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What the inevitable end of the Trump-Musk partnership says about the shifting influences within the White House
No full textFollowing his exit from the Trump administration at the end of May, Elon Musk began criticising the administration’s “One Big Beautiful Bill”, leading to a very public falling out between the former DOGE administrator and President Trump. Nick Anstead writes that one way of understanding the end of the Trump-Musk relationship is through their differing politics. This split could herald a shift in influence in the White House from Silicon Valley billionaires, who prefer smaller government, towards those on the Alt Right, who want a bigger and more authoritarian government
What future for truth?
No full textIt’s become a cliché that we live in a post-truth era in which emotions triumph over facts. But J. McKenzie Alexander argues that a better way to understand the increasing disregard for the truth is by appreciating the social role of belief. Believing in something, these days, is often a way of conveying which social group one belongs to, rather than the result of evidence weighing. Coupled with the ruthless business model of the attention economy, we have arrived at this new era
The Government rebranded aid as charity to dodge international responsibility
No full textThe Labour Government has confirmed that it will be going against its campaign promise to raise foreign aid to 0.7 per cent of gross national income, and will instead be cutting it further to 0.3 per cent. Gloria Novović argues that the Government’s new framing of foreign aid as charity is a gross misrepresentation of the UK’s domestic and international commitments
How social entrepreneurs can gain visibility in the media
No full textSocial enterprises would like the news media to cover them as much as possible, but is this realistic? Journalists look for timely stories that are situated within a broader narrative. Carl Moldestad and Aggrey Nyondwa write that instead of trying to be featured as the central topic of a news article, entrepreneurs must offer their contribution as experts for the stories reporters are already covering
Social participation in health policy: a key component of fair decision-making
No full textOn 20 May 2025, LSE co-hosted a Ministerial Roundtable on Social Participation in Health as a side event at the World Health Assembly in Geneva, in collaboration with Brazil, France, Norway, Slovenia, Thailand, and Tunisia, and supported by staff from the World Health Organization (WHO). Civil society organizations and senior delegations from fifteen member states from across the world attended. Professor Alex Voorhoeve (Department of Philosophy, Logic and Scientific Method) shared key findings from a multi-year, collaborative research project involving policymakers and researchers from Norway, India, Mexico, South Africa, Ghana, the Gambia, Tanzania, Thailand, and Ukraine. The project’s findings are published as a World Bank Report, Open and Inclusive, Fair Processes for Financing UHC, and in the journals Health Policy and Planning and Health Economics, Policy and Law. Professor Voorhoeve summarizes them below
Ruptured Atlas a trauma-informed approach to spatial storytelling for survivors of genocide (the case for Yazidis in Iraq)
No full textThe Ruptured Atlas project (December 2023 – December 2024) employs innovative, participatory mapping techniques to document the complex spatial and lived experiences of the Yazidi community in the aftermath of the genocide perpetrated by ISIS, which commenced in August 2014. This collaborative effort involves 15 Yazidi researchers and key partners, culminating in an online atlas and a trauma-informed policy toolkit. Designed to influence housing and migration policies in both Iraq and the UK, the project prioritises trauma-informed practices and community empowerment. The online atlas was not only a conceptual device, but a vital visual tool, enabling participants to represent trauma through non-verbal means. For many Yazidis involved, who had never previously spoken about their traumatic memories – not even to family members – participating through visual methods offered a culturally resonant form of expression. In a context where dwelling on trauma is often perceived as taboo, the ability to communicate through drawing, mapping, and image-making became a form of catharsis. This visual participation enabled a sense of closure and empowerment, allowing participants to reclaim control over their personal histories and futures. This paper examines the project’s context, methodology, and outputs, analysing its impact and the unique contributions of its Yazidi collaborators
On what matters: Unilever plc – purpose or performance?
No full textShareholder primacy, socially responsible business, corporate purpose and sustainability are examined in this case about Unilever’s evolving business strategy over the period from 2017, following an attempted takeover by Kraft Heinz Company, to 2024 with the appointment of a new chief executive officer from outside the group
Activist investors versus Big Oil: how should ExxonMobil and British Petroleum respond?
No full textThis case study contrasts two activist campaigns targeting Big Oil. In one, Arjuna Capital targeted Exxon (pushing it to adopt more ambitious climate targets). In the other, Bluebell Capital targeted British Petroleum (BP) (demanding it watered down its climate goals and exploit current high oil prices). The case addresses an enduring debate – what is the purpose of the firm? Is it to generate profits for shareholders within the confines of the law (i.e., Milton Friedman’s famous proposition)? Or do firms have obligations to wider society
Tomorrow’s Cities risk agreement approach: utilising the analytical, communication and convening power of science for inclusive, risk-sensitive urban planning
No full textGlobal disaster risk reduction in urban development frameworks calls for people-centred, participatory, and integrated approaches to addressing urban risk and building resilience. This paper presents a methodology that engages communities at risk and policy actors to assess scientifically projected impacts of multiple hazards on locally defined future urban scenarios and co-develop measures to reduce future hazard impacts. The methodology enables stakeholders to identify barriers and strategies to support more people-centred, participatory, and risk-sensitive future urban development. Within a workshop, selected community groups are first introduced to an interactive dashboard that simplifies the communication of projected multi-hazard impacts (e.g., human displacement, casualties, loss of education capacity). Community groups identify and discuss the effects of different hazards, exposure, and vulnerability features along with projected impacts on community-led future urban scenarios. Such evidence-based and participatory discussions lead to a set of revisions of the urban scenarios. Finally, the groups discuss existing community, urban planning, and local decision-making challenges that could hinder the implementation of the urban scenarios. The proposed methodology is presented within the framework of the Tomorrow's Cities Decision Support Environment (TCDSE) and illustrated through a deployment in Rapti, Nepal. Findings confirm the ability of the approach to facilitate a shared understanding of context-specific risk amongst diverse local and policy actors. The combination of scientific and local information improves awareness and gives agency to marginalised groups for improved communication with urban planners in disaster risk reduction decision-making
Socio-economic background and career progression within the UK Civil Service
No full textThis case study explores how socio-economic background – often referred to as social class – impacts career progression within the UK Civil Service. Despite ongoing efforts to promote diversity and inclusion, evidence indicates that an individual’s class background significantly shapes their career trajectory within the public sector. The case of career progression within the UK Civil Service provides a unique perspective on social mobility and equal opportunities. It shows how individuals from various economic and social classes navigate their career paths, highlighting both the explicit and subtle ways in which class influences professional advancement