Society Explained
Evergreen context on society, distilled into calm, readable pulses.
Open in BriflioThe forces that shape how societies organize — norms, institutions, demographic shifts — are usually invisible until a news story forces them into view, and by then there's rarely space to explain the underlying dynamic. Briflio's Society hub covers those dynamics directly: the slower-moving structures behind faster-moving headlines, explained on their own terms.
Ghanaian celebrities are dealing with mental illness stigma behind closed doors – why speaking up matters
Celebrity stories show that prayer plays a central role in how celebrities and Ghanaians cope with mental illness.
Nudge theory was all about taking responsibility – but it allowed big business to look the other way
Not all problems are caused by personal choices.
From the manosphere to tradwives - why are young women embracing traditional gender roles?
New analysis of young Australians in 2010 and again in 2024 show women have become more supportive of stereotypical gender roles.
The Amarna letters
Petty disputes, pleas for help and requests for gold – explore letters sent to Egyptian pharaohs more than 3,000 years ago - by Aeon Video Watch on Aeon.
Disability and access to justice in four African countries: strong laws, weak in practice
Structural barriers such as inaccessible infrastructure and lack of transport options affect South Africa’s reputation as a disability-friendly country.
Dangerous, overpriced, crammed full: poor housing for seasonal workers revealed
Seasonal workers are often considered to be expendable, cheap labour.
Love with nowhere to go
Grief is not only for the dead.
The government wants more of us living in high rises. Here’s why Australians don’t want to
Governments have been pushing the construction of apartment towers for years to help housing affordability and availability, but people don’t want to live in them.
Hustle, muscle and grift: how the manosphere has grown into a money-making machine
No longer relegated to an obscure corner of the internet, manfluencers have found ways to expand their audiences and exploit them for profit.
The first Australian war crimes case in 30 years is going to trial. It raises big questions
Former SAS soldier Oliver Schulz has pleaded not guilty to the war crime of murder.
The Australian media is more concentrated than ever. Here are the 3 moments that got us here
With news of a proposed merger between Seven West and Southern Cross, media laws are back in the spotlight, and so too are the glaring holes in the regulations.
Paris grapples with the remembrance of terrorist attacks, from 1974 to November 13, 2015
Of the nearly 150 attacks that have taken place in Paris since 1974, only a few have left a mark on its ‘urban memory’.
NSW is ditching good character references in sentencing. Will the rest of the country follow?
Convicted criminals won’t be able to use references from family and friends to get more lenient sentences in NSW, but more widespread change could be hard.
NSW Police lost a huge strip search lawsuit. It has national implications
Police across the country have been put on notice after the lead plaintiff in a class action has been awarded $93,000, with thousands more pay outs likely.
What does halal mean? It’s about more than just food
Halal is not just avoiding certain foods and drinks.
From violence to sexism, the manosphere is doing real-world harm
Normalising violence, worsening body image and sexist attitudes are among the manosphere beliefs that are bleeding into relationships and workplaces.
How Denver’s Northeast Park Hill community reduced youth violence by 75%
A neighborhood coalition identified risk factors for youth violence and prevention strategies.
Clergy wives in Ghana can be powerful – but it takes constant bargaining with men
Ghanaian clergy wives constantly bargain for space.