The BIG IDEAS Book Club

Step into the compelling intersection of science, ethics, and family history in this thought-provoking discussion on the ethical dilemmas of genetic genealogy. As DNA testing becomes an increasingly popular tool for uncovering ancestry and building family trees, it also raises important questions about privacy, identity, and data ownership.

Join us for a dynamic panel conversation that explores the far-reaching implications of genetic genealogy - from the impact on personal and familial relationships to the broader societal questions surrounding consent and the use of genetic information.

Whether you're an avid genealogist, a curious consumer of DNA tests, or simply interested in the ethical challenges of modern science, this event will challenge your perspectives and offer insights into the complexities of this rapidly evolving field.

Don't miss this unique opportunity to reflect, question, and engage with the ethics behind the science that’s reshaping how we understand family.

Join journalist Claire Aird, historian Dr Tanya Evans, and genealogical educator Vanessa Cassin as they delve into the ethical dilemmas and responsibilities surrounding genetic genealogy.

🗣️ SPEAKERS
Claire Aird is a Walkley Award-winning journalist with a background in crime, cybersecurity and privacy reporting. She presents The Risky Bulletin, a cybersecurity news podcast, and is the co-producer of the award-winning documentary, Vanished, an investigation into Australia’s shameful rates of missing First Nations women. Working across audio and video, Claire has been an ABC news reporter and host, the Executive Producer of Hack on triple j, as well as Supervising Producer for The Feed on SBS. Claire believes there is no more intimate information than our DNA, and is concerned about the risks associated with collecting and storing vast amounts of personal information in an age of data-driven decision-making. She has spent four years following this story.

Tanya Evans is a Professor of History in the School of Humanities at Macquarie University. A prize-winning author who makes regular appearances in the media, she has published nationally and internationally on family history, the history of the family and public history. Her third book Fractured Families: Life on the Margins in Colonial New South Wales (New South 2015) was a history of Australia’s oldest surviving charity, The Benevolent Society, written in collaboration with family historians and the charity. Tanya’s research is targeted at disrupting people’s assumptions about family life in the past. She is committed to the democratisation of historical knowledge. Her most recent book Family History, Historical Consciousness and Citizenship: A new social history was published by Bloomsbury in early 2022.

Vanessa Cassin is a learning and development professional with extensive experience in providing training and assessment in the trustee industry, both as an in-house trainer for the NSW Trustee & Guardian and as an assessor for Western Sydney University’s The College Registered Training Organisation. Vanessa is also a genealogist, who has been researching her own family history for over 20 years. Her current role as Education Manager at the Society of Australian Genealogists has enabled Vanessa to combine her expertise in designing training programs for adult learners with her passion for family history and genealogy.

👩🏾‍🔬 MODERATOR
Adria Castellucci is a library and museum professional who has worked at the University of Sydney and the Australian Museum. She currently leads the Family History team in Reader Services at the State Library of NSW. Adria is passionate about connecting the people of New South Wales with resources that enrich their family history journeys.

‘Mine’ is one of the first words babies learn, and by the time we grow up, the idea of ownership seems natural and obvious, whether we are buying a cup of coffee or a house. But what actually makes something yours or mine, and why do we believe it? If a drone flies into your backyard, do you own the airspace above—and have the right to shoot it down? When tech companies train AI models on the work of authors and artists without permission, is that innovation or theft? From indigenous land claims to disputes over genetic data, TikTok dance routines, or even a name like Kylie, our modern world is full of conflicts over who gets to claim what. These aren’t just legal squabbles—they're clashes between different stories we tell about who gets to own what. And behind those stories lie deeper questions about power, fairness, and who gets to decide the rules. Let’s meet up to explore these ideas.

Book: Mine! How the Hidden Rules of Ownership Control Our Lives (2021) by Michael Heller and James Salzman

In Mine!, legal scholar Michael Heller and environmental law expert James Salzman reveal the surprisingly flexible and contested nature of ownership. Far from being fixed or natural, ownership is a social construct built on just six basic stories—like “first come, first served” or “possession is nine-tenths of the law”—that shape how people, companies, and governments claim and defend what they think is theirs. Whether it's your neighbour’s tree hanging over your fence, passengers battling over seat recline versus leg room space, or Big Tech tracking your clicks, all these stories quietly shape the world around us.

By unpacking the hidden rules of ownership, Heller and Salzman help us see how ownership is not a predetermined fact but a socially constructed choice that opens up possibilities for reimagining ownership structures to better serve societal goals.

As usual, you’re strongly encouraged to read the book. Unfortunately, if you are not an eBook or audiobook person, this book may be harder to get. So order early from your favorite store or library if you want a paper copy. The authors themselves have also done some excellent short videos on each chapter and are linked below. Additional resources including a presentation and podcasts are also available that you may wish to explore.

