By Zane Goebel, Associate professor, Indonesian Studies, The University of Queensland
Sonia Roitman, Associate Professor in Development Planning, The University of Queensland
Udiana Dewi, Research Fellow, University of Sydney
Indonesia has a long history of managing floods with canals and other infrastructure. But there are fears the massive project will worsen existing ecological damage.
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By Barbara Brookes, Professor Emerita of History, University of Otago
Prejudice and professional gate-keeping before and during WWII meant New Zealand denied itself an opportunity to save lives and boost its depleted health system.
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By Judy Ingham, Newsletter Producer, The Conversation
Every day, we publish a selection of your emails in our newsletter. We’d love to hear from you, you can email us at yoursay@theconversation.edu.au.
Monday May 18
AI may not be conscious, but who is?
“Koplin and Moss do a great job in debunking the idea of AI consciousness through a clear explanation of the mechanics of AI. But if AI is not actually ‘thinking’ (ie. simply…
(Full Story)
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By Biswash Chepang
Nature-based solutions led by Indigenous and local communities help address climate change impacts by restoring ecosystems, reducing disaster risks, strengthening livelihoods, supporting biodiversity, and advancing climate justice through sustainable local action.
(Full Story)
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By Nyashadzashe Chiwawa, AIA Research Co-ordinator in the College of Law and Management Studies, University of KwaZulu-Natal
Across many cities and towns in South Africa, turning on a tap no longer guarantees water. Instead, trucks – known as water tankers – arrive to deliver water to communities facing shortages.
Water tankers have shifted from being an emergency stopgap to a routine…
(Full Story)
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By James Boafo, Lecturer in Sustainability and Fellow of Indo Pacific Research Centre, Murdoch University
Alex Owusu Amoakoh, Researcher, Liverpool John Moores University
Jacob Obodai, Lecturer in Human Geography, Liverpool John Moores University
Senyo Dotsey, Postdoctoral Researcher, Università di Torino
The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is taking an unusual step to secure its critical minerals. It plans to create a new paramilitary unit to protect mining sites and transport routes, backed by funding and support from the United States (US) and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
In the past, mining companies contracted private security companies to protect their assets and infrastructure. For instance, in 2020, Frontier Services Group Congo signed…
(Full Story)
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By Danny Bradlow, Professor/Senior Research Fellow, Centre for Advancement of Scholarship, University of Pretoria
David Hunter, Professor Emeritus, The American University Washington College of Law, American University
The World Bank Group’s integration process must at least maintain the current independence, accessibility and effectiveness of its three accountability mechanisms.
(Full Story)
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By Chuka Onwumechili, Professor of Communications, Howard University
On the field, football has the power to bring cultural unity. But crackdowns on immigrants and soaring costs will make it more difficult to attend.
(Full Story)
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Saturday, May 16, 2026
Cambodian activist Panha Theng, a 2025 UN Young Leader for the Sustainable Development Goals, says visibility and safe spaces remain critical for LGBTQI+ youth across Southeast Asia amid continuing stigma and discrimination.
(Full Story)
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By Mark Beeson, Adjunct Professor, Australia-China Relations Institute, University of Technology Sydney
The expectations of voters in the UK – like those elsewhere – may simply have become too great and too complex for any leader to satisfy them.
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