Recent
Insights from three generations of mothers
The report seeks to answer some specific questions about the changing face of motherhood and determine the extent to which modern ‘solutions’ to motherhood are more or less beneficial than the solutions of the past. more
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
Modified language
A headline in the Express today (16/12/99) declares British back the farmers who sue GM crop giant. Reading on, one finds that the "British" in question are Greenpeace UK and Friends of the Earth, both of whom have expressed support for a lawsuit against Monsanto filed by US and French corn and soybean farmers.
Whatever one may think of Monsanto, the many British scientists and others who disagree with the views and actions of unelected groups such as Greenpeace and Friends of the Earth will be surprised to find that these groups are now regarded as representing the British nation, as the headline implies.
The article also reports that Greenpeace UK and Friends of the Earth have demanded "independent research into the potential effects of the controversial technology". This is also somewhat surprising, given Greenpeace's attempts to sabotage precisely such research by digging up GM trial sites.
