Social and Public Policy
Policy and decision makers all too often have little or no comprehension of the precarious nature of the lives of those in low-income, disadvantaged and left-behind communities. Tracey Herrington looks at how the Dole Animators project helped the voices of those directly affected by welfare reforms to be heard.…Read more
Ian Cummins, author of the forthcoming 'Welfare and Punishment', examines the recent calls to defund the police from a mental health perspective, and looks at why we need to develop models of mental health services that limit police involvement as far as possible.…Read more
Sarah Jane Brubaker and Brittany Keegan discuss the parallels between the causes of sexual harassment and other forms of oppression, such as racism and discrimination, and how recommendations for how to address these issues can be more widely applied.…Read more
Stewart Lansley, co-editor of 'It's Basic Income: The Global Debate', explains that it's time to end benefits sanctions and review the balance of rights and duties across society.…Read more
Alison Shaw, Chief Executive of Bristol University Press, reflects on the selection of the Press as a finalist for the University Press Redux Sustainability Award and how the UN Sustainable Development Goals resonate with our mission and organisational goals as a publisher.…Read more
Stephen Muers, who has held a wide range of senior policy making roles and is currently Head of Strategy at Big Society Capital, talks about the impact of culture and values on policy making. How can we change things so we can do a better job of taking these into account?…Read more
Malcolm Torry, author of 'Why We Need a Citizen’s Basic Income', discusses how the coronavirus crisis has exacerbated already existing employment and income insecurity and how this has led to the increasing interest in a Citizen’s Basic Income: an unconditional income for every individual. …Read more
Naomi Eisenstadt, co-author of 'Parents, Poverty and the State', explains some of the structural barriers academics face when trying to influence government, and offers some tips for overcoming them.…Read more
Following his appointment to the LSE in 1950, Richard Titmuss set about creating the academic field we nowadays call Social Policy. Here, John Stewart, author of 'Richard Titmuss: A Commitment to Welfare', thinks about what Titmuss might have made of the coronavirus crisis. …Read more
John Hudson, Neil Lunt and Ruth Patrick, contributors to the Journal of Poverty and Social Justice, discuss whether the COVID-19 pandemic will change attitudes, and policies, regarding welfare, with examples including footballer Marcus Rashford’s campaign on child poverty. They identify three key things to look out for in the coming months.…Read more