Social Norms Chat

By TransformNorms

Social Norms Chat is a podcast for practitioners, funders, and changemakers eager to explore how social norms shape behaviors, how they can be shifted to drive meaningful change and how this

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FAQs about Social Norms Chat:

How many episodes does Social Norms Chat have?

The podcast currently has 23 episodes available.

Social Norms Chat episodes:

April 14, 2026S2E12: The Power of Social Norms in Government and Policy
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How can governments work towards behavior change, using social norms frameworks?
In this season's finale, host Cäcilia Riederer seats with Gwen Dereymaeker and Cameron Cyster, former and current servants at the Western Cape Government. Together, they talk about how government decisions shape everyday life, challenges, good examples and the impact of social norms on health policy.
Recommendations by Gwen and Cameron:
Nudge - Richard Thaler and Cass Sustein
Better Politics Podcast
Inside the Manosphere (2026)

Social Norms Chat is taking a break after this season where we welcomed amazing guests. During our break, don't hesitate to reach out via LinkedIn and listen to all 22 episodes available!
Use along the Transforming Social Norms Toolkit.
Follow us on LinkedIn - and message us if you have questions, suggestions or comments!

Executive producer and host: Cäcilia Riederer
Special guest: Gwen Dereymaeker and Cameron Cyster
Producer and writer: Dora Ehrlich
Editor: Tabussum Akter
...more
48min
April 01, 2026S2E11: Rethinking Citizen Participation, Power, and Agency
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How can collective action be triggered and maintained at scale and how can we use that for change?
In this episode of Social Norms Chat, host Cäcilia Riederer seats with Györgyi Galik, from Dark Matter Labs / Governing Together. Together, they talk about innovations at the local level, focusing on citizen participation and its importance.
Check Governing Together's summary introduction here.
Mentions and Recommendations made by Györgyi:
Caroline Lucas
Kate Crawford
Chris Anderson
Olga Kusinskaya (2023) The Politics of Invisibility Public Knowledge about Radiation Health Effects after Chernobyl
Holly Buck (2024) A Climate Disinformation Focus Takes Us the Wrong Way

More about relationality, one of the main concepts mentioned during this episode:

Relationality refers to the underlying web of relationship dynamics, interactions, and exchanges through which governance actually happens. It is not an add-on to institutions or processes. It is the condition within which they operate. At its core, relationality recognises that:
people, institutions, and systems are interdependent and entangled
outcomes emerge from patterns of interaction, not only from individuals, intentions, formal decisions, norms, or structures
governance is shaped as much by how we relate as by what we decide
Relationality might include:
Relationships between people and groups
Trust, mistrust, care, conflict, reciprocity
Flows and exchanges
Information, resources, power, attention, legitimacy
Feedback loops
How we learn, iterate, and how signals travel, are interpreted, and influence present and future action
Collective sense-making
How shared understanding is formed, contested, and stabilised
Institutional arrangements
The formal and informal rules that shape how interactions happen
Value logics
What is considered valid, important, or legitimate within a system
Everyday practices and enactment
How daily practices are implemented and exercised through the design of ‘soft infrastructures’ – tools, processes, and practices that translate intentions and policies into institutional capacity

Follow us on LinkedIn - and message us if you have questions, suggestions or comments!
Executive producer and host: Cäcilia Riederer
Special guest: Györgyi Galik
Producer and writer: Dora Ehrlich
Editor: Tabusum Akter
...more
40min
March 18, 2026 S2E10: the Path to Effective Leadership
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What is the importance of supporting leadership development?
In this episode of Social Norms Chat, host Cäcilia Riederer seats with Caren Wakoli, from Emerging Leaders Foundation. Together, they talk about the role of mentorship, value-driven leadership and TransformNorms, a fellowship programme that is co-hosted with Emerging Leaders.
Our Recommendation:
TransformNorms Toolkit: in order to use it, download it and open it on a PDF reader in order to fill in the gaps. In case you fill it out and want to send us your final result or ask questions, feel free to reach out on [email protected].
Caren's Recommendation:
The Impossible Dream - Man of La Mancha
Long Walk to Freedom - Nelson Mandela
Invictus (2009)

Follow us on LinkedIn - and message us if you have questions, suggestions or comments!

