LSE IQ podcast

By London School of Economics and Political Science

What's LSE IQ podcast about?

LSE IQ is a monthly podcast from the London School of Economics and Political Science in which we ask some of the smartest social scientists - and other experts - to answer intelligent questions about economics, politics or society. #LSEIQ

Download our free app to listen on your phone

LSE IQ podcast episodes:

04.09.2024
China, war and the civilizational state
Contributor(s): Professor Christopher Coker | For the late Professor Christopher Coker the answer lay in the rise of a new political entity, the civilizational state. In an episode of LSE iQ which explored China’s position in the world in the...
03.05.2024
Are we on the verge of a weight-loss revolution?
Contributor(s): Nikki Sullivan, Paul Frijters, Sarah Appleton, Helen | Joanna Bale talks to Helen, who found Ozempic ‘life-changing’, Clinical Psychologist Sarah Appleton, and LSE’s Nikki Sullivan & Paul Frijters.
02.06.2024
Why do so many people mistakenly think they are working class? | Extra iQ
Contributor(s): Professor Sam Friedman | More than one in four people in the UK, from solidly middle-class backgrounds, mistakenly think of themselves as working-class. Why is this? In this episode of Extra iQ, a shorter style of the LSE iQ...
12.12.2023
How can we tackle loneliness?
Contributor(s): Heather Kappes, David McDaid, Molly Taylor | According to the Office for National Statistics, 7.1 per cent of adults in Great Britain - nearly 4 million people - say they 'often or always' feel lonely. Look around you when...
11.07.2023
Can we change the world?
Contributor(s): Faiza Shaheen, Duncan Green, Dr Jens Madsen | Experts will discuss how change isn't as straightforward as we'd like it to be – How it can be all in the timing and that, at times, you just need to...
10.03.2023
What’s it like to be criminalised for being gay?
Contributor(s): Ryan Centner, James, Jamal | Homosexuality is illegal in just over a third of countries across the globe. Some nations, like Barbados, have recently repealed anti-gay laws, but others, like Uganda, have just introduced the death penalty. Joanna Bale...
09.07.2023
Is AI coming for our jobs?
Contributor(s): Professor Sir Christopher Pissarides, Professor Charlie Beckett, Dr Giulia Gentile | We’ll hear about the introduction of Artificial Intelligence in the courtroom, and what might happen if robots take over the roles of judges. Experts will explore how journalism...
05.02.2023
What is it like to be an animal?
Contributor(s): Dr Jonathan Birch, Professor Kristin Andrews, Dr Rosalind Arden | Since this episode was recorded the UK Animal Welfare Act 2022 has become law. This extends animal welfare protections to animals such as octopuses, lobsters and crabs - a...
04.04.2023
How can we make homes more affordable?
Contributor(s): Ralitsa Angelova, Oliver Bulleid, Christian Hilber, Kath Scanlon | We’ll hear how planning restrictions established in the 1700s are still preventing development on some of London’s most valuable land. Experts will set out why we can’t afford to not...
03.07.2023
How can we solve the refugee crisis?
Contributor(s): Dr Stuart Gordon, Sveto Muhammad Ishoq, Halima | The UK government could soon be sending some asylum-seekers on a one-way flight to Rwanda as part of a controversial strategy to deter those crossing the English Channel on small boats. Joanna...
02.07.2023
Do we always need to pay our debts?
Contributor(s): Dr Joseph Spooner, Sara Williams | Borrowing is a fundamental part of our world, but with millions considered over-indebted before the pandemic and a deepening cost of living crisis fueled by stagnating wages and high inflation, for many the...
12.06.2022
Can gaming make us happier?
Contributor(s): Dr Aaron Cheng, Michael Steranka, Joanna Ferreria | Gaming has become a normal part of many people's everyday lives, from mobile to console games it is easier than ever to be a gamer. But how do online games affect...
11.01.2022
How does class define us?
Contributor(s): Professor Neil Cummins, Professor Sam Friedman, Sabrina Daniel | It examines how we wear and reveal our social class in English society today. Do accents really matter? Is it enough to imitate one supposed ‘social betters’ to achieve social...
10.04.2022
How can we survive the next mass extinction?
Contributor(s): Dr Ganga Shreedhar, David Shukman | Sea levels are rising, carbon emissions are increasing and deforestation is continuing at an alarming rate. Human created climate change is drastically reshaping life on earth, with up to 75% of the diversity...
09.06.2022
What’s the future of capitalism?
Contributor(s): Lea Ypi, David Hope, Julian Limberg, Tomila Lankina | Joanna Bale talks to Lea Ypi, David Hope, Julian Limberg and Tomila Lankina about defining freedom, debunking trickle-down economics and defying the Bolsheviks.
05.04.2022
Why do we need foodbanks?
Contributor(s): Dr. Aaron Reeves, Laura Lane, Daphine Aikens | As food and energy prices soar, it’s predicted that the demand for food banks will reach record highs as those on low incomes and benefits face an uphill battle to make...
04.05.2022
Do we need the arts to change the world?
