The We Society
Beyond the politics, beyond our geography are the intangible connections that hold us together - The We Society. The We Society podcast is here to tell you about the thousands of ways the Social Sciences can help us understand and enhance this complicated and fascinating human network. What can we do to fix the NHS? How can we better manage climate change? How do we end the cost of living crisis? Brought to you by the Academy of Social Sciences, this podcast tackles the big questions through a social science lens and brings you some of the best ideas to shape the way we live. Join acclaimed journalist and Academy 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. Don't want to miss an episode? Follow the show on your favourite podcast platform and you can email us on wesociety@acss.org.uk and tell us who we should be speaking to or follow us on twitter https://twitter.com/thewesocietypod Brought to you by the Academy of Social Sciences: https://acss.org.uk (https://acss.org.uk%20%20)
Episodes
May 25, 2023 • 37 mins
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 tackles th...
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 tackles th...
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May 18, 2023 • 30 mins
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-Englightenment...
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-Englightenment...
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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 Revolution may ha...
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 Revolution may ha...
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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 exploration of the ...
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 exploration of the ...
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April 27, 2023 • 36 mins
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 Children waking ...
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 Children waking ...
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April 20, 2023 • 37 mins
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 neighbouring countries....
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 neighbouring countries....
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March 17, 2023 • 2 mins
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 who we sho...
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 who we sho...
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December 12, 2022 • 42 mins
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 father, and the imp...
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 father, and the imp...
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December 5, 2022 • 39 mins
Becky Francis has dedicated her life to improving education. She is the chief executive of the Education Endowment Foundation, an independent charity that supports schools, nurseries, and colleges to improve teaching and learning. Before that, she was Director of the UCL Institute of Education at University College London. If anyone knows how the school system in the UK is doing, it’s Becky Francis and she joins Will Hutton in...
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November 28, 2022 • 38 mins
Professor Ann Phoenix is a psychologist whose work at UCL Institute of Education focuses on psychosocial processes and social identities. She joins host Will Hutton to discuss the relevance of intersectionality, and how some young single mothers thrive while others flounder.
The We Society podcast on ideas that shape the world we live in. From countering social inequality to rebooting public services, host Will Hutto...
The We Society podcast on ideas that shape the world we live in. From countering social inequality to rebooting public services, host Will Hutto...
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November 21, 2022 • 33 mins
Torsten Bell is the Chief Executive Officer of the Resolution Foundation, a think-tank whose aim is to improve the lot of the ordinary person in Britain. Never far from the airwaves, Torsten takes the conversation deeper with host Will Hutton as they ponder what makes Britain a ‘stagnation nation’.
The We Society podcast on ideas that shape the world we live in. From countering social inequality to rebooting public s...
The We Society podcast on ideas that shape the world we live in. From countering social inequality to rebooting public s...
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November 14, 2022 • 33 mins
Professor Mike Berners-Lee is an author and a Professor at the Institute for Social Futures at Lancaster University. His work for the past few decades has focused on how to tackle the worsening climate emergency. Mike joins Will Hutton to discuss how there has to be a global shift in our values for us to have a chance of reversing climate change.
The We Society podcast on ideas that shape the world we live in. From c...
The We Society podcast on ideas that shape the world we live in. From c...
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November 7, 2022 • 34 mins
Professor Greg Clark is an urbanist and author who has worked with more than 300 cities across the world. He talks to host Will Hutton about how cities are at the front line of the climate change challenge and why they are so important for our future.
The We Society podcast on ideas that shape the world we live in. From countering social inequality to rebooting public services, host Will Hutton and his guests encoura...
The We Society podcast on ideas that shape the world we live in. From countering social inequality to rebooting public services, host Will Hutton and his guests encoura...
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October 31, 2022 • 31 mins
In the second episode of season 2 of the We Society podcast, Professor Linda Bauld, public health specialist and advisor to the Scottish Government, joins us to reflect on Britain's response to the Covid pandemic.
The We Society podcast on ideas that shape the world we live in. From countering social inequality to rebooting public services, host Will Hutton and his guests encourage you to think critically and collect...
The We Society podcast on ideas that shape the world we live in. From countering social inequality to rebooting public services, host Will Hutton and his guests encourage you to think critically and collect...
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October 31, 2022 • 33 mins
Professor Lawrence Freedman, Emeritus Professor of War Studies at King's College London joins us to talk about all things Ukraine.
The We Society podcast on ideas that shape the world we live in. From countering social inequality to rebooting public services, host Will Hutton and his guests encourage you to think critically and collectively, as part of The We Society. This podcast is brought to you by the Academy of ...
The We Society podcast on ideas that shape the world we live in. From countering social inequality to rebooting public services, host Will Hutton and his guests encourage you to think critically and collectively, as part of The We Society. This podcast is brought to you by the Academy of ...
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October 24, 2022 • 3 mins
The We Society podcast on ideas that shape the world we live in. From countering social inequality to rebooting public services, host Will Hutton and his guests encourage you to think critically and collectively, as part of The We Society. This podcast is brought to you by the Academy of Social Sciences.
Tell us who we should be speaking to, or what questions we should be asking by emailing wesociety@acss.org.uk
Tell us who we should be speaking to, or what questions we should be asking by emailing wesociety@acss.org.uk
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September 2, 2022 • 5 mins
We bring to you a short re-cap of Season 1 of the We Society, brought to you by the Academy of Social Sciences before Season 2 is released in October.
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July 19, 2022 • 36 mins
In our final episode of the season, Professor Michael Bradshaw of Warwick University talks to Will Hutton about our faltering energy markets and what might be on the horizon. We'll be returning in the Autumn, so until then, thanks for listening!
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July 12, 2022 • 30 mins
In the penultimate episode of this season from the Academy of Social Sciences, economist Professor Mariana Mazzucato invites Will Hutton to her department at University College London to explain how the public sector could be reshaped to benefit everyone.
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July 5, 2022 • 41 mins
Professor Gary Younge, a longstanding journalist at the Guardian and a Professor of Sociology at the University of Manchester, joins Will Hutton to talk about identity politics, America, and his latest academic career in the social sciences.
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