Search

In 2020–2021, 94% of undergraduates in England took out government-backed loans to fund their higher education. The growing and widespread use of student loans in England, mounting student debt, and governments' increasing dependence on tuition fees underwritten by loans to finance public higher education raise important questions which this paper seeks to address. Specifically, the paper asks how do graduates respond to student loan debt and what does this tells us about the nature of the relationship between the graduate debtor and the state lender? We also question the usefulness of symbolic violence as a sociological lens to better understand graduates' different patterns of responses and reactions to student loan debt and their relationship with the state lender. Our analysis draws on 98 in-depth qualitative interviews conducted with English graduates between 2020 and 2021. We conclude that a more comprehensive explanation requires an exploration of both symbolic violence and structural violence and a re-appraisal of the word 'violence' to better represent the wide range of graduates' responses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Achieving successful multi‐stakeholder collaboration for sustainable outcomes is complex. This paper provides key principles for future co‐design projects aimed at fostering an inclusive approach to research. These have been developed based on a novel methodology that co‐designed the essential components of a long‐term, collaborative agreement for a nature recovery scheme in England. Using an assortment of iterative, deliberative participatory methods, this research engaged a wide variety of stakeholders to produce a template agreement for an agri‐environmental policy. We demonstrate that a flexible, highly reflective approach resulted in positive engagement with previously marginalised stakeholders. The approach also successfully navigated the unequal power dynamics seen both within and between groups. Finally, multiple feedback loops allowed participants to continually build on previous interactions as they developed and reviewed the agreement. By drawing out the complexities of the co‐design process, this paper explains how co‐design efforts can produce potentially transformative outputs. We hope that the principles introduced here offer a useful starting point for those planning to undertake multi‐stakeholder co‐design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper employs data from the 2021 UK census to initially explore sub-state (English, Welsh) national identities among minority ethnic groups. This shows that these identities remain much more exclusive of people in minority groups than is a British identity, and that this exclusion is particularly marked with respect to English identity. The analysis then builds on this observation using similar data to examine English identification among the White British ‘majority’ in a ‘superdiverse’ city – London. Attributes which are typically shared by London boroughs in which identification as English deviates most from the national average, and multi-variable analysis which considers the ethnic structure of the borough in which an individual lives alongside other key factors (age, education, social class) suggest differences in identification between people living in boroughs that are characterised by more established and extensive ethnic diversity and those in boroughs transitioning from a previously more homogeneous (white) ethnic structure. In exploring how the articulation of a specific national identity might relate to ethnically-diverse or ‘superdiverse’ contexts, the paper uniquely contributes to recent research which calls for a stronger focus on how people who do not belong to migrant-minority groups might respond to living in such contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Meeting individuals' social care needs is a core element of UK social policy. However, the conceptualisation and operationalisation of 'unmet need' remain a challenge. This paper advances our understanding by incorporating a temporal dimension into the conceptual framework on unmet need to investigate the dynamics of met and unmet need for social care over time. Using data from Waves 8 and 9 of the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing, this paper examines five possible trajectories among individuals with a social care need for bathing or dressing at baseline: (a) no longer having such a need; (b) having continued needs met; (c) delayed needs met; (d) newly arisen unmet needs; and (e) repeated unmet needs. The results indicate that amongst those with need at baseline, unmet need has decreased over time – indicating that some needs for social care may be fulfilled with a delay. However, a significant proportion of older people experienced repeated unmet needs, particularly those who were younger, with no spouse or civil partner, and those whose activities of daily living index scores worsened over time. Understanding the dynamics of unmet need can support policy makers in better ensuring that those facing an elevated risk of repeated unmet need over time do not fall through the social care safety net. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

