Newsroom University of �鶹��ý

Iran’s history has been blighted by interference from foreign powers

Tue, 01 Jul 2025 15:28:57 +0100

Israel’s recent surprise attack on Iran was ostensibly aimed at neutralising Iran’s nuclear programme, but it didn’t just damage nuclear installations. It killed scientists, engineers and senior military personnel.

Meanwhile, with no ties to the government or military, became “collateral damage”. For 11 days, Israel’s attacks intensified across Tehran and other major cities.

When the US joined the attack, dropping its bunker-buster bombs on sites in central Iran on June 21, it threatened to push the region closer to . Israel’s calls for regime change in Iran were joined by the US president, Donald Trump, who took to social media on June 22 : “if the current Iranian Regime is unable to MAKE IRAN GREAT AGAIN, why wouldn’t there be a Regime change??? MIGA!!!”

Trump’s remarks are reminders of past US interventions. The threat of regime change by the most powerful state in the world carries particular weight in Iran, where memories of foreign-imposed coups and covert operations remain vivid and painful.

In the early 1890s, Iran was after the shah granted a British company exclusive rights to the country’s tobacco industry. The decision was greeted with anger and in 1891 the country’s senior cleric, Grand Ayatollah Mirza Shirazi, issued a fatwa against tobacco use.

A mass boycott ensued – even the shah’s wives reportedly gave up the habit. When it became clear that the boycott was going to hold, the shah cancelled the concession in January 1892. It was a clear demonstration of people power.

This event is thought to have played a significant role in the development of the revolutionary movement that led to the that took place between 1905 and 1911 and the establishment of a constitution and parliament in Iran.

Rise of the Pahlavis

Reza Shah, who founded the Pahlavi dynasty – which would be overthrown in the 1979 revolution and replaced by the Islamic Republic – rose to power following a British-supported coup in 1921.

During the first world war, foreign interference . In 1921, with British support, army officer Reza Khan and politician Seyyed Ziaeddin Tabatabaee . Claiming to be acting to save the monarchy, they arrested key opponents. By 1923, Reza Khan had become prime minister.

In 1925, Reza Khan unseated the Qajars and , becoming Reza Shah Pahlavi. This was a turning point in Iran’s history, marking the start of British dominance. The shah’s authoritarian rule focused on centralisation, modernisation and secularisation. It set the stage for the factors that would that eventually lead to the 1979 Revolution.

In 1941, concerned at the close relationship Pahlavi had developed with Nazi Germany, Britain and its allies once again intervened in Iranian politics, . He was exiled to South Africa and his 22-year-old son, Mohammad Reza, in his place.

The 1953 coup

Mohammad Mosaddegh became Iran’s in 1951. He quickly began to introduce reforms and challenge the authority of the shah. Despite a sustained campaign of destabilisation, Mossadegh retained a high level of popular support, which he used to push through his radical programme. This included the , which was effectively controlled by the Anglo-Persian Oil Company – later British Petroleum (BP).

In 1953, he was ousted in a and placed under house arrest. The shah, who had fled to Italy during the unrest, returned to power with western support.

Within a short time, Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi established that governed through repression and intimidation. He outlawed all opposition parties, and numerous activists involved in the oil nationalisation movement were either imprisoned or forced into exile.

The 1979 revolution: the oppression continues

The shah’s rule became increasingly authoritarian and was also marked by the lavish lifestyles of the ruling elite and increasing poverty of the mass of the Iranian people. Pahlavi increasingly relied on his secret police, the Bureau for Intelligence and Security of the State.

Meanwhile, a scholar and Islamic cleric named Ruhollah Khomeini, had been rising in prominence especially after 1963, when Pahlavi’s unpopular land reforms mobilised a large section of society against his rule. His growing prominence brought him into confrontation with the government and in 1964 he was sent into exile. He remained abroad, living in Turkey, Iraq and France.

By 1978 a diverse alliance primarily made up of urban working and middle-class citizens had paralysed the country. While united in their resistance to the monarchy, participants were driven by a variety of ideological beliefs, including socialism, communism, liberalism, secularism, Islamism and nationalism. The shah fled into exile on January 16 1979 and Khomeini returned to Iran, which in March became an Islamic Republic with Khomeini at its head.

But the US was not finished in its attempts to destabilise Iran. In 1980, Washington backed Saddam Hussein in initiating a , which claimed hundreds of thousands of Iranian lives and severely disrupted the country’s efforts at political and economic reconstruction.

Iran and the US have remained bitter foes. Over the years ordinary Iranians have suffered tremendously under rounds of US-imposed , which have all but destroyed the economy in recent years.

This new wave of foreign aggression has arrived at a time of significant domestic unrest within Iran. Since the protests, which began in September 2022 after the death of Mahsa Amini at the hands of the morality police, there has been a general groundswell of demand for social justice and democracy.

But the convergence of external aggression and internal demands has brought national sovereignty and self-determination to the forefront, as it did during previous major struggles. While world powers gamble with Iran’s future, it is the Iranian people through their struggles and unwavering push for justice and democracy who must determine the country’s future.

, Senior Lecturer in Sociology,
This article is republished from under a Creative Commons license. Read the .

�鶹��ý expert helps shape landmark WHO report on global loneliness crisis

Tue, 01 Jul 2025 11:14:35 +0100

The World Health Organization (WHO) has called for urgent action to tackle what it calls a global crisis of loneliness and social disconnection, in a informed by the research of Professor Pamela Qualter from �鶹��ý.

Strikingly, the report reveals that an estimated one in six people worldwide experienced loneliness between 2014 and 2023, with the highest rates found among adolescents aged 13-17 (20.9%) and young adults aged 18-29 (17.4%). This heightened prevalence in younger age groups may be due to the high expectations for social connections during these crucial developmental years.

The impacts of social disconnection are profound. For young people, it is linked to increased risks of mental health issues such as depression and anxiety, reduced life satisfaction and poor academic performance.

The report also highlights that chronic, long-lasting loneliness is strongly linked to poorer health outcomes including increased risks of cardiovascular disease, depression, cognitive decline and even early death.

While digital technology offers ways to connect, the report urges caution - particularly regarding its potential adverse effects on the mental health and wellbeing of young people, including risks from excessive social media use and cyberbullying.

The report does have a message of hope – it highlights existing effective and practical strategies to foster social connection including psychological interventions, social skills training in schools and community-based activities. It also states that governments around the world are now starting to recognise and prioritise the issue of loneliness by developing national policies and strategies.

Professor Pamela Qualter, a renowned expert in loneliness research, served as a co-chair of the WHO Commission on Social Connection’s Technical Advisory Group. Her extensive research on the experiences of loneliness across the lifespan, including significant work on children and adolescents, was integral in shaping the report’s findings and recommendations.

Teens from disadvantaged areas face lower life satisfaction but not more emotional problems, new study finds

Mon, 30 Jun 2025 13:42:39 +0100

led by experts from �鶹��ý’s Institute of Education has shed important light on how the mental wellbeing of young people is affected by the neighbourhoods they live in.

Analysing #BeeWell survey data from more than 26,000 young people across Greater �鶹��ý, the study examined how young people's mental wellbeing evolves over time with a particular focus on life satisfaction and emotional difficulties, providing crucial insights for policymakers aiming to improve young people's lives.

The researchers used advanced longitudinal methods to identify distinct ‘trajectories’ of change in mental health. While young people living in more deprived neighbourhoods were more likely to experience persistently low or deteriorating life satisfaction, they were less likely to report mild levels of emotional difficulties compared to peers in more affluent areas.

This means that for young people in disadvantaged areas, their overall happiness and contentment with life are more likely to be poor, but their risk of experiencing negative thoughts, feelings and emotions may be the same or even less than those in more affluent areas.

The study also highlighted that specific neighbourhood-level factors (such as housing affordability, access to green space, environmental quality) influence young peoples’ wellbeing outcomes. These environmental characteristics, grouped under the domain "Housing, Space, and Environment", reduced the likelihood young people in deprived areas experience either persistently low life satisfaction or mild emotional difficulties.

“Our findings complicate the common narrative that adolescent mental health universally worsens over time,” said Dr Christopher Knowles, lead author and researcher at the �鶹��ý Institute of Education. “Although many young people in disadvantaged areas report lower life satisfaction, they do not necessarily experience greater emotional distress. In fact, some characteristics of disadvantaged neighbourhoods appear to buffer the broader impact of socio-economic deprivation."

“This research provides a clear roadmap for change, underscoring that where a young person lives really matters,” said co-author Dr Emma Thornton. “Policymakers should prioritise proactive, upstream investments in affordable housing, improving local green spaces, and boosting accessible community support schemes. These interventions can make a tangible difference, helping to prevent mental health issues before they escalate and reducing long-term burdens on vital services.”

Major grant to explore the discovery of Wales’ first complete ancient chariot

Mon, 30 Jun 2025 00:00:00 +0100

�鶹��ý and Amgueddfa Cymru – Museum Wales have been awarded a £1.25 million research grant by the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) following the discovery of an Iron Age chariot burial in Pembrokeshire.

The Chariots and Cynefin project will run for five years (2025-30) from 1^st July 2025 exploring and presenting the discovery of the Celtic Iron Age chariot burial, found by metal-detectorist Mike Smith in 2018.

The excavation of the site by Amgueddfa Cymru – Museum Wales and Heneb – The Trust for Welsh Archaeology and the careful lifting of the chariot grave components has revealed tanatalising glimpses of its potential: a rich suite of decorated chariot gear and weaponry, interred with someone who lived through the Roman conquest of Wales, and was buried in a moment of dramatic ritual.

Whilst we know of many isolated artefacts and even hoards containing chariot gear, this find is currently the only complete chariot known from Wales - and also the ‘last’ chariot burial known from northern Europe, making this an internationally important find.

This once-in-a-lifetime discovery now needs archaeological investigation and conservation to preserve and display these finds for the people of Pembrokeshire and Wales. Working with local organisations and school groups, particularly rural, traveller and conflict-migrant communities based in west Wales, the project will shape the story of the charioteer through an exciting programme of creative workshops and public performance events, alongside a three-year programme of conversation-led research into the finds and the burial site.

Led by Professor Melanie Giles from �鶹��ý, the project will draw on the skills of Iron Age curator Adam Gwilt and his expert conservation and curatorial team at Amgueddfa Cymru, alongside members of Heneb: Dyfed Archaeology, who were all involved in the original excavation. A workshop and public conference will help launch and celebrate this discovery, learning from other chariot discoveries in Britain, Ireland and the near Continent, such as the recent stunning Iron Age hoard finds from Melsonby (North Yorkshire).

The results will then be used by expert chariot maker and wheelwright, Robert Hurford, to construct two full-sized chariot reconstructions – one to test in the field and use at public events, the other to display as part of an exhibition at both Oriel y Parc (St Davids) and St Fagans: National Museum of History. The whole process will be recorded as a film with many other resources hosted through the project website. A key theme of the project and the Welsh curriculum is cynefin – how knowledge of places and their past can deepen senses of belonging – and the team will host a special workshop with Welsh teachers to help shape new resources for schools in Pembrokeshire and beyond.

This ambitious partnership project draws together Welsh heritage, community and creative partners as contributors. Cadw (Welsh Government’s historic environment body responsible for the care and protection of Wales’s cultural heritage) is a funding partner, while Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority will be an event and exhibition host at its Oriel y Parc, St David’s and Castell Henllys reconstructed Iron Age village venues. Heneb – The Trust for Welsh Archaeology will contribute staff expertise to help craft the final publication of the site in its regional setting whilst PLANED (the Pembrokeshire-based community-led social enterprise charity) will help co-design and deliver the public engagement programme, alongside the stunning creative skills of Pembrokeshire based Span Arts.

Adam Gwilt, the Co-project Lead at Amgueddfa Cymru – Museum Wales said: ‘This unique chariot discovery has wonderful potential to captivate, inspire and engage with communities, helping us to tell rich new stories about Iron Age peoples living in western Britain at the time of the Roman invasion. This project, and our grant funding news, is a great success story for Amgueddfa Cymru, for our partners and for archaeology in Wales. I am really pleased that the team’s dedication and efforts so far, and in coming together to create this distinctive and collaborative project, have been recognised at UK level. It is really exciting that we can now begin to present this national treasure together in many ways, exploring meanings, connections and community responses, past and present.’

John Ewart, of PLANED said: ‘PLANED has been supporting communities for almost forty years and we are honoured to be working alongside so many culturally significant organisations on this incredible find. We are eager to be part of the next chapter in the story of the chariot and its location.’

Bethan Touhig-Gamble, Director of SPAN Arts said: ‘SPAN Arts is thrilled to be part of this exciting project, using creativity to connect the community to this important work.’

Richard Nicholls, Chief Executive of Heneb – The Trust for Welsh Archaeology said: ‘We were delighted to work in partnership with Amgueddfa Cymru, Cadw and the National Lottery Heritage Fund to excavate the first Celtic chariot burial site to be found in Wales. This new funding will ensure there is wider recognition of the importance of the find and we hope it will inspire future generations to connect with our shared heritage.’

Kathryn Roberts, Chief Inspector of Ancient Monuments and Historic Buildings, Cadw said: ‘We are delighted to support this project to learn more about the Pembrokeshire chariot burial and share its fascinating discovery more widely. This project combines the specialist skills of archaeologists and conservators with craftsmen and storytellers in a unique mix that will explore the world of the charioteer and help people of all ages learn more about the life in Iron Age Wales.’

James Parkin, Director of Nature and Tourism at the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority commented: ‘We are thrilled to be playing an integral part in this incredible partnership project showcasing the history, culture and rich archaeological legacy of this internationally important discovery. The project provides an opportunity for a diverse cross-section of Pembrokeshire communities to be involved in co-creating the stories linked to the charioteer, to deepen their connection, understanding and sense of place. We’re extremely pleased that Castell Henllys Iron Age Village, the only Iron Age site in Britain reconstructed on the exact site where our ancestors lived 2,000 years ago, will play a part in recreating the rich tapestry linked to this exciting discovery. We look forward to working together with partners to host the Cynefin exhibition at Oriel y Parc, National Park Discovery Centre in St Davids, showcasing the culmination of the project’s extensive research, engagement and creative collaborations.’

Iran’s history has been blighted by interference from foreign powers

Fri, 27 Jun 2025 17:15:53 +0100

Meanwhile, with no ties to the government or military, became “collateral damage”. For 11 days, Israel’s attacks intensified across Tehran and other major cities.

When the US joined the attack, dropping its bunker-buster bombs on sites in central Iran on June 21, it threatened to push the region closer to . Israel’s calls for regime change in Iran were joined by the US president, Donald Trump, who took to social media on June 22 : “if the current Iranian Regime is unable to MAKE IRAN GREAT AGAIN, why wouldn’t there be a Regime change??? MIGA!!!”

Trump’s remarks are reminders of past US interventions. The threat of regime change by the most powerful state in the world carries particular weight in Iran, where memories of foreign-imposed coups and covert operations remain vivid and painful.

In the early 1890s, Iran was after the shah granted a British company exclusive rights to the country’s tobacco industry. The decision was greeted with anger and in 1891 the country’s senior cleric, Grand Ayatollah Mirza Shirazi, issued a fatwa against tobacco use.

