Podcasts about Lancaster University

What happens inside a child's brain when they're told not to touch something… and immediately reach for it anyway?In this episode we sit down with developmental neuroscientist Dr. Abigail Fiske from Lancaster University to explore how self-control develops in infancy and early childhood.Dr. Fisk studies executive functions, which are the mental skills that help us focus, regulate behaviour, and resist impulses. Using child friendly brain-imaging technology (FNIRS) and longitudinal research, she follows children from infancy through early childhood to understand how these critical abilities emerge and develop.We discuss:Why toddlers struggle with self-controlWhat executive functions actually areHow inhibitory control develops in the brainMeasuring brain activity in babies using non-invasive neuroimagingThe role of the prefrontal cortex in early developmentLessons from the classroom that inspired Dr. Fisk's research careerWhy the first five years of life are so importantEarly intervention, education, and the future of child development researchWhether you're a parent, educator, psychology enthusiast, or simply curious about how the brain develops, this conversation offers fascinating insights into the science behind self-control and learning.Support the showSupport us and reach out!https://smoothbrainsociety.comhttps://www.patreon.com/SmoothBrainSocietyInstagram: @thesmoothbrainsocietyTikTok: @thesmoothbrainsocietyTwitter/X:  @SmoothBrainSocFacebook: @thesmoothbrainsocietyMerch and all other links: Linktreeemail: thesmoothbrainsociety@gmail.com

What does yoga actually mean? If you answered 'union,' Harmony and Russell have a fascinating surprise for you. In this deeply rich conversation with Sanskrit scholar and Ashtanga teacher Zoë Slatoff, the trio explores the ancient philosophical roots beneath the practices many of us do every day. Zoë is the author of Yogavataranam: The Translation of Yoga, A New Approach to Sanskrit, Associate Director of the Yoga Studies MA program at Loyola Marymount University (Los Angeles), and a PhD candidate whose dissertation may permanently change the way you think about what yoga is for. The conversation moves from Zoë's early years in Brooklyn and a pivotal Rodney Yee VHS tape, to engineering studies at the elite Cooper Union, to teaching 16 yoga classes a week in New York City, to the magic of Lakshmi Puram in Mysore before the internet existed. It arrives, finally, at the big philosophical question at the heart of her dissertation: how did yoga go from meaning separation to meaning union? What You'll Learn in This Episode Why "yoga" in the Yoga Sutras means separation—not union—and how Advaita Vedanta changed everything The role of the Upadesha Sahasri (attributed to Shankaracharya) in bridging dualism and non-duality How Pattabhi Jois used to quote ancient Vedantic texts every single day in conference in Lakshmi Puram Why the neti neti practice ('not this, not that') is a powerful tool for modern meditators How Zoë began her Sanskrit journey in Mysore and transformed it into a published textbook and academic career What it means to teach Sanskrit in a way that actually serves yoga practitioners (not classical scholars) The magic—and the chaos—of traveling to India without the internet, using hand-drawn maps and STD phone boxes Why Zoë believes dualism and non-duality are ultimately describing the same thing, just from different angles Guest Bio: Zoë Slatoff Zoë Slatoff is a Sanskrit scholar, longtime Ashtanga yoga practitioner and teacher, and author of Yogavataranam: The Translation of Yoga—a groundbreaking Sanskrit grammar textbook designed specifically for yoga practitioners who want to read the texts that inform their practice. She holds a master's degree from Columbia University in Asian Languages and Cultures, is completing her PhD at Lancaster University, and currently serves as Associate Director (and incoming Director) of the Yoga Studies MA program at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles. She also teaches Sanskrit online through the Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies. Resources & Links Mentioned Yogavataranam: The Translation of Yoga by Zoë Slatoff — available wherever books are sold (new edition coming soon) Yoga Studies MA Program at Loyola Marymount University — visit lmu.edu for admissions info Sanskrit classes online through the Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies — check Zoë's website at ashtangayogasanskrit.com Yoga Gives Back — the charity whose fundraising gala reunited Zoë, Harmony, and Russell in LA Harmony Slater's Portugal intensives — Lisbon and Faro (end of June through mid-July); details in show links The Being Gathering festival, Portugal The Inner Rejuvenation Codes: https://harmonyslater.kit.com/inner-rejuvenation-codes-mc Join the Lightworker Mastermind:  https://harmonyslater.com/lightworker-mastermind FIND Harmony online: https://harmonyslater.com/ Harmony on IG: https://www.instagram.com/harmonyslaterofficial/ Finding Harmony Podcast on IG: https://www.instagram.com/findingharmonypodcast/ FREE Manifestation Activation: https://harmonyslater.kit.com/manifestation-activation

What does yoga actually mean? If you answered 'union,' Harmony and Russell have a fascinating surprise for you. In this deeply rich conversation with Sanskrit scholar and Ashtanga teacher Zoë  Slatoff, the trio explores the ancient philosophical roots beneath the practices many of us do every day. Zoë is the author of Yogavataranam: The Translation of Yoga, A New Approach to Sanskrit, Associate Director of the Yoga Studies MA program at Loyola Marymount University (Los Angeles), and a PhD candidate whose dissertation may permanently change the way you think about what yoga is for. The conversation moves from Zoë 's early years in Brooklyn and a pivotal Rodney Yee VHS tape, to engineering studies at the elite Cooper Union, to teaching 16 yoga classes a week in New York City, to the magic of Lakshmi Puram in Mysore before the internet existed. It arrives, finally, at the big philosophical question at the heart of her dissertation: how did yoga go from meaning separation to meaning union? What You'll Learn in This Episode Why "yoga" in the Yoga Sutras means separation—not union—and how Advaita Vedanta changed everything The role of the Upadesha Sahasri (attributed to Shankaracharya) in bridging dualism and non-duality How Pattabhi Jois used to quote ancient Vedantic texts every single day in conference in Lakshmi Puram Why the neti neti practice ('not this, not that') is a powerful tool for modern meditators How Zoe began her Sanskrit journey in Mysore and transformed it into a published textbook and academic career What it means to teach Sanskrit in a way that actually serves yoga practitioners (not classical scholars) The magic—and the chaos—of traveling to India without the internet, using hand-drawn maps and STD phone boxes Why Zoe believes dualism and non-duality are ultimately describing the same thing, just from different angles Guest Bio: Zoë  Slatoff Zoë  Slatoff is a Sanskrit scholar, longtime Ashtanga yoga practitioner and teacher, and author of Yogavataranam: The Translation of Yoga—a groundbreaking Sanskrit grammar textbook designed specifically for yoga practitioners who want to read the texts that inform their practice. She holds a master's degree from Columbia University in Asian Languages and Cultures, is completing her PhD at Lancaster University, and currently serves as Associate Director (and incoming Director) of the Yoga Studies MA program at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles. She also teaches Sanskrit online through the Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies. Resources & Links Mentioned Yogavataranam: The Translation of Yoga by Zoe Slatoff — available wherever books are sold (new edition coming soon) Yoga Studies MA Program at Loyola Marymount University — visit lmu.edu for admissions info Sanskrit classes online through the Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies — check Zoe's website at ashtangayogasanskrit.com Yoga Gives Back — the charity whose fundraising gala reunited Zoe, Harmony, and Russell in LA Harmony Slater's Portugal intensives — Lisbon and Faro (end of June through mid-July); details in show links The Being Gathering festival, Portugal The Inner Rejuvenation Codes: https://harmonyslater.kit.com/inner-rejuvenation-codes-mc Join the Lightworker Mastermind:  https://harmonyslater.com/lightworker-mastermind FIND Harmony online: https://harmonyslater.com/ Harmony on IG: https://www.instagram.com/harmonyslaterofficial/ Finding Harmony Podcast on IG: https://www.instagram.com/findingharmonypodcast/ FREE Manifestation Activation: https://harmonyslater.kit.com/manifestation-activation

Jeffrey Whyte's book The Birth of Psychological War: Propaganda, Espionage, and Military Violence from WWII to the Vietnam War (Oxford UP, 2023) explores the history, politics, and geography of United States psychological warfare in the 20th century against the backdrop of the contemporary 'post-truth era'. From its origins in the Second World War, to the United States' counterinsurgency campaigns in Vietnam, Whyte traces how the theory and practice of psychological warfare transformed the relationship between the home front and theatres of war. Whyte interrogates the broader political mythologies that animate popular conceptions of psychological war, such as its claim to make war more humane and less violent.  On the contrary, The Birth of Psychological War demonstrates the role of psychological warfare in expanding the scope and scale of military violence amidst ostensible efforts to 'win hearts and minds'. While casting a critical eye on psychological warfare, Whyte establishes its continued significance for the contemporary student of international relations. Dr. Whyte earned his Ph.D. with the Department of Geography, University of British Columbia and before that a MA with School of Communication, Simon Fraser University, also in beautiful British Columbia. He is currently Lecturer in International Relations at the Department of Politics, Philosophy, and Religion, Lancaster University. Michael G. Vann is a professor of world history at California State University, Sacramento. A specialist in imperialism and the Cold War in Southeast Asia, he is the author of The Great Hanoi Rat Hunt: Empires, Disease, and Modernity in French Colonial Vietnam (Oxford University Press, 2018). When he's not reading or talking about new books with smart people, Mike can be found surfing in Santa Cruz, California. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

Jeffrey Whyte's book The Birth of Psychological War: Propaganda, Espionage, and Military Violence from WWII to the Vietnam War (Oxford UP, 2023) explores the history, politics, and geography of United States psychological warfare in the 20th century against the backdrop of the contemporary 'post-truth era'. From its origins in the Second World War, to the United States' counterinsurgency campaigns in Vietnam, Whyte traces how the theory and practice of psychological warfare transformed the relationship between the home front and theatres of war. Whyte interrogates the broader political mythologies that animate popular conceptions of psychological war, such as its claim to make war more humane and less violent.  On the contrary, The Birth of Psychological War demonstrates the role of psychological warfare in expanding the scope and scale of military violence amidst ostensible efforts to 'win hearts and minds'. While casting a critical eye on psychological warfare, Whyte establishes its continued significance for the contemporary student of international relations. Dr. Whyte earned his Ph.D. with the Department of Geography, University of British Columbia and before that a MA with School of Communication, Simon Fraser University, also in beautiful British Columbia. He is currently Lecturer in International Relations at the Department of Politics, Philosophy, and Religion, Lancaster University. Michael G. Vann is a professor of world history at California State University, Sacramento. A specialist in imperialism and the Cold War in Southeast Asia, he is the author of The Great Hanoi Rat Hunt: Empires, Disease, and Modernity in French Colonial Vietnam (Oxford University Press, 2018). When he's not reading or talking about new books with smart people, Mike can be found surfing in Santa Cruz, California. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/military-history

