What happens when sporting success comes at an environmental cost?The 2026 FIFA World Cup is set to be the biggest in history, with more teams, more matches and more fans travelling from around the world.Dr Chris McMillan from School of Social Sciences joins our media adviser Julianne Evans to explore the intersection of sport, commercialism and climate change. He discusses the climate impact of mega sporting events, the commercial forces driving the expansion of the tournament, and the political complexities around hosting the World Cup across three countries. He also reflects on how we should reconnect with the excitement, hope and sense of community that sport brings us.

Dr Ritesh Shah specialises in education in conflict and disaster zones and the politics of foreign aid. He sits down with our media adviser Julianne Evans to discuss his work with the Centre for Asia Pacific Refugee Studies (CAPRS), including their latest project: giving voices to the teachers on the frontline in Gaza.  The research will help document the experiences of educators - including parents and volunteers - who have continued to teach since the Hamas attack on Israel (7 October 2023) and through the attacks on Gaza by Israel since. Read more about Dr Shah's work here: https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/news/2026/03/09/caught-in-the-crossfire-education-in-gaza.html Refugee Week runs from 15-21 June.

Senior Lecturer Dr Simon Ingram discusses his new immersive installation that combines bird recordings, LiDAR scanning, mathematics, ecology and digital technology to recreate a living pre-colonial, native forest. In conversation with our media adviser Julianne Evans, he also explains how art can help people reconnect with the natural world. Read more about Vibrating World: Rotokare Forest here: https://govettbrewster.com/exhibitions/2026/direct-bodily-empathy-sound-signal-feedback

What can tiny fragments of ancient bird bones and DNA reveal about the past? Anthropology doctoral candidate Patricia Pillay's research uncovers how humans and wildlife in the Marquesas Islands have interacted over the past 700 years. In conversation with our media adviser Julianne Evans, Patricia also shares how tiny bird bones and Indigenous knowledge tell big stories about history, culture and conservation.Watch another interview of Patricia here: https://www.facebook.com/531pi/videos/699301126539966/Read more here: https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/news/2026/03/02/bird-s-eye-view-of-ancient-pacific-life.html

Associate Professor Lisa Bailey explores how the medieval church in Western Europe filled the power vacuum after the collapse of the Roman Empire while simultaneously becoming the largest slave owner at the time. In conversation with our media adviser Julianne Evans, Lisa shares how these early medieval ideas about slavery and practices of service exist in today's society, and the efforts it took from figures like Saint Balthilde to abolish the Christian slave trade from within the kingdom. Read more: https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/news/2026/03/16/queens--slaves-and-servants-in-the-medieval-church.htmlYou could find Lisa's latest book here: https://www.cornellpress.cornell.edu/book/9781501785757/servants-of-god-slaves-of-the-church/#bookTabs=1

Why does it feel like you are starring in a movie when you enter a Disney theme park?In this episode, Dr Gregory Camp, Senior Lecturer in Music, explains how Disney theme parks use movie music to create immersive and magical experiences. He joins our media adviser Julianne Evans to share his favourite Disney songs, what makes them good, and how Disney blends classic and new songs to appeal to multiple generations. Interested in more? Come along to our Research Seminar Series with Gregory on Wednesday 1 April, Mickey’s Magical Musicals: The Disney Parks as Glocalised Soundscapes. Register here: https://www.eventbrite.co.nz/e/aed-research-seminar-series-1-tickets-1983564507839 Read more: https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/news/2026/02/02/disney-works-musical-magic-at-its-theme-parks.html

Did you know Bing Crosby’s White Christmas is the best-selling single of all time?Ethnomusicologist Dr Kirsten Zemke explores Christmas music through the years, from the songs our grandparents and their parents played, the global pop stars who keep reinventing them, to Christmas movies that revived forgotten classics. Kirsten joins our media adviser Julianne Evans to explore how music connects generations and how the songs we like reflect who we are.Enjoy this podcast episode and a bonus Christmas playlist, as recommended by Kirsten: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/268wLj5VBCqg4sV8EiDfE0?si=VYWSpLDLQj6Siqs3MsfLPA

How does immigration policy impact our peoples and society? Professor Francis Collins discusses how immigration policies has evolved in the last 40 years. In conversation with our media adviser Julianne Evans, he explores how “neutral” policies can still produce unequal outcomes, the precarity faced by temporary workers, and the opportunity to rethink Aotearoa New Zealand's immigration policy.You can read more in Francis' book Edges of Empire: the politics of immigration in Aotearoa New Zealand, 1980-2020: https://aucklanduniversitypress.co.nz/edges-of-empire/

Where have all the coaches gone? In this episode, Dr Blake Bennett talks to our media adviser Julianne Evans to unpack the hidden pressures of volunteer sport coaching in New Zealand. From the decline in volunteer numbers to the toll on their wellbeing, Blake shares insights from his research and his experience of coaching the national kendo team. As participation in sports remains high, Blake believes that recruiting and supporting volunteers are critical to keeping these opportunities available to young people. Read more about Blake’s research here: https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/news/2025/09/02/volunteer-sports-coaches-are-throwing-in-the-towel.html

Dr Claudia Rozas joins our media adviser Julianne Evans to unpack the past and present of secondary school qualifications in Aotearoa New Zealand and what the future could look like. With the government's proposal to replace NCEA, Claudia explores how education policy and curriculum design reflect deeper questions around equity, culture and national identity.