Expert insight, analysis and comment on key public policy issues
By Anita Greenhill Filed Under: Featured, Science and Technology, Whitehall Watch Posted:
The ‘darknet’ is being used by criminals and political dissidents to avoid surveillance. Anita Greenhill suggests ways that governments can tackle it. While most people use the internet’s legitimate channels to shop, search for items, or communicate with friends and family, there are some who hide in the internet’s cracks and shadows. These less known […]
By Rorden Wilkinson Filed Under: All posts Posted:
Reports that Russia is threatening to take the United States to the World Trade Organization (WTO) over sanctions imposed because of the Ukraine crisis throws the global trade body into a more geopolitical light than we have grown accustomed to in recent times. More commonly, the WTO is associated with what are rather wearisome disagreements […]
By Bethan Harries Filed Under: Ethnicity, Featured Posted:
Despite a long-established narrative of non-racism in Wales, the reality is that racism persists and has real consequences, writes Dr Bethan Harries. This awkward truth must be acknowledged if the country is to make real progress in redressing racism and inequalities. In March this year an All Wales Race Conference was held in Cardiff – the first such […]
By Joanne Swaffield Filed Under: Featured, Science and Technology Posted:
With millions of people facing food poverty, retailers are being criticised for choosing anaerobic digestion over redistribution. We should be thinking about the broader picture, argues Joanne Swaffield. One third of all food produced for consumption gets wasted – that is 1.3 billion tonnes annually. This waste occurs at all stages of the supply chain. […]
By Laura McLeod and Rachel Johnson Filed Under: Featured Posted:
The demand to include women in political negotiations is slowly becoming an international norm. To maximise the impact of inclusion, it is important to learn from women negotiators’ experiences to date, explain Dr Laura McLeod and Dr Rachel Johnson. There is widespread recognition that women need to be involved in negotiation processes – ranging from […]
Why do ethnic minorities still face discrimination in gaining employment?, asks Ken Clark. The issue of racial prejudice in British society has been in the news recently. Under the headline Racism on the rise in Britain, the Guardian reported on data from the British Social Attitudes Survey which showed that the proportion of respondents describing […]
By Rob Ford, Mark Pickup, Will Jennings and Christopher Wlezien Filed Under: Featured, Polling Observatory Posted:
As explained in the previous inaugural election forecast last month, up until May next year the Polling Observatory team will be producing a long term forecast for the 2015 General Election, using methods first applied ahead of the 2010 election (and which are also well-established in the United States). The method employed involves trying to make the […]
By Andrew Welfle Filed Under: Featured, Science and Technology Posted:
The UK could generate almost half its energy needs by 2050 from UK biomass sources, including household rubbish, agricultural residues and home-grown biofuels. Unless we plan and invest for this, we will waste a great opportunity, argues Andrew Welfle. As much as 44% of our total energy requirement could be met by the potential abundance of […]
As our population ages we need to be making much more effort to make our towns and cities more age-friendly, say Dr Tine Buffel and Sophie Handler. Study after study has shown that people want to stay in their own homes for as long as possible in later life. An attachment to a particular place […]
By Satnam Virdee Filed Under: Ethnicity, Featured Posted:
Recovering the hidden history of past anti-racism struggles can help inspire collective action today, explains Professor Satnam Virdee. What is so important about the 1970s when it comes to understanding racism and anti-racism in Britain? The American political scientist Ira Katznelson suggests that to understand social change one should focus on those ‘moments when system creating choices […]