City deals – place-based agreements between central and local state actors – are an increasingly common intervention for supporting economic performance in urban areas. This paper presents empirical evidence on the effectiveness of city deals by estimating the impact of the UK's City Deals scheme on rates of economic growth, productivity and job creation across England between 2010 and 2019. Because the City Deals were introduced in two waves, we estimate its effects using a differences-in-differences (DiD) with multiple time periods (MTPs) approach. Our DiD estimates indicate that, overall, the City Deals were associated with improvements in local economic performance, but that the first wave of city deals resulted in gains of around 2.5% to 3% that were not observed in the second wave. These results suggest that city deals are most effective when appropriate institutional structures are in place and highlight the value of MTP approaches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper focuses on the use of emancipatory research principles in archival research and contends with the suitability of academic conventions that characterise ethical practice when the research goal is to elevate the voices of marginalised historical groups. Drawing on a case study of Le Court Cheshire Home, England (1948–1975) to address a critical gap in the literature, I highlight some ethical dilemmas I encountered when working at the nexus of historical geography and geographies of disability. This paper demonstrates what an emancipatory research approach means for an archival study of disability, using examples to illustrate how ethical decisions impacted all stages of the research design and the write‐up of findings. I argue that ethics should not be envisaged solely as an approval process completed at the project's outset. Rather, the explorative nature of archival research necessitates that ethics should be an iterative undertaking, with archival sources having the potential to shape both the content and conduct of the research. The paper uses a case study of Le Court Cheshire Home to explore research ethics and the applicability of emancipatory research principles for an archival study of disability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Equitable access to healthcare is a priority of many healthcare systems, aiming to ensure access is driven by need and not minority groups such as those defined by sexual orientation. However, there are healthcare areas where inequity in access across sexual orientation groups is found that are not justified based on need. Mandated LGBTQ+-specific training of the healthcare workforce may help address some barriers of access for these groups. The study aims to understand the potential economic implications for mandated LGBTQ+-specific healthcare training on the healthcare system in England, UK to inform commissioning of training provision. Methods: Cervical cancer screening was used as an exemplar case where there appears to be inequity in access for different sexual orientation groups. A decision model was developed and analysed that considered the impacts of greater uptake of screening for lesbian and bisexual women due to LGBTQ+ training. Costs took the perspective of the healthcare system and outcomes modelled were cancer cases averted in a timeframe of 5 years. Results: Based on cervical cancer screening alone, where training costs are fully attributed to this service, training would likely result in fewer cancer cases detected in the lesbian and bisexual populations, though this comes at a modest increase in healthcare sector costs, with this increase largely reflecting a greater volume of screens. Training costs do not appear to be a major component of the cost implications. Conclusions: In resource-constrained systems with increasing pressures for efficiency savings, the opportunity cost of delivering training is a realistic component of the commissioning decision. The findings in this paper provide a signal that mandated LGBTQ+ training in healthcare could lead to potentially greater outcomes and in breaking down barriers of access and could also enable the healthcare system to provide more equitable access to healthcare. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climatic changes can cause unpredictability in flood regimes that traditional flood risk management (FRM) approaches may struggle with. Therefore, flood resilience is seen as a supplementation to these approaches, putting a larger emphasis on flood acceptance and minimising consequences. An (emergent) group contributing towards flood resilience is civil society. This paper examines how civil society contributions can be furthered and guided in the Netherlands as well as exploring potential limitations in doing so. To achieve this, England is used as a good practice example due to a more developed and defined role for civil society being present here. Data were collected on both actual (England and the Netherlands) and potential (The Netherlands) civil society contributions. These were compared to identify potential avenues for Dutch civil society contributions to flood resilience that can be further investigated. The research shows that the most promising avenues are improving advocacy from citizens, improving local flood awareness and developing relationships between FRM authorities and existing citizen groups that can be harnessed and mobilised to support flood resilience. Additionally, the research also provides insights into potential limitations for transferring resilience approaches from one context to another beyond the cases discussed in this publication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this commentary paper is to analyze the burst of joy experienced by global football fans when England lost the final match during the Euro 2020 against Italy. Design/methodology/approach: The author worked with netnography (Internet ethnography), gathering material from the internet. Findings: The author would consider the emotional explosion as a creative expression that was possible to happen through football. Football is not only a part of popular culture, it also creates it. It acted as a platform allowing for emotional engagement and covering different issues connected to global politics. Research limitations/implications: It is just a small study based on very limited material (Internet sources). However, it highlights every-day use of Internet and the possible amplification of certain sentiments if allowed. Practical implications: Methodologically, it shows how Internet sources might be used when connected to football. It also provides an insight how Internet users can exchange opinions using sports (e.g. football) as a background. Social implications: This text highlights that football can be used as a platform do express/discuss difficult issues and that average citizens can be heard just because the platform is football. Originality/value: To the author's knowledge there is no academic text with this issue in focus yet. