Social science sites of the week

Ukraine elections - get some facts

The final results are now on the central election committee website
or earlier posting has links to the main observers.
Official website of campaign of Volodymyr Zelensky gives some insight into his thought and campaign
Володимир Зеленський
Many reactions have discussed populism
commentary on the rise of this populist figure from European Council on Foreign relations
Euromaidan has discussion of the forms of populism in Ukraine.
the Conversation also has discussion of his popularity and its possible implications.

How much do people know about cybersecurity?
Recently the Uk government revealed research on the most hacked passwords.
You can download the top 100,000 from the National Cyber research centre.
For information on how common identity and online fraud is see CIFAS research summaries. This also gives basic data on the most frequently targeted groups.

How much do people know about cybersecurity?
The same centre also released the 2018 cyber security survey which found that 48% of those who responded found it confusing to know what to do to protect themselves online.
This echoes 2017 US research from Pew which found low levels of knowledge among the American public. Take their online test to see how you compare!
If you explore the website you can find more consumer research on attitudes and experiences of internet security

Is there a general lack of skills?
in July 2018 House of Lords House of Commons Joint Committee on the National Security Strategy Cyber Security Skills and the UK’s Critical National Infrastructure raised concerns about a lack of IT specialists in industry to support the future national infrastructure. It had proposals for future education.
Also on this theme see recent surveys on cyberskills in the Uk labour market and the summary of responses to the National Cyberskills strategy on how to increase capability
Recently the Financial Conduct Authority has been conducting audits of skills within UK firms. Get access to their findings form the website

Globally a report by non-profit association (ISC) in 2018 revealed a worldwide cyber security skills gap. "Based upon feedback from almost 1,500 ICT workers around the world, the report on Cybersecurity Workforce stated that almost two-thirds of businesses believe they have a cyber security skills gap.

For general advice on passwords try the Get safe online website.

Press freedom is declining
According to the latest annual report from Reporters Without Borders (RSF) which ranks 180 nations worldwide only 24% are rated as having a good level of press freedom , a decline from 26% last year.
Criteria measured include: pluralism, media independence, censorship, the legal framework, and infrastructure. Download the full ranking, methodology and report from the website.

Which universities are best for gender equality?
Find out by consulting the latest index from the Times Higher . According to the THES it is Western Sydney University. The methodology focuses upon universities’ research on the study of gender, their policies on gender equality and their commitment to recruiting and promoting women. For more free research in Higher education, teaching and learning see our free scoop.it page

Principled Aid Index
Launched in March by the Overseas development index. This index ranks bilateral Development Assistance Committee (DAC) donors by the extent to which they give aid to countries that need it most, support global cooperation and adopt a public spirited focus on development impact rather than short tern return for their domestic economy. The website has interesting explanations and infographics.

Another new initiative
The Business Multidimensional Poverty Index (bMPI), developed in partnership with the business association Horizonte Positivo in Costa Rica is a new tool for company information systems, to help measure poverty amongst employees in the supply chain. First used by Chairman of BAC Credomatic Bank, Costa Rica it discovered 12% of staff living in poverty. It is part of a new social enterprise called Sophia https://sophiaoxford.org/f/helping-businesses-fight-poverty which was launched this month. Find out more about the method here and its aims.

Notre Dame
After the sad fire. Discovered this gem from the Internet archive from architect; undertook a renovation at Notre Dame which lasted from 1845 until 1865. The 1853 book has many original plans and drawings.

Finally OU 50th Anniversary
Be inspired by stories and photos shared on the official website
They also have an online digital archive with some fabulous digitised materials
Amongst these I discovered some forward thinking videos on the possible role, of computer assisted learning from 1979 which also have some magnificent beards and moustaches on show!
See also this 1993 guide to computing

For free access to some new online courses go to Open Learn.

How much do people know about cybersecurity?

