News and Blog

The construction industry in Wales delivers more than just buildings and infrastructure; it also provides training and employment opportunities for people facing barriers to achieving their full potential. I am Jemma, a researcher based at WISERD at Cardiff University, and my research examines how the construction industry in Wales creates social value. In 2023, Wales…

The ADR Wales team within the Welsh Government has been shortlisted for a Civil Service Award, one of the most respected honours recognising excellence across the UK Civil Service. The Civil Service Awards celebrate outstanding achievements across government showcasing inspirational individuals and innovative projects that deliver real benefits for citizens. ADR Wales has been recognised…

A new book by Professors Paul Chaney and Sarbeswar Sahoo was published on 26 September by Policy Press, an imprint of Bristol University Press. Civil Society Activism and Animal Welfare Rights provides a timely and in-depth analysis of the evolving landscape of animal rights and governance. The new volume argues that despite increasing legal recognition…

When voters in Caerphilly in south Wales go to the polls later this month, it will be about far more than one seat in the Senedd, Wales’s devolved parliament. Caerphilly, a postindustrial town just north of Cardiff, has long been considered safe Labour territory. But in recent years, economic upheaval and social change have made…

A history of deprivation in the South Wales Valleys has shaped its young men’s aspirations and views of masculinity, Cardiff University research shows. Dr Richard Gater conducted in-depth interviews with young men aged 13-21 who were living in the Aber Valley, in the borough of Caerphilly. The study explored their transition from school to work…

Over recent years, successive parliamentary committees have recommended expansion of the devolved benefits system in Wales. In 2024, the Welsh Government confirmed that its goal was: ‘A person-centred, compassionate, and consistent approach to the design and delivery of Welsh benefits, underpinned by the Welsh Benefits Charter principles’ – including compassion, equality and human rights. There…

In an exciting new collaboration, WISERD’s UnionMaps data has been integrated into Strike Map,  a worker-powered and funded map of industrial action, which has mapped 230,000 strikes since 2020. The combined functionality of both platforms will allow users to see union strength in the areas where industrial action is happening. Rhys Davies, WISERD co-director and…

The narrative around science education in the UK and globally is often framed around a “leaky pipeline”. While every pupil is required to study science until age 16, many step away from it beyond this point. Reasons for disengagement are multifactored: gender differences, socioeconomic barriers, subject popularity (maths and biology dominate over physics), and now,…

ADR Wales has been awarded almost £26million to continue its ground-breaking work using administrative data to inform public policy and improve lives across Wales. The funding will run from 2026-2031 and was officially announced today by the Rt Hon Mark Drakeford MS during his address to delegates at the ADR UK Conference in Cardiff. Following…

Refugees and asylum seekers in the UK In March this year, over 100,000 people were seeking asylum in the UK. 30% of these people were living in hotels, and all were banned from working and received £7 a day to cover basic needs. The UK has seen over 3,000 applications from unaccompanied children over the…