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we make initial advances towards building an argument for the inclusion of Critical Literacy Awareness within the new Early Career Framework in England. Using illustrative examples from recent research projects, we argue that post-2010 education policy has discursively divided practitioners, structuring relationships between different groups of teachers in schools as hierarchical and competitive, rather than collegial and supportive. We argue that such hierarchies may be a contributing factor to the teacher retention crisis, given that research indicates teachers working in schools with a collegial culture are more likely to remain committed and motivated. We propose that engagement with CLA may enable early career teachers to critique and resist dominant discourses which differentiate and hierarchically divide them from their colleagues, and therefore, the utility of CLA should be explored within future iterations of the Early Career Framework. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractEthnic inequalities in housing in England are entrenched and long-standing. Minority ethnic groups are more likely than the White British population to experience housing disadvantage and deprivation. In recent years, little attention has focused on what steps housing policy is taking to promote race equality. This study fills this gap in knowledge. Focusing on four key housing policy interventions, it traces the policy approach to race equality in England since 2000. A paradigmatic shift is revealed. Previously, policy actively promoted race equality. Inequalities remained but progress was made tackling disadvantage. In contrast, the contemporary policy approach is characterised by non-intervention. This shift is related to the retreat from multiculturalism and increasing influence of postracial notions about the fading legacy of racism, allied with neoliberal understandings of inequality as the product of individual responsibility and choice. In conclusion, the paper calls for research to scrutinise these presumptions and explore whether policy is following a similar trajectory in other countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper provides an analysis of working from home patterns in England using data from the 2021 Census to understand (1) how patterns of working from home (WFH) in England have shifted since the COVID‐19 pandemic and (2) whether human mobility indicators, specifically Google Community Mobility Reports, provide a reliable proxy for WFH patterns recorded by the 2021 Census, providing a formal evaluation of the reliability of such datasets, whose applications have grown exponentially over the COVID‐19 pandemic. We find that WFH patterns recorded by the 2021 Census were unique compared with previous UK censuses, reflecting an unprecedented increase likely caused by persistent changes to employment during the COVID‐19 pandemic, with a clear social gradient emerging across the country. We also find that Google mobility in 'Residential' and 'Workplace' settings provides a reliable measurement of the distribution of WFH populations across Local Authorities, with varying uncertainties for mobility indicators collected in different settings. These findings provide insights into the utility of such datasets to support population research in intercensal periods, where shifts may be occurring, but can be difficult to quantify empirically. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The publication of the 2021 Census data revealed that four English cities—Birmingham, Leicester, London and Manchester—are now 'no majority' cities, meaning that no ethnic group, including the White British, comprise a majority (more than half) of their populations. This paper explores the residential diversification of these cities to ask: whether that diversification is reflected in the average neighbourhood of all ethnic groups or just some; whether the decline in the number of White British means that 'enclaves' of other ethnic groups are emerging instead; whether the White British are avoiding living in diverse neighbourhoods; and whether a co‐occurrence of the diversification is that residential segregation between the White British and other groups is increasing within and beyond the boundaries of these cities. Using a harmonised set of cross‐census neighbourhoods to provide a consistent geography across the 2001, 2011 and 2021 censuses, the results show that the residential neighbourhoods of the four cities have increased their ethnic diversity for the average member of all ethnic groups. Despite some growth in the number of neighbourhoods where a group other than the White British form a majority, especially in Leicester, the overall conclusion is one of residential diversification happening alongside residential desegregation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Residential care services are under increasing pressure to lower service provision costs while maintaining quality of care. Using a translog cost function, this paper examines the relationship between cost, quality and output in