The We Society

AcSS
  • 4.0 (2)
  • Social Sciences
  • Updated Weekly

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 in association with the Nuffield Foundation and Leverhulme Trust, 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.    The We Society podcast is brought to you by the Academy of Social Sciences in association with the Nuffield Foundation and the Leverhulme Trust.     

  1. 3d ago

    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 latest book, The Next Crisis, which explores our growing obsession with the language of crisis. Today's public debate often presents every challenge as a huge existential emergency. Drawing on global survey data and historical evidence, Dorling asks which crises genuinely deserve our attention, which have been exaggerated, and how constant exposure to alarming headlines may itself be fuelling anxiety and pessimism.  Professor Danny Dorling is one of Britain's leading social geographers. His social science research uses cutting-edge data visualisation to uncover the unseen social forces shaping modern Britain, from housing, health, employment, education, wealth and poverty.  This episode is ideal for listeners interested in topical issues, social geography, the housing crisis and global media debate. In the We Society, 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, human geography and more, exploring their impact on society and the social policy they can inspire. The We Society is for those interested in how social science impacts their world, and how evidence backed research can improve it. Don't want to miss an episode? Follow the show on your favourite podcast platform and you can email us at wesociety@acss.org.uk to tell us who we should be speaking to. The We Society podcast is brought to you by the Academy of Social Sciences in association with the Nuffield Foundation and the Leverhulme Trust. Producer: Emily Uchida FinchAssistant Producer: Emily GilbertA Whistledown Production for the Academy of Social Sciences

    The crisis of constant crisis with Danny Dorling

  2. Jul 29

    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-recognised online bank. He also serves on the Prime Minister's Council for Science and Technology, advising the government on how Britain can strengthen its innovation economy.  In this episode of The We Society, Saul speaks to host Will Hutton about how Britain outperforms most other countries when it comes to innovation. They discuss why Britain's pension funds have historically invested so little in the country's own innovation economy, what recent reforms could change, and why stronger links between venture capital, government and entrepreneurship are essential if Britain is to improve productivity and living standards. Economics is one of the disciplines comprising the social sciences, with the creation and distribution of wealth a dynamic and often controversial topic.  This episode is ideal for listeners interested in topical issues, economics, innovation, the possibilities of venture capital and UK entrepreneurship.  In the We Society, 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, human geography and more, exploring their impact on society and the social policy they can inspire. The We Society is for those interested in how social science impacts their world, and how evidence backed research can improve it.  Don't want to miss an episode? Follow the show on your favourite podcast platform and you can email us at wesociety@acss.org.uk to tell us who we should be speaking to. The We Society podcast is brought to you by the Academy of Social Sciences in association with the Nuffield Foundation and the Leverhulme Trust. Producer: Emily Uchida FinchAssistant Producer: Emily GilbertA Whistledown Production for the Academy of Social Sciences

    Why Britain should back more innovators with Saul Klein

  3. Jul 21

    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 one of the world's leading authorities on global health politics. Her research examines the political forces that shape women's health, UK healthcare systems and the global governance that determines health outcomes. A recipient of a prestigious Philip Leverhulme Prize in 2018 in recognition of her research achievements, she advises governments and international bodies such as the UN on global health policies. Beyond ‘traditional’ academic research, she co-produced the BAFTA-nominated feature film Pili, made in collaboration with women living with HIV in rural Tanzania. This film demonstrates the innovative ways of presenting Social Science research, and the film’s profits returning to the women involved shows the power of social science in action.  She talks to Will Hutton about her acclaimed book, Sick of It: The Global Fight for Women's Health (2024), where Sophie argues that while women's health has received growing public attention in recent years, it is still not receiving the right kind of attention. Collective action is needed to rebalance the prejudices and assumptions in women’s healthcare, backed by strong social policy and research. This episode is ideal for listeners interested in topical issues, UK healthcare, women’s health and the social policy needed to level healthcare inequalities.  In the We Society, 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, human geography and more, exploring their impact on society and the social policy they can inspire. The We Society is for those interested in how social science impacts their world, and how evidence backed research can improve it. 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. The We Society podcast is brought to you by the Academy of Social Sciences in association with the Nuffield Foundation and the Leverhulme Trust. Producer: Emily Uchida FinchAssistant Producer: Emily GilbertA Whistledown Production for the Academy of Social Sciences

    Placing the Right Kind of Attention on Women’s Health with Professor Sophie Harman

