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Starmer says migrants should speak English – but all of the UK’s languages are important for integration
When Keir Starmer said: “If you want to live in the UK, you should speak English”, it laid bare an assumption – that English is the only language that counts in the UK, says Sarah Cox, Research Fellow at the Open University. This view not only overlooks the UK’s rich linguistic diversity, but also runs counter […]
Keep calm and carry on buying: how Ukrainian consumers are hitting back at Russia
Political conflicts and global tensions always affect people on the ground and across borders. Unable to influence events such as the ongoing war against Ukraine or proposed sweeping US tariffs, people turn to whatever resources are available for defending their livelihoods, institutions and communities, says Cristina Galalae, Senior Lecturer in Marketing at The Open University. […]
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From hempseed gruel to CBD: the curious history of cannabis as a health product
The cannabis-derived product CBD has been hailed “the wonder drug of our age”, offering potential health benefits without the high, says Dr Lauren Alex O’Hagan, Research Fellow from the School of Languages and Applied Linguistics at The Open University. Writing in The Conversation she says: From juices and coffee to truffles and ice cream, CBD […]
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Why the social pain of welfare reform overshadows any economic gain
The UK government is calling it the “biggest shakeup to the welfare system in a generation” – prompted by what the Prime Minister described as the “devastating” cost of sickness and disability benefits. Alan Shipman, Senior Lecturer in Economics, writing in The Conversation, says planned reforms to cut those costs are designed to save £5 […]
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Athol Fugard: the great South African playwright who captured what it means to be human
I was shocked to learn that the famous South African writer Athol Fugard had passed away. I had known his age to be 92 but somehow I never expected him to die. He was always a survivor, says Dennis Walder, Emeritus Professor of Literature at The Open University. When I think about Fugard, the first […]
What are the EU’s new migration rules, and why did they take so long to pass?
Simon Usherwood, Professor of Politics & International Studies in the School of Social Sciences & Global Studies at The Open University, writes for The Conversation about the EU’s new migration rules, and why they took so long to pass. The European Parliament has passed a landmark package of laws to overhaul its rules on borders […]
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The idea that US interest rates will stay higher for longer is probably wrong
Alan Shipman, Senior Lecturer in Economics at The Open University, writes for The Conversation about the idea that US interest rates will stay higher for longer is probably wrong. The 0.4% rise in US consumer prices in March didn’t look like headline news. It was the same as the February increase, and the year-on-year rise of […]
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#JeSuisCharlie was one of the most viral hashtags in history – here’s why it wouldn’t happen today
Emma Connolly, PhD Candidate, Politics and International Studies at The Open University writes for The Conversation about how #JeSuisCharlie was one of the most viral hashtags in history and why it wouldn’t happen today: It will be nine years on January 7 since a shooting at French weekly satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo killed 12 and […]
Social prescribing could help support young people’s mental health – but calls for a national strategy in England may be premature
Jackie Musgrave, Associate Head of School of Education, Childhood, Youth and Sport, at The Open University, writes for The Conversation about how social prescribing could help support young people’s mental health. A growing number of children and adolescents in England are seeking access to mental health services. But the demand for these services is far […]
At chocolate time, we’ve discovered what the brands that score best on child labour and the environment have in common
What distinguishes a company that makes “good” chocolate (chocolate untainted by child labour, modern slavery, deforestation and the overuse of agrichemicals) from one that merely makes chocolate? Our annual Chocolate Scorecard investigation, which is a collaboration between Be Slavery Free, Macquarie University, The University of Wollongong and the Open University, suggests it might be a mission that goes beyond making food and […]
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