How are we improving dental health so we don't have to keep going back to the dentist? Anastasios Koulogiannis is a Post Graduate Researcher at UCL. He's looking at engineering applications in healthcare in the department of Mechanical Engineering and so whilst he's not a dentist (although he does have a lot of dental knowledge after spending a lot of time with dentists), Anastasios speaks to us about his research using ultrasound technology and the way its changing dental care. We cover the 'basis' like what root canal treatments are (did anyone else just think that teeth were inanimate objects?) and how Anastasios and his team are working on a treatment device that will make sure you get the treatment you need, won't have to keep going back to the dentist with tooth pains and ultimately save the NHS money.

Date of episode recording: 2024-05-22T00:00:00Z

Duration: 00:15:40

Language of episode: English

Presenter:Ferdouse Akhter

Guests: Anastasios Koulogiannis

Producer: Ferdouse Akhter; Shakira Crawford

In today’s episode, we delve into the complex and often misunderstood world of autocratic leadership. At first glance, it might seem like authoritarian rulers wield unchallenged power, free to govern without opposition. After all, the term "autocrat" stems from the Greek for "self-rule." But is that really how it works in practice?

A fantastic new book, 'Autocrats Can't Always Get What They Want', challenges this simplistic view. It reveals how modern autocratic leaders operate within a web of constraints that can shape, and sometimes even limit, their power. Intriguingly, these constraints aren’t always by design. Instead, they often emerge from circumstances that are outside the ruler's control—yet they still influence the way states function under authoritarian rule.

To unpack these fascinating insights, I’m joined by two of the book’s authors:

- Dr Samer Anabtawi, Lecturer in Comparative Politics at UCL’s Department of Political Science, brings his expertise in comparative governance to the discussion.

- Professor Nathan Brown, a leading scholar of political science and international affairs from George Washington University, offers a global perspective on the nuanced realities of authoritarian regimes.

Together, we explore a thought-provoking conversation that examines the mechanisms of modern authoritarianism and its implications for politics worldwide.

Transcript: https://ucl-uncovering-politics.simplecast.com/episodes/are-there-limits-on-autocratic-power/transcript

We all know that meat production emits a substantial amount of greenhouse gases, nearly 60% by some estimates, and so we need to do something about it. Darren Player, Associate Professor in Musculoskeletal Bioengineering, discusses the development of lab-grown meat, why he's working on engineering new, sustainable sources of meat and how he's doing it. We're also joined by Beren Fidan, a Colotaruna Soprano, who is vegan and shares her thoughts on the ethics of lab-grown meat and whether it's a viable option for her.

Date of episode recording: 2024-04-22T00:00:00Z

Duration: 35:08

Language of episode: English

Presenter:Ferdouse Akhter

Guests: Darren Player; Beren Fidan

Producer: Ferdouse Akhter; Shakira Crawford

Existing commercial buildings in the UK are being converted to create new housing, circumventing the planning system through permitted development. But what could be the impact of those conversions, especially from a health perspective?

Julia Thrift, Director, Healthier Place-making at the Town and Country Planning Association, joins expert researchers Professor Lauren Andres and Professor Ben Clifford from The Bartlett School of Planning to discuss how there is a wider cost to society that we can’t ignore in this pursuit of solving the housing situation in the UK.

Date of episode recording: 2024-11-25T00:00:00Z

Duration: 00:31:44

Language of episode: English

Presenter:Professor Lauren Andres

Guests: Professor Ben Clifford; Julia Thrift

Producer: Adam Batstone & Chizoba Onyiuke

In the final episode of series 2 of The Life of PIE, we explore the unique challenges social enterprises face as they balance growth with their mission. How can social enterprises expand while staying true to their core purpose?

Onya and Jacob McMahon, a Life of PIE alum from the 22-23 cohort, discuss external pressures, such as securing funding and managing customer expectations, alongside internal struggles like aligning diverse activities and maintaining focus. Jacob shares strategies organisations use to manage these tensions, including creating flexible structures, monitoring staff and stakeholder engagement, and fostering collaboration within networks. How can growth both ease and create challenges for social enterprises? Why is it important to share knowledge instead of trying to own everything?

