By Molly Barker,
London Metropolitan University.
Sexual harassment in secondary schools remains a significant safeguarding and public health concern, yet there is an absence of research that explores how such experiences are perceived retrospectively in adulthood. The aim of this study was to explore the evolving perspectives of sexual harassment culture in UK secondary schools. A qualitative design was adopted, utilising semi-structured interviews with a sample size of 5 participants. Data was analysed using reflexive thematic analysis, in line with Braun and Clarke’s approach. 5 overarching themes emerged from the dataset: normalisation of sexual harassment (1), gaps and failures in institutional response (2), inadequate and ineffective educational systems (3), gendered and socially inequal experiences (4) and developmental shifts in understanding and awareness (5). These findings suggest that sexual harassment exists within education as a culturally embedded phenomenon that is shaped by social norms, institutional practices and a lack of comprehensive education. The study highlights the importance of comprehensive relationships and sex education, consistent institutional responses, and interventions in policy that address underlying social norms. The findings of this study contribute to existing literature by emphasising the role of meaning from a retrospective perspective in understanding sexual harassment and identifying gaps in contemporary educational and safeguarding policy..
DOI: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.22811227
By Marta Sztogryn,
London Metropolitan University.
This study examined public perceptions of artificial intelligence (AI)-assisted judicial decision-making, focusing on the roles of technological familiarity, trust in AI technologies, and perceived fairness. Using a vignette-based survey design, 123 UK-based participants recruited through convenience and snowball sampling evaluated a hypothetical criminal sentencing scenario in which an AI system provided recommendations to a judge.
Multiple regression and mediation analyses examined whether technological familiarity and trust in AI predicted support for AI-assisted judicial decision-making, and whether perceived fairness mediated these relationships. Results indicated that trust in AI technologies significantly predicted support, both directly and indirectly through perceived fairness. In contrast, technological familiarity did not significantly predict perceived fairness or support. Following reliability analysis, the Perceived Fairness scale was revised from four to two items to improve internal consistency.
These findings highlight perceived fairness as a key psychological mechanism underlying public acceptance of AI in judicial contexts and suggest that trust and fairness perceptions may be more influential than technical familiarity in shaping attitudes toward AI-assisted legal decision-making.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.22811037
By Helena Cooper,
Oxford Brookes University.
With the proscription of Palestine Action in the summer of 2025, further legal restrictions and the formation of impactful public discourses, activism has been restricted in the UK. This raises concerns about activists´ freedoms, fuelling frustration and constituting negative impact on activist work. Adapting an activist scholar approach, this research examines public and legal discourses about counterterrorism to find out how they restrict activism in the United Kingdom. In a series of semi-structured, qualitative interviews, six participants from organisations across the UK discussed their contemporary experiences in activism. The aim of the interviews was to gather insights into ways different factors such as public attitudes and labelling narratives, conveyed through legal discourse, influence activism. After building a theoretical framework utilising Labelling Theory, prior research was evaluated and common themes from the interviews were identified in the coding process. Participants spoke about feeling unsupported and restricted by the attitudes of authorities, which became apparent through discussions regarding concerns about counterterrorism measures and human rights infringements. Clearly, legal and political authorities must change their approach to activism in the UK so a fair balance between security and the protection of fundamental democratic elements can be achieved. Ultimately, the aim of this study is to provide a platform for UK activists to highlight the restrictions and injustices they face, which is underpinned with academic research into contributing factors. Since this topic is very relevant and greatly under-researched, my study fills a gap and can be used as a foundation for important future research.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.22810826