A socio-cultural revolution: The case for basic income

by Daryl Ilbury

Few phrases ruffle neoliberal feathers more than ‘basic income’. This simple yet revolutionary idea – providing all citizens with a regular, unconditional sum of money – challenges the core tenets of neoliberalism, which prioritises free markets, individual responsibility, and minimal state intervention. Neoliberals would argue that basic income is a naive utopian dream that devalues hard work, stifles economic innovation, and expands government bureaucracy. And yet, there are solid arguments for why such a revolutionary redistribution of income is needed.

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Finding more inclusive entrepreneurism for what is a white space

by Daryl Ilbury

While overt displays of racism are shocking, their visibility makes them easier to challenge and isolate; it is the disguised, even unintended, racism that is more pervasive and, because it is unquestioned, is enduring and, arguably, more injurious. There’s an argument that such racism would not find fertile ground within business academia – especially within institutions or programmes encouraging entrepreneurship and diversity in business. Such assumptions are naïve.

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Children at the frontline — neurodivergence and school distress

by Daryl Ilbury

Schools should be safe spaces if they’re to encourage children to learn. However, even the seemingly safest and most supportive school environments can harbour perils for neurodivergent children and young people (CYP). The hustle and bustle of an active classroom can generate deep anguish. This is their daily reality – an emotional battleground with them at the front lines. So, it should be no surprise when they want to retreat. Psychology researchers at the University of Newcastle, UK, have discovered just how closely connected neurodivergence is to school refusal. Their research prompts uncomfortable questions and introduces a sobering term to the lexicon of neurodiversity studies.

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The Archaeologists Guide to Good Practice Handbook: A blueprint for a successful dig

by Daryl Ilbury

When major excavation work started on the UK’s HS2 high-speed rail project, hopes were high it would transform public transport between London and the North. While the project is no longer completing all of its infrastructure targets, its construction crews are creating a wave of archaeological discoveries that have captured the public’s imagination and uncovered hidden layers of Britain’s past.

Historic England, the UK government’s statutory adviser on the historic environment and helping people understand, value, and care for historic places, is looking to maximise the benefits of all the archaeology that has been discovered. With that in mind, it is supporting Research and Development work on the Archaeologists Guide to Good Practice (AG2GP) Handbook – an essential directory to ensure that post-excavation work on the results of any archaeological dig is methodical, precise, and consistently adheres to the highest standards of practice.

Self-Care 2030: Towards a seismic shift in perceiving and practising mental healthcare

by Daryl Ilbury

In today’s fast-paced world, where digital connectivity blurs the lines between work and home, the pressures of social media to conform are unrelenting, and socio-political divisions are ripping communities apart, mental health challenges are escalating with unprecedented force. We are navigating a period of intense social, technological, and environmental change. Each of these dimensions introduces complex challenges that can strain mental health and the systems in place to provide the necessary care and support. Systems designed to promote mental wellbeing must deal with limited resources, inadequate training of health professionals in mental healthcare, stigma associated with mental disorders, and an underestimation of the economic impact that mental health issues pose.

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All roads lead to exposure: Identifying a pathway to encouraging second-language uptake

by Daryl Ilbury

Recent immigrants from Spanish-speaking countries to the United States must enter an unaccustomed space where children seem more adept – learning a second language. While physical relocation to the US might be a fundamental first step for immigrants, they face multiple challenges unless they can speak English. Understanding the language enables them to navigate daily life; proficiency significantly improves their employment prospects by allowing them to access a broader range of job opportunities, understand workplace culture, and communicate effectively with colleagues. It is also vital for further education. For new immigrants from Spanish-speaking countries to the US, learning English is their passport to proper integration. It is here where children rise to the occasion. This anomaly is nothing new.

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Towards more enlightened environmental policymaking

by Daryl Ilbury

When considering the environment’s future, it’s tempting to see it in terms of evolving technology solving all our problems. However, while technology may change, human nature does not. As long as humans impact the environment, considerations of regulating environmental risk need to factor in the complexity and character of human nature. To protect the future, we need to draw from the past, specifically the thinking of those committed to understanding humankind’s fractious relationship with the world.

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YIP–Your Ideas to Practice: Shaping the next generation of humanitarian engineers

by Daryl Ilbury

While technologies have evolved throughout human history and arguably helped propel us forward, one constant has held us back: our compulsion to compete for resources instead of cooperating in their sustainable management. There are very few resources as necessary as water; it’s no coincidence that we look for signs of water first when searching for extraterrestrial life.

Here on Earth, technological advances have ironically helped fuel a climate crisis that risks escalating inter- and intra-state water conflicts. Such conflicts have historically impacted the socioeconomic development of societies and nations. Beyond cross-state wars over water sources, disputes over water resources can arise within a society, such as between industries and agriculture, urban and rural populations, or different ethnic groups.

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Brightening the Covenant Chain: Shining a light on the power of Indigenous diplomacy

by Daryl Ilbury

There is a concerted effort in various Western countries, notably the United States, Canada, Finland, Australia, and New Zealand, for governments to better recognise the voices and rights of Indigenous peoples. While these geographically separate peoples have diverse and contrasting histories, their historical experiences have common themes, including colonisation, dispossession, and systemic disadvantage. A group of researchers based at the University of Hull in the UK is fostering new perspectives that hold promise to strengthen future intercultural relations that recognise deep histories of Indigenous diplomacy.

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(The main image is taken from the interactive map 'Movement and Common World in

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AI as a dual-use technology – a cautionary tale

by Daryl Ilbury

Few countries were scarred more by a quantum leap in military technology during the Second World War than Japan; the atomic explosions that decimated Hiroshima and Nagasaki nearly 80 years ago are still seared into the nation’s psyche. So, it is unsurprising that the country is wary of academia giving research impetus and energy to military technological development, even if it encourages dual-use technology with broader benefits to society. Artificial intelligence (AI) is too attractive a game-changing technology for powerful countries not to consider its use in military conflict, especially if it has spinoffs during times of peace. One of Japan’s most respected computer science and engineering researchers is urging caution.

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