Contributor(s): Dr Alexandra Gomes, Professor Patrick Wallis, Professor Emily Jackson, Professor Julia Black | We’ll be hearing from Dr Alexandra Gomes, co-creator of Kuwaitscapes (More on the research project that inspired the game, and to download the Kuwaitscapes game), Professor...
03.08.2022
Should you follow your passion?
Contributor(s): Professor Shasa Dobrow, Professor Sally Maitlis, Nick O’Shea | We’ll learn how following a calling turned one LSE graduate to beer and building a successful social enterprise, via a holy revelation. We’ll hear stories of animal hoarding, passions gone...
02.08.2022
Can mothers do it all?
Contributor(s): Shani Orgad | We find out the real reasons some mums leave the workforce, deep dive into the media coverage of one of the world’s most talked-about mothers, Meghan Markle, and get Shani’s advice on how to do it...
01.11.2022
Has COVID killed the office?
Contributor(s): Dr Grace Lordan, Dr Carsten Sorensen, Professor Connson Locke, Hailley Griffis | Joanna Bale talks to LSE’s Connson Locke, Grace Lordan and Carsten Sorensen, as well as Hailley Griffis, a social media management company executive, who believes that offices...
12.07.2021
What is it like to be an animal?
Contributor(s): Dr Jonathan Birch, Professor Kristin Andrews, Dr Rosalind Arden | This episode features Jonathan Birch, Associate Professor in LSE's Department of Philosophy, Logic and Scientific Method, Professor Kristin Andrews, the York Research Chair in Animal Minds at York University...
07.06.2021
Why do people believe in conspiracy theories?
Contributor(s): Dr Ela Drazkiewicz-Grodzicka, Professor Bradley Franks, Dr Erica Lagalisse | Conspiracy theories fomented by political division and a global pandemic have gained traction in the public consciousness in the last couple of years. For some people these ideas are...
06.01.2021
What does it really mean to be a citizen?
Contributor(s): Dr Robtel Neajai Pailey, Dr Ian Sanjay Patel, Dr Megan Ryburn | Citizenship. What does that word really signify? This episode of LSE IQ takes a look at the issue in all its complexities, uncovering how decisions made by...
05.04.2021
Do algorithms have too much power?
Contributor(s): Ken Benoit, Andrew Murray, Seeta Peña Gangaradhan, Alison Powell, Bernhard Von Stengel | Computer algorithms shape our lives and increasingly control our future. They have crept into virtually every aspect of modern life and are making life-changing choices on...
03.02.2021
Scroungers versus Strivers: the myth of the welfare state
Contributor(s): Professor John Hills | This episode is dedicated to social policy giant Professor Sir John Hills, who died in December 2020. In this episode, John tackles the myth that the welfare state supports a feckless underclass who cost society huge...
02.02.2021
Should we be optimistic?
Contributor(s): Dr Tali Sharot, Dr Joan Costa-Font, Professor David de Meza, Dr Chris Kutarna | Despite our growing collective pessimism about the state of the world, when it comes to our own lives, research suggests we are generally optimistic. After a...
01.05.2021
What’s the point of social science in a pandemic?
Contributor(s): Professor Laura Bear, Nikita Simpson, Professor Joan Roses, Dr Adam Oliver, Dr Clare Wenham, Professor Patrick Wallis | In this month’s episode of the LSE IQ podcast we ask, ‘What’s the point of social science in a pandemic?’. On the...
12.01.2020
How can we end child poverty in the UK?
Contributor(s): Dr Kitty Stewart | A campaign by the Manchester United footballer, Marcus Rashford, has prompted the UK government to provide extra support for children from low-income families during the pandemic. Even before coronavirus, child poverty had been rising for...
11.03.2020
Bullshit jobs, technology, capitalism
Contributor(s): Professor David Graeber | This episode is dedicated to David Graeber, LSE professor of Anthropology, who died unexpectedly in September this year. David was a public intellectual, a best-selling author, an influential activist and anarchist. He took aim at the...
10.06.2020
Is perfect the enemy of the possible?
Contributor(s): Dr Thomas Curran | Jess Winterstein speaks to Dr Thomas Curran about the potential pitfalls of wanting to be perfect. Our society values perfection, but is the concept of perfect really that good for us? The latest episode of...
09.01.2020
Can we afford the super-rich?
Contributor(s): Paul Krugman, Andy Summers, Dr Luna Glucksberg | The coronavirus crisis has devastated economies and brought existing inequalities into sharper focus. Will it result in higher taxes on income and wealth, as we saw after the Great Depression and...
08.04.2020
How can we tackle air pollution? [Audio]
Contributor(s): Rosamund Adoo-Kissi-Debrah, Dr Ute Collier, Dr Sefi Roth, Dr Thomas Smith | Sue Windebank speaks to Rosamund Adoo-Kissi-Debrah about her campaigning work for both clean air and a new inquest into the causes of her daughter’s death. In 2013,...
08.04.2020
How can we tackle air pollution?
Contributor(s): Rosamund Adoo-Kissi-Debrah, Dr Ute Collier, Dr Sefi Roth, Dr Thomas Smith | Seven million people die of air pollution, worldwide, every year. This episode of LSE IQ asks how this invisible killer can be tackled. Sue Windebank speaks to Rosamund Adoo-Kissi-Debrah about her campaigning work for both clean air and...
07.08.2020
Is big data good for our health? [Audio]