  4. Jul 14

    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 Blundell who talk us through the findings of one of the most comprehensive studies ever undertaken on inequality in the UK called the Deaton Review.  This was a major six year review of inequalities in the UK, chaired by Nobel Prize-winning economist Sir Angus Deaton, and funded by the Nuffield Foundation. Drawing on research from economics, sociology, public health, philosophy and political science, the Review argues that Britain's inequalities extend far beyond income alone and presents a framework for how social policy makers should address their response.   But what can be done about it? Helen, Sir Richard and podcast host Will Hutton come together to discuss the evidence and the potential solutions in local government funding and long-term social policy.  Professor Sir Richard Blundell is a Co-Director of the ESRC Centre for the Microeconomic Analysis of Public Policy (CPP) and a Senior Research Fellow at the Institute for Fiscal Studies. Helen Miller is the Director of Institute for Fiscal Studies, the UK's leading independent economics research institute. Find out more about the IFS Deaton Review here: https://ifs.org.uk/inequality  This episode is ideal for listeners interested in topical issues, social policy, UK healthcare, inequality and local government funding solutions. In the We Society, 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, human geography and more, exploring their impact on society and the social policy they can inspire. The We Society is for those interested in how social science impacts their world, and how evidence backed research can improve it. 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. The We Society podcast is brought to you by the Academy of Social Sciences in association with the Nuffield Foundation and the Leverhulme Trust.  Producer: Emily Uchida FinchAssistant Producer: Emily GilbertA Whistledown Production for the Academy of Social Sciences

    Social policy solutions to the UK’s inequality crisis with Helen Miller and Sir Richard Blundell

  5. Trailer

    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, human geography and more, exploring their impact on society and the social policy they can inspire. The We Society is for those interested in how social science impacts their world, and how evidence backed research can improve it.

    The We Society returns on Wednesday 15 July

  6. Apr 22

    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 that for an economy to thrive creative destruction is key. They talk about certain countries such as Finland where creative destruction is allowed and supported to thrive by the Government.  Aghion is Professor of Economics at the LSE. In the We Society podcast, 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.  The We Society podcast is brought to you by the Academy of Social Sciences in association with the Nuffield Foundation and the Leverhulme Trust.  Producer: Emily Uchida FinchAssistant Producer: Emily GilbertA Whistledown Production for the Academy of Social Sciences

    Harnessing Creative Destruction with Philippe Aghion

  7. Apr 15

    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 book, Privacy is Power (2020), she discussed the vital necessity of protecting our data as a precondition of sustaining our freedom. But the algorithms constructed by AI and data don’t just stop there; they have born a new era of data based predictions masquerading as objective. Like all predictions, they are shaped by human choices, assumptions, and incentives. In her latest book, Prophecy: Prediction, Power, and the Fight for the Future, from Ancient Oracles to AI (Out 21st April) Carissa Véliz challenges us to see predictions not as neutral forecasts, but as power over others.  In the We Society, 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.  The We Society podcast is brought to you by the Academy of Social Sciences in association with the Nuffield Foundation and the Leverhulme Trust.  Producer: Emily Uchida FinchAssistant Producer: Emily GilbertA Whistledown Production for the Academy of Social Sciences

    Whoever holds our data holds the power with Carissa Véliz

  8. Apr 8

    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? Professor Tim Lenton is one of the world’s leading climate scientists tackling exactly that question, but with a positive twist.  Tim is a Professor of Climate Change and Earth System Science at the University of Exeter and founding Director of the Global Systems Institute. He is renowned for his pioneering work on climate “tipping points”; critical thresholds in the Earth system that, once crossed, can trigger dramatic and irreversible change. More recently, his research has focused on positive tipping points: how rapid, self-propelling shifts in technology, economics and social behaviour could accelerate climate action. His work shows that change does not always move slowly. Under the right conditions, it can cascade. Tim’s research and latest book tell a more hopeful story, one in which shifting and adjusting our lifestyles can create a positive ripple of change and steer us away from the current trajectory of climate disaster.  In the We Society, 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.  The We Society podcast is brought to you by the Academy of Social Sciences in association with the Nuffield Foundation and the Leverhulme Trust.  Producer: Emily Uchida FinchAssistant Producer: Emily Gilbert A Whistledown Production for the Academy of Social Sciences

    Climate action: small human acts can make a big difference with Tim Lenton
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About

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 in association with the Nuffield Foundation and Leverhulme Trust, 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.    The We Society podcast is brought to you by the Academy of Social Sciences in association with the Nuffield Foundation and the Leverhulme Trust.     

Information

  • Creator
    AcSS
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2026
  • Episodes
    89
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 549172
  • Show Website
    The We Society

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