A mass boycott ensued – even the shah’s wives reportedly gave up the habit. When it became clear that the boycott was going to hold, the shah cancelled the concession in January 1892. It was a clear demonstration of people power.

This event is thought to have played a significant role in the development of the revolutionary movement that led to the that took place between 1905 and 1911 and the establishment of a constitution and parliament in Iran.

Rise of the Pahlavis

Reza Shah, who founded the Pahlavi dynasty – which would be overthrown in the 1979 revolution and replaced by the Islamic Republic – rose to power following a British-supported coup in 1921.

During the first world war, foreign interference . In 1921, with British support, army officer Reza Khan and politician Seyyed Ziaeddin Tabatabaee . Claiming to be acting to save the monarchy, they arrested key opponents. By 1923, Reza Khan had become prime minister.

In 1925, Reza Khan unseated the Qajars and , becoming Reza Shah Pahlavi. This was a turning point in Iran’s history, marking the start of British dominance. The shah’s authoritarian rule focused on centralisation, modernisation and secularisation. It set the stage for the factors that would that eventually lead to the 1979 Revolution.

In 1941, concerned at the close relationship Pahlavi had developed with Nazi Germany, Britain and its allies once again intervened in Iranian politics, . He was exiled to South Africa and his 22-year-old son, Mohammad Reza, in his place.

The 1953 coup

Mohammad Mosaddegh became in 1951. He quickly began to introduce reforms and challenge the authority of the shah. Despite a sustained campaign of destabilisation, Mossadegh retained a high level of popular support, which he used to push through his radical programme. This included the , which was effectively controlled by the Anglo-Persian Oil Company – later British Petroleum (BP).

In 1953, he was ousted in a and placed under house arrest. The shah, who had fled to Italy during the unrest, returned to power with western support.

Within a short time, Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi established that governed through repression and intimidation. He outlawed all opposition parties, and numerous activists involved in the oil nationalisation movement were either imprisoned or forced into exile.

Read more:

The 1979 revolution: the oppression continues

Meanwhile, a scholar and Islamic cleric named Ruhollah Khomeini, had been rising in prominence especially after 1963, when Pahlavi’s unpopular land reforms mobilised a large section of society against his rule. His growing prominence brought him into confrontation with the government and in 1964 he was sent into exile. He remained abroad, living in Turkey, Iraq and France.

By 1978 a diverse alliance primarily made up of urban working and middle-class citizens had paralysed the country. While united in their resistance to the monarchy, participants were driven by a variety of ideological beliefs, including socialism, communism, liberalism, secularism, Islamism and nationalism. The shah fled into exile on January 16 1979 and Khomeini returned to Iran, which in March became an Islamic Republic with Khomeini at its head.

But the US was not finished in its attempts to destabilise Iran. In 1980, Washington backed Saddam Hussein in initiating a , which claimed hundreds of thousands of Iranian lives and severely disrupted the country’s efforts at political and economic reconstruction.

Iran and the US have remained bitter foes. Over the years ordinary Iranians have suffered tremendously under rounds of US-imposed , which have all but destroyed the economy in recent years.

This new wave of foreign aggression has arrived at a time of significant domestic unrest within Iran. Since the protests, which began in September 2022 after the death of Mahsa Amini at the hands of the morality police, there has been a general groundswell of demand for social justice and democracy.

Reimagining architectural thinking: exploring the future of co-evolution in design

Thu, 26 Jun 2025 15:50:00 +0100

On May 20, 2025, �鶹��ý brought together leading academic researchers from across the UK, Europe and US in an agenda-setting workshop to define the future of research in architectural design processes. Led by Dr Diana Osmolska, Lecturer in Architectural Studies and Dr Alan Lewis, Head of the Department of Architecture, the workshop focused on advancing co-evolutionary theory in design, a promising field with implications for education, industry, and AI.

Co-evolution is a conceptual model of design that originated in the 1990s through computational thinking. Co-evolution challenges traditional design logic by positing that designers do not merely solve problems; they redefine them in response to the solutions they generate. This iterative relationship between problems and solutions mirrors the adaptive processes found in nature, and increasingly, in artificial intelligence.

While co-evolution began as a concept linked to genetic algorithms and computational design, it is now gaining traction as a powerful lens for understanding how human designers think and work. However, the field still lacks a comprehensive framework that can explain and predict design behaviour, especially where errors and inefficiencies occur.

Advancing co-evolutionary theory holds enormous promise. By illuminating how and why designers iterate, educators could more effectively teach design thinking. Beyond architecture and design disciplines, insights from co-evolution may also feed back into computational models, particularly AI, creating more adaptive and intelligent systems.

This workshop marks a significant milestone in shaping a cohesive research agenda that bridges disciplines, unites theoretical insight with practical application, and strengthens the links between human creativity and machine learning.

�鶹��ý’s workshop signals a critical step toward formalising co-evolution as a design paradigm with wide-reaching benefits. Researchers, educators, and technologists alike are encouraged to stay engaged with the outcomes of this initiative, as the work progresses toward creating practical tools, frameworks, and collaborations.

Follow �鶹��ý Architecture Research Group (MARG) on and for the latest updates.

Dr Jamie Doucette wins Association of Korean Studies in Europe 2025 Book Prize

Thu, 26 Jun 2025 12:09:17 +0100

The annual Book Prize celebrates scholars who raise interest in the academic study of Korea beyond the confines of Korean Studies.

, Reader in Human Geography, was presented with this award at the AKSE biennial conference at the University of Edinburgh in June for his recent monograph

Jamie’s book is an ambitious attempt to reorient research into East Asian political economy towards a more dynamic view of state-civil society relations and concerns about inequality. It charts the efforts of intellectuals, political reformers and civil society organisations to advance a project of ‘economic democratisation’, examining the many challenges and dilemmas it has encountered. Previously, Jamie won an award from the Academy of Korean Studies to make the book open access.

Founded in 1977, the Association of Korean Studies in Europe’s (AKSE) objective is to stimulate and co-ordinate academic Korean studies across Europe, contributing to the spread of knowledge about Korea among a wider public.

From the Classroom to a Calling: How a Miscarriages of Justice module sparked a student’s passion for reform

Wed, 25 Jun 2025 09:58:36 +0100

When Professor re-designed the Miscarriages of Justice undergraduate module with Suzanne Gower, they did so with a clear purpose: to bring the law to life through real-world stories and to inspire students to think critically and compassionately about the justice system. But even they could not have anticipated the profound ripple effects that the assignments would create.

As part of the module’s assessment, Claire invited students to explore the theme of wrongful convictions in a creative format. One student, Fatin Najwa Fadzli, deeply moved by what they had learned, chose to create a video blog (vlog) and dedicated it to , a former sub-postmaster who had been wrongly convicted during the infamous Post Office Horizon scandal.

Tom had previously visited the module to speak candidly to students about the devastating impact of being wrongly accused, tried, and convicted. His honesty, humility, and quiet strength left a lasting impression on everyone in the room. But for this student, Tom’s story did more than resonate, it sparked a calling.

The vlog was a heartfelt tribute, not just to Tom’s personal resilience but to the broader need for justice, reform, and accountability. Moved by the student's dedication, Claire reached out to Tom to share the vlog and the powerful message behind it. True to the compassionate spirit that defines him, Tom responded by writing a personal letter to the student, thanking them, encouraging them, and reminding them that their voice matters in the ongoing fight for justice.

That one moment, a connection between a student, a teacher, and a survivor of injustice, may have changed the student’s life. Inspired by both the academic experience and Tom’s courage, the student is now considering pursuing a , aiming to become part of the next generation of legal professionals working to prevent such tragedies from ever happening again. This would of course be alongside Najwas national team ice hockey appearances!

This is more than just a story of one student and one assignment. It is a reminder of the extraordinary power of education when it is rooted in empathy, real-world relevance, and human connection. It shows the importance of giving students the space to respond creatively and emotionally to the law and how, in doing so, they may just find their life’s purpose.

Professor Claire McGourlay continues to lead the way in innovative legal education, but stories like this remind us that her true legacy lies not only in curriculum design, but in the lives Claire shapes, one student, one story, one act of justice at a time.

Claire McGourlay reflects:

Leadership Behind Bars: A New Vision for Justice Reform Emerges from the Inside Out

Fri, 20 Jun 2025 14:50:00 +0100

On Monday, 16 June, the House of Commons hosted a groundbreaking event titled “Prisoner Leadership, Meaning, Value, and Role in Justice Reform,” co-organised by (Senior Lecturer in , University of �鶹��ý), , and . The panel brought together lived experience leaders, MPs, academics, and justice professionals to explore how leadership within prisons can reshape the future of justice in the UK.

Centred around the newly published book (Palgrave Macmillan), the event challenged traditional notions of leadership by highlighting the often-unrecognised influence of incarcerated individuals. These leaders, shaped by survival and solidarity rather than hierarchy, offer critical insights into reforming a prison system in crisis.

Guest speaker (former Professor, University of �鶹��ý) underscored the importance of recognising lived experience as a legitimate and powerful form of knowledge. The event called for a shift from tokenistic inclusion to genuine collaboration across sectors—between academics, policymakers, and those directly impacted by incarceration.

The organisers emphasised that real reform must be rooted in humility, shared leadership, and a commitment to justice that listens to those who have lived it.

The visit resulted in MPs and Justice Select Committee representatives asking that the presented Policy recommendations based on the book’s findings be translated into law, illustrating how research-led impact can emerge in decision-making spaces.

Learn more about how Prisoner Leadership is reimagining justice from the inside out in our latest .

South Asian Artists in British Collections

Wed, 18 Jun 2025 09:30:00 +0100

On Friday 20 June, (Lecturer of modern and contemporary British Art) will present her research exploring the presence and absence of South Asian diaspora artists in UK public collections.

Titled, "South Asian Artists and British Collections", her paper will introduce research into the acquisition and interpretation of artworks by FN Souza and Avinash Chandra by UK public collections, including Tate. She will introduce the ways in which Souza and Chandra were considered “exotic” by British critics and curators during the 1950s and 60s, and how such perceptions informed institutional framings of their work.

Archival research has revealed ambivalences on the part of collections to regard modernist painters of South Asian heritage active in London during the post-war period as part of the story of British art. Correia will present how those ambivalences have informed subsequent understandings and misunderstandings with reference to Souza’s painting Crucifixion (1961) in the Tate Collection.

She argues that significant biases and blind-spots about Souza’s work found in Tate’s acquisition documents continue to ripple through the gallery’s online texts and display captions.

You can view the artwork on the Tate website.

Alice Correia’s talk is organised by the , University of Leicester, and will be held on Friday, 20 June 2025, 1.00pm to 2.30pm.

Physical activity is critical for children's happiness, study finds

Mon, 16 Jun 2025 15:41:08 +0100

PE, school sports and physical activity (PESSPA) are critical tools in fostering healthier, happier and more resilient children and young people, concluded a recent who have included it in their new

In an article summarising their findings published by Policy@�鶹��ý, Dr Sarah MacQuarrie and Dr Alexandra Hennessey uncover “a nuanced understanding of how PESSPA can tackle physical, emotional, and social challenges” faced by younger members of society.

The project conducted research across five diverse schools - two secondary, two primary and one alternative provision – with each the subject of a comprehensive case study.

“Challenges such as inadequate facilities, socio-economic barriers and gender disparities were found to hinder participation,” MacQuarrie and Hennessey explain. “Yet the study recognised schools’ creativity in addressing these issues through tailored programs, community partnerships and student-centred approaches.”

Students with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) face “unique challenges” including limited access to appropriate and properly funded facilities. But the authors add: “Inclusive practices - such as adapting sports to accommodate diverse abilities - demonstrate the potential for PESSPA to serve as a vital bridge in reducing inequities and promoting inclusive practice.”

The study revealed “concerning trends in prolonged sedentary behaviour” with 43% of pupils surveyed found to be spending over four hours daily on screens and 23% engaging in “extended sedentary activities.” Further, 7.2% of pupils reported feeling lonely often or all of the time compared to , with pupil happiness at 6.4 compared to .

“Physical activity offers a powerful counterbalance to these challenges, enhancing mood, reducing feelings of loneliness,” MacQuarrie and Hennessey argue. “Schools should actively address concerns by integrating engaging, movement-based activities into daily routines. Programmes that emphasise the fun and social aspects and create comfortable and accessible opportunities for physical activity can shift behaviours and cultivate healthier lifestyle patterns among students.”

In their article, the academics set out a series of recommendations for policymakers and educators to harness “the transformative potential of PESSPA to uplift communities and catalyse generational change.”

These include advice to the Department for Education to “prioritise safe, versatile and inclusive facilities for all schools.” This could be achieved, they suggest, by launching a consultation to gauge the views of “educators, practitioners and school leaders to build a national picture of how this infrastructure in schools needs to be developed and maintained at scale.”

To embed physical activity in school culture, the Department is encouraged to “integrate PESSPA across curricula and extracurricular activities, recognising its role in fostering holistic development.” MacQuarrie and Hennessey continue: “Community assets can also be leveraged here, and local authorities should support schools to strengthen partnerships with local sports organisations to enhance reach and impact.”

To promote equity, they urge policymakers to offer tailored programmes for underserved groups, including girls and children with special educational needs. They add: “As the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill progresses, there is opportunity to embed this into legislation.”

And to tackle sedentary behaviours, the authors advocate “the development of policies and programmes to drive awareness regarding screen time and promote active lifestyles that are valued by children and young people.”

by Dr Sarah MacQuarrie and Dr Alexandra Hennessey is available to read on the Policy@�鶹��ý website. It was included in the Youth Sport Trust's recent , along with which identified locations across England where access to play and sport need more support and encouragement.

New report shows a ‘dose response’ relationship between racism and poor mental health

Fri, 13 Jun 2025 17:30:00 +0100

A new report titled investigates how experiencing racial discrimination affects mental health, both directly and indirectly.

It finds a ‘dose-response relationship’ between racial discrimination and poor mental health (ie the negative impact on mental health increased with increasing number of times and areas in which racism was experienced).

The authors also examine the impact of experiencing racism over many years. Recent experiences of racial discrimination (within the past 5 years only) had a stronger effect on mental health compared to experiences of racial discrimination that happened over five years ago. Chronic experiences of racial discrimination over someone’s life (both past and recent experiences) had the strongest effect on mental health.

Drawing on data from , the largest and most comprehensive survey to document the lives of ethnic and religious minorities in Britain during the pandemic, the report also shows how experiences of racial discrimination were associated with testing positive for COVID-19, financial concerns, feelings of loneliness, and a reduced sense of belonging. Racial discrimination also indirectly contributed to poor mental health, through these experiences.

The report is written by Patricia Irizar, Dharmi Kapadia, Harry Taylor, Gertrude Wafula, Albert Kwansa, Charles Kwaku-Odoi, Laia Bécares and Srinivasa Vittal Katikireddi.

This report summarises published in 'Sociology of Health & Illness' (open access).

Working with Qualitative Interview Data: Themes and Beyond

Thu, 12 Jun 2025 15:27:29 +0100

Ever painted your interview data?

