The We Society podcast explores the intangible connections that hold society together, using social sciences to understand and enhance human networks. Hosted by journalist and Academy president Will Hutton, it tackles big questions like fixing the NHS, managing climate change, and ending the cost of living crisis. Each episode features guests from the social sciences who share insights and solutions to pressing societal problems. Produced by the Academy of Social Sciences in association with the Nuffield Foundation and Leverhulme Trust.
Episodes
S12 Ep3: Growing Up Digital: Exploring the Risks and Benefits of Social Media with Octavia Field Reid
In recent years, growing concern and media attention have focused on the potential negative effects of social media and smartphone use on the mental health and wellbeing of teenagers and young people worldwide. There has been a growing political push to restrict young people’s access to social media. Australia led the way by introducing a ban for under 16s, with the UK following suit this summer
S12 Ep2: The New Space Age: The future of humanity in space with Professor Andrew Futter
Human activity in outer space has surged dramatically in recent years, in what some are calling the dawn of a new space age. And there’s big money to be made, with some estimates suggesting that the global space industry could generate revenues of more than $1tn within the next two decades. But as our activities in space ramp up, big questions over who gets to control, and benefit from space an
S12 Ep1: Why we need each other, not our devices: The science of social connection with Professor Nick Epley
Around the world, we are experiencing an epidemic of loneliness, and it’s increasing, particularly among the millennial generation and younger. Our devices and modern living have made it easier to avoid talking with the people around us and it’s become increasingly easy to spend large amounts of time alone. In a world that many people see as divided, with distrust and political differences driv
S11 Ep9: Season 12 of the We Society Launches Wednesday 28th!
The We Society returns for its 12th season on Wednesday, so join acclaimed journalist and Academy of Social Sciences president Will Hutton, as he invites guests from the world of social science to explore the stories behind the news and hear their solutions to society’s most pressing problems.In this series social science calls on aspects of business, education, economics, geopolitics, healthcare
S11 Ep8: Searching for a good life: Data analysis and Google with Simon Rogers
Google processes billions of searches every day, and the data behind the searches say a lot about us. The data analysis presents fascinating insights not just for social science, but for every person using search engines to navigate modern life.In the final episode of Season 11 of the We Society with Will Hutton, join Simon Rogers, Data Editor at Google, and author of What We Ask Google, as he ta
S11 Ep7: The USA 250 years after Independence with Adam Smith
It's the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence this year, but the mood isn’t purely about celebration. If you've wondered why the US and US politics feel so unstable despite the country being richer and more powerful than ever, this episode explains the paradox.In this episode of the We Society with Will Hutton, join Adam Smith, Professor of United States Politics & Political H
S11 Ep6: How can we fix the special needs system in England’s schools? with Alice Reeves
The UK’s Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) system is buckling because of rising demand. One in five children now qualify for some form of SEND support, yet access still depends heavily on postcode and parental intervention. In this episode of the We Society with Will Hutton, join Alice Reeves, Research Grants and Programmes Manager at the Nuffield Foundation, as she unpacks the root
S11 Ep5: Russia’s ongoing war in Ukraine: what does social science tell us? with Michael Kofman
The ongoing war in Ukraine has recently hit a grim milestone: in June 2026 it surpassed the duration of World War One. In this episode of the We Society, Michael Kofman talks to host Will Hutton about why what began as a bid for quick victory has become a grinding war of attrition, and now exhaustion, and how a social science lens aids his understanding of the conflict. Michael Kofman is one of t
S11 Ep4: The crisis of constant crisis with Danny Dorling
