Julia joined Demos as a researcher in June 2002. Her main research interests are in the area of demography, social change and learning. 

She is leading Demos' work on the ageing society and her Demos publications in this area include;

•  together with Paul Skidmore The New Old: Why the baby boomers won't be pensioned off (2003);
• and together with James Harkin Eternal Youths: How the baby boomers are having their time again (2004).  

Both reports argue that in order to understand the implications of an ageing society and the challenges it will present, we need to examine the attitudes and values of the next generation of older people - the baby boomers. While the New Old examines the attitudes of boomers in a whole range of areas from working during retirement to intergenerational relations, Eternal Youths focuses on the expectations and demands that the ageing boomers will have from service and consumer goods providers.

Currently Julia is developing the agenda for a continuing research programme on the ageing society as well as working on several other projects on social change and learning. She is also intern co-ordinator and publications manager at Demos.       

Previous to joining Demos, Julia did an undergraduate degree in History at the University of Hull, followed by a MA in History of International Relations at the London School of Economics.

Mar 23

1966 and more...

Now I understand that 1966 is an important date for English football, it was a controversial...

Feb 28

Localism in the market place?

Yesterday I came across this article about local breweries in South Africa not being allowed...

Jan 20

Getting it right

According to FastCompany, and in line with Duncan's thinking below, 'what defines...

Jan 16

Respect...For Whom?

When I heard last week about the government's new 'respect' agenda, I felt slightly...

Jan 12

Deathly Silence

In response to the setting up of the cross-party Dying Well group, which will focus on the...

Jan 3

Rize...

...is one of the most amazing documentary films I have seen. It portrays the emergence of...

Oct 31

Broken silence

You might remember that a few months ago the Met ran an advertising campaign targeting domestic...

Oct 19

Watch this!

Tonight at 9pm there will be a one hour documentary on Kids Company on BBC2. From what I...

Oct 10

For the first time...

Germany will have a female and eastern German at its helm. Finally, the two main parties...

Oct 5

The Unteachables

No, this time it's not about German politics (although one could reasonably argue that...

Sep 28

Doom and Gloom?

I am myself not averse to criticising the German economy, educational system, labour market...

Sep 20

Lederhosen or Dirndel...

is NOT what all Germans (even all Bavarians) wear on polling day, contrary to the image...

Sep 20

Who is it going to be?

Firstly, I have to admit I think the various colour-coded names that are given to the different...

Aug 23

Isn't it ironic...

It seems even Germans can do a bit of irony during the election, although, I would imagine...

Jun 20

Internships the American Way

I recently came across this article on summer internships at the Heritage Foundation. The...

Jun 17

How much do we have in common?

Although the current rebate dispute might suggest otherwise, Germans and Brits, according...

Jun 1

Relationships, Generosity and Openess

Yesterday, I went to visit the Bromley by Bow Centre - a community initiative in east London...

Apr 27

On a lighter note...

According to my sources in Germany this rather bizarre story is currently making headline...

Apr 18

Cinematic food for thought...

The former, about the last days in Hitler's bunker before the end of the second world...

Feb 17

The 'death' of small print

Publishers in the US have decided to respond to declining sales figures by making books...

Feb 1

Common Purpose

I am currently reading an extremely inspiring and interesting book called Common Purpose...

Jan 27

A neverending conversation...

Today the world remembers the liberation of Auschwitz sixty years ago and for Germans like...

Jan 21

Dialog on Leadership

I came across this website today, which was put together by a group of leading organisational...

Jan 20

Calling from beyond the stars...?

Speaking at a gala concert on the eve of his inauguration Georg W Bush declared: 'We...

Jan 17

Shrinking Childhoods

Yesterday, I went to see the 'Shrinking Childhoods' exhibition on the South Lawn...

Jan 14

The Change Masters

Fast Company have just announced the winners of their 2005 Social Capitalist Awards. Have...

Jan 6

'Demographic timebomb' versus 'Valuing older people'

I discovered two articles that illustrate well the opposing ends of the ageing debate.David...

Feb 6

Inclusive Design

Demos has recently launched a new project - Silver Service: Meeting the consumption needs...

Jun 24

Landmark decision on affirmative action

Yesterday the US Supreme Court by a narrow margin ruled in favour of affirmative action...

May 14

Questions on the colonial past

The UK government is currently investigating claims that British colonial officials were...

Apr 28

Blog from the top of the world

Webblogs are becoming increasingly popular and have now even reached the heights of Mount...

Apr 25

Is lifelong learning becoming a reality?

In this article Tom Schuller, Dean of continuing education at Birbeck College, argues that...

Apr 23

'Forest Schools'

Based on a Danish idea 'Forest Schools' were set up in Oxfordshire three years ago...

Mar 6

Europe and Islam

Interesting article by Timothy Garton Ash which offers a different perspective on Europe...

Mar 6

'Life and Debt'

Using the example of Jamaica it tries to explain why many former European colonies have...

Feb 17

US to punish German 'treachery'

America is to punish Germany for leading international opposition to a war against Iraq...