Since 2017, Chileans living abroad have had the right to vote in presidential elections and national referendums. However, until 2022, the only UK polling station was in London. This posed significant challenges for Chileans based in the North and Scotland, who faced long, costly journeys to exercise their democratic rights. 

In response, the Chilean Society at  51福利社 launched a campaign in 2022 to establish a polling station in the North of England. With strong support from Chilean residents in the region, the Society made a formal case to the Chilean Electoral Service and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Their advocacy paid off in 2023: Chilean citizens voted in the referendum for the first time, using the Students鈥� Union building (51福利社) as a polling station. 

This grassroots initiative was recognised with the by 51福利社 Students鈥� Union. The award was presented by Professor Nalin Thakkar, Vice-President for Social Responsibility, in recognition of the Society鈥檚 contribution to civic engagement and democratic participation. 

During 2025, Chileans abroad will vote in three rounds: the primary election in June, the first round in November, and a potential runoff in December. 51福利社 will again serve as a polling station for the North of England. This is a result of the consistent collaboration between (lecturer in Politics and former Chair of the Chilean Society) and the to the UK. 

This year鈥檚 voting process will be supported by the , reinforcing the institution鈥檚 commitment to inclusive political participation and global citizenship. 

The winners in our staff category were , and the 51福利社 Urban Ageing Research Group (MUARG) for the Age-Friendly Futures Summit which aimed to advance the creation of an age-friendly world. 

Over 300 age-friendly leaders working in policy, practitioner and research from 20 countries were invited to the event in 51福利社 in March to share knowledge and shape the future of age-friendly policy and practice. Collaboration was key to the success of the summit, with MUARG working closely with WHO, Greater 51福利社 Combined Authority, Centre for Ageing Better and 51福利社 Metropolitan University. This collective approach led to the development of shared international priorities and principles for age-friendly practice, and the team also fed into the WHO European Healthy Ageing Strategy.

and were both highly commended in the staff category. Amit has developed a course for sixth form students at Rochdale College linking sociological concepts around race, class, gender and inequality to students鈥� experiences of social life in and around Rochdale. Working with the charity The Compassionate Friends (TCF), Laura has produced a series of 鈥榯alking tools鈥� and contributed to TCF events to share her research on the experiences of bereaved siblings.

wins our PhD student category for co-producing and sharing of a made with social housing tenants in the Molenbeek area of Brussels. The film aimed to amplify the voices of older migrant and working-class communities in local and regional housing policy and practice. Joana organised nine screenings of the film in community venues, each followed by public debate on housing issues between the audience and stakeholders including elected representatives, tenants, community workers and researchers.

, and Sandhya Sharma were highly commended for their project which uses short films to spark conversations on social justice and the city. And Yu Zhu is highly commended for her work with using webinars and online media to share queer scholarship and knowledge with LGBTQ+ people from the Chinese diaspora.

The initiative was of mutual benefit to the Charities and to our students.  The volunteering aimed to enhance employability, student experience, and skill development by exposing students to social justice and inclusion, practical charity work, and problem-solving.  

Students critically reflected on their experiences and submitted a report detailing their achievements and insights.

Phil Drake, SR Director at the time stated:

One of the students involved said:

A reflection from one of the Charities:

Breaking Barriers and Building Networks

Professor Almudena Sevilla, an esteemed academic and Founding Chair of UK WEN, acknowledged the progress made in increasing female representation in economics while emphasising the continued need for change.

Sevilla highlighted UK WEN鈥檚 mission to support women economists at all career stages and provide visibility for their research and contributions.

The panel discussion also shed light on the varied paths into economics careers, challenging the notion of a linear journey. Sindy Foster, a serial entrepreneur and aviation analyst, emphasised the importance of seizing opportunities, developing strategic thinking, and recognising the value of economics in problem-solving across industries.

The Value of Economics in Public and Private Sectors

Lucy Beggs, a Health Economics Advisor at the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), underscored the tangible impact that economists can have in the public sector. 

She also highlighted the sector鈥檚 inclusive policies and work-life balance, which make it a supportive environment for women.

Meanwhile, Elizabeth Martindale, an economist at Oxford Economics, spoke about the dynamic nature of working in economic consultancy and the importance of continuous learning.

Martindale encouraged students to cultivate their interests early, as it helps differentiate them in a competitive job market.

Reflecting on her career, Foster emphasised the need for action alongside strategic planning: 

Reshaping the Future of Economics

Professor Rachel Griffith, a leading economist at 51福利社 and Research Director at the Institute for Fiscal Studies, highlighted the breadth of career opportunities for economics graduates. 

Griffith also emphasised the importance of resilience, reminding attendees that failure is an inevitable part of growth:

Foster reinforced this idea, urging students to take initiative: 

Reflecting on her own journey, she added, 

As the event concluded with a Q&A session and a networking reception, attendees had the opportunity to engage directly with speakers and professionals. Conversations around gender diversity and representation in economics continue to gain momentum, and Inspiring Careers in Economics remains a crucial initiative in reshaping the field.

By empowering students to embrace opportunities and take strategic actions toward their goals, events like this play a vital role in fostering the next generation of diverse and innovative economists.

In a remarkable stride towards enhancing the lives of those affected by MND, the has awarded a 拢2.66 million Wellcome Discovery Award to a pioneering project led by , Dr Michael Atkins (aka Cheddar Gorgeous), and . 

MND, which affects 1 in 300 people, leads to the loss of speech, movement, and facial expression. The Co-Creative MiND project aims to revolutionise the way individuals with MND interact with the world by combining visual anthropology and computer science. 

