The University of Manchester School of Social Sciences

Can it still be called the 'beautiful game' if it also becomes the dirtiest?⚽🌎

As millions tune in to an expanded World Cup researchers are focusing on the significant environmental cost. With 48 teams competing across 3 countries, increased matches, flights, and more fan travel across huge distances is set to raise overall emissions.

Dr James Jackson (The University of Manchester Department of Politics), in collaboration with colleagues from Loughborough University and the University of Bristol, highlights how the increased scale, alongside tensions between FIFA's sustainability messaging and its links to fossil fuel commercial partners could lead to this being the 'most polluting' World Cup.

"As FIFA has sought little in the way of sustainability initiatives to instead cosy up to many of the largest fossil fuel states in the world, they look like an increasingly neglectful governing body."
Dr James Jackson

📚Read the full report here and our summary of key findings to explore what this means for the future of the game.

🔗Report:https://www.lboro.ac.uk/media/media/research/newwebsite/scan/4063_SCI_%20Football_and_Climate_Change_Report_v3.pdf
🔗Key https://www.manchester.ac.uk/about/news/experts-issue-climate-warning/

Can football continue to grow without costing the planet?

A decisive election victory doesn’t always translate into long-term political stability — and headline results can hide a more complex reality.

A recent event at The University of Manchester explored what the 2024 General Election looks like two years on, with political scientist Professor Robert Ford examining how Labour’s victory was built — and what has followed since.

The expectation was clear: a substantial parliamentary majority would provide a strong and secure foundation for governing.

But the discussion pointed to a more fragile picture.

Labour’s success was underpinned by what Professor Ford describes as an “electoral Jenga” strategy — targeting key marginal constituencies while weakening traditional strongholds, and combining a large majority with relatively modest popular support.

While this delivered electoral success, it also left the party exposed to political volatility in the years since. Early decisions proved critical, with disaffection setting in quickly.

More broadly, the event highlighted a deeper shift in British politics.

Rather than returning to a traditional two-party system, voters are increasingly drawn to a wider range of political parties, reflecting more diverse preferences and a reduced willingness to accept compromise within broad coalitions.

This shift is reshaping electoral competition, with parties such as Reform UK and the Greens challenging how votes are won and maintained.

The discussion highlights a key takeaway: strong electoral outcomes can rest on more unstable foundations than they appear — particularly in an increasingly fragmented and volatile political landscape.

👉 Read the news article: https://www.manchester.ac.uk/about/news/the-british-general-election-of-2024-two-years-on--labours-wobbling-jenga-tower/
👉 Listen to the podcast: https://feeds.acast.com/public/shows/the-manchester-weekly-from-the-mill

We are delighted to share news of colleagues across the School whose achievements have been recognised in this year’s promotion round. 🎉

Congratulations to our newly promoted Professors: Alexandra Mullock & Fae Garland (The University of Manchester Law School), Carl Death (Politics), Eduardo Fé (Social Statistics), Elisa Bellotti (University of Manchester Sociology Department)

We also celebrate George Bratsiotis (Economics), promoted to Reader.

Alongside a wide group of colleagues promoted to Senior Lecturer: Amber Darr, Pınar Oruç, Rachael Ntongho & Yusra Suedi (The University of Manchester Law School); Ellie Gore, Jasmin Ramovic, Luke Bhatia, Michael Macgamit & Nicole Martin (Politics); Emily Caddick-Bourne, Raamy Majeed & Stephen Ingram (Philosophy); Tatjana Kecojevic (Social Statistics); and Thiago Oliveira (Criminology).

Finally, congratulations to Catherine Bowden (The University of Manchester Law School) on promotion to Research Fellow.

Warmest congratulations to all colleagues on these well-deserved achievements.

What does meaningful collaboration in research actually look like in practice?

This question was at the centre of the “It Takes a Village” panel at the School of Social Sciences Research and Scholarship Showcase, where researchers and external partners reflected on how partnerships with patients, communities, organisations, and industry shape research and impact.

A key message emerged throughout the discussion: research does not happen in isolation. Impactful research depends on working across boundaries and drawing on different forms of expertise and experience.

Speakers emphasised the importance of co-producing knowledge with patients, volunteers, organisations, industry partners, and communities whose perspectives help shape both research processes and outcomes.
Examples from the panel illustrated this in practice.

