Podcasts about senior researcher

Ruben is the director of the Flourishing Intelligence Program (FLIP) at Linacre College, University of Oxford. Ruben is also co-director of the Centre for Eudaimonia and Human Flourishing, a Senior Researcher within Oxford's Department of Psychiatry, and fellow at Linacre College. Ruben has made significant theoretical and empirical contributions to the cognitive neuroscience of consciousness, meditation, and insight. His work also reveals a pathway towards better and safer artificial intelligence based on the science of consciousness and contemplative wisdom. Ruben has an eclectic contemplative background, including Zen, Advaita, and Theravada, and his first-person inquiry into the nature of reality continues to deeply inform his scientific research, and vice versa.

What Makes a Sports Bra Actually Work?A conversation with Nicola, senior researcher in bra and breast biomechanics at the University of PortsmouthIn this episode, I speak with Nicola about the science behind sports bras, breast movement, and what actually contributes to support during activity.Nicola works in breast and bra biomechanics, a field that looks at how breast tissue moves, how that movement changes during different activities, and how bras can help control that movement. We talk about why sports bras are much more than a comfort item: they are an important piece of equipment that can affect whether women feel able to run, train, compete, and stay physically active.A major focus of the conversation is a University of Portsmouth study looking at how different sports bra design features affect performance. The study tested 98 sports bras on 77 women in 34B and 34D sizes to understand which design features reduced breast movement during running.The paper identified five key sports bra characteristics linked to performance:Bra style: Encapsulation and combination styles performed better than compression-only styles.Material: Bras made primarily from nylon performed better than those made primarily from polyester.Underband adjustability: Adjustable underbands were linked with better support than pullover styles.Padding: Padding appeared to contribute to movement reduction, not just modesty.Neckline height: Higher necklines were associated with better support than lower necklines.One of the most interesting parts of the episode is the idea that sports bra performance is not just about making a bra tighter. Breast tissue moves forward and back, side to side, and up and down, and different sports create different movement patterns. This means a bra that works well for running may not be the same bra someone wants for weightlifting, rowing, golf, or other sports.Nicola also explains why compression bras are not always enough, especially for larger cup sizes. Compression styles hold the breasts against the chest wall, while encapsulation styles support each breast individually. Combination styles can offer both the structure of encapsulation and the familiar “held in” feeling of compression.We also discuss how much is still unknown. Even after identifying several design features that contribute to sports bra performance, a large portion of what makes a sports bra work remains unexplained. That leaves room for more research into fit, materials, movement, comfort, breathing, and sport-specific design.Sports bras are often treated as a simple clothing purchase, but this conversation frames them as a health and participation issue. A poorly fitting or poorly performing sports bra can affect comfort, confidence, posture, breathing, and whether someone wants to keep participating in sport or exercise.Nicola also talks about the importance of getting this information to the people who need it, including athletes, school girls, and everyday consumers. The goal is not just better products, but better education, so women and girls know they do not have to accept pain, discomfort, or lack of support as normal.Referenced paper: Norris, M., Blackmore, T., Horler, B., & Wakefield-Scurr, J. (2021). “How the characteristics of sports bras affect their performance.” Ergonomics, 64(3), 410–425. doi: 10.1080/00140139.2020.1829090

Stephen Grootes speaks to Timothy Walker, Senior Researcher on Maritime Security at the Institute for Security Studies, about how massive oil tankers are slipping through the Strait of Hormuz by going “dark” along Oman’s coast, and whether that’s only possible with quiet military protection and some form of understanding between the US and Iran. The Money Show is a podcast hosted by well-known journalist and radio presenter, Stephen Grootes. He explores the latest economic trends, business developments, investment opportunities, and personal finance strategies. Each episode features engaging conversations with top newsmakers, industry experts, financial advisors, entrepreneurs, and politicians, offering you thought-provoking insights to navigate the ever-changing financial landscape.    Thank you for listening to a podcast from The Money Show Listen live Primedia+ weekdays from 18:00 and 20:00 (SA Time) to The Money Show with Stephen Grootes broadcast on 702 https://buff.ly/gk3y0Kj and CapeTalk https://buff.ly/NnFM3Nk For more from the show, go to https://buff.ly/7QpH0jY or find all the catch-up podcasts here https://buff.ly/PlhvUVe Subscribe to The Money Show Daily Newsletter and the Weekly Business Wrap here https://buff.ly/v5mfetc The Money Show is brought to you by Absa     Follow us on social media   702 on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TalkRadio702 702 on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@talkradio702 702 on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/talkradio702/ 702 on X: https://x.com/CapeTalk 702 on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@radio702   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/Radio702 CapeTalk on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@CapeTalk567 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Bongani Bingwa speaks to Oscar Van Heerden, Senior Researcher at the Centre for African Diplomacy and Leadership at the University of Johannesburg, about migration, economic pressures and growing tensions ahead of the local government elections. The conversation explores anti-immigration sentiment, planned demonstrations on 30 June, and the realities behind perceptions of migration's impact. 702 Breakfast with Bongani Bingwa is broadcast on 702, a Johannesburg based talk radio station. Bongani makes sense of the news, interviews the key newsmakers of the day, and holds those in power to account on your behalf. The team bring you all you need to know to start your day Thank you for listening to a podcast from 702 Breakfast with Bongani Bingwa Listen live on Primedia+ weekdays from 06:00 and 09:00 (SA Time) to Breakfast with Bongani Bingwa broadcast on 702: https://buff.ly/gk3y0Kj For more from the show go to https://buff.ly/36edSLV or find all the catch-up podcasts here https://buff.ly/zEcM35T Subscribe to the 702 Daily and Weekly Newsletters https://buff.ly/v5mfetc Follow us on social media: 702 on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TalkRadio702 702 on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@talkradio702 702 on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/talkradio702/ 702 on X: https://x.com/Radio702 702 on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@radio7See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Achtung (Werbung in eigener Sache):  Jetzt mein neues Buch kaufen (in Co-Produktion mit Prof. Dr. Johanna Bath): "Die perfekte Employee Journey & Experience" (erschienen im Oktober 2025): Springer: https://link.springer.com/book/9783662714195 Amazon: https://bit.ly/44aajaP Thalia: https://www.thalia.de/shop/home/artikeldetails/A1074960417 Dieses Fachbuch stellt die wichtigsten Elemente der Employee Journey vor – vom Pre-Boarding bis zum Offboarding – und erläutert, wie Verantwortliche in Unternehmen eine gelungene Employee Experience realisieren und nachhaltig verankern können.   Mein Gast: Dr. Nektaria Tagalidou  Dr. Nektaria Tagalidou ist Psychologin und Senior Researcher am Fraunhofer-Institut für Arbeitswirtschaft und Organisation (IAO) in Stuttgart. Dort leitet sie Projekte an der Schnittstelle von Psychologie, Neurowissenschaft und Technologie. In ihrer Arbeit befasst sie sich mit der Frage, wie mentale Gesundheit und kognitive Leistungsfähigkeit in einer sich wandelnden Arbeitswelt erhalten und gefördert werden können. Ihre Forschung verbindet Grundlagenwissen über das menschliche Gehirn und die Psyche mit der praktischen Frage, wie Unternehmen ihre Mitarbeitenden besser unterstützen können – gerade in Zeiten zunehmender Digitalisierung und KI-Transformation. In dieser Folge geht es um vor allem um folgende Frage: Was macht die KI-Transformation und die moderne Arbeitswelt eigentlich mit unseren Köpfen? Denn während KI Routineaufgaben übernimmt und Arbeitsprozesse beschleunigt, steigen die Anforderungen an unser Gehirn: an Aufmerksamkeit, Entscheidungsfähigkeit und die Kompetenz, kontinuierlich Neues zu lernen. Gleichzeitig erschöpft genau diese neue Arbeitswelt – mit ihrem Dauerstrom an Informationen, ständigen Unterbrechungen und dem permanenten Wechsel zwischen Tools – unsere kognitiven Ressourcen. Das Paradox: Wir brauchen mehr Lernfähigkeit als je zuvor, aber die Bedingungen, unter denen wir arbeiten, machen das Lernen schwieriger. Dr. Nektaria Tagalidou hat sich mit ihren Kolleg*innen in einem aktuellen White Paper – The Human Mind in Learning – genau mit dieser Spannung befasst. Darin zeigen sie, wie Erkenntnisse aus Psychologie und Neurowissenschaft genutzt werden können, um Lernen und Weiterbildung in Unternehmen wirksamer und individueller zu gestalten. Wir sprechen darüber, warum klassische Weiterbildungsformate oft an kognitiven Grenzen kommen, was Konzentration, Motivation und Arbeitsgedächtnis mit Lernerfolg zu tun haben, welche Rolle Neurotechnologien künftig spielen könnten und was Unternehmen schon heute tun können, um die Lern- und Leistungsfähigkeit ihrer Mitarbeitenden zu schützen. Das Thema  In der GainTalents-Podcastfolge 455 habe ich mit Nektaria darüber gesprochen, was die moderne Arbeitswelt und insbesondere die KI-Transformation mit unserem Gehirn machen. Warum geraten Menschen trotz immer besserer Tools an kognitive Grenzen? Welche Folgen haben Informationsflut, Tool-Wechsel und ständige Unterbrechungen für Aufmerksamkeit, Arbeitsgedächtnis und Lernen? Und wie können Unternehmen Weiterbildung, Konzentration und mentale Leistungsfähigkeit künftig wirksamer schützen und fördern? Herzlichen Dank an Nektaria für die vielen guten Tipps zum Thema und die spannenden Insights aus der aktuellen Forschung. Viel Spaß beim Reinhören!   KI-Transformation, Lernen und mentale Leistungsfähigkeit • KI und digitale Tools entlasten nicht automatisch: Wenn Informationen, Systeme und Entscheidungen weiter zunehmen, steigt auch die kognitive Beanspruchung. • Permanente Unterbrechungen und Tool-Wechsel schwächen Konzentration und Lernfähigkeit, weil unser Gehirn immer wieder neu fokussieren muss. • Für wirksames Lernen sind Aufmerksamkeit, Motivation und Arbeitsgedächtnis entscheidend. Arbeitsgedächtnis beschreibt die Fähigkeit, Informationen kurzfristig aufzunehmen, zu verarbeiten und für Aufgaben nutzbar zu machen. • Klassische Trainings stoßen an Grenzen, wenn sie zu standardisiert, zu wenig arbeitsnah und nicht auf individuelle Belastung, Vorwissen und Motivation ausgerichtet sind. • Psychologie und Neurowissenschaft helfen Unternehmen, Lernformate gehirngerechter zu gestalten: kürzere Einheiten, weniger Reizüberflutung, mehr Anwendung, Reflexion, Wiederholung und Transfer in den Arbeitsalltag. • Neurotechnologien wie EEG, Eye-Tracking oder Wearables können künftig Hinweise auf Aufmerksamkeit, Stress oder mentale Belastung geben. Wichtig: Solche Daten brauchen klare ethische Leitplanken, Transparenz und Freiwilligkeit. • Empfehlung an Unternehmen: Lernfähigkeit nicht nur als HR-Thema behandeln, sondern als Produktivitäts-, Gesundheits- und Führungsaufgabe.   #GainTalentsPodcast #FutureOfWork #KITransformation #Neurowissenschaft #Braincapital #Leadership #Lernfähigkeit #Peopledevelopment #Learning #MentaleGesundheit   Shownotes Links - Dr. Nektaria Tagalidou LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/nektaria-tagalidou-62793919b Link zur Studie: https://www.hnfiz.fraunhofer.de/de/aktuelles/the-human-mind-in-learning.html Link zu IAO-Angebot für betriebliche Prävention mentaler Gesundheit und kognitiver Ergonomie: https://www.iao.fraunhofer.de/de/leistungen/mind-labs-evidenzbasierte-mentale-gesundheit-am-arbeitsplatz.htmlThemen Hier der Link zur Studie Brain Capital: https://www.mckinsey.com/mhi/our-insights/the-human-advantage-stronger-brains-in-the-age-of-ai#/ Links Hans-Heinz Wisotzky:  Website: https://www.gaintalents.com/podcast und https://www.gaintalents.com/blog Podcast: https://www.gaintalents.com/podcast Bücher: Neu (jetzt überall zu kaufen): Die perfekte Employee Journey und Experience https://link.springer.com/book/9783662714195 Erste Buch: Die perfekte Candidate Journey und Experience https://www.gaintalents.com/buch-die-perfekte-candidate-journey-und-experience LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/hansheinzwisotzky/ LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/gaintalents XING https://www.xing.com/profile/HansHeinz_Wisotzky/cv Facebook https://www.facebook.com/GainTalents Instagram https://www.instagram.com/gain.talents/    