Me neither, but that’s where we ended up in this recent innovative and energising session with , a Sociologist of Everyday Life and a member of the .

We started the session with a useful but whistle stop tour of thematic analysis, which set the scene for a reflection on what is really meant by themes in the interpretation of data, and how this process might change if we allow for a more reflexive approach which allows us to consider more carefully the ways we ‘work’ with data and our emotional connections with that data.

According to Andy, data is lively, and opening up to that liveliness entails recognising data’s many shapes and forms, rather than the ‘straight lines’ of themes so beloved of procedural-focused approaches to analysis, and the ways that we ‘live with’ data in our everyday lives as researchers.

The workshop then moved on to a practical encounter with our data through painting on our transcripts or making data poetry with them.

Whether used as an end in itself or a tool to see data differently, perhaps surmounting an interpretation impasse, 38 workshop attendees eagerly embraced brush strokes and poetry. Analysis and interpretation were re-imagined and re-shaped, our data came alive, we read and saw it differently.

You can find out more about Andy’s ‘painting with data’ technique in and I will be eagerly awaiting the Morgan Centre book due to hit the shelves in Autumn, which Andy is co-authoring with Morgan Centre colleagues (Sophie Woodward, James Fletcher, James Hodgson and Jess Mancuso).

In the meantime you could satisfy your creative thirst with the Morgan Centre’s ‘creative approaches to qualitative research’ course, but do hurry as we are at near -full capacity!

Methods@�鶹��ý workshops and activities

To keep up-to-date with Methods@�鶹��ý events and activities see our and do let us know if there are particular innovative and advanced methodological approaches you would like to suggest for inclusion in next year’s workshop programme.

HCRI Researchers Lead Groundbreaking Special Issue in Le Mouvement Social

Thu, 12 Jun 2025 12:30:00 +0100

A new special issue of Le Mouvement Social features pioneering research co-authored by HCRI’s and . This edition brings together work from AHRC project and the project.

The issue represents a unique collaboration between HCRI and partners from Tribhuvan University in Nepal, and , exploring the impact of revolutionary war on health systems and gendered experiences of care and coercion.

The article, titled ‘Soins, coercition et genre dans la guerre révolutionnaire au Népal (1996–2006)’, published in Le Mouvement Social, Numéro 288 (July–September 2024), pp. 113–132, showcases HCRI’s signature interdisciplinary approach.

The research situates the Nepal conflict within wider discussions about humanitarian ethics, power, and care. This work reflects HCRI’s commitment to international academic collaboration and research with meaningful impact.

Find out more in the .

Alliance �鶹��ý Business School launches bigger than ever Festival of Business line-up to mark 60th anniversary

Wed, 04 Jun 2025 14:24:40 +0100

Speakers from the BBC, Bank of England, Northern Gritstone and the makers behind hit TV show Adolescence already confirmed for the event

To mark its 60^th anniversary, Alliance �鶹��ý Business School (AMBS) is bringing back its Festival of Business, expanding on the success of last year’s inaugural event.

Taking place across four days from the 16^th to 19^th June, the festival will bring together industry leaders, policymakers and academic experts to discuss the role businesses have to play in helping society respond to the pressing challenges and opportunities of our time.

Headlining the festival will be the ‘Innovate 2050’ day on Thursday 16^thfeaturing panel discussions exploring the future of media, finance and digitalisation.

Alongside an impressive line-up of AMBS’s leading thinkers, the day will see the likes of Siobhan Morgan, head of development at the producers of hit TV show, Adolescence, Warp Films; Kerris Bright, chief customer officer at the BBC, and Jess McCreadie, investment director at Northern Gritstone, coming together to discuss how their industries are innovating to respond to the world’s biggest challenges including the climate crisis and the emergence of new technologies like AI.

Alongside this, other events will be running throughout the festival focussing on themes including professional development, the future of the Third Sector and empowering entrepreneurs. The Festival of Business comes as AMBS celebrates six decades of empowering leaders, thinkers and visionaries across the globe to deliver transformative and innovative change.

Ken McPhail, Head of Alliance �鶹��ý Business School, said: "We are currently living through a critical period as we face challenges including economic growth and regional disparities, global geopolitical upheaval and climate change. Rising to these challenges won’t be possible without business playing key leadership role in finding solutions and capitalising on opportunities."

Further details about the Festival of Business, along with information on how to get tickets to the events running throughout it, can be found .

Evaluation of Science and Innovation Policies Professional Course 2025

Fri, 30 May 2025 09:48:42 +0100

The �鶹��ý Institute of Innovation Research (MIoIR) at Alliance �鶹��ý Business School successfully delivered its flagship Professional Development Course on the Evaluation of Science and Innovation Policies from 19 - 23 May 2025.

The five-day interactive programme brought together policy professionals, analysts, and researchers from across the globe, offering a unique platform to explore evaluation approaches and practices in science and innovation policy.

Led by Senior Lecturer Kate Barker, with contributions from world-leading MIoIR scholars including Professors Erik Arnold (Technopolis), Jakob Edler (Fraunhofer ISI), Maria Nedeva, Raquel Ortega-Argilés, Dr Effie Amanatidou and John Rigby (Bibliometrica Ltd) and the course delivered a rich blend of theoretical foundations, practical tools, and real-world applications.

The content spanned critical topics such as theory of change, logic models, qualitative and quantitative evaluation techniques, bibliometrics, peer review, altmetrics and AI in science policy.

Participants engaged in group projects and case-based exercises throughout the week, culminating in final presentations to peers and faculty. The course also featured insights from guest speakers, including Nancy Hey (Director, Lloyd's Register Foundation), Mike Thelwall (Professor, University of Sheffield), Cristina Rosemberg Montes (Technopolis) and Diogo Machado (Technopolis).

This year’s cohort comprised 19 participants from 11 countries, representing organisations such as the Japan Science and Technology Agency, UKRI, Research Council of Norway, Central Bank of Indonesia, Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council, National Science Centre Poland, Innosuisse, and Science Malta, reflecting the course’s global reach and reputation for excellence.

Course Director Kate Barker reflected:

With strong participant feedback and growing international interest, the Evaluation Course continues to be a leading professional development opportunity in the science and innovation policy space.

To find out more about MIoIR’s executive education and training opportunities, contact Deborah Cox, Institute Manager, or .

�鶹��ý launches groundbreaking ‘Digital Dante Library’

Thu, 22 May 2025 15:40:08 +0100

�鶹��ý is set to launch the �鶹��ý Digital Dante Library, a landmark digital collection which will make some of the rarest and most significant early printed editions of Dante’s Divine Comedy available freely online for the first time.

The first part of this digital library will go live on 29 May, coinciding with an international conference at the historic John Rylands Research Institute and Library where the collection is held.

Developed as part of the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC)-funded project Envisioning Dante, c.1472–c.1630: Seeing and Reading the Early Printed Page, this digital library is one of the most significant scholarly resources ever created for the study of Dante’s works in print. It features 99 editions printed between 1472 and 1629, with 20 being made available in the first release. The full collection will be rolled out across 2025.

The conference on 29-30 May will bring together world experts in Dante studies, early print culture, and digital humanities. Attendees will explore groundbreaking interdisciplinary research, including the project’s pioneering use of artificial intelligence and computer vision to analyse page design and layout in early modern books - offering a new lens through which to view the evolution of print culture.

The JRRIL Dante Collection includes all but three of the known pre-1650 printed editions of the Divine Comedy, with highlights such as the very first Italian editions printed in 1472, richly illustrated editions from 1481 and 1487, and later translations in Spanish, French, English and Japanese. The collection also features 19th-century illustrations by Gustave Doré, and a giant hand-illuminated manuscript created in 1902.

The �鶹��ý Digital Dante Library is hosted on �鶹��ý Digital Collections, a state-of-the-art platform developed in partnership with Cambridge University Library and supported by the Research Lifecycle Project. It exemplifies a new model for digital scholarship, merging humanities research with advanced imaging techniques and setting a new standard for cultural heritage digitisation.

For more information on the conference, visit .

Evaluation Collaboration for Slaithwaite Moonraking and Shop project!

Thu, 22 May 2025 15:39:38 +0100

, Senior Lecturer in Heritage Studies (AHCP, SALC), is lending her research expertise on community place-based heritage projects and intangible cultural heritage to support the evaluation of the “Slawit Shop and Moonraking” project (2024-2026) funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund.

Moonraking Festival Committee Member and Project Organiser, Sky Burton-Smith says:

Slaithwaite (called “Slawit” by locals) is a semi-rural Pennine village in the Colne Valley, West Yorkshire, with a rich history dating back to the Romans and Anglo-Saxons. The Industrial Revolution’s canals and railways brought mills, industry and textile workers.

Today it retains historic industrial buildings, including mills, churches, and stone cottages. The Huddersfield Narrow Canal remains a central feature, with scenic walking routes attracting tourists. The local economy has diversified, with independent shops, cafes and small businesses. The village is now a thriving community with traditions of creativity, ethical cooperatives and the handmade. We will tell this story of change in the project.

The 17-month programme focuses on participatory community heritage activities, researching, archiving, interpreting and celebrating local histories. It marks two significant anniversaries: 40 years of Slaithwaite Moonraking Festival in February 2025 (an extraordinary community light-festival based on a local legend) and 100 years of Slaithwaite’s Carr Lane central parade of shops. These anniversaries will bring people together, with shops and shopping as a theme for the programme exploring changing social and economic history.

The project aims to conserve and revitalise Slawit’s heritage through multi-generational learning activities, developing skills and increasing capacity to sustain heritage of local traditions and stories.

Slaithwaite Moonraking Festival was established in 1985 by Satellite Arts with Slaithwaite Community Association. It was run by Satellite Arts’ Gill Bond until 2023, and is now sustained by a dynamic committee of local residents and artists. The biennial festival retells a humorous legend of quick-thinking smugglers, illicit barrels of moonshine, the canal and outwitting authorities. It is renowned for its parade of candle-lit willow and paper lanterns, and the “raking out” of a giant moon from the Huddersfield Narrow Canal. Previous Moonraking Festival themes have included circus, forest, pantomime, mythical beasts, and space exploration - with shops this year’s festival theme.

The Carr Lane Parade of shops is in the centre of the village opposite the canal. They were built in 1925 in an art deco style by entrepreneur John Jagger after the council had demolished previous buildings to widen the road. This element of the project focuses on the story of the eight units in the centre and memories of a century of shopping.

The intangible cultural heritage is uplifted through a combined approach of uncovering cultural and commercial heritage together, exploring oral histories, accents and dialogue, and ephemera and memories. Plus, celebrating the folk traditions and craft skills of the incredible Moonraking Festival.

Jenna first met the Moonraking Festival Committee during research in the Colne Valley for the project, Creative Adaptive Solutions for Treescapes of Rivers (CASTOR). She says:

To find out more about the project and its activities, visit the .

Eight years after the arena attack, �鶹��ý bee commercialisation has unsettled some Mancunians

Thu, 22 May 2025 14:53:12 +0100

If you visit �鶹��ý, one of the first things you’ll notice is the great number of bee images throughout the city. Born in the Industrial Revolution, the “worker bee” symbol captured the city’s tireless spirit and its legacy as a buzzing hive of industry. Today, the symbol is more often associated with collective resilience and remembrance following the �鶹��ý Arena attack on May 22 2017.

The bee became a of the “Mancunian spirit”, emerging almost instantly on murals, on bodies as tattoos and on public memorials. Over the last eight years, it has become a core part of �鶹��ý’s identity.

As part of my ongoing PhD research, I set out to understand why the bee is everywhere in �鶹��ý and what it means to people. I interviewed 24 Mancunians who were living in the city at the time of the attack, including some who were directly affected.

Conducted in 2023, seven years after the attack, these interviews aimed to capture how the symbol’s meaning had evolved as the city continued to process and commemorate the event.

For many, the bee still stands as a symbol of resilience, a reminder of how the city came together in the face of tragedy. But for others, its presence throughout �鶹��ý has become more of a burden than a comfort.

Appearing on buses, shop windows and public spaces, it serves as a constant and eerie reminder of the events and aftermath of the attack. Eight of my interviewees described these as memories of “trauma”. Over time, what once felt comforting has become more unsettling.

Fifteen of my interviewees expressed discomfort with how the bee has become more commercialised in the years since the attack. Some described feelings of “exploitation”.

Both independent businesses and large companies have embraced the symbol, integrating it into their branding in public spaces. Many sell bee-themed gifts and souvenirs, such as .

�鶹��ý city council has played a key role in this commercialisation, promoting the image through various initiatives, including the Bee Network transport system and the Bee Cup – a reusable launched in 2023.

In June 2017, shortly after the attack, the council moved to trademark several versions of the bee as an official city symbol. This was made public in March 2018, after the period for .

Initially, the council allowed people and businesses to use the symbol for free, but later introduced a . Now, anyone wishing to use the of the bee must apply for permission from the council, and commercial use comes with a £500 fee. Businesses that want to use the bee are also asked to donate to charity.

The council described the trademarking of the bee symbol as a way to protect its use and support local good causes, such as the , which helps fund community projects and youth opportunities across the city.

But some of my participants noted that this transformed the bee from something personal and meaningful to something more corporate. In their view, it is as if the city itself is commodifying the attack rather than honouring it.

This can be viewed as an element of “dark tourism”, which involves visiting places where tragedy has been memorialised or commercialised. this manifests not through visits to the attack site but through the bee symbol, which has been commodified in murals, merchandise and public spaces. Tourists buy into collective grief through consumption, turning remembrance into a marketable experience and the bee as a managed and profitable commodity.

Some �鶹��ý Arena bombing survivors I spoke to feel that their personal grief has been repackaged into a public identity, one that does not necessarily reflect the complexity of their experiences.

The use of the bee in products and souvenirs raises questions about how the city commercialises its identity, especially when considering the layered histories that the symbol carries.

Uncomfortable history

For some, the discomfort around �鶹��ý’s bee goes even . Today, the bee symbolises resilience and unity, but it originally represented hard work during �鶹��ý’s industrial boom.

This era wasn’t just about progress — it also involved especially through cotton by enslaved people in the Americas. �鶹��ý’s role in the industrial revolution would have never been possible without slavery.

My participants pointed out this hidden history, noticing that these stories rarely appear in �鶹��ý’s public commemorations in the city. The bee’s visibility today reveals how cities tend to highlight positive histories, while uncomfortable truths .

A painted window in �鶹��ý’s Victoria station. Ashley Collar

Focusing solely on resilience risks creating a simplified version of �鶹��ý’s past. , overlooking how historical injustices, like the city’s links to the transatlantic slave trade, still shape their lives today.

This selective storytelling makes it harder for some communities to commemorate �鶹��ý’s identity. They can’t do so without acknowledging past legacies of slavery and the city’s history of division.

While some see the bee as a proud symbol of unity, others feel it erases their history. As the bee continues to dominate public spaces, �鶹��ý faces an important challenge: making sure this symbol genuinely acknowledges the varied experiences and histories of all residents.

This might be through dedicated plaques or exhibits that explore some of these hidden histories, and the bee’s complex meaning. Only by confronting its past can the city ensure that commemoration includes everyone.

