A parliamentary committee says all MPs and peers should clear out of the national parliament so that major repairs can take place. But it’s not just the building that needs attention.
When did the Anthropocene epoch start?
Shutterstock
Freedom of speech does not mean you can say anything to anyone, regardless of the damage it does – an important consideration in the debate over a same-sex marriage plebiscite.
How well prepared are federal MPs to undertake the arduous tasks that will confront them daily?
AAP/Mick Tsikas
The podcast has emerged as a promising medium for facilitating ongoing debate about issues that need more time than mainstream, profit-oriented media or the changing tides of hashtags might allow.
African-American children gather around a voter registration sign.
Kheel Center/flickr
Laws that restrict who can vote are facing challenges in several states. A historian explains how people mobilized against voting restrictions of the 1960s, and why their strategy is still important.
Rally for electoral reform in Malaysia 2015.
Bersih 2.0
As the changing nature of political participation presents increasing challenges for parties, we are likely to see more experimentation with new forms of participation, not less.
American presidents of all stripes have long prided themselves on promoting democracy abroad – but in the 21st century, security comes first.
A Zambian opposition protester is arrested during a past election: Instances of serious violence have increased dramatically this time around.
Reuters/Siphiwe Sibeko
Danielle Resnick, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI)
As Zambia prepares to go to the polls again the entire party system is in flux, electoral violence has been worryingly frequent and the country’s democratic credentials are increasingly in doubt
Mad as hell and tagging you in the comments.
Mike Lowe
Science communication has grown in leaps and bounds over the past 60 years. It plays a crucial role in democratising science and making it less mysterious.
Are NSW citizens adequately engaged in the policymaking process?
AAP/Joel Carrett
Good governance is the right thing to do, and boosts the legitimacy of decision-making. If moral chivalry doesn’t appeal, here are two more reasons: it’s cost-efficient and delivers better solutions.
Is everything on the up-and-up here?
Rick Wilking/Reuters
Richard Forno, University of Maryland, Baltimore County
With the DNC email leak and Trump calling on Russia to hack Clinton’s emails, concern about foreign meddling in the 2016 presidential election process is rising. Is e-voting the next cyber battleground?
In the future, will Turkey be a little, or a lot, democratic?
Ammar Awad/Reuters
A professor at Ohio State surveyed Turkish citizens about their views on democracy. What he learned helps explain the current crisis in the EU wannabe.