Boys from families living on low-incomes have been ‘left behind' in early years policy making for decades. Nearly three in five boys from low-income families are not reaching a good level of development by the end of reception year, with long-term effects on their later educational attainment, job prospects, health and wellbeing. Two reports from the Institute for Government (IfG) – supported by Impact on Urban Health – set out how the government can ensure this group is not left behind in the implementation of its early years policy agenda over the next 12 months. Why have successive governments overlooked the needs of boys from low-income families? Where are promising models and practices already making a difference? What practical lessons do they offer central government as it works towards its target of 75% of five-year-olds being ‘school ready' by 2028? To explore these questions and more, this event brought together a panel featuring: Claire Ainsley, Director of the Project on Center-Left Renewal and Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government Candice James BEM, Director of the Loughborough Community Centre Miriam Loxham, Senior Principal, Early Years and Family Help at the Greater Manchester Combined Authority Alistair Strathern MP, Member of Parliament for Hitchin and Co-chair of the Labour Group for Men and Boys Shaina Sangha, Researcher at the Institute for Government, started the event with a presentation of key findings from the reports. The event was chaired by Sophie Metcalfe, Senior Researcher at the Institute for Government. We would like to thank Impact on Urban Health for kindly supporting this event.

Boys from families living on low-incomes have been ‘left behind' in early years policy making for decades. Nearly three in five boys from low-income families are not reaching a good level of development by the end of reception year, with long-term effects on their later educational attainment, job prospects, health and wellbeing. Two reports from the Institute for Government (IfG) – supported by Impact on Urban Health – set out how the government can ensure this group is not left behind in the implementation of its early years policy agenda over the next 12 months. Why have successive governments overlooked the needs of boys from low-income families? Where are promising models and practices already making a difference? What practical lessons do they offer central government as it works towards its target of 75% of five-year-olds being ‘school ready' by 2028? To explore these questions and more, this event brought together a panel featuring: Claire Ainsley, Director of the Project on Center-Left Renewal and Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government Candice James BEM, Director of the Loughborough Community Centre Miriam Loxham, Senior Principal, Early Years and Family Help at the Greater Manchester Combined Authority Alistair Strathern MP, Member of Parliament for Hitchin and Co-chair of the Labour Group for Men and Boys Shaina Sangha, Researcher at the Institute for Government, started the event with a presentation of key findings from the reports. The event was chaired by Sophie Metcalfe, Senior Researcher at the Institute for Government. We would like to thank Impact on Urban Health for kindly supporting this event. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Part 1:We talk with Elizabeth Spiers, Digital Media Strategist.We discuss the establishment of "Christian Charter Communities" in the US. These are communities aimed at the far right christians who want to sociopathically hoard their wealth, and live apart from ordinary people..Part 2:We talk with Dylan Gyauch-Lewis, Senior Researcher at the Revolving Door Project.We discuss the "Abundance Network", a group of people who are wealthy, and believe that elitism is a positive force in society. They believe that, even though they inherited wealth, they are better, smarter, and more deserving than anyone else.  WNHNFM.ORG  productionMusic: "No kings in America"

Wir fragen Dr. Hannah Förster: Was sind die Ergebnisse des aktuellen Projektionsberichts? Erreicht Deutschland seine Klimaziele? Welche Beiträge leisten die einzelnen Sektoren? Welche Folgen hätte es, wenn wir die Ziele verfehlen? Unsere Gesprächspartnerin ist Dr. Hannah Förster, Senior Researcher im Bereich Energie & Klimaschutz. Als Expertin für nationalen und internationalen Klimaschutz erstellt sie Modellierungen und ökonomische Analysen und ist als Projektleiterin an den jährlichen Berechnungen zum Projektionsbericht beteiligt. Alle von uns erwähnten Quellen und weiterführenden Texte in den Shownotes der Episode auf www.oeko.de/podcast.

