Surveillance, technology, and the maternal body

In a world where surveillance and technology increasingly shape the most intimate aspects of human life, this monograph explores how motherhood is transformed by digital tools, AI, and societal control mechanisms. This interdisciplinary study interrogates the intersections of feminism, posthumanism, and surveillance studies to reveal how maternal bodies are not only sites of care but also sites of observation, regulation, and technological intervention. Building on key theoretical frameworks from Donna Haraway, Michel Foucault, Judith Butler, and others, this book dissects how new digital and posthuman technologies—such as parenting apps, robotic caregivers, and smart homes—reshape the role and identity of the mother. From cyborg theory and mid-20th century surveillance practices to AI-driven caregiving and futuristic portrayals of robotic motherhood in media, Surveillance, Technology and the Maternal Body critically examines how motherhood is being redefined in both virtual and physical spaces. The chapters draw on literature, film, digital media, and architectural theory, tracing the cyborgisation of motherhood and critically reflecting on how these surveillance practices both restrict and reshape what it means to be called 'mother'

Public health approaches to children affected by parental incarceration : the central role of school nursing in supporting a vulnerable population

School nurses are uniquely positioned to support children affected by parental incarceration, yet these children remain a substantial but largely hidden group within health, education, and social care. Despite growing political attention to this concern in the United Kingdom, many such children continue to go unidentified and without appropriate support. This paper outlines the national scale and urgency of the issue, examines the emotional, developmental, and social impacts on children who experience parental incarceration, and considers how schools can act as protective environments. Drawing on key theoretical frameworks, it highlights the cumulative effects of the associated adversity and the gaps in current identification and support processes. The central argument advanced is that school nurses, working within the Healthy Child Programme, can provide early intervention, sustained therapeutic oversight and coordinated multiagency support. The paper concludes by calling for systematic national recognition of these children as a vulnerable group and for a continued systematic, well-resourced model of care, including specialist school nursing roles

Enhancing introductory cybersecurity learning : a design-based research case study

This study employs a design-based research (DBR) framework to examine the impact of a comprehensive curriculum redesign in an introductory Foundations of Security module for undergraduate students in computing and cybersecurity at a UK public university between 2019 and 2025. The redesign aimed to enhance student learning, engagement, and critical thinking through the embodiment of evidence-based pedagogical strategies, including flipped classroom delivery, blended learning, gamified practical exercises, repeated low-stakes mock assessments, and structured problem-solving activities. Student feedback, assessment outcomes, attendance records, and faculty reflections were analysed to evaluate the effectiveness of the redesign. The results indicate substantial improvements in student engagement and attendance, assessment performance (with average grades increasing by 2 percentage points and a Cohen’s d effect size of 0.34), pass rates, and overall performance. Students also reported greater academic independence and increased satisfaction with the module’s interactivity. The findings highlight the value of theoretically grounded, design-based curriculum innovation in strengthening introductory cybersecurity learning and offer practical insights for higher education educators seeking to enhance student-centred learning outcomes

Large-scale distribution of cestode infections in wild gentoo penguins and their impact on the host microbiome

Intestinal helminths often cause chronic infections, which can impact health and productivity, particularly when combined with other stressors including the environmental challenges faced by polar species. Here we employed a faecal DNA amplicon-sequencing-based approach to study on the epidemiology of tapeworms (Cestoda) in gentoo penguins sampled from colonies within the Scotia Arc. Overall, 325 faecal samples were collected from gentoo penguins at 25 locations and screened for cestode sequences within a pan-eukaryote 18S DNA profile. Four different core groups of sequences were identified as frequently occurring in the dataset, which likely represent different species or groups of cestodes. The proportion of cestode DNA reads was highly variable, displaying an over-dispersed distribution. The proportion of cestode DNA correlated with differences in microbiome composition, suggesting that these infections may influence gut microbiota or vice versa, with broader consequences for penguin health and resilience. This study highlights the need for a comprehensive understanding of both direct and indirect effects of helminths on individual and population health

Salford Commissioning March 2026

Module 3 material

Linguistic and conceptual transfer : crosslinguistic translanguaging in the English-French bilingual mathematics classroom in the UK