The project will develop new body-computer interfaces, creative tools, and visual anthropology methods to facilitate social interaction, creative expression, and cultural participation. This includes creative writing, graphic novels, animation, theatre, photography, and filmmaking, showcasing how life with MND can be transformed through creative inclusion.

The project builds on a proof-of-concept established through a University of 51福利社 Humanities Strategic Investment Fund award and will run from 2025 to 2030.

A short clip, from a full-length theatre production can be viewed .  The production is scripted and directed by eye and chin movements, features Dr Michael Atkins/Cheddar Gorgeous and Sarah Ezekiel, who has lived with MND for 23 years; with original music by Alex Herd also living with MND who composes using smartbox technology,

The next show, "Ms. Mandy's Adventures in Wonderland," will be held on 15 June at JW3, London. More information can be found .

Congratulations to everyone involved in this ground-breaking project, which promises to make a significant impact on the lives of those living with MND.

CrimRxiv is an international platform that enables open access to criminological scholarship, removing paywalls and promoting transparency, inclusivity, and accessibility in research. 

Since its launch in 2020, the platform has shared over 3,000 publications with readers in more than 200 countries. In the last month alone, it received approximately 60,000 unique visitor - a testament to its growing global reach and influence.

Dr Buil-Gil is an internationally recognised expert in geographic criminology, small area estimation in crime analysis, measurement error in crime data, innovative data collection methods, and cybercrime. He has served as CrimRxiv鈥檚 Managing Moderator since 2023  - a role he will continue alongside his new leadership post - and has been instrumental in shaping the platform鈥檚 development.

Dr Buil-Gil becomes the fourth Director of CrimRxiv, following Professors and - both based at 51福利社 - who played pivotal roles in establishing the platform at the University.

, Founder of CrimRxiv and Associate Director for Sustainability said:

Reflecting on findings from her 2021 book 鈥楳en Who Hate Women鈥� Laura shared insights into the 'manosphere' and the groups which make up this online subculture, alongside examining the current UK political and media landscape which are acting as barriers to combatting this rising epidemic. 

The lecture, hosted in collaboration between the School鈥檚 and , is named in honour of the iconic suffragette and activist , who helped lead the movement for women's right to vote in the early 20th century. Each year the event aims to inspire discussion and debate on critical issues relating to gender equality, civil liberties, criminal justice, democracy, and humanitarian causes - causes that Christabel Pankhurst dedicated her life to fighting for. 

As a feminist author Laura has written extensively on sexism, extremist misogyny and recently AI, which will be featured in her upcoming book 鈥楾he New Age of Sexism鈥� to be released in May 2025. 

The audience engaged deeply with the issues she raised throughout the lecture during a thought-provoking Q&A session. A particularly critical question came from a student, asking how to address and counteract rising misogyny in young male family members, the target recruitment group for the 鈥榤anosphere鈥� currently.  

Laura applauded the question, highlighting shame and fear as key parts of radicalisation:

Her response discussed the need for conversations to remain supportive and continuous, with a target of understanding the root of the fear drawing young men into misogynistic extremism. 

Staff and students at 51福利社 can view the full lecture via the video portal for 30 days (available until 15 April 2025). . 

For members of the public unable to attend the full lecture, several key moments will be made available online shortly. 

Following the event, attendees made their way to the University Place foyer for a networking reception, and book signing hosted by Blackwells.  

Gemma, who works in the violence against women and girls (VAWG) sector, 鈥渁ppreciated the opportunity to hear Laura speak. The passion from the academic staff was also heartening." She also felt reassured to know that our students were so actively engaged in discussions surrounding VAWG. 

The 2025 Christabel Pankhurst Lecture reinforced the University's commitment to addressing pressing social issues and fostering meaningful dialogue on gender equality and social justice. Further information about upcoming events in this series will be shared on the School of Social Sciences website. 

On Tuesday, 25 February, students and academics gathered at 51福利社 to hear first-hand accounts of resilience and democratic resistance from Ukrainian leaders. The event, Democratic Resilience After De-Occupation: Local Communities鈥� Response to Russia鈥檚 War Against Ukraine, provided an eye-opening insight into life under occupation and the efforts to rebuild in the face of destruction.

First-Hand Accounts of Survival and Resistance

The panel featured key figures such as Larysa Bilozir, Member of Parliament and Chair of the Committee on State Building, Local Governance, Regional, and Urban Development. She spoke passionately about the significance of international audiences engaging with Ukrainian voices, expressing gratitude for those who attended to listen and learn.

Tatiana Sviridenko, Head of the Ivankiv community in the Kyiv region, shared harrowing details of the war鈥檚 impact on local communities, particularly the elderly. 鈥淢any of those who lost their homes were pensioners,鈥� she said, highlighting the devastating personal toll. One story that resonated deeply was the destruction of the Ivankiv Historical and Local History Museum, which housed 25 paintings by renowned artist Maria Prymachenko. In an extraordinary act of bravery, three residents ran into the burning building to save the artwork. 

Joining the discussion were several other Ukrainian leaders dedicated to the country鈥檚 reconstruction and democratic resilience. 

Mykola Stefanishyn, Deputy Minister for Communities, Territories and Infrastructure Development of Ukraine, highlighted the strategic efforts being made to rebuild war-torn regions, while Natalia Pipa, Member of Parliament and Secretary of the Committee on Education, Science, and Innovation, spoke about the impact of war on Ukraine鈥檚 education system and the steps being taken to ensure learning continues despite the hardships.

