By Dr Ash Stokoe, University of Birmingham, Dr Gina Gwenffrewi, University of Edinburgh, and Dr Charlotte Galpin, University of Birmingham In the eye of the media storm for the past five years, since the UK Government released a public consultation on the possibility of reforming the 2004 Gender Recognition Act, the UK’s trans community has weathered … Continue reading “Hunting Mermaids: Exploring media representation of the trans+ community”
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The Monarchy: Pageantry vs Poverty
By Dr Sophie King-Hill, Senior FellowHealth Services Management Centre, University of Birmingham Queen Elizabeth II died on 8th September 2022, aged 96, after a 70 year reign. The media and the press quickly declared that the whole nation was in mourning and a chain of events doused in pageantry was set into motion. A period … Continue reading “The Monarchy: Pageantry vs Poverty”
The Monarchy: Wealth, Power and Exploitation
By Dr Sophie King-Hill, Senior FellowHealth Services Management Centre, University of Birmingham The death of Queen Elizabeth II has highlighted some key fragilities and controversies within the monarchy, arguably the most prominent being Prince Andrew and his affiliation with convicted child sex traffickers Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell. The association was also coupled with accusations … Continue reading “The Monarchy: Wealth, Power and Exploitation”
Homes for Ukraine: A toolkit for hosts and guests
By Dr Marisol Reyes and Gabriella D’AvinoInstitute for Research into Superdiveristy, University of Birmingham Several months have passed since the Russian invasion of Ukraine and more than 7,5 million Ukrainians have been displaced across Europe. In March 2022, the UK government introduced a scheme intended to meet the needs of forced migrants escaping the conflict … Continue reading “Homes for Ukraine: A toolkit for hosts and guests”
How will the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games provide lasting change to communities?
By Aidan Thompson and David CivilJubilee Centre for Character and Virtues, University of Birmingham The Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games have been and gone, enthralling the City of Birmingham before departing in a blaze of mechanical bulls, a blitz of medals, and a blast of Ozzy Osbourne’s Black Sabbath. As usual following any major sporting event, … Continue reading “How will the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games provide lasting change to communities?”
As it happened – Experiences of the COVID-19 pandemic from within GP Practices
By Emily Burn, Research Fellow and Professor Judith Smith, Professor of Health Policy and ManagementHealth Services Management Centre (HSMC), University of Birmingham The COVID-19 pandemic led to sudden and profound shifts in the way that general practice services are delivered. In early 2020, with very little time to plan, general practices re-organised their services to … Continue reading “As it happened – Experiences of the COVID-19 pandemic from within GP Practices”
There’s something queer about the Commonwealth Games
By Patrick Vernon, Doctoral ResearcherDepartment of Political Science and International Studies (POLSIS) The Commonwealth Games has been and gone! For two-weeks there was an unmistakable buzz about the city, and with a building-sized mechanical bull occupying pride of place outside the library, you really couldn’t miss the games being in town. Also striking about the … Continue reading “There’s something queer about the Commonwealth Games”
No ‘green crap’ and no ‘handouts’: how not to govern an energy crisis
By Dr Harriet ThomsonDepartment of Social Policy, Sociology and Criminology, University of Birmingham During the shock of the 1979 oil crisis, British civil servants coined the term ‘fuel poverty’ to describe households being unable to afford to heat their homes. Fast forward four decades, and we are yet again facing an existential threat from over-exposure … Continue reading “No ‘green crap’ and no ‘handouts’: how not to govern an energy crisis”
The true cost of changing childcare ratios
By Dr Madeleine FindonSchool of Education, University of Birmingham Recent headlines have revealed that one of the routes the Government is exploring to address the cost-of-living crisis is adjusting childcare ratios for two-year-olds in England. For the reader who is less familiar with the current requirements, adults working with 2-year-olds in England may currently be … Continue reading “The true cost of changing childcare ratios”
A dark day for human rights: Roe vs Wade overturned
By Dr Sophie King-HillSenior Fellow, Health Services Managment Centre Friday 24th June 2022 was a dark day for human rights. Roe vs Wade was overturned by the USA Supreme Court, which will lead to abortion being heavily restricted or banned in approximately 26 states. When I read about this, the feeling of dread in the … Continue reading “A dark day for human rights: Roe vs Wade overturned”