England's learning disability (LD) residential care sector. It finds genuine but diminishing economies of scale in LD residential care services vis-à-vis output (i.e., care weeks). However, some variation exists: higher-quality LD residential care homes appear to have larger economies of scale than lower-quality ones. Supplementary regression analysis, examining quality-size, further finds quality (a) is negatively associated with LD care homes of six or fewer beds; (b) shows no association with homes of more than six beds. These findings enhance residential care literature and raise the possibility that, by promoting the establishment of larger high-quality care homes, cost savings may be achieved without sacrificing quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores English national identity through qualitative interviews with English-identifying voters in rural South-West England, amidst post-Brexit and COVID-19 uncertainties. Analysing 16 in-depth interviews, the study uncovers micro-level foundations of English identity, revealing a multifaceted view where participants consider it an absent identity. As members of the dominant cultural group, they define Englishness by their perceived 'normal,' distancing anything diverging from their norms as foreign. The study suggests a connection between English identity and reactive resentment towards perceived asymmetrical identity norms compared to neighbouring devolved nations. These findings shed light on the nuanced nature of English identity in rural areas and contribute to discussions about fostering a progressive and inclusive English identity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the explanatory models of mental challenges among Black Africans in England. It argues that understanding these models is critical for providing culturally appropriate care to this population. The study employed qualitative methodology, and interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA). Twelve mental health service users who are living in England and self‐identified as first or second‐generation Black Africans were purposively selected. The data were gathered using face‐to‐face semistructured interviews. Data were manually analysed in accordance with IPA concepts of searching for common, unique and idiosyncratic themes across transcripts. The findings revealed three themes Black Africans associated to their explanatory model of mental health challenges: complexities of migration, African‐centred worldview and negative life experiences. To help alleviate the Eurocentric nature of mental health practice in England, it is hoped that this explanatory model will become an integral part of mental health practice in England and around the world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a descriptive analysis of the impact of tuition fee increases in England on the full‐degree mobility of undergraduate students from the European Union. First, we investigated whether the increase in tuition fees reduced the number of EU students in English higher education institutions. Our analysis shows that, on average, English universities suffered a sudden drop in EU enrolments in 2012/13 but recovered and then expanded their pre‐2012 enrolment levels in subsequent academic years. We observe that those English universities regarded as less prestigious experienced the sharpest decline and took longer to recover their pre‐2012 numbers. Second, we examined how changes in enrolment are associated with EU countries' macro‐level characteristics, using the push‐pull model framework. While there was a significant decrease in the number of students from Northern and Western European countries attending English universities after 2012, the tuition fee increase did not impact the number of students coming from Southern Europe. We found an association between EU countries' youth employment rates and higher education system characteristics with changes in enrolment in English universities. By examining the effect of changes in the tuition fee policy on international student mobility, our research provides new evidence on how tuition fee policies might change the behaviour of students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Non-stationary methods of flood frequency analysis are widespread in research but rarely implemented by practitioners. One reason may be that research papers on non-stationary statistical models tend to focus on model fitting rather than extracting the sort of results needed by designers and decision makers. It can be difficult to extract useful results from non-stationary models that include stochastic covariates for which the value in any future year is unknown. We explore the motivation for including such covariates, whether on their own or in addition to a covariate based on time. We set out a method for expressing the results of non-stationary models as an integrated flow estimate, which removes the dependence on the covariates. This can be defined either for a particular year or over a longer period of time. The methods are illustrated by application to a set of 375 river gauges across England and Wales. We find annual rainfall to be a useful covariate at many gauges, sometimes in conjunction with a time-based covariate. For estimating flood frequency in future conditions, we advocate exploring hybrid approaches that combine the best attributes of non-stationary statistical models and simulation models that can represent changes in climate and river catchments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although much of the existing research on regional airports focuses on their contribution to regional economic development, regional airports in England, as in other deregulated markets, operate in a highly competitive market and not all have been