University of Glasgow, College of Social Sciences

In this week's #SocSciHub bulletin: Research reveals major gaps in global COVID-19 vaccine access. While UK policy on AI struggles to keep up as government adoption accelerates. Read more: https://lnkd.in/evyByZK2 #Covid19 #AI #Research #SocialSciences

Around one-third (35%) of people in Scotland’s Black, Asian, and visible minority ethnic communities say they have faced discrimination within the past two years, finds a new survey led by the University of Glasgow. The survey, undertaken as part of the Health-Justice Nexus project with polling company Survation, shows that experiences of racial discrimination have not decreased over the last decade, when placed alongside earlier studies, and that confidence in anti-discrimination efforts has continued to decline. Co-Investigator Professor Nasar Meer said: “This survey builds on previous years’ findings and highlights, on the one hand, that Scotland’s Black, Asian, and visible minority ethnic communities have firmly established themselves in Scottish society and strongly identify with it. On the other hand, they continue to experience racism across all areas of life, from the street to the workplace, in ways that can be both overt and subtle. This pattern has remained largely unchanged in a decade. It is unsurprising therefore that trust and confidence has declined in the institutions and systems able to address this.” Read more on the #SocSciHub: https://lnkd.in/eMuFMrJU #AntiDiscrimination #Inclusion #SocialJustice #Research

📣📣 University of Glasgow, University of Glasgow, College of Social Sciences News, published 27th March 2025: Scotland’s Centre for Transformative Change in Schools (#CenTCS) celebrates its relaunch at the University of Glasgow 📣📣 Brianna L. Kennedy Aileen Kennedy University of Glasgow School of Education https://lnkd.in/eY8Vy338

Professor Irene-marie Esser recently visited our valued partner, Stellenbosch University. She explored ways we can further collaboration with the Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences - Stellenbosch University, discussed potential PhD opportunities and engaged with academics from the Stellenbosch University Faculty of Law. In addition, she met with Nina Callaghan at the Centre for Sustainability Transitions and Professor Mbulungeni Madiba from the Faculty of Education. A huge thank you to everyone who helped make this visit possible! We look forward to strengthening our partnership. Samantha Walbrugh-Parsadh, Anél du Plessis, Nicolene Wesson, George Nel, Jacqueline Yeats, Nicola Smit, Richard Stevens, Randall Adams, Dieter von Fintel, Sarah Jane van der Westhuizen #AcademicPartners #GlobalEngagement #HigherEducation #TeamUofG

On Tuesday, 25 March, the College of Social Sciences marked 40 years since the end of the miners’ strike and reflected on the success of the Miners’ Strike (Pardons) (Scotland) Act of 2022. We were honoured to have Richard Leonard MSP sponsor the event, where Prof Jim Phillips (University of Glasgow) shared insights from his recent publication, Coalfield Justice: The 1984-85 Miners’ Strike in Scotland. His work explains the injustices of the strike and the hard-fought journey to secure the pardons, drawing on powerful testimonies from former strikers and their families. We also heard reflections from Cllr. Linda Erskine, who spoke about the invaluable role of women in the strike action, and Nicky Wilson, President of the National Union of Mineworkers, reminded us that the fight for justice continues.   Thank you to everyone who participated and contributed to this event, ensuring that the legacy of the miners' strike remains firmly in our collective memory. #MinersStrike #ScottishMiners #History #UKPolitics

We are excited to welcome Professors Rita Abrahamsen & Michael C. Williams for the upcoming Stevenson Trust for Citizenship at University of Glasgow lecture on April 24th. This is in partnership with the Scottish Council on Global Affairs and will discuss how today's radical right global impact. Register below 👇

World of the Right: Radical Conservatism and World Order - 24 April (in-person and online), University of Glasgow with Stevenson Trust for Citizenship at University of Glasgow, Christopher Carman Professors Rita Abrahamsen & Michael C Williams https://lnkd.in/e76Ahmzh

NEW timely insights on responsible AI from Dr Mark Wong 📣 💡   With substantial cuts across UK government departments anticipated in the Chancellor’s Spring Statement this week, both the Prime Minister and Chancellor have claimed that AI will make these cuts ‘more than possible’.   Mark reflects that UK policy lags behind in developing responsible AI though – a missed opportunity and a risk of potentially ‘dire consequences’, if it does not centre the voices, needs, and actions of people most impacted by AI harms.   Read in full on the UofG Centre for Public Policy blog: https://lnkd.in/eytzpgXT   #ArtificialIntelligence #Inequalities #Digital #Research

A new podcast series that questions why Scotland’s abundance of energy hasn’t resulted in a more prosperous or fairer society has been launched by UofG energy experts. ‘The Energy That Made Modern Scotland’ explores how more than 50 years of oil and gas production and the birth of renewables in the twenty-first century have transformed Scottish culture, society and politics. Episodes profile the voices of workers and communities in Northern Scotland which have been front and centre of these big changes for over half a century. These include Shetland, which was subject to an influx of people and activity when Europe’s biggest oil terminal was built at Sullom Voe, and the Cromarty Firth in the Eastern Highlands where huge oil rigs were built at Nigg in the 1970s. Both places have since become integral to Scotland’s wind energy sector, whilst also continuing to be shaped by onshore and offshore oil and gas work. #EnergyScotland #RenewableEnergy #OilAndGas #Research

📢 I wrote a blogpost for UofG Centre for Public Policy: *UK Government going full steam ahead with AI but left the people behind* Ahead of the Chancellor’s Spring Statement this week, the UK Prime Minister and Chancellor claimed today that AI will help make substantial cuts to civil service ‘more than possible’. The PM reiterated that AI is a 'golden opportunity' to provide efficiency gain. But at what cost? ▶️ What this is doing is putting faith in the machine, and leaving the people behind. ‼️ AI opportunities are growing and are exciting. But the need to develop AI in responsible ways is growing even quicker. Policies need to ensure AI in government is fair and truly beneficial for everyone before it gets further rolled out in government departments. 💭 The government needs to involve the public in governing how and why AI is used in the public sector. Research I’ve led at University of Glasgow shows preventing bias and inequalities in digital services and AI requires involving the public. Our co-created code of practice provides an example of how the government can develop digital services in more equitable ways. (see links below) Our research has also shown co-design methods, such as people’s panels and co-design workshops, help ensure the voice and lived expertise of adversely-racialised people are valued and listened to in the AI ecosystem. This approach echoes Demos report last week, calling for government to shift from ‘citizen engagement to citizen participation’ to mobilise mission-led government. What we need is, therefore, to involve the public in AI governance. 🔝 Responsible AI is about considering who is most impacted and rebalancing who has power. This will allow participation of diverse perspectives to determine and audit how AI should or should not be used in government. See more: what we are doing in the Participatory Harm Auditing Workbenches and Methodologies (PHAWM) project. See more details and resources signposted in the blog post: https://lnkd.in/eNzY3DG3 Minoritised Ethnic People’s Code of Practice for Equitable Digital Futures: https://lnkd.in/eF5crQbe Why co-design digital services is important: https://lnkd.in/eePR3f5C Also find resources mentioned in the blog post from Scottish AI Alliance, The Data Lab - Innovation Centre: https://lnkd.in/ezgM2i9y With research in the Division of Urban Studies and Social Policy, UofG School of Social and Political Sciences, University of Glasgow, College of Social Sciences funded by Responsible Ai UK, UK Research and Innovation