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David Holmes

Senior Lecturer, Communications and Media Studies, Monash University

David is a political analyst, social theorist and media scholar. He completed a major in Media Studies at Swinburne University, a BA (Hons) in Politics and Social Theory and a PhD in Social Theory (Department of the History and Philosophy of Science) from the University of Melbourne, where he was awarded the Dwight prize for political science.

He is author or editor of four books in the sociology of communications including: Virtual Politics: Identity and Community in Cyberspace (Sage 1997) and Virtual Globalisation: Virtual Spaces, Tourist Spaces (Routledge 2001), Communication Theory: Media, Technology and Society (Sage 2005) and a Key Concepts in Media and Communications (Sage 2011) co-authored with Paul Jones (UNSW) Over eleven years, he has also co-authored four editions of an analysis of Australian society: Australian sociology (2003, 2007 and 2011, 2014) with Roberta Julian and Katie Hughes. For the last two editions he has written a new chapter on the sociology of climate change.

Fake news and god's wrath: extreme hurricane politics in the US

Sep 11, 2017 08:16 am UTC| Insights & Views Politics Nature

The devastating scenes of destruction and flooding in the Bahamas and the southern states of the US have captivated the world for many weeks now. Hurricanes Harvey and Irma, and Hurricane Jose soon to follow, have stolen...

With battery storage to the rescue, the Kodak moment for renewables has finally arrived

Mar 20, 2017 02:12 am UTC| Technology

Who would have thought that, scarcely five weeks after Treasurer Scott Morrison, paraded a chunk of coal in parliament, planning for Australias energy needs would be dominated by renewables, batteries and hydro? For...

Playing politics with renewables: how the right is losing its way

Feb 25, 2017 13:01 pm UTC| Insights & Views Politics

This summer has seen a concerted attack on renewable energy coming out of Canberra, featuring everyone from One Nation senator Malcolm Roberts to Coalition ministers channelling the far right of their party. So absurd and...

Climate Change Series

'We must keep the lights on': how a cyclone was used to attack renewables

Oct 04, 2016 08:17 am UTC| Nature

The mid-latitude cyclone with no name that hit South Australia last week, spawning two tornadoes and 80,000 electricity strikes, destroyed 22 massive transmission towers carrying electricity across the state. The...

AI Revolution Series

Climate Change Series

Climate change makes a comeback – with the help of social media

Jun 14, 2016 07:44 am UTC| Insights & Views Nature

In what has been shaping up as the election that forgot climate change, there are signs emerging in the Coalitions election campaign that it is starting to listen to polls, its own focus groups and social media chat on...

Climate Change Series

Why has climate change disappeared from the Australian election radar?

May 23, 2016 09:33 am UTC| Insights & Views Politics

Two weeks into a protracted election campaign, it is looking ever-more likely that climate change is to be placed way down the order of business at least for the major parties. The contest over climate change that...

Economy

Threading Opportunity: How an India–EU FTA Could Reweave Textile Fortunes

After almost 18 years of negotiations, an IndiaEU Free Trade Agreement (FTA) recently reconfirmed by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is getting closer. Targeted for early 2026 completion, the deal could...

Yen Stays Under Pressure After BOJ Decision as Dollar Slides on Geopolitical Jitters

The Japanese yen remained rangebound on Friday after the Bank of Japan kept interest rates unchanged, a move widely anticipated by markets, while the U.S. dollar headed for its steepest weekly decline in a year amid...

BOJ Holds Interest Rates Steady, Upgrades Growth and Inflation Outlook for Japan

The Bank of Japan (BOJ) kept interest rates unchanged on Friday, a decision that aligned with market expectations, while delivering a more optimistic outlook for Japans economic growth and inflation. The central bank left...

Gold Nears $5,000 as Precious Metals Surge on Geopolitical Uncertainty

Gold prices surged to unprecedented levels during Asian trading on Friday, edging closer to the closely watched $5,000 per ounce milestone as escalating geopolitical uncertainty and a weakening U.S. dollar fueled strong...

Oil Prices Rebound on Iran Tensions as Supply Risks and U.S. Inventory Data Shape Markets

Oil prices rebounded on Friday after sharp losses a day earlier, driven by renewed geopolitical tensions involving Iran and concerns that potential military action could disrupt global oil supplies. Brent crude futures for...