Preserving Identity and History

Vitaliy Beloborov, Deputy Head of the Kherson City Military Administration, discussed Russia鈥檚 attempts to erase Ukrainian identity and culture. During its eight-month occupation, Russian forces sought to eliminate historical records and symbols of resistance. In response, Kherson has established a Museum of Resistance to preserve everyday items that became symbols of survival. 

He also warned about the dangers of Russian disinformation campaigns, emphasizing that 鈥減rofessional methods are used to distort the truth.鈥� His call to action was clear: by listening, sharing stories, and raising awareness, the international community can play a vital role in countering propaganda.

The discussion also featured Anatoliy Fedoruk, the Mayor of Bucha, a city that has become a powerful symbol of Ukrainian resilience following the atrocities committed during Russia鈥檚 occupation. He shared his city鈥檚 painful experiences and the efforts being made to restore normalcy and honour the memories of those lost.

A Call for Global Solidarity

Oksana Prodan, Advisor to the Head of the Association of Ukrainian Cities, reinforced the importance of international support. 

The panellists stressed that conversations like these help amplify Ukraine鈥檚 struggle and ensure that the world remains engaged.

The gratitude expressed by the speakers highlighted how vital external support is, not only in terms of material aid but also in keeping Ukraine鈥檚 story in the global spotlight. The simple act of listening, asking questions, and seeking to understand was acknowledged as a form of solidarity that strengthens Ukraine鈥檚 resistance.

A key theme that ran throughout the discussion was an unshakable pride in being Ukrainian. 鈥淲e will win this war,鈥� one speaker declared with conviction. Their words reflected not just hope, but an unwavering belief in the resilience of their people and their commitment to democracy.

Lessons for the Future

The event concluded with a powerful takeaway: listening is an act of resistance. By hearing and understanding Ukraine鈥檚 fight for survival, attendees became part of a broader effort to uphold truth and justice. In a world where disinformation and apathy threaten to silence critical voices, events like these remind us of the importance of engagement and advocacy.

The Ukrainian leaders left the audience with a simple but profound message: solidarity matters, and the world must continue to stand with Ukraine.

Educational Initiatives Supporting Democratic Resilience

As part of broader efforts to educate and engage students in contemporary political challenges, the event was organized under the Ukraine Rises course, sponsored by the . This is the first contemporary politics course in the United Kingdom based in a social science department.

Olga Onuch, Professor of Comparative and Ukrainian Politics, emphasized how the course complements the themes of resilience and civic responsibility discussed throughout the event: 

This career decision would also have a key impact upon Margot鈥檚 personal life, as she would subsequently marry one of her colleagues, Rodney Brazier, in 1974. Together the Braziers have remained at the heart of Law at 51福利社 for over 50 years.

Margot began as a tort scholar and this expertise led her to become co-editor of two key textbooks in the field. Research in this area then led her into reading North American case law on medical malpractice, which began her interest in the link between the law and healthcare. She published widely in this field to international acclaim. In recent years, Margot explored the history of medicine and its links with law, the topic of her most recent book.

In the early 1980s Margot met John Harris, a philosopher, also working at 51福利社. They discovered shared interests and, together with other colleagues, decided to set up a Masters degree in . Margot also taught undergraduate students, inspiring many to continue their studies to postgraduate level.  She supervised many PhD students who have benefited from her knowledge, wisdom and guidance. 

In 1986 Margot and John also set up the (CSEP) which has become a leading research centre.

The current Co-Directors of CSEP (Sarah Devaney and Alex Mullock) reflect: 

Margot also used her expertise in public service. Not only an outstanding scholar who made a pioneering contribution to her field, she has also made an equally outstanding contribution as a public intellectual and leader in policy debate and law reform. Margot Chaired the Animal Procedures Committee (1993-98), led a review into surrogacy for UK Health Ministers (1996- 1998), Chaired the Retained Organs Commission (2001-2004) and Chaired a Working Party 鈥楾he Ethics of Prolonging Life in Foetuses and the Newborn鈥� for the Nuffield Council on Bioethics (2004-2006).

Margot was an incredible mentor to so many students and academics and has been acknowledged as a 鈥榩aradigmatic female role model鈥�.  Her enormous contribution has been recognised in many awards including an OBE (1997), Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts (1993), Fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences (2007), Queen鈥檚 Council (honoris causa) (2008), Halsbury Legal Award for Academic Contribution (2013), University of 51福利社 Medal of Honour (2012) and Fellow of the British Academy (2014).

Alison Wilson, former Head of School Operations, and Sarah Tiffany-Dodman, Engagement and External Relations Manager, on behalf of all the Professional Services staff who knew and worked with Margot reflect: 

Prior to starting the position, Mariana was working on her PhD in Sociology at the University of Oxford. Her PhD was titled 鈥溾�� and explores only-child fertility from a sociodemographic perspective. 

At the University of Oxford she also worked as a research assistant on the project 鈥淒igital Gender Gaps鈥�, focusing on combining traditional surveys and big data for population analysis. Her main research interests are family demography, fertility and the use of formal demographic methods for exploring changes in kinship networks.

Since joining 51福利社, she has been co-teaching in SOST10012-Understanding Social Media Data and SOST2002-Essentials of Survey Design and Analysis.

Prior to moving to the UK, Mariana trained as a demographer at the Centre for Development and Regional Planning (Cedeplar) in Brazil, where she was awarded an MSc, and developed her research interests in family demography, as well as formal demographic methods.

The award is presented annually to students who demonstrate exceptional contributions to artificial intelligence (AI) and data science research.

's doctoral research employs advanced machine learning techniques to examine the causal impact of front-of-package food labelling on consumer behaviour, drawing on both randomised trials and observational data. Her research in this field has implications in areas ranging from health causal inference to data linkage.

