replace him?

Feb 21, 2024 10:57 am UTC| Insights & Views Politics

It is possible, in politics as in life, for several things to be true at once. It is true that Donald Trump and his plans for a second presidential administration represent an existential threat to American...

US under Trump Series

Donald Trump faces half a billion dollars of debt and several court cases. But that may not stop him from becoming president again

Feb 20, 2024 11:13 am UTC| Politics

The verdicts keep coming. On Friday US time, the three-month hearing focused on Donald Trumps business dealings in New York came to an end. Trump was ordered to pay back more than $US350 million (A$537 million), plus...

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Economy

EU Prepares €21B Tariff Response to Trump’s Trade Threats

The European Union is readying 21 billion worth of tariffs on U.S. goods if trade talks fail, according to Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani. This move follows U.S. President Donald Trumps recent threat to impose 30%...

Trump’s Spending Bill Pressures Medicaid Insurers Amid Cost and Coverage Concerns

President Donald Trumps new spending bill, known as the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, is expected to significantly raise administrative costs for Medicaid insurers like UnitedHealthcare, CVS Healths Aetna, Centene, and...

Serbia Faces Pressure as U.S. Talks Stall on Sanctions Against Russian-Owned Oil Firm NIS

Serbias negotiations with the United States over delaying sanctions on Russian-owned oil company NIS have hit significant roadblocks, according to Serbian Mining and Energy Minister Dubravka Djedovic Handanovic. Speaking...

Sweden’s June Inflation Rises 0.5% Monthly, Hits 2.8% Annually

Swedens consumer prices rose 0.5% in June compared to May, according to final inflation figures released by Statistics Sweden (SCB) on Monday. On a year-over-year basis, the headline inflation rate reached 2.8%, reflecting...

EU, US Close to Trade Deal Amid Trump Tariff Threat

The European Union and the United States are reportedly nearing a major trade agreement, signaling progress in efforts to ease transatlantic tensions. EU Trade Commissioner Maros Sefcovic said on Monday that negotiations...

Politics

Trump’s Ukraine Envoy Kellogg Visits Kyiv for Security, Sanctions Talks

U.S. President Donald Trumps special envoy for Ukraine, Keith Kellogg, arrived in Kyiv on Monday to discuss defense cooperation and tougher sanctions against Russia. According to Andriy Yermak, head of the Ukrainian...

Albanese Urges China Collaboration on Global Steel Overcapacity During Shanghai Visit

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese emphasized the need for joint action with China to tackle global steel overcapacity during a high-level meeting with business leaders in Shanghai. Speaking on Monday, Albanese...

Trump Addresses Epstein Probe Fallout, Backs FBI Deputy Bongino

President Donald Trump said Sunday he had spoken with FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino to address tensions surrounding the Justice Departments handling of the Jeffrey Epstein investigation. Speaking to reporters, Trump...

Israeli Airstrikes Kill Children in Gaza as Ceasefire Talks Stall

At least eight Palestinians, including six children, were killed Sunday in an Israeli airstrike on a water collection point in Nuseirat refugee camp, central Gaza. According to local officials, the victims were gathering...

Trump to Send Patriot Missiles to Ukraine Amid Ongoing Conflict

U.S. President Donald Trump announced Sunday that he plans to send Patriot air defense missiles to Ukraine, signaling continued support for the war-torn nation amid its conflict with Russia. Speaking to reporters at Joint...

Science

FDA Lifts REMS Requirement for CAR-T Cell Cancer Therapies

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has removed the Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategies (REMS) requirement for all currently approved CAR-T cell therapies, a move expected to improve patient access to these...

Neuren Pharmaceuticals Surges on U.S. Patent Win for Rare Disorder Drug

Shares of Neuren Pharmaceuticals Ltd (ASX:NEU) jumped over 10% on Thursday after the company announced a key development in its rare disease pipeline. The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has approved Neurens patent...

CDC Vaccine Review Sparks Controversy Over Thimerosal Study Citation

A presentation on thimerosal, a mercury-based vaccine preservative, set to be delivered to the CDCs advisory committee has come under scrutiny for referencing a non-existent study. The report, Thimerosal as a Vaccine...

SpaceX Starship Explodes in Texas During Test, Citing Nitrogen Tank Failure

SpaceXs Starship spacecraft exploded in a dramatic fireball during a late-night test at the companys Starbase facility in Brownsville, Texas, on June 18, 2025. The 400-foot Mars-bound rocket, a key part of Elon Musks...

NASA Astronauts Wilmore and Williams Recover After Boeing Starliner Delay

NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams are steadily recovering after spending nine unexpected months aboard the International Space Station (ISS) due to issues with Boeings Starliner capsule. Initially intended...

Technology

China Approves Synopsys’ $35B Ansys Deal Amid Easing Trade Tensions

Chinas State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) has granted conditional approval to Synopsys (NASDAQ: SNPS) $35 billion acquisition of Ansys (NASDAQ: ANSS), removing the final major regulatory barrier for the U.S....

Stifel Lowers HubSpot Price Target to $700, Maintains Buy Ahead of Q2 Earnings

Stifel analysts have revised their price target on HubSpot Inc. (NYSE:HUBS), lowering it from $750 to $700, while reiterating a Buy rating ahead of the companys upcoming Q2 earnings report. Despite the reduced target,...

Elon Musk Proposes Tesla Shareholder Vote on xAI Investment

Elon Musk has announced that Tesla (NASDAQ: TSLA) will hold a shareholder vote on whether the electric vehicle giant should invest in his artificial intelligence startup, xAI. Responding to a question on social media, Musk...

J.P. Morgan: Generative AI Must Boost IT Workloads by 55% to Offset Cost Deflation

Generative AI is reshaping IT services, but it must drive over 55% more workload to offset significant cost deflation, according to a recent J.P. Morgan report. The brokerage estimates that large language models (LLMs) can...

Google Hires Windsurf AI Talent After OpenAI Acquisition Talks Falter

Google has hired key personnel from AI code-generation startup Windsurf, following failed acquisition talks between Windsurf and rival OpenAI. According to a Google spokesperson, Windsurf CEO Varun Mohan, co-founder...