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Why cars are more than just transportCars are now much more than simply a way of getting from A to B. They have become a major setting for our working, family and leisure lives. Researchers will use video evidence to explore the interaction between people inside the car and examine how the car is creatively utilised. Findings will highlight future possibilities for car redesign and the amendment of transport policies. | |
A new slant on the weapons' threatTraditional approaches to the spread of weapons of mass destruction such as international agreements are in a state of crisis and new methods are being sought. However, just when their expertise is most in demand, many UK experts in this field are due to retire. A new seminar series will increase collaboration between scholars studying chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear weapons and encourage new entrants to the field. | |
Is the House of Lords more powerful?The removal of the majority of hereditary peers from the House of Lords in 1999 has significantly changed the chamber. No party has an overall majority and it seems to be more confident in challenging the House of Commons and the executive. Researchers will ask whether the semireformed chamber is, in practice, becoming more powerful and explore changing perceptions of its legitimacy. | |
A feminist view on antiglobalisationInterviews with feminist activists and other selected women from the UK and Brazil involved in anti-globalisation politics are key to a new study which aims to make sense of the anti-globalisation movement from a feminist perspective. Interviews will take place mainly at two key anti-globalisation events: the European Social Forum, London and the World Social Forum, Porto Alegre, Brazil. | |
Switch off for less work-related stressRecent studies suggest that people in stressful jobs have difficulty 'switching off' after work and think about work issues during the evening. This may affect their recovery from work. A pioneering study of 100 office workers and their ability to 'switch-off' after work will provide new evidence regarding work-related stress, and offer further guidance on the prevention of this leading cause of sickness absence in the workplace. | |
Unmarried mothers tell their storyTranscripts of interviews with over 100 unmarried mothers carried out in the 1960s and archives from the One Parent Families organisation are among the sources to be used in a study of the experiences and attitudes of unmarried mothers and their children in England and Wales from 1918-1990. Researchers will ask whether recent changes to aspects of family life are less novel historically than has been argued. | |
Literacy development in the deafDeaf children generally lag behind their hearing peers in reading achievement, typically by between five and six years by the time they leave school. This project aims to investigate the importance of other cognitive skills (eg speechreading, short-term memory) in predicting the progress made in literacy. The study will build up a detailed picture of reading and spelling development in deaf children aged four to 10 years. | |
A survey of English church attendanceEach of England's 39,000 churches will be surveyed as part of the English Church Census, a comprehensive survey of church attendance in 2005. The project, based at the Cathie Marsh Centre for Census and Survey Research, aims to provide good information on the extent of religious activity by Christians in England and form the basis for research into important questions about contemporary religious practice. | |
Why are primary teachers leaving?A crisis exists in the recruitment and retention of primary school teachers which is adversely affecting the quality of teaching and learning and the efficient running of the educational system. Researchers will explore the impact on primary teacher identity, commitment and morale of an increase in performancebased policies and programmes. It will identify the positive and negative affects of 'performance' cultures. | |
The constraints on bio-pesticidesConsumers, retailers and environmentalists would like to see less use of chemical pesticides in food production. Bioinsecticides, such as the naturally occurring fungi that attack insects, offer a sustainable solution. New research will examine why such approaches have not been adopted more widely in the UK and explore whether the up-take of bioinsecticides is constrained by the existing regulatory system. | |
Contradictions of volunteeringVolunteering has been increasingly mainstreamed into public policy and voluntary organisations now play a key role in the delivery of social and care services. Yet, for some commentators, the government is now sending a signal that only paid work is important, in effect devaluing non-marketised activity. Researchers will confront this apparent contradiction through a study of volunteer activity in a deprived community in the East Midlands. | |
Does frugality increase with age?The role of poverty in promoting social exclusion and dependency in older age is well recognised, but less is known about ways in which older people manage and perceive their financial situation. Older people tend towards low levels of consumerism and financial caution. But, is this cautious attitude towards money held by older people throughout their lives or acquired only in later life? | |
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