From Les Misérables to Trump – what happens when moral certainty hardens
Polarisation is often described as ideological. But its deeper cause may be moral – a loss of the capacity to recognise goodness in those who disagree with us, and the consequences that follow.
Recent articles in Politics
8 February 2026
What Australia’s past might teach Israel about its future
President Herzog’s visit might be useful if he could be persuaded to ponder the lessons Australia might offer.
8 February 2026
Environment: Small-bodied and short-lived, tiny freshwater fish play big roles in ecosystems
A threatened Aussie tiddler flashes a fin for tiny freshwater fish worldwide, toxic PFAS chemicals are all around us and deep inside us and never go away, and illegal gold mining in Congo destroys the environment and communities.
8 February 2026
On the emails between Jeffrey Epstein and Noam Chomsky
Vijay Prashad reflects on the Jeffrey Epstein revelations, his personal history, and the profound sense of betrayal and moral shock they have provoked.
8 February 2026
What is the next chapter for Australia’s embattled writers festivals?
The cancellation of Adelaide Writers’ Week has exposed how culture wars, funding pressures and climate risk are reshaping Australia’s literary festivals – and putting their future in doubt.
7 February 2026
Isaac Herzog is accused of inciting genocide in Gaza. He shouldn’t be welcomed to Australia
Writing in the Guardian on Thursday UN Commissioner Chris Sidoti laid out the reasons Isaac Herzog should not be welcome in Australia, and urged the Prime Minister to correct his terrible mistake in inviting him.
7 February 2026
Message from the Editor
The debate over the visit of the Israeli President has occupied much space in P&I this week, and for good reason.
7 February 2026
Australia unlikely to follow US downgrade on China threat
The US National Defense Strategy signals a softer, more pragmatic approach to China. Australia’s silence on the shift exposes how detached its defence posture has become from both reality and its own national interests.
7 February 2026
Billionaire Bezos guts Washington Post
The gutting of the Washington Post has reignited a deeper question about who controls the media – and whether billionaire ownership is compatible with a free press.
7 February 2026
Australian doctors protest Israel’s destruction of health rights in Gaza
Israel’s deregistration of international health providers in Gaza makes legally mandated care increasingly impossible, raising serious questions about compliance with international law.
7 February 2026
Herzog’s visit exposes Australia’s legal weakness on human rights
As Israel’s president visits Australia, debates over protest, terrorism and antisemitism expose a significant problem: Australia lacks a coherent human rights framework.
7 February 2026
Inside Indonesia’s Board of Peace diplomacy on Palestine
Indonesia’s decision to join the Board of Peace places it inside a US-dominated body whose approach to Gaza risks prioritising reconstruction over sovereignty, rights and political legitimacy.
6 February 2026
Don't mention the war
Australia is struggling to respond proportionately to violence, fear and political pressure in the wake of the Bondi attacks, October 7 and Israel’s war in Gaza. The result has been a contraction of democratic debate, heavy-handed political responses and an unwillingness to confront the scale of civilian suffering now unfolding in Gaza.
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