Emma Shortis

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’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 and 2021, I was named RMIT’s Media Commentator of the year.

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. I'm now Senior Researcher in International and Security Affairs at The Australia Institute.