Jeffrey Whyte's book The Birth of Psychological War: Propaganda, Espionage, and Military Violence from WWII to the Vietnam War (Oxford UP, 2023) explores the history, politics, and geography of United States psychological warfare in the 20th century against the backdrop of the contemporary 'post-truth era'. From its origins in the Second World War, to the United States' counterinsurgency campaigns in Vietnam, Whyte traces how the theory and practice of psychological warfare transformed the relationship between the home front and theatres of war. Whyte interrogates the broader political mythologies that animate popular conceptions of psychological war, such as its claim to make war more humane and less violent.  On the contrary, The Birth of Psychological War demonstrates the role of psychological warfare in expanding the scope and scale of military violence amidst ostensible efforts to 'win hearts and minds'. While casting a critical eye on psychological warfare, Whyte establishes its continued significance for the contemporary student of international relations. Dr. Whyte earned his Ph.D. with the Department of Geography, University of British Columbia and before that a MA with School of Communication, Simon Fraser University, also in beautiful British Columbia. He is currently Lecturer in International Relations at the Department of Politics, Philosophy, and Religion, Lancaster University. Michael G. Vann is a professor of world history at California State University, Sacramento. A specialist in imperialism and the Cold War in Southeast Asia, he is the author of The Great Hanoi Rat Hunt: Empires, Disease, and Modernity in French Colonial Vietnam (Oxford University Press, 2018). When he's not reading or talking about new books with smart people, Mike can be found surfing in Santa Cruz, California. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/world-affairs

Jeffrey Whyte's book The Birth of Psychological War: Propaganda, Espionage, and Military Violence from WWII to the Vietnam War (Oxford UP, 2023) explores the history, politics, and geography of United States psychological warfare in the 20th century against the backdrop of the contemporary 'post-truth era'. From its origins in the Second World War, to the United States' counterinsurgency campaigns in Vietnam, Whyte traces how the theory and practice of psychological warfare transformed the relationship between the home front and theatres of war. Whyte interrogates the broader political mythologies that animate popular conceptions of psychological war, such as its claim to make war more humane and less violent.  On the contrary, The Birth of Psychological War demonstrates the role of psychological warfare in expanding the scope and scale of military violence amidst ostensible efforts to 'win hearts and minds'. While casting a critical eye on psychological warfare, Whyte establishes its continued significance for the contemporary student of international relations. Dr. Whyte earned his Ph.D. with the Department of Geography, University of British Columbia and before that a MA with School of Communication, Simon Fraser University, also in beautiful British Columbia. He is currently Lecturer in International Relations at the Department of Politics, Philosophy, and Religion, Lancaster University. Michael G. Vann is a professor of world history at California State University, Sacramento. A specialist in imperialism and the Cold War in Southeast Asia, he is the author of The Great Hanoi Rat Hunt: Empires, Disease, and Modernity in French Colonial Vietnam (Oxford University Press, 2018). When he's not reading or talking about new books with smart people, Mike can be found surfing in Santa Cruz, California. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/american-studies

Jeffrey Whyte's book The Birth of Psychological War: Propaganda, Espionage, and Military Violence from WWII to the Vietnam War (Oxford UP, 2023) explores the history, politics, and geography of United States psychological warfare in the 20th century against the backdrop of the contemporary 'post-truth era'. From its origins in the Second World War, to the United States' counterinsurgency campaigns in Vietnam, Whyte traces how the theory and practice of psychological warfare transformed the relationship between the home front and theatres of war. Whyte interrogates the broader political mythologies that animate popular conceptions of psychological war, such as its claim to make war more humane and less violent.  On the contrary, The Birth of Psychological War demonstrates the role of psychological warfare in expanding the scope and scale of military violence amidst ostensible efforts to 'win hearts and minds'. While casting a critical eye on psychological warfare, Whyte establishes its continued significance for the contemporary student of international relations. Dr. Whyte earned his Ph.D. with the Department of Geography, University of British Columbia and before that a MA with School of Communication, Simon Fraser University, also in beautiful British Columbia. He is currently Lecturer in International Relations at the Department of Politics, Philosophy, and Religion, Lancaster University. Michael G. Vann is a professor of world history at California State University, Sacramento. A specialist in imperialism and the Cold War in Southeast Asia, he is the author of The Great Hanoi Rat Hunt: Empires, Disease, and Modernity in French Colonial Vietnam (Oxford University Press, 2018). When he's not reading or talking about new books with smart people, Mike can be found surfing in Santa Cruz, California. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/national-security

Jeffrey Whyte's book The Birth of Psychological War: Propaganda, Espionage, and Military Violence from WWII to the Vietnam War (Oxford UP, 2023) explores the history, politics, and geography of United States psychological warfare in the 20th century against the backdrop of the contemporary 'post-truth era'. From its origins in the Second World War, to the United States' counterinsurgency campaigns in Vietnam, Whyte traces how the theory and practice of psychological warfare transformed the relationship between the home front and theatres of war. Whyte interrogates the broader political mythologies that animate popular conceptions of psychological war, such as its claim to make war more humane and less violent.  On the contrary, The Birth of Psychological War demonstrates the role of psychological warfare in expanding the scope and scale of military violence amidst ostensible efforts to 'win hearts and minds'. While casting a critical eye on psychological warfare, Whyte establishes its continued significance for the contemporary student of international relations. Dr. Whyte earned his Ph.D. with the Department of Geography, University of British Columbia and before that a MA with School of Communication, Simon Fraser University, also in beautiful British Columbia. He is currently Lecturer in International Relations at the Department of Politics, Philosophy, and Religion, Lancaster University. Michael G. Vann is a professor of world history at California State University, Sacramento. A specialist in imperialism and the Cold War in Southeast Asia, he is the author of The Great Hanoi Rat Hunt: Empires, Disease, and Modernity in French Colonial Vietnam (Oxford University Press, 2018). When he's not reading or talking about new books with smart people, Mike can be found surfing in Santa Cruz, California. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/psychology

Jeffrey Whyte's book The Birth of Psychological War: Propaganda, Espionage, and Military Violence from WWII to the Vietnam War (Oxford UP, 2023) explores the history, politics, and geography of United States psychological warfare in the 20th century against the backdrop of the contemporary 'post-truth era'. From its origins in the Second World War, to the United States' counterinsurgency campaigns in Vietnam, Whyte traces how the theory and practice of psychological warfare transformed the relationship between the home front and theatres of war. Whyte interrogates the broader political mythologies that animate popular conceptions of psychological war, such as its claim to make war more humane and less violent.  On the contrary, The Birth of Psychological War demonstrates the role of psychological warfare in expanding the scope and scale of military violence amidst ostensible efforts to 'win hearts and minds'. While casting a critical eye on psychological warfare, Whyte establishes its continued significance for the contemporary student of international relations. Dr. Whyte earned his Ph.D. with the Department of Geography, University of British Columbia and before that a MA with School of Communication, Simon Fraser University, also in beautiful British Columbia. He is currently Lecturer in International Relations at the Department of Politics, Philosophy, and Religion, Lancaster University. Michael G. Vann is a professor of world history at California State University, Sacramento. A specialist in imperialism and the Cold War in Southeast Asia, he is the author of The Great Hanoi Rat Hunt: Empires, Disease, and Modernity in French Colonial Vietnam (Oxford University Press, 2018). When he's not reading or talking about new books with smart people, Mike can be found surfing in Santa Cruz, California. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/science-technology-and-society

Jeffrey Whyte's book The Birth of Psychological War: Propaganda, Espionage, and Military Violence from WWII to the Vietnam War (Oxford UP, 2023) explores the history, politics, and geography of United States psychological warfare in the 20th century against the backdrop of the contemporary 'post-truth era'. From its origins in the Second World War, to the United States' counterinsurgency campaigns in Vietnam, Whyte traces how the theory and practice of psychological warfare transformed the relationship between the home front and theatres of war. Whyte interrogates the broader political mythologies that animate popular conceptions of psychological war, such as its claim to make war more humane and less violent.  On the contrary, The Birth of Psychological War demonstrates the role of psychological warfare in expanding the scope and scale of military violence amidst ostensible efforts to 'win hearts and minds'. While casting a critical eye on psychological warfare, Whyte establishes its continued significance for the contemporary student of international relations. Dr. Whyte earned his Ph.D. with the Department of Geography, University of British Columbia and before that a MA with School of Communication, Simon Fraser University, also in beautiful British Columbia. He is currently Lecturer in International Relations at the Department of Politics, Philosophy, and Religion, Lancaster University. Michael G. Vann is a professor of world history at California State University, Sacramento. A specialist in imperialism and the Cold War in Southeast Asia, he is the author of The Great Hanoi Rat Hunt: Empires, Disease, and Modernity in French Colonial Vietnam (Oxford University Press, 2018). When he's not reading or talking about new books with smart people, Mike can be found surfing in Santa Cruz, California.

Can preparing the body before cancer treatment improve recovery, reduce complications, and even protect brain function?In this episode, Sahir sits down with Dr. Christopher Gaffney, Senior Lecturer in Integrative Physiology at Lancaster University, to explore the growing science of prehabilitation. Prehabilitation uses exercise, nutrition, and psychological support to help cancer patients better tolerate surgery, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy.They discuss how a patient's baseline fitness can influence treatment outcomes, why exercise is increasingly being viewed as medicine, the emerging evidence around “chemo brain,” and why healthcare may need to shift from reactive treatment to proactive preparation.A fascinating conversation at the intersection of cancer research, physiology, and preventative medicine.Topics Covered What prehabilitation is and why it matters  Exercise as medicine in cancer care  How fitness affects surgery and chemotherapy outcomes  The science behind chemo brain and fatigue  Why medicine needs to think earlier, not laterSupport the showSupport us and reach out!https://smoothbrainsociety.comhttps://www.patreon.com/SmoothBrainSocietyInstagram: @thesmoothbrainsocietyTikTok: @thesmoothbrainsocietyTwitter/X:  @SmoothBrainSocFacebook: @thesmoothbrainsocietyMerch and all other links: Linktreeemail: thesmoothbrainsociety@gmail.com

