Why are female politicians more often targeted with violence? New findings confirm depressing suspicions: Shutterstock/Gannvector Despite some progress, women remain seriously underrepresented in politics globally. As of 2023, women held only 26% of parliamentary seats and 15.8% of the positions as heads of state or government. My new research with colleagues raises one possible factor …
Children in west Africa are often sent to live with other families to help them get ahead – but fostering may be doing the opposite: In west Africa, it’s common for families to foster children informally. This helps ease the burden on parents and can give children from poorer families a chance to improve their …
Fintech is sold as the answer to Africa’s problems, but digital money services have downsides which media often overlook: The research assessed newspaper coverage of fintech in Kenya, Uganda and South Africa. Tony Karumba/AFP via Getty Images The online financial products and services known as “fintech” have become deeply embedded in the economic and social …
Bullies in South African schools were often bullied themselves – insights from an expert: Bullying is far more complex than current interventions acknowledge. Georgia Court/Getty Images “Pupil stabbed to death at Gauteng school had suffered history of bullying”. “Grade 6 learner commits suicide after bullying”. “Grade 11 learner takes her own life after taunts over …
Microscopic colitis explained – and why it’s often mistaken for IBS: Body Stock/Shutterstock In 1976, a Swedish pathologist, C.G Lindström, published a paper describing a colonic anomaly. Through his microscope, he noted that part of the large intestinal wall of one of his patients was thickened. The patient, whose large intestine had been so thoroughly …
Why iconic trees are so important to us – and how replacing those that fall is often complicated: The Sycamore Gap tree on Hadrian's Wall, UK. Mark Godden/Shutterstock An ancient kola tree has been cut down in southern Ghana. Local tradition held that the tree had grown on the spot where spiritual leader Komfo Anokye …
It’s time to limit how often we can travel abroad – ‘carbon passports’ may be the answer: Shine Nucha/Shutterstock The summer of 2023 has been very significant for the travel industry. By the end of July, international tourist arrivals globally reached 84% of pre-pandemic levels. In some European countries, such as France, Denmark and Ireland, …
Plan to ‘retain and explain’ controversial statues is flawed – the act of writing history is so often biased: The long-awaited government guidance on the official “retain and explain” policy suggests the UK’s contested statues and monuments be retained as long as additional context is provided. But given their controversial past, how do we go …
People with intellectual disability are often diagnosed with cancer when it is already well advanced: Stokkete/Shutterstock Many people with intellectual disability are diagnosed with cancer when it has already spread (metastasized) and the odds of survival are lower. Intellectual disability is a lifelong condition that occurs before adulthood where people have a reduced ability to …
How often do you think about the Roman empire? TikTok trend exposed the way we gender history: Andrej Maculskij/Shutterstock How often do you think about the Roman empire? This question, posed to men by their partners on social media app TikTok, has led to a storm of viral videos. Women are amused to discover the …
Too often learning ‘British history’ means learning ‘English history’ – but overburdened schoolteachers are not to blame: How much do you really know about the history of the United Kingdom? What passes for “British history” is, all too often, merely the history of England with bits of the histories of Scotland, Wales and Ireland tacked …
Five jellyfish species you may encounter more often in UK’s warming seas: While scuba diving off the south-west coast of England this summer, I was lucky to encounter several different species of jellyfish in just a matter of weeks. Many of these, including the compass jellyfish (Chrysaora hysoscella), are already common to UK waters. But …
In sport, abuse is often dismissed as ‘good coaching’: wavebreakmedia/Shutterstock The head coach of the Welsh men’s rugby squad, Warren Gatland, has built a reputation as one of the best coaches in the world. But his “intense training methods” have drawn comparisons to waterboarding, and his training programmes have included “psychological challenges” such as players …
Menopausal women often turn to doctors who know little about the symptoms – here’s what needs to change: Menopause typically occurs at some period between the ages of 46 and 52. Preceding this transition, hormonal changes can cause a myriad of physical and psychological symptoms, such as hot flushes, brain fog, mood swings and a …
Women’s pain is often not believed – here’s how to make your voice heard when seeking help: One survey found over half of female respondents had had their pain dismissed by a clinician. Keronn art/ Shutterstock When you go to the doctor, you expect they’ll listen to your concerns and help fix whatever problem you …
Women’s sexual desire often goes undiscussed – yet it’s one of their most common health concerns: Many women are afraid to voice concerns about low desire to their doctors. Lordn/ Shutterstock Female sexual desire is frequently misunderstood. Despite desire (also known as libido or sex drive) being the most common sexual health concern for women, …
South Africa’s media often portrays foreigners in a bad light. This fuels xenophobia: A refugee child in South Africa plays on a road side after attacks on foreigners in 2008. Photo by Alexander Joe/ AFP) (Photo by ALEXANDER JOE/AFP via Getty Images The media’s huge influence comes from the fact that it’s capable of affecting …
US election 2024: beware polling predictions as they can be wrong – but here’s an approach which has often been on the money: Drop of Light/Shutterstock Despite the avalanche of legal indictments, Donald Trump remains favourite to win the Republican nomination for the 2024 US presidential election. According to a poll reported by the website …