This report acknowledges the enduring successes of Australian democracy. It is important to also understand the social changes that have posed new challenges to democratic participation and stability. The committee believes that this report demonstrates why Australia’s democratic institutions matter, and why reinvigorating them is...

At a critical time in the United States' history, this paper examines how polarised discussions on race, ethnicity, religion, immigration and gender stem from years of income inequality, geographic disparities, systemic racism and the rise of digital technology. The authors also propose policy solutions to...

Artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping the competitive landscape across all sectors of the economy, bringing significant business and societal benefits as well as emerging risks to people. This report provides an integrative model for organisations looking to design and deploy trustworthy AI systems.

This rapid research brief analyses whether COVID-19 had an impact on public sentiment in relation to privacy and the widespread use of data and technology by government in responding to the public health crisis, be it through tracing, compliance or enforcement.

The use of live automated facial recognition (AFR) systems in England and Wales for law enforcement purposes has been the subject of criticism concerning the inadequacy of governance of the technology. This working paper contributes to public policy literature on technology governance, exploring governance through...

Compared to other Australian states, Tasmania has weaker political donation laws, less government transparency and limited public accountability. This report recommends that the Tasmanian government undertake significant, rather than piecemeal, reform in 2021, to ensure the people of Tasmania have confidence in their democracy and...

Whitlam Institute Director, Leanne Smith, and Associate Professor Dr Philippa Collin discuss new research exploring what really matters to young Australians, and their participation in democracy.

Young people’s politics are emerging in a time of significant social, cultural, technological and economic change. As such, this review focuses on Australian young people’s civic and political attitudes and practices in the context of the broader global forces that shape them. This review reports...

There is a widening gulf between American aspirations for and assessments of the news media. With each passing benchmark study, the American people render deeper and increasingly polarised judgments about the news media and how well it is fulfilling its role in American democracy.

The COVID-19 pandemic has fuelled a crisis for democracy around the world. Based on a survey of 398 journalists, civil society workers, activists, and other experts, as well as research on 192 countries by Freedom House’s global network of analysts, this report provides an in-depth...