This year's Insights series has delved into crucial topics, with a spotlight on 'unheard voices,' artificial intelligence (AI), and mental health taking center stage.
Unheard Voices: Shedding Light on Overlooked Narratives
The series began by highlighting the struggles of "invisible" COVID heroes and exploring the religious lives of sex workers. Investigative pieces delved into the challenges faced by asylum seekers in the UK and abroad, featuring stories of undocumented migrants working as substitute food couriers and former Irish nuns revealing instances of brainwashing and abuse.
On Windrush's 75th anniversary, Maria del Pilar Kaladeen's article brought attention to forgotten narratives of Indian indentured laborers from the Caribbean. Kaladeen emphasized how subsequent generations were left with little information about their pasts, creating a historical void.
In September, Oxford academic Ammar Assouz shared his personal account of fleeing war-torn Homs, Syria, shedding light on how modern wars displace civilians worldwide. In October, attention shifted to Indonesia, where a fishing community faced eviction to make way for a Chinese-backed manufacturing hub, revealing the global implications of green energy pursuits in developing countries.
AI and Data: Unraveling the Enigma of Neural Networks
David Beer's investigation into the history of neural networks unveiled the mysterious nature of early analog versions of ChatGPT. Modern machine minds, it seems, remain equally enigmatic, with the pursuit of the unknown being fundamental to their development.
Melissa Hamilton and Pamela Ugwudike exposed the pervasive influence of AI on the UK's criminal justice system, emphasizing the secrecy surrounding a "black box" AI system that has impacted decisions for over two decades.
Mental Health: Navigating the Crisis and Potential Solutions
In 2023, Insights launched a series addressing the Mental Health Crisis, exploring effective therapies such as music and providing in-depth insights into conditions like OCD. Health historian Matthew Smith argued that the solutions to the mental health crisis are known but lack societal commitment.
Peter Rabbit's Surprising Roots: A Familiar Bunny's Untold Connections
A commissioned article on the beloved character Peter Rabbit turned out to be the most-read piece. While Beatrix Potter's tales are considered distinctly British, academic Emily Zobel Marshall revealed surprising connections to African-inspired folk tales of Brer Rabbit. Marshall argued that Potter's tales owe a debt to enslaved Africans who retold these stories on US plantations, a debt never publicly acknowledged by Potter.
The Insights series of 2023 provided a comprehensive exploration of these diverse and impactful subjects, offering readers a deeper understanding of the complexities surrounding unheard voices, AI's influence, and the challenges within the realm of mental health.