This paper presents the findings of a study, conducted as part of a PhD thesis, exploring ways in which translanguaging can be used to support the development of conceptual understanding of division. The study focused on 18 8-9-year-old pupils learning mathematics through the instructional languages of English and French in an ‘immersion-style’ bilingual education context in England. The data was collected from four consecutive mathematics lessons focusing on division, the first two taught through English by a monolingual English teacher and the second two taught in French by a bilingual French teacher. Both teachers were interviewed directly following their second lesson and the pupils participated in two focus groups, following their lessons in English and then French. This paper focuses on three of the seven translanguaging cycles that were identified as part of the analysis, each with a different combination of interlocutors. The first extract presents a peer-peer discussion of division involving exchange, the second involves a teaching assistant scaffolding learning for a new-to-French pupil and the third illustrates a pupil seeking clarification from the teacher. The findings reveal that crosslinguistic translanguaging affords a flexible space in which pupils are able to draw upon their linguistic repertoires to make linguistic and conceptual connections. The use of multiple representations and reprocessing opportunities further supported crosslinguistic transfer within these translanguaging cycles

Indigenous management practices to reduce pests and pathogens of cash crops in agroforestry systems

Indigenous farming practices (e.g., traditional agroforestry) can sustain high levels of biodiversity and ecosystem services (e.g. natural pest and pathogen control) and can be sustainable in the long term, especially if integrated with innovation and technology. We investigate the factors influencing pests and pathogen impact on agroforestry practices in Indigenous communities in Bali, Indonesia. We collected data via 100 plots with different compositions of crops in both community forests (where the use of agrochemicals is precluded by social rules) and polyculture (with no limitation on the use of agrochemicals). For each plot, we obtained a score of infestation for four cash crops (banana, coffee, cacao, vanilla) by calculating the proportion of plants affected and giving a percentage score of infestation. Analysis was performed via generalised additive models with crop richness, canopy cover, and agroforestry type as factors. The crop with highest damage was cocoa (63.9% plants affected by black pod disease) and we also recorded a widespread incidence of the vascular streak dieback (19.4% plants affected). Fusarium stem rot was the second highest damage in crops, with 30.0% of vanilla plants infected. Fusarium wilt affected 10.2% of banana plants and the coffee berry borer affected 9.7% of coffee plants. There were no differences in pest and pathogen incidence between community forest and polyculture, thus insecticides and fungicides had little to no impact on crop infestations. An increased crop richness favoured a reduction in some insect pests, suggesting a potential increase in natural pest control. Since insecticides and fungicides do not seem to have a significant impact in reducing pest and pathogen infestation (probably due to genetic variability and resistance of pests and pathogens), the most effective Indigenous practice is to diversify profits from different crops, thus buffering the negative effects of market fluctuations and yield loss

Climate-adaptive urbanism : planning for a hotter Britain through lessons from Abu Dhabi and Singapore

Climate change has a profound influence on urban form, subjecting cities worldwide to adapt to a rapidly changing climate and its escalating pressures of urban overheating, pluvial flooding, and concurrent climate risks. This study examines embedding climate-adaptive urbanism in British planning practice, with London serving as the primary case study and drawing lessons from Singapore’s integrated green strategies and Abu Dhabi’s climate-responsive innovations in Masdar City. Despite extensive literature on urban resilience and responsive design, the central problem lies in the disconnect between policy ambition and fragmented implementation, especially regarding heat mitigation and resilient infrastructure. Therefore, a key research gap persists; few studies translate practices to the UK context, where planning cultures favour incremental over radical responses. The research addresses this by developing a comparative learning framework combining planning cultures, resilience theory and design tools for cross-contextual knowledge transfer tailored to UK planning, informed by cities that operate and combat these issues. By adopting a qualitative multiple case-study design, the research integrates literature with detailed analyses of policies, design codes, and guidelines. This is complemented by semi-structured interviews with London-based experts as well as insights from Singapore and UAE specialists. The insights reveal that London’s robust policies are undermined by delivery shortfalls, especially in relation to blue-green networks, shading strategies and passive cooling - all measures where Singapore and Masdar excel. Adapting these international strategies, the framework aims to translate these practices into actionable context-sensitive guidance, enabling anticipatory urban design for London and UK cities facing hotter and wetter futures