By Professor Nic Cheeseman, Professor of Democracy and International Development When it comes to saving democracy and fighting for freedom, no one has a more important role to play than journalists. Take the current war in Ukraine. This is a conflict driven by Vladimir Putin’s personal beliefs and obsessions, but it has also been facilitated … Continue reading “We need journalists now more than ever – so why don’t we do more to protect them?”
Author: Guest Blogger
Are the planned cuts to UKHSA and expenditures to control COVID-19 warranted?
By Professor Aditya Goenka, Chair in Economics, Department of Economics The Covid-19 pandemic started more than 2 years ago. With over 86% of the UK population vaccinated twice, 68% boosted, and seven-day average deaths below 300 it would seem time that the country moved on from Covid restrictions. In February 2021 the UK Government published … Continue reading “Are the planned cuts to UKHSA and expenditures to control COVID-19 warranted?”
Off-Rolling: What is it, and why does DfE guidance continue to not address it?
By Megan Whitehouse, School of Education Off-rolling describes the process whereby a pupil is illegally excluded from their school. This process can take many forms, however the most commonly reported examples involve a child being sent home to ‘cool off’, or a parent being coerced into educating their child at home in an attempt to … Continue reading “Off-Rolling: What is it, and why does DfE guidance continue to not address it?”
Transgender Day of Visibility 2022: Visibility with a price
By Dr Charlotte Galpin and Dr Ash Stokoe, University of Birmingham, and Dr Gina Gwenffrewi, University of Edinburgh “We are living in a time of trans visibility. Yet we are also living in a time of anti-trans violence.” (Gossett, Stanley and Burton in Trap Door, 2017) Transgender Day of Visibility (TDOV) takes place on 31st … Continue reading “Transgender Day of Visibility 2022: Visibility with a price”
Eton partnerships will create opportunities in communities that need them, but they won’t level up education as a whole
By Professor Chris Millward, Professor of Practice in Education Policy, School of Education Early in 2020, a renowned public school asked me a difficult and unexpected question. It was difficult because it pitched the interests of individuals against the communities in which they live. It was unexpected because the school was one of eight from … Continue reading “Eton partnerships will create opportunities in communities that need them, but they won’t level up education as a whole”
LGBTQ+ History Month 2022: “Gays count; count gays” – LGBTQ+ activism and the census
By Dr Laurence CooleyDepartment of Political Science and International Studies, University of Birmingham In March 2021, people in England, Wales and Northern Ireland became the first in the world to be asked a question about sexual orientation in a national census (Scotland’s census having been delayed by a year). This was a historic moment, accompanied … Continue reading “LGBTQ+ History Month 2022: “Gays count; count gays” – LGBTQ+ activism and the census”
Contactless aid in Tonga: Re-thinking disaster response in the Pacific Islands
By Dr Kate Pruce, Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Leadership for Development, International Development Department, University of Birmingham; Isobel Wilson-Cleary, Program Manager and Deputy Director (Operations), Developmental Leadership Program, University of Birmingham;Allan Mua Illingworth, Research Monitoring and Evaluation, La Trobe University;Prof Chris Roche, Professor of Development Practice and Deputy Director (Impact), Developmental Leadership Program, La Trobe … Continue reading “Contactless aid in Tonga: Re-thinking disaster response in the Pacific Islands”
Ukraine’s hidden tragedy, and what the media will soon forget
By Dr Irina Kuznetsova, Associate Professor, School of Geography, Earth and Environmental SciencesUniversity of Birmingham The UK’s defence secretary is warning European countries that ‘a huge number of refugees’ may flee Ukraine if Russia attacks the country. There is definitely a risk, but it is essential to remember that since the 2014 annexation of Crimea and the … Continue reading “Ukraine’s hidden tragedy, and what the media will soon forget”
LGBTQ+ History Month 2022: Media Transphobia and Democratic Inequality
By Dr Charlotte Galpin, Associate Professor and Head of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion, School of Government and Dr Gina Gwenffrewi, Co-Director of SUISS at the University of Edinburgh The climate for minorities in the U.K. at the moment is fearful, and febrile. LGBT History Month provides an opportunity to shine a spotlight on an increasingly … Continue reading “LGBTQ+ History Month 2022: Media Transphobia and Democratic Inequality”
Volunteering And Service For A Common Good
By Dr David Civil, Research Fellow, and Joe McDowell, Engagement Officer, The Jubilee Centre for Character and Virtues We are often told that we live in polarised times. Citizens with different political views and communities with different ideals are often regarded as enemies to be vanquished rather than as fellow citizens with legitimate perspectives to … Continue reading “Volunteering And Service For A Common Good”