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
August 21, 2024 • 38 mins
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.
Professor Neil Chakrabort...
Professor Neil Chakrabort...
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August 13, 2024 • 30 mins
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 University of Kent). He wa...
Alex Stevens is a professor of Criminology at the University of Sheffield (having recently moved from the University of Kent). He wa...
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August 6, 2024 • 28 mins
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 relationship between educat...
Looking to challenge this is Professor Anna Vignoles, her past research focused on issues of equity and value in education, particularly the relationship between educat...
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July 30, 2024 • 28 mins
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, and practice.
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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, and practice.
<...
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July 23, 2024 • 35 mins
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 solving the crisis. Lates...
Housing is an issue that has thwarted a long line of Governments, and it feels like we are no closer to solving the crisis. Lates...
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July 16, 2024 • 26 mins
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 thick of the...
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 thick of the...
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July 10, 2024 • 21 mins
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. Chadha, an ec...
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. Chadha, an ec...
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May 1, 2024 • 29 mins
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 together - includ...
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 together - includ...
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April 17, 2024 • 38 mins
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 along with 29 other exc...
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 along with 29 other exc...
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April 10, 2024 • 35 mins
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 in its finances, it w...
When it was revealed in 2022 that Thurrock council in Essex faced a half-a-billion-pound black hole in its finances, it w...
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April 2, 2024 • 33 mins
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 health and developm...
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 health and developm...
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March 27, 2024 • 29 mins
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 burdensome business rates....
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 burdensome business rates....
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March 20, 2024 • 42 mins
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 of Law at...
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 of Law at...
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March 13, 2024 • 33 mins
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 quest for hap...
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 quest for hap...
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February 1, 2024 • 2 mins
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...
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...
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November 22, 2023 • 37 mins
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 this episode, Andy s...
In this episode, Andy s...
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November 14, 2023 • 28 mins
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 Oxford
From 2010 -...
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 Oxford
From 2010 -...
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November 7, 2023 • 30 mins
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 our supermarket shel...
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 our supermarket shel...
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November 1, 2023 • 36 mins
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 advocate for sta...
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 advocate for sta...
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October 24, 2023 • 24 mins
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 out plans for better r...
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 out plans for better r...
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