The Open University

Why the pensions ‘triple lock’ has become a key general election issue

2 May 2017

In the last Prime Minister’s Questions before the 2017 general election, Theresa May refused to guarantee the “triple lock” policy that guarantees pensions will rise in line with inflation, earnings or 2.5% – whichever is highest. It’s a contentious issue, as pensions make up a the biggest portion of the nation’s welfare budget. It’s also […]

Selfie culture isn’t the root of all evil

12 April 2017

The idea that selfies are somehow damaging our mental health is spreading. There is concern that there may be a link between an apparent recent rise in mental health concerns in millennials and taking, editing and posting selfies online. The Open University’s Lisa Lazard and Rose Capdevila investigate if their popularity isn’t completely negative in […]

Doctor Who takes an ethical stance towards alien life – so why isn’t he vegan?

12 April 2017

Since the Doctor Who series was rebooted in 2005 the television show has consistently presented the Doctor as a moral leader, a key element of which is his respectful relationship with other species. The Doctor expresses admiration and wonder for others, even when they threaten him or his human companions. Christopher Eccleston, who played the […]

OU research highlights impact of early lectures on college and university students

11 April 2017

Research by the OU and the University of Nevada has discovered that productivity in students is much greater between the hours of 11:00am and 9:30pm than at other times of day. The study of 190 undergraduate students, which was published in the journal Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, analysed individual study patterns to determine when cognitive […]

Car firms are still pushing hands-free phone tech – despite how dangerous it is

4 April 2017

Get caught using your smartphone while driving in the UK and you’ll be in serious trouble. Authorities recently doubled the penalties for using a handset behind the wheel to six points on your licence and a £200 fine. Yet the law – and the car industry itself – hasn’t caught up with the equal […]

Act tough and hide weakness: research reveals pressure young men are under

30 March 2017

A rigid construct of how “real” men are supposed to behave leaves many feeling trapped, new research we carried out suggests. While most support gender equality, the young men in the UK, US and Mexico reported feeling pushed to live in the “man box”. They feel pressure to act tough, hide weakness and “look good”. […]

A linguist’s guide to the Theresa May Article 50 letter

30 March 2017

With the delivery of Theresa May’s letter to Donald Tusk, the European Council president, the UK gave official notification of its intention to leave the EU. The letter not only signalled the legal start of the Brexit process, but also gave the British prime minister the chance to frame the tone of the negotiations. The […]

Mothers: their leading role behind the camera

24 March 2017

Mother’s Day could witness lots of pictures being taken of mums, but research by the OU reveals they may be happier on the other side of the camera. Qualitative research by the OU’s Gillian Rose, Professor of Human Geography, revealed there is more to mums taking and displaying photos than meets the eye. The study, among […]

Higher inflation’s hidden, but hazardous, boost to Britain’s economic recovery plans

22 March 2017

Inflation in the UK has surged, with the consumer price index jumping to 2.3% in the year to February – up from 1.8% in January. This is far better news for the government than it likes to admit. The early-year price rise can largely be traced to a passing-through of higher import costs following the […]

Explainer: What is national insurance?

11 March 2017

A tax called national insurance has become the centre of a row within Britain’s ruling Conservative Party. The recent budget announced a rise in the tax for the self-employed (from 9% to 11% on profits above £8,060 – still less than the 12% paid by employees). But a number of Conservative MPs have strongly criticised […]

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Category: Arts and social sciences