The Big Q
Questions - Ideas - Scholarship - DebatesProject for Public Interest Media
Politics & Society
What will a Joe Biden presidency look like?
Biden’s job gets easier after Senate wins in Georgia – but don’t expect a progressive revolution says Jared Mondschein.
Is Left populism possible?
“We need to fight precarity now and to ensure that, in the process, we retain and enhance the best of our representative institutions.”
How has the COVID-19 pandemic impacted prisons? 🔊
The COVID-19 pandemic has created challenges in prisons and for prisoner rights all over the world, Prison crowding and sub-standard living conditions have created ideal breeding grounds for the virus.
Has an authoritarian slide taken place under Donald Trump? 🔊
The events of the past week in the United States were pressured by a President who has shown little regard for democratic norms and principles since his election in 2016.
Why do housing prices soar despite a COVID recession?
Median housing prices across New Zealand increased by 19.8% year-on-year (YOY) in October 2020. It is one of the largest price surges in the world despite a global COVID recession.
What are the promises and potential pitfalls of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons?
The Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) is an important landmark in the continuing effort to establish a global ban on the use of nuclear weapons.
Science & Technology
Is 2021 humanity’s make-or-break moment on climate change?
COVID-19 and climate change are two sides of the same coin. To overcome both we must confront their root cause: an economic system that is killing the planet.
Will a COVID-19 vaccine bring the pandemic under control? 🔊
The COVID-19 pandemic has reached a new high in infections across the US, across Europe and around the world. But good news is on the horizen with the development of several vaccines.
How dangerous are the new COVID variants?
New variants of SARS-CoV-2, the virus which causes COVID-19, is thought to be driving increased transmission of the disease around the world.
Is the Pacific Ocean under threat?
It might be the world’s biggest ocean, but the mighty Pacific is in peril.
What are the roots of science denialism in the time of COVID-19, and how do we untangle them?
“What has become starkly apparent in the age of the SARS CoV-2 novel coronavirus (COVID-19) is that the effective communication of science-based health messages is no easy task .”
What are the key environmental issues facing New Zealand? 🔊
New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has declared a climate change emergency in New Zealand. This declaration is non-binding, but Ardern says the motion intends to hold the Government accountable and recognises that they are taking the issue seriously.
Business & Economics
Is 2021 humanity’s make-or-break moment on climate change?
COVID-19 and climate change are two sides of the same coin. To overcome both we must confront their root cause: an economic system that is killing the planet.
Meal kit delivery services – Can they advance sustainable eating?
“Regular meal subscription services such as My Food Bag and Hello Fresh market themselves as a convenient alternative to supermarket shopping to consumers with a large focus on sustainability. But is it actually transformational change or too little, too late.”
Who is winning the race to develop the autonomous car? 🔊
The United States takes great pride in its history as a technology leader globally. However, in the race for the autonomous car, China appears to be winning. What is the current status of this race?
How has COVID reshaped the New Zealand media landscape?
Closures, cuts, revival and rebirth: how COVID-19 reshaped the NZ media landscape in 2020.
Why do housing prices soar despite a COVID recession?
Median housing prices across New Zealand increased by 19.8% year-on-year (YOY) in October 2020. It is one of the largest price surges in the world despite a global COVID recession.
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.”
Arts & Culture
What’s wrong with the Anzac mythology?
“In salvaging these stories of bloodshed and terror, heroism and humanity, we must pick apart the grand mythology which has smothered and replaced them.”
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.
Why do people believe or endorse conspiracy theories?
“By situating the cause of these events in the hands of a few nefarious actors, conspiracy theorists are able to take the unpredictability out of life and regain a sense of control.”
How did Trump win the online disinformation war?
Social media platforms have allowed US conservatives to delegitimise the election and sow mistrust of democracy.
How has COVID reshaped the New Zealand media landscape?
Closures, cuts, revival and rebirth: how COVID-19 reshaped the NZ media landscape in 2020.
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?