able to sustain commercial flights. This paper examines the factors that have led to the cessation of commercial air services at English regional airports following liberalisation of the European air transport market in 1992. Six factors which have contributed to air service cessation are identified and potential futures for smaller regional airports discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article argues that shifts in the UK's territorial management practice in the late 2010s and early 2020s, described by various terms, including 'muscular unionism', may be more rhetorical and ideational than substantive. The practices associated with these terms are recognisably part of the 'British political tradition', and the changes of the early 2020s can be viewed as reasserting traditional governance practices rather than introducing new ones. The article examines the various phenomena described as 'muscular unionism' and suggests that many are relatively ad hoc, low-level initiatives, often rhetorical. There is also much evidence that the UK governments of the 2020s see the 'Millennium Settlement', introduced in 1999, as continuing to be a core part of UK territorial management. The clearest break from historical practice comes in the overt, explicit quality of 'muscular unionist' rhetoric. The article then suggests that, contrary to some scholarly expectations, this muscular unionist turn may come to be an effective territorial management strategy for the UK government, as it aligns with an Anglo-British imaginary within England that continues to conflate England, Britain and the UK in terms of governance and national identity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Here, we investigate whether England's 152 local flood risk management strategies (LFRMSs) satisfy minimal legislative criteria and address the growing surface water flood (SWF) risk caused by climate change. A systematic audit was used to assess the alignment of the LFRMSs with national climate change legislation and other relevant national strategies. An objective method to identify inclusion of a range of factors that good strategies should include was applied. LFRMSs are mostly meeting their minimum statutory requirements. However, there is a widespread issue across most LFRMSs regarding inadequate consideration of increasing SWF risk from climate changes, which highlights the need for enhanced LFRMSs by improved planning and climate change adaptation plans. There is some evidence of good practice within the LFRMS portfolio, which is discussed in the context of the ongoing LFRMS update process. Beyond England, there are implications for developing FRM processes at a local level that can be objectively assessed against national requirements. Communities in England face inadequately managed SWF risk in the future because of the range in plan quality across the LFRMSs. This research contributes to the ongoing examination of the full suite of 152 LFRMSs and, therefore, builds towards a complete assessment of the SWF management approach in England. This will help inform local climate change adaptation strategies that cater to the escalating threat of SWF due to climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Beginning in the sixteenth century, the English crown sponsored many voyages of exploration throughout the north Atlantic. These expeditions had many goals including claiming control over what the English believed to be newly discovered lands, and finding a Northwest or a Northeast passage that would give them quick access to lucrative East Asian markets. English involvement in the north Atlantic also expanded during this period as English fishermen sailed further west and north seeking new fishing grounds. As English political and economic claims expanded, Danish rulers increasingly became worried as they believed they had sovereign rights over the entire region based upon Scandinavian settlement of the north Atlantic during the Viking Age. To make real their claims in the north Atlantic, Danish monarchs engaged in diplomacy with the English and sent several voyages to Greenland to re-assert control over Scandinavian communities believed to be living there. This article explores diplomatic tensions between England and Denmark, and the Danish crown's attempts to exert sovereignty over the north Atlantic and Greenland. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: People with serious mental illness are more likely to experience physical illnesses. The onset of many of these illnesses can be prevented if detected early. Physical health screening for people with serious mental illness is incentivised in primary care in England through the Quality and Outcomes Framework (QOF). GPs are paid to conduct annual physical health checks on patients with serious mental illness, including checks of body mass index (BMI), cholesterol, and alcohol consumption. Aim: To assess the impact of removing and reintroducing QOF financial incentives on uptake of three physical health checks (BMI, cholesterol, and alcohol consumption) for patients with serious mental illness. Design and setting: Cohort study using UK primary care data from the Clinical Practice Research Datalink between April 2011 and March 2020. Method: A difference-in-difference analysis was employed to compare differences in the uptake of physical health checks before and after the intervention, accounting for relevant observed and unobserved confounders. Results: An immediate change was found in uptake after physical health checks were removed from, and after they were added back to, the QOF list. For BMI, cholesterol, and alcohol checks, the overall impact of removal was a reduction in uptake of 14.3, 6.8, and 11.9 percentage points, respectively. The reintroduction of BMI screening