, PhD Candidate in Sociology at �鶹��ý and Associate Lecturer in Criminology at MMU
This article is republished from under a Creative Commons license. Read the .

Gary Younge in conversation with Michèle Lamont: Cultural Dislocation and the politics of recognition

Wed, 21 May 2025 15:18:13 +0100

On 29 April 2025, and the hosted a compelling in-conversation event featuring Professor (Harvard University) and Professor (University of �鶹��ý), at the Alliance �鶹��ý Business School.

The afternoon began with a welcome address from Professor , Vice Dean for Research in the Faculty of Humanities, who introduced the speakers and highlighted the significance of the discussion in today’s political climate.

In a wide-ranging dialogue, Professors Lamont and Younge explored the politics of recognition and multiculturalism in the context of Trump’s second presidency, drawing comparisons between the US and UK. Their conversation focused on the experiences of working-class communities and racialised groups, and the cultural shifts occurring amid political backlash.

Professor Lamont, currently a Leverhulme Visiting Professor at �鶹��ý, shared insights from her new book project, which investigates recognition claims across different social contexts. Her reflections were enriched by her interdisciplinary work in sociology, African and African American studies, and European studies at Harvard.

Professor Younge, known for his incisive journalism and sociological commentary, brought a sharp lens to the discussion, highlighting the role of media, memory, and political backlash in shaping public discourse around identity and belonging.

The event concluded with a lively audience Q&A and a drinks reception, offering attendees the opportunity to continue the conversation informally.

This event was part of Professor Lamont’s Visiting Professorship, hosted by Professor Andrew Miles and the Department of Sociology.

Future Arts Centres: Inaugural event with Dave Moutrey

Wed, 21 May 2025 15:15:07 +0100

was delighted to host the inaugural event in a new series examining the critical role of arts centres across the UK and Ireland, in at the University of �鶹��ý on 29 April.

Led by Honorary Research Fellow Dave Moutrey in partnership with , the event brought together cultural leaders, researchers, and policymakers to explore the funding landscape and future potential of these vital community institutions.

Arts centres have long served as dynamic spaces for creativity, inclusion, and local engagement. Often operating outside the spotlight of larger cultural venues, they have nonetheless played a transformative role in shaping artistic practice and fostering social cohesion. Their significance was particularly evident during the Covid-19 pandemic, when their adaptability and deep community roots proved essential.

The event commenced with a networking lunch, followed by a presentation of new research by Ray Morrison, Research Associate to Dave Moutrey. Morrison’s analysis of Arts Council England (ACE) funding data offered a detailed view of how arts centres are resourced and the implications of current funding models.

A panel discussion followed, featuring Gavin Barlow of Future Arts Centres and Dr Jennifer Cleary of Arts Council England. The panel engaged in a robust dialogue on the findings, considering how funding structures influence the sustainability and reach of arts centres, and what strategic changes might be necessary to support their continued evolution.

This event marks the beginning of a wider programme of research and public engagement led by Moutrey during his fellowship. With the support of Future Arts Centres, the series will continue to investigate the development, impact, and future trajectory of arts centres, particularly in the context of ongoing political, social, and economic challenges.

Affect Theatre: A Workshop at the Boundaries of Theatre and Anthropology

Wed, 21 May 2025 15:09:28 +0100

By Meghan Rose Donnelly (University of �鶹��ý) and Pete Carruthers (University of Central Lancashire)

Affect Theatre is an interdisciplinary method of research analysis and curation that decentres text and engages directly with the material elements of fieldwork.

A recent event introduced the method of Affect Theatre, offering a new way to engage with empirical research material, organised by researchers Meghan Rose Donnelly and Pete Carruthers, and led by the method’s creators, Cristiana Giordano and Greg Pierotti.

When writing up our fieldwork in academic outputs, it can be too easy to follow the conventions of text - and to lose some of the essential liveness of research along the way.

Affect Theatre is an interdisciplinary method of research analysis and curation that addresses this problem. By decentering text and engaging directly with the material elements of fieldwork—sounds, objects, lighting, dress, architecture, etc.—the method helps researchers explore the affective qualities of their subject matter, before boxing them into a linear analysis. Designed with anthropologists and ethnographers in mind, the method also provides a way for artists to create meaningful performances out of empirical research, true stories, and real people.

The workshop

In March 2025, participants in �鶹��ý had the opportunity to experiment with Affect Theatre in a workshop led by the method’s creators: Cristiana Giordano and Greg Pierotti.

Giordanno and Pierotti have been for over a decade to develop the method, presenting workshops around the world and producing two full-length plays (one on police violence in the US and another on illicit migration into Italy). on the method was recently published with Bloomsbury.

Over 3 days in �鶹��ý, Giordano and Pierotti walked participants—researchers and students, anthropologists and artists—through the steps of Affect Theatre. Participants created short theatrical ‘episodes’ highlighting the affective and material qualities of research elements. How does a scarf sound when you snap it through the air? How does light shift from warm to cool on a person’s skin?

After being presented to the group, each episode was then analysed both for its affective qualities and for the kinds of stories it seemed to tell.

On the final day of the workshop, participants began to join multiple episodes together to make short sequences that transitioned into each other.

They also added another level of detail and context by having Meghan Rose read out small sections of text from her field notes, relating to her anthropological research on the lives of Catholic nuns on the Indonesian island of Flores. In the photos you can see the participants working in small groups to create one of these sequences.

The first episode was connected to a description of nuns at evening prayer, where some of the nuns had a fit of giggles whilst ‘praying the rosary’.&�Բ��;

The three panel lights and the Indonesian scarves, brought by Meghan Rose to the workshop, were used to create a sense of ritual, structure and repetition, evoking the formality and choreography of the liturgy, contrasting against the giggles of the nuns.

This episode transitioned to another previously unrelated episode, which the group connected to an extract from a story about a trip to the beach, where the nuns were required to cover their heads as they watched children splashing in the sea.

Feedback from attendees of the full workshop, as well as from those who only attended the masterclass at the end of day 3, was universally positive, with many people expressing a desire to learn more about the Affect Theatre method and apply it to their own research in the future.

Here are just a few examples of the written and verbal feedback from the workshop:

What’s next?

The workshop on Affect Theatre galvanised the University of �鶹��ý’s anthropology department’s research focus on performance and highlighted the interest in interdisciplinary methods between anthropology and drama amongst researchers and students across the North West. We can expect future explorations, including a longer workshop, next academic year when Giordano returns to �鶹��ý as a Simon Visiting Professor.

Participants in the workshop are already beginning to work Affect Theatre into their projects, including a Masters’ project on taxi drivers in �鶹��ý, a PhD engaged research project on mental health training for nurses, and a faculty-led collaborative project bringing ethnographic research to the stage. You can catch that show, .

Meghan Rose and Pete will reflect on the workshop at a as well as in the School of Social Sciences (SoSS) Scholarship Showcase on 25 June. Come along to find out more and to register your interest in future workshops.

To find out more about methods@manchester and connect with us, visit our or email methods@manchester.ac.uk.

�鶹��ý becomes a Policing Academic Centre of Excellence

Wed, 21 May 2025 10:35:37 +0100

�鶹��ý has been officially recognised as one of the UK’s new Policing Academic Centres of Excellence (PACE) as part of a national initiative to embed world-class research into frontline policing and community safety.

The M-PACE centre will be led jointly by experts from �鶹��ý and �鶹��ý Metropolitan University, in partnership with local police, community groups and industry. It is one of nine PACE hubs launched across the UK by the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) and UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) in a bid to transform how policing tackles today’s complex challenges.

Backed by funding from the NPCC and UKRI, the centres will become long-term drivers of innovation - giving police forces across the UK access to cutting-edge research and practical expertise in everything from crime prevention and digital policing to ethics and public trust.

Unlike traditional academic centres, PACE hubs are designed to work hand-in-hand with police services to co-develop research that responds to real-world problems - from improving how crimes are investigated, to tackling violence, supporting victims, and rebuilding public confidence in law enforcement.

M-PACE will help the police to understand and use existing research by working together to share their knowledge, as well as creating new research in partnership with the police, and helping to train the next generation of policing researchers and professionals. The programme draws on a team with a strong track record in evidence-based policing to meet the ongoing research and innovation needs of UK policing.

As part of the wider PACE network, it will also help establish national best practices, support training and skills development in policing, and ensure new technologies and methods are evaluated using robust evidence.

“M-PACE is an exciting collaboration between �鶹��ý Metropolitan University and �鶹��ý which will engage colleagues from multiple faculties and disciplines in a common project,” said project co-lead Professor Jon Bannister of �鶹��ý Metropolitan University. “Building on our rich and varied expertise, M-PACE will strive to meet the evidence needs of police forces. We will develop new research and knowledge exchange activities with the ambitions of helping improve public safety and improving the legitimacy of policing within communities.”

The PACE programme marks a major shift in how UK policing engages with science and evidence. The initiative will create a collaborative, nationwide research infrastructure that reflects policing’s Areas of Research Interest (ARIs) - from public protection to digital transformation. Each centre will act as a gateway to independent academic advice, helping forces to navigate complex issues and adopt effective, ethical strategies that serve diverse communities.

As the UK faces fast-changing demands on its police services, the launch of the PACE network signals a long-term commitment to smarter, safer, and more responsive policing - backed by the best that British academia has to offer.

“This is about making sure policing decisions are grounded in the best available knowledge,” said Chief Constable Gavin Stephens, NPCC Chair. “It strengthens our commitment to evidence-based practice and shows our determination to be more transparent, accountable and effective.”

Stian Westlake, Executive Chair of the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), said: “The Policing Academic Centres of Excellence will forge closer relationships between police forces and researchers, providing the police with data and evidence to make the justice system work better.

“By bringing experts in policing practice together with social scientists and data scientists across the country, the centres will provide knowledge and insights to drive service improvement. These centres of excellence demonstrate our commitment to reducing crime and making Britain a safer place.”

Counting on Everyone: Profiling the Christian population in England

Tue, 20 May 2025 11:53:29 +0100

As part of the church’s work to ensure diversity and inclusivity in their work, they asked us to use 2021 census data to profile the demographic changes in the population in England, with a special focus on religion and ethnicity.

Key findings

There was a significant fall in the Christian population, from 37.3 million (72%) in 2001 to 26.2 million (46%) in 2021.
At the same time the number of Muslims (1.5 million to 3.8 million), Hindus (0.5 million to 1 million) and those with no religion (7.2 million to 20.7 million) has more than doubled.
There has been a significant drop in the percentage of White British, White Irish and mixed ethnicity groups (e.g. in 2001 82% of White British respondents identified as Christian compared with 49% in 2021). Most other ethnic categories saw a more gradual decline.
Across most ethnic categories, younger people are less likely to say they are Christian.
Looking at migration history, some ethnic categories (White British, White other, Indian, Asian other and black African and Caribbean, recent arrivals are more likely to be Christian than those born in the UK)
Migration has contributed to the growth in the Christian population recently with 1.2 million Christians migrating to the UK between 2001 and 2011 and 1.9 million between 2011 and 2021 compared to only 0.4 million between 1991 and 2001. The majority of Christian migrants between 2011 and 2021 came from Europe.

See the report for more detailed data from each region of England. The report is written by .

Kenneth Atuma speaks on ethical AI at AIIM Global Summit 2025

Tue, 20 May 2025 11:40:42 +0100

, one of the promising young academic at our university, recently spoke at the , held from 31 March to 2 April in Atlanta, Georgia, USA. This high-profile international summit brought together thought leaders, professionals, and academics to discuss the transformative impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on information management.

Kenneth delivered a well-received session titled "Ethical AI in Information Governance: Shaping the Future of Information Management." His presentation focused on the growing importance of ethical considerations in the deployment of AI technologies within the field of information governance. He addressed key concerns such as transparency, accountability, and compliance, as well as strategies for ensuring that AI tools are implemented responsibly to enhance efficiency, decision-making, and organisational effectiveness.

During the session, Kenneth also explored current and emerging AI regulatory frameworks from the EU, the US, and other regions, offering practical guidance on mitigating risks related to bias, data privacy, and data integrity.

The session sparked meaningful dialogue among attendees and emphasised the importance of maintaining human-centred values as we continue integrating AI into complex information ecosystems.

Reflecting on the event, Kenneth said:

This engagement not only highlights Kenneth’s emerging leadership in the evolving discourse around responsible AI in Information Governance and Compliance but also showcases our university’s commitment to contributing to cutting-edge developments in digital transformation and ethical innovation.

We congratulate Kenneth on this achievement and look forward to seeing the continued impact of his work on the future of ethical information governance.

Tiny Human Dramas: 5 Research Stories, 24 Hours, 1 Unforgettable Night of Theatre

Thu, 15 May 2025 16:04:24 +0100

Tiny Human Dramas returns to �鶹��ý’s Contact Theatre on Saturday 31 May with a daring, moving and utterly unique night of theatre.

In just 90 minutes, audiences will witness five entirely original short plays - each created in just 24 hours - that explore some of the most complex, poignant and timely questions about what it means to be human today. This isn’t just experimental theatre – it is research, radically reimagined.

The brainchild of Dr Meghan Rose Donnelly and Dr Alexandra D’Onofrio from �鶹��ý and theatre producer Laura Sophie Helbig, Tiny Human Dramas pairs anthropologists with theatre-makers to transform deep, field-based research into short, emotionally resonant performances.

Each team has just 24 hours to devise, rehearse and stage their 10-minute piece - a creative constraint which sparks a surprising level of intensity and innovation.

Last year’s sold-out premiere at Contact Theatre drew a packed house and rave audience reviews. It brought anthropological research to life for new audiences, sparked conversations about diversity and belonging, and showed the public that research can be a living, breathing, creative force.

“It’s rare to see a project where everyone - researchers, artists, students, and audiences - walks away changed,” says Helbig. “We’re not just making theatre. We’re co-creating new ways of thinking, feeling, and connecting across difference.”

Each play is infused with the distinctive voice of its creators - from poetic monologues to ensemble movement, to satire and sensory storytelling. Following the performance, audience members are invited to stay for a candid conversation with the creators, discussing the themes, the process, and what it means to tell stories across cultures.

In a time of global complexity and cultural tension, it offers a rare chance to pause, reflect and connect. It celebrates the diversity of lived experience and invites audiences to engage directly with the kinds of questions anthropology is uniquely positioned to ask.

Tickets for the event can be purchased at .

Tiny Human Dramas is part of an expanding vision - the team is currently developing a short documentary film about the creative process and exploring opportunities to take the project to national festivals, including the Edinburgh Fringe and the ESRC Festival of Social Science.

Expert unlocks truth of Stanford Prison Experiment in new TV show

Thu, 15 May 2025 12:00:00 +0100

National Geographic is set to premiere ‘The Stanford Prison Experiment: Unlocking the Truth’ in the UK this month, which features expert commentary from �鶹��ý’s .

The gripping new docuseries revisits the infamous , but with a twist. Through accounts from the original prisoners and guards, many of whom are speaking on camera for the very first time, the docuseries shares a groundbreaking look at one of history’s most notorious psychological studies.

The study, controversial yet influential, has shaped popular understanding of human behaviour for over half a century. Re-examining the experiment from a different perspective, the docuseries set out to challenge long-held beliefs around Philip Zimbardo’s ‘guards vs prisoners’ study.