Dr Cath Bowden discussed a multidisciplinary NIHR-funded project exploring a new approach to evaluating clinical treatment changes in radiotherapy for lung cancer. The project combined patient outcomes and side-effect data with extensive public involvement activities, including citizens’ journeys, workshops, focus groups, and a three-day public forum exploring the values and principles people wanted to see in rapid learning healthcare systems.

Torik Holmes reflected on research addressing the challenges of flexible plastic recycling. Bringing together stakeholders from across the plastics value chain, including multinational corporations and recycling initiatives, the project culminated in a policy briefing while also highlighting the importance of managing different expectations and priorities among collaborators.

Ada Wossink discussed biodiversity in urban development and the growing need for collaboration between researchers and professionals working in real estate and ecology as environmental considerations become increasingly embedded within development processes.

Katie Smith presented an ESRC- and AHRC-funded project with Chester Cathedral exploring volunteering, belonging, and a spirit of service. Developed in partnership with Cathedral clergy and around 300 volunteers, the project examines volunteer experiences while addressing wider challenges around volunteer recruitment and retention. Outputs have already included public talks and a toolkit booklet shared with all 42 Anglican cathedrals and their associated charities across the UK.

Perhaps the clearest message from the session was that meaningful collaboration is not a funding requirement or a box-ticking exercise. It is a way of producing knowledge that draws on different forms of expertise, experience, and perspective. When done well, collaboration does more than support research—it helps shape how knowledge is produced, shared, and used.

What does it mean to “think outside the box” in Social Sciences research — and what changes when research is shaped with communities, not just for them?

The “Thinking Outside the Box” session at the School of Social Sciences Research and Scholarship Showcase explored how creative, participatory, and co-produced approaches are reshaping how research is designed, experienced, and shared. Across the presentations, a shared theme emerged: research impact is often built through collaboration, relationships, and methods that extend beyond traditional academic formats.

Rather than treating creativity as an output, speakers highlighted how it can shape research from the outset — influencing questions, methods, and how knowledge is produced and communicated.

A project on ageing in cities, led by Dr Patty Doran (Sociology), showed how co-production with older people, local authorities, and community partners can shape research over time. Using creative methods such as storytelling, collages, community forums, and an older people’s advisory forum, the work has been developed through sustained engagement and collaboration across sectors.

The “Travelling Power Station” project, presented by Professor Hannah Knox (Social Anthropology), illustrated how research can be translated into participatory, community-facing formats. Developed with grassroots energy groups, the project used workshops, props, and co-design processes to create a travelling exhibition and interactive tools, including a game designed to support public engagement with energy issues.

Dr Chika Watanabe (Social Anthropology) presented life-history research in a coastal community in Chile, working with older people to explore experiences of hardship and resilience. Outputs included an illustrated book of life histories, intergenerational workshops where children responded to older people’s stories, and a documentary film, highlighting emotional as well as analytical dimensions of impact.

Professor Andreja Zevnik (Politics) showcased a co-designed visual storytelling project addressing anti-Gypsyism, including a winning film created by Romani girls as part of a competition with open submission formats such as video, drawings, and poetry, aimed at enabling young people to engage with and communicate experiences of inequality.

Across the session, speakers reflected on how co-production, creative methods, and participatory design can reshape not only research outputs, but the research process itself — from how communities are involved, to how knowledge is generated and shared.

The discussion also highlighted that “thinking outside the box” is not only about format, but about reimagining how research is done: working with communities, building relationships over time, and recognising multiple forms of expertise in shaping knowledge.

Curious about studying Humanities at The University of Manchester? 📚✨

Join us on campus for our Humanities Discover Days this June. This month will include a session dedicated to all things 🌟

These free events for Year 12 students are a chance to:
🎓 Experience university-style learning
💬 Meet current students and academics
🏙️ Explore our campus and student life
🚀 Discover future study and career pathways

🔗 Book your place via the link: https://www.humanities.manchester.ac.uk/connect/schools-colleges/discover-days/

Reflecting on last month’s joint Arthur Lewis & Vital Topics lecture with Professor Pierre-Richard Agénor 💬

The session explored key connections between inclusive policy, labour market participation and long-term economic development, sparking conversations that continue beyond the event. It also marked the first times these events had been brought together by and , a testament to the importance of gender equality and economic growth.

If you want to revisit these conversations, or engage with the topic for the first time the full lecture recording is now available to watch. You can also read our news item to find out Professor Agénor's thoughts following the lecture. 🔗 [link in bio]

What does “research impact” look like in practice in the Social Sciences?