In today’s global media landscape we are confronted with seemingly endless urgent crises: issues like the housing crisis, the climate crisis and the wealth inequality crisis all vie for our attention, despite social science research proving these issues are often more nuanced than the headlines would have us believe.In this episode of the We Society, host Will Hutton and Danny Dorling discuss his
S11 Ep3: Why Britain should back more innovators with Saul Klein
Saul Klein is one of Europe's leading venture capitalists and co-founder of Phoenix Court, the venture capital firm behind some of Britain's most successful high-growth technology companies. He likes to say he is investing with venture capital in ‘practical science fiction’. Having spent more than three decades backing entrepreneurs, he has helped build companies including Monzo - now a well-reco
S11 Ep2: Placing the Right Kind of Attention on Women’s Health with Professor Sophie Harman
Despite decades of campaigning, women's healthcare is an issue repeatedly neglected, with systemic issues in UK healthcare and on the international stage leading to women disproportionally affected in healthcare emergencies.In this episode of the We Society with Will Hutton, Will speaks to Professor Sophie Harman, who is Professor of International Politics at Queen Mary University of London and
S11 Ep1: Social policy solutions to the UK’s inequality crisis with Helen Miller and Sir Richard Blundell
The UK is experiencing a crisis of inequality: core tenets like our education and UK healthcare system are geographically unequal and suffering, but what are the expert social policy solutions to these issues, and can we dare to be optimistic for the future?In this episode of the We Society with Will Hutton, join Institute for Fiscal Studies Director Helen Miller and economist Sir Richard Blundel
The We Society returns on Wednesday 15 July
The We Society returns for its 11th season on Wednesday, so join acclaimed journalist and Academy of Social Sciences president Will Hutton, as he invites guests from the world of social science to explore the stories behind the news and hear their solutions to society’s most pressing problems.In this series social science calls on aspects of business, education, economics, geopolitics, healthcare
S10 Ep8: Harnessing Creative Destruction with Philippe Aghion
We end Season 10 with an intimate interview between the Nobel Prize winning economist Philippe Aghion and Will Hutton. They delve into the concept of "creative destruction," a term coined by economist Joseph Schumpeter, which highlights the dual nature of innovation in driving economic growth while simultaneously rendering older methods and certain industries and jobs obsolete. Aghion believes th
S10 Ep7: Whoever holds our data holds the power with Carissa Véliz
Professor Carissa Véliz is a philosopher who is examining the threats and possibilities of today’s digital world. She is an Associate Professor of Philosophy at the Institute for Ethics in AI at the University of Oxford – and fellow at Hertford College. She currently holds a Leverhulme Major Research Fellowship and her work has been featured by the Ada Lovelace Institute. In her first landmark bo
S10 Ep6: Climate action: small human acts can make a big difference with Tim Lenton
The consequences of climate change are everywhere. From record-breaking wildfires to catastrophic floods, climate disasters are killing hundreds of thousands and displacing millions. In the past decade alone, climate-related disasters have forced an estimated 250 million people from their homes.So why aren’t we moving faster? What’s holding back the systemic shifts needed to avoid disaster? Profe
S10 Ep5: AI and the Future of Public Services with Imogen Parker
Artificial Intelligence is now at our fingertips, in our homes, and governing what we see and how we see it. We are currently riding a great wave of change. But while private companies have embraced AI, how is the public sector keeping up? How can public institutions build and maintain trust amongst all this change? Our guest today is Imogen Parker, she is Associate Director in Social and Economi
S10 Ep4: How happy is the world in 2026? With Jan-Emmanuel De Neve
Our guest, Professor Jan-Emmanuel De Neve shares with us the top findings from the recently released 2026 World Happiness Report. He is Professor of Economics and Behavioural Science at the University of Oxford and Director of the Wellbeing Research Centre. A leading voice in the science of happiness and wellbeing, Jan’s work brings data and empirical methods to questions once thought too subjec
S10 Ep3: Using virtual reality to build a more inclusive NHS with Stephani Hatch