Surviving participants confront the emotional weight they have carried for decades, alongside newly uncovered archive footage, dramatisation and contributions from leading scholars.

Professor Scott-Bottoms expresses the fine line between theatrical roleplay and real psychological trauma. Bringing a unique interdisciplinary perspective to the psychological, cultural, and theatrical dimensions of the original Stanford Prison Experiment, he noted:

Building upon his 2024 book, , the unsettling history of role-playing in ‘constructed situations’ is explored through his commentary on the performative dynamic of the experiment and its wider societal implications. Students from the School of the Arts, Languages & Cultures also feature in the reenactments shown in the series.

To mark the UK premiere, the , in partnership with , will be hosting an in-conversation event on Wednesday 4 June titled ‘’.&�Բ��;

Professor Stephen Scott-Bottoms will be joined by from the , who is also among the expert commentators featured in the series, alongside , Director of the docuseries. An internationally recognised expert on social identity, collective behaviour, intergroup conflict, and leadership influence, Professor Stephen Reicher co-led the BBC’s partial reconstruction of the Stanford Prison study,

The event will feature behind-the-scenes insights into the making of the series, a discussion on the enduring relevance of the Stanford study and a live audience Q&A. It is open to the public and promises a compelling dialogue on truth, myth, and morality in psychological research.

India-Pakistan water conflict highlights region's climate change vulnerability

Tue, 13 May 2025 11:53:30 +0100

In an unprecedented move, India recently suspended the 1960 with Pakistan, citing . This was one of a series of escalations between the two countries which now find themselves .

The treaty suspension reflects a growing regional trend: South Asian countries are increasingly treating water as a strategic asset rather than a shared resource amid rising mistrust, climate stress and geopolitical competition.

The region is home to nearly a quarter of the global population, and relies on huge transboundary rivers fed by Himalayan glaciers – the so-called of freshwater reserves. A breakdown in water diplomacy could trigger environmental collapse, humanitarian crises and geopolitical instability. The weaponisation of water must be urgently addressed as a global climate justice issue.

A flashpoint occurred in August 2024 when devastating floods affected in Bangladesh. Some Bangladeshi officials accused India of releasing excess water from a large dam upstream without warning. India , citing extreme rainfall and standard dam operations. Nevertheless, the incident reignited longstanding tensions between the two countries.

Complicating matters further is China recently approving the construction of the on the Yarlung Tsangpo river in Tibet, which becomes the Brahmaputra in India. This massive project has about China’s ability to exert control upstream, and the ecological risks for India and Bangladesh downstream.

China hasn’t signed formal water-sharing agreements with its neighbours, but its growing presence in regional water infrastructure signals a dramatic shift in south and east Asian hydro-politics.

Climate change is making things worse

Recent climatic trends are making transboundary rivers an increasing focus of geopolitical friction. These trends include accelerated , , and intensifying extreme weather.

While melting glaciers will temporarily boost the flow of rivers, the long-term prognosis is bleak. If emissions and warming trends continue, many glacier-fed rivers – including the Indus, Ganges and Brahmaputra – could see by the end of the century. This will directly affect hundreds of millions of people who depend on them.

The crisis is being intensified by changes in the Himalayas. The region is warming faster than the global average, with a shift from snowfall to rainfall that disrupts the timing and volume of water that flows down from the mountains to the fields and cities below.

At the same time, has pushed South Asia’s reserves of underground water toward collapse, threatening both food and water security.

A dangerous precedent

A collapse or suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty could set a dangerous precedent. Importantly, the threat is less about India cutting off water flows – an unlikely and technically challenging act – and more about the erosion of trust, transparency and data sharing.

One of the treaty’s most valuable features has been the routine sharing of data on things like water levels, river flow and dam operations. Pakistan needs this data to forecast floods and droughts, plan its irrigation, generate hydropower effectively and manage its drinking water, yet India is indicating it will no longer honour these obligations.

But India’s strained water relations are not limited to Pakistan. Bangladesh and Nepal have often felt sidelined or pressured in negotiations, and India’s indication that it may reconsider longstanding treaties raises concerns in both countries.

This is especially the case as the Ganges Water Treaty nears its 2026 expiration: the vast Ganges river flows through India and irrigates much of Bangladesh – and the treaty guarantees Bangladesh a minimum river flow.

Other key agreements, such as the and with Nepal, and the with Bangladesh, remain largely unimplemented, breeding mistrust. These failures undermine confidence in regional water diplomacy and cast doubt on India’s commitment to equitable cooperation.

None of this is helped by India, Pakistan and Bangladesh all continuing to rely on outdated irrigation methods that mean they use more water than necessary. As climate change intensifies floods, droughts and glacial melt, there is an urgent need to reform existing water treaties to reflect present-day climate, hydrological and geopolitical realities.

The Indus Waters Treaty, negotiated in the 1960s before the emergence of modern climate science, no longer accounts for these transformations. Indeed, most water treaties in the region remain rooted in technocratic, engineering-centric frameworks which fail to address extreme climate variability and its cascading impacts.

The upcoming expiration of the Ganges Water Treaty, and the pending negotiation of other basin agreements, present a critical opportunity to rethink water governance in South Asia.

Though the Indus flows through India before Pakistan, in other basins, India is downstream. This is the case with the Brahmaputra, where it demands upstream cooperation from China.

Undermining the Indus treaty could weaken India’s own position in future negotiations and strain its relations with Nepal and Bangladesh, while giving China more influence in South Asian hydro-politics. China is already expanding its footprint by offering billions in loans to Bangladesh and strengthening ties with Nepal, particularly around water infrastructure.

Weaponising water is a perilous strategy that may backfire. The weakening of water diplomacy in South Asia is not just a regional threat; it endangers global climate security.

In the face of escalating climate change impacts and recurring disasters, updating transboundary agreements like the Indus Waters Treaty, Ganga Water Treaty, and Kosi and Teesta accords is no longer optional – it is an urgent necessity with enormous consequences.

, Leverhulme Early Career Fellow, Geography,
This article is republished from under a Creative Commons license. Read the .

Celebrating Success: Pathways to Law Graduation

Thu, 08 May 2025 11:22:18 +0100

The celebration marks the culmination of their hard work and dedication throughout their time on the long-running programme.

Pathways to Law is a social mobility programme, run by the University in partnership with The Sutton Trust, which supports college students from backgrounds under-represented in higher education who are interested in a career in law.

The talented students have embraced the opportunities offered by the programme, accessing higher education information, gaining hands-on work experience, and building connections with leading legal professionals, stepping outside of their comfort zones and embracing challenges.

The ceremony brought together graduates, their supportive families and friends, inspiring guest speakers, student ambassadors and University staff.

A highlight of the event was the powerful closing address delivered by Miran Khan, Pathways to Law and University of �鶹��ý alumna. Her motto: “Continue to overcome barriers and break the status quo,” was a fitting reminder to the graduating cohort as they move into the next stages of their education.

The Pathways to Law programme is committed to fostering the next generation of future leaders and change-makers. The Faculty of Humanities and the wider University of �鶹��ý community wishes all 2025 Pathways to Law graduates the best for their bright futures.

Find out more about the at �鶹��ý.
Contact Emma McDougall, Student Marketing and Recruitment Coordinator, for more information.

Report highlights how businesses can help tackle loneliness

Wed, 30 Apr 2025 11:20:06 +0100

A trailblazing new report, Business vs. Loneliness, published by the Economics of Mutuality Alliance and �鶹��ý, has urged companies to take a leading role in addressing one of the most pressing yet overlooked challenges of our time — loneliness.

The report presents the results of an extensive global study on loneliness funded by Mars, Incorporated and conducted by the Economics of Mutuality Alliance’s Mutual Value Labs and �鶹��ý. The research is based on over 50,000 individual responses from participants in five countries around the world — the largest dataset of its kind. Respondents from the U.S., Mexico, the UK, Germany, and China shared their experiences in response to survey questions and open-ended prompts.

The report shows that more than 44% of people around the world feel moderately to very lonely. It reframes the issue of loneliness as a wider social and economic problem that needs large-scale, system-wide solutions, rather than as a personal failing.

Drawing on practical case studies, the report demonstrates how purpose-driven companies can turn loneliness into an opportunity for generating both social impact and sustainable business growth by applying the Economics of Mutuality operating model.

One example given is how Asahi Europe & International used hospitality spaces and an online platform to help young adults overcome loneliness through meaningful social connections, based on an in-depth study conducted in the Czech Republic with the Economics of Mutuality Alliance’s Mutual Value Labs.

“Applying the Economics of Mutuality operating model has helped our brands to drive positive societal impact and meaningful commercial growth at the same time,” said Mandikova Drahomira, Group Chief Sustainability Officer at Asahi Group Holdings. “I encourage more companies to join the Business vs. Loneliness change platform and take action toward lasting change.”

Key Findings

Contrary to common belief, and consistent with other recent large-scale studies, loneliness decreases with age. 29% of Gen Z feel lonely compared to 14% of Baby Boomers and the Silent Generation. Yet, most interventions still focus on the elderly — highlighting a gap for products, services, and workplace cultures that prioritise belonging amongst young people.
Perhaps surprisingly, more than 50% of people find positive alone time a helpful way of overcoming loneliness — revealing a powerful opportunity for businesses to design environments, products, and experiences that support solitude, not just social interaction.
14% of people who completed the survey say they have nowhere to go when they feel lonely, but want to connect with others — a clear opportunity for businesses to create connection-friendly spaces in places such as cafés, retail stores, and offices.
60% report experiencing ‘relational’ or ‘collective’ loneliness, not just ‘intimate’ loneliness — opening the door for brands to design experiences that foster everyday social connection.
People not belonging to a group are 1.6x more likely to feel lonely — giving businesses a chance to build community through memberships, loyalty programs, and shared identity experiences.
Dissatisfaction with income doubles the likelihood of loneliness, regardless of actual earnings — suggesting companies can drive loyalty and retention among their workforce by improving perceived financial well-being, not just financial status.

The report launch invites purpose-driven business leaders to join the Business vs. Loneliness change platform, working together with public and non-profit partners to help create a more connected world through business.

To access the report and for more information, visit .

Insights from the Connected Places Summit on the Procurement Act 2023

Tue, 22 Apr 2025 16:19:22 +0100

At the recent Connected Places Summit, Elvira Uyarra, Director of the �鶹��ý Institute of Innovation Research joined a panel of experts to explore how the UK’s new Procurement Act 2023 can unlock innovation and deliver better outcomes in the public sector.

Hosted by the Innovation Procurement Empowerment Centre (IPEC), the session highlighted the crucial role of procurement in driving not just technological advancements, but also broader improvements in public services.

The panel featured Rikesh Shah, Head of IPEC, Elvira Uyarra, Director of the �鶹��ý Institute of Innovation Research, Shailee Howard, Partner at Mills & Reeve, and Sophie Moule, Marketing & Product Director at Bloom Procurement Services.

The panel discussed key challenges in procurement, including rigid processes, short-term thinking, and a lack of institutional memory, which have traditionally hindered innovation. They also explored the uncertainty around what constitutes ‘good’ procurement, which makes it difficult for public bodies to adopt best practices.

Experts also identified significant opportunities within the new Procurement Act, emphasising the need for leadership, ambition, and clear examples of success to drive both cultural and practical shifts in procurement practices.

Young people with Special Educational Needs face far more bullying and discrimination

Thu, 10 Apr 2025 08:00:00 +0100

A new report from , which has surveyed 130,000 young people since 2021, has highlighted the experiences of pupils in mainstream schools with Special Educational Needs (SEN). While there were some positive findings, the study found that across a range of headline metrics – mental wellbeing, life satisfaction, self-esteem and emotional difficulties – young people with SEN experience worse outcomes.

The report includes data from over 20,000 young people receiving SEN support or with an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan in Greater �鶹��ý, Hampshire, the Isle of Wight, Portsmouth and Southampton (of which 9,000 responses were from #BeeWell’s 2024 survey).

The report reveals that young people with SEN or an EHC plan experience much higher rates of discrimination and bullying than their peers. In particular, the rate of discrimination due to a disability is almost three times higher for those receiving SEN support and four times higher for those with an EHC plan compared to those without SEN. One in ten young people without SEN experience discrimination due to a disability, compared to one in four young people receiving SEN support and one in two with an EHC plan.

Young people receiving SEN support are more likely to be bullied physically, relationally and online than those without SEN, and those with an EHC plan are even more likely. The findings indicate that young people with SEN are disproportionately exposed to unfair treatment and negative experiences at school and in their wider lives. Findings also touch on the social consequences of living with SEN, revealing that over 11% of young people with either SEN support or an EHC plan often or always feel lonely, compared to 8.4% of those without SEN.

More positively, researchers found that while participation varies locally, roughly one in three young people with SEN attend young clubs regularly – equivalent rates to those without SEN. Looking at other activities linked to arts, culture and entertainment, such as going to the cinema or theatre (around one in four young people), reading for enjoyment (two in five young people), arts and crafts (two in five young people) and other creative hobbies (two in three young people), those with SEN have similar levels of participation to their peers without SEN.

The report comes after the Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology (POST) published a report which highlighted that the percentage of school pupils in England identified as having SEN has risen to 18.4% - a steep increase of 6% since 2023.

“Our findings show that more needs to be done to make sure that all young people feel safe, respected, and included - both inside and outside of school,” said Dr Chris Knowles from #BeeWell.

#BeeWell is a youth-centred programme led by �鶹��ý, The Gregson Family Foundation and Anna Freud. The #BeeWell survey listens to the voices of thousands of young people in secondary schools every year to understand and improve their wellbeing.

China plans to build the world’s largest dam – but what does this mean for India and Bangladesh?

Wed, 09 Apr 2025 14:19:20 +0100

China recently of the world’s largest hydropower dam, across the Yarlung Tsangpo river in Tibet. When fully up and running, it will be the world’s largest power plant – by some distance.

Yet many are worried the dam will displace local people and cause huge environmental disruption. This is particularly the case in the downstream nations of India and Bangladesh, where that same river is known as the Brahmaputra.

The proposed dam highlights some of the geopolitical issues raised by rivers that cross international borders. Who owns the river itself, and who has the right to use its water? Do countries have obligations not to pollute shared rivers, or to keep their shipping lanes open? And when a drop of rain falls on a mountain, do farmers in a different country thousands of miles downstream have a claim to use it? Ultimately, we still don’t know enough about these questions of river rights and ownership to settle disputes easily.

The Yarlung Tsangpo begins on the Tibetan Plateau, in a region sometimes referred to as the world’s third pole as its glaciers contain the largest stores of ice outside of the Arctic and Antarctica. A series of huge rivers tumble down from the plateau and spread across south and south-east Asia. Well over a billion people depend on them, from Pakistan to Vietnam.

Yet the region is already under immense stress as global warming melts glaciers and changes rainfall patterns. Reduced water flow in the dry season, coupled with sudden releases of water during monsoons, could intensify both water scarcity and flooding, endangering millions in India and Bangladesh.

The construction of has historically disrupted river flows, displaced people, destroyed fragile ecosystems and increased risks of floods. The Yarlung Tsangpo Grand Dam will likely be no exception.