in the QOF increased the uptake by 10.2 percentage points. Conclusion: This analysis supports the hypothesis that QOF incentives lead to better uptake of physical health checks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent scholarship has highlighted the heterogeneity of second-generation Irish identities in Great Britain, yet the varieties of self-identification espoused by the English-raised children of Northern Irish parents remain almost wholly unexplored. This article redresses this neglect by examining the relationship between parentally transmitted memories of the Northern Ireland Troubles (c.1969–1998) and the forms of identity and self-understanding that such children develop during their lives in England. Drawing on original oral history testimony and using the concepts of narrative inheritance and postmemory as interpretive tools, it demonstrates the complex correlation that exists between parents' diverse approaches to memory-sharing and their children's negotiation of inherited conflict memory as they position themselves discursively within contemporary English society. Based on a close reading of five oral history interviews, the analysis reveals a spectrum of creative postmemory practices and identity enactments, whereby narrators agentively define themselves in relation to the meanings they attribute to inherited memories, or the dearth thereof, as they navigate their tangled transnational affinities and allegiances. The article also explores how these practices and enactments are subtly responsive to narrators' changing relationships to their narrative inheritances as their experience and awareness of their own and their parents' lives deepen over the life course. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

From the 1650s the expansion of English interests in the Baltic fostered more competition for access to commercial markets. A desire from Sweden to meet its own commercial goals also led to a greater level of competition for shipping. An increasing association between England and Sweden brought about the greatest commercial shift in Baltic commerce during that century. Building on research that has established general trends in Anglo-Baltic commercial history during the period, this article assesses the growth and competition of English commercial ambition. The article consults data sets such as the Sound Toll Registers Online, and the Stockholm customs accounts, while taking into consideration contemporary diplomatic sources. It seeks to answer why, how and where English trade became competitive in the Baltic. It outlines general commercial flows by juxtaposing England's shipping next to its nearest competitors and consults three case studies to reveal previously unrealised nuances in Anglo-Baltic trade. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The advent of deinstitutionalisation and the introduction of community care in the latter part of the twentieth century have revolutionised mental-health service provision across Europe, although implementation, timing and services have varied widely in different countries. This article compares the changing dimensions of mental-health provision in post-independence Ireland with that in England, and will shed light on the current state of mental healthcare in both countries. The article calls for more research into the impact of deinstitutionalisation, such as the challenges faced in the community for those in need of continuing care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The results of a reconnaissance survey using direct-prospecting technology of satellite images and photographs frequency-resonance processing within some areas of coal basin and shale gas production in China, France, Ukraine, USA, Argentina, England, UAE are presented. The data of the local areas reconnaissance surveying within coal basins show the possibility of detecting oil, condensate and gas deposits in the deep and ultra-deep horizons of cross-section underneath coal deposits. Materials of experimental studies at the Fuman oil field site and the Luntan-1 deep well drilling site indicate the potential possibility and feasibility of direct-prospecting methods using in the process of selecting the most optimal sites of the deep exploratory wells for oil and gas drilling. Helium deposits may be discovered at an ultra-deep well drilling site in the Taklamakan Desert at depths of over 7120 m. By detailed scanning of this cross-section interval, the depths of helium accumulations in the reservoirs can be determined. The deep channels for fluids, chemical elements and minerals migration, filled with 1-6 groups of sedimentary rocks, were found in all surveyed shale gas production sites. The received measurement data of the work carried out can be considered as additional evidence in favor of the concept of deep (abiogenic) synthesis of hydrocarbons, including those in shale formations. Within the survey site in England a significant number of local zones of visible hydrogen degassing are located. It is advisable to conduct additional research on these sites in order to study these local zones in more detail. Experimental studies within area of shale oil in the Williston Basin also confirmed the presence of hydrocarbon deposits in the deep horizons of cross-section. It is advisable to carry out detailed geological exploration work in order to search for hydrocarbon deposits in coal and shale basins in various regions of the world! To the east of Williston Basin, a large cluster of basalt volcanic structures with hydrogen and living (healing) water, as well as the process of hydrogen and phosphorus migration into the atmosphere were revealed by instrumental measurements. In general, the materials of the experimental work carried out can be considered as additional