Evolutionary economics
This report from UK think tank the Institute of Economic Affairs concludes that prosperity emerges from spontaneous market coordination, not conscious direction. In a new paper, academic Dr Erik Lidström examines the evolutionary mismatch between human hunter-gatherer psychology and the demands of modern capitalist economies. Our brains evolved over two million years for small tribes...
After the fall: Why hasn’t falling immigration changed public attitudes?
This report from UK think tank British Future explores findings from the British Future immigration attitudes tracker. ‘After the fall: Why hasn’t falling immigration changes public attitudes?’ is the 2026 report from the British Future Immigration Attitudes Tracker, which has followed public attitudes to immigration for over a decade since 2015. The new research reveals...
The good life?
This report from UK think tank the Sutton Trust explores the relationship between social mobility and happiness. Is social mobility just about jobs and income? Does being upwardly mobile make you happy? Does socio-economic background determine who gets to live good, healthy and happy lives? This report examines the connection between happiness, wellbeing, life satisfaction,...
Living stones: English cathedrals as sacred spaces in changing times
This report from UK think tank Theos explores the role of cathedrals in modern life. The gap between what cathedrals contribute and the support they need is widening. Drawing on a nationally representative YouGov poll, a separate survey of over 1,300 cathedral visitors, and qualitative fieldwork involving 146 interviewees across six representative cathedrals, this report...
Bye bye baby
This report from UK think tank the Resolution Foundation assesses Britain’s falling birth rate since the early 2010s. This briefing explores Britain’s recent baby bust and whether it should be a cause for concern for policymakers. Most developed countries are grappling with a falling birth rate, and the UK is no different. There have always...
Where’s the demos in democracy?
This report from UK think tank the Institute of Development Studies demonstrates that democracy delivers development better than other regimes. Democracy is in crisis. Anti-democratic politicians and anti-rights movements are becoming more popular. Simultaneously, growing inequality around the world – a product of neoliberal capitalist societies – has left millions of people feeling left behind...
Vital institutions 01: Reform and renewal of the Equality and Human Rights Commission
This report from UK think tank the Future Governance Forum calls for the reform of the EHRC to strengthen equality and human rights protection for people living in the UK. Our recommendations for how the Commission can restore its credibility include: being politically neutral, leading public debates in sensitive areas and making greater use of...
England united: Pride not prejudice
This report from UK think tank British Future offers a toolkit for those who want to speak up for an inclusive England. The ‘England United; Pride not prejudice’ toolkit aims to help mainstream voices confidently champion an open, shared sense of Englishness. It stems from a recognition that the far right is trying to co-opt English identity...
Countering backlash: Reclaiming gender justice
This report from UK think tank the Institute of Development Studies conceptualises gender backlash as a multidimensional attack on gender equality. This report distils six years of collaborative research (from late 2019 to early 2026) from the IDS-led Countering Backlash programme, by IDS itself and 11 partners across seven countries on how contemporary gender backlash...
Far from settled: The government’s ‘earned settlement’ consultation
This report from UK think tank IPPR examines the government's 'earned settlement' consultation. How long should people have to wait until they can permanently settle in the UK? This is the core question underpinning the Home Office’s ‘earned settlement’ policy, currently out for consultation. While the measures have received surprisingly little attention compared to some...