Research in the news

Associate Professor Deborah Barros Leal Farias from the School of Social Sciences discusses Brazil’s current political landscape, particularly the resurgence of the Bolsonarist movement, and highlights the broader conservative shift taking place across Latin America.

Associate Professor Deborah Barros Leal Farias from the School of Social Sciences examines the growing support for Flávio Bolsonaro in Brazil’s elections. She attributes this shift to "the underestimated influence of social media and misinformation", a widespread desire for change, and declining support for Lula’s Workers’ Party.

Scientia Professor Carla Treloar from the Centre for Social Research in Health shares findings from her research on households relying primarily on income support. She notes that “these payments leave people a long way from being able to cover the basics, and substantially lifting them would go a long way to closing those gaps.”

Following the attack on independent MP Helen Haines, Dr Ayesha Jehangir from the School of the Arts and Media discusses how schools can respond to such incidents. She emphasises the importance of helping students distinguish between political disagreement and intimidation or violence, while promoting respectful democratic debate.

Emeritus Professor Martyn Lyons from the School of Humanities & Languages explores the history of reading in Australia, challenging stereotypes of Australians as "outdoor, sporting types" with little interest in intellectual pursuits. He highlights Australia's flourishing reading culture and what it reveals about our national identity.

Associate Professor Paul Hogben from the School of Built Environment discusses the architectural history of Merewether Heights, Newcastle, from the post-war era to the present day. Originally conceived as a garden suburb, he traces the area's evolution and highlights the emergence of "structurally interesting" homes and buildings. [36:39]

A new report co-authored by Scientia Professor Carla Treloar from the Centre for Social Research in Health and the Australian Council of Social Service highlights poverty among people receiving social security payments. She says current rates are "so low that they're forcing people to live in poverty" and calls for higher income support.

Professor Jan Breckenridge from the School of Social Sciences discusses her funded research into the weaponisation of AI in cases of coercive control. She explains how perpetrators use the technology to undermine victim-survivors' sense of self and agency, and outlines her aims to develop resources to help detect its misuse. [1:06:01]

Dr Kate Brady from the School of Built Environment explores the "predictable impacts" of disasters, from health and housing to relationships and access to education, and highlights the need to better plan for these long-term consequences before disaster strikes. [30:26]

Once the crisis has passed, what comes next? Dr Kate Brady from the School of Built Environment says disasters are "more than the hazard" and highlights the value of first-hand community experiences in shaping recovery efforts beyond the immediate emergency. [3:38:21]

As summer approaches promising more frequent and severe disasters, Dr Kate Brady from the School of Built Environment advocates for a more proactive approach to recovery planning, noting it is a long-term process rather than a quick fix. [1:58:44]

Following reports of online predators targeting children through gaming platforms including Minecraft, Fortnite, Roblox and Steam, Professor Michael Salter from the School of Social Sciences explains why "there are so many loopholes to connect with vulnerable children" and discusses the risks of grooming, abuse and sexual exploitation.

Professor Michael Salter from the School of Social Sciences rejects claims that gaming platforms are doing enough to protect children online. He argues that “gaming companies have a financial investment in an unsafe product”, highlighting significant variations in safety standards and features across platforms.

Amid rising concerns about inadequate safeguards on some of Australia’s most popular gaming platforms, Professor Michael Salter from the School of Social Sciences highlights how the current gaming ecosystem can reinforce these risks, with “user safety being considered the responsibility of users, and that includes children.”

PhD candidate Cathy Xu from the School of Humanities & Languages explains how social media, particularly TikTok, is accelerating the evolution of language. She says this influence is "bringing in new varieties of English" rather than fundamentally altering language itself. [46:22]

Dr Zoe Smith from the School of Humanities & Languages discusses Australia’s response to domestic violence, examining ongoing challenges, national reform efforts, prevention strategies, media coverage and what Australia might learn from approaches taken overseas.

Associate Professor Andrew Beattie from the School of Humanities & Languages discusses Germany’s political landscape following the historic success of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD). He examines the factors behind the party’s rise and what voting patterns reveal about its support, particularly among younger voters.

Honorary Associate Professor Marion Burgess from the School of Built Environment weighs in on concerns about noise from data centres. She notes that while they can generate significant noise, they are "unlikely to cause health effects", and compares Australian guidelines with international standards. [1:08:51]