UCL Press are pleased to provide a collection of some recently published and highly cited articles from recent years, that are of special interest to our journal communities.
As a mission oriented not-for-profit university press publishing journals broadly across the humanities, social sciences, and environment-related sciences, we uphold our commitment to open science and scholarship by making all our journals’ high-quality research as freely available to everyone, forever. All of journals are published open access and without levying any publication fees to the authors to publish in the journal, encouraging global access for knowledge to be shared, read and cited by all. In addition, our diamond Open Access publication model removes the financial barriers for both readers and authors, further broadening the promotion of research, knowledge sharing, and the dissemination of impactful articles.
This post celebrates some of our highly cited publications and is testament to the rigorous efforts of our Editors’, reviewers’, and authors’ contribution to their fields.
London Review of Education
Decolonisation of curriculum: the case of language education policy in Nepal
While decolonisation is usually discussed in relation to countries that were formally colonised, countries that have not been formally colonised have also faced challenges related to colonialism. In this case, it is worth considering whether decolonial theory has more widespread applicability to respond to global challenges faced in the postcolonial era. This article documents the historical trajectories of colonisation and decolonisation of the school curriculum in Nepal.
Research-informed teacher education, teacher autonomy and teacher agency: the example of Finland
This article highlights how Finland's rigorous, research-based teacher education system fosters autonomous and agentic teachers, contributing to the country's strong performance in international assessments like PISA. This article argues that the rigorous research focus of Finnish teacher education cultivates autonomous and agentic teachers.
Education, decolonisation and international development at the Institute of Education (London): a historical analysis
This article reviews the process of building relationships around education and international development at the IOE, UCL’s Faculty of Education and Society. Looking at how hierarchies linked to colonialism were inscribed in initial structures and unevenly and disparately contested by students, staff and a range of interlocutors around the world over one hundred years, authors ask, how does this history shape practice in the present and perspectives on the future?
Read more about the London Review of Education, here.
International Journal of Social Pedagogy
German social pedagogy and social work: the academic discourses mapping a changing historical relationship
The term ‘social pedagogy’ was coined in Germany, a country which also provided fertile ground for the early development of social work. This article reconstructs the evolution of the two disciplines, which existed alongside one another for much of the twentieth century.
Citizenship to (counter)terrorism: the need to de-securitise the Norwegian education system and create space for democratic resilience
Education for citizenship has been the subject of growing policy and research attention since the beginning of the twenty-first century. Yet, alongside conventional assumptions that school can help young learners develop socio-political attitudes that support democratic attitudes and behaviours, there are growing political expectations that educators will actively prevent terrorism. This article examines how precautionary counterterrorism logic can cause harmful and exclusionary pedagogical practices.
Read more about the International Journal of Social Pedagogy, here.
Research for All
Collaboration between doctoral researchers and patient research partners: reflections and considerations
A key principle of working in collaboration with patient research partners (patients contributing to research projects as team members, rather than as participants) is that they should be equal partners with researchers and health professionals. This presents a challenge in doctoral research, where students are expected to own their research decisions. This paper provides practical suggestions for working effectively with patient partners throughout the doctoral process and offers suggestions for formalising the process to support both parties to ensure that patient partners’ involvements are not tokenistic.
How can impact strategies be developed that better support universities to address twenty-first-century challenges?
To better address twenty-first-century challenges, research institutions often develop and publish research impact strategies but, as a tool, impact strategies are poorly understood. This study provides the first formal analysis of impact strategies from the UK, Canada, Australia, Denmark, New Zealand and Hong Kong, China, and from independent research institutes.
Read more about Research for All, here.
History Education Research Journal
Teaching and learning the legacy of residential schools for remembering and reconciliation in Canada
In 2015, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) of Canada released a Final Report containing 94 Calls to Action. Operating in parallel to these reforms, social studies curricula across Canada have undergone substantial revisions. As a result, historical thinking is now firmly embedded within the curricula of most provinces and territories. This article represents an exploration of an emerging field of debate around whether historical thinking and Reconciliation are compatible.
Why is ‘powerful knowledge’ failing to forge a path to the future of history education?
The concept of ‘powerful knowledge’ has become extremely influential in discussions about curriculum in England over the last ten years. However, the concept seems to have done little to revolutionise curriculum design and, in some cases, it has led to curricular narrowing and a focus on an increasingly nationalistic narrative in history. This paper explores these claims and finds that key voices in education in England and history education, specifically, have misunderstood and misapplied the concept of powerful knowledge.
Read more about the History Education Research Journal, here.
UCL Open Environment
A short history of the successes and failures of the international climate change negotiations
Over the last 35 years, international negotiations have sought to address climate change, leading to notable successes, including the 2015 Paris Agreement to limit global temperature rise to well below 2°C and pursue efforts to stay below 1.5°C. This article reviews past progress and future goals for the UNFCCC/COP meetings.
Rethinking entrenched narratives about protected areas and human wellbeing in the Global South
Attempts to link human development and biodiversity conservation goals remain a constant feature of policy and practice related to protected areas. Underlying these approaches are narratives that simplify assumptions, shaping how interventions are designed and implemented. This paper examines evidence for five key narratives.
You can read more highly cited articles from UCL Open Environment in the journals celebration of its previous five years, here.
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