Unsocial media

Far from bringing people closer together, the algorithims which drive engagement on social media have antagonised and fractured society and undermined respect for truth.

Republican dream or political nightmare?

The PM says no effort will be made to become a republic in the immediate future, following his meeting with King Charles at Balmoral, and in an age of resurgent authoritarianism unfettered by constitutional restraint or respect for tradition, that may be no bad thing.

Managing AI in education

Thanks to generative AI tools such as ChatGPT, students can now generate acceptable essays and test answers in seconds with no effort at all, wrecking havoc on university assessments.

The perfect storm

Economic shocks, social strains, and rising inequality have unsettled democracies everywhere. In this atmosphere of fear and anger, immigration has been cast as the culprit, offering populists a simple story for a complex age.

No crew, big problem

Pictures have emerged of large new Chinese uncrewed aircraft of a configuration remarkably like the United States’ B-2A Spirit and B-21 Raider bombers, raising fears of Chinese strikes on the USA in a future crisis over the future of Taiwan.

The evolution of retirement living

The Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) survey shows that living circumstances in retirement have changed over time, but social connections are generally strong.

All the news that’s fit to make up

Facebook data reveal the devastating real-world harms caused by the spread of misinformation.

Retirees have never been wealthier, except for those that aren’t

Many Australian retirees have never been wealthier or healthier or had better living standards than they do now, but others are still being left behind.

Fewer friends, no time and less money

The latest Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) Survey reveals worrying trends on a wide range of aspects of life in Australia, including household relationships, income, health and wellbeing.

Civic education in an uncivil era

When we conflate ideology and identity, and define ideology as good or evil, politics becomes a zero-sum contest for survival. We need to teach a different grammar to restore civility to public life.

The end of retirement?

The decision to retire is no longer driven purely by personal preference or age alone but increasingly shaped by policy, housing wealth, super balances and whether someone can afford to stop working.

Chinese whispers

The increasing reliance of Australian universities on Chinese students and funding means their leadership and governance structures risk becoming socialised into Chinese Communist Party policy norms and values.