Waleed Aly and Scott Stephens’ claim that contempt is the source of contemporary political problems looks weak and obtuse in the face of what is actually happening in America now
Academic rigor, journalistic flair
Articles on public debate
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New research examines 25 years of newspaper reporting of teachers and finds consistent evidence of “teacher bashing”.
‘Cancel culture’ didn’t exist at all in the British mainstream media in 2017 – but in 2021 there were an astonishing 3,670 articles that used the term.
We’ve all heard an exasperated “do your research!” from people who want to persuade us to accept their claim or point of view. The problem is it’s not likely to convince anyone.
People who act holier than thou aren’t necessarily better than the rest of us. In fact, their moral grandstanding may be driving society apart.
Debates may help voters identify which candidate shares their views but they do not help them think critically about those views. That’s because presidential debates don’t live up to their name.
We can justify different standards for different Twitter users by turning to the philosophical ideas about public debate.
The findings confirm that debate on issues related to minority groups’ lives and well-being can significantly affect their mental health.
The republic of letters was an intellectual community that took shape in the Enlightenment. And just like writers’ festivals, it had rules about who could speak.
Australians have reason to be apprehensive that some civil voices are not being heard in our liberal democracy.
The assisted dying bill in Victoria – complex and significant – is engendering less heated debate than marriage equality although both tap into some of our most fundamental fears and motivations.
We need to get beyond hyperbole and half-truths from those both for and against marriage equality, and go back to basics.
Tom Nichols’ book The Death of Expertise examines why the relationship between experts and citizens in a democracy is collapsing, and what can be done about it.
Academic analysis is often ignored – and this is an indictment not of readers, but of academics.
Social media is a key platform for public debate. But that doesn’t mean it’s necessarily good.
Top contributors
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Deputy Director, Australian National Centre for Public Awareness of Science, Australian National University
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Andrea Carson is a Friend of The Conversation.
Professor of Political Communication, Department of Politics, Media and Philosophy, La Trobe University
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Professor, School of Social and Political Sciences, Co-Director, Indigenous-Settler Relations Collaboration, The University of Melbourne
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Professor of Education, University of Sydney
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Senior Lecturer, School of Communication, International Studies and Languages, University of South Australia
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Visiting Professor in Biomedical Ethics, Murdoch Children's Research Institute; Distinguished Visiting Professor in Law, University of Melbourne; Uehiro Chair in Practical Ethics, University of Oxford
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Emeritus Professor, Writing and Society Research Centre, Western Sydney University
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Emeritus Professor of Law and Criminal Justice, University of South Australia
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Professor of Social Psychology, University of Sydney
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Paul James is a Friend of The Conversation.
Professor of Globalization and Cultural Diversity, Western Sydney University
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Professor of Public Policy and Director of the Policy Institute, King's College London
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Researcher, UQ Critical Thinking Project, The University of Queensland
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University of Sydney
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Senior Lecturer – Modern History, Macquarie University
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Macquarie University
