More pain for same-sex Christian couples

Editor's note

In the aftermath of the legalising of same-sex marriage in Australia, the Anglican Church has ramped up its discrimination against gay people to new heights. Not content simply with the discrimination built into the legislation, conservatives in the Anglican Church are making sure the church is a complete no-go zone for gay couples, writes Muriel Porter.

And this week we’re launching Making science for people, a new series that explores how humanities, arts and social sciences expertise is applied to problems typically corralled into the science and technology space. Today Rachel Ankeny and Lisa Given set the scene, arguing that it’s only when science works with other disciplines that true value is created.

Amanda Dunn

Section Editor: Politics + Society

Top story

As the state has opened the doors for same sex couples to marry, the Anglican Church is making it even harder to come to the party. AAP/Shutterstock/The Conversation

How the Anglican Church has hardened its stance against same-sex marriage

Muriel Porter, University of Divinity

In response to the legalisation of same-sex marriage in Australia, conservative clergy have hardened their stance against it, causing even more pain for same-sex Christian couples.

Science + Technology

Creating research value needs more than just science – arts, humanities, social sciences can help

Rachel A. Ankeny, University of Adelaide; Lisa M. Given, Swinburne University of Technology

Mobilising value from science and technology needs help from thinkers, designers, makers, policymakers and enablers – and this expertise often sits in the humanities, arts and social sciences domain.
The privacy problem with camera traps: you don't know who else could be watching

Paul D Meek, University of New England; Greg Falzon, University of New England; James Bishop, University of New England

Remote cameras used to track wildlife in Australia could pose a privacy risk, especially if the images they capture fall into the wrong hands.

Health + Medicine

Patriarchs on pedestals? How doctors are taught to improve their bedside manner

Mark Wilson, University of Wollongong

Doctor communication is an important part of their education. But they can't have unlimited empathy for their patients either, or they'd never get the job done.
Health Check: should healthy people take probiotic supplements?

Chris Irwin, Griffith University; Corneel Vandelanotte, CQUniversity Australia; Saman Khalesi, CQUniversity Australia

Probiotics have been proclaimed by many as the answer to all sorts of health issues and conditions. But what exactly are probiotics? And, more importantly, should you be taking them?

Business + Economy
Partially right: rejecting neoliberalism shouldn't mean giving up on social liberalism Richard Holden, UNSW; Rosalind Dixon, UNSW There's a lot that Richard Denniss gets right. Neoliberalism clearly has an array of problems. But he risks throwing out what is good about liberalism in attacking neoliberalism.

Arts + Culture
From Klansmen to a kindergarten teacher: the unmissable films of Sydney Film Festival Ari Mattes, University of Notre Dame Australia The Sydney Film Festival's 2018 program was outstanding. Movies to watch out for include a WWII-contemporary mash-up set in Paris, a doco about mammoth hunters, and Spike Lee's racially charged cop movie, BlacKkKlansman.

Cities
Higher density and diversity: apartments are Australia at its most multicultural Christina Ho, University of Technology Sydney; Edgar Liu, UNSW; Hazel Easthope, UNSW The combination of higher-density living and increasing cultural diversity means we need to think about how to build social cohesion and make the most of the opportunities of apartment living.

Environment + Energy

Australia must embrace transformation for a sustainable future

Shirin Malekpour, Monash University

Australia's business-as-usual plan will not be enough to achieve our 2030 Sustainable Development Goals.
Bees get stressed at work too (and it might be causing colony collapse)

Amélie Cabirol, University of Trento; Andrew Barron, Macquarie University

The work honey bees do is critical for our ecosystems, but it comes at a high personal cost.

Politics + Society

View from The Hill: Clive Palmer's back on the trail, with Brian Burston in tow

Michelle Grattan, University of Canberra

Any voters so angry about the more conventional parties that they are tempted to look Palmer's way again might like to consider the shenanigans on Monday.
Why stereotypes of sexy women fans persist at the World Cup

Kim Toffoletti, Deakin University

Women now make up a sizeable share of football audiences, but unless decked out in short shorts and cropped jerseys, they are barely visible in the media.