Lieke is a Senior Researcher at the Center for Art and Society at the Hanze University of Applied Sciences in Groningen, the Netherlands, and works as a freelance curator. She is the author of "Resonating Sacralities: Dynamics Between Art and Religion in Postsecular Netherlands" and "Beyond the Return of Religion: Art and the Postsecular." She co-edited with others the volume "Museums as Ritual Sites, Civilizing Rituals Reconsidered" and the (open-access) "Bloomsbury Handbook of Religion and Heritage in Contemporary Europe." She previously curated the exhibitions "Mary Magdalene" in 2021 and "The Genesis of Science" in 2024 at Museum Catharijneconvent, and edited their accompanying publications.In this conversation, Lieke and I explore how contemporary art engages spirituality and can function as a form of material religion. We look at the challenges artists face in expressing the sacred within a largely secular culture, how migration shapes religious imagery, and what it means to curate exhibitions that take spiritual themes seriously. We also reflect on how the sacred continues to surface within modern visual culture.

En femtedel af alle danskere lever med kroniske smerter. I denne uge gør professor Kristian Kjær-Staal Petersen os klogere på, hvad man kan gøre ved kroniske smerter, og så fortæller han om nogle af de gange, hvor han udsat sig selv for smerte i forskningens tjeneste. Det viser sig nemlig, at han har brugt sin egen krop som laboratorium og sprøjtet både syre og chili ind i den. Senere i programmet har vi samlet en række eksperter til at svare på jeres ikke-dumme spørgsmål om, hvorfor nogle er venstrehåndede, og om dinosaurer nu virkelig var så store, som vi tror. Send dit spørgsmål til os på ids@radio4.dk. Værter: Esben Pretzmann og Jonas Kuld Rathje / Gæster: Kristian Kjær-Staal Petersen, professor ved Institut for Medicin og Sundhedsteknologi på Aalborg Universitet, Lasse Christiansen, Senior Researcher ved Danish Research Centre for Magnetic Resonance og Bent Lindow, palæontolog hos Statens Naturhistoriske Museum / Producer: Oliver Pirchert / Radio IIII redaktør: Sofie Rye / Produceret af Ingeniøren og Radio IIII i samarbejde med MonoMono.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

John Maytham to Tendai Mafuma, Senior Researcher at SECTION27, about what these findings mean in practice, and why gaps in implementation could be leaving vulnerable children exposed in school environments across the country. 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.

STATES OF SOLIDARITYHOW TO BUILD A SOCIETYSolidarity is essential for addressing the defining challenges of our time. While many societies engage in debates about justice and fair institutions, they have often failed to create the conditions for social and planetary flourishing. A key reason is the neglect of solidarity: the horizontal ties that bind people together beyond kinship, love, or friendship. Without this ‘social glue', societies struggle with declining trust, eroded democratic legitimacy, and increasing social and political fragmentation. The book explores the concept of solidarity and its entanglement with justice, trust, and care. It then examines three major societal challenges—climate change, the loss of democratic control in economic governance, and the rise of artificial intelligence and digital infrastructures—through the lens of solidarity. Rather than offering merely new policy tools, this perspective reshapes the questions we ask and opens up new possibilities for action. Concluding with a vision for the ‘good state' in the twenty-first century, the book makes a compelling case that solidarity is not a nostalgic ideal but a vital, generative force for democratic resilience and social cohesion in an age of uncertainty.Barbara Prainsack is a professor of comparative policy analysis at the University of Vienna, where she heads the Contemporary Solidarity Studies research group and serves as co-director of the Vienna Centre for Advanced Studies (ViCAS); she is a Fellow of the British Royal Society of Arts, an elected foreign member of the Royal Danish Academy of Sciences and Letters, an elected member of the Academia Europaea (AE), an elected member of the German Academy of Science and Engineering (acatec), and a full member of the Austrian Academy of SciencesDonna Andrews is Senior Researcher for the Global Health Solidarity Index Project at the EthicsLab, Department of Medicine, University of Cape Town (UCT). She is a political economist and holds an MA in Development Studies from the International Institute of Social Studies (ISS), Erasmus University Rotterdam, and a PhD in Political Theory from UCTModeration:Hendrik Wagenaar is Senior Academic Advisor, International School for Government, King's College London, Adjunct Professor, Center for Deliberative Democracy and Global Governance, The University of Canberra, Fellow, Center for the Study of Contemporary Solidarity, University of Vienna.

Recorded May 21, 2026. A lecture by Professor Michael Cronin, Chair of French 1776, Trinity College Dublin The Trinity Long Room Hub Annual Humanities Horizons Lecture for 2026 was delivered by Prof Michael Cronin, on A STEM Strategy for Modern Languages? Mapping Ireland's Multilingual Futures. 250 years ago the first Chairs in Modern Languages in these islands were established in Trinity College Dublin. The TCD Chairs in French and German are the oldest, continuous Chairs in these languages in the world. But what of the future? How does Ireland build on its pioneering role in modern language education to make modern languages central to social cohesion, psychological wellbeing and economic prosperity on the island? The lecture argues for the benefits of a concerted strategy to make modern languages a strategic asset in the future development of our island community. About Michael Cronin Michael Cronin is 1776 Professor of French and Senior Researcher in the Trinity Centre for Literary and Cultural Translation. Michael Cronin received his BA from Trinity College Dublin, his MA from University College Dublin and his PhD from Trinity College Dublin. He has taught in universities in France and Ireland and has held Visiting Research Fellowships to universities in Canada, Belgium, Peru, France and Egypt. He is a Fellow of Trinity College Dublin, an elected Member of the Royal Irish Academy and the Academia Europaea, an Officer in the Ordre des Palmes Académiques. Michael Cronin is the author of 13 monographs, the co-editor of seven edited collections and the author of over 150 refereed articles and book chapters. His work has been translated into 16 languages including Arabic, Mandarin Chinese, Korean and Modern Greek. Among his published works are Across the Lines: travel, language, translation (Cork University Press, 2000), Translation and Globalization (Routledge, 2006), Translation and Identity (Routledge, 2006), The Expanding World: towards a politics of microspection (Zero Books, 2012), Translation in the Digital Age (Routledge, 2013), Eco-Translation: translation and ecology in the Age of the Anthropocene (Routledge, 2017), Irish and Ecology/An Ghaeilge agus an Éiceolaíocht (FÁS, 2019) and Eco-Travel: journeying in the Anthropocene (Cambridge University Press, 2022). His research interests are in the areas of eco-criticism and bio-cultural diversity. Learn more at www.tcd.ie/trinitylongroomhub

This episode examines the evolving contours of China's economic diplomacy in Europe. We consider emerging mechanisms for resolving commercial and political disagreements within BRI frameworks, the varied local responses to large scale Chinese projects, and signs of adjustment in China's strategic discourse toward European partners. Host Carmen Amado Mendes is joined by Tiago Santos, Diogo Borges and Gábor Szüdi to discuss their latest research publications and the broader implications for trade, governance and bilateral relations. Host: Carmen Amado Mendes, the President of the Macau Scientific and Cultural Centre (CCCM) Guests: Diogo Borges , PhD Researcher, Centre of International Studies (CEI-ISCTE) and Macau Scientific and Cultural Centre (CCCM) Tiago Botelho dos Santos, PhD Researcher, Centre of International Studies (CEI-ISCTE) and Macau Scientific and Cultural Centre (CCCM) Gábor Szüdi, Senior Researcher, Centre for Social Innovation (ZSI) Links to the publications discussed in this podcast: Navigating a Multipolar Legal Order: European Institutions and Dispute Resolution in the Age of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) https://www.reconnect-china.ugent.be/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/2026_Tiago-Diogo-CAM_ReConnectChina_D2.8.2-ResearchPaper_NavigatingMultipolar-LegalOrder.pdf The Geopolitics of Perception: Non-Elite Views of the BRI and a New Policy Blueprint for the European Global Gateway https://www.reconnect-china.ugent.be/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/2026_TiagoDiogoCAM_ReConnectChina_D2.8.3-ResearchPaper-GeopPerception.pdf Policy and discursive shifts in China's economic diplomacy amid rising geopolitical tensions https://open-research-europe.ec.europa.eu/articles/6-109/v1

