Social science sites of the week
Happy New year!
Time to set your new year resolutions.
the American Psychoplogical Association website has a section on will power and new year resolutions which makes interesting reading. If losing wight is your main aim try the National Library of Medicine (USA) advice. NHS advice for consumers. For a more medical addproach NHS Evidence has some references to clinical studies and medical advice relating to dieting for practitioners. Note some items are not in full text to non subscribers.
Wet weather.
This week the UK Met office announced that extreme rainfall was increasing in the UK. The Met office website has average and extreme weather statistics graphs for UK locations.
Its climate research section has historic station data, and case studies of severe weather events. The learning section has educational materials for teachers. There are also weather science technical reports and the searchable National Meteorological Library catalogue.
The World Meteorological Organization has a severe weather warning site with predictions. There is also an online library of reports and publications.
Rail Fare increases
According to the BBC rail fares have just risen by an average 4.2% for commuters.
Look at the official statistics on rail fares for the UK from the National Statistics Hub
There is a specialist national rail trends portal maintained by the Office of Rail Regulation (ORR)
See more suggestions on our website.
Hillsborough
The Justice collective become the UK’s Xmas no.1.
For the Hillsborough tribute single, “He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother” see their official website on YouTube . They also have a Facebook website where you can find details of their campaign to get justice for the 96 who died in the UK’s worst sporting disaster. Other campaign groups include the Hillsborough Family Support Group
Hillsborough Justice Campaign
Find out more about the tragedy on the Liverpool FC tribute pages. These include eyewitness accounts. Online video documentaries and the memorial service.
The recent report from the Hillsborough Independent panel also dicusses in length the deaths and police investigations.
Sheffield libraries and archives have produced an excellent biography on sources relating to the disaster.
This includes books, articles and links to websites.
Technology in 2012.
2012 Cisco Connected World Technology Report (CCWTR).
(note complete report not yet in full online)
Covers Generation Y 18-30 use of technology includes infographics on online friendship, smartphones, internet security. Compare with earlier reports from 2010 onwards.
The latest Pew Global Attitudes Project Report also charts the rise of social networking across the globe. It also covers cell and smart phone usage by country and age group.
Also published recently by the Center for Digital Future USC Annenberg School World Internet Project Report (4th ed.) this focuses upon 11 countries. Australia, Canada, Colombia, Italy, Mexico, New Zealand, Poland, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom
Free access to highlights from previous year’s reports.
96 page reports covers such topics as access to the internet, politics, social networking, online entertainment, online purchasing and gaming, online phone, email communication.
Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget. Materials on US fiscal cliff.
What is a fiscal cliff and what was the package agreed? find out more from this useful site.
There is also a Congressional Research Service report about the debt limit. this is 37 pages in length and covers its history and recent increases.
Depressingly in the news- rape case in India.
The National Crime records Bureau India has official crime statistics. Search the website by keyword to find some materials. The President of India and the parliament have issued recent press releases.
Indian newspaper coverage in the Times of India.
Indian Express Hindu
Center for Social Research is a Delhi based non-government al organization which works for women’s and girls’ rights in India. Its website has background materials on sexism, abortion and domestic violence.
For international coverage of related issues see
Sexual Violence Research Initiative (SVRI). The SVRI was initially hosted by the World Health Organization (WHO) before moving to the Medical Research Council, South Africa in 2006.
UNWomen has details and measurement of levels of violence against women. It includes the Secretary General’s database which has country files on measure of the problem and government schemes and programmes see the entry for India. This includes links to legislation and statistics.
The Virtual knowledge centre to end violence against women and girls. has tools and training for social workers.
Hate crime statistics
Fbi latest figures for 2011
Compare with the UK latest figures. Projects and action plans to combat hate crime can also be found on the Home office website
Copyright licensing agency produces new app
A new tool for libraries and researchers. It allows you to check whether a specific title is covered by your CLA licence. There are three ways to search for a title – using the Scan Barcode option, searching by title, or entering the ISBN or ISSN. Learn about copyright from the Intellectual Property Office
To end on a more positive note.
New ebook from Global voices online. Africa Voices of Hope
focuses on Senegal, Uganda, Mozambique, Guinea-Bissau, Ghana, Ethiopia, Nigeria, Mauritania, Kenya, Angola and other countries. Stories of use of citizen journalism to change lives.
Dead Sea scrolls online.
Now accessible.The Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) has officially launched the Leon Levy Dead Sea Scrolls Digital Library, browse or read the background. Also released in December another digital manuscript
The New Testament volume from one of the British Library’s most valuable treasures, Codex Alexandrinus, has been made available online for the first time