Episode SummaryIn this powerful episode of Sustainability Solved, hosts Will Richardson and Charlie Luxton speak with Mike Berners-Lee about the National Emergency Briefing (NEB) initiative. Mike explains how this groundbreaking project brings together top experts to communicate the urgent reality of our climate and nature emergency, and outlines how businesses can transform these challenges into opportunities. The conversation explores media misinformation, political inaction, and practical steps businesses can take to thrive in a sustainable future.GuestMike Berners-Lee - Professor at Lancaster University, author, and sustainability expert focused on helping organizations respond appropriately to climate and nature emergencies.Key TopicsThe National Emergency Briefing initiative and its impactMedia's role in climate misinformationBusiness opportunities in sustainability transitionsFood security and the shift to plant-rich dietsThe importance of truth in public discoursePositive tipping points in climate actionKey Quotes"We're accelerating into a poly crisis at the moment, and it's about a response to that." - Mike Berners-Lee"The most important thing to do is to keep the narrative, is to raise the narrative on this. We've got to make it normal to talk about this stuff as though it's a huge deal all the time." - Mike Berners-Lee"We can't afford not to do it. Businesses, you need to do your own independent thinking. You need to get clear view of proper facts on this and then you need to be a bit imaginative about working out how that economic business opportunity pans out for you." - Mike Berners-LeeResources MentionedNational Emergency Briefing website: nebriefing.orgPeople's Emergency Briefing film (available from April 7th)Mike's book: "A Climate of Truth"Fit for the Future business toolCall to ActionVisit nebriefing.org to watch the nine expert briefings and learn how to host a People's Emergency Briefing event at your business after April 7th.Mentioned in this episode:National Emergency BriefingNational Emergency BriefingApply now

In this conversation, we update you on two big milestones for the Grange Project, the launch of the Welsh Rewilding Alliance and our OECM recognition, before sitting down with Professor Mike Berners‑Lee. We ask Mike to explain the polycrisis: how climate change, biodiversity loss, pollution, food insecurity and geopolitical instability are all interlinked. Mike helps us see why recycling alone won't cut it: plastics are produced almost entirely from fossil fuels, their emissions could eat up a large chunk of the remaining carbon budget and their additives disrupt hormones. We also talk about why technology by itself isn't enough, how misinformation slows progress and what practical steps we can all take-like switching to trustworthy media and supporting a national information campaign to wake up and act.Episode journey:[00:05] Introduction and mission. We open the show by explaining why we started the Wilder Podcast: to share our learning about rewilding and the wider forces shaping our world. We remind listeners that we created the Grange Project two and a half years ago to restore nature, grow food, support eco‑businesses and reconnect people with land.[02:24] Two big updates. We proudly announce the launch of the Welsh Rewilding Alliance and its report A Welsh Way to Wild. We also share that the Grange Project has been recognised by the Welsh Government as an OECM, a big step in confirming that our land management has rigorous governance and real biodiversity benefits.[07:08] Introducing Professor Mike Berners‑Lee. We explain how we first encountered Mike's work-reading There Is No Planet B inspired us to buy the farm and start the Grange Project. Mike introduces himself as a professor, consultant and author.[11:09] What is the polycrisis? Mike explains that the polycrisis is a tangle of interconnected challenges driven by humanity's unprecedented power. He emphasises that disasters like pandemics and wars no longer happen in isolation; their severity comes from the cascading effects they unleash. For us, it was eye‑opening to see how our economic and political systems amplify these stresses.[16:58] Examples of cascading crises. We discuss real‑world examples: the COVID‑19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine amplifying food and energy crises. Mike highlights that plastic production has boomed since the 1950s and plastics are a major source of emissions and endocrine disruption. It reinforced for us how everything is connected.[20:43] Wake‑up call and the National Emergency Briefing. Mike tells us about the National Emergency Briefing in Westminster, where experts covered nine dimensions of the crisis from health and food to national security and no one thought the situation was exaggerated. We both feel this shows how widely the severity of the crisis is recognised and why we need national action.[23:05] Misinformation and media ownership. We explore how misinformation is blocking progress. Mike challenges the narratives that climate action will leave us poorer and colder, and explains how social‑media algorithms spread disinformation. We urge you to choose trustworthy news sources and recognise manipulation.[29:14] Techno‑optimism vs. systemic change. Mike says that simply scaling up renewables isn't enough. He points out that although renewable capacity has grown massively, fossil energy use has also climbed, so overall emissions keep rising. That's why systemic measures like carbon pricing and fossil‑fuel constraints are critical.[33:35] Human psychology and leadership. Together we discuss why people aren't inherently selfish. Neuroscience and social history suggest we can cultivate cooperation and empathy. Mike encourages us to seek leaders who are kind and honest, and we talk about the courage it takes to speak up and push for change.[47:19] Calls to action. We finish by encouraging you to sign the letter at nebriefing.org, host local screenings of the briefing film and start conversations in your community. Mike notes that facing these issues head‑on feels liberating, we felt it too.[49:05] Host reflections. After the interview, we reflect on our own nerves and gratitude for Mike's clarity. We discuss doing a mini‑series on the individual crises and debate whether information alone prompts action. We conclude that people need both facts and relatable stories of hopeful change.About the guest:We were honoured to speak with Mike Berners‑Lee, a professor at Lancaster University and founder of Small World Consulting. He advises organisations on sustainability and wrote There Is No Planet B and A Climate of Truth. Mike is known for making complex issues accessible and for advocating systemic solutions to interlinked crises.Resources and links:National Emergency Briefing – A national information briefing on the climate and nature crisis with expert videos, action guides and community‑screening resources. Learn more at https://nebriefing.org.The Welsh Way to Wild report – The Welsh Rewilding Alliance's report sets out a practical vision for rewilding in Wales. Download the report at https://rewildingalliance.cymru/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Welsh-Rewilding-Alliance-Report-2026.pdf.Small World Consulting – Mike Berners‑Lee's consultancy helps organisations understand sustainability challenges and thrive in a volatile world. Visit https://www.sw-consulting.co.uk.There Is No Planet B – Mike Berners‑Lee's handbook on climate, biodiversity and practical solutions. Learn more and find retailers at https://theresnoplanetb.net .A Climate of Truth – Mike's latest book explores honesty in politics, media and business as a critical lever for tackling the polycrisis. Details and purchase links are at https://climateoftruth.co.uk.National Emergency Briefing open letter – Add your name to the open letter calling for a televised national emergency briefing at https://nebriefing.org/open-letter-keir.Screw This, Let's Try Something Else – A hopeful podcast featuring community-led projects that are changing food, energy and housing systems. Listen on Apple Podcasts at https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/screw-this-lets-try-something-else/id1863391095.The Grange Project – Our own rewilding project in Monmouthshire, where we experiment with nature restoration, food growing and eco‑business. Learn more at https://grangeproject.co.uk.Why this episode mattersAs rewilders, we see how climate change, biodiversity loss, pollution, public health and social instability are woven together. This episode shows that tackling one issue in isolation isn't enough we need to change the systems that drive multiple crises and challenge misinformation. By combining big‑picture analysis with concrete steps, from signing a letter to choosing better media, we hope to inspire you to join us in building a more hopeful, resilient future.

What can insurance professionals and firms do to better support flood survivors? In this episode of The Journal Podcast, we're discussing the recent report, released by the National Emergencies Trust and Lancaster University, calling for clearer information and guidance for flood survivors in the immediate aftermath of floods. We'll be exploring: ➡️ The outlines of the report ➡️ The implications of the finding on firms and those working within the profession ➡️ What the profession can do to improve the experience and support vulnerable customers better. Joining us on the podcast is Jonathan Clark, Board Member at the National Emergencies Trust and William Quibell, Head of Claims at Ageas and member of the CII Claims Community Board. To read the full Stories After the Storms report, please click here: https://nationalemergenciestrust.org.uk/stories-after-the-storms/

It's easy right now to believe that the divisions we see are simply too deep to repair. That empathy has become a liability. That listening has been replaced by winning.And yet, I still believe, perhaps more than ever, that empathy remains our greatest tool for healing even the most jagged fractures in our world, not as a naïve ideal, but as a courageous, strategic choice. And that choice has the power to transform entire systems.My guest today, Dr. Claire Yorke, has devoted her career to studying exactly that possibility.We explore what empathy in politics actually looks like, why empathy is essential for effective leadership, the challenges empathetic leaders face in polarized environments, and why we can't simply wait for more empathetic political leaders to emerge.We also talk about hope. Not passive hope, but participatory hope. The kind that invites each of us - as citizens, leaders, and humans - to model empathy, practice deeper listening, and engage in shaping healthier political cultures, whether through community dialogue, civic participation, or simply choosing curiosity over certainty.This is a conversation about what's possible when we choose empathy, not as an escape from reality, but as a path forward through it.To access the episode transcript, go to www.TheEmpathyEdge.com, search by episode title.Listen in for…The relationship military leaders have with empathy and their job.What it can look like to have empathy in our politics, regardless of country.The impact of citizen assemblies and civic engagement.Why do we need to change political culture so that it attracts and rewards politicians who embrace empathy and can stop battling?Maintaining an ideal vision of what's possible and what to do to make it a reality.Steps that can be taken at the local and national levels to make changes."We need to change our politics. So it's much more about building relationships, building that sense of connectedness, both between politicians and the public, between citizens and their communities, and seeing this as an ecosystem." — Dr. Claire Yorke References:Book: Citizens: Why the Key to Fixing Everything is All of Us by Jon Alexander and Ariane ConradDemocracy NextThe Empathy Edge:Sam Daley-Harris: Reclaiming Our DemocracyMónica Guzmán: How to Have Fearlessly Curious Conversations in Divided Political TimesDr. Gina Baleria: Empathy in Journalism and Today's Media LandscapeElisa Camahort Page: The Art of Empathy in Politics, Activism, and Media BSJames Coan: Closing the Perception Gap that Tears Us ApartAbout Dr. Claire Yorke, Senior Lecturer at Deakin University, Author of Empathy in Politics and Leadership: The Key to Transforming our World:Dr. Claire Yorke is an author and academic. Her work focuses on the role of empathy and emotions in international affairs, politics, leadership, and society. She is a Senior Lecturer at the Australian War College, Deakin University, Canberra, where her research and teaching focus on these topics. In 2025, she published Empathy in Politics and Leadership: The Key to Transforming Our World with Yale University Press. She is writing two more.Claire received her PhD in International Relations from the Department of War Studies, King's College London. She has a Master's in Middle East Politics from the University of Exeter, and a BA in Politics, International Relations and French from Lancaster University.Connect with Claire: Website: claireyorke.meLinkedIn: Dr Claire YorkeInstagram: @theempathydoctorBlueSky: @claireyorke.bsky.socialBook: Empathy in Politics and Leadership: The Key to Transforming our WorldConnect with Maria:Get Maria's books: Red-Slice.com/booksHire Maria to speak: Red-Slice.com/Speaker-Maria-RossTake the LinkedIn Learning Courses! Leading with Empathy and Balancing Empathy, Accountability, and Results as a LeaderLinkedIn: Maria RossInstagram: @redslicemariaFacebook: Red SliceGet your copy of The Empathy Dilemma here- www.theempathydilemma.com

