Dr Cora Lingling Xu from our School of Education argues that social inequality in education isn’t just about financial resources but also time inheritance, where some students start life with a cushion of time to explore opportunities while others begin with a deficit that forces them into rushed decisions and extended labour before they can pursue further study.

Professor Nayanika Mookherjee from our Anthropology Department explores how misinformation in Bangladesh exploits entrenched social and political vulnerabilities to sustain existing power hierarchies. Drawing on research on birangonas and contemporary cases of blasphemy accusations and mob violence, the piece shows how rumours amplified by social media turn everyday infractions into lethal outcomes.

After months of threats, which included the seizure of oil tankers, and air-strikes on alleged drug boats, on January 3rd, the United States removed Nicolás Maduro, Venezuela’s leader, and charged him with drug trafficking offences. Dr Omar Hammoud Gallego from our School of Government and International Affairs gives his analysis of the situation. 

Hot water bottles, electric blankets and the heating on – some of the ways we try and keep ourselves warm in the 21st century, but how did the medieval monks manage it? Historian Professor Giles Gasper takes a step back in time to explain.

Dr Dušan Radunović, Director of Russian Studies in Durham’s School of Modern Languages and Cultures, and Daniel O’Brien from the University of Essex, mark 100 years of Sergei Eisenstein’s The Battleship Potemkin. They explore why this silent masterpiece continues to resonate, inspiring filmmakers and audiences across shifting historical and cultural landscapes.

Professor Christopher J Finlay, Head of our School of Government and International Affairs, looks at the book The Origins of Totalitarianism, by German and American historian and philosopher Hannah Arendt, and what it can tell us about populism today.

Anthropology Professor Tom Yarrow's research into a group of heritage railway volunteers revealed that meaningful connections can be forged through quiet companionship and shared tasks.