The dam will sit along the tectonic boundary where the Indian and Eurasian plates converge to form the Himalayas. This makes the region particularly vulnerable to earthquakes, , and .

Downstream, the Brahmaputra is one of south Asia’s mightiest rivers and has been integral to human civilisation for thousands of years. It’s one of the world’s most sediment-rich rivers, which helps form a huge and fertile delta.

Yet a dam of this scale would trap massive amounts of sediment upstream, disrupting its flow downstream. This could make farming less productive, threatening food security in one of the world’s most densely populated regions.

The Sundarbans mangrove forest, a Unesco World Heritage Site that stretches across most of coastal Bangladesh and a portion of India, is particularly vulnerable. Any disruption to the balance of sediment could accelerate coastal erosion and make the already low lying area more vulnerable to sea-level rise.

The Brahmaputra eventually flows into a region of fertile fields and mangrove forests. Sk Hasan Ali / shutterstock

Unfortunately, despite the transboundary nature of the Brahmaputra, there is no comprehensive treaty governing it. This lack of formal agreements complicates efforts to ensure China, India and Bangladesh share the water equitably and work together to prepare for disasters.

These sorts of agreements are perfectly possible: 14 countries plus the European Union are parties to a , for instance. But the Brahmaputra is not alone. Many transboundary rivers in the global south face similar neglect and inadequate research.

Researching rivers

In our recent study, colleagues and I analysed . We wanted to assess how much academic research there was on each, what themes it focused on, and how that varied depending on the type of river. We found that, while large rivers in the global north receive considerable academic attention, many equally important rivers in the global south remain overlooked.

What research there is in the global south is predominantly led by institutions from the global north. This dynamic influences research themes and locations, often sidelining the most pressing local issues. We found that research in the global north tends to focus on technical aspects of river management and governance, whereas studies in the global south primarily examine conflicts and resource competition.

In Asia, research is concentrated on large, geopolitically significant basins like the Mekong and Indus. Smaller rivers where water crises are most acute are often neglected. Something similar is happening in Africa, where studies focus on climate change and water-sharing disputes, yet a lack of infrastructure limits broader research efforts.

Small and medium-sized river basins, critical to millions of people in the global south, are among the most neglected in research. This oversight has serious real-world consequences. We still don’t know enough about water scarcity, pollution, and climate change impacts in these regions, which makes it harder to develop effective governance and threatens the livelihoods of everyone who depends on these rivers.

A more inclusive approach to research will ensure the sustainable management of transboundary rivers, safeguarding these vital resources for future generations.

, Leverhulme Early Career Fellow, Geography,
This article is republished from under a Creative Commons license. Read the .

2025 Methods@�鶹��ý Summer School

Tue, 08 Apr 2025 10:27:15 +0100

Methods@�鶹��ý’s popular Summer School is back for another year, with one week of courses in the week commencing 30 June.

Featuring a range of methods courses for both qualitative and quantitative researchers, the Summer School provides the opportunity for researchers to get together, learn or develop new social science and humanities methods skills while meeting and networking with their peers.

This year we are pleased to offer seven courses including training in Nvivo software, Qualitative Interviewing and Longitudinal Data Analysis. The courses themselves allow us to showcase the considerable expertise we have in the Faculty of Humanities in a range of methodological areas, providing opportunities for attendees to receive support from leading experts.

For example, are offering a team-taught course focused on Creative Approaches to Qualitative Research. Throughout this short course members of the Centre will support attendees in learning about their specific areas of expertise in innovative and creative methodological approaches.

is a leading centre in the development and application of social network analysis techniques and this year offers a course in Mixed Methods in Social Network Analysis. This course will focus on personal networks and uses qualitative methods combined with statistical modelling.

The team will run a course focused on Digital Methods. It will introduce state-of-the-art approaches (visual methods, geospatial methods, text mining, data visualisation, creative AI methods and sensing methods) and attendees can apply them to create, analyse, and question data.

And new for this year, experts within the are offering a course in AI Driven Analytics, providing the opportunity for participants to explore cutting-edge methods ranging from descriptive and predictive to prescriptive analytics.

And it’s not just about the courses, this year as well as our usual welcome event in a local brewery, attendees will be treated to a City Centre walking tour, providing a chance to learn about �鶹��ý’s rich history while getting to know participants across the seven courses.

Our Summer School fee structure features a reduced price for PGRs and those attending from the charity or community sector. We also offer the opportunity for those entitled to this reduced fee, yet without the necessary funding, to apply for a further reduction via our bursary scheme.

You can see the full range of 2025 Summer School courses and further details on the and don’t hesitate to contact methods@manchester.ac.uk if you have any questions.

�鶹��ý planning expert appointed as ESRC Council Member

Fri, 04 Apr 2025 12:34:14 +0100

The - the UK’s largest funder of economic, social, behavioural and human data science - has appointed �鶹��ý’s Professor Cecilia Wong as a member of its Council.

Professor Wong brings a wealth of expertise and an exceptional track record to her new role. Her extensive research encompasses strategic spatial planning, policy monitoring & analysis, urban & regional development and housing & infrastructure planning.

A distinguished academic, Professor Wong is a Professor of Spatial Planning and serves as Co-Director of . She also directs the Spatial Policy & Analysis Lab within the .

She is a Fellow of both the Academy of Social Sciences and the Royal Town Planning Institute, underscoring her significant contributions to the field.

She currently chairs the , an independent inquiry into city and regional inequalities in the United Kingdom. Additionally, she is a member of the National Infrastructure Commission’s Levelling Up Advisory Panel and has previously contributed to the Lyons Independent Housing Review.

Her advisory roles extend internationally, having advised the European Commission on the Urban Audit II and UN-Habitat on the City Prosperity Index.

Currently, Professor Wong is engaged in a five-year UK Prevention Research Partnership-funded project addressing the root causes of health inequalities in urban planning decision-making. She also led a joint ESRC and China Natural Science Foundation project on eco-urbanisation, promoting sustainable development in metropolitan regions of China.

Her work continues to shape policies and practices, driving forward the agenda of creating sustainable, prosperous urban environments.

Pupil wellbeing is more important to parents than Ofsted ratings and grades

Thu, 03 Apr 2025 09:00:00 +0100

and the are calling on the government to implement a national wellbeing measurement programme to address the needs of children and young people, after polling found that most parents, guardians and carers consider pupil wellbeing before Ofsted ratings and academic achievement when choosing a secondary school for their children.

The findings come as Ofsted is asking parents, guardians and carers to shape the content of new report school cards, including what should be prioritised in inspections.

A YouGov survey of more than 1,000 parents, guardians and carers co-funded by #BeeWell and the Youth Sport Trust found that 66% of parents selected pupil wellbeing as an important consideration, more so than other factors such as school location (62%), facilities (61%), school culture and ethos (56%) and Ofsted rating (52%). Notably, only 43% of parents cited exam results as a key factor in their decision.

Further reinforcing this trend, 64% of parents agreed that pupil wellbeing is more important than academic achievement.

While parents overwhelmingly value pupil wellbeing, the research highlights a gap between this priority and the support parents perceive is currently available in schools overall. Nearly half (49%) of parents believe that schools need to do more to support student wellbeing, a concern that is particularly pronounced among younger aged parents. Evidence suggests that improving wellbeing not only benefits young people’s personal development, but also enhances their long-term academic success.

#BeeWell and the Youth Sports Trust argue that measuring wellbeing provides crucial insights into the experiences of young people, helping policymakers and educators to implement targeted interventions that promote positive mental health. 75% of parents agree that measuring young people’s wellbeing is essential if we are to improve it - however, there is currently no nationwide system in place to assess and address wellbeing in a meaningful way.

In response to these findings, #BeeWell, with The Children’s Society, Fair Education Alliance and Pro Bono Economics, is leading the coalition of over 50 organisations, including the Youth Sport Trust, who are urging the government to introduce a national wellbeing measurement programme. They say that by systematically tracking and responding to young people’s wellbeing, schools and policymakers can ensure that all children have the support they need to thrive. The wellbeing of young people across the UK remains consistently and substantially lower than peers internationally, and within the bottom 5% of countries surveyed ().

Ali Oliver MBE, Chief Executive at Youth Sports Trust said:

"At the Youth Sport Trust, we know a child's wellbeing is the foundation for their success, both in and out of the classroom, and physical activity including PE, sport and play is vital to their physical, social, and emotional development. When children are healthy and happy, they are ready to learn. It’s encouraging to see through these results more parents are recognising the critical link between wellbeing and academic and personal development, with many now prioritising it when choosing a secondary school. We believe measuring wellbeing can help track progress as well as ensuring support is targeted towards those with the greatest needs.

“Through our development of the Well School and Well School Trust movement, a growing collection of schools and trusts taking positive action to improve education outcomes by supporting the health and happiness of their staff and pupils, we are committed to helping make this a reality. In June, we’re introducing a free Well check service for schools which will help parents easily identify schools committed to nurturing wellbeing, while also supporting schools in creating environments where every young person can thrive physically, mentally, and emotionally."

Ben Levinson OBE, executive headteacher at Kensington Primary School and chair of the Well school collective, said:

"As a parent, headteacher and chair of the Well School Collective, I have always been a strong advocate for prioritising children's wellbeing within schools. Supporting positive mental and physical health has been at the heart of my approach at Kensington Primary School, and I’m proud to say that this focus has played a key role in our Outstanding Ofsted grade. By establishing strong wellbeing practices in primary schools, we help parents see the importance of continuing this focus as they look ahead to secondary education. Wellbeing and school excellence are not competing priorities; they are complementary, essential elements that drive success. That is why it’s so encouraging to see more parents recognising this; when we support wellbeing, we’re creating the conditions for every young person to flourish, and it’s vital that schools and parents work together to make this a priority."

The experts also say that investing in wellbeing is not just a moral imperative - it also makes economic sense. They point to research from  which highlights the substantial financial benefits of prioritising wellbeing, estimating that tackling low wellbeing among young people could deliver billions

To find out more about the national wellbeing measurement programme campaign, visit .

�鶹��ý Professor wins award for her commitment to disability inclusion

Tue, 01 Apr 2025 12:03:18 +0100

Professor Jackie Carter from �鶹��ý has been recognised with a prestigious Culture Shift Award for her exceptional leadership and commitment to advancing disability inclusion within higher education.

Jackie has dedicated her career to championing equality, diversity, and inclusion, with a particular focus on ensuring that disabled staff and students are supported and empowered. She has long been committed to widening participation in education, creating pathways for individuals from underrepresented groups to excel in academia and beyond. Her extensive work in the field of data science has seen her mentor and guide numerous students into successful careers, and she has played a key role in promoting inclusive teaching practices within the University and across the sector.

When she became �鶹��ý’s EDI Disability Academic Lead in 2023, Jackie set out to achieve two major goals – to ensure that disability is discussed as prominently as other protected characteristics, and to move from dialogue to tangible action. She points out that 24% of the working age population are disabled, and 80% of disabilities are not visible – like hers. Under her leadership, the University has made significant strides in embedding disability inclusion into its institutional priorities, ensuring that it is a core consideration in shaping policies and practices.

A key achievement in Jackie’s leadership has been the creation of the ‘’ podcast series, in which she hosts two guests per episode – one senior leader and one staff member or postgraduate researcher who is Deaf, disabled, or chronically ill. The conversations allow her guests to share their perspectives while committing to ‘just one thing’ they will take away and act on. This simple but powerful format has significantly shifted the conversation around disability inclusion at the University, elevating it into previously untapped areas.

Jackie has been instrumental in developing a culture of openness, understanding and proactive change. She is a passionate advocate for role models in the disability space, drawing on her own lived experience as a deaf, dizzy and disabled individual. Her leadership has fostered an environment where disabled staff and students feel empowered to share their challenges and aspirations without fear of stigma. Through her mentorship and advocacy, she has inspired others, leading to several colleagues receiving nominations for major awards – a testament to the ripple effect that her work has created across the University.

Jackie’s efforts have been recognised at the highest levels, influencing the University’s �鶹��ý 2035 strategy and reinforcing the Vice-Chancellor’s vision of being ‘Inclusive by Design’. Her contributions have ensured that disabled staff and students are not only heard but actively involved in shaping a more inclusive academic community.

“Through her work, Jackie has foregrounded disability inclusion, ensuring that disabled staff and students have a voice in shaping a more inclusive culture,” said Vicki Baars, Head of Culture Transformation at Culture Shift. “She truly leads by example and lives the principle of ‘Nothing about us without us’ - her work remains a vital force for creating lasting change at the university.”

#BeeWell survey highlights wellbeing priorities and challenges for young people

Tue, 01 Apr 2025 11:56:17 +0100

The #BeeWell programme delivers an annual survey as part of their ambition to understand young people’s wellbeing and the things that impact it
Nearly 100,000 young people aged 11-15 in Greater �鶹��ý have participated in the #BeeWell survey since 2021, making #BeeWell the largest of its kind in the UK
This year, 51.7% of young people report having “good” wellbeing or higher, broadly in line with previous
Newly released data highlights how we can support young people to Live Well across the city-region, making young people’s health and wellbeing everyone’s priority
The impact of the cost of living and food insecurity among children remains high, with one in ten young people reporting food didn’t last in their home

New findings from the latest #BeeWell survey highlight the importance of ensuring every young person has access to everyday support in their wider community. This supports the broader Live Well commitment which seeks to tackle inequalities and improve wellbeing for all residents across the city-region.

Since launching in 2021, the #BeeWell programme, a partnership between Greater �鶹��ý Combined Authority (GMCA), the Gregson Family Foundation, �鶹��ý and Anna Freud, has engaged almost 100,000 young people in Greater �鶹��ý to listen to their needs, understand their wellbeing, and drive action to ensure they receive the support they need.

The report highlights areas where Live Well, Greater �鶹��ý’s innovative vision for a shift in how public services and community organisations collaborate, will play a crucial role in ensuring no young person is left behind.

One of the key findings in this year’s report identified urgent challenges around food insecurity, with one in ten young people reporting that on most days, food in their house didn’t last and there wasn’t enough money to buy more. The survey also found that only one in ten young people are consuming the recommended 5 portions of fruit and vegetables a day.

The #BeeWell Youth Steering Group highlighted the need for greater awareness of how nutrition affects energy levels and wellbeing, alongside increased support for families to make healthy choices.

Mayor of Greater �鶹��ý, Andy Burnham, said:

“The #BeeWell findings make it clearer than ever why our Live Well ambition is so important. We are listening to young people, and they are telling us that access to support in their neighbourhoods, safe spaces to go, and someone to talk to are vital to their wellbeing.

“Through Live Well, we are ensuring that every young person, regardless of their background, can get the help they need to thrive. Wellbeing is everybody’s business, and Greater �鶹��ý is leading the way in putting young people at the heart of this mission.”

Physical activity among girls also remains a concern with the trend continuing from previous years, with just one in four girls meeting the Chief Medical Officer’s guideline of one hour of activity per day.

Young people raised concerns about the sports offered in PE, gendered PE kits that make participation uncomfortable, and a lack of access to free and enjoyable activities in the community.

