Democracy Sausage Episode: Bending the knee

Photo by Markus Spiske on Unsplash
Tuesday 1 July 2025

US expert Emma Shortis joins Democracy Sausage to talk about the reshaping of the US-Australia relationship, misguided assumptions and finding Australia’s place in the world. 

Can Trump be treated as an aberration in US foreign policy or has he permanently reshaped the global order? 

Does fealty to Trump’s America make Australia safer or should we rejig our relationship? 

And what can we learn from our neighbours in the region and their approach to foreign policy? 

On this episode of Democracy Sausage, Dr Emma Shortis joins Professor Mark Kenny to discuss what the world could look like after America – and where Australia fits in. 

Listen here: AcastApple PodcastsSpotify.

Emma Shortis is Senior Researcher in the International & Security Affairs Program at The Australia Institute. Her research focuses on the history and politics of the United States and its role in the world. She is the author of After America: Australia and the New World Order and Our Exceptional Friend: Australia’s Fatal Alliance with the United States.   

Mark Kenny is the Director of the ANU Australian Studies Institute. He came to the University after a high-profile journalistic career including six years as chief political correspondent and national affairs editor for The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age and The Canberra Times

Democracy Sausage with Mark Kenny is available on Apple PodcastsSpotifyPocket Casts or wherever you get your podcasts.

We’d love to hear your feedback on this series, so send in your questions, comments or suggestions for future episodes to democracysausage@anu.edu.au.

This podcast is produced by The Australian National University.

Updated:  2 July 2025/Responsible Officer:  Institute Director/Page Contact:  CASS Marketing & Communications