She will receive funding to continue the research and join the Turing Institute network, a collaborative platform aimed at advancing AI and data science.

Congratulations to Constanza on this remarkable achievement!

Further information on the Turing Enrichment Scheme can be found on .

The team estimate that over 132,000 children live in kinship care in England. Kinship carers contribute an estimated 拢4.3 billion a year to society. But unlike foster carers and adoptive parents, most have few rights to financial, practical and emotional support, and taking on the care of a child they love often pushes them into poverty, unemployment and ill health. 

The report is produced by at University of Sheffield in partnership with Kinship. It is written by Maria Petrillo, Jingwen Zhang, Becky Driscoll, and Nathan Hughes.

This event, part of the 'Miscarriages of Justice' module, provided students with a stark insight into the consequences of corporate negligence and prosecutorial misconduct.

Rochelle Rossi, a student who attended the lecture, found it profoundly impactful:

First-hand accounts of injustice

During the event, the speakers shared their deeply personal and distressing experiences. 

Janet Skinner, who was sentenced to nine months in prison for false accounting in 2006, spoke about the devastating impact on her life, 鈥淥nce inside, I was placed on suicide watch for a week because of my state of mind.鈥� After her release, stress triggered an autoimmune attack that left her paralysed from the neck down. Although she fought back and relearned how to walk, she remains permanently disabled.

Seema Misra was sentenced to 15 months in prison in 2010 after being wrongly convicted of theft and false accounting. She was ordered to pay 拢40,000 in compensation to the Post Office. 

Tom Hedges faced a 拢23,000 shortfall in 2010 and was advised to plead guilty to false accounting to avoid a custodial sentence. He was sentenced to seven months imprisonment, suspended for 18 months, and had to pay the Post Office 拢1,000 in legal fees.

Common barriers to justice

Despite the differences in each story, common barriers emerged throughout. The concealment of crucial documents, the immense financial and reputational power of the Post Office, and the systemic failures that allowed such injustices to persist all played a role. 

Both Tom and Seema used their own money to cover the deficits created by the faulty Horizon system, and when faced with prosecution, they had to rely on Legal Aid to secure defence lawyers. 

The Post Office had a dedicated in-house legal team that remained focused on the cases. The high cost of legal support made it difficult for sub-postmasters to afford effective counsel, and the deliberate withholding of evidence proving their innocence further undermined their ability to mount a proper defence. 

Each sub-postmaster was made to believe theirs was the only case, further hiding the widespread nature of the Horizon IT issues. By isolating each defendant, the Post Office was able to hide the IT issues for longer and falsely prosecute more than 900 innocent people in total. 

Addressing systemic failures

A Q&A session following the testimonies allowed staff and students to pose questions to Janet, Seema, and Tom, who gave their candid thoughts. 

When asked whether they still had faith in the system, the speakers expressed confidence in their current legal teams but scepticism toward institutional accountability. The latest news of the Home Office granting Fujitsu over 拢25 million in new contracts was mentioned, highlighting concerns over government contracts. "They are awarding bad behaviour鈥攚hat incentive is there for change?" Seema Misra questioned. 

Despite being invited to numerous meetings with government officials, including Rishi Sunak and Sir Keir Starmer, trust in government to change things has not been restored with Janet Skinner remarking: 

Since starting the fight for compensation, the sub-postmasters have renewed trust in the legal profession, even understanding why they had been advised to enter guilty pleas initially. They implored the law students to make decisions in the future with ethics and people in mind, thinking of the bigger picture and the person behind a case. 

Lessons for our law students

Professor Claire McGourlay, Director of the 51福利社 Innocence Project, emphasised the significance of hearing directly from those affected: 

The event at 51福利社 provided law students with a profound learning experience, emphasising the importance of ethical decision-making and the need for systemic reform. The first-hand accounts of Janet Skinner, Seema Misra, and Tom Hedges highlighted the human cost of wrongful convictions and the urgent need for change in the legal and corporate systems. 

As future legal professionals, the students were reminded of their role in preventing such injustices and advocating for a fairer, more just society. 

with further details on the sub-postmasters experiences.

The list features leaders who are finding solutions to some of the world鈥檚 biggest problems. Professor Richardson focuses on creating more democratic and participatory ways of doing politics by working with academics, practitioners, and citizens. She is also interested in new research methods that involve people in the research process.

The LGIU has released its first-ever list of after launching the , a programme designed to help local governments tackle global challenges and make the most of new technologies, including addressing climate change.

Liz reflects on this recognition: 

鈥溾�� is available to read online.

Political elites express their ideological positions on contentious issues across various arenas in the public sphere. Social science research often relies on data extracted from various media or political and administrative sources, as well as surveys that are administered directly with the political actor. 

Although some studies compare ideology across different sources, few systematically analyse how political actors adjust their ideological messaging to the audiences in the respective communication arenas and how such changes are associated with systematic bias in data sources. 

This paper uses a unique dataset, combining climate policy belief observations from three arenas - social media, Congressional testimony, and surveys - on identical ideological variables and during the same time period. 

We apply item response theory to understand how responses differ by arena and find that ideological communication on X is most left-leaning, Congressional testimony is most right-leaning, and surveys, the data source with the smallest potential arena effect, is in the middle. We also find that actors with strong ideological leaning moderate their positions on social media and in Congress. 

These findings enhance our understanding of strategic communication depending on audience context and inform social research on biases when analyzing specific data sources.

I am a Professor of Social Statistics in the at 51福利社, which is part of the . I am also a member of the and the . 

