Conversation article wins a UN Day Media Award

Editor's note

Everybody now knows we live in a time when public debate is increasingly partisan and shrill, with people retreating to their corners to seek out ideas that confirm their pre-existing views. We have all watched in dismay as this trend gathered pace, driving the collapse of trust in media, public institutions, experts.

But it hasn’t all been one-way traffic. Since 2011, The Conversation has been producing a unique form of journalism designed to fight back. We work only with academics who are drawing on their expertise to inform the public and rebuild trust. Our work is the product of a strong relationship between these academics and the journalists in our team. As the tagline says: academic rigour, journalistic flair.

The one drawback of doing something so completely new is that for a while people don’t know what to make of it. This makes it especially gratifying when our unique form of journalism is acknowledged, as it was on Friday when a team of academic authors won a UN Day Media Award for promotion of sustainable cities and communities. The winning article discussed the ways in which marginalising casual sporting activity hurts social cohesion.

It was a terrific piece, thoughtful and informative, edited by our experienced Cities Editor John Watson and a very talented intern, Edward Gorwell. Congratulations most of all to the academic authors who took the time to share their ideas with the broader public: Amanda Wise, Keith D. Parry, Sarah Neal, Kristine Aquino and Selvaraj Velayutham.

Misha Ketchell

Editor

Arts + Culture

Some questions for Simon Birmingham, from two researchers whose ARC grant he quashed

Brett Hutchins, Monash University; Libby Lester, University of Tasmania

Did the minister or any of his staff read our application or any of the other ten he chose to reject?
Dancing Grandmothers offers a moment of communion

William Peterson, Flinders University

Korean choreographer Eun-Me Ah tnravelled up and down her native land, videotaping older women dancing.

Politics + Society
Poll wrap: Morrison’s ratings slump in Newspoll; Wentworth’s huge difference in on-the-day and early voting Adrian Beaumont, University of Melbourne In the aftermath of the Wentworth byelection, the Coalition government has suffered another set-back in the polls.

Health + Medicine
Health Check: how to tell the difference between hay fever and the common cold Reena Ghildyal, University of Canberra; Cynthia Mathew, University of Canberra You can tell the difference by the colour of your snot.

Cities

Infrastructure splurge ignores smarter ways to keep growing cities moving

Marion Terrill, Grattan Institute

In the election bidding wars, parties commit billions to transport projects, often before all the work needed to justify these has been done. More cost-effective alternatives hardly get a look-in.
Australia’s dangerous fantasy: diverting population growth to the regions

John Daley, Grattan Institute; Jonathan Nolan, Grattan Institute

Efforts by governments to redirect population growth to regional Australia have never worked. Even if such policies could be made to work, they probably wouldn't be worth the costs.

Science + Technology

How flashing lights and catchy tunes make gamblers take more risks

Charles Livingstone, Monash University

Electronic gambling machines can be highly addictive, and are associated with very high rates of gambling harm. Many of the mechanisms of this potential for addiction are now becoming clearer.
Curious Kids: Is there anything hotter than the Sun?

Brad Carter, University of Southern Queensland; Jake Clark, University of Southern Queensland

There are lots of places where it's much, much hotter than the Sun. And the amazing thing is that this heat also makes new atoms - tiny particles that have made their way long ago from stars to us.

Environment + Energy
It’s clear why coal struggles for finance – and the government can’t change that Samantha Hepburn, Deakin University The federal government has floated the idea of underwriting new coal-fired electricity generation in a bid to keep power prices low. But doing so would be a defiance of economic and environmental reality.

Business + Economy
Uncomfortable comparisons. Why Rod Sims broke the ACCC record Caron Beaton-Wells, University of Melbourne Compare the ACCC to ASIC and it's clear why Rod Sims has been reappointed to a record third term as Australia's top competition and consumer cop.