Every civil service reform plan opens with the same list of complaints: poor performance, low motivation, weak accountability. Across six African countries and three decades, governments launched 131 separate reform efforts; not one fully achieved what it set out to do.Martin Williams spent more than a decade working alongside Ghana's civil service before writing a book called Reform as Process that analyses the lessons from his experience, and the rest of the 131 reforms. For example, 34 programmes across six countries tried to link civil service pay to performance; none delivered. One lesson is that formal rules and accountability systems cannot govern what matters in a civil service: innovation, adaptation, co-ordination, the willingness to act on the spirit of a rule rather than its letter. Meaningful reforms often require no money at all. They require changing expectations from inside, starting small and building credibility, decentralising the leadership of change, and treating new formal rules as a last resort rather than a first step.The book behind this episode:Williams, Martin J. 2026. Reform as Process: Implementing Change in Public Bureaucracies. New York: Columbia University Press. Open-access PDF available at uplopen.com.To cite this episode:Phillips, Tim, and Martin J. Williams. 2026. "Why civil service reform fails (and what actually works)." VoxDev Talks (podcast).Assign this as extra listening. The citation above is formatted and ready for a reading list or VLE.About the guestMartin J. Williams is Associate Professor of Organizational Studies and Associate Professor (by courtesy) of Political Science and Public Policy at the University of Michigan, and Associate Faculty at the Blavatnik School of Government, University of Oxford. His research spans the politics and management of policy implementation, public service delivery, and bureaucratic reform, with a sustained focus on sub-Saharan Africa. He previously worked as an economist in Ghana's Ministry of Trade and Industry as an Overseas Development Institute Fellow, and as a Senior Researcher at the Economic Policy Research Institute in Cape Town. Reform as Process has been shortlisted for the Douglass North Award for best book in institutional and organizational economics.Research cited in this episodeNon-verifiable tasks. In organizational economics, a verifiable action is one where a third party (an auditor, a judge, an administrative tribunal) can determine objectively whether it was performed correctly. Non-verifiable tasks are those where no such determination can be made; they include innovation, adaptation, co-ordination across teams, and acting on the spirit of a rule rather than its letter. Williams draws on this framework, which originates in contract theory, to explain why formal accountability systems consistently fall short: they can only govern verifiable outputs, leaving the full range of non-verifiable tasks unaddressed and, in many cases, actively crowded out.Performance-linked incentive systems. Williams's dataset covers 34 separate reform efforts across Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, Senegal, South Africa, and Zambia that attempted to tie civil service pay or progression to measured performance. Not one delivered sustained differentiated incentives on an ongoing basis; only two achieved even partial delivery of rewards, and none delivered sanctions based on measured performance. Williams argues this is not isolated implementation failure but reflects a structural incompatibility between formalised performance metrics and the non-verifiable nature of much civil service work. Managers respond rationally: they set soft targets, award uniform scores, and the process becomes a tick-box exercise.Projectization of reform. Williams uses this term to describe the dominant approach: treating change as a time-bound, discrete intervention with its own budget, acronym, and implementing team, conceived separately from the organisation's core work. This approach systematically distorts reform goals towards formally measurable outputs (new policies, new laws) rather than sustained behavioural change, undermines credibility by signalling a predetermined end date, and reinforces the perception among civil servants that reform is a temporary performance before things return to normal.Continuous improvement. Williams draws an analogy with physical fitness: achieving a target and then stopping does not sustain the gain. High-performing organisations, in the public and private sectors alike, treat improvement as an ongoing process embedded in daily work, not a periodic project handed to a specialist unit. Starting small is not an absence of ambition; it is how credibility is built and larger changes become possible. Williams argues civil service reform should be reconceived on these terms, with performance improvement treated as the job of everyone in the organisation.Decentralised reform leadership. The dominant model of reform leadership, Williams argues, is a visionary leader driving a top-down plan. This model is counterproductive. It personalises reform in ways that guarantee reversal when the leader moves on, and it cannot reach the day-to-day interactions among the thousands of individuals and hundreds of teams that determine how a civil service actually works. A more effective model is catalysing rather than forcing: creating conditions in which teams can identify and solve their own problems, escalate issues, co-ordinate with each other, and act on ideas for improvement without fear of being ignored or penalised.More VoxDev Talks episodesHow government analytics can improve public sector implementation, in which Daniel Rogger and Christian Schuster discuss their efforts to use the data that already exists in governments to better understand how they function. 

In this two-part episode of Defence Deconstructed, David Perry sits down with Dr. Alexander Salt and Dr. Craig Stone to discuss their most recent publications, “Driving Canadian Defence Innovation Through the Minor Capital Portfolio” and “Canada Finally Has a Defence Industrial Strategy: But Does It Say the Right Things?” respectively. We look at previous procurement strategies put forward, the importance of procurement vs. investment, and accelerating capabilities. // Guest bios: Dr. Alexander Salt is the Senior Researcher and Managing Editor at the Canadian Global Affairs Institute Dr. Craig Stone is an Emeritus Associate Professor of Defence Studies, Department of Defence Studies, at the Canadian Forces College (CFC) // Host bio: David Perry, President & CEO, Canadian Global Affairs Institute // Recommended Readings: - "Canada Finally Has a Defence Industrial Strategy: But Does It Say the Right Things?" by Dr. Craig Stone - "Driving Canadian Defence Innovation Through the Minor Capital Portfolio" by Dr. Alexander Salt - A New Blueprint for Government by James Mitchell and Kevin Lynch - AI, Automation, and War by Anthony King // Defence Deconstructed was brought to you by Irving Shipbuilding. // Music Credit: Drew Phillips | Producer: Jordyn Carroll Release date: 22 May 2026

Dr Anne Marie Carew, Senior Researcher at the Health Research Board, on a record 15,422 cases treated for problem drug use in Ireland last year.

Rising fuel costs over the past number of months may have lead to some of you thinking whether the time has come to make the switch to electric vehicles. But what about the haulage sector? Is the technology there for electric trucks that could take freight across the country? For more on this we heard from Dr Eamonn Mulholland is a Senior Researcher with the International Council on Clean Transportation.

The government has introduced the Representation of the People Bill to lower the voting age to 16, change how electoral rules are enforced and – potentially – introduce new restrictions on political donations. But embedding new processes for registering to vote, changing how electoral rules are enforced, and ensuring there is clear information for 16- and 17-year-olds will all take time – and affect the work of the Electoral Commission, local authorities, schools, civil society groups and others in the run-up to the next general election. So, what needs to happen after the Bill gets Royal Assent? How will the Bill change the remit of the Electoral Commission – and is the Commission prepared? What do local authorities need to do to get ready? What information will new voters need? And what needs to change culturally as well as administratively? To discuss all this and more, the IfG brought together an expert panel, including: Harriet Andrews, Director of The Politics Project John Pullinger, Chair of the Electoral Commission Prof. Alan Renwick, Director of the Constitution Unit at UCL Clare Sim, Head of Member Support at the Association of Electoral Administrators (joining remotely) The event was chaired by Dr Rebecca McKee, Senior Researcher at the Institute for Government.