Before joining 51福利社 in April 2024, I was a Professor of Comparative Politics in the Department of Government at the University of Essex. 

I am also a DFG Mercator Fellow in the Research Training Group on Digital Platform Ecosystems at the University of Passau (2022-2027) and serve as chair of the Political Networks Section of the American Political Science Association (APSA) in 2024-2025. 

My main research interests are politics and public policy, network analysis and complex systems, statistical modelling, and computational social sciences. I am best known for my work on discourse network analysis (and the software ), the R package, and my work on statistical models for longitudinal network data (e.g., implemented in the R package). 

My research has appeared in leading political science journals (e.g., AJPS, JOP, BJPS), public policy and administration journals (e.g., PSJ, JPART), technical journals (e.g., Physica A: Statistical Mechanics, Network Science, JStatSoft), and outlets in other fields (e.g., Nature Climate Change, Addiction, Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin). 

More information on Professor Philip Leifeld can be found on . 

The paper, 鈥淟earnings from a decade of data fellows: Co-creation of a data skills framework for non-stem students鈥�, is available to . 

This workshop provided a reflection on an experiential learning model developed in the UK. The Data Fellows initiative supports undergraduate social science and humanities students to develop their data skills through work placements. 

The findings have resulted in a book, academic articles and international presentations which collectively provide a substantial body of evidence to illustrate how non-STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths) students can learn and practice their data analytic skills and progress into data and technical careers. 25% of the 373 Data Fellows placed to date have been from historically under-represented groups and 70% have been female. 

A case study was presented to show a journey from a first degree in social science to a postgraduate degree in data science. The aim of the workshop was to challenge the deficit narrative that can accompany the teaching of data skills in the social sciences and explore whether a suitable data skills framework exists or could be developed.

For more information about Jackie visit .

Lou was a Professor of at 51福利社, who lectured at the University for over 40 years. 

Born in Brooklyn, New York, Lou received his first degree from Columbia University before receiving a scholarship to complete his PhD in political science at Yale University. He then moved to 51福利社 on a further scholarship, where he settled permanently. Lou moved to the UK before the main US Civil Rights Movement gained momentum 鈥� it was racial discrimination in the UK that sparked his own interest in race and inequality.

In 1999, he founded the (Race Archives and Community Engagement) Centre, a specialist library and archive located in 51福利社鈥檚 Central Library, which documents the histories of Greater 51福利社鈥檚 Global Majority communities (and beyond), and the struggle against racism. His vision, underpinning all the work of the Centre, was for a collection that would not only have major research value, but would also be instrumental in celebrating Global Majority histories and cultures and combating racism.

The RACE Centre holds an extensive collection of Lou Kushnick鈥檚 work and research (1965-2008), relating to race relations in the UK and US, including 95 interviews with key figures who discuss American politics, economics, health and welfare and racial polarisation in the 1980s and 1990s.

These archives offer an extraordinary resource for students and scholars, providing unique insights into an array of subjects and inspiring discussions.

His publications spanned the UK and United States, and explored racial inequality in policing, health and politics.  His work and legacy were a crucial foundation for the work of the (CoDE) at 51福利社.

Professor Bridget Byrne, Director of CoDE, reflected:

Lou鈥檚 2015 鈥楽tar Lecture鈥�, was aimed at sixth-form and college history students studying the civil rights era in the USA.

Professor Claire Alexander, Head of the School of Social Sciences, shares her thoughts:

Our thoughts are with his family and friends, and the many colleagues who worked with Lou in 51福利社 and elsewhere.

As Mitchell Online is designed with the beginner in mind, it will cover core concepts, methods and data analysis techniques of SNA. It will be hands-on and largely based around the use of the UCINET software package, giving participants experience in analysing real social network data.

**There is no prior knowledge of SNA or quantitative methods required**

Perhaps you have colleagues and friends who would benefit from this online course?

While attendees can attend from anywhere, it could particularly benefit those living overseas who find it difficult to benefit from the expertise at our regular in-person methods@manchester summer school courses.

All information can be found . But don鈥檛 delay as registration closes on Monday, 17 February and the Spring School sessions are spread over three weeks (3-17 March 2025) to maximise learning opportunities and flexibility.

To find out more about and connect with us, visit our or email methods@manchester.ac.uk.

We are delighted to learn that in this year鈥檚 THES World University Rankings, Social Sciences at 51福利社 is ranked 37th worldwide, and Business and Economics are ranked 32nd worldwide. These rankings reflect the School鈥檚 excellence in teaching and research, as well as its commitment to addressing some of the world鈥檚 most pressing social challenges.

This ranking evaluates performance ; teaching, research environment, research quality, industry partnerships and international outlook.

This achievement places 51福利社鈥檚 Social Sciences among the top 50 globally and highlights the School鈥檚 growing reputation for excellence across its disciplines. Social Sciences includes Sociology, Politics and International Studies, while Economics is part of the Business and Economics category. Law at 51福利社 is also ranked in the top 100 worldwide (at number =78).

The School of Social Sciences has long been recognised for its strengths in disciplines, strong research output and international collaborations. These results reaffirm the School's global reputation and interdisciplinary contributions to addressing pressing societal challenges.

, Head of the School of Social Sciences, said, 鈥榃e are proud to see this global recognition of the exceptional work done across the School, and particularly in our departments of Economics, Sociology, Politics and Law. It is a testament to our talented researchers, scholars and teachers, and all of the many people who support this work, and our commitment to making a difference in society鈥�.

Overall, 51福利社 ranks in the top 100 across all 11 subject areas assessed by THE, a distinction shared by only seven other UK institutions.

