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.

Launching the new Rapid Response title ‘COVID-19 in the Global South’ - available to download free Open Access - Pádraig Carmody, Gerry McCann, Clodagh Colleran and Ciara O’Halloran explore some of the key issues that have arisen in the Global South with the COVID-19 pandemic.…Read more

Philippe Bihouix outlines how a low-tech alternative exists to our society hell-bent on extraction, production and consumption, and how we must reinvent our modes of production to build a more resilient, equitable and sustainable society.…Read more

Launching his new book ‘Cities and Communities beyond COVID-19’, Robin Hambleton calls for a harnessing of the response shown by local communities during the pandemic, in line with the theme of UN World Cities Day 2020.…Read more

Reporting on the research behind their new book 'Beer and Racism: How Beer Became White, Why It Matters, and the Movements to Change It', Nathaniel G. Chapman and David L. Brunsma join the new narrative challenging the entrenched whiteness of craft beer in the US.…Read more

Anna Wienhues, author of 'Ecological Justice and the Extinction Crisis' explains ecological justice, and asks, why does it matter today?…Read more

Matthew Flinders considers how populist politicians exploit our collective doubt and anguish in this age of anger and looks at how feelings trump facts.…Read more

Rob Kitchin and Alistair Fraser, authors of 'Slow Computing', look at how our use of digital devices leaves many of us feeling rushed and stressed, and discuss ways we can take back control of our use of tech and how it is used in relation to us. …Read more

Gordon Pearson, author of 'Remaking the Real Economy', explains how political economic decisions need to be based on real knowledge and understanding of how the three different layers of the economy work, to achieve the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals by 2030.…Read more

Gemma Carney and Paul Nash, authors of 'Critical Questions for Ageing Societies', discuss the role of ageism in explaining death tolls during the pandemic and how we can start to address age discrimination in health and social care.…Read more

Rebecca Tomlinson, our Commissioning Editor for Criminology, recommends books from our Criminology list on gendered violence and sex work.…Read more