‘Benefits Street’ and the Myth of Workless Communities

2014 ◽  
Vol 19 (3) ◽  
pp. 263-268 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert Macdonald ◽  
Tracy Shildrick ◽  
Andy Furlong
Keyword(s):  
Research Evidence ◽  
Think Tanks ◽  
Welfare Dependency ◽  
Central Idea ◽  
Welfare Benefits ◽  
The Media ◽  
The Uk

This paper critically engages with a pervasive myth about welfare in the UK which is commonly spread by politicians, think tanks and the media. This is the myth that there are areas of the country which are so affected by entrenched cultures of ‘welfare dependency’ that the majority of residents are unemployed. In undertaking research that sought to investigate a different idea - that there are families where no-one has worked over several generations - we simultaneously gathered evidence about the likelihood that there are localities where virtually no-one is in employment. The rationale for Channel 4's Benefits Street was exactly this; that whole streets and neighbourhoods are of out of work and living on welfare benefits. We draw on research evidence gathered in Middlesbrough and Glasgow to investigate this idea. Thus, the aim of our paper is simple and empirical: is the central idea of ‘Benefits Street’ true? Are there streets and neighbourhoods in the UK where virtually no-one works?

scholarly journals The media diversity and inclusion paradox: Experiences of black and brown journalists in mainstream British news institutions

Journalism ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 146488492110017
Author(s):  
Omega Douglas
Keyword(s):  
Open Letter ◽  
News Production ◽  
Black British ◽  
Media Diversity ◽  
Diversity And Inclusion ◽  
The Us ◽  
The Media ◽  
Journalistic Field ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Race Problem

Over 100 British journalists of colour are signatories to an open letter demanding the US Ambassador to the UK condemns the arrest of African-American journalist, Omar Jimenez, on May 29th 2020, whilst he was reporting for CNN on the Minneapolis protests following the police killing of George Floyd. The letter is a vital act of black transatlantic solidarity during a moment when journalism is under threat, economically and politically, and there’s a pandemic of racism in the west. These factors make journalism challenging for reporters from racial minorities, who are already underrepresented in western newsrooms and, as this paper shows, encounter discrimination in the field, as well as within the institutions they work for. The letter speaks to how black British journalists are all too aware that the British journalistic field, like the American one, has a race problem, and institutional commitments to diversity often don’t correspond with the experiences of those included, impacting negatively on the retention of black journalists. Drawing on original interviews with 26 journalists of colour who work for Britain’s largest news organisations, this paper theoretically grounds empirical findings to illustrate why and how discriminatory patterns, as well as contradictions, occur and recur in British news production.

Lone Mothers, Ethnicity and Welfare Dynamics

2009 ◽  
Vol 39 (1) ◽  
pp. 95-118 ◽  
Author(s):  
CHRISTINA MOKHTAR ◽  
LUCINDA PLATT
Keyword(s):  
Extensive Literature ◽  
Welfare Dependency ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Administrative Records ◽  
Lone Parents ◽  
Lone Mothers ◽  
Minority Ethnic Groups ◽  
Policy Concern ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Minority Ethnic

AbstractThis article investigates the ethnic patterning of exit from means-tested benefits in a UK town. Lone parents in the UK face high risks of poverty and high rates of receipt of means-tested, out-of-work benefits. There has been extensive policy concern with lone parents' poverty and with potential ‘welfare dependency’. Investigation of welfare dynamics has unpacked the notion of welfare dependency, and has stimulated policy to better understand the factors associated with longer rather than shorter durations. However, within this analysis, there has been little attention paid to ethnicity. This is despite the fact that the extensive literature on the UK's minority ethnic groups has emphasised diversity in both rates of lone parenthood and risks of poverty. To date we have little understanding of ethnic variation in lone parents' welfare dynamics. Using a data set drawn from administrative records, this article analyses the chances of leaving means-tested benefit for a set of lone mothers in a single town, exploring whether there is variation by ethnic group. We find that, controlling for basic demographic characteristics, there is little evidence to suggest that ethnicity affects the chances of benefit exit, even between groups where rates of lone parenthood are very different.

The "Third" United Nations

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tatiana Carayannis ◽  
Thomas G. Weiss
Keyword(s):  
United Nations ◽  
Think Tanks ◽  
Epistemic Communities ◽  
Staff Members ◽  
For Profit ◽  
The Third ◽  
System P ◽  
The Media ◽  
Knowledge Brokers ◽  
State Actors

This book is about the Third UN: the ecology of supportive non-state actors—intellectuals, scholars, consultants, think tanks, NGOs, the for-profit private sector, and the media—that interacts with the intergovernmental machinery of the First UN (member states) and the Second UN (staff members of international secretariats) to formulate and refine ideas and decision-making at key junctures in policy processes. Some advocate for particular ideas, others help analyze or operationalize their testing and implementation; many thus help the UN “think.” While think tanks, knowledge brokers, and epistemic communities are phenomena that have entered both the academic and policy lexicons, their intellectual role remains marginal to analyses of such intergovernmental organizations as the United Nations. The Third UN in this volume connotes those working toward knowledge and normative advances for the realization of the values underlying the UN Charter; the book does not discuss armed belligerents and criminals, the main focus of previous analyses of non-state actors and the UN system.