Greg Brady talked to Andrew Longhurst, Senior Researcher with the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, about a recent report that paints a grim picture of Ontario healthcare with worsening ER wait times and a hospital funding model that is setting the system up to fail. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The government has introduced the Representation of the People Bill to lower the voting age to 16, change how electoral rules are enforced and – potentially – introduce new restrictions on political donations. But embedding new processes for registering to vote, changing how electoral rules are enforced, and ensuring there is clear information for 16- and 17-year-olds will all take time – and affect the work of the Electoral Commission, local authorities, schools, civil society groups and others in the run-up to the next general election. So, what needs to happen after the Bill gets Royal Assent? How will the Bill change the remit of the Electoral Commission – and is the Commission prepared? What do local authorities need to do to get ready? What information will new voters need? And what needs to change culturally as well as administratively? To discuss all this and more, the IfG brought together an expert panel, including: Harriet Andrews, Director of The Politics Project John Pullinger, Chair of the Electoral Commission Prof. Alan Renwick, Director of the Constitution Unit at UCL Clare Sim, Head of Member Support at the Association of Electoral Administrators (joining remotely) The event was chaired by Dr Rebecca McKee, Senior Researcher at the Institute for Government. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

John Maytham is joined by Melusi Ncala, Senior Researcher at Corruption Watch, to unpack why public reaction to corruption cases so often depends on who is implicated, rather than what has been done. From political scandals to public discourse, Ncala says this inconsistency weakens accountability and sends the wrong message: that consequences depend on connections, not conduct. 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 Palace of Westminster is one of the world's most recognisable historic buildings and the home of the UK parliament. Yet much of the estate is in urgent need of repair. While debates over how to approach the Restoration and Renewal programme have continued for over a decade, other countries have already moved ahead: Austria has completed the renovation of its parliament, and Canada's is well underway. In February, the Restoration and Renewal Client Board set out updated costings and recommended two possible paths forward – full decant or enhanced maintenance and improvement. Parliament is expected to debate the Client Board's report in the coming weeks. With the stage now set for parliament to embark on a project that will not only safeguard this historic landmark but also reimagine it for future generations, this IfG event explored lessons from other international projects, and discuss what the Restoration and Renewal programme could mean for parliament, industry and the wider public. To discuss all this and more, the IfG brought together an expert panel, including: Jennifer Garrett, Assistant Deputy Minister of the Parliamentary Precinct Branch of the Government of Canada (joining remotely) Dr Alexandra Meakin, Lecturer in British Politics at the University of Leeds Jack Pringle, Chair of the Board of Trustees at the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) Nick Smith MP, Chair of the House of Commons Administration Committee The event was chaired by Dr Rebecca McKee, Senior Researcher at the Institute for Government. We would like to thank RIBA for kindly supporting this event.

With a crucial set of local and devolved elections taking place in England, Scotland and Wales on Thursday 7 May, the Institute for Government devolution team hosted an expert webinar the day after to discuss the results so far. What is the likely composition of the new governments in Edinburgh and Cardiff and what will be their policy priorities? What are the implications for UK-devolved relations? And what do election results in county councils, London boroughs, district and unitary authorities across England mean for the government's local government reorganisation and devolution plans? To discuss these questions and more, including from the live online audience, were the IfG's expert devolution and local government team: Matthew Fright, Senior Researcher for Devolution at the Institute for Government Megan Isaac, Research Assistant for Devolution at the Institute for Government Harriet Shaw, Researcher for Devolution at the Institute for Government This event was chaired by Akash Paun, Programme Director for Devolution at the Institute for Government.

The Palace of Westminster is one of the world's most recognisable historic buildings and the home of the UK parliament. Yet much of the estate is in urgent need of repair. While debates over how to approach the Restoration and Renewal programme have continued for over a decade, other countries have already moved ahead: Austria has completed the renovation of its parliament, and Canada's is well underway. In February, the Restoration and Renewal Client Board set out updated costings and recommended two possible paths forward – full decant or enhanced maintenance and improvement. Parliament is expected to debate the Client Board's report in the coming weeks. With the stage now set for parliament to embark on a project that will not only safeguard this historic landmark but also reimagine it for future generations, this IfG event explored lessons from other international projects, and discuss what the Restoration and Renewal programme could mean for parliament, industry and the wider public. To discuss all this and more, the IfG brought together an expert panel, including: Jennifer Garrett, Assistant Deputy Minister of the Parliamentary Precinct Branch of the Government of Canada (joining remotely) Dr Alexandra Meakin, Lecturer in British Politics at the University of Leeds Jack Pringle, Chair of the Board of Trustees at the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) Nick Smith MP, Chair of the House of Commons Administration Committee The event was chaired by Dr Rebecca McKee, Senior Researcher at the Institute for Government. We would like to thank RIBA for kindly supporting this event. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Host Bill Radke discusses the week’s news with The Stranger Editor Hannah Murphy Winter, founder of Earth Finance, and former member of the Washington state House and Senate Reuven Carlyle, and Senior Researcher at Washington Policy Center Paul Guppy.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Our third webinar in a three-part series focused on the findings of Whitehall Monitor 2026. The third Whitehall Monitor webinar – the final in a three-part series exploring the IfG's annual flagship report on the civil service – took a deeper look at the people who make up the civil service workforce, including diversity and morale, and considers the crucial role of, and challenges facing, civil service leadership today. The webinar featured: Heloise Dunlop, Researcher at the Institute for Government and co-author of Whitehall Monitor 2026 Tom Fitzlucas, People and Change Expert at PA Consulting Jack Worlidge, Senior Researcher at the IfG and co-author of Whitehall Monitor 2026 The event was chaired by Alex Thomas, Executive Director for Impact and Influence at the IfG. Whitehall Monitor 2026, the IfG's annual data-led assessment of the size, shape and performance of the civil service, examines how the workforce changed in 2025. We would like to thank PA Consulting for kindly supporting this event.

Our third webinar in a three-part series focused on the findings of Whitehall Monitor 2026. The third Whitehall Monitor webinar – the final in a three-part series exploring the IfG's annual flagship report on the civil service – took a deeper look at the people who make up the civil service workforce, including diversity and morale, and considers the crucial role of, and challenges facing, civil service leadership today. The webinar featured: Heloise Dunlop, Researcher at the Institute for Government and co-author of Whitehall Monitor 2026 Tom Fitzlucas, People and Change Expert at PA Consulting Jack Worlidge, Senior Researcher at the IfG and co-author of Whitehall Monitor 2026 The event was chaired by Alex Thomas, Executive Director for Impact and Influence at the IfG. Whitehall Monitor 2026, the IfG's annual data-led assessment of the size, shape and performance of the civil service, examines how the workforce changed in 2025. We would like to thank PA Consulting for kindly supporting this event. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It's Venice Biennale opening week and so, as ever, this episode is our Venice special. The Biennale comprises many aspects: an international exhibition that this year features more than 100 artists in the Central Pavilion in the Giardini—Venice's easternmost gardens—and the Arsenale, the historic Venetian shipyards, as well as national pavilions and, across the city, countless official collateral exhibitions alongside major museum shows, performances and other interventions. We bring you our immediate impressions of this year's offering: Louisa Buck, Jane Morris and host Ben Luke review the main exhibition, In Minor Keys, curated by the late Koyo Kouoh and realised by five of her collaborators. Ben talks to two artists: Gabrielle Goliath whose work for the South African pavilion was cancelled and is being staged in a church in the heart of Venice, and Lubaina Himid, who is showing in the British pavilion in the Giardini. He also meets the writer and thinker Saidiya Hartman, two of whose essays have inspired a production called Minor Music at the End of the World, staged at Venice's Goldoni Theatre and featuring contributions from, among others, the artists Arthur Jafa, Precious Okoyomon and Okwui Okpokwaseli. And The Art Newspaper's digital editor, Alexander Morrison, talks to Daniella Kaliada, one of the team behind Official. Unofficial. Belarus., a collateral art project by Belarus Free Theatre. Finally, we always end our Venice specials with a historic masterpiece, and in this episode's Work of the Week, we look at two: Jacopo Tintoretto's The Last Supper and The Israelites in the Desert of 1591-92, the pair of paintings made for the presbytery of the Basilica of San Giorgio Maggiore. The paintings have just returned to the basilica after a major conservation project, funded by the charity Save Venice, and Ben spoke to Save Venice's Senior Researcher, Gabriele Matino, about them.In Minor Keys, 9 May-22 NovemberGabrielle Goliath: Elegy, Chiesa di Sant'Antonin, 5 May-31 JulyPredicting History: Testing Translation, British Pavilion, 9 May-22 NovemberOfficial. Unofficial. Belarus., Chiesa di San Giovanni Evangelista di Venezia, 9 May-22 NovemberVisit savevenice.org Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

