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Will Baker

Senior Lecturer, School of Education, University of Bristol
My research is broadly within the sociology of education, but I have strongly interdisciplinary interests. A unifying theme in my research is understanding the causes and consequences of educational inequalities. There are three interconnected strands to my scholarship.

Firstly, I am pioneering research into the rise of food charity in schools. Against a backdrop of growing food insecurity in the UK, a growing number of schools are running their own food banks. I study how and why this is happening and what it tells us about education, inequality and the state (see Baker 2023; Baker and Bakopoulou 2022 and 2023). My research in this area has been covered by the BBC, The Independent and many of major news sources.

Secondly, along with Dr. Katherin Barg, I have developed a program of research that explores the interconnections between parenting, socio-economic background, and educational inequalities. We are also interested in exploring how family life and parenting has changed over time and differs between countries and cultures (see Barg and Baker 2021; Baker and Barg 2019). Finally, I have published widely on how young people develop educational aspirations, career goals and orient themselves to the future (see Moles et al. 2023; Baker 2020). I’m particularly interested in how these are connected to moral attitudes and values.

Methodologically, I draw on both qualitative and quantitative sources of data, including sources of secondary data such asthe Millennium Cohort Study. I make extensive use of interviews in much of my empirical work.

‘They don’t have enough’ – schools in England are running food banks for families

Apr 18, 2024 06:21 am UTC| Insights & Views Economy

The peak of the cost-of-living crisis may have passed, but millions of families are struggling to buy enough food to feed their children. Experiencing food insecurity can be deeply damaging for children and negatively...

Economy

Beyond the spin, beyond the handouts, here’s how to get a handle on what’s really happening on budget night

Three weeks from now, some of us will be presented with a mountain of budget papers, and just about all of us will get to hear about them on radio, TV or news websites on budget night. The quickest way to find out what...

Johannesburg in a time of darkness: Ivan Vladislavić’s new memoir reminds us of the city’s fragility

Ivan Vladislavić is Johannesburgs literary linkman. He tells us, in the first pages of his new book, The Near North, that before cities were lit, first by gaslight and later electricity, people of means paid torchbearers...

Economist Chris Richardson on an ‘ugly’ inflation result and the coming budget

With Jim Chalmerss third budget on May 14, Australians will be looking for some more cost-of-living relief beyond the tax cuts although they have been warned extra measures will be modest. As this weeks consumer price...

Inflation is slowly falling, while student debt is climbing: 6 graphs that explain today’s CPI

Australias inflation rate has fallen for the fifth successive quarter, and its now less than half of what it was back in late 2022. The annual rate peaked at 7.8% in the December quarter of 2022 and is now just 3.6%, in...

Why is the London Stock Exchange losing out to the US

London Stock Exchange (LSE), which can trace its heritage to the coffee houses of the 17th century, is failing. The volume of shares traded is sharply declining, and some UK companies are swiftly moving to the US...

Politics

Labour can afford to be far more ambitious with its economic policies – voters are on board

To say that the Labour party is flying high in the polls is something of an understatement. But despite its consistent lead against the Tories, the opposition finds itself in a rather odd position: on the cusp of power but...

History for sale: what does South Africa’s struggle heritage mean after 30 years of democracy?

One of my favourite statues is the one of Nelson Mandela at the Sandton City shopping centre in Johannesburg. Larger than life, its oversized bronze shoes shimmer in the evening light, polished by the hands of many...

Sudan: civil war stretches into a second year with no end in sight

In the early hours of April 15 2023, the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) a Sudanese paramilitary force attacked the military airstrip in the town of Merowe and deployed troops across strategic locations in Sudans capital,...

Military conscription is returning to Europe, but is it really a more equal way of mobilising? What history tells us

The idea that conscription, defined as the compulsory enlistment of citizens for military service, can increase equality and instil a sense of solidarity that transcends traditional societal divides has echoed throughout...

Joe Biden Proposes Record 44.6% Capital Gains Tax in Latest Budget Plan That May Favor Cryptocurrencies

President Joe Biden has proposed raising the capital gains tax to an unprecedented 44.6% in a bold fiscal move, targeting the wealthiest Americans. This hike is part of his 2025 budget proposal to reduce income...

Science

A Nasa rover has reached a promising place to search for fossilised life on Mars

While we go about our daily lives on Earth, a nuclear-powered robot the size of a small car is trundling around Mars looking for fossils. Unlike its predecessor Curiosity, Nasas Perseverance rover is explicitly intended to...

The rising flood of space junk is a risk to us on Earth – and governments are on the hook

A piece of space junk recently crashed through the roof and floor of a mans home in Florida. Nasa later confirmed that the object had come from unwanted hardware released from the international space station. The 700g,...

Peter Higgs was one of the greats of particle physics. He transformed what we know about the building blocks of the universe

Peter Higgs, who gave his name to the subatomic particle known as the Higgs boson, has died aged 94. He was always a modest man, especially when considering that he was one of the greats of particle physics the area of...

Could a telescope ever see the beginning of time? An astronomer explains

The James Webb Space Telescope, or JWST for short, is one of the most advanced telescopes ever built. Planning for JWST began over 25 years ago, and construction efforts spanned over a decade. It was launched into space on...

US media coverage of new science less likely to mention researchers with African and East Asian names

When one Chinese national recently petitioned the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services to become a permanent resident, he thought his chances were pretty good. As an accomplished biologist, he figured that news...

Technology

Sam Altman Hints at Link Between OpenAI and Mysterious 'GPT2-Chatbot'

An unexpected new player, the GPT2-Chatbot, has captured the attention of the AI community by possibly outperforming OpenAIs renowned GPT-4 model, according to recent reports. Unresolved Origins of...

Blockstream CEO Adam Back Highlights Unique Aspects of Hong Kong's Bitcoin, Ethereum ETFs

Adam Back, CEO of Blockstream, recently detailed the unique characteristics of Hong Kongs newly launched Bitcoin and Ethereum ETFs on X, emphasizing their in-kind redemption model, which sets them apart from their U.S....

Massive 624 Billion SHIB, PEPE Purchase by Whales Could Signal More Rallies

Recent on-chain data reveals that whales have amassed 624 billion SHIB and PEPE coins, injecting a wave of optimism and triggering speculation about sustained upward trends in the prices of these meme coins. Whales...

Apple Escalates AI Talent War, Poaches 36 Google Experts for Zurich Initiative

Stepping up its AI game, Apples Zurich lab has successfully attracted 36 experts from Google, marking a significant expansion in its artificial intelligence (AI) operations. Apples Aggressive AI Talent...

Binance's CZ Partners with OpenAI's Altman on AI Investment Venture

Changpeng Zhao, the former CEO of Binance, is engaging in strategic talks with OpenAI CEO Sam Altman to explore potential investments in artificial intelligence. This collaboration comes as Zhao faces significant legal...