Public Policy Research volume 15 issue 1

Author: Julia Margo (ed)
Contributors:
Price: £10.99
Publication Date: 13 May 2008

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Free Higher Education course materials for all
Leo Pollak, researcher and activist, highlights that the UK is trailing behind US universities in putting its course materials freely online. He argues that UK universities and colleges are well-placed to innovate further than the US. This could be done by the Government establishing a central website that allows taxpaying citizens to easily access British university course materials. As an extension to access to free course materials, he also recommends online learners should be able to pay a fee and take the same exams as enrolled students, to gain an 'open degree course' qualification.

Lying back and thinking of England
Jean Edelstein, freelance journalist, argues that the UK’s approach to sex education and teen pregnancy is regressive and lazy. Highlighting the increase in sexually transmitted infections in the UK, she argues that reduced public attention on HIV/AIDS prevention and conflicting messages about sexual health, have led to a reduction in young people using barrier methods of contraception. Edelstein recommends that the Government must take a hard line on sex education and not let it be undermined by moral debate. It should be made compulsory in primary schools and tailored to the facts about sex, prevention of sexually transmitted diseases and pregnancy.

Douglas Alexander, Secretary of State for International Development, argues that if we are to tackle global poverty,then we must address the ‘failure of political will’ to tackle the underlying causes of global inequality. He states that while we certainly need more and better aid, in his view we must also embed social justice in our international institutions. The solution to global inequality lies not only with government, but needs a partnership of voluntary, faith and private institutions as well as citizens.

Senselessness and sensibility: suicide and university culture
Meghan Benton, ippr, reflecting on the suicide of an ex-boyfriend, asks what can be done to better protect at risk young people. Looking at the pressures on higher education students, Benton argues that mental health problems can often arise as a result of feeling isolated whilst away from home. She recommends that universities support students better by providing a pastoral tutor in addition to an academic one, with specialist knowledge of university services. The pastoral tutor would offer support and advice on finances and housing problems, and check if students have registered with a GP.

Is the state against fatherhood?
Jasper Gerard, Telegraph, argues that although the Government is keen to promote active fatherhood - insisting fathers are named on birth certificates and given longer paternity leave - family courts have not caught up. Their complex and secretive processes are biased towards women and have lead to great injustices for fathers seeking custody. Gerard asks for fathers to be encouraged to apply for custody and in doing so gain the same amount of support by the family courts system as women do.

Gridlock: chaos and confusion in our prisons
Peter JM Wayne, inmate at HMP Brixton and freelance journalist, argues that there is a crisis in our prison system. Speaking with 20 years of experience in prison, Wayne says that frequent changes in prisons’ leadership have led to inconsistent policies and a lack of clarity in implementation. To tackle increasing problems like overcrowding and violence, the Government needs to enforce highly visible and consistent leadership to enforce a clear strategy for change.

Mayors rule
Michael Kenny and Guy Lodge, ippr, argue that mayors should be imposed in every town and city if the Government is serious about devolving powers from central to local government. They explain that ministers are often anxious about devolving powers to a local level because the public often blame them for specific local problems. Lodge and Kenny illustrate the successes of elected mayors in towns and places such as Hartlepool, Middlesbrough and Hackney, arguing that ministers are more likely to devolve powers to a highly visible and locally accountable Mayor.

More than just victims: the truth about human trafficking
Benjamin S Buckland, freelance political researcher in Geneva, highlights how the reporting of trafficked people as victims ignores the economic and political reasons for why some choose to leave their homes. This can often confuse the issue and lead to inappropriate policy responses, such as extra border controls which can increase trafficking by forcing people into illegal migration channels. To combat this problem Buckland recommends training embassy, consular and border staff to recognise trafficking to help prevention, and to deal appropriately with asylum cases.

Street encounters: betrayal and belonging in youth gangs
Julia Sauma, PhD student, highlights the progress Brazilian outreach workers have made in analysing the reasons for which young people are drawn into gangs. She says that young people see gangs as an opportunity to live without constraints and avoid becoming drug dealers, tramps or poor workers. Sauma argues that if UK youth workers can understand the reasons why people fall into gangs then they can tackle the solutions.

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