Executive producer and host: Cäcilia Riederer
Special guest: Caren Wakoli
Producer and writer: Dora Ehrlich
Editor: Dora Ehrlich
...more
46min
March 04, 2026 S2E9: Engaging Boys and Men in Gender Equality
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How can we engage boys and men for dialogue and gender norms change?
In this episode of Social Norms Chat, host Cäcilia Riederer seats with Harish Sadani, from Men Against Violence and Abuse (MAVA). Together, they talk about the evolution of masculinity conversations over the years, the importance of addressing social norms and the need for long-term engagement with men and boys to foster change.
Our Recommendation:
Fraym's Gender Norms Resource Hub - Data Engine

Harish's Recommendation:
The Mask You Live In, 2015
Miss Representation, 2011
The Macho Paradox, Jackson Katz
Tough Guise, 1999

Use along the Transforming Social Norms Toolkit.
Follow us on LinkedIn - and message us if you have questions, suggestions or comments!

Executive producer and host: Cäcilia Riederer
Special guest: Harish Sadani
Producer and writer: Dora Ehrlich
Editor: Tabusum Akter
...more
51min
February 18, 2026 S2E8: Towards Digital Democracy in Latin America
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How can we push for digital rights and protect politicians from online violence? What is the role of platforms, governments and civil society?
In this episode of Social Norms Chat, host Cäcilia Riederer seats with Paulina Ibarra, from Fundación Multitudes. Together, they talk about work countering violence against politicians and the how the world we currently live in contributes or not for this phoenomena.
Our Recommendation:
Political Leadership Norms and Women in Politics
In case you are interested in finding out more about Political Leadership Norms, how do they affect women in politics and what can be done to tackle negative norms and their impacts or to support new better norms, take a look at the resource above. For legal frameworks all over the world on the specific topic of violence against politicians and public officeholders, check the resource below.
Safety in Office - Global Law Repository
Paulina's Recommendation:
The Information Animal - Alicia Wanless

Use along the Transforming Social Norms Toolkit.
Follow us on LinkedIn - and message us if you have questions, suggestions or comments!

Executive producer and host: Cäcilia Riederer
Special guest: Paulina Ibarra
Producer and writer: Dora Ehrlich
Editor: Dora Ehrlich
...more
40min
February 04, 2026 S2E7: Faith, Power, and Violence Prevention
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How can we use faith leadership to change social norms? What happens when faith leaders challenge violence?
In this episode of Social Norms Chat, host Cäcilia Riederer seats with Uwezo Baghuma Lele, from Tearfund. They talk about faith leaders as potential agents of norms change, evidence of impact in conflict-affected contexts and the challenges of faith-based engagement. And more: with first-hand facilitation stories that can inspire your work too.
Our Recommendation:
Deep Dive: A Country-Specific Exploration of Evidence Addressing Gender Norms through Programming with Men and Boys in Kenya
More on Uwezo's research work
Uwezo's Recommendation:
Changing Norms through Actions: The Evolution of Sovereignty by Jennifer M. Ramos
Transforming Masculinities
Use along the Transforming Social Norms Toolkit.
Follow us on LinkedIn - and message us if you have questions, suggestions or comments!
Executive producer and host: Cäcilia Riederer
Special guest: Uwezo Baghuma Lele
Producer and writer: Dora Ehrlich
Editor: Tabusum Akter
...more
39min
January 20, 2026 S2E6: Using Artificial Intelligence Tools for Behavior Change
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How can we smartly use Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools at behavior change initiatives?
In this episode of Social Norms Chat, host Cäcilia is joined by Sarah Osman, from Osman Advisory Services. They talk about the recent evolution of technologies, good practices and innovations.
Our Recommendation:
AI uses in behavior change & social projects
GRIT - Gender Rights in Tech