A recent panel at the School of Social Sciences Research and Scholarship Showcase explored how research moves beyond academic publication — through collaboration, public engagement, policy dialogue, professional networks, and community partnerships.

The Showcase brought together colleagues at all career stages — academics, researchers, and postdoctoral scholars — to share research, expertise, and practice from across the School.

Across the session, speakers reflected on how research contributes to public conversation, professional practice, policy development, and wider social understanding through sustained collaboration with communities, organisations, and practitioners.

In “Preventing the Abuse of Women Runners”, Dr Caroline Miles and Professor Rose Broad (Criminology) shared research on harassment, fear, and the safety work undertaken by women runners. The project has informed wider discussions on violence against women and girls, through engagement with police forces, councils, running organisations, campaigns, podcasts, and media.

Dr Frederique Janssen-Lauret and Dr Ajinkya Deshmukh (Philosophy) discussed outreach introducing non-Western philosophical traditions to secondary school pupils, delivered through schools, supporting broader access to philosophy beyond traditional curricula.

In “Fast Policy and Practice Transfer in Policy Work at the Frontline of Labour Market Governance”, Dr Alex Nunn (Politics ) reflected on how research that began with a funded project on New Labour and Jobcentre policy evolved into wider work on policy transfer across Europe and Latin America. Much of this work has developed through consultancy, international policy networks, and engagement with governments and policy practitioners.

Professor Simona Giordano (The University of Manchester Law School) presented work on the clinical management of transgender and gender-diverse young people, exploring ethical questions around care pathways, evidence standards, and harm reduction, in dialogue with clinicians, advocacy groups, policymakers, and guideline developers.

Importantly, the session also highlighted the complexities of impact work — including how research is translated for different audiences, how collaboration shapes research itself, and how findings are interpreted beyond academia.

Taken together, the panel showcased how Social Sciences research engages with complex contemporary issues through dialogue, collaboration, and ongoing exchange across academic, policy, professional, and community settings.

Not all competition in digital markets is visible — and not all policy changes deliver the outcomes we expect.

A new study of European hotel markets, involving researchers from The University of Manchester, the University of Oxford, the European Commission's Joint Research Centre and partner institutions, examines what happened when ‘price parity clauses’—rules preventing hotels from offering lower prices outside major booking platforms—were banned.

The expectation was clear: greater competition would reduce online prices. But the findings point to a more complex reality.

Rather than lowering publicly advertised prices, the study found the biggest changes occurred elsewhere. Prices for bookings made directly with hotels offline fell by around 5%, alongside a shift away from online travel agents towards direct booking channels.

This suggests that while the policy increased competition, much of it took place outside the most visible parts of the market. Online prices showed only small, statistically insignificant changes, even as behaviour shifted behind the scenes.

As Dr Carlo Reggiani notes, banning restrictive rules alone may not be enough to create fully competitive digital markets, as platforms can adapt in ways that preserve their influence.

The study highlights a key challenge for policymakers: improving competition does not always translate into visible price reductions for consumers—especially in complex digital markets.

👉 Read the full article: https://www.manchester.ac.uk/about/news/booking-site-crackdown/
👉Link to the journal article: https://doi.org/10.1093/ej/ueag059

Accountability in government depends on more than good intentions — it depends on having systems that provide effective scrutiny and clearly assign responsibility.

In an article published by The Conversation UK earlier this year, Research Associate Nathan Critch, alongside Darcy Luke of the The University of Edinburgh, examined what the Mandelson vetting scandal reveals about accountability and standards in British politics.

Their analysis argues that the controversy is about more than a single appointment. Instead, it exposes deeper constitutional questions about how the UK political system balances independent scrutiny with political responsibility.

Rather than focusing solely on the political fallout surrounding the case, the authors argue that the scandal highlights a broader problem within the UK's accountability framework. While there have been longstanding calls for stronger checks and balances around senior appointments, the authors suggest that politics has simultaneously moved away from a culture of clear individual ministerial accountability.

As a result, they argue that the UK risks finding itself in a "worst of both worlds" scenario: lacking both robust independent scrutiny and clear lines of political accountability when decisions go wrong.

The article offers timely insights into contemporary debates around governance, accountability, and constitutional change in the UK.

👉 Read the full article: https://www.manchester.ac.uk/about/news/mandelson-vetting-scandal/