Professor Stephani Hatch has dedicated her career to making workplaces - especially the NHS - more inclusive by reducing discriminatory practices. She is the Vice Dean for Culture, Equality, Diversity & Inclusion, and Professor of Sociology and Epidemiology at King's College London. Her work has seen her introduce 360 degree Virtual Reality headsets to NHS managers and staff to allow them to
S10 Ep2: What does it mean to be grown up today? with Bobby Duffy and Carey Oppenheim
In this episode of the We Society with Will Hutton, we are joined by two esteemed academics placing journeys to adulthood under a Social Science microscope. Carey Oppenheim is a project lead on the Nuffield Foundation's Grown Up? Journeys to adulthood programme. Using young people's voices and robust data, Carey and her team are exploring the challenges and opportunities young people face as the
S10 Ep1: 'I’m not psychic, just very lucky!' With Professor Richard Wiseman
In the first episode of Season 10, we are joined by Professor Richard Wiseman who has spent his career studying the intangible ways humans communicate with one another - not just through language, but with humour, magic tricks and belief in one’s own luck. He is professor of the public understanding of psychology at the University of Hertfordshire and one of the world’s leading experts on why som
The We Society Season 10 Trailer
Join host Will Hutton for Season 10 of the We Society from next week to hear some of the best ideas to shape the way we live.Launching Wednesday 4th March with an array of great guests starting with Richard Wiseman who is going to talk to us about the psychology of luck and magic. But we also wanted to celebrate this milestone - ten seasons! Through this journey, our host Will Hutton has met som
S9 Ep8: US and China: behind the rhetoric with Rana Mitter
Joining Will Hutton for the final episode of Season 9 is Professor Rana Mitter, an authority on contemporary China and U.S relations. He is the ST Lee Chair in US-Asia Relations at the Harvard Kennedy School. In the conversation, Professor Mitter argues that we should look past the often prevailing sense of doom regarding U.S.-China relations to explore the realities - both nations have distinct a
S9 Ep7: Investing in the Early Years: Can policy catch up with evidence? with Eleanor Ireland
Almost a third of five-year-olds in Britain enter primary school without the essential language, communication, and literacy skills they need to thrive. Eleanor Ireland, our guest today, looks at the critical importance of early childhood development and the widening disadvantage gap as inequality deepens in Britain.Eleanor is one of the Programme Heads for Education at the Nuffield Foundation, wh
S9 Ep6: Can language convict a criminal? with Tim Grant
Professor Tim Grant is one of the world's most experienced forensic linguistic practitioners who specialises in the analysis of abusive and threatening communications. He is an academic practitioner in the field of forensic linguistics - teaching and leading research as a professor at Aston University. As the former director of the Aston Institute for Forensic Linguistics at Aston University he sp
S9 Ep5: Evidence for change: rethinking child poverty policy with Alex Beer
Our guest today, Alex Beer, joins us at a critical time as the UK Government prepares to publish its child poverty strategy this autumn.According to official numbers, there are 4.5 million children living in poverty in the UK and 1.1m children are in families that have used a food bank in the past year. The Nuffield Foundation launched a major new Strategic Review earlier this summer committing £
S9 Ep4: Inoculating the mind: protecting against misinformation with Sander van der Linden
Professor Sander van der Linden explores the impact of misinformation and how to prevent its spread within the general public. His work as Professor of Social Psychology at the University of Cambridge and Director of the Cambridge Social Decision-Making Lab focuses on the origins of "fake news" and its role in societal divisions. In this conversation with Will Hutton, he discusses his research int
S9 Ep3: Our Love Affair with Travel with journalist Simon Calder
Simon Calder is the man with the answers when it comes to any travel related questions. Having started as a travel journalist at the Independent newspaper in 1994, Simon has decades of knowledge and insight when it comes to the travel industry. He joins our host Will Hutton to impart some of his expertise and they tackle topics from the pros and cons of budget airlines to his love of train travel.
