“No room for equivocation”: Labour, antisemitism and the discourse of denial

By Dr Alex Oaten, Teaching Fellow in Political Sciences School of Government, University of Birmingham. The Equality and Human Rights Commission’s (EHRC) report into antisemitism within the Labour Party has caused significant political ramifications. The party has been found to have “breached the Equality Act 2010 by committing unlawful harassment through the acts of its … Continue reading ““No room for equivocation”: Labour, antisemitism and the discourse of denial”

An expanded conservative majority on the US Supreme Court – what does it mean?

By Dr Adam Quinn, Senior Lecturer in American and International Politics School of Government, University of Birmingham. The death of US Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg on September 18th generated a wave of grief from her many admirers – especially young women – followed by fear on the part of liberals regarding the likely … Continue reading “An expanded conservative majority on the US Supreme Court – what does it mean?”

Speaking Truth to Power: How Extinction Rebellion have lost their way

By Dr Alex Oaten, Department of Political Science and International Studies School of Government, University of Birmingham The recent wave of protests organised by the movement Extinction Rebellion (XR) has succeeded in drawing significant attention to the environmental degradation that has become a feature of the modern world. With the government seemingly unwilling to take … Continue reading “Speaking Truth to Power: How Extinction Rebellion have lost their way”

The 2019 spending review and the implications for the NHS

By Judith Smith, Professor of Health Policy and Management and Director of Health Services Management Centre School of Social Policy, University of Birmingham The announcement today of a 3.1 percent real-terms increase in the resource budget of the Department for Health and Social Care is a helpful confirmation of funding uplifts promised for by former … Continue reading “The 2019 spending review and the implications for the NHS”

VIDEO AND PODCAST: Is democracy better in theory than practice?

By Nic Cheeseman, Professor of Democracy,  and Niheer Dasandi, Birmingham Fellow in Politics and Development, International Development Department, University of Birmingham “A lot of the issue is around the expectation that democracy will function perfectly, and actually, it’s never going to do that.” People often argue that democracy has great advantages in theory, such as … Continue reading “VIDEO AND PODCAST: Is democracy better in theory than practice?”

Should I walk in my own shoes or in the shoes of others?

By Professor Kiran Trehan, Department of Management, University of Birmingham Leadership on International Women’s Day is about reflection, advocacy, and action but it is also about leadership that engages all your senses, not just our minds. I wake up this morning, it’s a lovely spring day, fresh, sunny, with the promise of hope in the … Continue reading “Should I walk in my own shoes or in the shoes of others?”

Why there’s a case for giving foreign aid to authoritarian regimes

By Nic Cheeseman, Professor of Democracy and International Development International Development Department, University of Birmingham Should democracies give foreign aid to countries that are not democracies? Democratic aid donors don’t have enough money to do all the things they want to in the world, so they need to find ways to decide how to ration aid. … Continue reading “Why there’s a case for giving foreign aid to authoritarian regimes”

How is Gatwick Airport vulnerable to drones?

By Professor David Dunn, Professor in International Politics Department of Political Science and International Studies, University of Birmingham The recent events at Gatwick Airport show how vulnerable airport infrastructure is from the fast-evolving and disruptive technology of unmanned drones. This vulnerability carries with it the risk of accident and injury or even loss of life. Over … Continue reading “How is Gatwick Airport vulnerable to drones?”

‘A time for giving’ – what to think about when making a charitable donation at Christmas

By Professor Paul Montgomery, Professor of Social Intervention and Doctoral Researcher, Caroline Greenhalgh School of Social Policy, University of Birmingham At this time of year, many of us will be thinking about giving money to Charity. In fact, donations peak in December and last year 37% of households made donations to charities in the last month … Continue reading “‘A time for giving’ – what to think about when making a charitable donation at Christmas”

VIDEO AND PODCAST: Has consumerism stolen Christmas?

By Professor Isabelle Szmigin and Dr Caroline Moraes Business School, University of Birmingham Christmas is a time of cheer – and shopping. For some, the commercialisation of this festive period – from column inches about Christmas adverts to the appearance of gifts and merchandise on shelves three months before – eats into the spirit of things. … Continue reading “VIDEO AND PODCAST: Has consumerism stolen Christmas?”