News

Sino-Pakistani relations in the time of COVID-19
2nd May 2020
The Open University's Dr Filippo Boni writes for the London School of Economics detailing the recent history of Sino-Pakistan relations, and how COVID-19 has impacted them over the last few months
What the digital divide means for livelihoods in Kenya
1st May 2020
Measures to control the current pandemic impact more heavily on everyone whose access to internet and digital technologies is limited. But in some countries, the impact can be particularly devastating, says PhD student Anna Colom
So, you've suddenly been asked to teach online...
1st May 2020
Dr Donna Smith offers reassurance and advice to educators tasked with rapidly moving their teaching online. Donna is a Lecturer in Politics and Deputy Associate Dean, Teaching and Students in the School of Social Sciences and Global Studies
SEPAD Project Receives Further Funding from Carnegie Corporation
1st May 2020
SEPAD project, co-led by POLIS academic Edward Wastnidge, has just been awarded an extension to its finding worth $400,000 from Carnegie Corporation for a further two years of work.
POLIS Publications on COVID-19
1st May 2020
POLIS academic has been publishing a series of articles related to COVID-19 pandemic.
Dr Agnes Czajka and Dr Eleni Andreouli Published a Blog on the Future of UK Citizenship
26th February 2020
OU academics/Citizenship and Governance Stratigic Research Area (SRA) members Dr Agnes Czajka and Dr Eleni Andreouli have published a blog on the future of UK citizenship.
Georgina Blakeley of FASS Wins CEU’s European Teaching Award
24th June 2019
Dr Georgina Blakeley, Director of Teaching and Deputy Head of School in FASS has been announced as the winner of the prestigious 2019 European Award for Excellence in Teaching in the Social Sciences and Humanities.
PhD Student Kiran Nihalani Has Co-authored a Piece on Opendemocracy
27th November 2018
We are all interdependent, but a person’s economic situation determines whether dependency is seen as acceptable or not, argues Kiran Nihalani, Phd Student at FASS in a new article in Open Democracy. We are all familar with terms such as 'hardworking families' or the supposed binary between 'shirker or worker' and '‘strivers versus scroungers'. In this article, Kiran explores how this language contributes to justifying and explaining current welfare policy. Yet it has devastating effects on people it demonizes. Based on her research and her work with the skillsnetwork, Kiran challenges assumptions underlying and driving punitive welfare policies.
New OU/BBC Series: Inside the Foreign Office
15th November 2018
On Thursday 15^th November a fascinating new three-part documentary series, Inside the Foreign Office begins on BBC2 at 9pm. There’s never been a more significant time to look behind the scenes. Film-maker Michael Waldman captures the extraordinary world of the men and women working in some of the most complex and sensitive jobs in government, over the last 12 months. The OU's academic consultants on the series are Dr William Brown and Dr Edward Wastnidge from FASS.
New Book: Understanding Statelessness
26th June 2018
The book Understanding Statelessness by OU Politics and International Studies lecturer Tendayi.Bloom with colleagues Katherine Tonkiss and Phillip Cole and a team of more than twenty scholars artists, journalists, lawyers, and others is now available.