The Big Q
Questions – Ideas – Scholarship – Debates
Project for Public Interest Media
The Big Q & Ngā Ara Whetū Multimedia Competition
Reimagining Our World.
What we value in society shapes our behaviour and influences our current and future world. Our aspirations, definitions, and incentives related to “success” and “beauty” affect our work, finances, and time. These incentives and our related actions sometimes have devastating consequences for our well-being, relationships, and planet.
Ngā Ara Whetū and The Big Q want to reimagine what’s possible. What is possible with a different definition of success? A different definition of beauty?
A new vision for our world?
Submit a redefinition to be featured on The Big Q and win prezzy cards up to $500!
Politics & Society
What are donor-advised funds and how are they turning the US culture wars into charity?
DAFs channel huge amounts of cash to ‘culture war’ groups – anonymously. Why do people get tax breaks for using them?
Can the Pandemic Be Blamed for the Surge in Violence Against Women in India?
COVID lockdowns in India worsened economic abuse against women, creating new forms of control, exploitation, and vulnerability, as revealed in research.
Seizing Russian state assets to rebuild Ukraine: Will it prolong the war, or end it?
As Canada leads in seizing Russian state assets for Ukraine’s rebuilding, questions arise about its impact on war’s end and global diplomacy.
Is Private Investment the Solution to New Zealand’s Social Service Challenges?
Delve into New Zealand’s social investment strategy, questioning the role of private investors and evaluating the effectiveness of social impact bonds.
Gaza war: How did Qatar become a leading mediator in the Middle East?
Qatar’s mediation success in Israel-Hamas ceasefire hinges on wealth, neutrality, and global connections, shaping effective conflict resolution strategies.
Should NZ rethink its stance on Japan’s nuclear wastewater?
Examining Japan’s nuclear wastewater release: Legal, scientific concerns raised. New Zealand urged to reconsider stance and stand with Pacific partners.
Science & Technology
Is the Ocean the Key to New Zealand’s Climate Change Battle?
New Zealand explores ocean strategies for carbon neutrality, considering kelp farms, coastal wetlands, and marine carbon removal for climate goals and risks
What’s triggering the Southern Ocean sea ice decline? Over 200 scientists sound the alarm for urgent conservation action.
Scientists from 19 countries reveal the Southern Ocean crisis—declining sea ice, warming oceans, and urgent calls for global conservation action.
How can Australians learn to live better with fire? Lessons for the World.
Discover the latest on bushfires: risk assessment, community resilience, innovative solutions, and the changing language surrounding fires in our evolving climate.
Are we heading towards a world without antibiotics?
As antibiotics face resistance, experts discuss origins, consequences, and solutions. Explore the journey from saviors to potential threats in healthcare.
The Scholars’ Circle: Could a push to “deep listening” help promote biodiversity?
The Scholar’ Circle discuss the book The Sound of Nature by Karen Bakker, then talks about the meaning of Thanksgiving in the contemporary relationship between the United States and Indigenous people.
Can the US Lead in AI Regulation Despite Congress Deadlocks?
President Biden’s comprehensive AI executive order leads the way in regulating AI, addressing deepfakes, privacy, innovation, and global leadership while facing challenges.
Business & Economics
Is Uber-style surge pricing the answer to Auckland’s congestion nightmare?
Can Uber-style surge pricing ease Auckland’s traffic chaos and save millions in congestion costs? Tim Hazledine from the University of Auckland explains.
Is It Time for New Zealand to Join the Global Right-to-Repair Movement?
Explore the call for a “Right to Repair” in New Zealand to combat disposable products, software locks, and copyright hurdles affecting consumers and the environment.
Will the Clean Car Discount’s Reversal Shift the Gear on SUV and Ute Sales in NZ?
Explore the potential impact of New Zealand’s Clean Car Discount reversal on SUV and ute sales, road safety, and emissions reduction. Insights from Timothy Welch, University of Auckland.
