Australians are less engaged in their communities, lonelier, unhappier and less satisfied with life – but there is cause for hope, writes Dr James O’Donnell.

Many feel governments aren’t holding up their end of the deal, corroding support for democracy, writes Mario Peucker.

To understand the surge of the far-right, look at nationalism, authoritarianism and populism — and how much they already exist in Australia, says Dr Ibolya Losoncz.

News sources are increasingly fragmented — yet the gatekeepers are more concentrated. This presents a growing problem for democracies, writes Daniel Angus.

The question is not whether migration is “good” or “bad” — it’s how it’s managed, writes Professor Alan Gamlen.

COVID, global warming, conspiracy theorists, financial collapses — and a sham social media ban. It’s no wonder young Australians are glum, writes Professor Axel Bruns.