The We Society

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 - including a stint as chair of the independent commission on policing in Northern Ireland - it is one of Britain's most distinguished and successful records of public service.   This is the final episode of Season 5 of the We Society Podcast from the Academy of Social Sciences which tackles the big questions through a social science lens. Throughout this series, you've heard some of the best ideas to shape the way we live. Hosted by journalist and Academy President Will Hutton, we interview some of Britain’s top social scientists and public figures from across the globe to explore their evidence-led solutions to society’s most pressing problems. Don't want to miss a future episode? Follow the We Society 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 X https://twitter.com/AcadSocSciences Find out more about the Academy of Social Sciences here: https://AcSS.org.uk

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 exceptional researchers. Season 5 of the We Society Podcast from the Academy of Social Sciences tackles the big questions through a social science lens. Throughout this series, you'll be hearing some of the best ideas to shape the way we live. Hosted by journalist and Academy President Will Hutton, we interview some of Britain’s top social scientists and public figures from across the globe to explore their evidence-led solutions to society’s most pressing problems. Don't want to miss an episode? Follow the We Society 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 X https://twitter.com/AcadSocSciences Find out more about the Academy of Social Sciences here: https://AcSS.org.uk Our final episode with Lord Chris Patten will be released on the 30th of April. 

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 was assumed it was something that other local authorities couldn’t repeat.  But since then, five other local authorities, including Nottingham, Birmingham, and Croydon, have fallen like dominoes, declaring bankruptcies and one in five local authorities in England is now projected to be insolvent by next year. Something is clearly going very wrong. And it’s not just bin collections at stake but adult and child social care, schooling, libraries—the list goes on. Speak to anyone working in frontline council services, and they will tell you that any further cuts will decimate how we look after society’s most vulnerable.  Season 5 of the We Society Podcast from the Academy of Social Sciences tackles the big questions through a social science lens. Throughout this series, you'll be hearing some of the best ideas to shape the way we live. Hosted by journalist and Academy President Will Hutton, we interview some of Britain’s top social scientists and public figures from across the globe to explore their evidence-led solutions to society’s most pressing problems. Don't want to miss an episode? Follow the We Society 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 X https://twitter.com/AcadSocSciences Find out more about the Academy of Social Sciences here: https://AcSS.org.uk

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 development during childhood and, subsequently, adult life. Thanks to the study, Bradford has already seen the creation of Clean Air Zones, areas with limited traffic, and investment in green spaces. Professor McEachan is the Director of the Born in Bradford Research programme. She is an experienced behavioural scientist with particular expertise in developing and evaluating complex interventions. Season 5 of the We Society Podcast from the Academy of Social Sciences tackles the big questions through a social science lens. Throughout this series, you'll be hearing some of the best ideas to shape the way we live. Hosted by journalist and Academy President Will Hutton, we interview some of Britain’s top social scientists and public figures from across the globe to explore their evidence-led solutions to society’s most pressing problems. Don't want to miss an episode? Follow the We Society 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 X https://twitter.com/AcadSocSciences Find out more about the Academy of Social Sciences here: https://AcSS.org.uk

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. A former centre of our communities is wilting before our eyes.  Season 5 of the We Society Podcast from the Academy of Social Sciences tackles the big questions through a social science lens. Throughout this series, you'll be hearing some of the best ideas to shape the way we live. Hosted by journalist and Academy President Will Hutton, we interview some of Britain’s top social scientists and public figures from across the globe to explore their evidence-led solutions to society’s most pressing problems. Don't want to miss an episode? Follow the We Society 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/AcadSocSciences Find out more about the Academy of Social Sciences here: https://AcSS.org.uk

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 the University of Leeds. Throughout her academic career, she has worked with disabled people and researchers to tackle the exclusion that disabled people face worldwide. She's also acted as an expert advisor within Parliament and the Council of Europe.   Season 5 of the We Society Podcast from the Academy of Social Sciences tackles the big questions through a social science lens. Throughout this series, you'll be hearing some of the best ideas to shape the way we live. Hosted by journalist and Academy President Will Hutton, we interview some of Britain’s top social scientists and public figures from across the globe to explore their evidence-led solutions to society’s most pressing problems. Don't want to miss an episode? Follow the We Society 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 X https://twitter.com/AcadSocSciences  Find out more about the Academy of Social Sciences here: https://AcSS.org.uk