Live Well will work alongside GM Moving, local councils, and community partners to address these challenges, removing barriers to participation and increasing opportunities for young people to stay active.

Hayley Lever, CEO of Greater �鶹��ý (GM) Moving said:

“Movement, physical activity, and sport is fundamental to young people’s mental wellbeing.

“The #BeeWell findings highlight the urgent need to accelerate our collective efforts to make physical activity more accessible, inclusive, and enjoyable for all young people.

“I’m so proud of #FeelGoodYourWay and how it shines a light on how movement, physical activity, and sport is changing young lives for the better.

“The right opportunities to move can transform a young person’s life.”

The survey also identified that while 60% of young people feel like they belong at school, the report found lower levels of school belonging reported among girls and LGBTQ+ young people. It also showed lower scores for Year 10 pupils in metrics including sense of school belonging and feeling hope and optimism, when compared to Year 7s.

This drop-off in wellbeing and hope has been a large driver in the development of the Greater �鶹��ý Baccalaureate (MBacc) which launched this year. The MBacc is transforming technical education in our city-region, supporting all our young people to fulfil their potential and help give them hope for the future.

This year’s survey introduced new measures on access to trusted adults, revealing that while 75% of young people say they have someone to talk to about their worries, boys are less likely to feel that they have someone to confide in than girls.

The #BeeWell Youth Steering believes that improving feelings of school belonging would have a positive impact on overall wellbeing, including increasing hope and optimism for the future.

Saint, from the #BeeWell Youth Steering Group, said:

“It is incredibly important that we run #BeeWell surveys so we can accurately determine where young people need more support.

“By analysing these key headlines, we can target the most significant factors impacting the mental wellbeing of young people and aim for improvements within those areas.

“Every young person should be given the opportunity to flourish and succeed and ensuring this not only provides an environment of safety and belonging for the individual, but will collectively help us progress into a more cohesive and compassionate society in the long run.”

The Live Well ambition aims to tackle these disparities head-on by ensuring every young person has somewhere to go and someone to talk to.

Councillor Mark Hunter, GMCA Portfolio Lead for Young People, said:

“Every young person in Greater �鶹��ý deserves access to great everyday support. The #BeeWell data provides us with the evidence we need to take action—whether that’s tackling inequalities in school belonging, increasing access to healthy food, or ensuring young people feel safe and supported in their communities.

“We want to bring services and communities together to make our vision for Greater �鶹��ý a reality, and we are committed to making a real difference to young people’s lives across our city region.”

In response to the findings, #BeeWell will work with Greater �鶹��ý’s ten local authorities to support the development of an action plan to improve young people’s wellbeing across the city-region.

An event will be held in the coming weeks bringing together young people, schools, and community partners to co-design a plan for action based on the #BeeWell insights.

Expert says ageing is 'an opportunity, not a problem to be managed'

Tue, 01 Apr 2025 11:37:09 +0100

Professor Tine Buffel called for society to reframe ageing as an opportunity during her plenary at the Age-Friendly Futures Summit held from 25 to 27 March in �鶹��ý. She emphasised the need to rethink ageing, not as a problem but as a shared opportunity to strengthen communities and create healthier, fairer and more sustainable cities through collective action.

At the Summit, MUARG played a key role in shaping the WHO European Strategy on Healthy Ageing. Led by Yongjie Yon, Head of the Ageing and Health Programme at WHO Europe, MUARG contributed insights and evidence through a series of roundtables, designed to inform the programme's strategic development.

Professor Tine Buffel, Director of the �鶹��ý Urban Ageing Research Group at �鶹��ý, said: “Deeds, not words. �鶹��ý has never waited for change – it has led it. As a pioneer in the age-friendly movement, the city and region have brought together research, policy, and communities to drive forward real progress in creating places where people can age well. The Age-Friendly Futures Summit is our moment to build on this legacy, push boundaries, and drive bold action for a fairer, more inclusive, and more connected future where people of all ages can thrive.”

MUARG, a leading research group comprising experts from the University of �鶹��ý and the �鶹��ý School of Architecture, has been instrumental in highlighting the growing social and spatial inequalities in ageing. In the UK, people living in the most deprived areas can expect to live up to 19 fewer healthy years than those in the most affluent localities.

�鶹��ý was recognised as a pioneering voice in the global age-friendly movement at the Age-Friendly Futures Summit this week. The Summit, delivered in partnership by the University of �鶹��ý, the Centre for Ageing Better, the World Health Organization, the Greater �鶹��ý Combined Authority and �鶹��ý Metropolitan University, was a landmark event that brought together researchers, policymakers, practitioners, architects and communities to share cutting-edge research, showcase effective interventions and set a global agenda for a more age-friendly world.

With the global population of people aged 60 and over predicted to reach 2.1 billion by 2050, the Age-Friendly Futures Summit called for urgent action to create a more equitable and age-friendly future. Population ageing and urbanisation are the defining demographic trends of our time, but urban planning still focuses on youth and families, rather than integrating the needs of all generations. In response, the WHO developed the Age-Friendly Cities initiative in 2007 and launched the Global Network of Age-Friendly Cities and Communities (AFCC) in 2010, which now covers over 1,700 cities and communities in 60 countries.

Building on this legacy, Greater �鶹��ý has since become the UK’s first age-friendly city region. Together, the city and region have worked to create environments where people of all ages can participate in community life and feel respected and included in social, cultural, and civic spaces.

At the Summit, various initiatives from Greater �鶹��ý were showcased, including the installation of age-friendly benches with backrests and arm supports to make public spaces more accessible. Architecture students collaborated with older residents to co-design public spaces that reflect their needs and aspirations. Cultural institutions hosted events, such as My Generation Club Nights, for people aged 50 and over, challenging ageist stereotypes. Underused spaces have been repurposed as community hubs, offering safe and welcoming spaces for older LGBTQ+ people and ethnically minoritised groups.

A key message from the Summit was the leading role older people play in shaping the age-friendly agenda, as active co-creators of research, policy, and practice. Initiatives such as MUARG’s Older People’s Forum and the Greater �鶹��ý Older People’s Network (GMOPN) enable older residents to act as co-researchers, shape research priorities, and influence local and regional decision-making. Elaine Unegbu, Chair of GMOPN, noted how older people’s voices have often been silenced and their contributions overlooked. These platforms challenge that, providing a space for older people to lead change, inform policy, and improve lives. The Summit highlighted such examples to encourage genuine co-production and long-term collaboration with communities and grassroots organisations.

Professor Stefan White, Professor of Architecture at MSA and member of MUARG, said, “The relationship between place, health inequality and ageing is a complex challenge which requires urgent critical attention. This Summit showcases globally significant research in Greater �鶹��ý, helping researchers, developers, housing providers, urban planners and public health departments from around the world to better understand and create age-friendly neighbourhoods and respond to the residential desires of older people.”

The Summit reinforced that tackling the inequalities that shape how we age, linked to place, gender, class, race, disability and migration, must be central to age-friendly work. MUARG's ongoing work is crucial in driving research and collaboration to improve the experience of ageing and to build fairer, more inclusive and connected cities for all.

Learn more about the �鶹��ý Urban Ageing Research Group’s work in building an age-friendly future by .

Five �鶹��ý experts become Academy of Social Sciences Fellows

Tue, 01 Apr 2025 11:14:30 +0100

An unprecedented five academics from �鶹��ý have been recognised as leading experts in their fields by being named as Fellows of the Academy of Social Sciences.

New Fellows are named in recognition of their excellence and impact, and their advancement of social sciences for the public good. Through leadership, research and policymaking, they have deepened understanding of major societal challenges. The Academy comprises over 1,400 Fellows, 46 societies and affiliates, forming a 90,000-strong network that cements the UK’s global leadership in social sciences.

Joining them is Professor Sherilyn MacGregor, a leading scholar in environmental politics who is internationally renowned for her expertise in ecological feminism and environmental justice. Her research connects sustainability and justice in policy and practice, working with organisations like Oxfam and grassroots activists. She has authored pioneering works, mentored early career scholars, and edited Environmental Politics since 2010. She has secured over £1 million in research funding and recently led an £8.5 million bid for the , where, as PI and director, she leads more than 30 researchers studying just transitions to net zero.

“It is a huge privilege to become a Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences, and I want to thank the colleagues responsible for my nomination,” said Sherilyn. “As we start building the JUST Centre, I am more committed than ever to demonstrating that the environmental social sciences play a vital role in leading the way out of the current so-called ‘polycrisis’. I will continue to do work that supports community struggles for eco-social justice, inspired by the countless mentors who have taught me the necessity and the rewards of engaged scholarship.”

Also named as a new Fellow is Professor Stefan Bouzarovski, who also co-leads a core working group of the JUST Centre as well as the . Honoured by the EU as an ‘Ordinary Hero’, Stefan is a leading expert on energy regulation, urban inequality and housing vulnerability who has influenced global climate policies as the University’s Associate Research Director for Impact. A key member of the and the , he has worked with the UN, UK Government, EU and World Bank. He co-founded the European Energy Poverty Observatory, and he has authored over 150 publications.

“I am incredibly honoured and humbled to have received this recognition, while also feeling deeply grateful to the Royal Geographical Society for their nomination,” said Stefan. “All academic work is collective, and this Fellowship is equally the result of multiple years of cooperation with numerous researchers and practitioners across the world. I hope to be able to extend and develop our shared work in the period to come, in working towards energy equity and social justice against the background of the unfolding climate crisis.”

Another new Fellow is deputy director of the JUST Centre Professor Matthew Paterson, a globally recognised expert in climate politics and environmental governance whose work explores the political economy of climate change, global environmental governance and sustainable transformations. Matthew has authored influential books and over 100 scholarly articles, shaping discourse on climate politics. He has led major international research projects funded by organisations such as the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) and the Leverhulme Trust, and he has engaged policymakers worldwide including as an author for the UN’s IPCC reports.

Also named as a Fellow is Professor Toni Haastrup, a leading expert in feminist international studies. Her work has explored contemporary Africa-EU relations, feminist foreign policy and the Women, Peace and Security agenda. With over 80 published works, her work seeks to bridge theory and practice, which has led to collaborations with UN agencies and EU institutions. Passionate about inclusion in the sector, Toni is currently chair of the . Her contribution to feminist knowledge in Europe was recognised with an Emma Goldman Award in 2022. She is also a mid-career fellow of the Independent Social Research Foundation.

“I am deeply honoured to be recognised by the Academy of Social Sciences,” Toni said. “This recognition further validates the importance of feminist perspectives within the humanities and social sciences, at a time we are increasingly seeing a backlash within and outside the academy. Yet, this work is essential to addressing some of the most pressing challenges of our time, and I am grateful to the colleagues and collaborators who have supported my work over the years.”

Our final new Fellow is Professor Sophie Woodward, a distinguished sociologist who carries out research into material culture, consumption and everyday life. Sophie is the author of several books including Why Women Wear What They Wear (2007), Blue Jeans: The Art of the Ordinary (2012), Birth and Death: experience, ethics and politics (2020) and Material Methods: Researching and Thinking with Things (2019) who co-directs the , as well as serving as Vice-Director of the National Centre for Research Methods (NCRM). She is also one of the founding editors of the new Journal of Creative Research methods.

“I am delighted to be made a Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences - it is wonderful to receive recognition like this,” said Sophie. “I look forward to working with other fellows at a time when the world needs social science methods, perspectives and critiques more than ever. I look forward to continuing to develop critical engagements with methods and the data they can generate and my research into everyday lives.”

“I’m delighted to welcome these outstanding social scientists to the Academy’s Fellowship, whose research and practice are helping to develop solutions to pressing societal issues,” said Will Hutton, President of the Academy. “We look forward to working with them to further promote the vital role the social sciences play in all areas of our lives.”

New ‘River Rescue Kit’ empowers campaigners to tackle sewage pollution

Mon, 17 Mar 2025 20:06:00 +0000

An expert from �鶹��ý has contributed to the ‘River Rescue Kit’, a groundbreaking online resource designed to empower communities to take action against the growing crisis of river pollution.

The kit - which provides expert guidance on how ordinary people can help to protect local waterways - has been launched by campaigning organisation River Action.

In a video filmed for the resource at the River Irk in Greater �鶹��ý, - who has been lauded for his pioneering research into river pollution - highlighted the devastating extent of sewage contamination in the region’s rivers, which he describes as often being ‘little better than open sewers.’ The video underscores the urgency of the problem and the critical role that local communities play in driving change.

In the clip, his analysis reveals how these pollutants degrade ecosystems, harm wildlife and pose serious risks to public health. He emphasises that while scientific research can expose the scale of the problem, real progress comes when communities unite and campaign for action.

The River Rescue Kit is designed to support individuals and grassroots organisations in holding polluters and policymakers accountable. It offers guidance on gathering water quality data, lobbying decision-makers and raising public awareness.

Professor Woodward highlights the impact of groups like Windrush Against Sewage Pollution (WASP), whose campaigning efforts have brought national attention to the issue and helped shift public and political discourse. “Community activism works,” he said. “We need more people to step up, challenge the status quo, and demand urgent action to clean up our rivers.”

River Action and Professor Woodward urge the public to engage with the River Rescue Kit and join the fight against river pollution. By equipping communities with specialist knowledge and tools, this initiative aims to drive meaningful change and restore the UK’s rivers to health.

For more information and to access the River Rescue Kit, visit .

New research centre for the North of England aims for a sustainable future

Fri, 14 Mar 2025 16:25:14 +0000

A new research centre led by �鶹��ý has been launched which aims to promote socially just, people-centred sustainability transformations by collaborating with communities, governments and businesses to develop low-carbon living initiatives.

The People’s History Museum hosted the launch of the , which featured a discussion on creating a sustainable and fair future in the UK through a place-based strategy that tackles political and social obstacles to reaching net zero.

The University’s Vice-President for Social Responsibility, Professor Nalin Thakkar, opened the event, during which researchers, policymakers and community leaders gathered to discuss effective strategies for low-carbon living (LCL).

The ESRC-funded centre brings together leading academic institutions across Northern England including the Universities of �鶹��ý, Lancaster, Leeds, Liverpool, and Newcastle, and The Institute for Community Studies at The Young Foundation.

With the UK’s target to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 and the recent seventh carbon budget announcement by the UK’s Climate Change Committee (CCC), attention now shifts to ensuring a just transition. This means sharing the benefits of net zero and the green economy fairly across UK regions and households. Achieving net-zero emissions is essential, but if the results widen inequality or cause some local areas to stagnate while others thrive, the UK will have missed the chance to create equal opportunities for all households, claims the Centre.

The JUST Centre is dedicated to exploring innovative, coordinated strategies to achieve a just transition, emphasising the need to tailor solutions to each location and individual's unique needs and circumstances.

The Young Foundation’s 2022 study revealed that while 97% of the UK population wanted to participate in achieving net zero, 64% lacked confidence in the government's ability to deliver without leaving people behind. In response, Sherilyn MacGregor, Director of the JUST Centre; Mat Paterson, Deputy Director; and Emily Morrison, the Centre’s Impact Lead at the Institute for Community Studies, joined representatives from various community initiatives across the UK. Together, they showcased diverse approaches to mobilising local communities towards decarbonisation.

