Beth Kitson
@drbethkitson.bsky.social
research and policy
PhD in economic and gender history
people, data, stories
PhD in economic and gender history
people, data, stories
Even just looking at the chart titles here has reminded me how everything is now content and everyone is a content creator.
This chart (which applies even more to social media than it did to TV) lives in my head rent free.
Social media enveloping traditional media means everything and everyone is now competing in the entertainment market. Boring stuff like policy that affects millions of lives doesn’t stand a chance.
Social media enveloping traditional media means everything and everyone is now competing in the entertainment market. Boring stuff like policy that affects millions of lives doesn’t stand a chance.
November 23, 2025 at 10:25 PM
Even just looking at the chart titles here has reminded me how everything is now content and everyone is a content creator.
'Concern over a deeply unequal society and a lopsided economy is where the wealth tax-ers and I start – but doing something about it requires deep-rooted changes to give more people a fairer share.'
Aditya Chakrabortty on the wealth tax
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
Aditya Chakrabortty on the wealth tax
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
What does the left want? A wealth tax. What will that accomplish? Very little | Aditya Chakrabortty
Imposing a 1% levy on the super-rich isn’t a policy, it’s pantomime. Tackling inequality in Britain will require much more far-reaching changes, says Guardian columnist Aditya Chakrabortty
www.theguardian.com
November 21, 2025 at 10:03 AM
'Concern over a deeply unequal society and a lopsided economy is where the wealth tax-ers and I start – but doing something about it requires deep-rooted changes to give more people a fairer share.'
Aditya Chakrabortty on the wealth tax
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
Aditya Chakrabortty on the wealth tax
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
Reposted by Beth Kitson
I think this counts as successful research impact. Turning your archive work into a bestselling trade book, which is then optioned as a feature film. www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio...
Bad Bridgets podcast about crime among Irish women in US inspires film
Margot Robbie’s company to make movie based on Northern Ireland academics’ stories of poverty and prison
www.theguardian.com
November 10, 2025 at 11:15 AM
I think this counts as successful research impact. Turning your archive work into a bestselling trade book, which is then optioned as a feature film. www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio...
Reposted by Beth Kitson
A List of Things Said to Have Been Ruined by Women
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November 6, 2025 at 8:43 PM
A List of Things Said to Have Been Ruined by Women
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I had never considered patient satisfaction as anything other than an outcome on its own. Fascinating (if unsurprising really) to read the direct impact on health outcomes, that @samfr.bsky.social cites: bmjopen.bmj.com/content/3/1/...?
October 19, 2025 at 8:32 PM
I had never considered patient satisfaction as anything other than an outcome on its own. Fascinating (if unsurprising really) to read the direct impact on health outcomes, that @samfr.bsky.social cites: bmjopen.bmj.com/content/3/1/...?
Reposted by Beth Kitson
EXC: English councils will still be poorer in 2029 than they were in 2010, according to the IfG.
Report finds councils are increasingly providing social care and little else. Libraries, youth services, parks, all falling by the wayside.
www.theguardian.com/society/2025...
Report finds councils are increasingly providing social care and little else. Libraries, youth services, parks, all falling by the wayside.
www.theguardian.com/society/2025...
English councils to remain poorer than in 2010 despite funding rise, says report
Exclusive: Impact of austerity cannot be undone by end of parliament despite above-inflation funding, analysis finds
www.theguardian.com
October 15, 2025 at 4:32 PM
EXC: English councils will still be poorer in 2029 than they were in 2010, according to the IfG.
Report finds councils are increasingly providing social care and little else. Libraries, youth services, parks, all falling by the wayside.
www.theguardian.com/society/2025...
Report finds councils are increasingly providing social care and little else. Libraries, youth services, parks, all falling by the wayside.
www.theguardian.com/society/2025...
Reminded of @stephenkb.bsky.social's excellent column on AI and the curriculum.
"It is knowledge that allows you to deploy and use your skills."
www.ft.com/content/1369...
"It is knowledge that allows you to deploy and use your skills."
www.ft.com/content/1369...
Technological change means that workers will probably need to retrain multiple times during a career. Better to use uni years to develop general skills because the immediately marketable ones will depreciate quickly.
September 19, 2025 at 10:49 AM
Reminded of @stephenkb.bsky.social's excellent column on AI and the curriculum.
"It is knowledge that allows you to deploy and use your skills."
www.ft.com/content/1369...
"It is knowledge that allows you to deploy and use your skills."
www.ft.com/content/1369...
Desperate to see an updated chart for Shania please
September 17, 2025 at 8:57 PM
Desperate to see an updated chart for Shania please
'Because Black women are overrepresented in public sector jobs, the Trump Administration’s massive cuts to the federal workforce have likely contributed towards over 300,000 Black women leaving the labor force between February and July.'
time.com/7315624/risi...
time.com/7315624/risi...
