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Emma Shortis

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

Australia's Job Market Soars: November Sees Record Job Growth

Australias employment data for November 2024 shows a strong performance in the job market, with several important highlights: Job Creation:In November, 35,600 more people found jobs, which is a big increase compared to...

FxWirePro- Major economic events for the day

Date Time (UTC) Currency Indicator Actual Forecast Previous Thu, Dec...

Tesla Head Autopilot HW Jumps to Amazon’s Zoox, Shaking up Self-Driving Ambitions

Zheng Gao, who led Teslas Autopilot HW engineering for eight years, has joined Amazons Zoox. His departure comes as Tesla pushes promises of hands-free driving, while Zoox expands robotaxi testing in California, signaling...

Javier Milei’s Tax Revolution: Argentine President Eliminates 90% of Taxes in Unprecedented Economic Shake-Up

Argentine President Javier Milei has announced an audacious tax reform plan, aimed at eliminating 90% of the nations taxes. This bold move, introduced during a televised address on Monday, seeks to overhaul Argentinas...

US Tariffs Targeting Eurozone Imports May Slash Growth by 0.43%, UBS Warns

The US imposition of a 10% tariff on Eurozone imports could shrink growth by as much as 0.43%, UBS economists report. The decline depends on Europes response, with retaliation increasing inflationary pressures while...

Politics

How will Donald Trump address the gender pay gap in 2025?

In a bold move, President-elect Donald Trump unveiled his administrations strategy for tackling the gender pay gap during a speech in Washington, D.C., this week. Emphasizing economic growth and workforce equality, Trump...

What are Donald Trump’s plans for modernizing cybersecurity laws in 2025?

As cyberattacks grow more sophisticated, President-elect Donald Trump has unveiled an ambitious agenda to overhaul the United States cybersecurity laws in 2025. Trump announced his plan during a cybersecurity summit in...

How will Donald Trump support small-town economies in 2025?

President-elect Donald Trump has announced an ambitious plan to boost small-town economies across the United States in 2025. Titled the Small-Town Prosperity Initiative, the proposal emphasizes investment in...

What are Donald Trump’s policies on alternative medicine research in 2025?

President-elect Donald Trump has unveiled a controversial policy agenda prioritizing research into alternative medicine, sparking heated debates across the political and scientific landscapes. The 2025 initiative,...

Science

Some black holes at the centers of galaxies have a buddy − but detecting these binary pairs isn’t easy

Every galaxy has a supermassive black hole at its center, much like every egg has a yolk. But sometimes, hens lay eggs with two yolks. In a similar way, astrophysicists like us who study supermassive black holes expect to...

Astronomers have pinpointed the origin of mysterious repeating radio bursts from space

Slowly repeating bursts of intense radio waves from space have puzzled astronomers since they were discovered in 2022. In new research, we have for the first time tracked one of these pulsating signals back to its...

How is Donald Trump prioritizing funding for cancer research in 2025?

President-elect Donald Trump has announced a major initiative to prioritize funding for cancer research in 2025, pledging billions in federal support to combat one of the worlds leading causes of death. The plan includes...

How will Donald Trump address renewable energy research funding in 2025?

President-elect Donald Trump has revealed plans to reshape the U.S. renewable energy landscape in 2025, sparking debates about the administrations commitment to combating climate change. While Trumps previous term focused...

Tiny laboratories that fit in your hand can rapidly identify pathogens using electricity

When you think of electric fields, you likely think of electricity the stuff that makes modern life possible by powering everything from household appliances to cellphones. Researchers have been studying the principles of...

Technology

Xiaomi YU7 Delayed Until 2025 in China: What’s Holding Back This Electric Crossover?

The Xiaomi YU7 electric crossover will debut in China by mid-2025, as Xiaomi focuses on critical testing and ramping up production capacity at its new factory. Xiaomi YU7 to Enter Chinese Market in Mid-2025 The YU7...

OpenAI CFO: Trump Driving a World-Shaping AI Era, Musk Fuels Intensifying Tech Rivalry

OpenAI CFO Sarah Friar predicts President-elect Donald Trump will guide a new generation of AI, as Elon Musks competitive push intensifies. With ChatGPT usage soaring and the video tool Sora emerging, OpenAI cautiously...

Google Bets Big on AI to Redefine Search and Revolutionize Healthcare With Bold $50B Investment

Googles parent company Alphabet is transforming the future with AI. From enhancing search to pioneering medical breakthroughs like AlphaFold, the tech giant is committing $50 billion to reshape industries while balancing...

OpenAI, Microsoft AI Cloud Pact Under Fire: Google Presses FTC to Unravel Exclusive Grip on Future Tech

Google is urging the FTC to break Microsofts exclusive OpenAI AI cloud arrangement, citing antitrust concerns and intensifying industry scrutiny. As regulators probe Microsofts market practices, rivals seek a fair chance...
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