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.
Susan Halford, BSA president, explores the sociological dimensions of the COVID-19 crisis that are becoming increasingly apparent.…Read more
Katie Phillips, John S. Lee, Mark Casson and Catherine Casson, authors of 'Compassionate Capitalism', show how entrepreneurs in medieval Cambridge were practising social responsibility, offering lessons we can learn in relation to contemporary challenges.…Read more
Rebecca Tomlinson, Commissioning Editor for Criminology at Bristol University Press, highlights key titles that contribute to the research on the environment and green criminology.…Read more
Vulnerability is strongly influenced by the social context that people live in. Gottfried Schweiger, one of the editors of 'Absolute Poverty in Europe', shows how this is becoming more evident with the COVID-19 pandemic as people affected by poverty, exclusion and other disadvantages are facing additional challenges and becoming victims more than most.…Read more
Trust was heavily eroded during the long period of austerity that followed the global financial crisis and we cannot afford to make the same mistake again. Sam Wren-Lewis, author 'The Happiness Problem', explains why trust is so important in times of uncertainty.…Read more
How we as societies respond to the challenges and opportunities arising from the global crisis of coronavirus could lead to fundamental changes in the social contracts across these societies. Jonathan Wistow shows how this is an opportunity to reassess the kind of deal we have with the state and other interests and influences. …Read more
Rebecca Willis is the author of 'Too Hot to Handle? The Democratic Challenge of Climate Change' - out today. Here she explains that, despite these uncertain times, we should have faith in people to understand, accept and play their part in responding to crises, both immediate, acute health threats like COVID-19, and the slow-burn of the climate crisis.…Read more
Themrise Khan, an independent researcher and analyst in international development policy, gender and global migration, examines the emerging divide between women’s rights movements in countries of the Global North and the Global South.…Read more
Gary Craig, co-editor of 'The Modern Slavery Agenda: Policy, Politics and Practice' looks at the extent of modern slavery, who is affected and what needs to be done. …Read more
Alisoun Milne, author of 'Mental Health in Later Life' argues that we need to challenge ‘the usual culprits’ when thinking about the causes of mental ill health amongst older people. Age related losses undermine mental health, but lifecourse and structural risks play a significant role too.…Read more