Seeking refuge in the shadow of fascism
A new podcast uncovering the hidden legal histories of refugees who reshaped Australia.
Coming 1st October, 2026.
About the podcast
A new three-part podcast series, Emergency Exit: seeking refuge in the shadow of fascism, explores the extraordinary stories of European refugees who escaped Nazi persecution, only to confront new forms of exclusion through Australia’s legal and bureaucratic systems.
"bureaucratic violence"
The ways seemingly ordinary administrative rules, paperwork and legal
processes can profoundly affect people's lives. From the struggle to secure visas before the Second World War, to the war-time classification of Jewish refugees as "enemy
aliens", and the challenges faced by new arrivals trying to rebuild their lives in Australia, Emergency Exit examines how law can both protect and exclude.
Emergency Exit: seeking refuge in the shadow of fascism offers a timely examination of how bureaucracy shapes human lives and asks what responsibilities modern societies have to ensure legal systems remain fair, humane and accountable.
