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History

Rear Vision — How History Shaped Today

by ABC Australia
HistoryNewsPolitics

Not on the United States charts we track today.

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Latest episodes

  • How an obsession with time has come to enslave us

    October 23, 2026 · 30 min

    The English language is dotted with expressions that betray a distrust of time – we talk of “racing against time” or we express a frustration that “time is not on our side”. In this episode of Rear Vision, we look at the history of time as…

  • The American Israel lobby – powerful political force or antisemitic fiction

    October 16, 2026 · 30 min

    Depending on who you talk to the American Israel Lobby is either one of the most powerful forces in US politics or an anti-Semitic conspiracy theory. In this Rear Vision we explore the history and ask if the Israel Lobby exist? And if it…

  • Ebola – a fifty-year history of outbreaks, fear and misunderstanding

    October 9, 2026 · 30 min

    Once again communities in Central Africa are plagued by Ebola and the current outbreak shows no sign of being brought under control any time soon. What have medical researchers and practitioners learnt about the nature of the virus over…

  • Pacific pit-stop: cannabis to cocaine

    October 2, 2026 · 30 min

    Drug trafficking across the Pacific. Why is it increasing and can it be stopped?

  • Alberta Separatists and the grey hand of foreign interference

    September 25, 2026 · 30 min

    Separatist sentiments are stirring in the Canadian province of Alberta. Voters will soon cast their ballots in a referendum on whether to begin moves to formally separate from the rest of the nation. We look at the history of separatism in…

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  • Pine Gap - 60 years of Secrecy

    September 18, 2026 · 30 min

    How a Cold War listening post in outback Australia has become a  nerve centre of U.S. surveillance

  • Why Australian history has always had a revisionist edge

    September 11, 2026 · 30 min

    Our understanding of the past has always been contentious and ripe for argumentation.  How we think and write about historic events changes as new sources of information are found, and fresh details emerge about people and events.  In this…

  • The Red Sea - maritime mayhem at Bab el-Mandeb

    September 4, 2026 · 29 min

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

  • Reality check - why a belief in human rights has never really been universal

    August 28, 2026 · 30 min

    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…

  • North Korea - powerplay in the Northwest Pacific

    August 21, 2026 · 30 min

    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?

  • Israel Lebanon and the Palestinian story

    August 14, 2026 · 30 min

    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…

  • Hezbollah: Resistance fighters or terrorists

    August 12, 2026 · 27 min

    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…

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About the show

Move beyond the headlines to see how the past defines our world. Whether it's a local or international story, Rear Vision's expert analysis gives you the background you need to understand today's news.