Recently the Uk government revealed research on the most hacked passwords.
you can download the top 100,000 from the National Cyber research centre.
for information on how common identity and online fraud is see CIFAS research summaries. this also gives basic data on the most frequently targeted groups

How much do people know about cybersecurity?
The same centre also released the 2018 cyber security survey which found that 48% of those who responded found it confusing to know what to do to protect themselves online.
this echoes 2017 US research from Pew which found low levels of knowledge among the American public. Take their online test to see how you compare.
if you explore the website you can find more consumer research on attitudes and experiences of internet security

Is there a general lack of skills?
in July 2018 House of Lords House of Commons Joint Committee on the National Security Strategy Cyber Security Skills and the UK’s Critical National Infrastructure raised concerns about a lack of skills and IT specialists in industry and to support the future national infrastructure. It had proposals for future education.
Also on these theme see  recent surveys on cyberskills in the Uk labour market and the  summary of responses to the National Cyberskills strategy on how to increase capability and
Recently the Financial Conduct Authority has been conducting audits of skills within UK firms. Get access to their findings form the website


Globally A report by non-profit association (ISC) in 2018  revealed that a  worldwide cyber security skills gap. "Based upon feedback from almost 1,500 ICT workers around the world, the Cybersecurity Workforce Study revealed that almost two-thirds of businesses believe they have a cyber security skills gap."

for general advice on passwords try the Get safe online website.

Easter for social scientists - find out more with our chocolate special!

Just for fun here are some interesting research related facts on Easter chocolate!

This infographic from Statista has some basic facts on who celebrates Easter and what they do. 84% gave Easter eggs as gifts in 2018

in another survey they found that 31% of those who responded bought specific brands but 30% were annoyed at how far in advance Easter eggs were sold!

How much do we spend on chocolate?

try ONS in an interesting survey of children (aged 7-15) spending habits On average, children aged between 7 and 15 years spent £12.40 a week. The data also show that almost half (48%) of all children spent money on confectionery, which includes chocolate, in a two-week period. However this was not the top category more was spent on soft drinks, toys and clothes. If you go to the website you can find out more!
In their average household spending surveys (table A11) they some data on expenditure by adults. in 2017/18 most was spent by those aged 30-49 with an average of 2.4 pounds per week on chocolate.

How big is the market for chocolate worldwide? Who are the biggest manufacturers?

To find out the largest manufacturers and the extent of the market get some free data from the International Cocoa Organisation. Free access to monthly pricing and reviews of the market for cocoa


The FAO produced this infographic in 2015 showing the largest exporters of cocoa products.
For more up to date data on exports of products see the FAOStat database


What are the health benefits?

just for today some positive reports!
Chocolate does improve a bad mood according to Macht & Mueller (2007) . However the effects only lasted for 3 minutes!
Does it improve cognitive function?- take a look at this systematic review of research on mode and brain function from 2013 and search Pubmed for other medical surveys.

finally
find out how it improved the mood of Samuel Pepys in this extract from 1661 diary.

"Waked in the morning with my head in a sad taking through the last night’s drink, which I am very sorry for; so rose and went out with Mr Creed to drink our morning draft, which he did give me in chocolate to settle my stomach."

London’s new Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ)- what is it? what is it for?

This week London’s new Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) was put into force.
A good blog posting for understanding its aims and background is on the Conversation.

The Transport for London website - has a postcode and vehicle checker which enables users to find out who is effected and where.

Its supporting evidence pages has the consultation documents, proposals and medical facts and assessments on air pollution in London

Pollution in London- reports and projects

use these sites to find examples of useful research

London Assembly Committee reports on health and the environment

City of London reports on air quality. Includes a strategy and monitoring reports.

London Councils has reports on projects in individual London boroughs. they also have this useful report on demystifying air pollution in London

Monitoring research
Londonair is the website of the London Air Quality Network (LAQN), and shows air pollution in London and south east England. It is run the Environmental Research Group of King's College London. It has a live update of air quality in London now as well as data and cumulative reports.


Has vehicle charging had an impact on air quality?
London air quality has links to a number of academic journal articles.
Beevers 2004 found that ' . The evidence presented shows that the congestion charging schemes could assist in attaining both the UK government’s targets on air pollution as well as those relating to climate change and other international obligations.'


Colin P. Green, John. S. Heywood and Maria Navarro in a Lancaster university Working paper from 2018 found.
' significant reductions in a number of pollutants relative to controls' '. 'Yet, we find a robust countervailing increase in harmful NO2 likely reflecting the disproportionate share of diesel vehicles exempt from the congestion charge. This unintended consequence informs on-going concern about pollution from diesel based vehicles'


For more articles on air pollution and health see the WHO website which has special factsheets.and search Pubmed for abstracts and some free online scientific and medical articles

World Health Day - Universal Health Coverage- is it possible?

World Health Day is held on the 7th April
This year the theme was promoting Universal Health Coverage.