So, join us for a drink (and optional meal) at 6.30pm Monday, 1st September on the 2nd floor (i.e. up two flights of stairs) at the Keg & Brew Hotel, Surrey Hills. The Keg & Brew is close to Central Station and the Light Rail.

We hope to see you there!

p.s. Please adjust your RSVP if you have indicated that you will come but are no longer able to do so. This is courteous to people if there is a waitlist.

p.p.s. Please adjust your email notifications settings (particularly the ‘Event updates from organizers’ in the Big Ideas Book Club settings). This is useful for giving any final details or late changes to the event.

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These are just optional links to consider, particularly if you have trouble accessing the book. Feel free to pass on other useful links in the discussion section.

Audio-visual

• An excellent collection of 2–3-minute videos on the key idea of each chapter, by the authors themselves:

From loyal dogs and graceful cats to exotic birds and backyard chickens, our animal companions enrich our lives in countless ways—offering emotional support, increasing physical activity, fostering empathy, adding structure to our days, and even helping us forge social connections. With nearly 70 per cent of households owning a pet, Australia has one of the highest pet ownership rates in the world. In fact, there are more pets (29 million) than people (27 million) in the country, a testament to the profound and widespread role our animal friends play in our lives.

But as the role of pets continues to expand, so do the questions we must grapple with. Should public and commercial spaces be more accommodating to animals? Are we doing enough to harness the therapeutic and assistive potential of pets in aged care, disability support, and mental health services? And how do we balance the joy of pet companionship with the needs of those who suffer from allergies, phobias, or cultural discomfort around animals? Even more fundamentally, what about the welfare of the animals themselves, whose needs and instincts may clash with the lifestyles we impose on them? This discussion invites us to reflect on how animals fit into our human world—and how we fit into theirs.

Episode: SBS Insight - “It’s Just a Dog” (Episode 17, 2025)

This month we haven’t set a main book to read, though a few relevant titles are listed below. Instead, we’ll explore a collection of readings and videos organised around eight themes about the role of pets in our lives. A recent SBS Insight episode also gives a good sense of the kind of discussion we hope to have.

Themes we may explore include:

Pets as Family Members: The Private Joys of Pet Ownership

• We’ll explore how pets support our emotional, physical, and mental wellbeing—and what they bring to our daily routines and relationships.

Pets and Human Identity: How Our Choice of Pets Reflects or Shapes Who We Are

• We'll explore the fascinating connection between pet choice and personal identity, asking whether our animals reflect who we are or help shape who we become. Does a “dog person” or “cat person” label have any real meaning beyond memes?

The Unspoken Grief: Mourning Our Animal Companions

• We’ll reflect on how we cope with the death of a pet, and whether society sufficiently recognises and supports this kind of loss.

Social Pets: How Animals Strengthen Neighbourhood Bonds

• We’ll look at how pets help foster community by sparking everyday social connections and reducing isolation.

Paws That Heal: Animals in Therapy, Aged Care, and Disability Support

• We’ll consider how animals can play supportive and therapeutic roles in contexts such as aged care, mental health, and disability services.

Pets in the Public Square: Where Should Animals Be Welcome?

• We’ll discuss whether pets should have greater access to public and commercial spaces—including public transport and the workplace—and how to fairly accommodate those who find it difficult to be around animals.

Pet Welfare and Ethics: Are We Truly Serving Their Best Interests?

• We’ll confront challenging questions about whether our love truly serves our pets’ best interests. How do confinement, separation anxiety, and restricted natural behaviours affect their wellbeing? And does domesticated life genuinely benefit them?

Designer Breeds, Marketed Love, and Pet Influencers: The Business of Pets

• We’ll explore how consumer culture, status symbols, and the rise of pet influencers shape the way we see—and acquire—animal companions. As costs rise and housing becomes more restrictive, we’ll ask whether pet ownership is becoming something for which many are being quietly priced or locked out.

So join us for a drink (and optional meal) at 6:30pm Monday, 13th October on the 2nd floor (up two flights of stairs) at the Keg & Brew Hotel, Surrey Hills. The Keg & Brew is close to Central Station and the Light Rail.

We hope to see you there! Sadly, no pets allowed at the Keg & Brew.😞

P.S. If you’ve RSVP’d ‘yes’ but can no longer attend, please adjust your RSVP to help others if there is a waitlist.

P.P.S. Please check your email notification settings—especially 'Event updates from organisers' in your Big Ideas Book Club settings—so you receive any final details or last-minute changes.

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These are some suggested readings and videos for the various themes. But please feel free to do your own research and pass on anything useful in the discussion section.