Tag: inequality

The effects of Covid-19 on pre-existing inequalities in the UK

Posted on by School of Education University of Bristol

Blog by Jáfia Naftali Câmara Doctoral Researcher, School of Education, University of Bristol

The Covid-19 pandemic has profoundly impacted not only lifestyle and work, but also how people access education and learning. The effects of Covid-19 on education have accentuated the inequalities already embedded within the UK’s education system and demonstrated the relationships between deep-rooted educational, systemic and economic inequalities.

Disadvantaged students, including refugees and asylum seekers living in Britain, face many barriers such as digital exclusion and food poverty. Poor immigrant children are also affected by immigration laws and procedures that exclude them from accessing vital services and support. In response to the effects of Covid-19, the UK government’s policy interventions have made centralised decisions enabling for profitable opportunities for education businesses and unsatisfactory support services for disadvantaged communities. (more…)

Fintech + Inequality, and the need for education

Posted on by School of Education University of Bristol

Innovation or Inequality? Blog by Laura Gemmell, FARSCOPE PhD Student, University of Bristol

I love giving talks on payments technology (it was part of my job for over four years after all). I take one of my cards out (usually a Monzo or Starling due to the jazzy colours):
“Do you know how many generations of payments innovation are on these cards?”

It’s five:

  • Embossed card number (this is how the numbers are usually raised, in case civilisations collapse and shops need to return to tracing these with emboss machines. I’ve always thought this seemed silly, but 2020 has taught me anything could happen…)
  • Magstripe (these are still used in other countries, including the USA)
  • CHIP (for your CHIP and PIN transactions)
  • CVC (the card verification number, sometimes called CVV or CV2 – this is the 3 or 4 digit number usually on the back of your card which you type in when online shopping. It’s purpose is to make online shopping more secure)
  • Contactless (we can now pay using our phones using this technology).

(more…)

Mirror Mirror on the wall. Who, is the fairest of them all?

Posted on by School of Education University of Bristol


Jessie AbrahamsDr Jessie Abrahams (Lecturer in Education and Social Justice, School of Education, University of Bristol)

As results time for the COVID cohort hits, and anxiety mounts for young people, the four nations of the UK have begun a worrying battle to prove that their system of allocated grades as a substitute for summer examinations is the fairest of them all. In reality- none of them are fair. As many academics have already exclaimed, they are all set up (much like our whole education system), in favour of white, middle (and upper) class pupils and families (see for example: Ingram, 2020). (more…)