Blogging

Don’t be fooled by green capitalism’s technological climate fix

As politicians and lobbyists bargain over the way to meet climate change targets, Nick J Fox questions whether ‘green capitalism’ can deliver the goods. After years of platitudes, world leaders at the Glasgow COP26 meeting have rushed to declare the need for urgent action to address anthropogenic climate change.  But with greenhouse gas emissions strongly… Continue reading Don’t be fooled by green capitalism’s technological climate fix

Inequality matters: how the non-human stuff in our lives produces dis/advantage and ill-health

Ever since 1845 it’s been known that material circumstances such as poor housing and sanitation and over-crowding make life not only hard, but also unhealthy.  That was when sociologist Friedrich Engels uncovered the shocking conditions of daily life for working class people in English cities like Manchester, notes Nick J Fox. Many studies since then… Continue reading Inequality matters: how the non-human stuff in our lives produces dis/advantage and ill-health

Thanks Coronavirus, for the lessons you’ve taught us …

Death, suffering and despair trail in your wake, but you’ve shown us some important things too. 1. The NHS works fabulously when properly funded. 2, Social care in the UK is a disgrace and needs an urgent overhaul. 3. Many private sector jobs are scarily insecure. 4. Poverty and social deprivation kills. 5. Reducing economic… Continue reading Thanks Coronavirus, for the lessons you’ve taught us …

Money, markets and trade caused coronavirus pandemic

In recent weeks, the microscopic bundle of genes and proteins that comprises the Covid-19 coronavirus has been ascribed almost miraculous powers to infect huge and growing numbers of human bodies, writes Nick J Fox.  The media coverage of the outbreak has ensured that few are unaware of the respiratory tract symptoms that the infection produces:… Continue reading Money, markets and trade caused coronavirus pandemic

Climate change policies are not fit for purpose

If you thought that the UK government was leading the world towards a zero-carbon future, think again, write Nick J Fox and Pam Alldred.  It’s one thing for the UK parliament to declare a climate change emergency; another to choose the policies that will solve climate change effectively.  Our research has revealed that none of… Continue reading Climate change policies are not fit for purpose

Nudging behaviour is ineffective, naive and unethical

Interventions to ‘nudge’ people into desirable behaviours have become popular with policy-makers internationally, write Nick J Fox and Elise Klein.  In the UK, the Behavioural Insights Team – established under former premier David Cameron – are prolific nudgers, designing (amongst many others) inputs to reduce meat consumption, protect police officers from phishing, and reduce the… Continue reading Nudging behaviour is ineffective, naive and unethical

Sociologists should stop talking about social class

Once upon a time it meant something when we talked about social class, suggests Nick J Fox.  The concept was useful in describing social inequalities, or predicting outcomes such as illness and premature death.  But the turn towards cultural and symbolic approaches to class in recent sociology has made ‘social class’ increasingly meaningless and empirically… Continue reading Sociologists should stop talking about social class

Is the Sociological Clinic Open for Business?

Sociology has much to say about the grand problems facing contemporary society, from climate change to migration to wealth and health inequalities, as readers of Discover Sociology know.  But sociologists are also addressing the smaller problems of everyday life, ranging from improving urban spaces to enhancing work and productivitym says Nick J Fox. I’m in… Continue reading Is the Sociological Clinic Open for Business?