Policy@Manchester Articles

Universal access to sanitation requires a revolution in understanding

By Diana Mitlin Filed Under: All posts, Featured Posted: September 22, 2015

In the latest in our series on the negotiations in New York over Sustainable Development Goals, Diana Mitlin says that sanitation should be a priority. Goal 6 of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) makes a clear commitment to universal access to sanitation: Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all. This wording may have […]

Should interest rates go up? The fallacy of ‘other things being equal’

By Omar Ghulam Filed Under: All posts, Featured Posted: September 18, 2015

With expectations of the Bank of England raising interest rates growing with each passing month, Omar Ghulam warns that such a course of action may have other consequences. The central banking bible holds that thou shalt raise rates when the economy overheats, or lower rates when the economy cools ‘other things being equal’. What if […]

Business as usual on migration and climate change will not produce sustainable development

By Uma Kothari Filed Under: All posts Posted: September 16, 2015

Professor Uma Kothari explores what may happen with development and migration as climate change begins to have an impact. The impacts of climate change are likely to be severe. Extreme weather events, heat stress, rising sea levels, infections and disease are just some potential results, which will hit poor and vulnerable populations in developing countries […]

The Life and Death of Zero Carbon Housing Policy

By Andrew Karvonen Filed Under: All posts, Featured, Urban Posted: September 15, 2015

Last month the UK government announced that it was abandoning its 2016 commitment to require all new housing in England and Wales to be zero carbon. Here Andrew Karvonen looks at the possible impact of that decision. In ‘Fixing the Foundations: Creating a More Prosperous Nation’, Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne cited the zero carbon […]

Forget the aid obsession: development needs redistribution through fiscal policy

By Armando Barrientos Filed Under: All posts, Featured Posted: September 14, 2015

In the second of our series on the United Nations negotiations over Sustainable Development Goals, to be held in New York later this month, Armando Barrientos says new thinking is required. Perhaps the greatest failing of the Millennium Development Goals was their focus on aid as the main financing tool for development. This ‘cosmopolitan’ perspective has […]

It Started With A Blog!

By HumWebTeam Filed Under: All posts Posted: September 11, 2015

Alex Waddington reflects on how a case for the benefits of blogging at The University of Manchester is gradually being made – with one big and very notable success story. When Manchester Policy Blogs first launched in 2013, me and Prof Colin Talbot wrote an introductory post which reflected that although our University “carr[ies] out […]

Another Assisted Dying Bill is before the Commons: How many safeguards are enough?

By Iain Brassington Filed Under: All posts, Featured Posted: September 11, 2015

As the Assisted Dying Bill is due to be discussed in the Commons today, Ian Brassington asks if we are taking the right approach. When Rob Marris’ Assisted Dying Bill is discussed in the Commons, it will be the latest in a number of attempts to make some form of assistance in dying legal in […]

Can routine hospital care after self-harm save lives?

By Sarah Steeg and Dr Pauline Turnbull Filed Under: All posts, Featured Posted: September 10, 2015

A new study has shown just how high the risks of suicide and all-cause death can be for patients who have self-harmed. Here Sarah Steeg and Pauline Turnbull, joint authors of the study, explain that it is not all bad news. Using real-world data on people who go to hospital emergency departments following self-harm, we […]

Are the Sustainable Development Goals the world’s biggest promise…. or the world’s biggest lie?

By David Hulme Filed Under: All posts, Featured Posted: September 9, 2015

In New York the finishing touches are being made to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) which are due to replace the UN Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). Here David Hulme explores what they might mean. With 17 goals, 167 targets and perhaps more than 1,000 indicators those finishing touches remain a large task. The idea behind […]

Seeking affair. Must be available, resilient, safe, reliable, and secure

By Daniel Dresner Filed Under: All posts Posted: September 8, 2015

Daniel Dresner explores the fallout from the Ashley Maddison hack. Whether or not the Ashley Madison incident is a technical hack or the work of an insider with too much access and an axe to grind, web site hacks are a daily occurrence. In fact we are probably becoming desensitised to the main gist of […]