Chartered Psychologist Dr Katrina Forbes-McKay joins forces with former midwife Mo Tabib to argue that ‘it’s not just knowing what to do, it’s believing you can do it’. Arriving in early labour, she was visibly afraid. Her muscles were tense, her eyes were wide, and her breathing was rapid. She appeared overwhelmed, disconnected from her […]
Childbirth – from fear and uncertainty, to confidence and calm Read More »
Public libraries, and more specifically public libraries in Scotland, have been the focus of my research career over the last thirty years. I have always considered the provision of free-at-the-point-of-use public libraries in communities to be one of the cornerstones of a civilized society that values social inclusion, wellbeing, education, and indeed the pursuit of
Public Libraries matter. And here’s why. Read More »
Background When two foreign registered ships crashed in UK waters causing the loss of a life, extensive damage to both ships, and the spillage of aviation fuel into the North Sea, several questions relating to responsibility and liability aspects were raised. The collision between the Solong (container ship), and the Stena Immaculate (oil tanker) took
Introduction to the Legal Debate At birth, sex is typically recorded as an observable fact, seemingly straightforward, biologically determined, and legally uncontroversial. Yet in a striking turn, this foundational classification has become the subject of constitutional scrutiny, culminating in a landmark 2025 decision by the UK Supreme Court. Originating in the Scottish courts, the case
The UK Supreme Court on Biological Sex: A Tale of Two Legal Perspectives Read More »
In Parts 1 and 2 of this reflection ssome of the issues arising on a global level in the Slavery and Reparations debate were considered. In this final Part, a glance is cast at a local level and on the legacies of enslavement in our more immediate environment. Local connections On a stroll around the
Dealing with the past: a local and global imperative (Part III) Read More »
Synoptic Data Inquiry and Understanding the Directive Although women constitute about 51% of overall population in the EU, statistics show a rather concerning reality that despite accounting for about 60% of recent university graduates, women only account for 32.2% of board members and 8% of board chairs. Conversely, women hold more part-time and lower-paid jobs, with 27.8% employed part-time compared to only
In Part 1 of this reflection, some of the general issues arising in relation to justice for past wrongs were considered. In this second Part, specific issues arising in relation to reparations for transatlantic chattel enslavement are discussed. Slavery and Reparations If you are of a certain age and have a TV watching disposition, you
Dealing with the past: a local and global imperative (Part II) Read More »
In a few weeks’ time, it will be the fifth anniversary of the toppling of the statue of the seventeenth century Bristol slave trader, Edward Colston. This event generated a significant debate about how the wrongs of the past, and in particular, slavery, should be dealt with. In Bristol itself, where Colston has been widely
Dealing with the past: a local and global imperative (Part I) Read More »
Human rights have a bad rap, at least in certain circles. They are criticised for perniciously affecting law and order, hindering the UK’s attempts to control its borders and generally benefitting the unworthy. A notable example, that occurred in the course of the UK Parliament bringing human rights into domestic law for the first time,
The Humanity of Human Rights Read More »
Introduction Since ChatGPT, powered by OpenAI, became publicly available in 2022, followed by the proliferation of other generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) systems capable of generating human-like responses to text-based input, there has been a lot of public discourse and debate about the future of education. Amongst the numerous articles, TED talks, conference keynotes, expert panel
Generative Artificial Intelligence Skills in Schools (GenAISiS project) Read More »
In setting a frame of reference for a discussion of euthanasia in the late 1990s, John Finnis – as always, with great erudition – pointed out that “arguments for legalising euthanasia rely on claims about autonomy rights, or claims about political pluralism, or on both sorts of claim”. From early in his article Finnis challenged
Is Assisted Dying a ‘Right’? Read More »
The Assisted Dying for Terminally Ill Adults (Scotland) Bill can provide clarity, compassion and choice. On the evening of 13th May 2025, the Scottish Parliament did something it’s never done before. It passed an assisted dying bill at stage 1. “The debate was an illustration of a respectful and robust exchange” Prior to this, three
As a researcher, it’s exciting when what you’re researching enters the public consciousness. I have been studying the manosphere since 2022, with a particular focus on inceldom, so I was delighted when Netflix announced the globally successfulAdolescence. From writer/actor Stephen Graham, of This Is England and Boiling Point fame, and playwright Jack Thorne, scribe of
Inceldom: Adolescence and beyond Read More »
“Social Haunting” has become something of a ‘thing’ in social sciences as we have become more and more aware of the power of haunting to impact our lives both individually and collectively. As we become familiar with the notion of ghosts hanging around our social lives, we are able to bring them into our writing
Finders Keepers? The Ghost in the Museum Read More »
On 25 June 2024 Julian Assange left Belmarsh Prison and began the journey back to his native Australia. A deal between the US and Assange was reached whereby he pled guilty to one count of conspiring to obtain and disclose classified US national defence information under Title 18 of the US Code in return for
The Assange Case – A Messy and Unsatisfactory Dénouement Read More »
Current polls for the general election predict a new Labour Government will come to power on 4th July 2024. What might be the constitutional legacy of a future PM Starmer? The Labour Party Manifesto promises the establishment of a new independent Ethics and Integrity Commission. Whatever else a Starmer premiership might achieve, a constitutional ‘deep
Introduction The United Kingdom (‘UK’)’s legislative landscape is set for a significant shift with the introduction of the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act (‘the Act’). This critical legislation aims to strengthen corporate governance and accountability and has been the subject of much debate and speculation. At the core of this Act lies a reform
This is Part II of a two-part piece. Part I outlined a few of the elements of the famous Hart–Fuller debate, focusing on HLA Hart’s position. Part II places the emphasis upon Lon Fuller’s response to Hart’s position. Later, in taking stock of the lessons to be learnt from the Hart–Fuller debate viewed in its
A Return to the Hart–Fuller Debate – Part II Read More »
In 2023, ClientEarth, a UK environmental activist group, together with other shareholders in Shell, proceeded with a derivative action against the directors of Shell Plc. Holding 27 shares in Shell Plc, ClientEarth attempted to employ a method in which a shareholder can file a lawsuit against a firm’s directors in the name of the company
It will have been difficult not to see the tale of woe behind the Willy’s Chocolate Experience, a story that dominated headlines in Scotland and beyond, as it went viral on social media: children and their parents had been looking forward to around an hour of exhilarating entertainment, at up to £35 per ticket, only