evidence in favor of the volcanic model of formation of structural elements and the external appearance of the Earth's surface, as well as deposits of ore and combustible minerals and water. The research results indicate the feasibility of using mobile technology of frequency-resonance processing and decoding of satellite images and photographs for the detection and localization of oil and gas accumulation zones within large blocks and local areas. The use of super-operational and low-cost directprospecting technology will significantly speed up the exploration process for oil, gas, natural hydrogen and ore minerals, as well as reduce the financial costs of its implementation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Recovery Colleges (RCs) have been implemented across England with wide variation in organisational characteristics. The purpose of this study is to describe RCs across England in terms of organisational and student characteristics, fidelity and annual spending, to generate a RC typology based on characteristics and to explore the relationship between characteristics and fidelity. Methods: All RC in England meeting criteria on recovery orientation, coproduction and adult learning were included. Managers completed a survey capturing characteristics, fidelity and budget. Hierarchical cluster analysis was conducted to identify common groupings and generate an RC typology. Results: Participants comprised 63 (72%) of 88 RC in England. Fidelity scores were high (median 11, IQR 9–13). Both NHS and strengths-focussed RCs were associated with higher fidelity. The median annual budget was £200,000 (IQR £127,000–£300,000) per RC. The median cost per student was £518 (IQR £275–£840), cost per course designed was £5,556 (IQR £3,000–£9,416) and per course run was £1,510 (IQR £682–£3,030). The total annual budget across England for RCs is an estimated £17.6 m including £13.4 m from NHS budgets, with 11,000 courses delivered to 45,500 students. Conclusion: Although the majority of RCs had high levels of fidelity, there were sufficiently pronounced differences in other key characteristics to generate a typology of RCs. This typology might prove important for understanding student outcomes and how they are achieved and for commissioning decisions. Staffing and co-producing new courses are key drivers of spending. The estimated budget for RCs was less than 1% of NHS mental health spending. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article concerns the growing interest in 'co-production' in spatial planning, focusing on its relationship with planning systems. The article refers to Italy and England – two institutional contexts with different planning systems – and concludes that co-production can operate outside or inside the planning system. Both models have pros and cons. However, the critical factor determining co-production regarding the planning system appears to be related to how land use rights are allocated. While prior allocation through prescriptive plans keeps co-production out of the system, only allocation as a final case-by-case decision allows co-production to be part of it. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent economic restrictions have placed many contractual parties under great strain to honour their agreements as contracts have become commercially impracticable and excessively onerous. This article explores the legal position in England, France and the Middle East under the doctrine of impossibility, impracticability and unforeseen circumstances. Strongly rooted in contractual autonomy and commercial certainty, this article argues that frustration in English common law is not sufficiently broad because the consequence (automatic discharge) is too rigid and does not allow a renegotiation of obligations. French civil law is more accommodating but only formally adopted imprévision in civil law in 2016, meaning it lacks traction. However, Middle Eastern civil law countries accept the doctrine as an integral part of their law and theory of justice, allowing obligations to be rebalanced in a more flexible manner. The English legal system should consider the advantages of a similar reform. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Government in England contributes an estimated £3.9 billion funding to support childcare and education for three- and four-year olds and for some two-year olds. A significant proportion of this money is spent on private sector childcare. However, little is known about how the money paid to companies providing private sector childcare is used. Through a cross-case analysis, the financial accounts of a sample of medium-to large private 'for-profit' childcare groups were compared with some 'not-for-profit' childcare providers. We found that for the for-profit companies, a considerable amount of money is being extracted for debt repayment and relatively little goes into staff wages. We found that large private for-profit nursery groups predominately use 'private equity' models which are characterised by borrowings and debt, with a focus on short-term financial returns. This 'for-profit' financial operating model arguably risks the sustainability of provision in the sector. Reformed regulation and transparency in the accounting of such providers and a consideration of alternative 'not-for-profit' financial models could provide greater stability and resilience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although the first Pahlavi is known for trying to create a new army and national bureaucratic institutions, as historical evidence shows, the structure and protection-security programs of Reza Shah to deal with the intelligence activities of foreign countries and especially England and Russia have not had favorable results. Based on this, the main