The Open University

Can we trust the government with Brexit?

7 January 2019

Dr Volker Patent, Lecturer in Psychology at The Open University, who researches organisational trust believes that the UK government is asking for blind faith, rather than trust in its Brexit plan. As Parliament returns after the Christmas break for what looks to be an eventful year in the lead up to Britain’s exit from Europe […]

Woman holding sign saying No Human Being is Illegal

What makes someone an ‘illegal immigrant’?

18 December 2018

Tendayi Bloom, Lecturer in Politics and International Studies, The Open University, explores what makes someone an ‘illegal immigrant’? After months of negotiations and some controversy, a Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration was agreed by 164 countries in early December. In the final text of this agreement and in the process that led up […]

New BBC series delves into unseen world of the British Foreign Office

14 November 2018

The Open University has partnered with the BBC to co-produce a three-part documentary, which explores the strange, secretive and fascinating world of the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO). Inside the Foreign Office begins on Thursday 15 November at 9pm on BBC Two. Filmed over 12 months, the fly-on-the-wall series follows diplomats, ministers and senior […]

Bicycle basket filled with colourful fruit and veg- Pinkyone via Shutterstock

Vegans: why they inspire fear and loathing among meat eaters

31 October 2018

Food critic William Sitwell has resigned as editor of Waitrose’s in-house magazine following a row over his astonishingly hostile response to a freelance journalist who proposed a series of articles on veganism. A statement from the food retailer said that John Brown Media – which produces the Waitrose & Partners Food Magazine – had announced […]

Goop: a classicist’s take on the ‘power’ of ancient remedies

31 October 2018

Lifestyle company Goop – founded and run by actor and businessperson Gwyneth Paltrow – was fined US$145,000 (£112,000) for making unscientific claims about products on its website: specifically, that its jade and rose quartz eggs, intended to be inserted vaginally, could help to balance hormones and regulate menstrual cycles. In a recent interview with the […]

Abandoned by the British, Afghan interpreters explain how they wait for years seeking safety

30 May 2018

When the British began to withdraw their forces from Afghanistan in 2012, the Afghan civilians they employed as interpreters, cooks and security guards, became even more exposed to threats, losing the limited protection that military bases granted them. In recognition of their work and its risks, the UK government put two schemes in place. The […]

Five amazing advances in research at the OU in 2017

12 December 2017

From the welfare of working animals and supporting gender equality in India, to forecasting space weather and levitating water on Mars, it has been an amazing 12 months for research at the OU. Here are five that will knock your Christmas socks off. 1. Improving the welfare of working animals The OU Animal-Computer Interaction (ACI) Lab, […]

A glass of whisky could help you get your head around deep time

11 December 2017

The Scottish geologist James Hutton made a proposal in 1788 that, at the time, was extraordinarily controversial. He described Earth as a “beautiful machine”, constantly subjected to long-term decay and regeneration, that could only be understood over many millions of years. This may not sound that contentious, but the challenge this posed to humanity’s sense […]

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 […]

Catalonia declares independence – and Spain enters uncharted territory

30 October 2017

Shortly after Catalonia’s parliament in Barcelona voted to declare independence from Spain on October 27, the senate in Madrid voted to trigger Article 155 of the Spanish constitution, removing Catalonia’s autonomy. In his speech to the senate requesting that deputies approve the proposal, the Spanish prime minister Mariano Rajoy justified his request in the face […]

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