NZ’s always-on culture has stretched the 8-hour workday – should the law contain a right to disconnect?
Discover the evolving landscape of work-life balance in New Zealand, as the “right to disconnect” gains prominence in the digital era.
Can tourism thrive without the environment picking up the bill?
Discover the dilemmas of New Zealand’s resurging tourism industry, balancing economic benefits with environmental and cultural preservation for a sustainable future.
Can an Empty House Tax Help Boost Affordable Housing in New Zealand?
Explore the debate over taxing empty homes in New Zealand amid a housing crisis. Discover how an empty house tax could address housing affordability and generate revenue for the government.
Arts & Culture
Will AI Become the Arbiter of Music Copyright Infringement?
Musicologist Dr. Patrick Savage examines the effectiveness of algorithms in detecting music plagiarism and their role in copyright infringement cases.
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.
Does AI work by exploiting our unwaged labour?
Fabio Morreale exposes the exploitation of AI training through our interactions, raising ethical concerns and advocating for change.
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?
Can NZ step up and address Earth system decline?
The Government of Aotearoa New Zealand has a unique opportunity to demonstrate leadership and action by changing its laws to conform with the laws of nature, writes Klaus Bosselmann. Can NZ step up and help lead?
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.
Ngā Ara Whetū
Avoiding climate breakdown depends on protecting Earth’s biodiversity – can the COP15 summit deliver?
COP15 needs to mark a step change in how quickly and how seriously the international community responds to catastrophic nature loss. The focus is expected to be on 30×30, a push to protect 30% of land and sea for nature by the end of this decade.
How does COP27’s loss and damage deal really look to the Global South?
After two weeks of fractious discussions, at the very last minute COP27 came up with an agreement on ‘loss and damage’ – providing financial assistance to poorer nations who are already facing the catastrophic impacts of climate change. But how long will it take for these words to translate into actions?
Why do social ties matter to climate politics?
Policy-makers frequently fail to communicate scientific knowledge about climate change effectively, with the result that targeted groups often reject potentially useful advice. Our research addressed New Zealand dairy farmers’ perceptions of climate conditions and their perceptions of climate science.
From farming to fermentation: Could New Zealand ‘brew up’ new foods to reduce agricultural emissions?
Addressing the problem of New Zealand’s agricultural emissions has mainly focused on technical fixes aimed at reducing methane and nitrous oxide produced by livestock and fertiliser and relying on voluntary agreements with the industry. But these measures may not result in substantial emissions reductions any time soon.
COP27: Breakthrough? Or an inadequate response to the climate crisis?
For 30 years, developing nations have fought to establish an international fund to pay for the “loss and damage” they suffer as a result of climate change. As the COP27 climate summit in Egypt wrapped up over the weekend, they finally succeeded. While it’s a historic moment, the agreement of loss and damage financing left many details yet to be sorted out. What’s more, many critics have lamented the overall outcome of COP27, saying it falls well short of a sufficient response to the climate crisis.
The cow in the room… A problem of production or consumption?
Techno-scientific solutions have been thrown at the problem of farm-based greenhouse gas emissions. It’s an economy in and of itself.
What should New Zealand do to commit fully to tackling climate change?
We need to invest in clean technologies and circular economies to build a sustainable, diversified economy. And that will also lessen our dependence on carbon-emitting industries, say leading Auckland academics.
COP27: Why can rich countries no longer ignore calls to pay the developing world for climate havoc?
Payments from high-emitting countries to mitigate the harm that climate change has caused in the most vulnerable parts of the world is finally on the agenda for discussion at a global climate change summit, more than 30 years after the idea was first articulated by delegates from small island developing states.
What can be expected from COP27?
The world’s leaders are gathering for another global climate meeting, this time in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt. Expect a bustle of promises and pacts from countries and companies. Expect pressure on states to support people who are most and permanently affected by climate change. Don’t expect much more, but equally don’t lay the blame solely on the United Nations.