Rising Unemployment Among Black Women Is a Bad Economic Sign
"Black women are the canary in the coal mine on the health of the economy," write Cooper and Opoku-Agyeman.
time.com
September 9, 2025 at 9:15 PM
'Because Black women are overrepresented in public sector jobs, the Trump Administration’s massive cuts to the federal workforce have likely contributed towards over 300,000 Black women leaving the labor force between February and July.'
time.com/7315624/risi...
time.com/7315624/risi...
Reposted by Beth Kitson
Civil society has reached a milestone: we estimate that for the first time, paid hours now exceed volunteer hours.
Do we need to slow the tide and re-emphasise volunteering, or do we accept the sector is becoming more professional?
Explore these questions in our new blog: pbe.co.uk/insights/the...
Do we need to slow the tide and re-emphasise volunteering, or do we accept the sector is becoming more professional?
Explore these questions in our new blog: pbe.co.uk/insights/the...
The rise of paid work: Are we really still the “Voluntary Sector”? | PBE
We recently published a new paper on the true economic contribution of civil society to the UK economy. (Spoiler alert: it’s big! At least £40 billion.) Among the many new stats in that report, there’...
pbe.co.uk
September 4, 2025 at 8:02 AM
Civil society has reached a milestone: we estimate that for the first time, paid hours now exceed volunteer hours.
Do we need to slow the tide and re-emphasise volunteering, or do we accept the sector is becoming more professional?
Explore these questions in our new blog: pbe.co.uk/insights/the...
Do we need to slow the tide and re-emphasise volunteering, or do we accept the sector is becoming more professional?
Explore these questions in our new blog: pbe.co.uk/insights/the...
September 2, 2025 at 8:30 AM
Reposted by Beth Kitson
‘Let us not risk getting trapped in the last war.’ My piece for @pbe.co.uk on why the wellbeing v GDP framing has run out of road
pbe.co.uk/insights/bey...
pbe.co.uk/insights/bey...
Beyond ‘beyond GDP’ | PBE
By Hetan Shah I was involved in some of the calls for improved measurement of wellbeing in the early 2000s. Two decades on, sometimes the debate feels like it has not moved on sufficiently from those ...
pbe.co.uk
September 1, 2025 at 5:48 AM
‘Let us not risk getting trapped in the last war.’ My piece for @pbe.co.uk on why the wellbeing v GDP framing has run out of road
pbe.co.uk/insights/bey...
pbe.co.uk/insights/bey...
Reposted by Beth Kitson
In the year to June 2025, 92% of refugee family reunion visas were given to women and children. More than half went to children. Two thirds to people from Syria, Afghanistan, Eritrea, Iran and Sudan. It helps integration and provides a safe route. Family reunion should be easier, not harder.
September 1, 2025 at 7:09 AM
In the year to June 2025, 92% of refugee family reunion visas were given to women and children. More than half went to children. Two thirds to people from Syria, Afghanistan, Eritrea, Iran and Sudan. It helps integration and provides a safe route. Family reunion should be easier, not harder.
"As the basis of their analysis, the authors relied on a 1932 book by French historian"
August 28, 2025 at 1:58 PM
"As the basis of their analysis, the authors relied on a 1932 book by French historian"
Reposted by Beth Kitson
🌈The lack of accurate data on LGBTQ+ folks is pervasive
We're often invisible. Historic exclusion, categorisation challenges, and the potential harm of data collection have all played a part, hindering policy, research, and support services.
This report looks to fill in part of that data gap ⬇️
We're often invisible. Historic exclusion, categorisation challenges, and the potential harm of data collection have all played a part, hindering policy, research, and support services.
This report looks to fill in part of that data gap ⬇️
LGBTQ+ young people in the UK face a severe, unequal mental health crisis.
Services like Free2Talk offer life-changing, cost-effective help, but they need greater support. 1/7
pbe.co.uk/publications...
Services like Free2Talk offer life-changing, cost-effective help, but they need greater support. 1/7
pbe.co.uk/publications...
August 27, 2025 at 9:20 AM
🌈The lack of accurate data on LGBTQ+ folks is pervasive
We're often invisible. Historic exclusion, categorisation challenges, and the potential harm of data collection have all played a part, hindering policy, research, and support services.
This report looks to fill in part of that data gap ⬇️
We're often invisible. Historic exclusion, categorisation challenges, and the potential harm of data collection have all played a part, hindering policy, research, and support services.
This report looks to fill in part of that data gap ⬇️
Parkrun is by far the largest charity - by volunteer numbers - in England and Wales.
Nations of joggers.
register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/en/sector-da...
Nations of joggers.
register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/en/sector-da...
August 27, 2025 at 8:08 AM
Parkrun is by far the largest charity - by volunteer numbers - in England and Wales.
Nations of joggers.
register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/en/sector-da...
Nations of joggers.
register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/en/sector-da...
"Imagine a football team which measures its success only on the basis of the goals it scores and doesn't count the goals it concedes. That football team could be losing right through without recognising it."
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ggo0...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ggo0...
