By Callum Smith, Historian of Modern British History & Head of Online Learning, Aberystwyth University
It’s hard to think about politics today without immediately picturing the face of a party’s leader, charismatic or otherwise. Whether delivering a rousing conference speech, squirming through a TV interview, or being caught by a “hot mic”, figures like Nigel Farage, Jeremy Corbyn, Donald Trump and Boris Johnson have dominated the political landscape in recent years.
We often talk about them more than the parties they represent. In many ways, the party has become a faction of its leader. But is this rise in personality politics really anything new? History – particularly 18th-century…
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By Tennessee Randall, PhD Candidate in Social Psychology, Swansea University
Meat has a large environmental impact, but could consuming more of it be part of the answer?
Meat-eaters in western countries today typically focus on the muscle tissue of animals and often avoid consuming offal (internal organs like the heart, liver and kidney). But eating more offal could lower the number of animals that are killed for food and so the greenhouse gases produced by the meat industry.
Offal also has…
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By Matt McLain, Senior Lecturer in Education and Professional Learning, Liverpool John Moores University
Studying design and technology (D&T) at school gives children the opportunity to get up from behind a desk and learn practical skills. It’s the only subject in the national curriculum in which children can develop and create tangible solutions to real problems.
They can get an insight into whether they might enjoy careers in design, fashion, engineering, technology or food. And they can learn skills that will be useful to them at home, in the workplace and in society.
D&T could play a crucial role in the government’s aim to revitalise the national…
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By Paul Jones, Associate Dean for Education and Student Experience at Aston Business School, Aston University
From ChatGPT crafting emails, to AI systems recommending TV shows and even helping diagnose disease, the presence of machine intelligence in everyday life is no longer science fiction.
And yet, for all the promises of speed, accuracy and optimisation, there’s a lingering discomfort. Some people love using AI tools. Others feel anxious, suspicious, even betrayed by them. Why?
The answer isn’t just about how…
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By Giuditta Fontana, Associate Professor in International Security, University of Birmingham
Argyro Kartsonaki, Senior researcher, Institute for Peace Research and Security Policy, University of Hamburg
Natascha Neudorfer, Professor of Political Economy, Heinrich Heine Universität Düsseldorf
Stefan Wolff, Professor of International Security, University of Birmingham
Twenty-five years ago, on October 31, 2000, the United Nations unanimously adopted its landmark security council resolution 1325 (WPS 1325). The resolution on women, peace and security reaffirmed “the important role of women in the prevention and resolution of conflicts, peace negotiations, peace-building, peacekeeping, humanitarian response and in post-conflict reconstruction”. It also stressed the “importance…
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By Charlotte Curran, PhD researcher, applied ethics and moral philosophy, University of Leeds
Lily Allen’s bombshell new album, West-End Girl, has caused a sensation for its depiction of a marriage torn apart. Though the singer has described it as a blend of fact and fiction, fans have taken it to be an account of her breakup with Stranger Things actor David Harbour.
West-End Girl is a vulnerable account of divorce, with accusations of infidelity and betrayal. The album feels confessional, with lyrical details such as the retelling of…
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Monday, November 3rd 2025
UN teams rushed to northern Afghanistan on Monday after a powerful 6.3 magnitude earthquake struck overnight, just two months after a massive quake devastated the east of the country. Details are still emerging from the latest emergency where initial reports indicate at least 20 people have been killed and hundreds injured.
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By Vivian Lee
Economists warn that while China’s new funds may ease Africa’s energy poverty, they have not addressed the underlying risks of debt, transparency, and dependency.
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By Amnesty International
In response to the ongoing partial internet shutdown by Tanzanian authorities following the October 29 general elections, Amnesty International’s Deputy Director for East and Southern Africa, Vongai Chikwanda said: “For close to a week now, many people in Tanzania have suffered nationwide internet and electricity shutdowns. Amnesty International is particularly alarmed by reports that amidst […] The post Tanzania: Unlawful killings and other human rights violations continue amid internet and electricity blackouts appeared first on Amnesty International. ]]>
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By Kenneth M. Evans, Fellow in Science, Technology, and Innovation Policy, Baker Institute for Public Policy, Rice University
U.S. science always suffers during government shutdowns. Funding lapses send government scientists home without pay. Federal agencies suspend new grant opportunities, place expert review panels on hold, and stop collecting and analyzing critical public…
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