S9 Ep2: Saving the 86 bus and designing better cities for the old and young with Tine Buffell and Julia King
How can cities be better designed for the older generation and girls? These are the tough questions tackled in this episode of The We Society with Professor Tine Buffel and Dr. Julia King, prominent academics in urban sociology and architecture.In the conversation, Professor Tine Buffel highlights the barriers older individuals face in urban spaces. Dr. Julia King addresses the decline of youth sp
S9 Ep1: Emergency planning is more about tea than being James Bond with Lucy Easthope
Professor Lucy Easthope is a leading authority on recovering from disaster and she joins our host Will Hutton in the first episode of Season 9 of the We Society.They discusses the long-term implications of the COVID-19 pandemic and other disasters on societal resilience. Drawing from her experiences and insights in emergency planning, she highlights the importance of community responses and the em
S8 Ep9: The We Society Season 9 Trailer
Join host Will Hutton for Season 9 of the We Society from next week to hear some of the best ideas to shape the way we live.Launching October 1 with an interview with Lucy Easthope, an international adviser on disaster recovery. In this podcast series, you will hear interviews from social scientists, business leaders and public figures to hear their solutions to society's most pressing issues. P
S8 Ep8: Solving the Productivity Puzzle with Ed Balls, Anna Stansbury and Dan Turner
In the final episode of Season 8 of the We Society, our host Will Hutton is joined by economist and former Labour politician Ed Balls, Dr. Anna Stansbury, a researcher in labour and macroeconomics from MIT, and Dan Turner, Chief Research Officer for the Office of Gordon and Sarah Brown focused on national and regional inequalities. All three have recently collaborated on research to do with region
S8 Ep7: The Social Life of Pain with Tom Shakespeare
In the UK alone, around one in four adults are experiencing chronic pain. And nearly a quarter of the population live with some form of disability. Yet despite these numbers, pain and disability are still too often talked about in hushed tones, misunderstood, or entirely overlooked in public life.How do we talk about pain that doesn’t go away? How do people live in bodies that society isn’t built
S8 Ep6: Borders, Brexit, and Fault Lines with Katy Hayward
Borders contain nations, act as fault lines, but are also meeting points, where different cultures, people, and ideologies come into contact.Nowhere has this been more visible, more painful, and more politically charged than the island of Ireland. In this episode, Will Hutton is joined by Professor Katy Hayward. She’s one of the UK’s leading voices on Brexit, the Irish border, and cross border te
S8 Ep5: Care or Incarceration? How some of the UK’s most vulnerable children are being failed with Lisa Harker
We speak with Lisa Harker, the Director of the Nuffield Family Justice Observatory, who gives us an insight into the alarming rise in the use of Deprivation of Liberty Orders on children. She explains how vulnerable children, many born into poverty and facing complex needs, are increasingly subjected to severe restrictions on their freedom through these court orders. According to the latest stati
S8 Ep4: Taking entrepreneurship beyond business with Eleanor Shaw
What is the link between social science and entrepreneurship? To give us the answer, Will Hutton speaks to Professor Eleanor Shaw OBE, an academic specialising in Entrepreneurship and Innovation at the University of Strathclyde to delve into the social science dimension of entrepreneurship. Eleanor believes that entrepreneurial spirit stems from recognising and addressing unfulfilled societal need
S8 Ep3: Population, Data & Destiny with Andy Tatem
Professor Andy Tatem talks to us about WorldPop, the research programme he heads that is based in the School of Geography and Environmental Science, University of Southampton. The team at WorldPop uses satellite imagery and mobile phone data to map population distributions in areas of the Global South and this data is used by governments for resource allocation and policy-making. In this episode,
S8 Ep2: Morality in UK prisons with Alison Liebling
We probe the UK prison system with Professor Alison Liebling, a Professor of Criminology and Criminal Justice at the University of Cambridge and the Director of the Institute of Criminology’s Prisons Research Centre.In this episode, she discusses the complexities surrounding prison officers, their often-underappreciated skills, and the critical role they play in maintaining order and humanity on t
S8 Ep1: How to get work working for everyone with Gavin Kelly
Gavin Kelly is the Chief Executive of the Nuffield Foundation and has spent the past 30 years of his career putting Britain’s economic inactivity problem under a microscope. For Gavin, one of the main problems is the nearly 1 million young people who are not in education, employment or training. They are the ones being left behind and their numbers are rising. But what can be done to solve this?
