Britain’s “Police State” and the Dangers of Everyday Authoritarianism

By  Dr Jonathan Fisher, International Development Department  School of Government, University of Birmingham The Covid-19 crisis is exposing the shape and character of authoritarianism across the globe, including in some of the world’s most longstanding democracies. It is critical for us to rethink how we see, and respond to, “authoritarianism” as practice in light of … Continue reading “Britain’s “Police State” and the Dangers of Everyday Authoritarianism”

Tough on crime or just a smokescreen?

By Dr Anna Kotova, Lecturer in Criminology  School of Social Policy, University of Birmingham Both the Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, and Priti Patel, the Home Secretary, recently made headlines by announcing a “tough on crime” approach to tackling criminal offending. Their promises include 10,000 new prison places and tougher sentences for people who committed serious … Continue reading “Tough on crime or just a smokescreen?”