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.
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
The Global Agenda for Social Justice has been produced by Policy Press since 2016 in collaboration with the Society for the Study of Social Problems (SSSP). This article discusses how the publication aims to highlight the social problems faced across the Global North and Global South, with the aim of improving public policy and encouraging contributions from younger voices who share these goals. …Read more
Louise Ashley argues that diversity initiatives that promise to address inequalities in the workforce have no impact on the highest earners in London, such as lawyers and bankers.…Read more
Imogen Richards highlights how pandemic health policies and political rhetoric which blamed disenfranchised people for the spread of COVID-19 encouraged far-right conspiratorial narratives about the origins of the disease.…Read more
This policy briefing covers key messages and policy recommendations, including the need to consider public health aspects in planning decisions and the power of combining legislative and policy directives with the voluntary commitment of developers to create sustainable and healthy places.…Read more
This paper from Families, Relationships and Societies, considers how research on families living in poverty, specifically those in Israel during the Covid-19 pandemic, is often at risk of objectifying the poor or blaming them for their circumstances. …Read more
Frances Howard puts forward a powerful case for the value of youth arts programs, whilst acknowledging the inequalities and social issues that can take place within them. …Read more