We invite you to join us as we explore valuable lessons for leaders in social enterprises on how to grow sustainably and impactfully, while offering thought-provoking insights for anyone interested in the balance between ambition and purpose in any organisation. Since graduating from the PIE programme, Jacob has gone on to work as a Program Manager at Impact Hub London, Impact & Operations Manager at Cambio Consultancy, and Strategic Partnerships Lead at ZNotes, applying his expertise in strategy, innovation, and organisational design to drive sustainable growth and social impact.

Date of episode recording: 2024-12-05T00:00:00Z

Duration: 00:34:53

Language of episode: English

Presenter:Onya Idoko

Guests: Jacob McMahon

Producer: Juan Manuel Castillo

Genetic discovery in inflammatory bowel disease has been incredibly successful. This provides a unique opportunity to understand what goes wrong when people develop disease, which in turn could identify better treatment targets. Yet most of this potential remains unrealised, as moving from where genetic associations lie to an understanding of how they drive disease is a formidable challenge. James Lee will discuss recent efforts to address this challenge and how his research has revealed a central orchestrator of inflammation, which could be targeted therapeutically.

Social media plays a significant role in shaping political debates and, some argue, even influencing election outcomes. Politicians increasingly use platforms like X (formerly Twitter) to communicate directly with the public and run their campaigns. However, this unfiltered communication can sometimes spread misinformation or undermine democratic values.

A prime example is incoming US President Donald Trump, who was famously banned from Twitter for glorifying violence but has since returned to X with Elon Musk at the helm. This raises critical questions:

How should social media companies handle inflammatory or false claims from politicians?

Can they continue to claim they are mere platforms, not publishers, despite the profound impact they have?

And, if they challenge politicians' statements, do they risk overstepping their role in a democratic society?

To explore these issues, we’re joined by Jeff Howard, a professor in this department and the Director of the Digital Speech Lab. Jeff co-authored a recent paper that dives deep into the responsibilities of social media companies when it comes to regulating political speech.

Mentioned in this episode:

Fisher, S., Kira, B., Arabaghatta Basavaraj, K., & Howard, J. (2024). Should Politicians Be Exempt from Fact-Checking?Journal of Online Trust and Safety. https://tsjournal.org/index.php/jots/article/view/170/71

UCL’s Department of Political Science and School of Public Policy offers a uniquely stimulating environment for the study of all fields of politics, including international relations, political theory, human rights, public policy-making and administration. The Department is recognised for its world-class research and policy impact, ranking among the top departments in the UK on both the 2021 Research Excellence Framework and the latest Guardian rankings.

Show Contributors

Jeffrey Howard

Emily McTernan

https://ucl-uncovering-politics.simplecast.com/episodes/lies-politicians-and-social-media-should-we-fact-check-politicians/transcript

We’re familiar with the idea that history shapes contemporary politics, but what about the reverse? How do today’s political dynamics influence the way we remember the past?

In this episode, we explore a compelling study that examines this question in the context of Ukraine—a country caught between conflicting historical narratives from Russia and the West.

Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the nation has endured not only a devastating war but also an intense battle over history, identity, and legitimacy. Yet, these struggles are deeply rooted in Ukraine’s complex past.

The study we discuss was conducted in 2019, offering a snapshot from before the war. It investigates how Ukrainians recall their families’ experiences of victimisation during the Second World War and whether these memories are shaped by their present-day political beliefs.

Joining us to discuss these findings is Kristin Bakke, Professor of Political Science and International Relations at UCL and co-author of the study.

Mentioned in this episode:

Bakke, K. M., Rickard, K., O’Loughlin, J., & Toal, G. (2024). Politicizing Memory: Evidence from Ukraine. Problems of Post-Communism, 1–20. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/10758216.2024.2316037

The study in The Conversation.

https://theconversation.com/growing-number-of-war-weary-ukrainians-would-reluctantly-give-up-territory-to-save-lives-suggests-recent-survey-238285

UCL’s Department of Political Science and School of Public Policy offers a uniquely stimulating environment for the study of all fields of politics, including international relations, political theory, human rights, public policy-making and administration. The Department is recognised for its world-class research and policy impact, ranking among the top departments in the UK on both the 2021 Research Excellence Framework and the latest Guardian rankings.

