The Big Q
Questions - Ideas - Scholarship - DebatesProject for Public Interest Media
Politics & Society
The fall into the abyss
In April 1909, two waves of massacres shook the province of Adana, located in the southern Anatolia region of modern-day Turkey, killing more than 20,000 Armenians and 2,000 Muslims.
Is Russia’s invasion the end point for Putin’s kleptocracy?
Putin is the product of a corrupt economic system that we must now reform, writes Mary Kaldor.
Who are you calling a Nazi?
While it is all too easy and comfortable to indulge in our Nazi fascination to demonise our enemies, maybe we should still the media chaos just for a moment and reflect. Who are you calling a Nazi? And why?
What does Russia’s invasion of Ukraine mean for Europe and the world? 🔊
A land war has returned to Europe. This week, Russia attacked Ukraine. What are the causes of the conflict? What are the motivations of the actors? Could this war have been avoided?
IPCC report: Is the window closing for a liveable future?
The latest UN climate report finds that in the absence of ambitious action on climate change, the worst is yet to come for human populations.
Has Putin won in the Ukraine?
The recognition by President Putin of the Donetsk and Luhansk ‘Peoples Republics’ on 21 February is his latest initiative to expand Russia’s influence. Will he prevail? Will he pause or push further?
Science & Technology
IPCC report: Is the window closing for a liveable future?
The latest UN climate report finds that in the absence of ambitious action on climate change, the worst is yet to come for human populations.
Are driverless cars bad for the environment?
Driverless cars won’t be good for the environment if they lead to more auto use.
How can we address Covid anxiety?
Listening to other people’s stories is a powerful way to unite people, and instead of belittling anxieties as illogical, addressing fears with understanding can help us design responses which enable all people to experience security in uncertain times, writes Dr Mary Breheny.
Why won’t carbon farming pine trees truly help mitigate climate change?
It’s time for Labour and the Greens to rescue their climate consciences and stop plans to plant vast, environmentally risky pine forests as a way of offsetting our greenhouse gas emissions.
Will Antarctica’s under-ice rivers contribute to sea level rise?
Exploring Antarctica’s hidden under-ice rivers and their role in future sea-level rise.
What cultural values belong in science?
The University of Auckland’s Julie Rowland examines the notion that education should be secular and devoid of any form of spirituality.
Business & Economics
Is Russia’s invasion the end point for Putin’s kleptocracy?
Putin is the product of a corrupt economic system that we must now reform, writes Mary Kaldor.
With inflation on the rise, what can be done to support low-income families?
Inflation is raising prices and reducing real wages – what should be done to support NZ’s low-income households?
Will an income insurance scheme work in New Zealand?
Susan St John responds to the newly-announced income insurance scheme with some suggestions on how to tweak and improve what we already have.
What’s causing inflation? 🔊
Since the COVID pandemic, the United States and other countries have faced challenges in terms of economic recovery. This has resulted in issues such as supply chain disruptions and what has been reported as high rates of inflation.
What role do banks play in the housing crisis?
If banks’ lending behaviour is found to have contributed to New Zealand’s housing quagmire, then banks must be held to account and share the pain when the bubble inevitably bursts, writes the University of Auckland’s Michael Rehm.
Why did the world’s supply chain fail and how can we make it more resilient? 🔊
The COVID pandemic has exposed the weaknesses of the world’s supply chain, with its emphasis on lowering costs without regard to the resilience of disruptions.
Arts & Culture
The fall into the abyss
In April 1909, two waves of massacres shook the province of Adana, located in the southern Anatolia region of modern-day Turkey, killing more than 20,000 Armenians and 2,000 Muslims.
How did the U.S. come to collectively own over 600 million acres of land? How has that changed over time? 🔊
In this two-part special episode of the Scholars’ Circle, Doug Becker explores the history of public land in the United States.
Who are you calling a Nazi?
While it is all too easy and comfortable to indulge in our Nazi fascination to demonise our enemies, maybe we should still the media chaos just for a moment and reflect. Who are you calling a Nazi? And why?
Why did a record number of journalists get jailed in 2021?
Journalists’ Nobel Peace Prize casts a shadow on failures of our democracy.
What cultural values belong in science?
The University of Auckland’s Julie Rowland examines the notion that education should be secular and devoid of any form of spirituality.
How can we use art to understand war?
Two former official war artists are using art to research how we respond to and cope with, conflict.