44 Articles
Opening the Archives: Digital Tools for Democratising the Arts
The digitisation of archives and collections seemingly democratises art, but it also creates inequalities and often results in passive audience participation. This Challenge tackles these issues by examining the potential of various digital tools to create online exhibitions in which audiences take control of their own ‘research journey’.
Achieving the ‘Right to Grow’
I’m Andrea Berardi, a Senior Lecturer at The Open University and Independent Councillor within Runnymede Borough Council. On April 25th 2024, my Right to Grow motion was voted through Full Council with an overwhelming majority, despite being proposed while I was in the opposition. So how was my comprehensive Right to Grow policy secured? In this brief article I’ll explain how I navigated council departments, policies and allegiances to secure a Right to Grow policy for my community.
Droitwich Spa Brine Yields Promising Discoveries in the Fight Against Antibiotic Resistance
A potential breakthrough in the battle against antibiotic resistance has emerged from an unlikely source—Droitwich Spa's historic brine. In September 2023, Droitwich Spa Town Councillor, Bob Brookes, was approached by Dr Michael Macey, a lecturer at the Open University and member of the Astrobiology OU group, regarding the unique microbial life potentially residing in the town’s brine.
Challenging Misconceptions About Transplant Recipients' abilities
In an effort to challenge long-held misconceptions about the physical capabilities of transplant recipients, a team led by Professor Bart Rienties from The Open University is conducting innovative research that could transform the medical and public understanding of transplant recipients' potential for physical activity. This project aims to bridge the gap between medical assumptions and the lived experiences of transplant recipients who engage in physical activities.
Coproducing Research: In Practice
Drawing on participatory and collaborative forms of research, coproduction is increasingly being adopted in academia. This approach brings possibilities for democratising knowledge production and pluralising the knowledge base for social change. In this blog, the OU team, as academic partner on the Amar Bari, Amar Jibon (My Home, My Life) project, reflect on our experiences of practising coproduction.
Police Record-Keeping: Public Accountability and Trust
Unlike nearly every other form of government records, documents created by Police forces in England and Wales aren’t treated as ‘public records’. New research in the History Department has contributed to the conversation which arose after the Hillsborough Report, about whether they should be. Now that the 2024 King’s Speech has promised a ‘Hillsborough Bill’ we need to keep that conversation going.
Taking Changemakers to UK Parliament
On 22nd May 2024 the Open University’s Global Challenges and Social Justice Research Centre contributed to a research showcase at UK Parliament. We had the opportunity to present our research to MPs, members of the House of Lords, parliamentary staff, and invited academics from other institutions, alongside stalls from POST, the Parliamentary Participation Network and Political Studies Association.
Introducing the Changemakers website
In response to our online surveys and focus groups, we have been busy designing a website to support young people’s understandings of making political and social change. In this blog, we explain what led us to create a website for the project’s promised ‘educational resource’. We will also discuss the key social issues that came up for young people through our research, and how we hope the website may help develop active citizenship in future generations.
Mythic Storytelling and the Changing Environment
Discussions about climate change can be complex and overwhelming. Scientific concepts associated with ecological breakdown can be inaccessible to audiences who do not have a background in science. This project seeks to explore what difference a theatrical production based in mythic storytelling from a range of traditions can make in ongoing discussions around the climate crisis and, perhaps most relevantly for this project, the climate anxiety that can prevent people from taking action to protect the environment.
Cancer can be caused by reversible molecular changes – as new study shows
Though one in two people will develop some form of cancer in their lifetime, there’s still much we don’t know about this disease. But thanks to continued research efforts, we keep learning more about the biology of cancer. One of these recent discoveries could even transform our understanding of how cancers develop.