S7 Ep7: Keep Calm and Chill with Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala
As US President Donald Trump threatens trade tariffs, the We Society invited the Director General of the World Trade Organization (WTO), Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala to share her thoughts during this period of uncertainty.The first woman and the first African to serve as Director General of the WTO, Dr Okonjo-Iweala also gives her perspectives on women in leadership positions and her history of fighting
S7 Ep6: Improving social mobility through education and language with Lee Elliot Major
Professor Lee Elliot Major, who is Britain's first professor of Social Mobility based at the University of Exeter, is our guest in this penultimate episode of Season 7.In his latest book, Equity in Education, he argues for a new approach and language to improve upward mobility. In his book, children are not disadvantaged instead they are under resourced. Does language matter?Season 7 of the We So
S7 Ep5: Tracking and stopping domestic abuse with Jane Monckton Smith
Around one in four women have experienced domestic abuse, according to the Crime Survey of England and Wales. But abuse is not usually a one off event, it’s part of a protracted pattern, and by studying the timeline, perhaps this shocking statistic and may change.Prof Jane Monckton-Smith has dedicated the majority of her career to studying this pattern and is Professor Of Public Protection at the
S7 Ep4: Should the 9 to 5 be a thing of the past? with Clare Kelliher and Brendan Burchell
'Eight hours labor, eight hours recreation, eight hours rest' was the rallying cry of Robert Owen, a Welsh textile manufacturer turned labour reformer in the early 19th century. For those toiling in factories, Owen’s slogan was a socialist dream that only became commonplace in the early 20th century. But, the 9 to 5 is still standard while technology has moved on - we have Artificial intelligence
S7 Ep3: Making a responsible budget with Sir Robert Chote
The Institute for Fiscal Studies - or IFS - has become the nation’s go to institution for judgements about tax, spending and borrowing. And the Office for Budget Responsibility – the OBR – is the independent official watchdog that assess the viability and sustainability of the government’s economic plans.Our guest today, Sir Robert Chote has run both organisations and knows better than anyone on
S7 Ep2: Anxiety, Artificial Intelligence and work with Anthony Elliott
Pick, Pack, Post, Repeat….warehouses around the world are now using Artificial Intelligence to fulfil customer orders. So, are workers on their way out? As the speed of innovation when it comes to artificial intelligence accelerates, power sits firmly in the hands of Silicon Valley and big tech companies. Governments and the public are on the side-lines. How should we be feeling about this?To tell
S7 Ep1: The future of liberal democracy with Anand Menon
It's now 80 years since the end of the Second World War and the creation of the liberal world order: free trade, globally managed finance, and a commitment to liberal democracy. But these ideas seems to be in retreat with the re-election of Donald Trump, and the accompanying dramatic increase of right-wing populist nationalism almost everywhere, including Europe. Can liberal democracy survive?Wit
S7 Ep1: The We Society Season 7 Trailer
Join host Will Hutton for Season 7 of the We Society from next week to hear some of the best ideas to shape the way we live. Launching January 15th with an interview with Anand Menon, the Director of the UK in a Changing Europe. In this podcast series, you will hear interviews from social scientists, business leaders and public figures to hear their solutions to society's most pressing issues. P
S6 Ep7: Stopping hate crime with Matthew Williams and Neil Chakraborti
The recent riots in Britain, which emerged following the Southport stabbings, demonstrate how hate is bubbling just under the surface of our society, ready to erupt at any moment. Behind the violence and destruction are statistics. Between 2012 and 2023, hate crimes in England and Wales rose by 252%, according to research undertaken by the Home Office. But this is just the tip of the iceberg.Profe
S6 Ep6: Why the war on drugs has failed with Alex Stevens
No war has been more of a failure than the war on drugs. Despite all the crackdowns, prison sentences and moral posturing, drug use in Britain is on an epic scale. Yet, drug debate and policy are full of moral declarations, with evidence often being made to take a backseat. Why is this? Alex Stevens is a professor of Criminology at the University of Sheffield (having recently moved from the Univer
S6 Ep5: Improving adult education with Anna Vignoles
