Best ACSS Podcasts (2025)

1
S7 Ep7: Keep Calm and Chill with Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala 35:05

2M ago35:05

35:05

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 …

1
S7 Ep6: Improving social mobility through education and language with Lee Elliot Major 31:06

3M ago31:06

31:06

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 res…

1
S7 Ep5: Tracking and stopping domestic abuse with Jane Monckton Smith 28:29

3M ago28:29

28:29

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 pa…

1
S7 Ep4: Should the 9 to 5 be a thing of the past? with Clare Kelliher and Brendan Burchell 29:20

3M ago29:20

29:20

'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 technolo…

1
S7 Ep3: Making a responsible budget with Sir Robert Chote 33:42

3M ago33:42

33:42

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 b…

1
S7 Ep2: Anxiety, Artificial Intelligence and work with Anthony Elliott 28:43

4M ago28:43

28:43

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-…

1
S7 Ep1: The future of liberal democracy with Anand Menon 27:43

4M ago27:43

27:43

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, in…

1
S7 Ep1: The We Society Season 7 Trailer 1:53

4M ago1:53

1:53

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 thei…

1
S6 Ep7: Stopping hate crime with Matthew Williams and Neil Chakraborti 38:23

9M ago38:23

38:23

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 Off…

1
S6 Ep6: Why the war on drugs has failed with Alex Stevens 30:25

9M ago30:25

30:25

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 o…

1
S6 Ep5: Improving adult education with Anna Vignoles 28:10

9M ago28:10

28:10

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 equi…

1
S6 Ep4: The hidden army of young carers with Saul Becker 28:36

9M ago28:36

28:36

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 th…

1
S6 Ep3: How to make housing fair with Vicky Spratt and Auriol Miller 35:22

10M ago35:22

35:22

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 Gover…

1
S6 Ep2: Separating emotion from Brexit with Professor Sarah Hall 26:14

10M ago26:14

26:14

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…

1
S6 Ep1: Election 24 special with Will Hutton 21:23

10M ago21:23

21:23

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, an…

1
S5 Ep7: A life of public service with Lord Chris Patten 29:02

1y ago29:02

29:02

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 rec…

1
S5 Ep6: Exposing the underbelly of Britain with Ella Cockbain 38:10

1y ago38:10

38:10

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…

1
S5 Ep5: Protecting local councils with Andy Pike 35:50

1y ago35:50

35:50

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…

1
S5 Ep4: Is geography destiny? with Rosie McEachan 33:19

1y ago33:19

33:19

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, en…

1
S5 Ep3: We can't let our high streets fail with Ed Jones 29:55

1y ago29:55

29:55

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 cou…

1
S5 Ep2: How society disables us with Anna Lawson and Shani Dhanda 42:03

1y ago42:03

42:03

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 ach…

1
S5 Ep1: Should governments care about wellbeing? with Professor Richard Layard 33:50

1y ago33:50

33:50

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 Scien…

1
S4 Ep9: The We Society Season 5 trailer 2:54

1+ y ago2:54

2:54

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 a…

1
S4 Ep8: Levelling up isn't a pick n mix with Andy Haldane 37:36

1+ y ago37:36

37:36

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 …

1
S4 Ep7: Helping children in a time of crisis with Lucie Cluver 28:09

1+ y ago28:09

28:09

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 …

1
S4 Ep6: Food for thought with Minette Batters 30:21

1+ y ago30:21

30:21

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 app…

1
S4 Ep5: The case for public consumption with Sir Andrew Dilnot 36:52

1+ y ago36:52

36:52

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 independ…

1
S4 Ep4: Cancelling the Global South's debt with Ann Pettifor 24:40

1+ y ago24:40

24:40

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-au…

1
S4 Ep3: Reframing the climate crisis narrative with Neil Adger 36:14

1+ y ago36:14

36:14

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 st…

1
S4 Ep2: Will Artificial Intelligence see us lose our jobs? with Daniel Susskind 35:17

1+ y ago35:17

35:17

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 …

1
S4 Ep1: Do we value universities enough in Britain? with Vivienne Stern 31:27

1+ y ago31:27

31:27

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 treas…

1
S3 Ep7: The We Society returns for Season 4 1:59

1+ y ago1:59

1:59

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 Pett…

1
7: Summer Recap: Hillary Clinton, Ai Weiwei, Gary Younge 40:45

1+ y ago40:45

40:45

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 o…

1
S3 Ep6: What does the future hold? With Ian McEwan 37:48

2y ago37:48

37:48

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 …

1
S3 Ep5: The history of racism with Kenan Malik 30:12

2y ago30:12

30:12

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 racis…

1
S3 Ep4: Artificial Intelligence and the next Industrial Revolution with Professor Nicholas Crafts 32:35

2y ago32:35

32:35

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 …

1
S3 Ep3: Can sport change the wellbeing of the nation? With Professor Louise Mansfield 31:16

2y ago31:16

31:16

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 facili…

1
S3 Ep2: Housing for living, not investment with Polly Neate 36:54

2y ago36:54

36:54

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…

1
S3 Ep1: Can migration drive development? With Professor Heaven Crawley 37:31

2y ago37:31

37:31

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…

1
S2 Ep9: The We Society Season 3 Trailer 2:47

2y ago2:47

2:47

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 t…

1
S2 Ep8: Ai Weiwei: You're either protecting humanity or hurting it 42:18

2+ y ago42:18

42:18

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…

1
S2 Ep7: Becky Francis: Education, Education, Education 39:30

2+ y ago39:30

39:30

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 s…

1
S2 Ep6: Ann Phoenix: It takes a village to raise a child 38:44

2+ y ago38:44

38:44

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 coun…

1
S2 Ep5: Torsten Bell: The UK is a stagnation nation 33:34

2+ y ago33:34

33:34

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 wor…

1
S2 Ep4: Mike Berners-Lee: Market forces won’t solve climate change 33:35

2+ y ago33:35

33:35

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. T…

1
S2 Ep3: Greg Clark: Cities are our future 34:57

2+ y ago34:57

34:57

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…

1
S2 Ep2: Linda Bauld: We must do better for the next pandemic 31:01

2+ y ago31:01

31:01

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 Wi…

1
S2 Ep1: Sir Lawrence Freedman: Military defeat happens gradually then suddenly 33:28

2+ y ago33:28

33:28

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 par…

1
S1 Ep9: We Society Season 2 Trailer 3:42

2+ y ago3:42

3:42

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 wha…

1
S1 Ep8: The We Society Season 1 Recap 5:20

2+ y ago5:20

5:20

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.By AcSS

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