Politics

U.S. Lawmakers Demand Scrutiny of TikTok-ByteDance Deal Amid National Security Concerns

U.S. lawmakers are calling for closer congressional scrutiny of a new deal involving TikTok and its Chinese parent company ByteDance, raising fresh concerns about national security, data privacy, and potential Chinese...

South Korean Prime Minister Kim Min-seok Meets U.S. Vice President JD Vance to Advance Trade and Security Talks

South Korean Prime Minister Kim Min-seok met with U.S. Vice President JD Vance in Washington during an official visit aimed at strengthening bilateral relations between South Korea and the United States. According to South...

Ukraine-Russia Peace Talks in Abu Dhabi Stall as Energy Crisis Deepens

Ukrainian and Russian negotiators met in Abu Dhabi on Friday for high-stakes peace talks focused on the sensitive issue of territory, but there were no signs of compromise as Russia intensified airstrikes that plunged...

Keir Starmer Condemns Trump’s Afghanistan Remarks as European Allies Push Back

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has sharply criticized U.S. President Donald Trump over comments suggesting European troops stayed away from the front lines during the war in Afghanistan, calling the remarks insulting...

Trump Administration Weighs Tougher Sanctions on Cuba Including Possible Oil Blockade

The Trump administration is reportedly considering a significant escalation in its Cuba policy, including the possibility of a complete blockade on oil imports to the island, according to a recent Politico report. The move...

Science

NASA and SpaceX Target Crew-11 Undocking From ISS Amid Medical Concern

NASA has confirmed that the agency, in coordination with SpaceX, is targeting no earlier than 5 p.m. Eastern Time (2200 GMT) on Wednesday, January 14, for the undocking of the SpaceX Crew-11 mission from the International...

Neuralink Plans High-Volume Brain Implant Production and Fully Automated Surgery by 2026

Elon Musks brain-computer interface company Neuralink is preparing for a major expansion, announcing plans to begin high-volume production of its brain implant devices and transition to a fully automated surgical procedure...

Jared Isaacman Confirmed as NASA Administrator, Becomes 15th Leader of U.S. Space Agency

The U.S. Senate has officially confirmed billionaire private astronaut Jared Isaacman as the new NASA administrator, making him the 15th leader in the agencys history. The confirmation, which took place on Wednesday, marks...

Senate Sets December 8 Vote on Trump’s NASA Nominee Jared Isaacman

The U.S. Senate Commerce Committee announced it will vote on December 8 on President Donald Trumps renewed nomination of private astronaut and tech entrepreneur Jared Isaacman to lead NASA. Isaacman, known for his...

NASA Cuts Boeing Starliner Missions as SpaceX Pulls Ahead

NASA has significantly scaled back Boeings Starliner program after years of technical issues and delays, announcing that the next Starliner mission to the International Space Station (ISS) will fly without astronauts. The...

Technology

Ericsson Plans SEK 25 Billion Shareholder Returns as Margins Improve Despite Flat Network Market

Swedens telecom equipment giant Ericsson announced plans to significantly boost shareholder returns after reporting a sharp rise in net cash and continued margin improvements, even as the global mobile network market...

Microsoft Restores Microsoft 365 Services After Widespread Outage

Microsoft confirmed on Friday that it has fully restored access to its Microsoft 365 productivity suite following a widespread service outage that disrupted users across multiple regions, particularly in North America. The...

Tesla Plans FSD Subscription Price Hikes as Autonomous Capabilities Advance

Teslas Full Self-Driving (FSD) software is set to become more expensive over time as its technology improves, according to CEO Elon Musk. The announcement comes as Tesla Inc. continues its transition away from a one-time...

ByteDance Finalizes Majority U.S.-Owned TikTok Joint Venture to Avert American Ban

TikToks Chinese parent company, ByteDance, has finalized a landmark agreement to establish a majority American-owned joint venture aimed at safeguarding U.S. user data and avoiding a nationwide ban on the popular...

Intel Stock Slides Despite Earnings Beat as Weak Q1 Outlook Raises Concerns

Intel Corporation (NASDAQ: INTC) shares plunged 13.4% on Thursday after the semiconductor giant delivered a weaker-than-expected outlook for the first quarter, overshadowing its better-than-anticipated fourth-quarter...