No social mobility from life-long learning


QUALIFICATIONS GAINED THROUGH life-long learning primarily maintain, rather than narrow, inequalities in life-chances based on social class, according to a study of the role of education in intergenerational social mobility in Britain. Findings offer no evidence that further education gives individuals from a less advantaged start in life a second chance to enhance their upward class career mobility, other than in quite limited ways. Rather, children coming from managerial and professional backgrounds benefit most from


further education. Post-school education and training do not appear to be the most effective way to promote intergenerational social mobility, say researchers. Instead, policy interventions that target children from disadvantaged backgrounds in pre- and early school years. n


i Contact Dr Erzsebet Bukodi, University


of Oxford Email erzsebet.bukodi@spi.ox.ac.uk Telephone 01865270325 ESRC Grant Number ES/I038187/1


Autism guidance for legal profession


AUTISM AFFECTS approximately one in 100 people in the UK. Involvement with the criminal justice system can be especially difficult for someone with autism. To ensure fair and appropriate access to justice, research projects led by Professor Lucy Henry and Dr Katie Maras have raised awareness of challenges about autism in the criminal justice system, and provided new guidelines for legal professionals. Professor Henry explored how


children with autism fared in a mock criminal investigation, finding that adaptations which successfully supported typical children did not always help autistic children. Dr Maras found that current police techniques effective for typical adults do not necessarily work for autistic adults. Problems with social interaction, language and communication and also reliance on routines and predictability


can all make contact with the police stressful for people with autism. “It is essential that police are equipped with role-specific training about autism, and have the institutional support to adapt their procedures to better support people with autism,” says Dr Maras. The researchers have developed guidance for police and barristers on the most effective methods for working with witnesses and defendants with autism, as well as highlighting the sensory difficulties in sight, sound, touch, taste, smell, balance and body awareness which may cause stress. n


i Contact Professor Lucy Henry, City University


London/Dr Katie Maras, University of Bath Email lucy.henry.1@city.ac.uk k.l.maras@bath.ac.uk Web www.childwitnesses.com Telephone 020 7040 4513 ESRC Grant Number ES/J020893/2


ANTIBIOTIC OVERUSE Corporate food retailers play a pivotal but frequently ignored role in tackling antimicrobial resistance (AMR). The overuse of antibiotics on farm animals is leading to growing resistance among certain bacteria such as E-coli. Researchers aim to address the responsibility of retailers in tackling the AMR challenge through chicken and pork supply chains and investigate the retailers’ future role. ESRC grant number ES/P011586/1


ONLINE HATE CRIME The UK Government’s Hate Crime Action Plan stresses the need to tackle hate speech on social media by bringing together policymakers with academics to improve the analysis and understanding of the patterns and causes of cyberhate and how these can be addressed. New research aims to assist policymakers in identifying areas that require policy attention and better targeted interventions in the field of online hate. ESRC grant number ES/P010695/1


GREEN GROWTH The green economy has significant potential for delivering inclusive economic development in Africa. With work focused on three countries – Ethiopia, Kenya and Nigeria – researchers will address key questions such as: what are the current greening activities taking place in Africa; what are the successes, challenges, synergies and trade-offs associated with greening in Africa; and how do these differ across countries? ESRC grant number ES/P006671/1


SUMMER 2011 SOCIETY NOW 9 SUMMER 2017


IN BRIEF


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32