Biopesticide Summit – Regulatory Reform of Biopesticides, Virtual Conference, 6th July 2021

2021 ◽  
Vol 32 (4) ◽  
pp. 168-170
Author(s):  
Robin Blake
Keyword(s):  
Market Share ◽  
Regulatory System ◽  
Regulatory Reform ◽  
Non Profit ◽  
The Us ◽  
The Media ◽  
Virtual Conference ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Chemical Pesticides ◽  
The Eu

This virtual event was held as a follow-up to the inaugural Biopesticide Summit and Exhibition at Swansea University in July 2019, and postponed in 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Sarah Harding, Communication Director at The World BioProtection Forum (WBF) & Biopesticide Summit opened the event with a few brief words of introduction before handing over to Dr Minshad Ansari, Chairman of the WBF.<br/> Dr Ansari was delighted with the more than 150 attendees already logged into the event with over 300 registered. The WBF was created in 2019 as a non-profit organization to bring together industry and academia for innovation. Dr Ansari thanked the event's supporters – AgBio, Agri Life, Bayer, Bionema, Ecolibrium Biologicals, Koppert Biological Systems, Harry Butler Institute and Sri BioAesthetics, as well as the media partners including Outlooks on Pest Management. He reiterated the need for regulatory reform due to removal of chemical pesticides, demands for organic food, limited biopesticide products registered and a lengthy and costly biopesticide registration process (5 years in EU where there are just 60 products available vs. 2.1 years in USA and where over 200 products are already available on market). The US is clearly in a much better place; in Europe, it is too expensive for SMEs and little progress has been made despite the work of the IBMA (International Biocontrol Manufacturers Association) and others. With respect to the biopesticides market share (value) by region, Europe has 27.7% market share (21.3% CAGR) and yet within UK, the CAGR is limited (unlike other European countries) – there are few products available in the market compared to chemical pesticides. The current biopesticide regulation is complex and not fit for purpose (compare 60 vs 200). Industry is facing a serious problem with pest control following the removal of some chemical pesticides, e.g.European cranefly which has caused many problems to the turf industry and has been impacted by the removal of chlorpyrifos. However, Brexit provides opportunities in the UK through government plans to "Build Back Better" by supporting Green Tech. At the EU level, the EU has committed to reducing use of pesticides by 50% (equating to 505 products) by 2030 so there are opportunities here for biopesticides to fill the market.<br/> Dr Ansari finished his introduction by restating the objectives for the meeting: for the speakers to present and debate the need for reform, their visions for a successful regulatory system, and how the WBF is working towards process reform in UK biopesticide regulation.

Think Tanks and Foreign Policy

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stuti Bhatnagar
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Policy ◽  
Critical Role ◽  
Think Tanks ◽  
Think Tank ◽  
Political Issues ◽  
Social Actors ◽  
Policy Frames ◽  
Policy Actors ◽  
The Media ◽  
Intellectual Elites

The role of think tanks as policy actors has developed over time and created significant global scholarship. Widely understood as non-state policy actors, think tanks established either with or without the support of government have evolved in various political contexts with varied characteristics. They are avenues for the discussion of new policy ideas as well as used for the consolidation of existing understandings of global and national political issues. As ideational actors think tanks interact with policy frameworks at different levels, either in the framing stage or at the stage of consensus building towards certain policies. Intellectual elites at think tanks allow for the introduction of think tank ideas into the policy frames as well as the creation of public opinion towards foreign policy decisions. Think tank deliberations involve an interaction with policymakers, academic experts, business and social actors, as well as the media to disseminate ideas. Institutionally, think tanks in a wide variety of political contexts play a critical role in the making of foreign policy and bring closer attention to processes of state–society interactions in different political environments.

scholarly journals Media frames and public perceptions of global poverty in the UK: Is there a link?

2019 ◽  
Vol 44 (1) ◽  
pp. 59-79 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mirjam Vossen ◽  
Lau Schulpen
Keyword(s):  
Developing Countries ◽  
Public Perceptions ◽  
Global Poverty ◽  
Media Frames ◽  
The Public ◽  
Governmental Organizations ◽  
Non Governmental Organizations ◽  
The Media ◽  
The Uk ◽  
The Relationship

Abstract This study investigates the relationship between media frames and public perceptions of global poverty. Building on a frame analysis, the paper reconstructs prevailing poverty narratives in British news articles and non-governmental organizations’ (NGO’s) advertisements between 2011 and 2013. Following this, these narratives are compared with the narratives that emerge from public opinion studies. The findings suggest that there is a strong connection between media frames and public knowledge and perceptions of global poverty. Both the media and the public define poverty in developing countries’ terms of destitute victims, lack of development and bad governance. Both suggest that the causes of poverty are internal to developing countries and imply that there has been little progress in reducing global poverty.

