RSA Radio

Anger is all the rage, but is anger itself the problem? Some people say we need to push back against anger in our politics, and respond with tranquil civility. But what if anger is the only rational response to a crisis in our democracy, and crumbling political norms?

Claire Fox, director of the Academy of Ideas, joins Matthew Taylor and Ian Leslie to discuss anger, snowflakes, and inevitably, Brexit.

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Produced by James Shield.

Brought to you by the RSA (Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce).

www.thersa.org

Is it really true that we all live in our own echo chambers? Fake news and the filter bubble, post-truth and alternative facts… Are we all, as President Obama put it, ‘absorbing an entirely different reality’?

In this episode we’re asking: Is our sense of a shared reality becoming even more fragile? And is fragmentation of the media the cause – or just the symptom – of our polarised politics? With guest Sílvia Majó-Vázquez, Research Fellow at the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism at Oxford.

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Produced by James Shield.

Brought to you by the RSA (Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce).

www.thersa.org

Are economic divides to blame for everything else that’s broken in our politics? Does 'economic anxiety' explain the Trump and Brexit votes? And what deeper cultural undercurrents are at play in unequal societies?

Ian and Matthew speak to Faiza Shaheen, director of the Centre for Labour and Social Studies (CLASS) about inequalities in the UK and the US. And Matthew interviews the Emmy-winning director and photographer Lauren Greenfield, whose new documentary 'Generation Wealth' (out in the UK on 20th July) looks back at her career, and tells the story of how the American Dream came to be corrupted.

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Faiza Shaheen interview:

Lauren Greenfield interview:

The Provocation:

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Produced by James Shield, with production help from Jade Vowles.

Brought to you by the RSA (Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce).

www.theRSA.org

The third episode of a brand new podcast series from the RSA, 'Polarised'. Matthew Taylor and the author of 'Born Liars' and 'Curious', Ian Leslie, investigate the forces driving us further apart – and what can be done about them.

In this episode: Is it inevitable that the internet and social media drive us to the extremes? Or do they just hold up a mirror to an already rotten culture? And we explore the dark side of the internet – trolls, racist memes, hate-filled comment sections and increasingly virulent culture wars – and ask whether it hijacked the White House.

Produced by James Shield.

Brought to you by the RSA (Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce).

The second episode of a brand new podcast series from the RSA, 'Polarised'. Matthew Taylor and the author of 'Born Liars' and 'Curious', Ian Leslie, investigate the forces driving us further apart – and what can be done about them.

In this episode they ask: How effective were Cambridge Analytica's methods? Can ‘psychographic microtargeting’ really swing elections and referendums? And is it already driving a wedge in our politics?

Produced by James Shield. Artwork design by Emily Power.

Brought to you by the RSA (Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce).

The first episode of a brand new podcast series from the RSA, 'Polarised'.

Matthew Taylor and the author of 'Born Liars' and 'Curious', Ian Leslie, investigate the forces driving us further apart – and what can be done about them.

They start by asking the sociologist Paula Surridge whether we've become a nation divided into two tribes: liberals and authoritarians.

Produced by James Shield, with production help from Alex Atack in Bristol. Artwork design by Emily Power.

Brought to you by the RSA (Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce).

A trailer for the new podcast series from the RSA: 'Polarised'. Matthew Taylor and the author of 'Born Liars' and 'Curious', Ian Leslie, investigate the forces driving us further apart – and what can be done about them.

Rachel O’Brien talks to ‘Tom’ – not his real name – who although still young, has spent nearly half of his life inside.

Despite some fantastic governors and staff, the prison service is still under acute pressure due to cuts in funding and staffing. Ironically, the officer due to join us for this episode was unable to do so because of an incident in the prison where he now works.

Rachel talks to ‘Tom’ about the nature of prisoners’ relationships with frontline staff, and whether or not the prison system is enabling positive connections to flourish.

Having been convicted for trafficking, CJ served her sentence in Japan and the UK. Studying a law degree through the Open University, CJ now works for SOS, part of the St. Giles Trust, a charity working to break the cycle of reoffending. While still in prison, the Longford Trust matched CJ with Jessica Jones, a barrister working in human rights law. She is CJ’s career mentor.

Rachel O’Brien sat down with CJ and Jessica to talk about their relationship, and what they’ve learned from each other.

“The biggest problem for prisoners is this glass ceiling above us. To have a relationship that totally smashes that… You just pushed me through it all the time, saying ‘yes, you can do that.’” – CJ, on her career mentor Jessica

Gethin’s early life included time spent in care, and years spent going in and out of prison. Now in his forties, he runs his own successful business.

For the RSA, Rachel O’Brien talked to him about his journey, and to Bruce, the first person to give Gethin a full-time job knowing his past.

“Volunteering got me to the stage where I was able to go into that interview and demonstrate my skills, rather than just my rap sheet.” – Gethin