Federal politics; Becoming Simone de Beauvoir – philosopher, feminist, original thinker; David Brophy on deteriorating Australia–China relations

Uncommon Sense

Philosopher Dr Kate Kirkpatrick discusses her recent biography, Becoming Beauvoir: A Life. Kate examines with great precision, insight, and balance, the life of French writer, feminist, and philosopher Simone de Beauvoir. Beauvoir’s life and work has often been distorted and overshadowed by her working and romantic relationship with Jean-Paul Sartre. Kate debunks some of the major misconceptions about Beauvoir’s life, and shares just how influential and original Beauvoir’s intellectual contribution to philosophy was and is. Dr Kate Kirkpatrick is a Tutorial Fellow in Philosophy at Regent’s Park College, University of Oxford, UK. David Brophy, historian and lecturer in modern Chinese history from the University of Sydney, joins the show to discuss Australia’s deteriorating relationship with China, how this affects the lives of Chinese Australians, and why we must be careful to avoid paranoia and panic about “Chinese influence.” Plus Ben Eltham on the latest in federal politics.