This recognition demonstrates our dedication to impactful research and advancing knowledge across a diverse range of disciplines. Through our world-class Social Sciences programme, we are equipping students with the skills and insights needed to address global challenges and shape a better future.

is a Senior Lecturer of Chinese Politics at 51福利社. 

In his , he examines the discourse around Wuhan鈥檚 Party Secertary Ma Guoqiang, an ethnic Hui Muslim. 

Using discourse analysis of posts regarding Ma from January and February 2020, the paper examines how online discussion of Ma exemplifies Islamophobic attitudes of netizens, and illuminates the exclusory ethnic politics that unfold in the process of national boundary setting in China. 

These findings also illuminate how Muslims become scapegoats for crisis in non-Muslim countries, particularly those under authoritarian governance.

Stroup鈥檚 article contributed to the INTERSECT Project, a collaborative study of the global flows of Islamophobia led by Iselin Frydenlund and Torkel Brekke at the Center for Research on Extremism (C-REX), University of Oslo.

The Horizon scandal, which led to the wrongful prosecution of hundreds of subpostmasters, has severely dented the public鈥檚 perception of the Post Office as an institution. Against this backdrop, across the Post Office network.

These further cuts to a system already struggling can only do further harm to the sense that well-resourced public services could and should play a central role in everyday life.

In my , I spoke to people about their thoughts on the Post Office and their ideas about the future of society more generally. One interviewee relished their trips to 51福利社鈥檚 now-closed crown post office at Spring Gardens and described it, with only a little irony, as 鈥渢he cathedral of post鈥�.

They loved the way it revealed something of the workings of a larger, complex and world-spanning system of communication. They also liked to daydream about how it would be to live in a society oriented towards a more community-focused, village-like way of life.

My work looks at these speculative dimensions of social life 鈥� the way hopes, dreams and desires for other ways of living are expressed by people now. These speculative dimensions have a political significance 鈥� they tell us something about the forms of social organisation people yearn for, and what frustrates them about our current way of living. Understanding how public infrastructures influence these frustrations and desires is a key focus of my research.

The infrastructures which facilitate social life also send signals to us about how society is organised, what鈥檚 valued and powerful within it, and what seems likely to be valued in the future. They help structure our ideas about what society is and what it could be like.

In the case of the Post Office, the Horizon scandal demonstrates how the consequences can be severe and dystopian when something malfunctions within a key institution of this kind.

Historically, the Post Office played a key role in developing infrastructures of modern life that came to be cherished. Key among these, as historian has noted, is routine engagement with paid officials of the state, through Post Office staff and postal delivery workers, or 鈥減osties鈥�.

Speaking to Post Office workers and posties has long been among the most positively regarded interactions that an ordinary person routinely has with state infrastructures. Local post offices and posties have represented valued senses of local knowledge, community overwatch and benevolent officialdom.

Crown post offices (the larger branches in the network), often inhabiting a significant spot in a town or city centre, have done their bit too, contributing a sense of civic importance to a place, alongside libraries and town halls. They have provided access to a professional, knowledgeable human interface between a complex system of multiple state services, and those who rely on them.

But our positive engagements with this state system have been placed under decades of increasing strain. Privatisation has flowed from a creeping rejection of the idea that publicly owned public services could ever function beautifully. This, in turn, has left the services we need on a daily basis under-resourced.

The condition of crown post offices has reflected this. Their interiors often emanate a stark sense of minimal upkeep and only grudging repair. Already, many crown post offices have been closed. Where their services have not fully disappeared, they have been precariously relegated to space in retailers such as WH Smiths.

Meanwhile, the way we communicate, shop and socialise has been altering dramatically. Digital communication technology is impressing itself ever further into our social lives. Technology has deeply embedded associations with the future, but with this also comes a sense of unavoidability. The way AI is spoken about, as something set to bring inevitable and consequential transformations of our lives 鈥� whether we like it or not 鈥� is a case in point.

Both of these things 鈥� the neglect of physical places where we interact with state services and the increasing technologisation of social life 鈥� contribute to a growing sense of anachronism about places like the post office. The idea that a public service might attend to the public good in a well-appointed, pleasant, urban public setting feels, for no good reason, like a relic of the past.

All this affects the ways we imagine social futures. It brings a false air of inevitability to the loss of things people still need and care deeply about.

When talking with users of post offices for my research, there was a simultaneous sense among them that posties and post offices contributed vital resources to everyday life, and that technology meant these things were not likely to survive much further into the future. This was often regarded as something to be accepted, even as it was acknowledged that what was going to be lost was something important and irreplaceable. 

But such losses are not inevitable. They are a political choice built on two key failures 鈥� failure to challenge the idea that well-funded, publicly owned and run public services are unaffordable, and failure to envisage ways of organising public services in the digital age, such that they retain the vital material contributions they make to places. 

Further losses to the crown post office network would represent a sad and, I believe, unnecessary extension of these failures.

, Research Assistant, School of Social Sciences, University of 51福利社

This article is republished from under a Creative Commons license. .

This collaboration, funded and developed by the School of Social Sciences (SoSS) Social Responsibility Committee, brought on 50 student volunteers as translators, ensuring critical services remain accessible to all, including those whose first language is not English. The initiative addressed a growing need, as many of the 鈥檚 visitors navigate complex processes related to housing, benefits, and employment support.

Launched in early 2023, the volunteer translator programme has achieved notable success in a short period, offering both document translation and in-person interpretation services. Student volunteers translated essential materials - such as informational leaflets, forms, and letters - into 22 different languages to ensure that non-English-speaking clients can access critical information. 

