The Big Q
Questions - Ideas - Scholarship - DebatesProject for Public Interest Media
Politics & Society
Q+A: Venezuela in crisis: how did we get here?
Venezuela is once again at a crossroads. But what is the historic context behind the ongoing political polarisation in Venezuela?
Gilets jaunes continued – What is next for the ‘Yellow Vests’ in France?
After over two months of active protest against the French Government what next for the Yellow Vests?
Q+A: How can our everyday decisions help alleviate the water crisis?
The world is fast running out of fresh water according and the results could be very grim. The causes are linked to overconsumption and a growing human population. Can we reverse the trend?
The Big Chill: What happened to Canada-China relations?
Since December last year, relations between Canada and China have deteriorated to the extent that the major aspirational interests of each country in the other have gone to dust for the foreseeable future.
Where is the music industry’s #MeToo movement?
Sam Smith explores why a #MeToo type movement has not taken off in the music industry to the extent it has in the film industry.
What next for the Kurds in Syria?
Egemen Bezci looks at the current predicament facing the Kurdish population in Syria.
Science & Technology
What is love? 🔊
Today is Valentines Day but what exactly is love? How have notions of love changed over time? Can love be consciously developed? And how does love for partners, friends, children, and country differ?
How does culture affect mental health? 🔊
How does culture shape our understanding and treatment of mental illness? Maria Armoudian speaks with Roberto Lewis-Fernandez, Tanya Marie Luhrmann, and Andrew G. Ryder about culture and its impact on mental health.
Q+A: How can our everyday decisions help alleviate the water crisis?
The world is fast running out of fresh water according and the results could be very grim. The causes are linked to overconsumption and a growing human population. Can we reverse the trend?
Is it time for a law change on cannabis use in New Zealand?
A medicinal cannabis bill has just past its third reading in the New Zealand parliament. But is it time to also look at recreational use in the country?
How will climate change impact Aotearoa? ▶
How will climate change affect our natural world, our society, and our culture? And what can we do to halt the looming catastrophe? A panel of experts discuss how climate change will impact New Zealand.
What is NASA’s new lander doing on Mars?
On 26 November 2018 NASA’s lander InSight successfully touched down on Mars. But what is it doing there?
Business & Economics
Could a recession be just around the corner?
The U.S. economy is growing at the fastest pace in five years and unemployment is at the lowest level in almost half a century. So why are Wall Street and some economists suddenly worried about a recession?
Brexit: What’s in the deal?
Seven academics discuss Brexit. What is in the deal? And what does it mean?
Does reduced agrobiodiversity threaten our food systems?
Fewer crops are feeding more people worldwide and that is not good according to Karl Zimmerer.
Could a meat tax save thousands of lives every year?
Marco Springmann explores the benefits of implementing a tax on meat.
What are the implications of the US-China trade war? 🔊
In 2018, the United States and China have been embroiled in a trade war with each country continuing to raise tariffs placed on goods traded between the two nations. But what exactly are Donald Trump’s tariff policies and what will be their effects?
Could Auckland’s urban sprawl affect food security?
Is Auckland’s food security under threat from urban sprawl? Alexander Louis explores.
Arts & Culture
Where is the music industry’s #MeToo movement?
Sam Smith explores why a #MeToo type movement has not taken off in the music industry to the extent it has in the film industry.
How does the media weaponise far-right conspiracy theories?
Heather Woods and Leslie Hahner discuss how mainstream media helps to weaponize far-right conspiracy theories.
Q+A: How influential is the presidency of the United States?
How much does the U.S. presidency matter for the direction of the United States, and for the rest of the world? Maria Armoudian speaks with William F. Grover and Joseph G. Peschek about the power of the U.S. presidency and what they term the “unsustainable presidency.”
Should looted artefacts be returned to the cultures that made them?
Returning looted artefacts will finally restore heritage to the brilliant cultures that made them according to Mark Horton.
How does culture affect mental health? 🔊
How does culture shape our understanding and treatment of mental illness? Maria Armoudian speaks with Roberto Lewis-Fernandez, Tanya Marie Luhrmann, and Andrew G. Ryder about culture and its impact on mental health.
Broken survivors: With them through hell
The thousands of New Zealand men who fought in the First World War went through hell. And right beside them was another fighting force. Anna Rogers explores the story of New Zealand’s medical services in WWI.