UHC means that all individuals and communities can access health services It includes all sectors from health promotion, to in patient and out patient care. A key factor is access, cost and affordability for all

View the WHO resolution on this
and statement by the WHO director in 2019

What progress is being made?

In 2017 a  joint monitoring report from the World Bank and the World Health Organization found that despite some progress on UHC, at least half of the world’s population still cannot obtain essential health services

In a more recent Lancet article Mark Moses et al
reviewed 'Funding and services needed to achieve universal health coverage: applications of global, regional, and national estimates of utilisation of outpatient visits and inpatient admissions from 1990 to 2016, and unit costs from 1995 to 2016' . Globally, they estimated the gap to UHC to be I$1177·69 billion (international dollars; 95% uncertainty interval 896·05–1456·56)

A recent blog posting on the World Economic Forum website highlights challenges and changes that may need to be made.

African Civil Society organisations stated in December 2018 'Many international agencies and NGOs do not understand the African context' and put forward a set of proposals for reform.

In 2018 Oxfam highlighted problems in implementing UHC due to inequality

In July 2017, the IDS hosted a workshop in collaboration with Future Health Systems, the Impact Initiative, the Open Society Foundations, Unequal Voices, and Health Systems Global, to develop new thinking and practical approaches to improving accountability relationships and processes in favour of greater health equity. Access papers relating to this.

In 2018 Health Systems Global has  reports on the role of the private sector in Health services provision.

Further research 

Good places to look include: 

Pubmed is always good for abstracts of recent high quality academic articles. With the emphasis on medical

UHC2030 is a global movement of countries and organisations which seeks to implement UHC provision. Its website has plans and progress reports

The World Bank website provides access to further reports and news covering UHC
Likewise the main WHO website also has updates
the IOM outlines its efforts in this recent posting

Management Sciences For Health, a nonprofit health organization has a section on its website which aims to gather together publications and reports on UTC and global health security

The Save the Children Resource Library also has  copies of its own reports, plus those from other aid agencies and some international organisations on this topic.

20 years of the National Minimum wage - what has been the impact?

On 1 April 1999 the National Minimum Wage (NMW) was introduced – a £3.60 wage for everyone aged 23 and over.

According to a Uk government report from the Low Pay Commission.

30% of workers have benefited either directly or indirectly from the minimum wage – with up to 7 million individuals a year feeling the benefits

but what do other commentators think?Try these links to make up your own mind

In a special blog posting the Resolution Foundation- found that it had not led to unemployment

However at the same time 'Reductions in hours worked, particularly amongst lower earning men, have countered the inequality reducing impact of the NMW. '

     

According to the TUC workers between 21-24 have missed out
Unison  also highlights similar issues and GMB makes the point about a much greater rise in bosses wages

Professor Len Shackleton, Editorial Research Fellow at the Institute of Economic Affairs has written for CapX on the 20th anniversary of the National Minimum Wage. on the relationship between the wage and the war on poverty
Also useful is IFS 2018 report on living standards and the impact of the National Minimum Wage  
it makes some positive remarks but also adds. However, 'the minimum wage is not particularly well targeted at low-income households, as many low-wage workers are members of middle-income households and many of the poorest in society are not in work at all.' . They have also published a brief review of the possible impact of the recent rise in wages.

 Joseph Rowntree Foundation campaigns of a living wage and has materials on its website about in work poverty.

Why should we care about autism? see our resources for Autism Awareness Week

This week it is World Autism awareness week
the United Nations has also designated 2nd April World Autism Day. Read the original resolution and get facts from the website

What is autism? 
How many people in the UK have it?
Get the facts from this useful page form the National Autistic Society,
According to their data Over 700,000 people in UK are autistic
yet many people suffer stigma.In the Too Much Information Report the NAS found that 79% of autistic people feel socially isolated.

What is the cost of Autism?
According to work at the LSE The cost of autism in the UK is £32 billion per year in treatment, lost earnings, care and support for children and adults with autism. Read more about their research and access recent findings

Indeed in 2016 an NAS report on employment found that only '16% are in full-time paid work. but 77% of those unemployed wanted to work '

Get free information on the latest academic research
The National Autistic society provides free access to its bibliographies which reference research articles added to its library catalogue and the
Research Autism database
Network Autism is a network for sharing experience, knowledge and information for professionals in the field

 PubMed- medical articles