As Israel and the US continued to bomb Iran after killing the country's supreme leader Ali Khamenei, Iran lashed out at its neighbours with multiple drone strikes, including against the US embassy in Riyadh.Saudi Arabia and Iran have a long and bitter rivalry. Yet, in recent years, the Saudis had begun building new diplomatic relationship with Iran, even as they and other Gulf states continued to host American military bases, and court American investment.Now the Gulf states find themselves in the middle of the very regional conflict many of its leaders hoped to avoid. It's one which threatens longstanding efforts to cement the Gulf as a hub for finance, travel and tourism, and as an oasis of security.Were they blindsided? Or did some actually want the US to attack Iran? With the US and Israel seemingly calling the shots, what will the Gulf states do now?In today's episode, we speak to Simon Mabon, a professor of international relations at Lancaster University in the UK and expert in Saudi-Iran relations, about how the Gulf's delicate balancing act between the US and Iran came toppling down.This episode was written and produced by Mend Mariwany and Katie Flood. The executive producers was Gemma Ware. Mixing by Eleanor Brezzi and theme music by Neeta Sarl. Read the full credits for this episode and sign up here for a free daily newsletter from The Conversation.If you like the show, please consider donating to The Conversation, an independent, not-for-profit news organisation.Mentioned in this episode:The Making of an AutocratSearch "The Conversation Weekly" for our new series: The Making of an Autocrat. Is America watching its democracy unravel in real time? In The Making of an Autocrat from The Conversation, six of the world's pre-eminant scholars reveal the recipe for authoritarian rule. From capturing a party, to controlling the military, Donald Trump is borrowing from the playbook of strongmen thoughout history. This is the story of how democracies falter — and what might happen next.

Tekniker för att skapa könsceller och utveckla konstgjorda livmödrar utmanar gränserna för fertilitet, genetik och etik. Lyssna på alla avsnitt i Sveriges Radios app. Forskare arbetar med tekniker som kan förändra allt från fertilitet till synen på genetiska band. Genom IVG, in vitro‑gametogenes, har hudceller hos möss redan omvandlats till både spermier och ägg. Mänskliga hudceller har i laboratorier backats för att utvecklas till befruktningsbara ägg.Metoder som IVG kan i framtiden hjälpa personer med infertilitet, äldre som vill bli föräldrar eller samkönade par som söker genetiskt släktskap. Tekniken öppnar också för scenarier där hudceller från vardagliga föremål som en kaffekopp kan användas för att skapa könsceller utan samtycke. Professorerna i bioetik Françoise Baylis från Dalhouise University i Kanada och Steve Wilkenson från Lancaster University i Storbritannien varnar för att det skulle kunna leda till utpressning och krav på nya lagar kring genetiska spår.Samtidigt utvecklas konstgjorda livmödrar där djurförsök visar att foster kan fortsätta sin utveckling i en slags smarta plastpåsar, genomskinliga så kallade biobags.Forskare försöker förstå hur syre, näring och slussar mellan kvinnans livmoder och den konstgjorda livmodern ska fungera för att framtida för tidigt födda ska överleva i högre grad. Tekniken ligger långt fram, men väcker frågor om kontroll över graviditet, framtida abortlagstiftning och vilka normer som kan forma kvinnor och föräldrar. Tillsammans ritas gränserna om för reproduktion och visar hur starkt tekniken kan påverka både individers val och samhällets syn på genetisk föräldraskap.Reporter: Annika Östmanannika.ostman@sr.seProducent: Lars Broströmlars.brostrom@sr.seTekniker: Victor Bortas Rydbergvictor.bortas_rydberg@sr.se

How would we eat if animals had rights? A standard assumption is that our food systems would be plant-based. But maybe we should reject this assumption. Indeed, this book argues that a future non-vegan food system would be permissible on an animal rights view. It might even be desirable. In Food, Justice, and Animals: Feeding the World Respectfully (Oxford University Press, 2023), Josh Milburn questions if the vegan food system risks cutting off many people's pursuit of the 'good life', risks exacerbating food injustices, and risks negative outcomes for animals. If so, then maybe non-vegan food systems would be preferable to vegan food systems, if they could respect animal rights. Could they? The author provides a rigorous analysis of the ethics of farming invertebrates, producing plant-based meats, developing cultivated animal products, and co-working with animals on genuinely humane farms, arguing that these possibilities offer the chance for a food system that is non-vegan, but nonetheless respects animals' rights. He argues that there is a way for us to have our cake, and eat it too, because we can have our cow, and eat her too. Josh Milburn is a British philosopher and a Lecturer in Political Philosophy at Loughborough University. He has previously worked at the University of Sheffield, the University of York, and Queen's University (in Canada), before which he studied at Queen's University Belfast and Lancaster University. He is the author of Just Fodder: The Ethics of Feeding Animals (McGill-Queen's University Press, 2022), and the regular host of the animal studies podcast Knowing Animals. Kyle Johannsen is a philosophy instructor at Trent University and Wilfrid Laurier University. His most recent book is Wild Animal Ethics: The Moral and Political Problem of Wild Animal Suffering (Routledge, 2021). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

How would we eat if animals had rights? A standard assumption is that our food systems would be plant-based. But maybe we should reject this assumption. Indeed, this book argues that a future non-vegan food system would be permissible on an animal rights view. It might even be desirable. In Food, Justice, and Animals: Feeding the World Respectfully (Oxford University Press, 2023), Josh Milburn questions if the vegan food system risks cutting off many people's pursuit of the 'good life', risks exacerbating food injustices, and risks negative outcomes for animals. If so, then maybe non-vegan food systems would be preferable to vegan food systems, if they could respect animal rights. Could they? The author provides a rigorous analysis of the ethics of farming invertebrates, producing plant-based meats, developing cultivated animal products, and co-working with animals on genuinely humane farms, arguing that these possibilities offer the chance for a food system that is non-vegan, but nonetheless respects animals' rights. He argues that there is a way for us to have our cake, and eat it too, because we can have our cow, and eat her too. Josh Milburn is a British philosopher and a Lecturer in Political Philosophy at Loughborough University. He has previously worked at the University of Sheffield, the University of York, and Queen's University (in Canada), before which he studied at Queen's University Belfast and Lancaster University. He is the author of Just Fodder: The Ethics of Feeding Animals (McGill-Queen's University Press, 2022), and the regular host of the animal studies podcast Knowing Animals. Kyle Johannsen is a philosophy instructor at Trent University and Wilfrid Laurier University. His most recent book is Wild Animal Ethics: The Moral and Political Problem of Wild Animal Suffering (Routledge, 2021). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/environmental-studies

How would we eat if animals had rights? A standard assumption is that our food systems would be plant-based. But maybe we should reject this assumption. Indeed, this book argues that a future non-vegan food system would be permissible on an animal rights view. It might even be desirable. In Food, Justice, and Animals: Feeding the World Respectfully (Oxford University Press, 2023), Josh Milburn questions if the vegan food system risks cutting off many people's pursuit of the 'good life', risks exacerbating food injustices, and risks negative outcomes for animals. If so, then maybe non-vegan food systems would be preferable to vegan food systems, if they could respect animal rights. Could they? The author provides a rigorous analysis of the ethics of farming invertebrates, producing plant-based meats, developing cultivated animal products, and co-working with animals on genuinely humane farms, arguing that these possibilities offer the chance for a food system that is non-vegan, but nonetheless respects animals' rights. He argues that there is a way for us to have our cake, and eat it too, because we can have our cow, and eat her too. Josh Milburn is a British philosopher and a Lecturer in Political Philosophy at Loughborough University. He has previously worked at the University of Sheffield, the University of York, and Queen's University (in Canada), before which he studied at Queen's University Belfast and Lancaster University. He is the author of Just Fodder: The Ethics of Feeding Animals (McGill-Queen's University Press, 2022), and the regular host of the animal studies podcast Knowing Animals. Kyle Johannsen is a philosophy instructor at Trent University and Wilfrid Laurier University. His most recent book is Wild Animal Ethics: The Moral and Political Problem of Wild Animal Suffering (Routledge, 2021). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/food

How would we eat if animals had rights? A standard assumption is that our food systems would be plant-based. But maybe we should reject this assumption. Indeed, this book argues that a future non-vegan food system would be permissible on an animal rights view. It might even be desirable. In Food, Justice, and Animals: Feeding the World Respectfully (Oxford University Press, 2023), Josh Milburn questions if the vegan food system risks cutting off many people's pursuit of the 'good life', risks exacerbating food injustices, and risks negative outcomes for animals. If so, then maybe non-vegan food systems would be preferable to vegan food systems, if they could respect animal rights. Could they? The author provides a rigorous analysis of the ethics of farming invertebrates, producing plant-based meats, developing cultivated animal products, and co-working with animals on genuinely humane farms, arguing that these possibilities offer the chance for a food system that is non-vegan, but nonetheless respects animals' rights. He argues that there is a way for us to have our cake, and eat it too, because we can have our cow, and eat her too. Josh Milburn is a British philosopher and a Lecturer in Political Philosophy at Loughborough University. He has previously worked at the University of Sheffield, the University of York, and Queen's University (in Canada), before which he studied at Queen's University Belfast and Lancaster University. He is the author of Just Fodder: The Ethics of Feeding Animals (McGill-Queen's University Press, 2022), and the regular host of the animal studies podcast Knowing Animals. Kyle Johannsen is a philosophy instructor at Trent University and Wilfrid Laurier University. His most recent book is Wild Animal Ethics: The Moral and Political Problem of Wild Animal Suffering (Routledge, 2021). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/politics-and-polemics

