Episodes
| Title | First Broadcast | Repeated | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20060405 | |||
| 20060412 | |||
| 20070103 | |||
| 20100106 | 20100111 (R4) | The First World War was the first conflict in which Britain used conscription, and it was the same law, the 1916 Military Service Act, which made it possible for people to 'conscientiously object' and opt out of bearing arms. It was not an easy status to achieve or an easy option to take, however, because 'conchies', as they were known, were attacked, stigmatised, imprisoned and considered effeminate. Laurie Taylor discusses a new study which explores the mixed feelings and confused anxieties the British public felt toward conscientious objectors in a period when traditional masculinity was already under great strain. Also, Laurie talks to Emma Robertson about her study into music at work. It was banned in most factories in the 19th century, until Cadbury and Rowntree started introducing hymns in their workplaces to raise morale as well as productivity. Laurie Taylor discusses conscientious objecting in World War One. New research on how society works | |
| 20100113 | 20100118 (R4) | Professor Jytte Klausen maintains that the crisis following the publication of cartoons depicting Mohammed in the Jyllands-Posten newspaper in Denmark back in 2005 was stirred up by different sets of people all with something to gain from precipitating a crisis. Her detailed analysis of the course of events claims to show that irresponsible newspaper publishers, vested interests in elections in Denmark and Egypt, and later Islamic extremists seeking to destabilise governments in Pakistan, Lebanon, Libya and Nigeria all played a part in orchestrating the upset. Also, Laurie Taylor talks to Les Back and Mike Robinson, editor of The Framed World: Tourism, Tourists and Photography, about the hidden significance of holiday snaps. What are people hoping to achieve when they 'capture' a scene and what does the holiday pose tell us about modern mores? Laurie Taylor discusses the cartoons that shook the world. New research on how society works | |
| 20100120 | 20100125 (R4) | Twitter, Broadband, BlackBerries, Globalisation - are they all forces ranged against out traditional concept of work or does a deeper analysis favour continuity over change? Laurie Taylor discusses the workplace of the future with Richard Donkin, author of The Future of Work, and with Kevin Doogan from Bristol University. Are we all set to become 'portfolio workers' or is the factory system in place since the Industrial Revolution and the office 9 to 5 set to continue for a while yet. Also, what have you been doing with your teddy lately? Schools have begun sending young children home with teddy bears to write diaries of their shared experiences over holidays or half-terms. So widespread has this practice become that children as far apart as China and Norway are jotting down the daily experiences they share with these teds. A unique opportunity for a sociologist to compare childhood experiences in these two places. Laurie's guest Randi Waerdahl talks about her research. The Future of Work and Teddy Bear Diaries. New research on how society works | |
| 20100127 | 20100201 (R4) | On the 1st of July 1997 Hong Kong passed out of British hands and came under Chinese rule, ending more than 150 years of British control. It was an emotional moment which seemed to signify the final end to an era of British history. Many expatriates returned to the UK but a minority stayed on. Today there are still 19,000 British nationals living in Hong Kong, representing only 0.3 per cent of the population. How do they feel about the changes in the city? What has happened to the colonial life they once lead, and what do they think of people 'back home'? Laurie Taylor discusses an in-depth study by Caroline Knowles which explores the lives and attitudes of the British migrants still living in Hong Kong. Laurie also talks to Robert Ford, the co-author of a new study exploring the reasons behind people voting for the BNP, the most electorally successful far-right party in British electoral history. What are the factors behind its success? Angry White Men: Individual and Contextual Predictors of Support for the British National Party examines the social, geographical and attitudinal characteristics of the BNP voter. The Brits who stayed on in Hong Kong. New research on how society works | |
| 20100203 | 20100208 (R4) | How does a country's international reputation affect its economy and its political power? The diplomatic advisor Simon Anholt says it is extremely important, and takes great pains to measure national PR. Each year he publishes an index which ranks 50 countries in terms of their reputation. He tells Laurie Taylor who is at the top and who languishes at the bottom, and why. Ethno-theme parks, Native American casinos and Kalahari bushmen attempting to reap profits from pharmaceutical companies using their traditional medicinal plants: all modern examples of how ethnic identity has become a commodity in today's global market place. John and Jean Comaroff explore how communities sell their traditional culture in their new book, Ethnicity Inc. They tell Laurie about the effect it has on indigenous cultures, and how selling your identity can be both empowering and impoverishing. Laurie Taylor explores national branding and the commodification of ethnic identity. New research on how society works | |