One in six people are said to have ‘very poor literacy skills’ according to the National Literacy Trust. As a country, we value Literature, high quality research skills and further education, yet our values are not reaching all sections of our society.Looking to challenge this is Professor Anna Vignoles, her past research focused on issues of equity and value in education, particularly the relatio
S6 Ep4: The hidden army of young carers with Saul Becker
Professor Saul Becker has studied the hidden world of young carers for 30 years. Nearly 1 million children in the UK find themselves – some as young as five - having to look after sick or elderly family members. Saul Becker is the pro vice chancellor for the Faculty of Health and Education at Manchester Metropolitan University and is regarded as the world leader in young carers research, policy, a
S6 Ep3: How to make housing fair with Vicky Spratt and Auriol Miller
Housing is one of the most pressing problems this new Government must fix. Will Hutton is joined by Vicky Spratt, the inewspaper's housing correspondent, and Auriol Miller, the CEO of Cynon Taf Community Housing Group, a major not-for-profit organisation providing affordable homes in Wales.Housing is an issue that has thwarted a long line of Governments, and it feels like we are no closer to solvi
S6 Ep2: Separating emotion from Brexit with Professor Sarah Hall
Professor Sarah Hall’s job is to approach the emotive topic of Brexit with a cool head and focus only on the evidence. She is the 1931 Chair in Geography, a Fellow of St John’s College at the University of Cambridge, and a Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences.Professor Hall is an economic geographer who specialises in going out in the field to imbue data with conversations with those in the th
S6 Ep1: Election 24 special with Will Hutton
Host Will Hutton hears from four leading social scientists on how the new UK government should tackle the country's most pressing challenges.In this special episode marking the end of the general election and the start of Season 6, we apply a social science lens to issues concerning the stagnating economy, the climate crisis, adult social care, and universities. We speak to Professor Jagjit S. Cha
S5 Ep7: A life of public service with Lord Chris Patten
Lord Chris Patten is one of Britain’s big political beasts – not only as a commentator, thinker and writer, but he has had a formidable career where he has put ideas into action.He has been a British cabinet minister, chair of the Conservative party, European Commissioner for External Relations, Governor of Hong Kong, Chair of the BBC and most recently Chancellor of Oxford University.Taken togethe
S5 Ep6: Exposing the underbelly of Britain with Ella Cockbain
Dr Ella Cockbain is not afraid to delve into topics that may make others uncomfortable, whether that's labour exploitation or child sexual abuse. As an associate professor in the Department of Security and Crime Science at UCL, she leads the research group on human trafficking and exploitation. In recognition of her impactful work, she received the prestigious Philip Leverhulme Prize last year alo
S5 Ep5: Protecting local councils with Andy Pike
Professor Andy Pike has placed local authorities under his microscope for us, trying to figure out how to solve the crisis, as Sir Henry Daysh Chair of Regional Development Studies at Newcastle University. He’s even written a book about the very topic called "Financialisation and Local Statecraft".When it was revealed in 2022 that Thurrock council in Essex faced a half-a-billion-pound black hole i
S5 Ep4: Is geography destiny? with Rosie McEachan
Professor Rosie McEachan is leading one of the most exciting research projects in Britain - the Born In Bradford study.It's one of the largest research studies in the world, tracking the lives of over 30,000 Bradfordians to discover what factors most influence health and well-being. In particular, they are focussing on how genetic, nutritional, environmental, behavioural and social factors impact
S5 Ep3: We can't let our high streets fail with Ed Jones
Dr Ed Jones is working to turn around Britain's ailing high streets. He is a financial economist at Bangor University who doesn’t consider himself a conventional academic.The British High Street once was the heart of our cities, towns and villages, but no more. The High Street is increasingly lifeless – the preserve of too many empty shops and countless charity shops that don’t have to pay burden
S5 Ep2: How society disables us with Anna Lawson and Shani Dhanda
