Public engagement news

doctor with covid vaccine and syringe

People who hold populist beliefs are more likely to believe misinformation about COVID – new report

Over a fifth of Americans and Poles surveyed believed that COVID-19 vaccines can change people’s DNA.
A mobile phone with the words Fake News on the screen

Election disinformation: how AI-powered bots work and how you can protect yourself from their influence

Social media platforms have become more than mere tools for communication. They’ve evolved into bustling arenas where truth and falsehood collide.
Scottish parliament building

New ‘Cost of a Child in Scotland’ research published ahead of final vote on Scottish Budget finds costs are still outstripping additional Holyrood support for families

A new report published today has found a huge gap remains between the cost of raising a child in Scotland and actual family incomes, despite the significant impact of Scottish government policies and lower childcare costs.

How Europe’s authoritarian populists maintain the illusion of a free press

Authoritarian leaders might be good at damaging democracy, but unless they are pure dictators they often still need to worry about winning elections. In the last few years, Europe has seen the rise of a number of authoritarian populists who rely on winning mass support among ordinary people – as opposed to just rigging the vote.

How populism interfered with science communication during Covid – new study

“I don’t wear masks like him,” said Donald Trump of presidential candidate Joe Biden in 2020. “Every time you see him, he’s got a mask. He could be speaking 200ft away from them, and he shows up with the biggest mask I’ve ever seen.”

How Erdoğan framed his science and tech ‘great achievements’ as part of election campaign

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has ruled Turkey for the last 21 years. In the first few terms of his rule, Turkey experienced significant economic growth and a reduction in inequality. This was widely believed to be a reason for Erdoğan’s long-term popularity.

The Diplomat: Netflix show suggests the US-UK special relationship needs some TLC

Netflix’s new political drama, The Diplomat, is focused on the trials and tribulations of Kate Wyler (Keri Russell), a new American ambassador to Britain. It begins with a deadly attack on a British aircraft carrier and then follows the twists and turns of a joint US and UK attempt to find the culprits.

How racism and inequality affect even ‘desirable’ EU migrants in the UK

"Everyone knows Italy, as soon as you come here they’ll be like, 'Oh Italian, cool! I’ve been there,' so it’s a way of chatting, breaking ice […] but I don‘t know if it’s the same for other foreigners. Like my friend from Bulgaria, if she says, 'I’m from Bulgaria,' people are like, '[silence] I’ve never been there.'"
(L-R) Jane Hunt MP, Stuart Andrew MP, Professor Mark Lewis, Professor Nick Jennings, Brett Gosper (Head of Europe & UK for the NFL), Professor Andy Harland.

Minister for Sport Stuart Andrew MP visits NFL Academy at Loughborough

Stuart Andrew MP – Minister for Sport, Tourism and Civil Society – visited both Loughborough University and Loughborough College on Thursday 19 January to see first-hand the positive impact the National Football League (NFL) Academy is having on the region.
Christmas garland with COVID 19 mask on it and a Christmas tree saying 'quarentine'

Dreading seeing COVID conspiracy-spreading relatives this Christmas? Here’s why you may have ignored their misinformation in the family group chat all year

Christmas is just around the corner and though it’s time to enjoy the family coming together, you may be dreading seeing that one relative that can’t help but bring up COVID-19 conspiracy theories.
doha's skyline

World Cup 2022: Qatar is accused of ‘sportswashing’ but do the fans really care?

Fifa’s choice of Qatar as host of the 2022 men’s football World Cup has been controversial since day one. Questions continue to be raised about the nation’s attitude to human rights, and its treatment of migrant workers.

Ukrainian flag flying over city

Loughborough to host roundtable discussion supported by the Fund of the President of the Ukraine

Loughborough is proud to be hosting one of the ‘World Academic Talks’ events, a series of roundtable discussions supported by the Fund of the President of the Ukraine.

Loughborough University partners with MPs to hold parliamentary conference on wrestling

In the wake of the WWE's first major event in the UK for 30 years, a group of MPs is announcing its intention to ensure the legacy of the event is a stronger and healthier wrestling industry this side of the Atlantic.

Cost of living report backed by former PM Gordon Brown

Former Prime Minister Gordon Brown has joined with 56 faith groups, charities and politicians to call on the government to take urgent action to bridge the cost of living gap faced by the lowest income families.

New leadership for internationally recognised social policy research centre at Loughborough

Two co-directors have been appointed to Loughborough’s Centre for Research in Social Policy (CRSP) following the departure of Professor Donald Hirsch who stepped down after a decade at the helm.
Myanmar flag

Myanmar: death penalty the latest tactic for military junta’s murderous regime

Since the 2021 coup, Myanmar’s death penalty moratorium has been a myth. The junta has routinely targeted civilians for extra-judicial killing, including using army snipers to callously pick off peaceful protesters.
Landing of Italian Troops in Tripoli, Libya in October 1911. (Image supplied by the Illustrations Bureau (Whitefriars, London)).

Photos of wartime Europe still shape views of conflict – here’s how we’re trying to right the record

A war in Europe instantly creates parallels with the world wars for people in the UK and other European countries. This connection represents what most people know and are taught about conflict on the continent. The media coverage and response to the war in Ukraine have also invoked familiar images of the second world war, in particular those of bombed buildings, armed soldiers and civilians, and children clinging to their parents.

Low-income families face cost of living crisis without the government support they had in the pandemic

Families faced with uncertainties about how they can make ends meet with soaring living costs are not getting the kind of backup from the government that helped them survive the pandemic, a study has found.

Political links with Putin have not harmed populist leaders’ election campaigns

Marine Le Pen’s ties to Vladimir Putin should have dented her French presidential campaign, but like other populist politicians who have aligned themselves with the Kremlin, she has managed to retain her popularity.

Important moment for UK Government to improve immigration policies

As thousands of displaced Ukrainian families arrive in Britain, the Government has an opportunity to improve the way it handles UK borders and refugee resettlement, says Dr Michelle Richey.

Ukraine war: Turkey’s unique role in peace negotiations

After more than a month of fighting, a fresh round of negotiations between Russia and Ukraine has begun in Istanbul in the hope that progress can be made. Following weeks of fruitless talks in Belarus, negotiations were hosted by the Turkish president, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, who made a short opening statement telling both sides: “The world is waiting for good news, and good news from you.”

University launches podcast about the impact of Putin’s invasion of Ukraine

A new podcast has been launched which examines the impact the conflict in Ukraine is having on the world as well as assessing the future implications for the global economy and our everyday lives.

St. Basil's Cathedral, Russia. Image courtesy of Getty Images.

Vladimir Putin: risk-taker who is gambling his country’s future

In the early 1990s, when he was deputy mayor of St Petersburg, Vladimir Putin was known to a member of the city’s legislature, Viktor Talanov. A psychologist by profession, Talanov prepared a study of Putin in which he concluded that one of his subject’s fundamental psychological characteristics was a very high tolerance of risk.
red square, moscow

SWIFT: ejecting Russia is largely symbolic – here’s why

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is horrifying. Western leaders, fearing a broader war, are responding primarily with economic sanctions. A prominent economic sanction has been Russia’s exclusion from the international payments messaging system SWIFT, presented as a powerful means of undermining its economy.

Debt-ridden companies with political affiliations are first in line for Government bailouts – new research

Businesses that have politicians on their boards are more likely to get COVID-19 bailouts from the Government – according to a new study.