Powering AI 2.0 is no longer just a technology story — it's an energy and infrastructure story reshaping capital markets and the global economy. As artificial intelligence scales from training to real-world inference, electricity demand is accelerating at a pace few anticipated.In this episode of The Bid, host Oscar Pulido is joined by Will Su from BlackRock's Fundamental Equities Group to examine how Powering AI 2.0 is transforming utilities, natural gas markets, renewables, and nuclear power. With data centers expanding rapidly and gigawatt-scale facilities coming online, the AI build-out is driving a structural shift in U.S. electricity demand after more than a decade of stagnation.Will explains why the energy sector sits at the center of AI investing. From the rise of “bring your own power” models to the growing role of natural gas as a dispatchable, scalable fuel source, the infrastructure required to support AI represents one of the largest capital investment cycles in modern history. The conversation also explores renewables, battery storage, and nuclear power — including the limits of restarts and the long timeline for new reactor construction.Key moments:00:00 Introduction Power Is Knowledge: AI's Exponential Energy Appetite02:31 From Tokens to ‘Yottaflops': Why Smarter Models Need More Electricity05:04 Training LLMs vs. Inference: The Next Wave of AI Power Demand06:45 Data Centers at City Scale: How Big Is the Load?11:15 Bring Your Own Power (BYOP): Why Natural Gas Is Back in Focus16:04 Renewables Reality Check: Solar Momentum, Wind Headwinds, and Batteries19:14 Nuclear's Comeback - Restarts Now, New Builds Later21:26 Can AI Beat Humans at Investing? Man + Machine as the Edge23:33 Wrap-Up, What's NextKey insights from this episode:· Why natural gas has emerged as a key “here and now” fuel for AI infrastructure· How renewables and battery storage fit into the AI electricity mix· The long-term outlook for nuclear power and reactor construction· What “bring your own power” means for hyperscalers and utilities· How electrification and reshoring intersect with AI investing· Why the relationship between compute and energy is reshaping stock market trendsPowering AI 2.0, AI investing, infrastructure, capital markets, energy transition, utilities, stock market trends, megaforcesSources: “From CES 2026 to Yottaflops: Why the AMD Keynote Highlights a Turning Point for AI Compute”, AMD 2026; “The Industrial Revolution, coal mining, and the Felling Colliery Disaster”, Lancaster University, 2026; Bureau of Economic Analysis data 2026; “Stargate's First Data Center Site is Size of Central Park, With At Least 57 Jobs”, Bloomberg 2026; “Energy Demand from AI”, IEA 2026; “Scaling bigger, faster, cheaper data centers with smarter designs”, McKinsey 2025; EEI 2024 Review; “Data Centers Ditching the Power Grid, Mark Carney's Viral Speech, and Some Joy”, Clearview Energy; “2024 North American Energy Inventory”, IER;This content is for informational purposes only and is not an offer or a solicitation. Reliance upon information in this material is at the sole discretion of the listener. Reference to any company or investment strategy mentioned is for illustrative purposes only and not investment advice. In the UK and non-European Economic Area countries, this is authorized and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. In the European Economic Area, this is authorized and regulated by the Netherlands Authority for the Financial Markets. For full disclosures, visit blackrock.com/corporate/compliance/bid-disclosures.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode, Dr Zoe Swithenbank speaks to Dr Olufemi Erinoso, a postdoctoral fellow at the Massachusetts General Hospital and Dr Jennifer Pearson, an Associate Professor in the School of Public Health at the University of Nevada, Reno. The interview covers Olufemi and Jennifer's research article covering the use of cessation products, e-cigarettes, and cigarette cessation outcomes among adults with substance use problems, using the Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health (PATH) Study from 2013-2021.An overview of the study [01:35]The key findings of the study [02:44]The unexpected findings [05:57]Considerations of the tobacco and e-cigarette policy context throughout the study period [08:02]Variations in findings across race/ethnicity [11:10]Policy recommendations for what works with regards to smoking cessation [13:38]The big take away from the study [15:30]About Zoe Swithenbank: Zoe is a senior research associate at Lancaster University, currently working on a National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) funded research project exploring treatment pathways for co-occurring alcohol and mental health problems. She recently completed her PhD at Liverpool John Moores University on behavioural interventions for smoking cessation in substance use treatment services. Prior to starting her academic career, Zoe worked in health services including substance use, mental health, and homeless services, and these experiences shaped her research interests, as well as her commitment to the inclusion of people with lived experience in research.About Olufemi Erinoso: Olufemi, PhD, MPH, BDS, is a public health researcher and clinician-scientist specializing in tobacco control, harm reduction, and health systems research. He earned his MPH from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and PhD in Public Health (Social and Behavioral Health) from the University of Nevada, Reno, followed by postdoctoral training at Massachusetts General Hospital. His research addresses electronic nicotine delivery systems, substance use, and implementation science, with extensive experience analyzing large population-based datasets. Olufemi has authored over 50 peer-reviewed publications in leading journals and advances national and global tobacco regulatory science.About Jennifer Pearson: Jennifer is an Associate Professor in the Department of Health Behavior, Policy, and Administration Sciences in the School of Public Health at the University of Nevada, Reno. Broadly, her research focuses on how regulation of tobacco and cannabis product characteristics, packaging, and advertising affects consumer behavior and public health outcomes. Jennifer has authored over 140 scientific peer-reviewed scientific articles on tobacco and cannabis policy and published in high-impact journals such as the Addiction, the American Journal of Public Health, and Tobacco Control. Dr. Pearson earned her doctorate in Social and Behavioral Health from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in 2011, and her Master of Public Health degree from George Washington University in 2007. Jennifer started her career in public health as a Tobacco Education Coordinator for the American Lung Association of Nevada and served as a US Peace Corps volunteer in Guinea from 2002-2004. Original article: Use of cessation products, e-cigarettes and cigarette cessation outcomes among adults with substance use problems: Results from 2013–2021 (Waves 1–6) of the Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health (PATH) Study https://doi.org/10.1111/add.70098The opinions expressed in this podcast reflect the views of the host and interviewees and do not necessarily represent the opinions or official positions of the SSA or Addiction journal.The SSA does not endorse or guarantee the accuracy of the information in external sources or links and accepts no responsibility or liability for any consequences arising from the use of such information. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The 2024 UK Insecure Work Index estimated that 6.8 million people living in the UK (over 20% of the workforce) are in severely insecure work. It also showed that inequality in the labour market means that women, young people, ethnic minorities and disabled people are disproportionately likely to be in an insecure job. Rebecca Florisson is Principal Analyst at the Work Foundation at Lancaster University and leads a research programme on insecure work. In conversation with Fran Bennett, she discusses the realities of low pay, unpredictable hours and poor protections, and the steps that can be taken to transform the labour market to improve access to secure jobs. What is the potential impact of reforms in the Employment Rights Bill? Does the Act go far enough? This Institute for Policy Research event took place on 29 January 2026.

Many women wrote philosophy in nineteenth-century Britain, and they wrote across the full range of philosophical topics. Yet these important women thinkers have been left out of the philosophical canon and many of them are barely known today. The aim of Women Philosophers in Nineteenth-Century Britain (Oxford UP, 2023) is to put them back on the map. It introduces twelve women philosophers - Mary Shepherd, Harriet Martineau, Ada Lovelace, George Eliot, Frances Power Cobbe, Helena Blavatsky, Julia Wedgwood, Victoria Welby, Arabella Buckley, Annie Besant, Vernon Lee, and Constance Naden. Alison Stone looks at their views on naturalism, philosophy of mind, evolution, morality and religion, and progress in history. She shows how these women interacted and developed their philosophical views in conversation with one another, not only with their male contemporaries. The rich print and periodical culture of the period enabled these women to publish philosophy in forms accessible to a general readership, despite the restrictions women faced, such as having limited or no access to university education. Stone explains how these women became excluded from the history of philosophy because there was a cultural shift at the end of the nineteenth century towards specialised forms of philosophical writing, which depended on academic credentials that were still largely unavailable to women. Alison Stone is a British philosopher. She is a Professor of European Philosophy in the Department of Politics, Philosophy and Religion at Lancaster University, UK. Morteza Hajizadeh is a Ph.D. graduate in English from the University of Auckland in New Zealand. His research interests are Cultural Studies; Critical Theory; Environmental History; Medieval (Intellectual) History; Gothic Studies; 18th and 19th Century British Literature. YouTube channel. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/intellectual-history

Many women wrote philosophy in nineteenth-century Britain, and they wrote across the full range of philosophical topics. Yet these important women thinkers have been left out of the philosophical canon and many of them are barely known today. The aim of Women Philosophers in Nineteenth-Century Britain (Oxford UP, 2023) is to put them back on the map. It introduces twelve women philosophers - Mary Shepherd, Harriet Martineau, Ada Lovelace, George Eliot, Frances Power Cobbe, Helena Blavatsky, Julia Wedgwood, Victoria Welby, Arabella Buckley, Annie Besant, Vernon Lee, and Constance Naden. Alison Stone looks at their views on naturalism, philosophy of mind, evolution, morality and religion, and progress in history. She shows how these women interacted and developed their philosophical views in conversation with one another, not only with their male contemporaries. The rich print and periodical culture of the period enabled these women to publish philosophy in forms accessible to a general readership, despite the restrictions women faced, such as having limited or no access to university education. Stone explains how these women became excluded from the history of philosophy because there was a cultural shift at the end of the nineteenth century towards specialised forms of philosophical writing, which depended on academic credentials that were still largely unavailable to women. Alison Stone is a British philosopher. She is a Professor of European Philosophy in the Department of Politics, Philosophy and Religion at Lancaster University, UK. Morteza Hajizadeh is a Ph.D. graduate in English from the University of Auckland in New Zealand. His research interests are Cultural Studies; Critical Theory; Environmental History; Medieval (Intellectual) History; Gothic Studies; 18th and 19th Century British Literature. YouTube channel. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/history

Many women wrote philosophy in nineteenth-century Britain, and they wrote across the full range of philosophical topics. Yet these important women thinkers have been left out of the philosophical canon and many of them are barely known today. The aim of Women Philosophers in Nineteenth-Century Britain (Oxford UP, 2023) is to put them back on the map. It introduces twelve women philosophers - Mary Shepherd, Harriet Martineau, Ada Lovelace, George Eliot, Frances Power Cobbe, Helena Blavatsky, Julia Wedgwood, Victoria Welby, Arabella Buckley, Annie Besant, Vernon Lee, and Constance Naden. Alison Stone looks at their views on naturalism, philosophy of mind, evolution, morality and religion, and progress in history. She shows how these women interacted and developed their philosophical views in conversation with one another, not only with their male contemporaries. The rich print and periodical culture of the period enabled these women to publish philosophy in forms accessible to a general readership, despite the restrictions women faced, such as having limited or no access to university education. Stone explains how these women became excluded from the history of philosophy because there was a cultural shift at the end of the nineteenth century towards specialised forms of philosophical writing, which depended on academic credentials that were still largely unavailable to women. Alison Stone is a British philosopher. She is a Professor of European Philosophy in the Department of Politics, Philosophy and Religion at Lancaster University, UK. Morteza Hajizadeh is a Ph.D. graduate in English from the University of Auckland in New Zealand. His research interests are Cultural Studies; Critical Theory; Environmental History; Medieval (Intellectual) History; Gothic Studies; 18th and 19th Century British Literature. YouTube channel. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

