By John Curtice, Professor of Politics, University of Strathclyde and Senior Research Fellow, National Centre for Social Research
In the event, the SNP did not win the overall majority First Minister John Swinney sought in the 2026 Scottish election. However, between them the SNP and the Greens won 73 seats, 57% of all MSPs. It is the largest ever contingent of pro-independence MSPs at Holyrood.
Yet between them the two parties won just 41% of the regional list vote. The avowed aim of the parliament’s mixed-member proportional electoral system is to produce a distribution of seats proportional to each party’s share of the list…
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By Clotilde Cerdan Amiard, Profesora Asociada en Finanzas Sostenibles, IE University
As climate change makes extreme weather events more intense and frequent, “uninsurable areas” are becoming increasingly common. They are a clear demonstration that insurance – the mechanism through which modern societies deal with all kinds of risk – is structurally underprepared for this new climate era.
Uninsurable areas refer to places where property insurance has become either impossible to get or to afford. This can happen because insurers are not offering coverage in a high climate risk area (due to coverage limits or market withdrawal), or because they offer insurance at premiums…
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By Emma Roberts, Head of Law, University of Salford
Over the last decade, UK universities have put increasing effort into supporting student mental health. This often means following frameworks: documents that outline good practice, typically developed by sector bodies and charities. Universities can adopt these frameworks to guide their approach to student wellbeing.
The difficulty is that the sector has relied heavily on voluntary frameworks. This means that universities can choose whether to engage, how fully to implement them and which elements…
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By Patsy Perry, Reader in Fashion Marketing, Manchester Metropolitan University
You’ve had a spring clean and decluttered your wardrobe, and now you’re wondering what to do with the pile of unwanted clothes in the corner.
With the growth of online secondhand sales channels …
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By Amnesty International
Ethiopian authorities have intensified their crackdown on press freedom in a cynical attempt to silence criticism in the lead-up to the country’s national election on 1 June, Amnesty International said today. In recent months, Ethiopian authorities have launched a campaign of repression against independent media by arbitrarily arresting, forcibly disappearing and unlawfully surveilling journalists. Other […] The post Ethiopia: International community must act to safeguard press freedom ahead of national election appeared first on Amnesty International. ]]>
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By Sarah Pucill, Reader, School of Arts, University of Westminster
Queer Art, by curators Mollie E. Barnes and Gemma Rolls-Bentley, isn’t afraid to ask questions: what queerness is, what queer art can be, and why queer art matters.
The book’s introduction states that “queer art is not a genre but a gesture; a refusal to be pinned down by fixed identity categories”. Queerness in art can appear both openly and subtly, often through coded, abstract or unconventional forms that challenge heteronormative expectations.
The opening chapter asks “why talk about queer art?”,…
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By Anja Shortland, Professor in Political Economy, King's College London
Federico Varese, Professor of Criminology and Senior Research Fellow, Nuffield College, University of Oxford
On the evening of April 26, the Egyptian merchant vessel Sward was hijacked by armed men a few miles off the Somali coast. It was steered towards an anchorage near the port of Garacad in Puntland, a semi-autonomous state in north-eastern Somalia.
Over the following days, further armed men joined the Sward as well as an interpreter tasked with negotiating a ransom with the shipowner. At the time of writing, the ship remains under
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By Jennifer Murphy, Associate Professor in Psychology, University of Surrey
Millions of people use a wearable health and fitness tracker. These devices can be useful for monitoring activity levels, sleep quality and heart rate. But for some, wearables can have unintended consequences on wellbeing.
This is something I encountered recently. At a public talk, I got to chatting with a man who told me a story that stayed with me.
He’d just finished a long hike and felt great. Then he glanced at his smartwatch. Heart rate: 130 bpm. Instant panic.
About 30 minutes later he realised the cause: the altitude. Yet in that moment, he’d gone from…
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By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra
New Liberal federal president Tony Abbott has sought to rally the party at “this time of existential crisis”, labelling it “the patriot party” and declaring it must boost its membership.
While not directly mentioning the threat from Pauline Hanson, One Nation’s surge was clearly in Abbott’s mind when he addressed the Liberal federal council in Melbourne after being elected president unopposed on Friday.
“My fellow Liberals, our challenge is to persuade the sceptical public that we remain the most credible alternative party of government in this country,” he said.
…
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By Rachael Jolley, Environment Editor, The Conversation
This roundup of The Conversation’s environment coverage was first published in our award-winning weekly climate action newsletter, Imagine.
I’m thinking of painting my roof white. It’s not about making it look prettier, it’s because my bedroom is right underneath a flat roof and every summer it gets unbelievably hot. Last summer I ended up hugging a hot water bottle filled with cold water in bed, and even that was not enough to help me nod off.
As those who live in Mediterranean countries know, painting your home white helps keep it cooler by reflecting back the…
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