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 happiness, but how do we measure a happy life? Is it linked to wealth, relationships or absence of pain? Professor Richard Layard doesn't believe that the Gross Domestic Product of a country tells us much about the well-being of its people. On the eve of his 90th birthday in March 2024, Professor Lord Layard joins host Will Hutton to discuss the need to take well-being and happiness more seriously.  Season 5 of the We Society Podcast from the Academy of Social Sciences tackles the big questions through a social science lens. Throughout this series, you'll be hearing some of the best ideas to shape the way we live. Hosted by journalist and Academy President Will Hutton, we interview some of Britain’s top social scientists and public figures from across the globe to explore their evidence-led solutions to society’s most pressing problems. Don't want to miss an episode? Follow the We Society 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 Find out more about the Academy of Social Sciences here: https://AcSS.org.uk

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 podcast is brought to you by the Academy of Social Sciences. 

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 speaks to host Will Hutton about his involvement in the Government's Levelling Up agenda which seeks to send more investment to areas which were previously sidelined. Season 4 of the We Society Podcast from the Academy of Social Sciences tackles the big questions through a social science lens. Throughout this series, you'll be hearing some of the best ideas to shape the way we live. Hosted by journalist and Academy President Will Hutton, we interview some of Britain’s top social scientists and public figures from across the globe to explore their evidence-led solutions to society’s most pressing problems. Don't want to miss an episode? Follow the We Society 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 Find out more about the Academy of Social Sciences here: https://www.acss.org.uk  

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 - 2012, she ran the Young Carers Study,  which looked at the impact of being a 'young carer' on children's well-being in AIDS-affected families. Over 6000 children and 2500 caregivers were interviewed in the South African provinces making it the world’s largest study on children in AIDS-affected families. In March 2020, when 1.9 billion children were in lockdown with their parents, she co-led the COVID-19 Emergency Parenting Response to develop evidence-based open-source resources. She worked with colleagues at international organisations including the World Bank with the knowledge that the numbers of child abuse victims rose when they sequestered with adults for long periods of time. These resources were translated into over 100 languages and disseminated to over 200 million people. Season 4 of the We Society Podcast from the Academy of Social Sciences tackles the big questions through a social science lens. Throughout this series, you'll be hearing some of the best ideas to shape the way we live. Hosted by journalist and Academy President Will Hutton, we interview some of Britain’s top social scientists and public figures from across the globe to explore their evidence-led solutions to society’s most pressing problems. Don't want to miss an episode? Follow the We Society 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 Find out more about the Academy of Social Sciences here: https://www.acss.org.uk  

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 shelves, and the producers behind our food.  Outside of the NFU,  Minette runs a tenanted family farm in Wiltshire. Her focus has always been to leave her farm in a better state than when she inherited it, and that’s what she’s aiming to do at the NFU too.  But there have been a handful of pretty tough hurdles in her way - Brexit, Covid, the recent energy crisis, and not mention the need to balance sustainability with farmer’s profit margins. Season 4 of the We Society Podcast from the Academy of Social Sciences tackles the big questions through a social science lens. Throughout this series, you'll be hearing some of the best ideas to shape the way we live. Hosted by journalist and Academy President Will Hutton, we interview some of Britain’s top social scientists and public figures from across the globe to explore their evidence-led solutions to society’s most pressing problems. Don't want to miss an episode? Follow the We Society 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 Find out more about the Academy of Social Sciences here:  https://Acss.org.uk  

