Joining the dots

The ‘key player’ concept devised by Professor Yves Zenou offers a window into how social networks influence behaviour.

Power, politics and art

James Arvanitakis and Alix Beattie of Western Sydney University argue that the hostile reaction to a controversial Bondi mural highlights the rise of a new conservative political correctness.

Australian Gothic

The term “Gothic” evokes images of grim, crumbling castles, wild moors and jagged mountain peaks, but the genre has long been used to explore the dark side of the Australian experience.

Music festivals need a cultural change to combat sexual violence

A new report on Safety, Sexual Harassment and Assault at Australian Music Festivals report is the first national study of its kind into the dangers faced by women at major outdoor events.

Sex and the remake

A new book explores the fraught process of taking on a TV or film remake, and why updating attitudes to sex may not always work.

The perfection of David

Michelangelo’s statue of David is the world’s most famous statement on physical perfection, and continues to inspire the next generation of artists 400 years after its creation.

Enter the dragon

Hit television series like Game of Thrones and Lost are more than just an escape from reality, they can mirror the political conflicts we see in the real world and perhaps, by shaping people’s perceptions, even influence them.

Can we separate well made art from badly behaved artists?

The history of art is full of great artists who were cruel, exploitative, prejudiced or predatory. Can their work be judged independently of their creators?

Facebook’s new crush on its users

The social media giant is entering the dating app market, but will it be seen as yet another invasion of privacy or a fun way to help shy people get together?

Sports clubs are good for the soul

Being part of a sporting club is not just about the time spent on the field each week. A sense of belonging is just as important for its members, boosting their well-being and mental health as much as their physical fitness.

The social media “own goals” of young athletes

Social media offers budding and elite athletes a shortcut to celebrity, but the price of building a public persona can be all too high for rising stars still finding their feet in real life.

The “Me Too movement” will receive the 2019 Sydney Peace Prize

Me Too founder Tarana Burke and Australian author and broadcaster Tracey Spicer will accept the 2019 Sydney Peace Prize on behalf of the movement on Thursday 14 November at the Sydney Town Hall.