The Open University

How to measure happiness

20 March 2018

Finland is the happiest country in the world, according to the annual World Happiness Report, with the UK ranked 19th this year (2018). But the report shows that countries with a higher GDP, such as the USA – ranked 18th; China – in 86th place; and Japan – 54th – don’t automatically have a happier […]

Sharenting: why mothers post about their children on social media

12 March 2018

On Mother’s Day, social media feeds are often full of celebration. Facebook reported that in 2017, Mother’s Day “drove more posts in a single day than any other topic on Facebook in the last year”. For some countries, Facebook even created a temporary emoji – the purple flower – so people could fully express their […]

Homeless people could avoid life-saving services, if there’s a risk of deportation

8 March 2018

As the UK was hit by snow and freezing temperatures last week, more beds in shelters were made available, and people in England and Wales were advised to use the StreetLink app and helpline to report rough sleepers. The project sets out to ensure that no one in a wealthy country dies of cold because […]

Sexual violence may be in the Hollywood spotlight, but there are limits to speaking out

3 March 2018

The entertainment award season hits its peak with the 90th Academy Awards – the Oscars – on March 4 2018. Since the public outing of Harvey Weinstein as a serial sexual abuser, award ceremonies have become spotlights to display solidarity and declare time on sexual harassment and gender inequalities in and beyond the film industry. […]

The Oxfam Case: Why are we so outraged?

16 February 2018

As headlines persist in the controversy surrounding Oxfam, Professor Helen Yanacopulos Director, Development Policy and Practice, takes a candid and honest look at what has prompted the ongoing furore. “The last thing I want is to be an apologist for badly behaved people exploiting others,” said Professor Yanacopulos, “but I have to admit I’m surprised that […]

Pension age rise for women sparks inequality fears

1 February 2018

Amid recent battles for equal pay by BBC women and ahead of next month’s centenary celebrations of women being given the vote in the UK, it might be a surprise to learn that equality is not always welcome between the sexes. The law has changed to create equality of state pension age for men and […]

Research photograph [CREDIT: Professor Shailey Minocha]

Can sharing photos online help reduce feelings of loneliness in older people?

23 January 2018

Everyone loves uploading their holiday albums or even photographs of their meals on social media, but is this just for our entertainment or are there other benefits? Research by The Open University and Oxford Brookes University is investigating whether sharing photographs via social media reduces loneliness and social isolation in older people. The research, which […]

House prices in 2018: steady despite the hints of demolition

18 December 2017

Lecturer in Economics, Alan Shipman, offers his view on what the next year has in store for the UK housing market… Judged by what they announced, UK policymakers moved decisively in 2017 to arrest the long rise in house prices , as part of a broader strategy to cut living costs and assist first-time buyers. But […]

Here’s the truth about false accusations of sexual violence

24 November 2017

Senior lecturer in psychology Lisa Lazard looks beyond the recent headlines to probe why accusations of sexual harassment and violence provoke an air of suspicion. “Inflated statistics” Why didn’t these women speak up sooner? This was asked time and time again during the recent public furore around sexual harassment, violence and abuse. Underlying the question […]

Budget 2017: Reducing VAT threshold is a stealthy tax rise for small businesses

21 November 2017

Ahead of this year’s Autumn Budget, we asked OU lecturer in personal finance, Jonquil Lowe, about one of the key issues expected to come up – what the anticipated reduction in the VAT threshold will mean, if you have a small business or are self-employed. Jonquil’s thoughts ahead of Budget 2017 “Self-employment is often a […]

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Category: Society and politics