Must love jokes: why we look for a partner who laughs (and makes us laugh)

Studies of courtship on Tinder and Facebook show that a sense of humour is the most valued quality in a potential mate. Whether we’re looking for love or lust, we look for someone with a good sense of humour.

Fake news and weaponised media

Media shams and shonky shamans are nothing new; going digital merely speeds the effect and widens their reach.

The 3 stages of giving: Deference, arrogance and inquiry

There is no single ‘right way’ to give, but thinking about philanthropy in a more complex way may help donors achieve more with their money.

Life imitating farce

Violence and anti-social behaviour by young people are in the news, but the mass media itself must take its fair share of the blame for social discontent and disorder.

Remembering the protests that began Mardi Gras 40 years ago

Forty years ago, on 24 June 1978, the first Sydney Mardi Gras took the form of a night time street protest-come party along Sydney’s iconic Oxford Street. Instead of the cheers, balloons and sequins which greet the march today, protesters were harried by the police.

Why soccer is falling behind AFL and rugby in Australia

While soccer has a long history in the Australian sporting landscape, soccer has seldom challenged Rugby League and Australian Rules Football in popularity. The early 21st century boom is over but Australian success in the 2018 World Cup and domestic reform could offer a way forward.

The ‘criss-cross’ history hidden in a colonist’s letter

A colonist’s letter of 1839 is crammed with adventure, but holds a deeper and unsettling insight into the history of Australia’s frontier conflict.

Putin’s Travails: Hosting the 2018 World Cup

As the 2018 World Cup kicks off in Russia, manifestations of ongoing political tension raise the issue of whether a mega-sporting event can be removed from the political, social and cultural imperatives that globalisation has brought.

Trolls, fanboys and lurkers – Understanding online commenting culture shows us how to improve it

A mix of personal and institutional responses to antisocial behaviour can help create more inclusive and harmonious online communities.

Rediscovering the true Caribbean

Oft-forgotten but nonetheless important, the real Caribbean is largely left out of international affairs, with one recent scandalous exception. Overlooked by many, what does this region have to offer for Australia?

In praise of doing nothing

As we race through our day, we seldom take the time to seriously examine the rationale behind our frenetic lives – and mistakenly assume that other people who appear very busy must be doing something important.

Paid parental leave in the USA and Australia

Korea and Japan win hands down when it comes to fathers’ parental leave entitlements across OECD nations. Australia is among the worst, and the USA comes last of all, but Australia can learn from the US in terms of ‘primary carer’ preference.