scholarly journals Myten om velferdsavhengighet

2018 ◽  
pp. 59-74 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kristoffer Chelsom Vogt
Keyword(s):  
At Risk ◽  
Life Course ◽  
State Policies ◽  
Welfare States ◽  
Life Course Perspective ◽  
Welfare Dependency ◽  
Individual Life ◽  
Welfare Benefits ◽  
Anglo American ◽  
Historical Developments

Title: The Myth of Welfare Dependency. Summary: The myth of welfare dependency has long historical roots and is influential in both policy and research. The central idea is that receiving welfare benefits decreases people’s motivation for work and fosters a culture of dependency. The myth originates in an Anglo-American context but is also evident in a Nordic context. Nordic welfare states, with their comparatively high levels of benefits, are presumably especially at risk of encouraging welfare dependency. This article questions the myth of welfare dependency, by presenting a life-course perspective that directs our attention to relations between historical developments and individual life-course processes. Viewed from a life-course perspective, it becomes clear that the myth of welfare dependency is based upon a number of problematic premises: an individualistic and static conception of lives and relationships, a narrowly defined concept of welfare, and on several misconceptions of how welfare state policies, especially of the Nordic variety, function in practice. The dichotomy of dependence and independence upon which the myth rests is untenable when confronted with empirical life-course research, and has highly-skewed implications in terms of both gender and social class.

scholarly journals Journalism from Above: Drones and the Media in Critical Perspective

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 60-63
Author(s):  
Jonas Harvard ◽  
Mats Hyvönen ◽  
Ingela Wadbring
Keyword(s):  
Media Production ◽  
Media Technology ◽  
Public Authorities ◽  
The Us ◽  
The Media ◽  
Legal Constraints ◽  
The Uk ◽  
New Research ◽  
Journalistic Practice

In the last decade, the development of small, remotely operated multicopters with cameras, so-called drones, has made aerial photography easily available. Consumers and institutions now use drones in a variety of ways, both for personal entertainment and professionally. The application of drones in media production and journalism is of particular interest, as it provides insight into the complex interplay between technology, the economic and legal constraints of the media market, professional cultures and audience preferences. The thematic issue <em>Journalism from Above: Drones, the Media, and the Transformation of Journalistic Practice</em> presents new research concerning the role of drones in journalism and media production. The issue brings together scholars representing a variety of approaches and perspectives. A broad selection of empirical cases from Finland, Spain, Sweden, the UK and the US form the basis of an exploration of the changing relations between the media, technology and society. The articles address topics such as: Adaption of drone technology in the newsrooms; audience preferences and reactions in a changing media landscape; the relation between journalists and public authorities who use drones; and attitudes from journalistic practitioners as well as historical and future perspectives.

scholarly journals News framing of the Ukraine crisis in the Russian and British media

2019 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 4-22
Author(s):  
Zixiu Liu
Keyword(s):  
Circulation Rate ◽  
Economic Consequence ◽  
News Framing ◽  
Quantitative Content ◽  
Russian Media ◽  
The Media ◽  
The Difference ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Ukraine Crisis ◽  
The Guardian

This pilot study uses quantitative content analysis following the framework of generic frames, diagnostic and prognostic frames (Godefroidt et al. 2016) to compare the news framing of the Ukraine crisis in Russia and the UK from 30 November 2013 to 26 February 2014. The Moscow Times and The Guardian were chosen as examples of quality print media with online editions that are comparable in terms of quality, circulation rate, political stance, and more importantly – global targeting. The study argues that firstly, the media in both countries were more likely to report through conflict lens, followed by responsibility frame. Secondly, the difference between the Eastern and Western media was tracked. While the Russian media relatively preferred economic consequence frame reflecting the country’s geopolitical interests, the British media tended to use human-interest frame highlighting unfairness and non-proportionality.

scholarly journals Inequalities in the application of welfare sanctions in Britain

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aaron Reeves ◽  
Robert de Vries ◽  
Ben Baumberg Geiger
Keyword(s):  
Ethnic Minorities ◽  
Unemployed People ◽  
Welfare Benefits ◽  
Working Paper ◽  
British System ◽  
Using Data ◽  
The Uk

Unemployed people in Britain who are in receipt of government welfare benefits canhave these benefits stopped if they fail to comply with certain conditions. Such astoppage is known as a ‘benefit sanction’. The present working paper has two aims: i)to provide an introduction to British system of sanctions, specifically as it applies tounemployed people who are not disabled, and ii) to identify demographic inequalitiesin the application of sanctions. Using data published by the UK Department of Workand Pensions, we find that some groups of unemployed claimants (younger people,men, and ethnic minorities) are at substantially higher risk of experiencing a sanction.This working paper will be updated at a later date with analyses investigating thedrivers of this inequality.

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