Show Contributors

Kristin Bakke

Alan Renwick

https://ucl-uncovering-politics.simplecast.com/episodes/politicising-memory-evidence-from-ukraine/transcript

In recent years, policing in England and Wales has appeared to be trapped in a cycle of crisis. From high-profile scandals to criticisms of operational standards, concerns about the police’s role and conduct have intensified. Perhaps most shockingly, a serving police officer was convicted of the murder of Sarah Everard, a tragedy that underscored the urgent need for accountability within the force.

A subsequent review by Baroness Louise Casey highlighted deep-seated issues within the Metropolitan Police Service, pointing to "institutional racism, sexism, and homophobia" within the organization. Meanwhile, there’s a growing perception that the police have deprioritized certain types of crime, like shoplifting. Political figures, too, have weighed in, accusing the police of double standards in their approach to protests and civil unrest.

All of this has contributed to a significant decline in public trust. So, what exactly are the root issues? What realistic solutions could address these complex problems? And how might the current political climate impact the feasibility of any reforms?

To explore these pressing questions, we are joined by three experts in crime and policing:

Ben Bradford – Professor of Global City Policing in the Department of Security and Crime Science at University College London

Jonathan Jackson – Professor of Research Methodology in the Department of Methodology at the London School of Economics

Emmeline Taylor – Professor of Criminology in the School of Policy and Global Affairs at City, University of London

Together, Ben, Jon, and Emmeline have edited a new special issue of The Political Quarterly titled Policing the Permacrisis, which dives into these challenges and potential solutions. Regular listeners might recall that The Political Quarterly shares our goal of making cutting-edge political and policy research accessible to a broad audience beyond academia. This episode marks the second installment in our occasional series where we discuss insightful work published in the journal.

Mentioned in this episode:

Policing the Permacrisis, in The Political Quarterly https://politicalquarterly.org.uk/collections/reforming-the-police/

UCL’s Department of Political Science and School of Public Policy offers a uniquely stimulating environment for the study of all fields of politics, including international relations, political theory, human rights, public policy-making and administration. The Department is recognised for its world-class research and policy impact, ranking among the top departments in the UK on both the 2021 Research Excellence Framework and the latest Guardian rankings.

Show Contributors

Ben Bradford

Jon Jackson

Emmeline Taylor

Alan Renwick

https://ucl-uncovering-politics.simplecast.com/episodes/policing-the-permacrisis/transcript

There have been longstanding calls for reparations to address the profound injustices of colonialism and compensate for the vast extraction of resources from colonized nations. However, with few recent exceptions, these demands for reparations have largely been ignored by the former colonial powers. So, what comes next?

Over the past two decades, renewed interest in colonial reparations has emerged within political theory and philosophy, with a focus on assigning responsibility for redress. Yet, relatively little attention has been given to how redress might be achieved in the face of persistent colonial amnesia and apologia. In this episode Dr. Shuk Ying Chan, Assistant Professor in Political Theory at UCL Political Science, proposes a solution: expropriation (the unilateral public takeover of foreign assets) as a justified response to these overdue reparations.

In her argument, she shifts the focus from simply determining responsibility for reparative justice to exploring what victims of past injustices, or their descendants, are justified in doing to claim what they are owed. She also addresses the unique challenges of pursuing such political resistance at the global level.

Mentioned in this episode:

Chan, S.Y. (20024) Expropriation as Reparation. American Journal of Political Science. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/ajps.12891

UCL’s Department of Political Science and School of Public Policy offers a uniquely stimulating environment for the study of all fields of politics, including international relations, political theory, human rights, public policy-making and administration. The Department is recognised for its world-class research and policy impact, ranking among the top departments in the UK on both the 2021 Research Excellence Framework and the latest Guardian rankings.

https://ucl-uncovering-politics.simplecast.com/episodes/unpaid-reparations-and-expropriation/transcript