What does it take to challenge the status quo? And when and how does society’s understanding of what’s ‘normal’ start to change? 

From the civil rights movement to #MeToo, we’ve seen that individual and collective action has the power to disrupt and re-define our prevailing social norms – leading in turn to changes in institutional policy, practice and the law itself.  

So at a time when we find the status quo no longer serving us, when Covid-19 has challenged so much of what we previously thought of as normal – from working practices to social life to the relationship between citizen and state – is it time to imagine and build a new and better normality?   

Cass Sunstein, one of the most influential legal scholars working today, shows us that by looking critically at what we define as normal, we can find opportunities to recalibrate our social relationships and systems. And with a deeper understanding of what can influence or stymie these opportunities, we’re better equipped to create the conditions for lasting change that will deliver freer, fairer lives for all. 

The RSA has been at the forefront of societal change for over 250 years. Our proven Living Change Approach, and global network of 30,000 problem-solvers enable us to unite people and ideas to understand the challenges of our time and realise lasting change.

Make change happen. Visit thersa.org/approach to find out more.

#RSAchange

This conversation was broadcast online on the 25th March 2021.