Social and Public Policy

Rajiv Prabhakar, author of the forthcoming book 'Financial Inclusion: Critique and Alternatives', looks at the economic response to the COVID-19 pandemic and the implications this has for financial inclusion.…Read more

Hannah Lambie-Mumford, co-editor of 'The Rise of Food Charity in Europe', discusses the rise of food charity in recent years and the impact COVID-19 is having on this vulnerable system.…Read more

Aisha K. Gill, Professor of Criminology at the University of Roehampton, explores the impact the Covid-19 lockdown measures are having on victims of domestic violence, particularly for BME women and girls, and what should be done.…Read more

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