The Conversation, Academics with Journalistic Flair

Click here to view this message in your web-browser.   Edition: AU 13 August 2016 Academic rigour, journalistic flair Today's newsletter sponsored by Business Higher Education Round Table   Editor's note Racism is on the rise once more in many parts of the world. So is the dehumanisation – and demonisation – of our enemies. Such developments, writes philosopher Raimond Gaita, test our understanding of what it means to share a common humanity with all peoples of the earth. In Australia, argues Gaita, this idea of "a common humanity" is hampered by the lack of understanding of the crimes that have been committed against Indigenous peoples. When people’s souls have been lacerated by the wrongs done to them, he writes, "openness to their voices requires humbled attentiveness". Also, catch up on this week's coverage of the census meltdown, the government's decision toblock the sale of NSW energy provider Ausgrid to Chinese bidders and, of course, the Olypmic Games. Have a great weekend. Suzy Freeman-Greene Arts and Culture Editor Top story Aboriginal elder Max Eulo holds a baby in front of a sea of 70,000 multi-coloured paper hands at the Sydney Opera House in December 2000. David Gray/Reuters Friday essay: reflections on the idea of a common humanity Raimond Gaita, University of Melbourne Racism is again on the rise in many parts of the world. So is the dehumanisation of our enemies. What hope is there, then, for notions of a common humanity? Arts + Culture All hail the bookshop: survivor against the odds Nick Earls, The University of Queensland Five years ago, the death knell was sounded for the bookshop. But the paper book, which offers hours of deliciously deep, screen-free reading, has not gone the way of Kodachrome. In fact, bookstores are staging a minor comeback. Survival of the fittest: the changing shapes and sizes of Olympic athletes Tim Olds, University of South Australia Over time, the body sizes and shapes of Olympians have been moving apart from each other at light-speed, and have become increasingly specialised and differentiated. Science + Technology What if intelligent machines could learn from each other? Raja Jurdak, CSIRO Artificial intelligence gives technology the ability to learn and adapt. But they can learn a lot more if they can share their learning with other smart devices. Did the Census really suffer a denial-of-service 'attack'? Mike Johnstone, Edith Cowan University The evidence the Census servers suffered a DDoS attack is weak. A simpler explanation is that they buckled under load of Australians filling out their Census forms as asked. Rio Olympics 2016 Horton wins by naming the elephant in the room at Rio Olympics Craig Fry, Victoria University Rarely do we see such unscripted individual honesty on difficult topics such as doping, right in the middle of arguably the biggest international sporting stage. Politics + Society More than fun: capitalising sport’s social goods Geoff Woolcock, Griffith University Public discourse and commentary are generally blind to the massive contribution that local sport contributes to social connectedness. With a vote delayed, where does this leave constitutional recognition of Indigenous Australians? Paul Kildea, UNSW Australia The longer the process of recognising Indigenous Australians in the Constitution goes on, the more debate is likely to split and fracture. FactCheck: do welfare recipients owe the Australian government about $3.5 billion? Gerry Redmond, Flinders University; Rodrigo Praino, Flinders University Is the Coalition right to say that, at any one time, there is around $3.5 billion of debt to the Commonwealth due to fraud, non-compliance or misreporting in the welfare system? Health + Medicine Change Agents: Rhonda Galbally and Bruce Bonyhady on the birth of the NDIS Andrew Dodd, Swinburne University of Technology Andrew Dodd talks to Rhonda Galbally and Bruce Bonyhady about their role in setting up the National Disability Insurance Scheme. Medicines to treat side effects of other medicines? Sometimes less is more beneficial Jesse Jansen, University of Sydney; Andrew McLachlan, University of Sydney; Carissa Bonner, University of Sydney; Vasi Naganathan, University of Sydney Taking multiple medicines strongly increases the risk of unwanted side effects such as drowsiness, dizziness, confusion, falls and injuries and even hospitalisations. Natural selection may be the answer to the cancer riddle, but can we beat evolution? Beata Ujvari, Deakin University Humans can more easily tolerate tumours in large or paired organs than in small, critical ones. This could be why the latter have evolved more cancer-fighting mechanisms. Environment + Energy The Galileo gambit and other stories: the three main tactics of climate denial Stephan Lewandowsky, University of Bristol One Nation Senator-elect Malcolm Roberts lauds Galileo as a hero who turned scientific consensus on its head. But the 'Galileo gambit' is just one weapon in the climate conspiracists' arsenal. The $8.2 billion water bill to clean up the Barrier Reef by 2025 – and where to start John Rolfe, CQUniversity Australia A groundbreaking new economic study has found that investing A$8.2 billion would get us very close to hitting targets to cut water pollution into the Great Barrier Reef by 2025. Education Standardised curriculums in Indian universities are not helping to improve academic quality Ranjit Goswami, RK University Having a set curriculum for academic courses is leading to poor learning outcomes in students, as students' needs aren't being catered to. Being 'job ready' is not the purpose of university science degrees Kelly E Matthews, The University of Queensland Confusing short-term jobs with long-term career outcomes is a distraction from the real issues in science higher education. Business + Economy The legacy of Glenn Stevens in three lessons Fabrizio Carmignani, Griffith University Glenn Stevens' legacy shows how to maintain the independence of the Reserve Bank in crisis as well as the limits of monetary policy. Business Briefing: the big bucks of broadcasting the Olympics Jenni Henderson, The Conversation The amount broadcasters will pay for the rights to the Olympics keeps going up, but is the value of the rights changing?   Featured jobs Research Fellow Deakin University — Newtown, Victoria Administrative Officer (School Executive Team) RMIT University — Bundoora, Victoria Lecturer Educational Development La Trobe University — Bundoora, Victoria Manager, Hargrave Andrew Library Monash University — Clayton, Victoria MORE JOBS             Featured events Public Engagement Masterclass University of Melbourne, 234 Queensberry Street, Carlton., Melbourne, Victoria, 3053, Australia — University of Melbourne The China Road International Conference Noah's on the Beach Hotel, Cnr Shortland Esplanade & Zaara Street, Newcastle, New South Wales, 2300, Australia — University of Newcastle Star Power! Fusion energy scientific frontiers UNSW Australia, John Niland Scientia Building, Kensington, New South Wales, 2052, Australia — UNSW Australia Circular Economy: a global update (6.00pm public lecture) UTS Business School room CB08.03.002 - 14-28 Ultimo Rd, Ultimo, NSW, Australian Capital Territory, 2007, Australia — University of Technology Sydney MORE EVENTS   Contact us here to list your job, or here to list your event. For sponsorship opportunities, email us here         Follow us on Twitter. Join us on Facebook. 3.3 million unique visitors a month You’re receiving this newsletter from The Conversation. Not interested anymore? Unsubscribe instantly. We’ll miss you.   The Conversation Media Group, Level 1, 715 Swanston Street, Parkville, VIC 3010

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