⁠⁠Event Tickets: Political Economy in a Time of Monsters⁠ (May 12th)Welcome back to After Order - a series from Macrodose and the Alameda Institute - exploring power and crisis in today's unstable world.In this week's episode, we're turning to the concept of Popular Sovereignty. At a moment when the old order is breaking down - when states are less able to guarantee rights, stability, or even the basic conditions of life - what does it mean for movements, communities, and working people to build power for themselves?Joining James to explore that question is Gabriel Tupinambá, Senior Researcher at Alameda. In an upcoming paper titled ‘Popular Sovereignties Under Peripheral Conditions', Gabriel looks to social movements, especially those in Brazil, to understand how communities are attempting to reclaim sovereignty on new terms. Gains that once seemed durable - access to land, political representation, legal recognition - now appeared increasingly fragile. Right-wing forces are reorganising both inside and outside the state, and progressives are too often clinging to outdated institutions that have themselves become unstable. Under these conditions, Gabriel argues that we need to rethink sovereignty from the ground up. Not as a juridical status, or as participation in a national project, but as something more material and immediate, the means of life itself - food, land, shelter, social reproduction - as the basis for any sustained political struggle.Was the stability of the postwar period always more fragile than it appeared? Are the conditions long associated with the global periphery now becoming generalised across the world? And if movements today can still disrupt systems of power, why is it so much harder to build alternatives that last?All that and more, in this week's After Order.Image Credits:Arquivo e Memória, Movimento dos Trabalhadores Rurais Sem Terra (MST)Sebastiao Salgado c/o⁠ https://www.thebureauinvestigates.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=2560,quality=82,format=auto,fit=contain/filestore/images/after-months-of-occupation-of-the-cuiaba-plantation-by-landless-families-the-peasants-celebrate-the-official-expropriation-state-of-sergipe-brazil-1996.jpg⁠Wellington Lenon c/o ⁠https://www.brasildefato.com.br/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/MST-_-Foto-Wellington-Lenon.jpg ⁠Gilvan Oliveria, c/o ⁠https://www.brasildefato.com.br/2024/01/22/lasdless-workers-movement-celebrates-40-years-and-becomes-the-longest-running-peasant-movement-in-brazil/⁠Douglas Mansur, c/o ⁠https://www.brasildefato.com.br/2024/01/22/lasdless-workers-movement-celebrates-40-years-and-becomes-the-longest-running-peasant-movement-in-brazil/⁠Eraldo Peres, c/o ⁠https://www.thenation.com/article/world/brazil-mst-landless-workers-movement/⁠Alf Ribeiro, c/o ⁠https://dissentmagazine.org/article/brazils-landless-workers-rise-mst-land-occupation/⁠Duda Oliva c/o ⁠https://thetricontinental.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/03_Duda-Oliva-2.jpg⁠Judy Duarte c/o ⁠https://thetricontinental.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/02_Juliana-2.jpg⁠Natália Gregorini c/o ⁠https://thetricontinental.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/04_Natalia-2.jpg⁠ArtworksDuda Oliva c/o ⁠https://thetricontinental.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/03_Duda-Oliva-2.jpg⁠Judy Duarte c/o ⁠https://thetricontinental.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/02_Juliana-2.jpg⁠Natália Gregorini c/o ⁠https://thetricontinental.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/04_Natalia-2.jpg⁠

Julia Grauvogel and Hana Attia on the challenges of sanctions termination.When sanctions make the news it is usually because new measures are being imposed on a country, company, or individual. But sometimes, the news is that sanctions are being lifted. As discussed in the first episode of this season, the Trump administration has offered Venezuela sanctions relief as part of the arrangement that brought Delcy Rodriguez to power. The second episode examined the impact of the Iran war on Russia, including a surprising general license temporarily rolling back sanctions on Russian oil exports. Last week, the podcast tackled Syria's economic recovery, which has been spurred by nearly all U.S. and EU sanctions. These recent developments demonstrate the importance of thinking how to remove sanctions when political conditions require.But what does it mean to lift sanctions? This episode addresses the complex issue of sanctions termination. Drawing on the insights of two pioneers in the study of sanctions termination, the episode explores the political and economic conditions necessary for the successful removal of sanctions.Julia Grauvogel is a Senior Researcher at the German Institute for Global and Area Studies where she has led several multi-year research projects on the sanctions termination. She is also a professor at Leuphana University in Lüneburg. Hana Attia is a Junior Professor of Security Policy and Peace at Leuphana University and Research Fellow at the German Institute for Global and Area Studies, affiliated with the Middle East Department. She has worked extensively on sanctions issues and is a frequent collaborator with Julia on research projects.The Sanctions Age is hosted by Esfandyar Batmanghelidj and Josefine Petrick.To receive an email when new episodes are released, access episode transcripts, and read the hosts reflections on each episode, sign-up for the The Sanctions Age newsletter on Substack: https://www.thesanctionsage.com/

Event Tickets: Political Economy in a Time of MonstersWelcome back to After Order - a series from Macrodose and the Alameda Institute - exploring power, sovereignty, and crisis in today's unstable world.In this week's episode, we turn to Digital Sovereignty in the age of Big Tech. What does it mean that the infrastructures underpinning our everyday lives - from search and cloud computing to communication and logistics - are owned and controlled by a tiny handful of Silicon Valley elites? What does that concentration of power mean for democracy, for states, and for the possibility of political autonomy in the digital age? And what, if anything, can we do about it?Joining host James Meadway to explore these questions are Cecilia Rikap and Paolo Gerbaudo. Cecilia is Professor of Economics and Head of Research at the Institute for Innovation and Public Purpose at University College London. Paolo is Senior Researcher at the Faculty of Political Science and Sociology at the Complutense University of Madrid, and author of The Great Recoil: Politics after Populism and Pandemic.In 2025, Cecilia and Paolo co-authored a major report for the Alameda Institute titled Reclaiming Digital Sovereignty: A Roadmap to Build a Digital Stack for People and the Planet. The report sets out a bold vision: to treat digital infrastructure as a public good - one that is democratically governed, ecologically sustainable, and oriented toward social need rather than private profit.Their argument centres on a simple but far-reaching claim, that digital infrastructure is not just technical - it's geopolitical. From the dominance of US Big Tech to the rise of Chinese platform ecosystems, control over data, computation, and networks has rapidly become a fundamental and contested terrain of global power.But if that's true, then the challenge is not just to critique existing systems - it's to build new ones. What would it take to construct a public-interest digital stack? Who has the capacity to do it? And how do you navigate a world shaped both by corporate monopolies and intensifying geopolitical competition?In a moment where sovereignty is increasingly exercised through platforms and protocols, this question becomes unavoidable. So what would it mean to reclaim digital infrastructure?All that and more, in today's After Order.