Many women wrote philosophy in nineteenth-century Britain, and they wrote across the full range of philosophical topics. Yet these important women thinkers have been left out of the philosophical canon and many of them are barely known today. The aim of Women Philosophers in Nineteenth-Century Britain (Oxford UP, 2023) is to put them back on the map. It introduces twelve women philosophers - Mary Shepherd, Harriet Martineau, Ada Lovelace, George Eliot, Frances Power Cobbe, Helena Blavatsky, Julia Wedgwood, Victoria Welby, Arabella Buckley, Annie Besant, Vernon Lee, and Constance Naden. Alison Stone looks at their views on naturalism, philosophy of mind, evolution, morality and religion, and progress in history. She shows how these women interacted and developed their philosophical views in conversation with one another, not only with their male contemporaries. The rich print and periodical culture of the period enabled these women to publish philosophy in forms accessible to a general readership, despite the restrictions women faced, such as having limited or no access to university education. Stone explains how these women became excluded from the history of philosophy because there was a cultural shift at the end of the nineteenth century towards specialised forms of philosophical writing, which depended on academic credentials that were still largely unavailable to women. Alison Stone is a British philosopher. She is a Professor of European Philosophy in the Department of Politics, Philosophy and Religion at Lancaster University, UK. Morteza Hajizadeh is a Ph.D. graduate in English from the University of Auckland in New Zealand. His research interests are Cultural Studies; Critical Theory; Environmental History; Medieval (Intellectual) History; Gothic Studies; 18th and 19th Century British Literature. YouTube channel. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/gender-studies

Many women wrote philosophy in nineteenth-century Britain, and they wrote across the full range of philosophical topics. Yet these important women thinkers have been left out of the philosophical canon and many of them are barely known today. The aim of Women Philosophers in Nineteenth-Century Britain (Oxford UP, 2023) is to put them back on the map. It introduces twelve women philosophers - Mary Shepherd, Harriet Martineau, Ada Lovelace, George Eliot, Frances Power Cobbe, Helena Blavatsky, Julia Wedgwood, Victoria Welby, Arabella Buckley, Annie Besant, Vernon Lee, and Constance Naden. Alison Stone looks at their views on naturalism, philosophy of mind, evolution, morality and religion, and progress in history. She shows how these women interacted and developed their philosophical views in conversation with one another, not only with their male contemporaries. The rich print and periodical culture of the period enabled these women to publish philosophy in forms accessible to a general readership, despite the restrictions women faced, such as having limited or no access to university education. Stone explains how these women became excluded from the history of philosophy because there was a cultural shift at the end of the nineteenth century towards specialised forms of philosophical writing, which depended on academic credentials that were still largely unavailable to women. Alison Stone is a British philosopher. She is a Professor of European Philosophy in the Department of Politics, Philosophy and Religion at Lancaster University, UK. Morteza Hajizadeh is a Ph.D. graduate in English from the University of Auckland in New Zealand. His research interests are Cultural Studies; Critical Theory; Environmental History; Medieval (Intellectual) History; Gothic Studies; 18th and 19th Century British Literature. YouTube channel. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/european-studies

Many women wrote philosophy in nineteenth-century Britain, and they wrote across the full range of philosophical topics. Yet these important women thinkers have been left out of the philosophical canon and many of them are barely known today. The aim of Women Philosophers in Nineteenth-Century Britain (Oxford UP, 2023) is to put them back on the map. It introduces twelve women philosophers - Mary Shepherd, Harriet Martineau, Ada Lovelace, George Eliot, Frances Power Cobbe, Helena Blavatsky, Julia Wedgwood, Victoria Welby, Arabella Buckley, Annie Besant, Vernon Lee, and Constance Naden. Alison Stone looks at their views on naturalism, philosophy of mind, evolution, morality and religion, and progress in history. She shows how these women interacted and developed their philosophical views in conversation with one another, not only with their male contemporaries. The rich print and periodical culture of the period enabled these women to publish philosophy in forms accessible to a general readership, despite the restrictions women faced, such as having limited or no access to university education. Stone explains how these women became excluded from the history of philosophy because there was a cultural shift at the end of the nineteenth century towards specialised forms of philosophical writing, which depended on academic credentials that were still largely unavailable to women. Alison Stone is a British philosopher. She is a Professor of European Philosophy in the Department of Politics, Philosophy and Religion at Lancaster University, UK. Morteza Hajizadeh is a Ph.D. graduate in English from the University of Auckland in New Zealand. His research interests are Cultural Studies; Critical Theory; Environmental History; Medieval (Intellectual) History; Gothic Studies; 18th and 19th Century British Literature. YouTube channel. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How much do we really understand about our pay?From frozen tax thresholds to salary sacrifice and minimum wage increases, a number of changes made in the Chancellor's budget might have left you looking a bit more closely at your payslip.So, what do all those figures mean, what is your employer legally obliged to provide and what can you do if you think your pay is wrong?Joining Felicity Hannah to answer your questions and comments this week is Dr Hilary Ingham, Professor of Economics at Lancaster University, Funmi Olufunwa, a Personal Finance Expert and financial educator and Kevin Rowan, Director of Dispute Resolution from ACAS the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service.Presenter: Felicity Hannah Producers: Helen Ledwick and Sarah Rogers Editor: Jess Quayle Senior News Editor: Sara Wadeson(This episode was first broadcast at 3pm on Wednesday 3rd December 2025).

This episode features Professor Nancy Preston (International Observatory on End of Life Care, Lancaster University, Lancaster, UK) and Professor James Downar (Division of Palliative Care, Department of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada)   This podcast summarises a editorial which describes the critical intersection of palliative care and assisted dying where legalization has occurred. The authors address how palliative providers are likely to encounter requests for assisted dying, as currently 75–90% of requests come from people who are being treated by palliative care providers or who are admitted to palliative care facilities. The episode challenges the argument for separating these practices, suggesting that integration better supports patient values. It also explores the emotional impact on healthcare workers and the spectrum of their involvement.    Full paper available from:     https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/02692163251365440   If you would like to record a podcast about your published (or accepted) Palliative Medicine paper, please contact Dr Amara Nwosu:  a.nwosu@lancaster.ac.uk

Two months after the ceasefire came in to effect, what's happened in the Gaza Strip? As the world's attention moves away, how are the two million Palestinians there coping, without shelter and with little food and medical care? Do the regular reports of Israeli airstrikes signal a fracturing peace? And who is in charge? The second stage of the peace plan is supposed to come into effect in a few weeks - but what will that amount to for the future of Gaza and its people? Simon Mabon, Professor of Politics at Lancaster University, rejoins Phil and Roger with the latest on the prospects for avoiding further conflict. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A year has passed since Bashar Al Assad's government fell in Syria, marking the end of a brutal civil war that lasted for almost 14 years. In the end, it took less than two weeks last December for an insurgency of rebel groups led by Hayat Tahrir Al Sham to take control of Damascus. It was a euphoric moment for Syrians opposed to the Assad regime. The HTS leader quickly traded his fatigues for a suit, and his nom de guerre for his new title as President Ahmad Al Shara. He was widely accepted by the international community, most notably the US. But even as sanctions were eased and reconstruction pledges rolled in, the honeymoon phase was ending. Sectarian violence, revenge killings, economic despair and devastated infrastructure posed challenges for the transitional government. As Mr Al Shara looks to the West for legitimacy and the region for economic support, the pressure is also mounting on him internally to reunite the fragmented country. In this episode of Beyond the Headlines, host Nada AlTaher is joined by Rahaf Aldoughli, assistant professor at Lancaster University, and Charles Lister, director of the Syria Programme at the Middle East Institute. They discuss how Mr Al Shara has fared over the past year and whether Syria is better off today.

John Maytham is joined now by Christina Hicks, pProfessor within the Political Ecology group at Lancaster University's Environment Centre and one of the commissioners of the EAT-Lancet report to unpack what this report entails. Presenter John Maytham is an actor and author-turned-talk radio veteran and seasoned journalist. His show serves a round-up of local and international news coupled with the latest in business, sport, traffic and weather. The host’s eclectic interests mean the program often surprises the audience with intriguing book reviews and inspiring interviews profiling artists. A daily highlight is Rapid Fire, just after 5:30pm. CapeTalk fans call in, to stump the presenter with their general knowledge questions. Another firm favourite is the humorous Thursday crossing with award-winning journalist Rebecca Davis, called “Plan B”. Thank you for listening to a podcast from Afternoon Drive with John Maytham Listen live on Primedia+ weekdays from 15:00 and 18:00 (SA Time) to Afternoon Drive with John Maytham broadcast on CapeTalk https://buff.ly/NnFM3Nk For more from the show go to https://buff.ly/BSFy4Cn or find all the catch-up podcasts here https://buff.ly/n8nWt4x Subscribe to the CapeTalk Daily and Weekly Newsletters https://buff.ly/sbvVZD5 Follow us on social media: CapeTalk on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CapeTalk CapeTalk on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@capetalk CapeTalk on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ CapeTalk on X: https://x.com/CapeTalk CapeTalk on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@CapeTalk567 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Windward Institute invites all new and returning READ listeners for a five-part Fall 2025 series, What We all Can Learn about Reading, Together. This series brings together 20 guests including researchers and educators. We'll dive into reading research, practice, and lived experience. This series is for everyone, whether you're just starting to learn about reading education or you've been immersed in it for years. This episode explores why some children struggle to read and dives into diagnosed disabilities including dyslexia and developmental language disorder. You will learn about factors that can contribute to reading difficulty through a whole child lens with Cynthia U. Norris, PhD, a researcher at Florida State University.the role of language in reading development and variability with Kate Cain, PhD, professor at Lancaster University.the characteristics of dyslexia and developmental language disorder (DLD) with Tim Odegard, PhD, Murfree Chair of Excellence in Dyslexic Studies andProfessor of Psychology at Middle Tennessee State University and Norma Hancock, PhD, Postdoctoral Research Fellow at SAiL Literacy Lab at MGH Institute.ways to understand reading difficulties in readers learning to read in English with Laura Rhinehart, PhD, Assistant Researcher at the Center for Dyslexia, Diverse Learners, and Social Justice at UCLA.Thank you for joining our special READ Podcast series: What We All Can Learn About Reading, Together. You can also listen to this series at The Windward Institute's YouTube page.We invite you to share your top bookmarks from this episode by connecting with us on Instagram @thewindwardinstitute, or Facebook.  Subscribe to READ's newsletter for access to monthly episodes: SubscribeUntil next time READers! 

