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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

FTSE 100 Falls as US-Iran Conflict Drives Oil Prices Higher

British stocks declined on Wednesday as escalating military tensions between the United States and Iran pushed oil prices higher and weakened investor appetite for risk across European markets. The FTSE 100 fell 0.30% by...

Asian Currencies Weaken as Dollar Rises, Kiwi Slides After RBNZ Hike

Asian currencies mostly weakened on Wednesday as the U.S. dollar traded near a two-week high, while the New Zealand dollar fell sharply despite the Reserve Bank of New Zealand raising interest rates. The kiwi dropped to...

Bank of England Sees Surge in Higher-Risk Collateral

British banks are increasingly using higher-risk loans and securities as collateral to access Bank of England funding, highlighting how the central banks exposure to potentially illiquid assets is growing. Banks pledged...

South Korea Inflation Rises to 3.1% in August

South Koreas consumer inflation accelerated in August, coming in slightly below market expectations but remaining near a two-year high as elevated energy and telecommunications costs continued to pressure household prices....

US Strikes Iran IRGC Targets as Conflict Escalates

The U.S. military completed a new wave of strikes against Iran late Tuesday, targeting Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) facilities as fighting between Washington and Tehran intensified following a weekend exchange...

Politics

Greenland Says US Talks Remain Ongoing

Greenlands Foreign Minister Mute Egede said Wednesday that negotiations with the United States over the Arctic islands future remain underway, although he declined to disclose details of the discussions. Speaking during a...

US, Australia Pledge $580 Million for Pacific Islands

The United States and Australia announced a combined $580 million funding package for Pacific Island nations on Wednesday, stepping up regional support as competition with China for influence across the Pacific...

Ed Markey Wins Massachusetts Democratic Senate Primary

U.S. Senator Ed Markey secured the Democratic nomination for another term in Massachusetts on Tuesday, defeating Representative Seth Moulton in a closely watched primary that highlighted debates over age, experience and...

USS Abraham Lincoln Arrives in Thailand After Record 200 Days at Sea

The U.S. Navy aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln arrived at Thailands Laem Chabang port on Wednesday morning after spending more than 200 consecutive days at sea, including an extended deployment in the Middle East....

US-Iran Conflict Escalates With New Strikes Near Hormuz

The U.S.-Iran conflict intensified on Wednesday after the two sides carried out their most significant exchange of attacks in weeks, raising fears of a wider Middle East war as tensions around the Strait of Hormuz...

Science

Blue Origin New Glenn Explosion Could Delay Launch Operations Until 2028

Blue Origin is facing a significant setback after a dramatic explosion involving its New Glenn rocket severely damaged a launch pad at Cape Canaveral, Florida. According to NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman, repairs to the...

Blue Origin New Glenn Rocket Explodes During Launch Pad Test, Delaying Space Ambitions

Blue Origin suffered a major setback after its uncrewed New Glenn rocket exploded during a launch pad test in Florida on Thursday, raising new challenges for Jeff Bezos space company as it competes with Elon Musks SpaceX...

SpaceX Delays Starship V3 Launch Ahead of Potential Record IPO

SpaceX on Thursday postponed the highly anticipated launch of its 12th Starship rocket test from Texas after technical issues interrupted the final countdown. The company now plans to attempt the Starship V3 launch again...

Trump Administration Releases New UFO Files and Apollo Mission Records

The U.S. Defense Department has released dozens of previously classified UFO-related files following an order from President Donald Trump, sparking renewed debate over unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAP) and government...

China vs. NASA: The New Moon Race and What's at Stake by 2030

The space race is back and this time, its a direct competition between the United States and China for dominance on the lunar surface. NASAs Artemis II mission recently made history when four astronauts flew farther into...

Technology

MongoDB Stock Sinks 14% as Atlas Growth Misses Expectations

MongoDB (NASDAQ: MDB) shares plunged more than 14% in premarket trading Wednesday despite stronger-than-expected fiscal second-quarter 2027 results, as investors focused on the lack of growth acceleration in the companys...

Lenovo Shares Fall After Dropbox Security Breach Exposes ID Vulnerability

Lenovo Group shares came under pressure on Wednesday after a security breach at Dropbox revealed a vulnerability connected to the Chinese technology companys Lenovo ID authentication service. Dropbox said approximately...

OpenAI Nears Astra AI Model Launch With Safety Focus

OpenAI is preparing to launch its next-generation artificial intelligence model, Astra, with CEO Sam Altman signaling that the release could arrive soon as the company increases its focus on AI safety and cybersecurity....

OpenAI Rejects Apple Trade Secret Theft Claims

OpenAI has denied Apples allegations that it obtained confidential trade secrets through former Apple employees, arguing that the iPhone maker has failed to provide evidence showing proprietary information was stolen. In a...

MediaTek Shares Jump 10% on Nvidia’s $3.5 Billion Investment

MediaTek shares surged nearly 10% on Tuesday after Nvidia announced a $3.5 billion investment in the Taiwanese semiconductor designer, strengthening a strategic partnership focused on artificial intelligence...