In this week's episode, we are speaking with Dr. Cara Clancy, senior researcher and social scientist for the Donkey Sanctuary located in Sidmouth, England. In 1973, Dr. Elisabeth Svendsen, after buying a donkey named ‘Naughty Face', and going on to take in many donkeys after seeing the state of them at a local market, officially started The Donkey Sanctuary. Fast forward to today, and you'll see the Sanctuary present around the world, fulfilling Dr. Svendsen's dream of helping donkeys across the globe live healthy and happy lives. And today, Cara's role at the Donkey Sanctuary is senior researcher and social scientist with expertise in human-animal relations and wildlife governance. She has published on a range of topics, including public perceptions and attitudes towards donkeys, the role of working equids in humanitarian crises, and the status and distribution of free-roaming donkeys globally.We have asked Cara here today because we wanted to understand how an animal that through the ages has worked with us, carried us, toiled with us, and been a constant companion since the dawn of civilization ends up so disrespected and neglected. After listening to this episode, you also will be ready to become a champion for these big-eared, long-toothed sweethearts, smart as you like babies with arguably the cutest little hooves around. Thanks for being here and lots of love!Episode Timestamps:Introduction: 00:17Interview: 8:26Show Notes:https://www.thedonkeysanctuary.org.uk/

In October 2012, a local historian stumbled upon a misplaced pamphlet in the Danish Archives. It was a story called the Tallow Candle and is believed to be Hans Christian Andersen's first fairytale. Ejnar Askgaard, Curator and Senior Researcher at Museum Odense, verified the document. He speaks to Surya Elango. Eye-witness accounts brought to life by archive. Witness History is for those fascinated by and curious about the past. We take you to the events that have shaped our world through the eyes of the people who were there. For nine minutes every day, we take you back in time and all over the world, to examine wars, coups, scientific discoveries, cultural moments and much more. Recent episodes explore everything from how the Excel spreadsheet was developed, the creation of cartoon rabbit Miffy and how the sound barrier was broken.We look at the lives of some of the most famous leaders, artists, scientists and personalities in history, including: the moment Reagan and Gorbachev met in Geneva, Haitian singer Emerante de Pradines' life and Omar Sharif's legendary movie entrance in Lawrence of Arabia.You can learn all about fascinating and surprising stories, like the invention of a stent which has saved lives around the world; the birth of the G7; and the meeting of Maldives' ministers underwater. We cover everything from World War Two and Cold War stories to Black History Month and our journeys into space.(Photo: Hans Christian Andersen. Credit: Hulton-Deutsch Collection via Getty Images)

John Maytham speak to Jean Redpath, Senior Researcher at the Dullah Omar Institute at the University of the Western Cape, to unpack the legal weight of this sentence and what it signals for South Africa’s justice system. 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 second webinar in our three-part series focusing on the findings of Whitehall Monitor 2026. The webinar featured: Heloise Dunlop, Researcher at the Institute for Government and co-author of Whitehall Monitor 2026 Becky Noble, Public Services AI Lead at PA Consulting Jack Worlidge, Senior Researcher at the IfG and co-author of Whitehall Monitor 2026 The event was chaired by Hannah Keenan, Associate Director at the IfG and lead author of Whitehall Monitor 2026. Whitehall Monitor 2026, the IfG's annual data-led assessment of the size, shape and performance of the civil service, examines how the workforce changed in 2025. We would like to thank PA Consulting for kindly supporting this event.

Motheo Khoaripe speaks to Japie Fullard, CEO Glencore Alloys about Eskom’s heavily discounted, time‑bound power deal for the ferrochrome industry and what the amended Negotiated Power Agreement means for jobs, energy‑intensive smelters and South Africa’s struggling ferroalloys sector. In other interviews, Timothy Walker, Senior Researcher on Maritime Security at the Institute for Security Studies talks about whether South Africa’s ports particularly Cape Town are truly equipped to handle the surge in global shipping traffic as vessels reroute around the Cape of Good Hope amid ongoing disruptions due to the Middle East conflict. The Money Show is a podcast hosted by well-known journalist and radio presenter, Stephen Grootes. He explores the latest economic trends, business developments, investment opportunities, and personal finance strategies. Each episode features engaging conversations with top newsmakers, industry experts, financial advisors, entrepreneurs, and politicians, offering you thought-provoking insights to navigate the ever-changing financial landscape.    Thank you for listening to a podcast from The Money Show Listen live Primedia+ weekdays from 18:00 to 20:00 (SA Time) to The Money Show with Stephen Grootes broadcast on 702 https://buff.ly/gk3y0Kj and CapeTalk https://buff.ly/NnFM3Nk For more from the show, go to https://buff.ly/7QpH0jY or find all the catch-up podcasts here https://buff.ly/PlhvUVe Subscribe to The Money Show Daily Newsletter and the Weekly Business Wrap here https://buff.ly/v5mfetc The Money Show is brought to you by Absa     Follow us on social media   702 on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TalkRadio702 702 on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@talkradio702 702 on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/talkradio702/ 702 on X: https://x.com/CapeTalk 702 on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@radio702   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/Radio702 CapeTalk on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@CapeTalk567 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sustaining Peace After Civil War: Insights from 48 Recent Cases (Springer, 2026) examines one of the most important questions in peace research: What leads to enduring peace after civil wars, and what leads to the resurgence of violence? For decades, intrastate conflicts have been the predominant form of armed conflict, and most recent civil wars were conflicts that recurred. The research presented in this book focuses on influenceable factors, first and foremost on the type of civil war termination and on the post-civil war order that is shaped by the distribution of military power between the former warring parties and the scale of political compromise. Moreover, it shows that the peacekeeping environment has a major influence on whether peace endures.The insights provided in this book are relevant for the academic community, and for decision-makers and practitioners involved in civilian or military efforts to establish and preserve peace. Thorsten Gromes is a Project Leader and Senior Researcher at the Peace Research Institute Frankfurt's (PRIF) Research Department Intra­state Conflicts. His research focuses on post-civil war societies and so-called humani­tarian military inter­ventions. Sidney Michelini is a post-doctoral researcher working on Ecology, Climate, and Violence at the Peace Research Institute of Frankfurt (PRIF). Book Recommendations: Sixteen Million One: Understanding Civil War by Patrick M. Regan How Civil Wars Start and How to Stop Them by Barbara Walter Why We Fight: The Roots of War and the Paths to Peace by Christopher Blattman 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

Sustaining Peace After Civil War: Insights from 48 Recent Cases (Springer, 2026) examines one of the most important questions in peace research: What leads to enduring peace after civil wars, and what leads to the resurgence of violence? For decades, intrastate conflicts have been the predominant form of armed conflict, and most recent civil wars were conflicts that recurred. The research presented in this book focuses on influenceable factors, first and foremost on the type of civil war termination and on the post-civil war order that is shaped by the distribution of military power between the former warring parties and the scale of political compromise. Moreover, it shows that the peacekeeping environment has a major influence on whether peace endures.The insights provided in this book are relevant for the academic community, and for decision-makers and practitioners involved in civilian or military efforts to establish and preserve peace. Thorsten Gromes is a Project Leader and Senior Researcher at the Peace Research Institute Frankfurt's (PRIF) Research Department Intra­state Conflicts. His research focuses on post-civil war societies and so-called humani­tarian military inter­ventions. Sidney Michelini is a post-doctoral researcher working on Ecology, Climate, and Violence at the Peace Research Institute of Frankfurt (PRIF). Book Recommendations: Sixteen Million One: Understanding Civil War by Patrick M. Regan How Civil Wars Start and How to Stop Them by Barbara Walter Why We Fight: The Roots of War and the Paths to Peace by Christopher Blattman Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/military-history

Sustaining Peace After Civil War: Insights from 48 Recent Cases (Springer, 2026) examines one of the most important questions in peace research: What leads to enduring peace after civil wars, and what leads to the resurgence of violence? For decades, intrastate conflicts have been the predominant form of armed conflict, and most recent civil wars were conflicts that recurred. The research presented in this book focuses on influenceable factors, first and foremost on the type of civil war termination and on the post-civil war order that is shaped by the distribution of military power between the former warring parties and the scale of political compromise. Moreover, it shows that the peacekeeping environment has a major influence on whether peace endures.The insights provided in this book are relevant for the academic community, and for decision-makers and practitioners involved in civilian or military efforts to establish and preserve peace. Thorsten Gromes is a Project Leader and Senior Researcher at the Peace Research Institute Frankfurt's (PRIF) Research Department Intra­state Conflicts. His research focuses on post-civil war societies and so-called humani­tarian military inter­ventions. Sidney Michelini is a post-doctoral researcher working on Ecology, Climate, and Violence at the Peace Research Institute of Frankfurt (PRIF). Book Recommendations: Sixteen Million One: Understanding Civil War by Patrick M. Regan How Civil Wars Start and How to Stop Them by Barbara Walter Why We Fight: The Roots of War and the Paths to Peace by Christopher Blattman Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/political-science