Today Scotland Yard chief Sir Mark Rowley has apologised after serving officers called for immigrants to be shot, revelled in the use of force and were dismissive of rape claims in an undercover BBC documentary, which was aired on Wednesday night. Sir Mark Rowley said the behaviour of some at Charing Cross Police exposed by Panorama is “reprehensible and completely unacceptable” - but he denied that the Met Police is institutionally racist. Dr Aaron Winter, a senior lecturer in sociology at Lancaster University, responds to the news. And in part two, The Standard's Theatre Critic and Host of The London Theatre Review podcast, Nick Curtis, joins us to review a new rendition of Oscar Wilde's famous play The Importance of Being Earnest, from director Max Webster, which is showing at London's Noel Coward Theatre. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Kai Heron, Keir Milburn and Bertie Russell discuss Radical Abundance, transition and public-commons partnerships. Shownotes Heron, K., Milburn, K., Russell, B. (2025). Radical Abundance. How to Win a Green Democratic Future. Pluto Press. https://www.plutobooks.com/product/radical-abundance/ Kai Heron at Lancaster University: https://www.lancaster.ac.uk/lec/about-us/people/kai-heron Keir Milburn's contributions at Novara Media: https://novaramedia.com/contributor/keir-milburn/ Bertie Russell at the Autonomous University of Barcelona: https://portalrecerca.uab.cat/en/persons/bertie-thomas-russell Abundance (the collective): https://www.in-abundance.org/ on Marta Harnecker: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marta_Harnecker on Michael A. Lebowitz: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_A._Lebowitz Lebowitz, M. A. (2013). Contested Reproduction and the Contradictions of Socialism. Socialist Project. https://socialistproject.ca/2013/09/b877/ on Yevgeni Preobrazhensky: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yevgeni_Preobrazhensky Preobrazhensky, Y. (1965). The New Economics. Oxford University Press. https://files.libcom.org/files/%5bPreobrazhensky%2C_Evgeny_Alekseevich%5d_The_New_Econo(BookZZ.org).pdf Nunes, R. (2021). Neither Vertical nor Horizontal. A Theory of Political Organization. Verso. https://www.versobooks.com/products/772-neither-vertical-nor-horizontal on Public-Commons Partnerships: https://www.in-abundance.org/what-is-a-public-commons-parntership https://www.in-abundance.org/reports/public-common-partnerships-building-new-circuits-of-collective-ownership for case studies on Public-Commons Partnerships, see: https://www.in-abundance.org/case-studies on Public-Private Partnerships: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public%E2%80%93private_partnership on council farms in the UK: https://www.cpre.org.uk/explainer/county-farms-explainer/ Common Wealth (the organization): https://www.common-wealth.org/ Common Wealth's recent project on privatization and Public-Private Partnerships in the UK: https://www.common-wealth.org/interactive/who-owns-britain/home on Che Guevara: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Che_Guevara on Stuart Hall: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stuart_Hall_(cultural_theorist) on Hugo Chávez: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hugo_Ch%C3%A1vez Gilbert, C. (2023). Commune or Nothing! Venezuela's Communal Movement and its Socialist Project. Monthly Review Press. https://monthlyreview.org/9781685900243/ on agroecology: https://agroecology-coalition.org/what-is-agroecology/ SCOP-TI: https://www.scop-ti.info/ the Berlin Housing Campaign: https://dwenteignen.de/en on the Wards Corner Market: https://www.in-abundance.org/case-studies/wards-corner Amarnath, S. et al. (2023): Varieties of Derisking. Phenomenal World. https://www.phenomenalworld.org/interviews/derisking/ on the Great Replacement conspiracy theory in the US: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Replacement_conspiracy_theory_in_the_United_States on marronage communities and their role in slave rebellions: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maroons on the coal strikes in Appalachia in the late 19th and early 20th century: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coal_Wars on the Black Panther Party: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Panther_Party on SYRIZA and their development: https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/rethinking-populism/the-systemic-metamorphosis-of-greeces-once-radical-left-wing-syriza-party/ on Erik Olin Wright's “Transition Troughs” concept, see chapter 9 and 10 of: Wright, E. O. (2010). Envisioning Real Utopias. Verso. https://www.versobooks.com/products/2143-envisioning-real-utopias the “Abundance” report on the social property of water in the UK: https://www.in-abundance.org/latest/beyond-bailouts on the 2023 strike in France where workers cut energy to certain sectors: https://www.euronews.com/green/2023/03/30/robin-hood-electricians-and-oil-blockades-the-radical-tactics-of-frances-striking-energy-w van Dyk, S. & Haubner, T. (2021). Community-Kapitalismus. Hamburger Edition. https://www.hamburger-edition.de/buecher-e-books/artikel-detail/community-kapitalismus/ van Dyk, S. (2018). Post-Wage Politics and the Rise of Community Capitalism. Work, Employment and Society, 32(3), 528-545. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0950017018755663 on municipalism: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Municipalism Bianchi, I. & Russell, B. (eds.) (2026). Radical Municipalism. The Politics of the Common and the Democratization of Public Services. Bristol University Press. (forthcoming) https://bristoluniversitypress.co.uk/radical-municipalism on the Occupy Movement: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Occupy_movement on Climateflation: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/aug/26/tuesday-briefing-how-climateflation-is-pushing-food-prices-ever-higher-and-changing-how-we-eat on hernani burujabe (the tripartite economic planning system in the city of Hernani): https://hernaniburujabe.eus/es/que-es/ Egia-Olaizola, A., Villalba-Eguiluz, U. and Gainza, X. (2025), Beyond the New Municipalism. Towards Post-Capitalist Territorial Sovereignty in the Case of Hernani Burujabe. Antipode, 57: 1448-1469. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/anti.70030 on the Commons (concept): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commons on Evergreening: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evergreening Klein, E. & Thompson, D. (2025). Abundance. Avid Reader Press. https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Abundance/Ezra-Klein/9781668023488 on Marx's concept of the realm of necessity and freedom: https://www.marxists.org/archive/marx/works/subject/hist-mat/capital/vol3-ch48.htm on David Graeber: https://davidgraeber.org/ Suits, B. (2005). The Grasshopper. Games, Life and Utopia. Broadview Press. https://kevinjpatton.com/teaching/phil_3230/readings/Bernard%20Suits%20-%20The%20Grasshopper.pdf on the socialist ecomodernism and degrowth debate: https://www.resilience.org/stories/2023-01-23/ecomodernism-on-its-own-terms/ Future Histories Episodes on Related Topics S3E44 | Anna Kornbluh on Climate Counteraesthetics https://www.futurehistories.today/episoden-blog/s03/e44-anna-kornbluh-on-climate-counteraesthetics/ S03E30 | Matt Huber & Kohei Saito on Growth, Progress and Left Imaginaries https://www.futurehistories.today/episoden-blog/s03/e30-matt-huber-kohei-saito-on-growth-progress-and-left-imaginaries/ S03E29 | Nancy Fraser on Alternatives to Capitalism https://www.futurehistories.today/episoden-blog/s03/e29-nancy-fraser-on-alternatives-to-capitalism/ S03E19 | Wendy Brown on Socialist Governmentality https://www.futurehistories.today/episoden-blog/s03/e19-wendy-brown-on-socialist-governmentality/ S03E03 | Planning for Entropy on Sociometabolic Planning https://www.futurehistories.today/episoden-blog/s03/e03-planning-for-entropy-on-sociometabolic-planning/ S02E51 | Silvia Federici on Progress, Reproduction and Commoning https://www.futurehistories.today/episoden-blog/s02/e51-silvia-federici-on-progress-reproduction-and-commoning/ S02E13 | Tine Haubner und Silke van Dyk zu Community-Kapitalismus https://www.futurehistories.today/episoden-blog/s02/e13-tine-haubner-und-silke-van-dyk-zu-community-kapitalismus/ --- If you are interested in democratic economic planning, these resources might be of help: Democratic planning – an information website https://www.democratic-planning.com/ Sorg, C. & Groos, J. (eds.)(2025). Rethinking Economic Planning. Competition & Change Special Issue Volume 29 Issue 1. https://journals.sagepub.com/toc/ccha/29/1 Groos, J. & Sorg, C. (2025). Creative Construction - Democratic Planning in the 21st Century and Beyond. Bristol University Press. [for a review copy, please contact: amber.lanfranchi[at]bristol.ac.uk] https://bristoluniversitypress.co.uk/creative-construction International Network for Democratic Economic Planning https://www.indep.network/ Democratic Planning Research Platform: https://www.planningresearch.net/ --- Future Histories Contact & Support If you like Future Histories, please consider supporting us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/join/FutureHistories Contact: office@futurehistories.today Twitter: https://twitter.com/FutureHpodcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/futurehpodcast/ Mastodon: https://mstdn.social/@FutureHistories English webpage: https://futurehistories-international.com   Episode Keywords #KaiHeron, #KeirMilburn, #BertieRussell, #JanGroos, #Interview, #FutureHistories, #FutureHistoriesInternational, #futurehistoriesinternational, #Transition, #SocioecologicalTransition #DemocraticPlanning, #DemocraticEconomicPlanning, #Capitalism #BerlinHousingCampaign, #DWE, #Economics, #Socialism, #Socialisation, #Commons, #PublicCommonsPartnerships, #RadicalAbundance, #Abundance, #Municipalism, #Agroecology, #Derisking, #Investment, #Degrowth, #SocialistEcomodernism, #Ecomodernism

What is the narrative of Mamre and Sodom (Genesis 18-19) really about? Surprisingly, Ambra Suriano says the main topic has to do with the knowledge of good and evil.  Tune in as we speak with Ambra Suriano about her recent monograph, Narrative Paths Through Mamre and Sodom: The Oak and The Gate (T&T Clark, 2025). Ambra Suriano studied philology and literature of the ancient world in Rome and got her PhD in biblical narratology in Aachen. She currently works at Lancaster University in the department of politics, philosophy, and religion, having been awarded a Marie Curie. She has published articles including “But Sarah Denied for She was Afraid,” which includes narratology in Genesis 18, and a piece on Josiah, “Outside the City Walls: Remarks on 2 Kgs 23,4-20. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

