Challenging Inequalities and Protecting Rights

This week London marked five years since the Grenfell disaster. The images from that night still have the power to shock. The burnt-out tower remains a physical reminder of those that were lost, and the make-shift memorials are points of remembrance for a community that continues to fight for justice. 

In the days following the fire, it felt as if the inequalities of modern Britain had been laid bare. In the subsequent weeks and months, the community who had lived in and around the Grenfell Tower came forward to tell their story of a system that had let them down. Yet today, many of the inequalities and injustices remain, as does the anger towards a political and economic system that let them down. This is a pattern repeated across the world.

As the UCL Policy Lab launches the first of our four research themes Challenging Inequalities and Protecting Rights, we want to reflect on the role we must play as institutions in collaborating with the communities to unlock and overcome the challenges we face. We know that researchers want to change the world, yet often that ambition can be frustrated by a policy system that won’t always open up and hear all voices. We want our themes to be opportunities to bring together those in research, community and government to understand the issues we face—points of collaboration and innovation in the face of grand challenges.  

Alongside our launch, we’re publishing a series of essays from researchers across UCL. These essays act starting point for a conversation we invite you to, an attempt to break down the barriers between institutions and disciplines. From levelling up, to the green new deal, from gender equality to the rights to protest, we want to ask the questions communities and citizens are asking. And we want you to join the conversation. 

To get the latest on our work and collaborations, you can join our mailing list or follow us on Twitter. We’ll be sharing opportunities to collaborate and come together. Our themes, including Challenging Inequalities and Protecting Rights, will be appointing Heads of Themes, and for those wishing to help lead these conversations, you can contact policylab@ucl.ac.uk.