August 23, 2025 at 1:05 PM
"Imagine a football team which measures its success only on the basis of the goals it scores and doesn't count the goals it concedes. That football team could be losing right through without recognising it."
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ggo0...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ggo0...
Reposted by Beth Kitson
Great new evidence from Rachel Gomez on the longterm impacts of children’s mental health.
For the geeks among us…it goes beyond looking at correlations and shows that improvements in mental health as a child lead to better outcomes, even after controlling for a host of other factors.
For the geeks among us…it goes beyond looking at correlations and shows that improvements in mental health as a child lead to better outcomes, even after controlling for a host of other factors.
📢 The £51bn case for improving children’s mental health
1 in 5 UK children aged 8–16 likely have a probable mental health condition (NHS Digital, 2023). Yet only 36% referred to NHS services are seen within 4 weeks. Thousands wait over 2 years. 1/5
New report: pbe.co.uk/publications...
1 in 5 UK children aged 8–16 likely have a probable mental health condition (NHS Digital, 2023). Yet only 36% referred to NHS services are seen within 4 weeks. Thousands wait over 2 years. 1/5
New report: pbe.co.uk/publications...
August 19, 2025 at 9:52 PM
Great new evidence from Rachel Gomez on the longterm impacts of children’s mental health.
For the geeks among us…it goes beyond looking at correlations and shows that improvements in mental health as a child lead to better outcomes, even after controlling for a host of other factors.
For the geeks among us…it goes beyond looking at correlations and shows that improvements in mental health as a child lead to better outcomes, even after controlling for a host of other factors.
Reposted by Beth Kitson
we invite expressions of indifference
August 20, 2025 at 8:59 AM
we invite expressions of indifference
In 2023/24, over thirty thousand children had been left waiting for mental health support for over two years.
Important new @pbe.co.uk report from Rachel Gomez and @jonfranklin.bsky.social, showing the huge costs of failing to meet growing need, and the opportunity that comes with acting earlier.
Important new @pbe.co.uk report from Rachel Gomez and @jonfranklin.bsky.social, showing the huge costs of failing to meet growing need, and the opportunity that comes with acting earlier.
📢 The £51bn case for improving children’s mental health
1 in 5 UK children aged 8–16 likely have a probable mental health condition (NHS Digital, 2023). Yet only 36% referred to NHS services are seen within 4 weeks. Thousands wait over 2 years. 1/5
New report: pbe.co.uk/publications...
1 in 5 UK children aged 8–16 likely have a probable mental health condition (NHS Digital, 2023). Yet only 36% referred to NHS services are seen within 4 weeks. Thousands wait over 2 years. 1/5
New report: pbe.co.uk/publications...
August 19, 2025 at 10:18 AM
In 2023/24, over thirty thousand children had been left waiting for mental health support for over two years.
Important new @pbe.co.uk report from Rachel Gomez and @jonfranklin.bsky.social, showing the huge costs of failing to meet growing need, and the opportunity that comes with acting earlier.
Important new @pbe.co.uk report from Rachel Gomez and @jonfranklin.bsky.social, showing the huge costs of failing to meet growing need, and the opportunity that comes with acting earlier.
'This display of craft "brings the Palestinians, it almost puts breath into their lives. We’ve existed for a really long time as a people and we had a place and we had a country and a land and that’s all been taken away. But this history shows that not only did we exist, but we still exist".'
August 18, 2025 at 9:33 AM
'This display of craft "brings the Palestinians, it almost puts breath into their lives. We’ve existed for a really long time as a people and we had a place and we had a country and a land and that’s all been taken away. But this history shows that not only did we exist, but we still exist".'
"Our data finds the US out of step with the rest of the world in many respects, from the role the state is expected to play in addressing societal issues through to how important these issues are perceived to be."
From the new Ipsos Equalities index: www.ipsos.com/sites/defaul...
From the new Ipsos Equalities index: www.ipsos.com/sites/defaul...
www.ipsos.com
August 15, 2025 at 8:02 AM
"Our data finds the US out of step with the rest of the world in many respects, from the role the state is expected to play in addressing societal issues through to how important these issues are perceived to be."
From the new Ipsos Equalities index: www.ipsos.com/sites/defaul...
From the new Ipsos Equalities index: www.ipsos.com/sites/defaul...
"School streets, pedestrianised town centres, targeting SUVs for higher parking charges, clean air zones, lower speed limits in residential areas and more severe penalties for breaking them all receive public support, despite placing new limits or charges on car use."
🚘 NEW RESEARCH | What do people in Britain really want from transport? From safer streets to better buses, the public’s priorities are clear and they’re ready for change. Read our new research with @moreincommonuk.bsky.social ippr.org/articles/everyday-concerns-what-people-want-from-transport
August 13, 2025 at 6:12 PM
"School streets, pedestrianised town centres, targeting SUVs for higher parking charges, clean air zones, lower speed limits in residential areas and more severe penalties for breaking them all receive public support, despite placing new limits or charges on car use."