Professor Anna Lawson and Dr Shani Dhanda believe that the Social Sciences can improve the world for disabled people. Dr Shani Danda may be our first guest on the We Society podcast who has also been featured in Vogue magazine for her work. An entrepreneur and disability activist, she is at the start of her social science career but has already achieved so much.Professor Anna Lawson is a Professor
S5 Ep1: Should governments care about wellbeing? with Professor Richard Layard
Professor Lord Richard Layard is one of the first economists to look at happiness as a metric that Governments worldwide should strive to improve in their population. He was the founder-director of LSE's Centre for Economic Performance and is now the director of the Centre's Wellbeing programme. In 2005, he wrote Happiness: Lessons from a New Science, which was published in 20 languages.We all que
S4 Ep9: The We Society Season 5 trailer
Join host Will Hutton for Season 5 of the We Society from March to hear more ideas that shape the world we live. In this podcast series, you will hear interviews from social scientists, business leaders and public figures to hear their solutions to society's most pressing issues. Tell us who we should be speaking to or what questions we should be asking by emailing wesociety@acss.org.uk This pod
S4 Ep8: Levelling up isn't a pick n mix with Andy Haldane
For the final episode of Season 4, we have one of the chief architects of Britain's Levelling Up agenda: Andy Haldane. A fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences who brings you this podcast, Andy is in the middle of an illustrious career, from chief economist of the Bank of England to chief executive of the Royal Society of Arts. He has put Social Science in motion throughout his whole career. In
S4 Ep7: Helping children in a time of crisis with Lucie Cluver
Professor Lucie Cluver has spent her career improving the lot of children, especially during times of crisis.Whether that's the AIDS pandemic or the Covid pandemic, Professor Cluver has been at the coalface and in this episode she talks about her time working as a social worker in South Africa all the way through to her work as Professor of Child and Family Social Work at the University of OxfordF
S4 Ep6: Food for thought with Minette Batters
Minette Batters, President of the National Farmers’ Union of England and Wales, represents an estimated 55,000 farmers and farm workers. She has changed the course of history as the first woman to become president of the NFU.Every single person in the UK owes a debt to our farmers - they ensure food is on our tables every single day, but there appears to be a dissonance in our minds of what’s on
S4 Ep5: The case for public consumption with Sir Andrew Dilnot
Sir Andrew Dilnot is an economist who believes that statistics hold a key role in lessening inequality and making Britain fairer. He is now the warden of Nuffield College Oxford - a graduate college specialising in the social sciences. Before Nuffield, he was at the Institute for Fiscal Studies where he was the Director of the UK's leading independent economics research institute. A fierce advoca
S4 Ep4: Cancelling the Global South's debt with Ann Pettifor
Ann Pettifor is an economist who is perhaps most famous for predicting the Global Financial Crisis two years before it happened.But Ann is not just a savant, but a change maker. She was a core voice in the successful international campaign to cancel billions in debt accumulated by the Global South to mark the new millennium. And in 2008, she co-authored the report, A Green New Deal, which laid ou
S4 Ep3: Reframing the climate crisis narrative with Neil Adger
Neil Adger, Professor of Human Geography at the University of Exeter, examines human movement as a strategy and adaptation to climate change. From the Somerset levels to Chittagong in Bangladesh, he's traversed the globe to discover why some communities are more climate resilient than others.But it’s not just physical changes that Neil has been studying. While climate disasters such as flooding c
S4 Ep2: Will Artificial Intelligence see us lose our jobs? with Daniel Susskind
Economist Daniel Susskind has been studying the nature of work and automation for years, long before ChatGPT entered the chat.But Daniel's work has never been more important with AI progressing at seemingly breakneck speed. As a research professor in Economics at King's College London and a Senior Research Associate at the Institute for Ethics in AI at Oxford University, he is one of the foremost
S4 Ep1: Do we value universities enough in Britain? with Vivienne Stern
Vivienne Stern is the chief executive of Universities UK, a membership organisation that represents 140 UK universities. In this role, she's had to weather a raft of challenges from Brexit to the Covid pandemic. Host Will Hutton joins her in this conversation where they delve into just how important universities are for Britain, and how these treasured institutions can be protected for future gene