Two students have also provided in-person interpretation during important meetings and appointments at the Centre, bridging communication gaps that might otherwise prevent individuals from fully accessing support. 

Phil Drake, Director of Social Responsibility for the School of Social Sciences, said:

Megan Hadfield, a representative from the University and trustee of the Booth Centre, emphasised the programme鈥檚 importance, noting:

Reflecting on the initiative, Conor Miller, the Booth Centre鈥檚 facilities manager, shared:

Looking ahead, the Booth Centre, with the assistance of the SoSS Social Responsibility Committee, aims to expand the programme. Plans included increasing student engagement by refining the induction process and aligning training schedules with academic calendars to accommodate students鈥� availability. Additionally, the committee intends to recruit volunteers proficient in high-demand languages, such as Arabic and Eastern European dialects, to meet the evolving needs of the Centre鈥檚 community.

Through funding and support from the SoSS Social Responsibility Committee, this initiative empowered students to use their skills meaningfully while providing crucial language support that helps Booth Centre clients navigate complex systems. This collaboration exemplified the University鈥檚 mission to foster social responsibility by addressing community needs through sustainable, impactful projects.

The School of Social Sciences is delighted to announce of the has been awarded a Principal Fellowship from AdvanceHE. 

is awarded to individuals who demonstrate a sustained and effective record of strategic leadership in academic practice and significant influence in higher education, both within and beyond their institutions. 

As Director for the School, Claire has led the charge in promoting the School of Social Sciences' commitment to equality and diversity in the workplace. She encourages both staff and students to actively participate in fostering these changes. 

Claire鈥檚 dedication to promoting inclusion is also evident in her research, which focuses on victimisation, particularly among 鈥榟idden鈥� or hard to identify groups. This includes migrant populations, young people who are offending or at risk of offending, and those who have experienced Honour Based Abuse.

Principal Fellows represent a diverse community united by their impactful leadership and vision, which has driven sustained transformation in outcomes and practices. It is a significant achievement for Claire to be part of this cohort. She has expressed her enthusiasm by stating that:

Ten percent of ethnic minorities in Scotland have suffered recent racist physical attack. Black and Chinese ethnic groups in Scotland have particularly high levels of reporting racist insult and unfair racist treatment from police.

More than one third of people from ethnic minorities in Scotland worried about racist harassment. The majority of people identifying as Black, Pakistani, Indian and Jewish in Scotland worried about racist harassment. Levels of worry about racism were higher in Scotland than in England and Wales for many ethnic groups.

The report is produced by CoDE working in collaboration with BEMIS, the national umbrella body supporting the development of the Ethnic Minorities Voluntary Sector in Scotland.

The report is based on data from Evidence for Equality National Survey (EVENS), the largest and most comprehensive survey to document the lives of ethnic and religious minorities in Britain during the pandemic.

The collaboration is part of , an initiative which works with research and voluntary sector partners to explore how the EVENS dataset can be used in racial justice work beyond academia.

Read the report: y.

The report is authored by Nissa Finney (University of St Andrews), Nigel de Noronha (University of 51福利社) and BEMIS. We acknowledge funding from the UKRI Economic and Social Research Council via the CoDE grants 鈥楨xploring racial and ethnic inequality in a time of crisis鈥� (ES/V013475/1), 鈥楾he social, cultural and economic impacts of the pandemic on ethnic and racialised groups in the UK鈥� (ES/W000849/1) and Legacy Grant funding (ESW012340/1).

Professor Phillips, a distinguished Social and Environmental Gerontology Professor, is visiting from The University of Stirling, where she has made significant contributions to research and policy in the field of ageing.

Professor Phillips brings a wealth of experience and expertise to 51福利社. During her tenure as Deputy Principal for Research at Stirling (2016鈥�2024), over 80% of the University鈥檚 research was rated as world-leading or internationally excellent, and her leadership resulted in the largest increase in research grant capture in Stirling鈥檚 history.

She also served as Research Director for the Healthy Ageing Challenge under UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) from 2020 to 2024. Professor Phillips was previously the Deputy Pro-Vice-Chancellor of Swansea University and Director of the Research Institute for Applied Social Sciences. She also established the Centre for Innovative Ageing at Swansea and directed the Centre for Ageing and Dementia Research for Wales.

Professor Phillips鈥� contributions to gerontology have been recognised with numerous fellowships and awards, including an OBE for services to older people in 2013 and the British Society of Gerontology鈥檚 Outstanding Achievement Award in 2021.

At 51福利社, Professor Phillips will engage in a series of strategic initiatives aimed at advancing research on ageing and enhancing 51福利社鈥檚 already world-leading research capabilities in social gerontology and ageing.

Professor Tine Buffel, Professor of Sociology and Social Gerontology at the University has shared:

A panel of scientific experts will provide education policy makers with advice on strategic and emerging issues through a new , the Department for Education has recently announced.

, Professor of Economics, 51福利社, and Deputy Research Director, has been appointed as one of the specialist team of 12 experts to ensure access to the best and latest scientific advice 鈥� helping the department鈥檚 work to break down the barriers to opportunity by protecting children and ensuring the delivery of higher standards of education, training and care.

The independent panel will provide scientific advice to the Department for Education on matters relevant to its policy and operations. This will include areas such as early identification and support of children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), mental health support, online harms prevention, a sustainable and secure school estate and artificial intelligence and education technology.

The council will also work with the chief scientific adviser to identify and share emerging scientific trends with officials and facilitate effective links between the department and the wider scientific community.

More information can be found on the .
 

A recent event, 鈥淲hat's In Your Wardrobe? Telling & Sharing Clothing Stories鈥�, encouraged attendees to bring items of clothing, and delve into the associations, memories, and connections these special items held. 