Contributor(s): Dr Stephen L. Roberts, Dr Leeza Osipenko, Professor Barbara Prainsack, Dr James Somauroo | With more and more information about us available electronically and online, this episode of LSE IQ asks, ‘Is big data good for our health?’ Advances...
07.08.2020
Is big data good for our health?
Contributor(s): Dr Stephen Roberts, Dr Leeza Osipenko, Professor Barbara Prainsack, Dr James Somauroo | With more and more information about us available electronically and online, this episode of LSE IQ asks, ‘Is big data good for our health?’ Advances in bio-medical...
05.05.2020
What does gender have to do with pandemics?
Contributor(s): Clare Wenham | A special bite-sized episode of LSE IQ asks, “What does gender have to do with pandemics?” Cholera, Ebola, Influenza, MERS, SARs, Smallpox, Yellow fever, Zika and of course novel Coronavirus – these are just some of...
05.05.2020
What does gender have to do with pandemics? [Audio]
Contributor(s): Clare Wenham | A special bite-sized episode of LSE IQ asks, “What does gender have to do with pandemics?” Cholera, Ebola, Influenza, MERS, SARs, Smallpox, Yellow fever, Zika and of course novel Coronavirus – these are just some of...
04.07.2020
Are we doomed, or can the climate crisis be averted?
Contributor(s): Bob Ward, Svenja Surminski, Ivan, XR | This month’s episode of the LSE IQ podcast asks if the climate crisis can be averted. If you can, cast your mind back a few months. Can you remember a time when...
04.07.2020
Are we doomed, or can the climate crisis be averted? [Audio]
Contributor(s): Bob Ward, Svenja Surminski, Ivan, XR | This month’s episode of the LSE IQ podcast asks if the climate crisis can be averted. If you can, cast your mind back a few months. Can you remember a time when...
03.03.2020
LSE IQ Episode 31 | Is corruption inevitable?
Contributor(s): Michael Muthukrishna, Sandra Sequeira, Jonathan Weigel | Welcome to LSE IQ, the award-winning podcast where we ask social scientists and other experts to answer one intelligent question. In this episode Jess Winterstein asks, "Is corruption inevitable?" Bribery, extortion, cronyism,...
03.03.2020
LSE IQ Episode 31 | Is corruption inevitable? [Audio]
Contributor(s): Michael Muthukrishna, Sandra Sequeira, Jonathan Weigel | Welcome to LSE IQ, the award-winning podcast where we ask social scientists and other experts to answer one intelligent question. In this episode Jess Winterstein asks, "Is corruption inevitable?" Bribery, extortion, cronyism,...
01.17.2020
LSE IQ Episode 30 | How do we stop knife crime?
Contributor(s): Yvonne Lawson, Professor Tom Kirchmaier, Carmen Vila-Llera, Janet Foster, Kerris Cooper | Knife crime in England and Wales hit a record high in 2019, up by 7% on the previous year. A disproportionate number of victims - and perpetrators...
01.17.2020
LSE IQ Episode 30 | How do we stop knife crime? [Audio]
Contributor(s): Yvonne Lawson, Professor Tom Kirchmaier, Carmen Vila-Llera, Janet Foster, Kerris Cooper | Knife crime in England and Wales hit a record high in 2019, up by 7% on the previous year. A disproportionate number of victims - and perpetrators...
11.12.2019
LSE IQ Episode 29 | What's the secret to happiness?
Contributor(s): Professor Paul Dolan, Professor Lord Richard Layard, Liz Zeidler | This month we have raided the LSE IQ archives for an episode from 2017 when we ask, ‘What’s the secret to happiness?’ Western societies have been getting steadily richer...
11.12.2019
LSE IQ Episode 29 | What's the secret to happiness? [Audio]
Contributor(s): Professor Paul Dolan, Professor Lord Richard Layard, Liz Zeidler | This month we have raided the LSE IQ archives for an episode from 2017 when we ask, ‘What’s the secret to happiness?’ Western societies have been getting steadily richer...
10.07.2019
LSE IQ Episode 28 | Is the 21st Century the Chinese century?
Contributor(s): Professor Christopher Coker, Dr Debin Ma, Dr Yu Jie | Welcome to LSE IQ, the award-winning podcast where we ask social scientists and other experts to answer one intelligent question. In this episode Sue Windebank asks, “Is the 21st...
10.07.2019
LSE IQ Episode 28 | Is the 21st Century the Chinese century? [Audio]
Contributor(s): Professor Christopher Coker, Dr Debin Ma, Dr Yu Jie | Welcome to LSE IQ, the award-winning podcast where we ask social scientists and other experts to answer one intelligent question. In this episode Sue Windebank asks, “Is the 21st...
09.03.2019
LSE IQ Episode 27 | What can we learn from the 2011 riots?
Contributor(s): Professor Tim Newburn, Paul Lewis, Professor John Drury | Welcome to LSE IQ, a monthly podcast from the London School of Economics and Political Science, where we ask leading social scientists – and other experts – to answer an...
09.03.2019
LSE IQ Episode 27 | What can we learn from the 2011 riots? [Audio]
Contributor(s): Professor Tim Newburn, Paul Lewis, Professor John Drury | Welcome to LSE IQ, a monthly podcast from the London School of Economics and Political Science, where we ask leading social scientists – and other experts – to answer an...
08.09.2019
LSE IQ Episode 26 | Why do we need food banks?
Contributor(s): Dr. Aaron Reeves, Laura Lane, Daphine Aikens | Welcome to LSE’s award-winning podcast, LSE IQ, where we ask leading social scientists and other experts to answer an intelligent question. In this episode, Joanna Bale asks ‘Why do we need...

