Towards a better society

What does it mean to be a global citizen in the 21st Century? In a changing world, how do we maintain and negotiate peace? How do we educate the next generation? How should we instigate change?

How can we quantify sentiment at scale?

Mathematicians at the University of Birmingham are discovering new methods of analysing sentiment at a scale that meets the needs of policy makers.

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How do we ensure the state is accountable?

Counter-terrorism measures are proliferating around the world, yet little is know about the accountability and review mechanisms placed on them. A team of researchers at the University of Birmingham and the University of Oxford are conducting an in-depth, first-of-its kind analysis of UK counter-terrorism policy.

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Can a medical diagnostics approach keep our cities in good health?

By 2030, 60% of the world’s population will be living in cities. Understanding the reality of city-regions and the challenges they face is a critical matter for our times. Medical diagnostics combines the intuitive reasoning of practitioners with partly subjective observation, before it is explored or tested further. For Professor John Bryson, this two-step process inspired a new way of thinking about cities.

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How do regimes continue to rig elections and get away with it?

Democracy is in the spotlight. We spoke to Professor Nic Cheeseman, Research Director of the University of Birmingham's International Development Department, to find out how our understanding of democracy and elections have evolved in the 21st Century.

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How do we meet the healthcare needs of superdiverse populations?

Though welfare systems in countries differ, the challenge of how states handle how a diverse population gains access to healthcare, social care and other welfare provisions is a shared one. A new approach is needed. But first, a fresh approach to research on welfare provision.


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