Culture and society news

AUT disaster response expert on Gaza

AUT’s Professor Regan Potangaroa, a global expert in humanitarian engineering, has been involved in more than 200 UN deployments in 22 countries.

Professor John Tookey on Rebuilding Gaza

With 83% of its buildings destroyed, Gaza needs more than money to rebuild, the AUT Professor of Construction Management writes.

Emotional landscape of language revival

Receptive bilingualism was at the heart of Te Ipukarea researchers Dr Nogiata Tukimata & Dr Toiroa Williams presentation at PULiiMA 2025.

Conviction for Darfur crimes a major win

The conviction is a major development for international law, for Sudan and for the International Criminal Court itself, writes Myra Williamson.

Barriers for women in construction in NZ

Women in Aotearoa’s construction industry can face significant challenges, from subtle biases to outright discrimination, an AUT study finds. 

Should protests near homes be illegal?

The NZ Parliament’s Justice Select Committee is currently considering the right to protest near someone’s home and the inconvenience it may cause.

NCEA Reform: Academic or Vocational?

The Government wants vocational education and training in the school curriculum, but how will it be decided whether a student takes a VET track?

Unity elusive at Pacific Islands Forum

The Pacific Islands Forum has wrapped up its annual leaders' meeting with some significant agreements - but integration remains a contested term.

NZ must recognise Palestine as a state

The actual business of qualifying as a state is simple in theory, more complicated in practice – but even so, Palestine meets the criteria for statehood.

Writers ignite kids' reading joy

Authors giving talks at New Zealand schools stoke enthusiasm for reading and writing, new research has found.