The Big Q
Questions - Ideas - Scholarship - DebatesProject for Public Interest Media
Politics & Society
What can news organisations do to rebuild public trust? 🔊
This year’s annual Bruce Jesson lecture hosted by the faculty of Arts at the University of Auckland was given by CEO of Stuff, Sinead Boucher.
Donald Trump’s post-presidency legal jeopardy: Must he be held accountable to uphold the rule of law?
Despite clearly losing the recent US election — as evidenced by the popular vote, electoral vote and numerous unsuccessful legal challenges – why is Donald Trump still fighting so hard to remain President for a second term?
What will campaign finance reform in New Zealand look like?
In an election dominated by the response to COVID-19, a line in the Labour manifesto opened the door to campaign finance reform.
What lies behind the war in Tigray?
“At the core of the current war between the Ethiopian central government and the Tigrayan People’s Liberation Front is the realignment of politics and the contest for political hegemony.”
Can Joe Biden reverse the authoritarian direction that President Trump took?
As Joe Biden takes office on January 20th, 2021 many questions arise about what a Biden administration will look like to the global community. Early indications show it will be a complete reversal from Trump’s America First policy.
Are women leaders doing better in their COVID response? 🔊
Since the outbreak of COVID-19, national governments have shown distinctly different approaches with different levels of success. But it appears that nations lead by women have a better record than their male counterparts.
Science & Technology
How useful can statistics be in helping ecological conservation efforts? ▶
In her inaugural lecture at the University of Auckland, Professor Rachel Fewster will give a taste of the diversity of statistical problems in the ecological domain, introduce a charismatic cast of creatures, and give insights into how we can – sometimes – convert baffling volumes of data into interpretable conclusions.
Q+A: Will a possible new COVID vaccine mean the end of the pandemic?
Recent news from pharmaceutical powerhouse Pfizer that a promising vaccine for the COVID-19 virus may soon be made available worldwide, including in New Zealand, has provided optimism in a time of significant anxiety, as infection rates soar internationally.
What are some of the key developments in cognitive neuroscience? ▶
In her inaugural lecture at the University of Auckland, Professor Karen Waldie attempts to answer some of the big questions in the area of developmental cognitive neuroscience.
What other diseases should we be watching out for?
Immunisation expert Dr Nikki Turner says as we wait for a Covid-19 vaccine, there are other diseases to keep in mind.
What are the paths to long-term control of SARS-CoV-2 infection in New Zealand?
“High levels of vaccination may be expected to provide our communities with the best possible protection against COVID-19.”
Can Aotearoa get climate change under control by 2050?
Few countries were ready for the pandemic that’s hit the world. So has the Covid-19 crisis taught us anything about ameliorating the threats of climate change?
Business & Economics
What is COVID-19 trying to tell us about our future?
“COVID-19’s message is clear: we need to move forward, quickly, into a very different future.”
Replacing the RMA: Will it be more of the same or something better?
This two-part series will look first at the demise of the RMA and its review before turning to what issues might arise in its replacement.
Can individuals control the monetisation of their data?
Tech giants rule the world, making billions of dollars from our personal data. Could the ordinary Googling individual get a share of that?
What will our future look like with AI? ▶
There’s been dramatic progress in learning skills, such as object recognition, translation and speech, and in difficult but uncomplicated tasks like playing chess, Go and video games.
Replacing the RMA: What are the challenges of the new legislation?
Part two of this two-part series looks at some of the areas where there are concerns about the impact of the proposed new RMA plans.
Fast fashion: What are the hidden costs?
“The textile and clothing manufacturing industry comes with a heavy price including environmental pollution and the well-publicised issues around the income and working conditions for workers.”
Arts & Culture
What can news organisations do to rebuild public trust? 🔊
This year’s annual Bruce Jesson lecture hosted by the faculty of Arts at the University of Auckland was given by CEO of Stuff, Sinead Boucher.
How have sports shaped the Black Lives Matter movement?
Despite criticism, sports players have used their role and the unique platform of sports to highlight and drive change, from the Springbok tour of New Zealand to the kneeling that Colin Kaepernick did in 2016.
How did Trump win the online disinformation war?
Social media platforms have allowed US conservatives to delegitimise the election and sow mistrust of democracy.
Should we be worried about COVID-19 conspiracy theories?
“Polls indicate that the public broadly supports the coalition government’s COVID-19 pandemic response, and public condemnation of conspiracy theories about COVID-19 is easy to find.”
Climate change: Why do humans instinctively reject evidence contrary to their beliefs?
Why do humans instinctively reject evidence contrary to their beliefs? Do we understand why and how people change their mind about climate change? Is there anything we can do to engage people?
New Zealand universities: What’s the reality in our rankings?
“The Labour Party promises to make all tertiary education free by 2024; and this is an admirable goal; but unless it is accompanied by a serious re-thinking of the nature, purpose, and funding base of our universities it will only lead to further decline.”