Social and Public Policy

Paul Atherton, a campaigning film-maker, playwright and artist who has been homeless since 2009, describes his experience of being homeless during the COVID-19 pandemic.…Read more

Jesper Ahlin Marceta, author of the Evidence & Policy article 'The Evidence-Based Policy Movement and Political Idealism', explores the concept of evidence-based policy and whether it's a valuable political ideal for the public policy making process.…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

Alison Shaw, Chief Executive of Bristol University Press and Policy Press, considers the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and how we can move beyond the catastrophe to improve lives and change societies for the better. …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

Billie JD Porter, a writer, filmmaker and broadcast journalist, features in Mary O’Hara’s new book, 'The Shame Game: Overturning the Toxic Poverty Narrative', out now. In this interview she looks at why we need to start talking about poverty and speaks to young people about how we can change the poverty narrative.…Read more

In the Influences and Consequences report, which is the conclusion of the ten-year Preventable Harm Project published by the Centre for Welfare Reform, Mo Stewart shows how US companies and right-wing ideology guaranteed the creation of the preventable harm of the UK disabled community who are unfit to work.…Read more

Mary O'Hara writes about her experience of failing the 11+ to show the importance of encouraging people to believe they are not destined for failure.…Read more

Author Kerry Hudson features in Mary O’Hara’s new book, 'The Shame Game: Overturning the Toxic Poverty Narrative' which is out next week. In this interview, originally published on Project Twist-It, she talks about why she writes about poverty and why telling stories matters…Read more