Social — Page 7

‘I didn’t feel as if I fitted in at all’: the real life challenges of social mobility

‘I didn’t feel as if I fitted in at all’: the real life challenges of social mobility: Going up? Shutterstock/Arthimedes The benefits of social mobility seem to be widely agreed on. The idea that a person’s opportunities and earnings should not be defined by their background is supported across the political spectrum. Despite this, attempts …

Reflecting on South African novelist K. Sello Duiker’s art of madness and social justice

Reflecting on South African novelist K. Sello Duiker’s art of madness and social justice: K. Sello Duiker. Photo courtesy Kwela Books The South African novelist K. Sello Duiker would have turned 48 on 13 April 2022. Since 2005, when he took his own life at the age of 30, his importance to the body of …

Farmers are finding a new following on social media – our research suggests it could help with isolation

Farmers are finding a new following on social media – our research suggests it could help with isolation: Farmers are at increased risk of loneliness and isolation. David George/Unsplash In the wake of a chaotic Brexit and an ongoing pandemic, farmers in the UK are experiencing high levels of isolation and loneliness. A poll in …

Algorithms, bots and elections in Africa: how social media influences political choices

Algorithms, bots and elections in Africa: how social media influences political choices: Social media provides spaces for participation — but also for misinformation. Photo by Omar Marques/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images The rise in the use of smartphones and an increased adoption of mobile internet in Africa are fundamentally altering the media ecology for election …

Social security is the bedrock of South Africa’s human rights protection. But there are gaps

Social security is the bedrock of South Africa’s human rights protection. But there are gaps: South Africa has an extensive social security network, but poverty levels remain obstinately high. Photo by Dan Kitwood/Getty Images Since South Africa adopted its post-apartheid constitution in 1996, the country has made important strides in realising the right to social …

Ukraine: how social media images from the ground could be affecting our response to the war

Ukraine: how social media images from the ground could be affecting our response to the war: Ksenia Faleva/Shutterstock From wars, to terrorist attacks, to revolutions, our perceptions of major world events are strongly influenced by the images we see from the ground. The first world war was the first major conflict to be widely photographed …

Social media is being misused in Kenya’s political arena. Why it’s hard to stop it

Social media is being misused in Kenya’s political arena. Why it’s hard to stop it: In Kenya, social media has become a new battleground in electoral campaigns. Jakub Porzycki/NurPhoto via Getty Images The information landscape in Africa – as elsewhere in the world – has expanded exponentially over the last decade. The proliferation of platform …

Pakistan again faces questions over ‘honour’ killings as brother acquitted of social media star’s murder

Pakistan again faces questions over ‘honour’ killings as brother acquitted of social media star’s murder: The prevalence of so-called “honour” killings in Pakistan has increasingly been the subject of national debate. The perpetrators are husbands, fathers, sons, brothers, uncles, cousins, and in some cases, strangers hired by the victims’ families. And the reasons they give …

Young Africans, sexual health and social media: which messages work, which don’t

Young Africans, sexual health and social media: which messages work, which don’t: Getty images The increasing use of social media, particularly in African countries, offers several opportunities to promote messages about sexual health behaviours among young adults on the continent. It can complement existing sexual health promotion strategies, particularly when physical distancing measures limits opportunities …

Cool British Library digitised image from page 368 of “The New Egypt. A social sketch [Edited by J. W. Longsdon.]” image

A cool Paternoster image: British Library digitised image from page 368 of “The New Egypt. A social sketch [Edited by J. W. Longsdon.]” Image by The British Library Image taken from: Title: "The New Egypt. A social sketch [Edited by J. W. Longsdon.]" Author(s): Longsdon, J. W. [person] ; Adams, Francis William Lauderdale, 1862-1893 [person] …

Adult social care was hit hard during the pandemic – it will need help to recover

Adult social care was hit hard during the pandemic – it will need help to recover: Omicron cases are falling, and the UK government is focusing on a return to normal. But far from entering a post-pandemic recovery phase, the adult social care sector – which provides crucial services to people who are disabled, elderly …