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Thought Leadership

Professor Jonathan Darling on the use of hotels in housing asylum seekers

The UK Government is seeking to end the use of hotels to house asylum seekers. Professor Jonathan Darling, from our Department of Geography, explains the situation and how ‘asylum hotels’ became so contentious.
A group of women standing around with bags on the floor.

Has immigration led to a new form of labour market protectionism in Europe?

Drawing on a study of legislative changes in Austria, Germany, Ireland and the UK, Omar Hammoud-Gallego, Pat McGovern and Eiko Thielemann identify a new development in immigration control that extends beyond borders into the workplace.
A welder at work wearing a visor with sparks showing.

Enslaved Africans, an uprising and an ancient farming system in Iraq: study sheds light on timelines

Written accounts tell the story of the Zanj rebellion – a slave revolt that took place in the late 9th century in southern Iraq. Some of the rebels were enslaved Africans working in various sectors of the local economy. Here Honorary Fellow in Archaeology, Peter Brown sheds new light on the timelines.
In southern Iraq, a massive agricultural system was likely built by enslaved Africans who ended up staging a revolt. Courtesy the authors/Cambridge University Press

The UK Space Agency has been absorbed into the science department. The potential effects are still unclear

The UK Space Agency has become part of the UK government’s Department for Science, Innovation and Technology. Dr Bleddyn Bowen, Associate Professor in Astropolitics and Space Warfare, in our School of Government and International Affairs (SGIA), looks at what this might mean.
The Sun rising above the horizon of the Earth as seen from space.

What does it really take to succeed in academic careers? Job ads reveal all

Durham’s School of Education has an established International Centre for the Comparative Study of Doctoral Education (ICCSDE), bringing together leading global researchers in the field of doctoral education.
Graduate wearing a cap and gown looking into a telescope

A Bermuda stalagmite reveals how the Gulf Stream shifted – and what it might do as the climate changes further

An ancient Bermuda stalagmite has revealed more about past shifting of the Gulf Stream. Professor James Baldini, in our Department of Earth Sciences, and PhD candidate Edward Forman, Climate Tipping Points, University of Southampton, tell us more and what it could mean for a major system of ocean currents.
A cave with stalactites hanging from the ceiling being reflected in a pool of water beneath them.

From Army to Academia: History PhD Student Becomes BBC New Generation Thinker

PhD student and former soldier Ashleigh Percival-Borley is exploring the untold stories of World War II's Special Operations Executive. She has recently been announced as a BBC New Generation Thinker for 2025. We caught up with Ashleigh to find out more about this, her research and how being a military veteran informs her work.
Ashleigh Percival-Borley facing the camera smiling

Women football players as role models – an uneven playing field?

All eyes have been on women’s football, and on the England team as the winners of the UEFA Women’s Euros in Switzerland. The players are often held up as role models but is the pressure to inspire greater on women compared to men? Professor Stacey Pope from our Department of Sport and Exercise Sciences has looked into this.
England footballer Leah Williamson talking at a press conference

Bold but pragmatic: how we harness Northern innovation without hurting the Golden Triangle

A new report from the Northern Powerhouse Partnership shines a spotlight on the North of England’s innovation ecosystem, exploring its role in driving productivity and unlocking future economic potential. The report is co-authored by Professor Kieran Fernandes, Executive Dean of Durham Business School. Here he delves into how the region can harness its innovation strengths to fuel long-term growth and prosperity.
Professor Kieran Fernandes is pictured on a white background

This tropical plant builds isolated ‘apartments’ to prevent battles among the aggressive ant tenants it relies on for survival

Professor Guillaume Chomicki from our Biosciences department reveals that some tropical plants in Fiji build special structures to house ants which is cleverly designed to stop them from fighting.
Tropical plants

UEFA Women’s Euros: Media coverage and gender equality

The UEFA Women’s Euros is in full swing, but a recent YouGov survey showed that interest in women’s football still lags well behind the men’s game. What does this mean in terms of gender equality in the sport? Expert on women, football and inequalities, Professor Stacey Pope, explains.
A black and white football on the grass in a stadium.

Pylon wars show why big energy plans need locals on board

Thousands of new electricity pylons are to be built across parts of England under the government’s plans to decarbonise the electricity. And some people aren’t happy. Professor Simone Abram from our Department of Anthropology and Director of Durham Energy Institute, explores why electricity pylons can evoke such powerful feelings.
Electricity pylons with sun setting behind them