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.
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
Tracy Shildrick reviews 'The Richer, The Poorer How Britain Enriched the Few and Failed the Poor. A 200-Year History' by Stewart Lansley, a book that examines how Britain’s most powerful elites have enriched themselves at the expense of surging inequality, mass poverty and weakened social resilience.…Read more
In our ‘Future of Democracy’ webinar on 29 September, Marcial Bragadini Boo and Geoff Mulgan will discuss their recent publications and share their different approaches to democracy. Find out more about the event in this article.…Read more
Despite the so-called ‘landmark legislation’ of the Modern Slavery Act, there are significant shortfalls affecting the most vulnerable victims of human trafficking. Alexandra Williams-Woods examines how the Modern Slavery Act has failed to safeguard victims.…Read more
What does a feminist peace look like? In this new article, Sarah Smith and Keina Yoshida outline the approach of their new book ‘Feminist Conversations on Peace’.…Read more