Recent
Report of an independent assessment
Two years ago, in the Children's Plan, the DCSF committed itself to commission an independent assessment of the impact of the commercial world on children's wellbeing. That assessment, led by Professor David Buckingham, is now complete. As part of the process SIRC was commissioned to undertake two major reviews: Children and Family Life: Socio-Demographic Changes and The Ecology of Family Life. more
Psychological impact & the lessons of recession
There can be very few people in Britain who are unaware that we have been living in times of recession…It is clear that people — even those unaffected directly — are worried, especially about their future financial security. But are there some positive lessons to be learnt? more
The role and citizen impact of Public Service Broadcasting
As a complement to the extensive work contributed by other players on the rapid advances in technology and consumer behaviour, the work is designed to review and present the available data on broader social trends which may impact on PSB in the future…more
Passion, emotion and the 'beautiful game'
The Football Passions report summarises extensive sociological research across 18 countries in Europe. The objectives of the study were to capture the emotions of being a football fan and to compare the feelings, expressions and behaviour of fans associated with support of their football teams…more.
Part of the problem.
Model agency representatives and editors of glossy magazines have been invited to have their knuckles rapped at a Downing Street 'summit' on eating disorders.
Tessa Jowell has been busy pontificating about the thin ideal promoted by the fashion industry and how this leads to eating disorders among teenage girls and young women. She has clearly paid no attention, however, to the growing body of research evidence indicating that over-zealous health promotion - particularly the kind of moralistic 'healthy weight' and 'healthy eating' campaigns favoured by this Government - also encourages dieting and weight obsessions, and is now widely regarded as a contributing factor in teenage eating disorders (see: Dieting Damage).
If she is genuinely concerned about finding a solution to the increase in eating disorders, Ms Jowell must first recognise that she is part of the problem.