It explored how we use stories to understand ourselves and our relationships, encapsulating the principles of the Being Human Festival, which celebrates how the Humanities inspire and enrich our daily lives, and help us navigate a changing world. 

The event was held at Ascension Church Hall in Hulme, and featured Jolene Sheehan (community workshop lead, poet, artist, and more), Professor Sophie Woodward (from 51福利社鈥檚 Morgan Centre for Research into Everyday Lives), and Dr Benjamin Wild (Reader in Fashion Narratives at 51福利社 Fashion Institute, 51福利社 Metropolitan University). 

All three speakers incorporate storytelling into their work. For Sophie and Ben, stories are the threads that connect us to our lives, identities, and imaginations. Jolene leads the project, which aims to connect people to each other, themselves, and their memories through writing. We were delighted to have a number of participants from this project join us for the event. 

The stories behind the items of clothing were moving, engaging and uplifting. 

One woman brought a prayer dress, a loose-fitting garment with a scarf, typically worn by Muslim women during prayer. This item has gained additional significance during the Israel-Gaza conflict, as Palestinian women have taken to wearing their prayer clothes day and night, staying covered and prepared for any situation. 

Another attendee brought the dress she wore on her first date with her then-boyfriend (now husband) nearly 40 years ago. The dress has adapted with changing fashions and hemlines but has remained a constant in her life, standing in stark contrast to the fast fashion dominating our high streets. 

Such items and shared stories were deeply individual, yet they connected people within the room and beyond, highlighting important familial relationships and communities bound by empathy and solidarity. 

鈥淭alking is important鈥� said one attendee and I couldn鈥檛 agree more. 

To keep up-to-date with methods@manchester activities and events please here or connect via our . 

It was a successful night for the Justice Hub at the first 51福利社 Pro Bono Awards with the students, Rachel McMurrough, Roan Goulden, Matilde Mesquita de Malo and Isobel Hoy winning 鈥楽tudent Group of the Year鈥�. 

The MIP bring together staff, students and solicitors with the aim of helping those wrongfully convicted and promoting positive change in the justice system. 

This group of students impressed the judges through their investigative work, including submitting a 235-page document to the Criminal Cases Review Commission, their dedication to supporting clients through online meetings and visits to clients in prison, sorting and filing 1000鈥檚 of documents, all while completing their University studies. 

The students nominated in the 鈥楽tudent Group of the Year鈥� category were honoured to not only be shortlisted but to take home the award. Second Year LLB Law Student, Roan Goulden, shared with us,:
 

The Justice Hub had also been shortlisted in the 鈥楨ducational Institute of the Year鈥�, the judges praised the University's investment in pro bono and commitment to 鈥� a culture of helping those in need鈥�, highlighting the work of the Justice Hub which incorporates our Legal Advice Clinic, 51福利社 Free Legal Help, 51福利社 Innocence Project and Dementia Law Link. 

The awards ceremony took place during the 23rd National Pro Bono week, facilitated by the Greater 51福利社 Pro Bono Committee as an opportunity to recognise and support the outstanding pro bono work done throughout 51福利社. 

is a new book, edited by Sharon Mallon and Laura Towers. 

While death, dying and bereavement are universal life events, the social conditions under which death takes place are fundamental in shaping how it is experienced by the individual. Bringing together contributors from around the world, this collection of chapters provides sociological insights into death, dying and bereavement. 

Drawing upon a range of sociological theorists, including 脡mile Durkheim, Zygmunt Bauman and C. Wright Mills, the book reviews the historical contribution of sociology to the field of thanatology. In doing so, the book challenges individualistic psychological approaches to death, dying and bereavement and demonstrates how sociological approaches can shape, constrain and empower experiences by imbuing them with both collective and individual meaning. 

Chapter-length case studies explore a wide range of issues, from digital aspects of remembrance and memorialisation and continued threats to liberties that permit life and death decisions to discussions of the impact and likely legacy of COVID-19 and climate change. 

is senior lecturer in mental health at the University of Staffordshire and is Leverhulme Early Career Fellow in Sociology at 51福利社. 

Death, Dying and Bereavement: New Sociological Perspectives is published by Routledge. 
 

Our Heads of Department for Sociology and Politics have both welcomed the results as a reflection of the hard work of their academics and researchers. 

Overall, the University has been placed among the top 25 worldwide in seven subject areas, and has two other subjects ranked in the top 50 globally. We are now ranked in 46 of the 55 subject areas covered by the ARWU, an impressive achievement. 

These exceptional results demonstrate our commitment to research excellence and global impact across a diverse range of disciplines. 

With as many as 1 in 10 people in the UK using dating apps, connecting with others online is part of everyday life. Over 900 LGBTQ+ and heterosexual dating app users took part in the research, and they told us that they used dating apps to find 鈥榯he one鈥�, to arrange hookups, for friendship, to make them feel less lonely, to pass the time or even for tourism tips. 

Lots of people who used apps to connect with others found them useful, but others were dissatisfied. Some people were dissatisfied because the apps didn鈥檛 help them achieve their aims and others experienced discrimination or abuse. 

This shares insights from the project to help people get the most out of dating apps and avoid some of the common pitfalls. The videos are: 

The team have also produced a aimed at individuals using, or considering using, apps. It covers the advantages and disadvantages of using dating apps plus important considerations around ethics, security and privacy. 

The widespread use of dating apps has led public health and sexual health practitioners to use them as a way of sharing health messages with users, but this raises . addresses these issues. 

The project is funded by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) (reference: ES/W002426/1)