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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

Gold Drops Below $4,000 as Strong US Dollar and Fed Rate Hike Expectations Pressure Bullion

Gold prices continued their downward trend during Asian trading on Thursday, falling to their lowest level in more than seven months as a stronger U.S. dollar and growing expectations of additional Federal Reserve interest...

South Korea’s KOSPI Jumps Over 5% as Samsung, SK Hynix Rally on Micron Earnings Boost

South Koreas benchmark KOSPI index soared more than 5% at Thursdays market open, prompting the Korea Exchange (KRX) to temporarily halt program trading after a sharp rally fueled by leading semiconductor stocks. The...

BOJ Hawk Signals Faster Interest Rate Hikes Amid Inflation Risks

Bank of Japan (BOJ) board member Naoki Tamura has called for the central bank to continue raising interest rates every few months, while remaining prepared to accelerate the pace of tightening if inflation risks continue...

Australian Household Spending Rebounds Strongly in May as Travel and Dining Drive Consumer Growth

Australias household spending recorded a solid recovery in May, fueled by a sharp rebound in travel activity after an unexpected decline in April caused by disruptions linked to global conflict. The latest figures indicate...

Asian Markets Rally as Micron and Qualcomm AI Outlook Lifts Global Tech Stocks

Asian equities climbed sharply on Thursday after upbeat earnings and optimistic forecasts from semiconductor leaders Micron Technology and Qualcomm renewed investor confidence in artificial intelligence (AI) stocks. The...

Politics

Young Brazilian Voters Shift Right Ahead of 2026 Election

As Brazil prepares for its October presidential election, a growing number of young voters are moving away from the left, signaling a major political shift that could influence the countrys future. Many who once supported...

Pelosi Discloses Major Intel and Uber Call Option Purchases Worth Up to $6 Million

Representative Nancy Pelosi has disclosed a new financial transaction report revealing that her spouse, Paul Pelosi, purchased substantial call options in Intel Corporation (NASDAQ: INTC) and Uber Technologies Inc. (NYSE:...

Trump Requests $11 Billion More in Farm Aid as Rising Costs Pressure U.S. Farmers

U.S. President Donald Trump has asked Congress to approve more than $11 billion in additional farm aid to help American farmers cope with soaring fuel and fertilizer expenses linked to the recent Iran conflict. According...

Trump Orders DOJ Investigation Into Exxon, Chevron Over High Gas Prices

President Donald Trump announced that the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) is investigating ExxonMobil, Chevron, and other major oil companies over persistently high gasoline and natural gas prices. The move comes amid...

NATO Chief Tries to Ease Trump Alliance Dispute

NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte sought to reduce tensions with U.S. President Donald Trump during a White House meeting on Wednesday, emphasizing that most NATO allies have continued to support the United States despite...

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

Samsung and SK Hynix Shares Jump After Micron Earnings Boost AI Chip Optimism

Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix posted strong gains on Thursday after Micron Technology delivered record quarterly earnings and issued a stronger-than-expected revenue forecast, reinforcing confidence in the growing...

Micron Stock Surges on Strong AI Demand, Record Revenue, and Bullish Q4 Forecast

Micron Technology (NASDAQ: MU) delivered a stronger-than-expected fiscal third-quarter performance and issued an optimistic outlook for the fourth quarter, sending its shares up nearly 9% in after-hours trading. The...

Anthropic AI Model Uncovers Vulnerabilities in Classified U.S. Government Systems During Security Test

Anthropics advanced artificial intelligence model identified vulnerabilities in classified U.S. government computer systems during a recent security testing exercise, according to a report by the Associated Press citing a...

Samsung Electronics Stock Surges on Report of Massive $59 Billion Share Buyback Plan

Samsung Electronics shares rallied sharply on Wednesday after a report suggested the company could launch a substantial share buyback program worth nearly 90 trillion won ($59 billion) over the next three years. The...

SK Hynix Moves Closer to New York ADR Listing Amid AI Chip Boom

South Korean memory chip giant SK Hynix is reportedly preparing to take a major step toward a U.S. market debut by filing documents for an American Depositary Receipt (ADR) offering with South Koreas financial regulator....