Episode SummaryMachine learning has been around for decades, but as it evolves rapidly, the need for robust security grows even more urgent. Today on the Secure Developer, co-founder and CEO of Mindgard, Dr. Peter Garraghan, joins us to discuss his take on the future of AI. Tuning in, you'll hear all about Peter's background and career, his thoughts on deep neural networks, where we stand in the evolution of machine learning, and so much more! We delve into why he chooses to focus on security in deep neural networks before he shares how he performs security testing. We even discuss large language model attacks and why security is the responsibility of all parties within an AI organisation. Finally, our guest shares what excites him and scares him about the future of AI.Show NotesIn this episode of The Secure Developer, host Danny Allan welcomes Dr. Peter Garraghan, CEO and CTO of Mindgard, a company specializing in AI red teaming. He is also a chair professor in computer science at Lancaster University, where he specializes in the security of AI systems.Dr. Garraghan discusses the unique challenges of securing AI systems, which he began researching over a decade ago, even before the popularization of the transformer architecture. He explains that traditional security tools often fail against deep neural networks because they are inherently random and opaque, with no code to unravel for semantic meaning. He notes that AI, like any other software, has risks—technical, economic, and societal.The conversation delves into the evolution of AI, from early concepts of artificial neural networks to the transformer architecture that underpins large language models (LLMs) today. Dr. Garraghan likens the current state of AI adoption to a "great sieve theory," where many use cases are explored, but only a few, highly valuable ones, will remain and become ubiquitous. He identifies useful applications like coding assistance, document summarization, and translation.The discussion also explores how attacks on AI are analogous to traditional cybersecurity attacks, with prompt injection being similar to SQL injection. He emphasizes that a key difference is that AI can be socially engineered to reveal information, which is a new vector of attack. The episode concludes with a look at the future of AI security, including the emergence of AI security engineers and the importance of everyone in an organization being responsible for security. Dr. Garraghan shares his biggest fear—the anthropomorphization of AI—and his greatest optimism—the emergence of exciting and useful new applications.LinksMindgard - Automated AI Red Teaming & Security Testing‍Snyk - The Developer Security Company Follow UsOur WebsiteOur LinkedIn

We are live at the National Astronomy Meeting in Durham with questions on everything from white holes and fuzzy stars, to solar storms and time travel. Science journalist Izzie Clarke is joined by Dr Ziri Younsi – part of the team that took the first picture of a black hole. Also on the panel, Jim Wild, Professor of Space Physics at Lancaster University and president-elect of the Royal Astronomical Society…and the one and only Dr Robert Massey, Deputy Director of the Royal Astronomical Society. Join The Supermassive Club for ad-free listening and share your questions, images and more. Or email them to podcast@ras.ac.uk or on Instagram @SupermassivePod.The Supermassive Podcast is a Boffin Media production. The producers are Izzie Clarke and Richard Hollingham. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Elena Semino, Distinguished Professor of Linguistics and English Language at Lancaster University, joins host Dr. Joe Bianco to discuss the subtle and surprising ways that language and humor shape health experiences. Dr. Semino uses large, naturally occurring language datasets to identify imaginative alternatives to overused battle analogies in cancer and other chronic illnesses. The conversation reveals that the key to reframing our most challenging problems may be just a metaphor away. You can read Elena's articles published in Health Communication at: https://doi.org/10.1080/10410236.2020.1844989 and https://doi.org/10.1080/10410236.2023.2257428. Her metaphor menu for people with cancer is here: https://wp.lancs.ac.uk/melc/the-metaphor-menu

Europe is suffering from another heatwave as deadly temperatures of up to 44C hit the continent and wildfires blazed across the Mediterranean. To find out why Europe is heating faster than anywhere else, Madeleine Finlay speaks to the Guardian's Europe environment correspondent, Ajit Niranjan, and to Adam Taylor, professor of anatomy at Lancaster University, to find out how we can try to stay cool as the temperature rises. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/sciencepod

It's the final day of Woman's Hour's Listener Week, where all the topics in the programme have been decided by YOU!Listener Brenda wrote in about her situation: “I would love to hear you talking about a mother's play-book or instruction manual for getting through cancer. I would love to know how others are doing it.” Ailsa McDonagh also got in touch after an on-air shout out. She has been living with cancer for almost 10 years and received her diagnosis when her children were aged one and three. Both Brenda and Ailsa join Anita Rani to discuss. Therapist Cate Campbell joins Anita to offer advice to a listener considering radical solutions for her sexless marriage.Woman's Hour listener Kudzai wrote to us about hybrid working. She has the option to work from home but she chooses to go in every day, and she's been wondering what impact those choices have, especially for younger women just starting out in their careers. Kudzai speaks to Anita along with listener, El, who embraces the benefits of working from home. They're also joined by Rebecca Florisson from the Work Foundation at Lancaster University. Listeners Yara and Davina are an art collective, working in a unique job share to create socially engaged public art. They contacted us to highlight their work and explore the issues that come alongside working in the non-commercial art sector, being mothers and working part time. And what is Pickleball? Listener Caroline got in touch to say that taking up the sport in her 40s has been “lifechanging”, helping her to navigate grief and build resilience and self-belief. It just so happens it is also the Pickleball English Open this weekend, so Caroline joins us along with Karen Mitchell from Pickleball England to discuss the sport and its growing popularity.Presenter: Anita Rani Producer: Corinna Jones

Laurie Taylor talks to Simon Jarrett, Research Fellow at Birkbeck, University of London, about the social history of people with learning disabilities, from 1700 to the present days. Using evidence from civil and criminal court-rooms, joke books, slang dictionaries, novels, art and caricature, he explores the explosive intermingling of ideas about intelligence and race, while bringing into sharp focus the lives of people often seen as the most marginalised in society. They're joined by Magdalena Mikulak, a Research Fellow in Health at Lancaster University who has researched the way the term ‘behaviours that challenge others' which are attributed to 20% of those with learning disabilities, can stigmatise and exclude people from society,Producer: Jayne Egerton

Have you experienced those familiar feelings of frustration when the people closest to you don't seem to get your MS? Do you find yourself explaining and re-explaining things to well-meaning friends, co-workers, and even family members?   Kris Inman's wife, Mariah, was diagnosed with MS in 2020, and, since then, Kris has been Mariah's care partner and an active member of the MS community. This week, Kris joins me to talk about overcoming the challenge of helping your friends and family understand what an MS diagnosis means and what living with MS is really like.  We're also sharing research results that show that someone's age at the time they experience the first symptoms of MS can determine whether they experience a better physical or mental health-related quality of life. We'll tell you about a report issued jointly by the MS Society in the UK and the Work Foundation at Lancaster University that details specific challenges people with MS face in the workplace. We'll give you the details about the National MS Society's Fast Forward investment in Neurogenesis, a biotech company developing a proprietary stem cell therapy designed to treat progressive MS. And we'll share news about the Portable Neuromodulation Stimulator (PoNS), a device that's used in combination with physical therapy to reduce walking problems for people with MS.  We have a lot to talk about! Are you ready for RealTalk MS??! This Week: The frustration you might feel when some of the people closest to you don't really seem to get your MS.  :22 Study results show that the age of MS onset can be predictive of physical and mental health-related quality of life  1:27 A report details challenges faced in the workplace by people living with MS in the UK  4:28 The MS Society's Fast Forward program has made an investment in Neurogenesis, a biotech company developing a proprietary cell therapy designed to treat progressive MS  8:00 Aetna Healthcare has become the third major private insurer to offer reimbursement for the PoNS device  11:00 Kris Inman discusses the finer points of being an MS care partner  14:17 Share this episode  29:13 Have you downloaded the free RealTalk MS app?  29:32 SHARE THIS EPISODE OF REALTALK MS Just copy this link & paste it into your text or email: https://realtalkms.com/408 ADD YOUR VOICE TO THE CONVERSATION I've always thought about the RealTalk MS podcast as a conversation. And this is your opportunity to join the conversation by sharing your feedback, questions, and suggestions for topics that we can discuss in future podcast episodes. Please shoot me an email or call the RealTalk MS Listener Hotline and share your thoughts! Email: jon@realtalkms.com Phone: (310) 526-2283 And don't forget to join us in the RealTalk MS Facebook group! LINKS If your podcast app doesn't allow you to click on these links, you'll find them in the show notes in the RealTalk MS app or at www.RealTalkMS.com Become an MS Activist https://nationalmssociety.org/advocacy Act Now! Contact Your Senators About Medicaid and Health Coverage https://nmss.quorum.us/campaign/127768 STUDY: Age of Multiple Sclerosis Symptom Onset Affects Mental and Physical Health-Related Quality of Life in Opposite Directions https://sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S2211034825003037 REPORT: No Compromises: Supporting People with MS to Thrive In and Out of Work https://www.lancaster.ac.uk/media/lancaster-university/content-assets/documents/lums/work-foundation/reports/WF_MSSNoCompromises-SupportingpeoplewithMStothriveinandoutofwork.pdf Neurogenesis https://neurogenesis-cell.com The Portable Neuromodulation Stimulator (PoNS) https://ponstherapy.com Join the RealTalk MS Facebook Group https://facebook.com/groups/realtalkms Download the RealTalk MS App for iOS Devices https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/realtalk-ms/id1436917200 Download the RealTalk MS App for Android Deviceshttps://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=tv.wizzard.android.realtalk Give RealTalk MS a rating and review http://www.realtalkms.com/review Follow RealTalk MS on Twitter, @RealTalkMS_jon, and subscribe to our newsletter at our website, RealTalkMS.com. RealTalk MS Episode 408 Guest: Kris Inman Privacy Policy

40 years ago scientists in Antarctica discovered a hole in the Ozone layer. The world acted quickly, phasing out harmful CFCs or chlorofluorocarbons. Evidence suggests the hole has been getting smaller. But in 2025, there are new pollutants threatening to slow progress. Eloise Marais is Professor of Atmospheric Chemistry and Air Quality at University College London and tells Victoria Gill about her work monitoring the impact of space travel on the Ozone layer.It's the first day of the traditional ‘bathing season' when wild swim spots are regularly tested throughout the UK summer. Victoria asks Professor of Environmental Microbiology and Health at Lancaster University, Roger Pickup to break down the science behind our water quality classifications. And May also means wildflowers. Dr Sarah Scott is pollinator ecologist and toxicologist at Cambridge university. She has a warning that planted in the wrong place, wildflowers could be harming bumble bees.Gareth Mitchell, broadcaster and lecturer in science communication at Imperial College London is in the Inside Science studio to bring Victoria new scientific findings which will shape our future.Presenter: Victoria Gill Producers: Clare Salisbury, Dan Welsh, Jonathan Blackwell Editor: Martin Smith Production Co-ordinator: Jana Bennett-Holesworth

Nearly a quarter of global maritime trade goes through the South China Sea. In recent years, it’s become the site of clashes between Chinese coast guard ships and Philippine vessels as Beijing tries to exert its claim to virtually the entire sea despite international law. John Yang speaks with Andrew Chubb, Asia Society fellow and senior lecturer at Lancaster University, for more. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

1075. People often confuse "i.e." and "e.g." We'll help you get them right — no Latin required. Then, in honor of Shakespeare's birthday, we look at five common myths about his contributions to the English language, including whether he coined thousands of words and how much Latin he actually knew.The "Shakespeare" segment was by Jonathan Culpeper, a chair professor in English Language and Linguistics at Lancaster University, and Mathew Gillings, an assistant professor at the Vienna  University of Economics and Business. It originally appeared in The Conversation and appears here through a Creative Commons license.