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 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
Thomas Swann, author of 'Anarchist Cybernetics', discusses what social media used to be like for activists, how that has changed and why we need to take back control of our technology.…Read more
Keith Dowding talks through the arguments in his book, It's the Government, Stupid, including looking at individualism, choice, and how governments have passed blame and responsibility onto citizens during COVID-19.…Read more