question of the present article concerns the failure of the first Pahlavi intelligence organization to deal with England and Russia. The results of this study show that while dominating communication infrastructures, extensive and organized use of obvious sources and finally human espionage have been considered as the general strategy of England, the use of diplomatic institutions and people was the main strategy of Russia. Additionally, this document-oriented research shows that the prevalence of customary-cultural compulsions of the Qajar period in the center of modern institutions, the priority of Reza Shah's interests over national goals, and the lack of nationwide rules and laws in new structures, had destroyed the possibility of properly dealing with the intelligence activities of foreign countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Perspectiva Educacional is the property of Perspectiva Educacional and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The turnspit dog, an extinct breed, powered English roasting spits from the sixteenth to the nineteenth centuries by rotating an apparatus comparable to a hamster wheel. It was not merely a working breed, however. It was an animal labourer. Breeders bred it solely for work. Contemporaries conceived of it as an industrious worker intrinsic to food production. Despite its importance, owners treated it contemptuously due to its utilitarian nature. Cooks replaced the dog with a machine, the smoke-jack, once the latter proved reliable. Rather than repackage it as a companion, the English ceased breeding it due to its inextricable connection with a disparaged trade. Industrialisation's upheaval triggered the turnspit's extinction by 1850. Examining its decline explicates how technological unemployment wrought catastrophic change on nonhumans. Elucidating comparable disturbances within cottage industry labour for canines and English workers provides scholars with a more-than-human understanding of industrialisation's ramifications. Furthermore, uniting animal and labour history reconceives current theorisations of historical animals, affirms working animals' past contributions and highlights their importance as labourers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rurality is rarely integrated into analyses of educational inequalities and this article presents an alternative perspective on rural–urban attainment and highlights the impact of rurality on educational outcomes. The traditional narrative of urban–rural educational disadvantage is that urban pupils do less well in the English exam system. Decontextualised data across different English exam performance measures demonstrate how rural pupils outperform their urban counterparts. Socioeconomic disadvantage (SED) has the most significant impact on attainment and this analysis explores the rural–urban attainment gap through this SED lens. An analysis of the Department for Education (DfE) data explores possible factors that might explain the emerging rural educational gap and presents an argument that rurality is another limiting factor that intersects with SED. This article demonstrates how rural underachievement in England has been hidden by the relative sizes and SED distribution of rural and urban populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While debate on how best to pay for social care in England continues, information about public attitudes on this issue is limited. We asked representative samples of the public whether care costs for older people should be met by the state, met by the service user or shared between state and user. We used an online survey of people aged 18–75 (n = 3,000) and interview survey of people aged 65 and over (n = 466). Respondents were given four vignettes (two home care, two residential care) and asked who should pay at different levels of user resources; and how much users should contribute when costs were shared. Fewer than one-fifth of the online sample and one-quarter of the interview sample considered that the state should meet the full costs whatever users' resources; considerably lower proportions believed that users should meet the full costs in all cases. Two-thirds of the online sample and half the interview sample thought costs should be shared. The proportion of costs that users should contribute was relatively low (20–50 per cent, varying by user resources). The study illustrates that public views elicited through vignettes can provide evidence to inform policy on social care funding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This small-scale qualitative study, involving commissioners of carers' services, contextualized in academic and other literature, adds to an understanding of groupwork for carers within the context of an English legal framework. Five commissioners, from different parts of England, participated in an online focus group. The dataset was analyzed thematically using a reflexive Thematic Analysis approach. Three themes were developed from the data. One theme indicated that differing understandings of the purpose of group activities for carers co-existed in each area and another that system-wide blocks meant that the choice of provider depends on factors like ability to risk-manage the contract value rather than skills needed to serve whole populations. This led to a third theme of commissioners attempting to "engineer" the development of successful groupwork. The findings suggest that Community Social Work is likely to be successful in working with carers but may face challenges within a quasi-market approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Spanish Journal of Comparative Education / Revista Española de Educación Comparada is the property of Editorial UNED and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)