The We Society

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, including Europe. Can liberal democracy survive? With us to discuss this and more is political scientist Professor Anand Menon, the director of the UK in a Changing Europe. He is a dedicated social scientist, an approach that defines the think tank he leads, that provides impartial evidence-based analysis and commentary across the gamut of issues that we face at home and abroad. Season 7 of the We Society Podcast from the Academy of Social Sciences continues to tackle 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 [email protected] and tell us who we should be speaking to or follow us on X https://twitter.com/AcadSocSciences This is the first episode of Season 7, and there will be episodes released every week so be sure to subscribe and rate the podcast.  Find out more about the Academy of Social Sciences here: https://AcSS.org.uk

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 their solutions to society's most pressing issues.    Please subscribe, rate and share with your friends.  This podcast is brought to you by the Academy of Social Sciences. 

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 Chakraborti and Professor Matthew Williams join host Will Hutton to discuss the impact of hate crimes on the victims, their communities and wider British society. And what can be done to lower the incidences of hate crime.  Professor Chakraborti has been studying the impact of hate crimes on victims for the past two decades and is Director of the Centre for Hate Studies and the Director of the Institute for Policy at the University of Leicester.   Professor Matthew Williams is a Professor of Criminology in the School of Social Sciences at Cardiff University. He leads the HateLab there, a global hub for data and insight into hate speech and crime.  He's the author of the popular science book, The Science of Hate, which was published by Faber and Faber in 2021. Season 6 of the We Society Podcast from the Academy of Social Sciences continues to tackle 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 [email protected] and tell us who we should be speaking to or follow us on X https://twitter.com/AcadSocSciences This is the final episode of Season 6, see you in the Autumn!  Find out more about the Academy of Social Sciences here: https://AcSS.org.uk

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 was a member of the UK Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs from 2014 to 2019, and President of the International Society for the Study of Drug Policy from 2015 to 2019.  And he’s just published a book, Drug Policy Constellations: The Role of Power and Morality in the Making of Drug Policy in the UK. Season 6 of the We Society Podcast from the Academy of Social Sciences continues to tackle 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 [email protected] 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