The Big Q
Questions - Ideas - Scholarship - DebatesProject for Public Interest Media
Politics & Society
What is behind the recent oil price crash?
Having agreed to restrict production in recent years, it appears that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Russian Federation have been racing to outdo the other in crashing the price of oil.
What would a Democratic Party President mean for US foreign policy?
As the US presidential election approaches in November, attention is shifting to not only who the leading candidates will be but also to what their policies may foreshadow.
Are financial declaration systems creating opportunities for corrupt extortion?
One of the most popular reform measures for combating public corruption is the establishment or strengthening of requirements that public officials regularly file declarations of assets and income sources.
Does far-right extremism still threaten New Zealand?
“In the hours after the Christchurch mosque attacks on March 15 last year, I wrote that I hoped New Zealand would finally stop believing it was immune to far-right extremist violence. A year on, I’m not sure enough has changed.”
Is the independence of US law enforcement under attack?
“The politicization of the institutions of justice, particularly those associated with criminal law enforcement, is one of the greatest threats to the rule of law and the integrity of government.”
Fossil fuel-free superannuation: What is the deal? 🔊
Last week an announcement was made by the government surrounding changes to default KiwiSaver funds. In a bid to align with the zero-carbon bill, in 2021 when the terms of default KiwiSaver end, they will no longer be able to invest in fossil fuels or illegal weaponry.
Science & Technology
Coronavirus: How do we respond to fear and anxiety amidst threat and uncertainty? 🔊
In this podcast, psychiatrists Lillian Ng and Rob Shieff discuss fear, anxiety and our responses to them.
What technologies can help clean up rivers? 🔊
New Zealand has a dirty rivers problem. In 2017, two-thirds of the country’s rivers were deemed too polluted to swim in. Given this, research is being carried out to find ways in which the country can attempt to clean up its rivers.
How does one model a pandemic?
With basic mathematical models, researchers can begin to forecast the progression of diseases and understand the effect of interventions on disease spread.
How did coronavirus spread across the world?
How did coronavirus spread across the world? Why is it so bad? Beth Linas explains.
What is a virus? How do they spread? How do they make us sick?
Viruses are the most common biological entities on Earth. Experts estimate there are around 10,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 of them.
Why should we be worried about climate change in the Arctic?
The poles are warming faster than the rest of the planet, causing extreme weather events in the Northern hemisphere.
Business & Economics
What is behind the recent oil price crash?
Having agreed to restrict production in recent years, it appears that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Russian Federation have been racing to outdo the other in crashing the price of oil.
How do we know when something is organic? 🔊
There is no overarching consensus on what is defined as organic internationally.
What technologies can help clean up rivers? 🔊
New Zealand has a dirty rivers problem. In 2017, two-thirds of the country’s rivers were deemed too polluted to swim in. Given this, research is being carried out to find ways in which the country can attempt to clean up its rivers.
Fossil fuel-free superannuation: What is the deal? 🔊
Last week an announcement was made by the government surrounding changes to default KiwiSaver funds. In a bid to align with the zero-carbon bill, in 2021 when the terms of default KiwiSaver end, they will no longer be able to invest in fossil fuels or illegal weaponry.
What are the differences between organic and conventional farming? 🔊
A new bill surrounding organic farming in New Zealand as well as imports and exports is currently going through parliament. The bill outlines plans to get stricter on what is defined as Organic and what is not.
Why are major tech companies being sued for their role in the cobalt trade?
Some of the world’s most powerful companies are being sued on behalf of child labourers either maimed or killed while mining for cobalt, bringing attention to the methods by which the valuable mineral is extracted for global consumption.
Arts & Culture
What’s at stake in West Papua?
Dr Mark Busse and Sophie Faber examine West Papua’s history to see what’s at stake politically and economically in the current unrest
Turning off the lights: Is the government to blame if Mediaworks’ TV3 shuts down?
Is the government to blame if Mediaworks’ TV3 shuts down? Peter Thompson looks into the crisis at the struggling network.
Why do people steal art? 🔊
The recent heist at the Green Vault within the Dresden Castle in Germany has been speculated to be one of the largest art heists in history.
What impact will Twitter’s political ad ban have on democracy? 🔊
Last week, Twitter announced it would ban all political advertising from the 22nd of November. Founder Jack Dorsey says that political reach should be earned not bought.
What would a merger between TVNZ and RNZ mean for New Zealand’s media landscape? 🔊
The New Zealand Government is considering significant changes to the configuration of public service media in New Zealand.
Q+A: Scars of the past: What is historical memory and how does it change?
How important is historical memory in politics? What can we learn about how our memories of the past are manipulated to change current and future politics? What can we learn from memory entrepreneurs in places like the former Yugoslavia?