Treading softly in power diplomacy

Museums have emerged as new and effective actors of cultural soft power, including institutions in countries like China and Russia whose interests and actions seem diametrically opposed to the West.

Diary of an accidental activist

Denis Altman’s new book, Unrequited Love: Diary of an Accidental Activist, accounts for his time in the US and draws comparisons between the American and Australian political state.

Bringing ancient Rome to life

Filmmakers just love the vivid drama of Ancient Rome. But which screen visions of the ancient superpower do our history experts rate the best?

Advertisers wake up to a ‘woke’ nightmare

Advertisers jump on every bandwagon to peddle other people’s wares, but latching onto the coat-tails of social justice warriors may have brought more grief than extra sales.

Conviction politics: How prisoners shaped Australian democracy

British deportees aren’t often celebrated for their contribution to the nation’s progressive political traditions, but they played a vital part in building the country’s values as well as early infrastructure.

Sco-Mo – The first hundred days

This week marked Scott Morrison’s first 100 days since his surprise re-election as Prime Minister. What are the pros and cons on his report card so far?

How to have good arguments

If we approach all people as having worthwhile ideas, we’ll not only encourage them to present clearer ideas but also make everyone feel valued.

Why the world ignores China’s Uyghur persecution

China’s efforts to limit scrutiny of its persecution of its Uyghur Muslim minority is abetted by the silence of countries putting economic links ahead of human rights.

Paternal perceptions

New research is examining the evolution of Australian fatherhood and family responsibilities over the past 100 years.

Pursuing the multinational tax cheats

Glencore’s lawyers argued anything about the company in the Paradise Papers was “privileged” and the tax office should be prevented from using that information, but they would say that, wouldn’t they?

Debunking 5 myths about the Geneva Conventions

The Geneva Conventions turned 70 on August 12. The anniversary offers a moment to celebrate all the lives the conventions have helped save and to remind the world of the importance of protecting people from the worst of warfare.

Should we work with AI – or kill it?

Artificial intelligence is already impacting the way we work – but for the next generation of professionals, human-machine collaboration could be the norm. And now is the time to think about the values we want in that relationship.