Sarah's Recommendations:
LeLapa
Canva's AI data communication tools
Lovable
Farmer Chat, from Digital Green
UNDP Panama - AI for cocreation
Jakaranda Health

Use along the Transforming Social Norms Toolkit.
Follow us on LinkedIn - and message us if you have questions, suggestions or comments!
Executive producer and host: Cäcilia Riederer
Special guest: Sarah Osman
Producer and writer: Dora Ehrlich
Editor: Dora Ehrlich
...more
43min
January 07, 2026 S2E5: Strengthening Capacities for Gender Norms Change
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How can we build and strengthen capacities in order to promote gender norms change?
In this episode of Social Norms Chat, host Cäcilia is joined by Lori Heise, from Prevention Collaborative. They talk about gender norms, violence prevention, and how practitioners can effectively design programs for social change.
Our Recommendation:
Transforming Gender Norms for Violence Prevention, an accessible and comprehensive course by Prevention Collaborative.
In the episode, we also mentioned the article Theory and practice of social norms interventions: eight common pitfalls, by Lori Heise and Ben Cislaghi.
Lori's Recommendations:
Book: The Bone People, by Keri Hulme.

Use along the Transforming Social Norms Toolkit.
Follow us on LinkedIn - and message us if you have questions, suggestions or comments!
Executive producer and host: Cäcilia Riederer
Special guest: Lori Heise
Producer and writer: Dora Ehrlich
Editor: Tabusum Akter
...more
42min
December 10, 2025 S2E4: Changing Norms from the Inside Out
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What can be do inside your organization to help you better drive changes in the outside?
In this episode of Social Norms Chat, host Cäcilia, Helene Wolf and Anusha Bharadwaj, Co-Executive Directors at Fair Share of Women Leaders talk about feminist leadership and how internal changes in organizations can drive good change for everyone.
Our Recommendation:
Feminist Project Management offers tools and insights on every step of the project management cycle and how can you implement feminist practices, collective decision making, and feminist ways to understand monitoring and evaluation.
Check out the toolkit "Feminist Leaders for Feminist Goals" and the Feminist Leadership Hub from Fair Share.

Anusha's and Helene's Recommendations:
Book: Seeing Like a Feminist by Nivedita Menon
The Feminist Leadership Project
Podcast: Guilty Feminist
Podcast: Lead Like a Feminist
The 12-week Feminist Leadership Programme, by We Are Feminist Leaders

Follow us on LinkedIn - and message us if you have questions, suggestions or comments!
Executive producer and host: Cäcilia Riederer
Special guest: Helene Wolf and Anusha Bharadwaj
Producer and writer: Dora Ehrlich
Editor: Tabusum Akter
...more
49min
November 26, 2025 S2E3: Tackling Online Gender Base Violence
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What do social and gender norms have to do with online gender-based violence and what can we do to tackle it?
In this episode of Social Norms Chat, host Cäcilia and Chioma Agwuegbo, Executive Director at TechHerNG, talk about how important it is and how to tackle techonology facilitated violence.
Our Recommendation:
Transforming Social Norms Toolkit
This toolkit by TransformNorms is perfect to think about your next social norms intervention, either on your own or as a brainstorming tool with your team. By filling in gaps into a fillable and shareable PDF, you’ll slowly build a theory of change.

Check out Kuram: https://kuramng.org/
Chioma's Recommendation:
Catching the Tinder Predator
Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls: 100 Tales of Extraordinary Women

Follow us on LinkedIn - and message us if you have questions, suggestions or comments!
Executive producer and host: Cäcilia Riederer
Special guest: Chioma Agwuegbo
Producer and writer: Dora Ehrlich
Editor: Tabusum Akter
...more
52min

FAQs about Social Norms Chat:

How many episodes does Social Norms Chat have?

The podcast currently has 23 episodes available.