S3 Ep7: The We Society returns for Season 4
The We Society returns on Wednesday (4 October) for Season 4. Expect to hear more conversations on ideas that shape the world we live from the world of Social Science. Our host, Will Hutton, is speaking to: Vivienne Stern from Universities UK, Daniel Susskind on the future of work in the age of AI, Neil Adger on the ongoing climate crisis, Ann Pettifor on global debt and many other fantastic guest
7: Summer Recap: Hillary Clinton, Ai Weiwei, Gary Younge
Our host, Will Hutton, chooses some 'must listen' moments from the past three seasons featuring Hillary Clinton, Ai Weiwei, Mariana Mazzuccato, Gary Younge, and Heaven Crawley.To listen to the full episodes, you can find them all on the We Society page on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. We'll be back in the Autumn with a roster of new guests who are changing the world for the bet
S3 Ep6: What does the future hold? With Ian McEwan
Novelist Ian McEwan is one of Britain's finest fiction writers whose canon of work has won him the Booker Prize amongst countless other awards and accolades. He joins host Will Hutton as they delve into a discussion on freedom, writing, and the importance of Social Science for human progress. This is the final episode of season 3 of The We Society Podcast from the Academy of Social Sciences which
S3 Ep5: The history of racism with Kenan Malik
Kenan Malik is an Observer columnist, a political thinker, and a seasoned broadcaster whose work mainly focuses on moral ethics and racism. He joins host Will Hutton in a wide-ranging discussion on racism following the publication of his latest book, Not So Black and White: A History of Race.In this conversation, Kenan sets out his case that racism is a modern concept that emerged from a post-Engl
S3 Ep4: Artificial Intelligence and the next Industrial Revolution with Professor Nicholas Crafts
Professor Nicholas Crafts is an economic historian whose work engages with contemporary Britain.He joins host Will Hutton in a wide-ranging conversation that starts with the long-term merits of Britain’s Industrial Revolution and ends with how Artificial Intelligence could usher in a new Industrial Revolution. In this discussion, Professor Crafts sets out his view that Britain’s Industrial Revolut
S3 Ep3: Can sport change the wellbeing of the nation? With Professor Louise Mansfield
Professor Louise Mansfield has dedicated her working career to improving the physical and mental health of the nation through her research on sport and exercise.She tells host Will Hutton how sport engagement is a microcosm of society by reflecting existing inequalities. They delve into issues around gender stereotypes, class, and access to facilities in this fascinating conversation along with an
S3 Ep2: Housing for living, not investment with Polly Neate
Polly Neate is the CEO of Shelter, a charity which champions housing and tenant rights in Britain. She joins Will Hutton in a conversation that touches on the critical need for more social housing, the spiralling number of rough sleepers, the need for a radical rethink in landownership practices, and how we perceive housing in the UK. She brings us solutions that could see an end to 120,000 Childr
S3 Ep1: Can migration drive development? With Professor Heaven Crawley
Professor Heaven Crawley has spent the past few decades leading the research on migration at some of the world’s top universities. She joins host Will Hutton to dispel the myths about the 3.5% of the world’s population who are on the move. While migration might seem like a problem that only concerns the Global North, it certainly isn’t. Most people escaping famine, inequality or war settle in nei
S2 Ep9: The We Society Season 3 Trailer
Join host Will Hutton for Season 3 of the We Society which launches in April to hear more ideas that shape the world we live. From how we can tackle homelessness to rebooting our stagnating economy, the podcast will encourage you to think critically and collectively, as part of The We Society. In this podcast series, you will hear interviews from the top social scientists in our country. Tell us
S2 Ep8: Ai Weiwei: You're either protecting humanity or hurting it
Ai Weiwei is a father, an artist, and a dissident who refuses to be silenced. He has exhibited worldwide and has gained a reputation for creating fearless artworks with a humanitarian spirit.He joins journalist Will Hutton for the final episode of Season 2 of the We Society where they discuss the possible threats to Taiwan from China, his years of exile growing up in North West China with his poet
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