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 statistics, he believes that data is at the heart of solving a whole raft of issues whether that’s social care,  education inequalities or faltering healthcare systems.  And the UK's social care system is on a precipice. Two-thirds of people who have used or had contact with social care said they were dissatisfied with the service they had received or witnessed, according to a recent British Social Attitudes survey. And beyond just ‘dissatisfaction’ lies damning figures - there were over 165,000 adult social care posts left vacant last year. What can be done? And what can the stats tell us?  Season 4 of the We Society Podcast from the Academy of Social Sciences tackles the big questions through a social science lens. Throughout this series, you'll be hearing some of the best ideas to shape the way we live. Hosted by journalist and Academy President Will Hutton, we interview some of Britain’s top social scientists and public figures from across the globe to explore their evidence-led solutions to society’s most pressing problems. Don't want to miss an episode? Follow the We Society 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 Find out more about the Academy of Social Sciences here: https://A

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 regulation of the financial system while pursuing green objectives. It's a programme that's been backed by Al Gore, Nobel Laureates in Economics, and dozens of politicians around the world. Of course, there have been critics, Donald Trump being the most high-profile. She joins host Will Hutton as they delve into how her early years in apartheid South Africa shaped her thinking, and what changes she'd like to see happening right now amidst the worsening climate crisis. Season 4 of the We Society Podcast from the Academy of Social Sciences tackles the big questions through a social science lens. Throughout this series, you'll be hearing some of the best ideas to shape the way we live. Hosted by journalist and Academy President Will Hutton, we interview some of Britain’s top social scientists and public figures from across the globe to explore their evidence-led solutions to society’s most pressing problems. Don't want to miss an episode? Follow the We Society 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 Find out more about the Academy of Social Sciences here: https://AcSS.org.uk

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 can cause financial turmoil for a family, they can also wreak long-term psychological harm. His team at Exeter University are studying the long term effects of flooding on mental health. Hosted by journalist and Academy President Will Hutton, we interview some of Britain’s top social scientists and public figures from across the globe to explore their evidence-led solutions to society’s most pressing problems.  Don't want to miss an episode? Follow the We Society 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 Find out more about the Academy of Social Sciences here: https://AcSS.org.uk

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 experts on AI and work.  He joins host Will Hutton as they delve into how livelihoods are set to change in the next decade and what Governments should do to prepare. Season 4 of the We Society Podcast from the Academy of Social Sciences tackles the big questions through a social science lens. Throughout this series, you'll be hearing some of the best ideas to shape the way we live. Hosted by journalist and Academy President Will Hutton, we interview some of Britain’s top social scientists and public figures from across the globe to explore their evidence-led solutions to society’s most pressing problems.  Don't want to miss an episode? Follow the We Society 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 Find out more about the Academy of Social Sciences here: https://AcSS.org.uk

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 generations.  This is the first episode of Season 4 of the We Society Podcast from the Academy of Social Sciences which tackles the big questions through a social science lens. Throughout this series, you'll be hearing some of the best ideas to shape the way we live.  Hosted by journalist and Academy President Will Hutton, we interview some of Britain’s top social scientists and public figures from across the globe to explore their evidence-led solutions to society’s most pressing problems.   Don't want to miss an episode? Follow the We Society 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 Find out more about the Academy of Social Sciences here: https://AcSS.org.uk

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 guests. So join us from Wednesday and don't forget to subscribe so you're the first to know when a new episode is released. 

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 better with the help of the Social Sciences. Hosted by journalist and Academy President Will Hutton, we interview some of Britain’s top social scientists to explore their evidence-led solutions to society’s most pressing problems.    Don't want to miss an episode? Follow the We Society 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 Find out more about the Academy of Social Sciences here: https://AcSS.org.uk

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 the big questions through a social science lens and brings you some of the best ideas to shape the way we live.  Hosted by journalist and Academy President Will Hutton, we interview some of Britain’s top social scientists to explore their evidence-led 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 Find out more about the Academy of Social Sciences here: https://AcSS.org.uk  

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 world. He explains how, in his view, racism could end and how the answer isn’t found in identity politics.  Kenan Malik studied neurobiology at the University of Sussex and history and philosophy of science at Imperial College, London. His involvement in politics began by taking part in anti-racist movements during his youth.  This is The We Society Podcast from the Academy of Social Sciences which tackles the big questions through a social science lens and brings you some of the best ideas to shape the way we live.  Hosted by journalist and Academy President Will Hutton, we interview some of Britain’s top social scientists to explore their evidence-led 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 Find out more about the Academy of Social Sciences here: https://acss.org.uk/ 

