Scientist Tim Flannery — a Panopticon for our times?
Mar 04, 2026•1 hr 5 min
Listen to this episode in Metacast mobile app
Don't just listen to podcasts. Learn from them with transcripts, summaries, and chapters for every episode. Skim, search, and bookmark insights. Learn more
Episode description
The Panopticon was a prison design by the famous philosopher and social reformer Jeremy Bentham which placed prison guards in a central tower overlooking inmates. So why does scientist and climate advocate Tim Flannery want us to re-imagine the Panopticon as a path towards a more compassionate society? And why does he find warmth and connection even in conflicted communities angry about climate change policies?
This event was hosted by RMIT University and Now or Never, Melbourne's festival of art, ideas, sound, technology.
Speaker
Tim FlanneryPaleontologist, climate and environment advocate, author, and former Australian of the Year.
Hilary Harper (host)ABC Radio National presenter
For the best experience, listen in Metacast app for iOS or Android