Publication Date: Mar 2025
RRP: $34.99
ISBN: 9781923192164
Format: Paperback
Size: 153mm x 234mm
Pages: 304pp
Category: Coming Soon, Current Affairs, Politics

Age of Doubt

Building Trust in a World of Misinformation

Edited by Tracey Kirkland and Gavin Fang


‘Trust is the golden thread that binds our democracy, yet it is fraying. This book is a rich and diverse trove of information and opinions on dealing with a central issue of our time.’ Michelle Grattan, Chief Political Correspondent, The Conversation


Today, trust seems harder to find than ever before. It’s hardly surprising we feel that way. Our politics is polarised, our online world is awash with misinformation, and we’ve lost faith in our bedrock institutions. Yet, without trust, we cannot work together to solve the big problems we face.

But there is a way back. A way to rediscover trust in our leaders and institutions. A way to tackle the doubt.

This insightful collection of essays brings together top thinkers from across the globe in media, science, government, academia and business to examine how and why trust is disappearing, and how we might navigate these confusing times.

It explores the origins of our misinformation culture and its impact on democracy. It looks at the moral and ethical foundations our institutions are built on, and shines a light on the media and its role in sorting fact from fiction. Expert minds in business, science and law enforcement explain how to maintain trust and how easily it can be broken, and leaders on the front line of technological development describe the influence of bots, conspiracy theories and generative AI.

If we are to address the big issues facing our world, then we must have trust, because without it we have no sense of shared reality. Alone, we can’t do it. Together, we might.


Tracey Kirkland

Tracey Kirkland is an Australian news journalist who has worked in broadcast and print for more than thirty years. She is currently the Continuous News Editor in charge of TV and video at ABC News Channel, and was previously the...
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Gavin Fang

Gavin Fang  is an Australian journalist with more than thirty years’ experience in broadcast and print media. He is currently Editorial Director at the Australian Broadcasting Corporation and was previously deputy director of news. Gavin is a former correspondent for...
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