Policy@Manchester Articles

Employment targets for ethnic minorities will not reduce racial inequalities

By Omar Khan Filed Under: All posts, Ethnicity, Featured, Westminster Watch Posted: June 19, 2015

Omar Khan, Director of the Runnymede Trust, assesses the prospects for ethnic minorities under the new Conservative Government. The Prime Minister David Cameron’s commitments during the 2015 campaign will continue rather than reduce racial inequalities in the labour market. His underwhelming targets suggest we need better evidence, proper legislative scrutiny and public debate to make democracy […]

Migration and public health

By Matteo Dembech Filed Under: All posts, Featured Posted: June 18, 2015

Matteo Dembech of the World Health Organisation (WHO) blogs on how WHO is working to improve the health of migrants, including those trying to cross the Mediterranean this summer and how Governments in the EU can help. Seventy-three million migrants are estimated to live in the WHO European Region. Since 2011, particularly those countries closest […]

Framing DevoManc

By David Walker Filed Under: Devo, Featured, Westminster Watch Posted: June 17, 2015

Just how good a deal is DevoManc? David Walker expresses scepticism. Here are two ways of framing DevoManc. The first is (somewhat breathless) localist enthusiasm. A principal city-region is being offered new power to shape spending and services in health and social care, infrastructure and transport. As important as substance is the theatre: a group […]

Peace prospects for Cyprus

By Fadil Ersozer and Mustafa Cirakli Filed Under: All posts, Europe Posted: June 16, 2015

Mustafa Cirakli and Fadil Ersozer look at the latest developments in Cyprus, after one of the main players in negotiations gave a lecture in Manchester. The decades-old reunification talks between Greek and Turkish Cypriots, which resumed in February last year, were unilaterally suspended by the Greek Cypriot side in October last year after an alleged violation […]

Tackling exclusion in informal urban communities

By Jessica Roccard Filed Under: Featured, Urban Posted: June 15, 2015

Across much of the global South, urban centres are expanding as new informal suburbs are created. Those informal communities generate challenges for both their own populations and the authorities, explains Dr Jessica Roccard. Urbanisation was one of the most substantial and revolutionary social forces of the 20th Century. It continues to transform the global South. […]

Privacy vs Security

By Steve Furber Filed Under: All posts, Europe, Featured Posted: June 12, 2015

As data protection becomes a hot topic again with the publication of the ‘A Question of Trust‘ report, Professor Steve Furber asks if we should be worried. I have always assumed that government security agencies – GCHQ, NSA, etc – can snoop on what they like, when they like, and that this is in the interests […]

Ethnic diversity and UK PLC

By Ken Clark Filed Under: Ethnicity, Featured Posted: June 11, 2015

The top UK firms need more leadership from government to close the ethnic diversity gap, argues Ken Clark. Ethnic disadvantage in the labour market has been well documented in recent years. In the UK, as in many other countries, some non-white groups face restricted access to employment and suffer lower wages when in jobs. These […]

The role of ethnicity in university admissions

By Steven Jones Filed Under: Ethnicity, Featured Posted: June 10, 2015

Your likelihood of being offered a place at a Russell Group university may be related to your ethnicity, explains Steven Jones. Here is an excerpt from a UCAS personal statement written recently by an applicant to a Russell Group university: “There are various times where I have been a team member such as in hockey, […]

Can parenting training reduce death rates?

By Anilena Mejia Filed Under: Featured Posted: June 8, 2015

Violent crime, particularly related to drug trafficking, is one of the world’s major causes of death. Anilena Mejia suggests parenting training may be effective in reducing crime and violence. Crime is the main cause of death in many countries. In Guatemala City, it is estimated that 116 people in every 100,000 are murdered each year. […]

Misleading reporting is damaging scientific research

By Oscar Flórez-Vargas and Michael Bramhall Filed Under: Featured, Science and Technology Posted: June 5, 2015

It is essential that scientific research findings can be reproduced independently. But, warn Oscar Flórez-Vargas and Michael Bramhall, this is often not possible. The potential for the development of new treatments for diseases is being damaged by scientific research papers that are providing insufficient, and sometimes misleading, information. The incidence of these reporting weaknesses is […]