Evidence makes it clear that exposure to adversity and stress has vast potential to negatively influence the trajectory of a person’s health and wellbeing throughout their life. In this blog, Professor Pamela Qualter and Dr Anna Sanders present the key findings of a Child of the North report, co-authored with colleagues from Newcastle, Bradford, Sheffield, […]
Child of the North: Schools and education
COVID-19 exposed the disadvantage suffered by children and young people in our most deprived areas, disproportionately in the north of England. In this blog, Professor Caroline Bond and Professor Pamela Qualter discuss how these problems, and the accumulating evidence, demand a policy response. This is an adaptation of an article they co-authored for the Child […]
Greater Manchester economy: response to crises
The coronavirus pandemic has shone a spotlight on the inequalities in our society. Those in comfortable jobs have largely been able to work remotely from home. Those in precarious sectors and occupations have lost the most, particularly in deprived communities. The tighter restrictions imposed on Greater Manchester since the easing of the first lockdown in […]
Levelling Up Education: what place-based education could look like
Earlier this year, the government published its much anticipated white paper, Levelling Up the United Kingdom, which outlined 12 interventions deemed necessary to tackle the regional inequalities that have grown in recent decades. In this blog, Dr Eric Lybeck argues that, at root, the government and its economists see this imbalance, not as the result […]
Digital platforms, COVID-19 and the reshaping of urban mobility
When COVID-19 struck, it caused unprecedented disruption to urban transport systems. Stay-at-home and social distancing orders had dramatic impacts on urban mobility. Cities around the world ground to a halt, and many saw a sudden and prolonged emptying out of urban centres. In this blog Dr Andy Lockhart, Prof Mike Hodson and Prof Andy McMeekin […]
The Child of the North: Building a fairer future after COVID-19
Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, growing evidence has shown the effects of the disease, and measures to contain it, have not been felt equally across the UK, with the North of England one of the hardest hit regions. Even before the pandemic, the North suffered from higher levels of poverty, poor health, and inequality compared to […]
The economic impact of COVID-19 on ethnic minorities in Manchester
Greater Manchester has seen some of the highest rates of COVID-19 and as a result has faced particularly stringent lockdown regulations. With Manchester being one of the most deprived local authorities in England, many neighbourhoods and communities were less resilient to the economic shock caused by the pandemic. In this blog, Dr Arkadiusz Wiśniowski, Senior […]
North West England: developing a regional roadmap for industrial bio-revolution
Escalating societal and political concerns over climate change have bolstered significant global focus on cutting carbon dioxide emissions. However, in a world still reeling from the effects of a global pandemic, development and implementation of effective resolution strategies are lacking. Profound change is needed to address damaging environmental, social, and economic repercussions of the current […]
Decarbonising transport: Inequality, joined-up action, and the risk of technological optimism
The Department for Transport (DfT) recently released their long-awaited Decarbonising Transport plan. In this blog, Dr Cristina Temenos and Dr Joe Blakey outline how its technologically-optimistic vision risks locking in high-carbon futures, overlooking transport inequalities, and opportunities for joined-up thinking and the precautionary principle. DfT’s Decarbonising Transport Plan makes some welcome proposals, but it is […]
The impact of COVID-19 on Rochdale’s Pakistani communities
The COVID-19 pandemic has brought to light increased health risks among groups labelled Black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME), exposing many stark inequalities. Lockdown measures are impacting all aspects of life, but differentially impacting students and families from disadvantaged areas. Here, Dr Sophina Choudry, Professor Erica Burman, Professor Julian Williams, Sidra Iftikhar and Dr Yasmeen […]