What's LSE IQ podcast about?

Download our free app to listen on your phone

LSE IQ podcast episodes:

China, war and the civilizational state

Are we on the verge of a weight-loss revolution?

Why do so many people mistakenly think they are working class? | Extra iQ

How can we tackle loneliness?

Can we change the world?

What’s it like to be criminalised for being gay?

Is AI coming for our jobs?

What is it like to be an animal?

How can we make homes more affordable?

How can we solve the refugee crisis?

Do we always need to pay our debts?

Can gaming make us happier?

How does class define us?

How can we survive the next mass extinction?

What’s the future of capitalism?

Why do we need foodbanks?

Do we need the arts to change the world?

Should you follow your passion?

Can mothers do it all?

Has COVID killed the office?

What is it like to be an animal?

Why do people believe in conspiracy theories?

What does it really mean to be a citizen?

Do algorithms have too much power?

Scroungers versus Strivers: the myth of the welfare state

Should we be optimistic?

What’s the point of social science in a pandemic?

How can we end child poverty in the UK?

Bullshit jobs, technology, capitalism

Is perfect the enemy of the possible?

Can we afford the super-rich?

How can we tackle air pollution? [Audio]

How can we tackle air pollution?

Is big data good for our health? [Audio]

Is big data good for our health?

What does gender have to do with pandemics?

What does gender have to do with pandemics? [Audio]

Are we doomed, or can the climate crisis be averted?

Are we doomed, or can the climate crisis be averted? [Audio]

LSE IQ Episode 31 | Is corruption inevitable?

LSE IQ Episode 31 | Is corruption inevitable? [Audio]

LSE IQ Episode 30 | How do we stop knife crime?

LSE IQ Episode 30 | How do we stop knife crime? [Audio]

LSE IQ Episode 29 | What's the secret to happiness?

LSE IQ Episode 29 | What's the secret to happiness? [Audio]

LSE IQ Episode 28 | Is the 21st Century the Chinese century?

LSE IQ Episode 28 | Is the 21st Century the Chinese century? [Audio]

LSE IQ Episode 27 | What can we learn from the 2011 riots?

LSE IQ Episode 27 | What can we learn from the 2011 riots? [Audio]

LSE IQ Episode 26 | Why do we need food banks?