Sustaining Peace After Civil War: Insights from 48 Recent Cases (Springer, 2026) examines one of the most important questions in peace research: What leads to enduring peace after civil wars, and what leads to the resurgence of violence? For decades, intrastate conflicts have been the predominant form of armed conflict, and most recent civil wars were conflicts that recurred. The research presented in this book focuses on influenceable factors, first and foremost on the type of civil war termination and on the post-civil war order that is shaped by the distribution of military power between the former warring parties and the scale of political compromise. Moreover, it shows that the peacekeeping environment has a major influence on whether peace endures.The insights provided in this book are relevant for the academic community, and for decision-makers and practitioners involved in civilian or military efforts to establish and preserve peace. Thorsten Gromes is a Project Leader and Senior Researcher at the Peace Research Institute Frankfurt's (PRIF) Research Department Intra­state Conflicts. His research focuses on post-civil war societies and so-called humani­tarian military inter­ventions. Sidney Michelini is a post-doctoral researcher working on Ecology, Climate, and Violence at the Peace Research Institute of Frankfurt (PRIF). Book Recommendations: Sixteen Million One: Understanding Civil War by Patrick M. Regan How Civil Wars Start and How to Stop Them by Barbara Walter Why We Fight: The Roots of War and the Paths to Peace by Christopher Blattman Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/world-affairs

Sustaining Peace After Civil War: Insights from 48 Recent Cases (Springer, 2026) examines one of the most important questions in peace research: What leads to enduring peace after civil wars, and what leads to the resurgence of violence? For decades, intrastate conflicts have been the predominant form of armed conflict, and most recent civil wars were conflicts that recurred. The research presented in this book focuses on influenceable factors, first and foremost on the type of civil war termination and on the post-civil war order that is shaped by the distribution of military power between the former warring parties and the scale of political compromise. Moreover, it shows that the peacekeeping environment has a major influence on whether peace endures.The insights provided in this book are relevant for the academic community, and for decision-makers and practitioners involved in civilian or military efforts to establish and preserve peace. Thorsten Gromes is a Project Leader and Senior Researcher at the Peace Research Institute Frankfurt's (PRIF) Research Department Intra­state Conflicts. His research focuses on post-civil war societies and so-called humani­tarian military inter­ventions. Sidney Michelini is a post-doctoral researcher working on Ecology, Climate, and Violence at the Peace Research Institute of Frankfurt (PRIF). Book Recommendations: Sixteen Million One: Understanding Civil War by Patrick M. Regan How Civil Wars Start and How to Stop Them by Barbara Walter Why We Fight: The Roots of War and the Paths to Peace by Christopher Blattman Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/national-security

Sustaining Peace After Civil War: Insights from 48 Recent Cases (Springer, 2026) examines one of the most important questions in peace research: What leads to enduring peace after civil wars, and what leads to the resurgence of violence? For decades, intrastate conflicts have been the predominant form of armed conflict, and most recent civil wars were conflicts that recurred. The research presented in this book focuses on influenceable factors, first and foremost on the type of civil war termination and on the post-civil war order that is shaped by the distribution of military power between the former warring parties and the scale of political compromise. Moreover, it shows that the peacekeeping environment has a major influence on whether peace endures.The insights provided in this book are relevant for the academic community, and for decision-makers and practitioners involved in civilian or military efforts to establish and preserve peace. Thorsten Gromes is a Project Leader and Senior Researcher at the Peace Research Institute Frankfurt's (PRIF) Research Department Intra­state Conflicts. His research focuses on post-civil war societies and so-called humani­tarian military inter­ventions. Sidney Michelini is a post-doctoral researcher working on Ecology, Climate, and Violence at the Peace Research Institute of Frankfurt (PRIF). Book Recommendations: Sixteen Million One: Understanding Civil War by Patrick M. Regan How Civil Wars Start and How to Stop Them by Barbara Walter Why We Fight: The Roots of War and the Paths to Peace by Christopher Blattman Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/public-policy

In Australia last year, it was discovered that hardly any sunscreen products actually offered the protection listed on the bottle. Now the Australian regulator has finally proposed sweeping reforms in the country known to be a skin cancer hotspot. Dr Michelle Wong, chemist and science communicator of LabMuffin Beauty Science explains what impact the changes might make.Northern Cyprus is one of the cheapest places to get IVF treatment. However, a British couple have recently discovered their children, conceived at a clinic in the country, are not biologically related despite the couple requesting the same sperm donor for both children. We find out more about what happened and how IVF clinics are regulated globally.How mosquitoes could be used to vaccinate bats against rabies and nipah, and the potential benefit to human health.In Ghana, Pakistan, Rwanda, and South Africa more than half of patients with serious injuries failed to reach medical care within an hour of being injured according to new research. Dr Leila Ghalichi, Senior Researcher at Department of Applied Health Sciences at the University of Birmingham explains what could be done to improve the situation.And, how sperm behaves in space, and what that means for colonising other planets.Presenter: Claudia Hammond Producer: Hannah Robins Assistant Producer: Jonathan Blackwell

In this episode of The Horn, Alan is joined by Moses Chrispus Okello, Senior Researcher at the Institute of Security Studies, to unpack the common forces driving instability across the Horn of Africa and where the region might be headed. They discuss how today's crises across the Horn of Africa are rooted primarily in domestic politics, even as they are increasingly shaped and intensified by outside powers competing for influence as the region becomes more entangled in Red Sea geopolitics. They examine Ethiopia's central place in the region, how its push for sea access is raising tensions with neighbours and the prospects for wider regional realignments. Finally, they explore what stabilisation might require, from reducing proxy competition to rebuilding regional diplomacy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

US President Donald Trump has said he is not ready for a deal on the terms being offered by Iran. Prof. Jonathan Rynhold, a Senior Researcher at the Begin-Sadat Center for Strategic Studies at Bar-Ilan University, spoke to KAN's Naomi Segal about the considerations driving the US leader. (Photo: Reuters) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

From August 30, 2024: Elliot Jones, a Senior Researcher at the Ada Lovelace Institute, joins Kevin Frazier, Assistant Professor at St. Thomas University College of Law and a Tarbell Fellow at Lawfare, to discuss a report he co-authored on the current state of efforts to test AI systems. The pair break down why evaluations, audits, and related assessments have become a key part of AI regulation. They also analyze why it may take some time for those assessments to be as robust as hoped. To receive ad-free podcasts, become a Lawfare Material Supporter at www.patreon.com/lawfare. You can also support Lawfare by making a one-time donation at https://givebutter.com/lawfare-institute.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/lawfare. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Join John Schoenheit (President and Senior Researcher at Spirit & Truth Fellowship International) and Bill Schlegel (author of the Satellite Bible Atlas and host of the One God Report podcast) on a 15 day trip to Israel, April 1-15, 2027..Youtube version of this announcement with aerial video of biblical locations mentioned.https://youtu.be/dEBBByvuB4YResource links:Light of Messiah Facebook group (itineraries, announcements, updates)https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61586730625381Light of Messiah Group Registration (via Pilgrim Tours)https://www.pilgrimtours.com/groups/lightofmessiah2027.htm?fbclid=IwY2xjawQgTVRleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZBAyMjIwMzkxNzg4MjAwODkyAAEeIP2cFxjAkmGqb12Uegc0HQGgp03YyLDIrILa1A3AVEVgWDgM503U3Az8chY_aem_ZmFrZWR1bW15MTZieXRlcw#JohnSchoenheit, #Billschlegel, #israel, #jersualem

Jennifer and guest Sarah Allen discuss the topic of polygamy. Sarah Allen was a Senior Researcher with FAIR, a former member of Scripture Central's research team, and the 2022 recipient of the John Taylor: Defender of the Faith Award. An avid reader, she loved studying the Gospel and the history of the restored Church. After watching some of her friends lose their testimonies, she became interested in helping others through their faith crises. That's when she began sharing what she'd learned through her studies. She was a co-moderator of the LDS subreddit on Reddit and the author of a multi-part series rebutting the CES Letter. She was also a co-host of FAIR's “Me, My Shelf, & I” podcast. Jennifer Roach Lees holds a Master in Divinity as well as a Masters in Counseling Psychology. She is a licensed mental health therapist and lives in Utah. The post Come, Follow Me with FAIR – Genesis 18–23 – Jennifer Roach Lees appeared first on FAIR.