Fuel poverty was at the forefront of the discussion, with those experiencing it being most likely to lose out if there is not a just transition to green, clean energy, following the initial presentation from Rossendale Valley Energy. This community-led renewable energy group aims to bring residents warmer and healthier homes at no extra cost. The group recently received the Energy Innovation Award 2024 for its Net Zero Terrace Streets project, which aims to decarbonise terraced houses using insulation, ground-source heat pumps, and solar panels. If successful, the project could make the energy system greener and more affordable in Rossendale Valley.

Guests also heard from the Climate Sisters project by the Women’s Environmental Network. Working with women’s groups in the London boroughs of Tower Hamlets and Hackney, the initiative empowers racialised and marginalised women to use their voices to explore climate justice through a 12-week Feminist Climate Leadership programme. The programme not only provides an opportunity to join the important debate but also contributes ideas and solutions to climate change, ensuring that all community voices are heard when shifting to LCL.

Another community initiative, Project Collette from the Green Finance Community Hub, aims to make energy ownership accessible to everyone. As the UK’s first large-scale, part-community-owned offshore wind farm, Project Collette has identified that communities face even greater barriers when competing with businesses for renewable energy projects. Located on Cumbria’s coast, known as ‘Britain’s Energy Coast’, this project seeks to power a million homes yearly with a proposed 1.2GW of offshore wind. It strives to radically rethink community involvement in offshore wind by enabling communities to become part-owners and investors in the wind farm.

Additionally, guests heard about E.ON’s ‘Homes for Living’ scheme. The programme is an extension of E.ON’s existing offer of free or partially funded home solutions. The three-year scheme has helped make homes more energy-efficient and inclusive for vulnerable populations. By providing energy-efficient home upgrades and mobility aids to older people living independently, the scheme has helped reduce energy consumption while improving residents' physical and mental health.

In their remarks, the JUST team emphasised the importance of taking a place-based approach to addressing political and social barriers to achieving net zero by 2050. With £8.5 million invested by the ESRC over the next five years, the centre will develop new ways of generating evidence about what works where, why, and for whom in sustainable living, enabling meaningful conversations between communities and decision-makers.

Professor Sherilyn MacGregor, JUST Centre Director and Principal Investigator, comments: “There are many challenges facing the UK on the road to net zero, and it is a challenging time for this kind of work. We know a lot about the dangers of not accelerating the transition, and we do have the technological know-how to get it done."

For more information about the centre, please visit

Kisii County ambulance services development

Tue, 11 Mar 2025 09:31:26 +0000

Overview of the Ambulance Service

At the heart of Kisii County’s emergency care system is its dedicated ambulance service, owned and operated by the Kisii County Ministry of Health. Currently, the county aspires to have 10 ambulances and 35 ambulance officers. While most of these personnel hold a basic first aid certificate, formal ambulance care training has been limited.

To enhance emergency response capabilities, the Humanitarian and Conflict Response Institute (HCRI) is launching a professionalisation programme. This initiative includes two cycles of a Kisii University-certified 4-week ambulance officer training course, modelled after the UK ambulance service Miller programme. The training aims to equip both existing personnel and new recruits with essential emergency medical skills, increasing the ambulance cadre to 48 trained personnel.

Launch of the First Training Programme

We are excited to announce that the first ambulance officer training programme in Kisii County has officially begun! This initiative is made possible through collaboration with volunteers from the North West Ambulance Service (NWAS) in England, who are on-site to support the training efforts.

The first cohort of 27 students have started their 4-week training, with hands-on instruction led by Prof. Walter and NWAS trainers. The training team is expanding, with additional colleagues arriving to further enhance the programme’s practical sessions.

Government and International Support

Kisii County government has taken ownership of the programme by covering in-country costs for the team. Dr Kinane, Economic Advisor to Governor HE Simba Arati, has expressed strong support for the initiative, emphasising the County’s commitment to improving emergency medical services.

Furthermore, global health organisations are engaging with this initiative. The World Health Organisation (WHO) and the African Federation of Emergency Medicine (AFEM) are actively involved, with the WHO Basic Emergency Care Course integrated into Week 3 of training. AFEM is also working toward accrediting the programme.

Looking Ahead: Future Development Plans

The training programme is set to run until 14 March 2025, with the Governor of Kisii County expected to personally award certificates of completion.

In parallel, discussions are underway to implement a formal dispatch and ambulance tracking system, along with a mobile-based electronic patient record system. NWAS representatives and UK-based companies are exploring philanthropic support to build and sustain these critical emergency response tools. The aim is to develop and roll out these systems within the next 18 months to 2 years, significantly improving emergency care coordination in Kisii County.

Conclusion

This initiative marks a significant step toward professionalising Kisii County’s ambulance services and strengthening emergency medical response for the community. With strong local and international partnerships, this programme is laying the foundation for a responsive emergency care system.

Kinship carers struggling to cope despite £4.3 billion value they add to society

Thu, 27 Feb 2025 15:31:31 +0000

Dr , Lecturer in Sociology, is one of the authors of '', a new report on the huge and often under-recognised contribution made to society by kinship carers, who look after children who would often otherwise be in the care system.

The team estimate that over 132,000 children live in kinship care in England. Kinship carers contribute an estimated £4.3 billion a year to society. But unlike foster carers and adoptive parents, most have few rights to financial, practical and emotional support, and taking on the care of a child they love often pushes them into poverty, unemployment and ill health.

The report is produced by at University of Sheffield in partnership with Kinship. It is written by Maria Petrillo, Jingwen Zhang, Becky Driscoll, and Nathan Hughes.

New Head of School of Environment, Education and Development appointed

Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:53:39 +0000

, who is Professor of International Development, Global Development Institute (GDI), will take up the Head of School role on 1 August 2025. He will take over from interim Head of School, .

Khalid has previously held positions as Managing Director of the GDI, and Director of Research in the School.

Professor Fiona Devine, Vice-President and Dean of the Faculty of Humanities, said:

Khalid said:

methods@manchester and UoM staff visit the Data Visualisation Observatory (DVO)

Thu, 13 Feb 2025 16:12:57 +0000

This session was organised to give colleagues a feel for the DVO itself and the kinds of projects and opportunities it offers.

It was led by and Laura Pemberton.

Qudamah is a research fellow within AMBS and works directly supporting the observatory, developing the data visualisations for ongoing projects.
Laura is an AMBS postgraduate researcher and has worked on a number of projects that have used the lab, including her PhD research.

So what is the DVO?

It’s a 3D, large-scale visualisation facility with 72 full HD screens. As such, there are opportunities for immersive data analytics and social network analysis, the building of digital twins, experiments and tracking studies, the list goes on…

We were treated to a number of examples of what can be done. These included:

A scenario based experiment: You are travelling to an airport, there is a public transport strike and you are offered the choice of an AI-driven or traditional person-driven taxi. Which would you choose?
How do various changes to this scenario such as the cost of the two options, the brand of the AI-driven car impact your choice? (e.g. are Volvos considered safer?)
A simulation to mimic the use of new technologies: Laura Pemberton’s PhD work concerns the potential of robots to assist elderly people in their homes.
Attitudes to different robot types ranging from ‘Ziggy’, with its futuristic design, to ‘Kitty’, a cute cat-like prototype, are measured through head tracking and other data capture methods (and yes there were a few involuntary “awws” at the cat!)
You can read more about Laura’s work in the .

Attendees came from across the University, including nursing, architecture, anthropology, geography, music, physic and astronomy, dentistry and politics. And with them came a rich diversity of ideas and questions.

Laura reflects:

If you’d like to find out more about the DVO, you can find out more on the DVO website, or if you have an idea you’d like to discuss please contact Qudamah directly at datavisualisationobservatory@manchester.ac.uk.

Our next staff training session is focused on Creative AI methods see the for more details and registration.

If you have ideas for research methods sessions you would like to see offered or that you would like to lead, please let us know.

To find out more about methods@manchester and connect with us visit our or email methods@manchester.ac.uk.

The 2025 Methods Fair

Thu, 06 Feb 2025 16:26:17 +0000

Last year, over one-hundred researchers presented work, engaged in discussion, attended work shops and connected with others from UoM, universities in the wider North West region and further afield. Read about last year’s event.

Our theme for this year is Research Methods in the Digital Age: Addressing Challenges, Realising Opportunities.

However, we welcome submissions from researchers who work across the diversity of fields engaged in Humanities and Social Science methods and approaches. Attendees and contributors can be at any point in their development as researchers (e.g. whether in their first year of a PhD programme or established scholars).

Whether you opt to present a lightning talk or poster or want to attend to simply immerse yourself in the day, you can find out more details and information about how to submit on the .

To find out more about methods@manchester and connect with us visit our or email methods@manchester.ac.uk.

Mitchell Online – the new methods@manchester Spring School offering

Mon, 27 Jan 2025 17:10:00 +0000

Mitchell Online is brought to you by our friends at the , the leading cross-disciplinary research group in the development and application of social network analysis (SNA) techniques, located in the School of Social Sciences at the University of �鶹��ý.

As Mitchell Online is designed with the beginner in mind, it will cover core concepts, methods and data analysis techniques of SNA. It will be hands-on and largely based around the use of the UCINET software package, giving participants experience in analysing real social network data.

**There is no prior knowledge of SNA or quantitative methods required**

Perhaps you have colleagues and friends who would benefit from this online course?

While attendees can attend from anywhere, it could particularly benefit those living overseas who find it difficult to benefit from the expertise at our regular in-person methods@manchester summer school courses.

All information can be found . But don’t delay as registration closes on Monday, 17 February and the Spring School sessions are spread over three weeks (3-17 March 2025) to maximise learning opportunities and flexibility.

To find out more about and connect with us, visit our or email methods@manchester.ac.uk.

Baroque Opera as a tool for peace: An evening with international theatre director Peter Sellars

Thu, 16 Jan 2025 12:10:28 +0000

Taking place at the on Tuesday, 4 February, Peter will deliver a lecture titled ‘How to End a War: The Living and the Dead Working Together in Baroque Opera’.&�Բ��;

As the latest academic to deliver one of these inspiring lectures, Peter will use his talk to delve into the compelling world of Baroque opera, exploring its historical significance in promoting equality and reconciliation.

Having garnered international recognition for his advocacy of 20th century and contemporary music, Peter is a distinguished professor currently teaching in the Department of World Arts and Cultures at UCLA. He has received numerous prestigious awards for contributions to European culture, including the MacArthur Fellowship and the Erasmus Prize.

Peter’s visit to �鶹��ý follows the launch of a major new partnership between the English National Opera (ENO) and Greater �鶹��ý. The organisation’s exciting relocation project will see the development of longer-term strategic partnerships with venues and organisations across Greater �鶹��ý, all working to create operatic experiences for communities and raise the curtain to the opera-makers of tomorrow.

Professor Maggie Gale, Vice-Dean for Research at the University of �鶹��ý’s Faculty of Humanities, said:

Following the lecture, Peter will be joined by distinguished academic, critic and curator Professor Maria Delgado, who will discuss his illustrious career and current interests. Professor Delgado is the Vice Principal at the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama, University of London. Her extensive work across Spanish-language theatre, film and cultural memory has garnered her numerous accolades, including the ATHE Lifetime Achievement Award in Academic Theatre and the Cross of the Order of Alfonso X the Wise for her services to culture and education.

Reserve your spot on .

The Post Office: an emblem of the UK’s relationship with the state, sliding into dystopia

Wed, 15 Jan 2025 15:07:52 +0000

Written by

The Horizon scandal, which led to the wrongful prosecution of hundreds of subpostmasters, has severely dented the public’s perception of the Post Office as an institution. Against this backdrop, across the Post Office network.

These further cuts to a system already struggling can only do further harm to the sense that well-resourced public services could and should play a central role in everyday life.

In my , I spoke to people about their thoughts on the Post Office and their ideas about the future of society more generally. One interviewee relished their trips to �鶹��ý’s now-closed crown post office at Spring Gardens and described it, with only a little irony, as “the cathedral of post”.

They loved the way it revealed something of the workings of a larger, complex and world-spanning system of communication. They also liked to daydream about how it would be to live in a society oriented towards a more community-focused, village-like way of life.

My work looks at these speculative dimensions of social life – the way hopes, dreams and desires for other ways of living are expressed by people now. These speculative dimensions have a political significance – they tell us something about the forms of social organisation people yearn for, and what frustrates them about our current way of living. Understanding how public infrastructures influence these frustrations and desires is a key focus of my research.

The infrastructures which facilitate social life also send signals to us about how society is organised, what’s valued and powerful within it, and what seems likely to be valued in the future. They help structure our ideas about what society is and what it could be like.

In the case of the Post Office, the Horizon scandal demonstrates how the consequences can be severe and dystopian when something malfunctions within a key institution of this kind.

Historically, the Post Office played a key role in developing infrastructures of modern life that came to be cherished. Key among these, as historian has noted, is routine engagement with paid officials of the state, through Post Office staff and postal delivery workers, or “posties”.

Speaking to Post Office workers and posties has long been among the most positively regarded interactions that an ordinary person routinely has with state infrastructures. Local post offices and posties have represented valued senses of local knowledge, community overwatch and benevolent officialdom.

Crown post offices (the larger branches in the network), often inhabiting a significant spot in a town or city centre, have done their bit too, contributing a sense of civic importance to a place, alongside libraries and town halls. They have provided access to a professional, knowledgeable human interface between a complex system of multiple state services, and those who rely on them.

But our positive engagements with this state system have been placed under decades of increasing strain. Privatisation has flowed from a creeping rejection of the idea that publicly owned public services could ever function beautifully. This, in turn, has left the services we need on a daily basis under-resourced.

The condition of crown post offices has reflected this. Their interiors often emanate a stark sense of minimal upkeep and only grudging repair. Already, many crown post offices have been closed. Where their services have not fully disappeared, they have been precariously relegated to space in retailers such as WH Smiths.

Meanwhile, the way we communicate, shop and socialise has been altering dramatically. Digital communication technology is impressing itself ever further into our social lives. Technology has deeply embedded associations with the future, but with this also comes a sense of unavoidability. The way AI is spoken about, as something set to bring inevitable and consequential transformations of our lives – whether we like it or not – is a case in point.

Both of these things – the neglect of physical places where we interact with state services and the increasing technologisation of social life – contribute to a growing sense of anachronism about places like the post office. The idea that a public service might attend to the public good in a well-appointed, pleasant, urban public setting feels, for no good reason, like a relic of the past.

All this affects the ways we imagine social futures. It brings a false air of inevitability to the loss of things people still need and care deeply about.

When talking with users of post offices for my research, there was a simultaneous sense among them that posties and post offices contributed vital resources to everyday life, and that technology meant these things were not likely to survive much further into the future. This was often regarded as something to be accepted, even as it was acknowledged that what was going to be lost was something important and irreplaceable.

But such losses are not inevitable. They are a political choice built on two key failures – failure to challenge the idea that well-funded, publicly owned and run public services are unaffordable, and failure to envisage ways of organising public services in the digital age, such that they retain the vital material contributions they make to places.

Further losses to the crown post office network would represent a sad and, I believe, unnecessary extension of these failures.

, Research Assistant, School of Social Sciences, University of �鶹��ý

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