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 have hindered us in the long run and explains what we can learn from the past in making the most of the new tech revolution. Professor Nicholas Crafts CBE is Professor of Economic History at the University of Sussex Business School, and has also taught at the LSE, Oxford University and the University of California, Berkeley.     This is The We Society Podcast from the Academy of Social Sciences which tackles the big questions through a social science lens and brings you some of the best ideas to shape the way we live.  Hosted by journalist and Academy President Will Hutton, we interview some of Britain’s top social scientists to explore their evidence-led 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 Find out more about the Academy of Social Sciences here: https://AcSS.org.uk  

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 London 2012 Olympic legacy.  They talk about how her recent research in Hounslow, London could lead to positive change in the rest of the UK.  Professor Mansfield is Professor of Sport, Health and Social Sciences and Research Lead for Welfare, Health and Wellbeing in the Institute of Environment, Health and Societies at Brunel University. She is interested in partnership and community approaches in sport and physical activity and how it all links to issues of health, wellbeing, inequality and diversity. This is The We Society Podcast from the Academy of Social Sciences which tackles the big questions through a social science lens and brings you some of the best ideas to shape the way we live.  Hosted by journalist and Academy President Will Hutton, we interview some of Britain’s top social scientists to explore their evidence-led 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 Find out more about the Academy of Social Sciences here: https://acss.org.uk/ 

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 up homeless every day.  Before her role at Shelter, Polly Neate headed the women’s domestic charity Women’s Aid. She isn’t afraid to take the Government to task when she thinks social justice is at risk and the evidence backs up her thinking.  This is The We Society Podcast from the Academy of Social Sciences which tackles the big questions through a social science lens and brings you some of the best evidence-led ideas to shape the way we live.  Hosted by journalist and Academy President Will Hutton, we interview some of Britain’s top social scientists to explore 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 Find out more about the Academy of Social Sciences here: https://AcSS.org.uk  

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.  And in this episode, Professor Crawley sets out her solutions to the ongoing migrant crisis that continues to dominate the world’s headlines.  Professor Crawley is head of Equitable Development and Migration at the United Nations University Centre for Policy Research in New York and is the Director of the South-South Migration, Inequality and Development Hub (MIDEQ), a project supported by the UK Government.  This is The We Society Podcast from the Academy of Social Sciences which tackles the big questions through a social science lens and brings you some of the best evidence-led ideas to shape the way we live.  Hosted by journalist and Academy President Will Hutton, we interview some of Britain’s top social scientists to explore 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 Find out more about the Academy of Social Sciences here: https://AcSS.org.uk  

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 should be speaking to, or what questions we should be asking by emailing wesociety@acss.org.uk  This podcast is brought to you by the Academy of Social Sciences. 

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 importance of protecting humanity through art. 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  

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 conversation for our penultimate episode of this season.  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 

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 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  

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 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 

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 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 

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 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 

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 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   

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 Social Sciences.  Tell us who we should be speaking to, or what questions we should be asking by emailing wesociety@acss.org.uk 

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 

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. 

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! 

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. 

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. 

Professor Kate Pickett, author of The Spirit Level and Professor of Epidemiology at the University of York, talks to Will Hutton about how unequal societies harms us all, her latest research projects in Bradford and how the UK could truly 'level' up. 

Sir Ian Diamond, Head of the Office of National Statistics, talks to Will Hutton about how data helped fight Covid 19, and how, if we use them right, statistics can inform us about how to create better ways of living.

Former Secretary of State and 2016 Presidential Candidate, Hillary Clinton joins Will Hutton to talk about "performative" politics, controlling social media, the challenge of education, and keeping women's equality in focus.

In the first of a new series from the Academy Of Social Sciences, psychologist Sir Cary Cooper talks to Will Hutton about the need for a new approach to work, and workplace culture.