Breaking the Spiral of Silence
Researcher Chengjun Wang finds that local reference groups, such as local media, continue to influence public opinion. This is despite the fact that social media offers diverse opinions at the global scale.
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Managing Employee’s Social Media Use Ethically
Companies should make their social media policies clear to employees, but these have to be lawful and fair.
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Social Networks and the Diffusion of Ideas
Understanding the social networks in your organisation is central to increasing innovation and making the most of mass communication and technology, including social media.
Continue reading “Social Networks and the Diffusion of Ideas”Workplace Stigma of Mental Illness
Workplace Stigma of Mental Illness
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High Court Recognises Third Gender Category
In June 2013, I wrote about Norrie, a transgender woman from New South Wales (pictured above), who had successfully petitioned The New South Wales Court of Appeal to be given the right not to list her gender as either male or female. Predictably, this New South Wales decision had been appealed and it went to the High Court. This morning, they ruled that New South Wales law can indeed recognise non-specific genders other than male or female. See the legal document below. High Court ruling: NSW Registrar of Births, Deaths and Marriages v Norrie Photo and news: SBS News. Continue reading High Court Recognises Third Gender Category
Tibetan Self-Immolations
Excellent investigative report on self immolation by the Pulitzer Centre. Continue reading Tibetan Self-Immolations
Ask the Powerful Five Questions
What power have you got? Where did you get it from? In whose interest do you exercise it? To whom are you accountable? How can we get rid of you? Only democracy gives us that right. That is why no one with power likes democracy and that is why every generation must struggle to win it and keep it; including you and me, here and now. Tony Benn, 2005 Via: Phil BC. Continue reading Ask the Powerful Five Questions
Youth Question the Prime Minister
Students from Sydney’s Newtown High School of the Performing Arts give Australia’s Prime Minister Tony Abbott a tough question time that he was evidently poorly prepared to answer with grace. The clip begins with Abbott giving weak environmental advice (“plant … Continue reading Youth Question the Prime Minister
March in March
A series of protests have been held around Australia today. The #MarchInMarch demonstrations are calling attention to a various policy issues that the Abbott Government is mishandling. Abbott is a climate change denier who is privileging the greed of Australia’s mining giants over … Continue reading March in March
From Sociolinguistics to Entertainment
What can you do with a social science degree? Carrie Brownstein has been a rockstar with Sleater Kinney and has found further success as a comedy writer and star on Portlandia. Here’s how she sees the link between her degree in sociolinguistics and her comedy TV show.
Social Science Insights 