Global social challenges
There are multiple interlocking crises currently gripping the planet. Significant threats and dangers lie ahead of us, but so do opportunities, as new ways of being, thinking, and doing emerge.
This stream of Transforming Society is a space for exploring the complexities of the global social challenges across disciplines and fields. It seeks to build and share the knowledge needed to shape a fairer world, across and for the global south and north, hoping to foster dialogue between academics, practitioners, policy makers and the wider public.
Gordon Pearson looks at the challenges facing Rishi Sunak and suggests that the emphasis his cabinet places on measuring growth by GDP neglects the moral and environmental realities in society and could lead to various humanitarian failures.…Read more
Chris Ogden, author of 'The Authoritarian Century', speaks to Becky Taylor about China's rise and whether this signals the demise of Western democracy.…Read more
Richard Humphries addresses the current failures of the adult social care system in the United Kingdom. The government's focus on social and economic progress and its unwillingness to invest in social care reform has resulted in policy neglect, unmanageable waiting lists, and a crisis within the care system. …Read more
Ahmed Badawi Mustapha examines the area of 'digital poverty' in Sub-Saharan Africa and the impact this has on productivity and social wellbeing. COVID-19 has further exposed the problem and led to an increase in social problems. …Read more
For this year’s Open Access week, we have created a reading list of Open Access books and journal articles that explore different areas of climate change with the aim of furthering important conversations. …Read more
The general consensus that climate change is the consequence of capitalism often ignores the history of colonialism that underpins our society. While important conversations surrounding the relationship between colonialism and climate change are starting to take place, a deeper understanding is required if we hope to address the complexities of climate change in the context of colonial histories.…Read more
In keeping with the themes of this year's 'International Eradication of Poverty Day', Anna Tarrant considers the impact of poverty on fathers and looks at the ways society can support fatherhood and challenge negative stereotypes. …Read more
This year, Bristol University Press is supporting FareShare South West, which is a charity that tackles food poverty and food waste. To align with World Food Day, Claire Allen, Communications Manager at FareShare, discusses how the public can support them in their mission to reduce hunger and inequality.…Read more
With pension ages rising, people are having to work longer and many workers need to change their jobs later in life. David Lain examines the difficulties surrounding these 'job transitions' and suggests that they often don't provide the freedom or support they claim. …Read more
Özlem Altiok discusses the ubiquitous nature of gender-based violence in Iran and throughout the world. The recent protests in Iran, following the death of Mahsa Amini, highlight both the global oppression women face and the political suppression that operates to conceal the abuse of marginalised groups in society. …Read more