| 20100210 | 20100215 (R4) | The car was a potent symbol of freedom for black America, but the cultural critic Paul Gilroy argues that the escape it once represented has become a cage for the African American. Consumerism and the ultimate commodity of the car has turned the fight for rights into a race to buy new things. He tells Laurie Taylor how black people spend far more on their cars than whites and how the automobile has fatally undermined culture and community. In his new book, Darker Than Blue, Paul Gilroy writes about how jazz, blues, hip-hop and much of what stood for black culture now seems generically American and is exported around the world. And within the United States luxury goods, motor cars, branded items and a quest for individual gratification have diluted the collective spirit which brought African Americans the civil rights they won. With his brilliant and provocative analysis, Paul Gilroy traces the shifting character of black culture on both sides of the Atlantic and offers an account of what it means to be black in Britain and the United States. African American consumer culture and the history of tea. New research on how society works | |
| 20100217 | 20100222 (R4) | Disputes about piracy are often seen as a product of the internet age, but a new analysis claims a history going back to the advent of print culture in the 15th century. Adrian Johns talks about his new book, Piracy: The Intellectual Property Wars from Gutenburg to Gates. He tells Laurie Taylor how piracy spread the ideals of the Enlightenment and has been the engine of innovation as often as its enemy. Adrian Johns argues that it exemplifies the struggle to reconcile commerce and creativity, and that the pirates are no longer just producers who stand to make a financial gain, but implicate many citizens who download music or films illegally in the confines of their home. He suggests that these new forms of piracy force a radical reappraisal of the meaning of intellectual property. Also on the programme, Laurie Taylor explores the morality of obesity. He talks to Helena Webb about her study of the conversations between doctors and patients in an obesity clinic. She explains why obese patients take credit for weight loss but make excuses for weight gain. A history of Intellectual piracy; the morality of obesity. New research on how society works | |
| 20100224 | 20100301 (R4) | CP Snow first used the phrase 'corridors of power' in his book Homecoming in 1956. It soon became a cliché, conjuring up a world of officialdom, hierarchy, whispers and secret machinations. The advent of open plan, with its airy atriums and glass walls, was supposed to put pay to all that, ushering in a new sense of democracy to the work place. However, research from Rachel Hurdley reveals the hidden values of corridors. The chance meetings, gossip and confrontations which actually undermine hierarchy will all be lost if we fail to appreciate the seemingly unimportant passage between doors. She discusses her research with Laurie Taylor and with the architect Jeremy Till. Simon Duncan, Professor of Comparative Social Policy at the University of Bradford, talks about the phenomenon of Living Apart Together - or 'LAT' - a form of relationship which keeps partners out of each other's living space. Corridors under threat and is 'living apart together' a new form of family? New research on how society works | |
| 20100303 | 20100308 (R4) | Fetching water, cleaning knives, shovelling out a privy, setting fires - how did servants make sense of the tough menial duties in the 18th-century home? During that time they made up the largest occupational group in the British state, and the historian Caroline Steedman argues that servants' resentments and personal philosophies had a huge impact on the development of the English character and the British nation state. Laurie Taylor discusses a neglected corner of social history with Caroline Steedman and Amanda Vickery. Laurie also hears about the working class at Britain's elite universities; Diane Reay tells him about her research into state-educated working-class children studying at Oxbridge. The secret history of the servant and the working class at Oxbridge. New research on how society works | |
| 20100310 | 20100315 (R4) | Armies have always sought to guess the enemy's next move based on past experience. Such crystal gazing took on a fresh urgency during the Cold War as the new discipline of military futurology grappled with the threat of nuclear war. Since then, military futurists have taken their imaginings into more apocalyptic realms. Charged by Western policy makers with the task of 'thinking the unthinkable', they foresee future threats which owe as much to science fiction as to real life. They anticipate cities controlled by terrorists and drug cartels, dictators who've acquired the genetic secret of longevity, even the development of a 'magic bullet' which can't be countered. But do such grim predictions provide a justification for an endless global war against enemies that may never exist? Laurie Taylor discusses a new survey of military futurism with its author, Matthew Carr, and with the geographer Stephen Graham. Also, from Richard Pryor to Lenny Henry - how humour can reinforce or subvert racial stereotypes. The sociologist Simon Weaver tells Laurie about his research into the nature and variety of anti-racist comedy. The meaning of military futurology, and anti-racist comedy in the UK and US. New research on how society works | |
| 20100317 | 20100322 (R4) | The latest British Crime Survey statistics show 744,000 domestic burglaries in England and Wales. This may seem a lot, and though it is no consolation to anyone who had their house ransacked last year, it actually represents a drop of more than a million since 1995. So why is burglary less appealing to criminals? Are they turning to a life without crime or are they simply taking up something else? Laurie Taylor hears from James Treadwell, whose ongoing research seems to present the answer, and it is part of a story involving the plummeting cost of a DVD player and the rising popularity of the iPod. Also on the programme: milk and modernity. What part has the wonderful white nectar had in the development of cities, the separation of urban and rural and our notions of what is pure and natural? It is a surprising story in which ideas of what is natural are constantly being inverted. Laurie speaks to Peter Atkins and Harry West. Laurie Taylor discusses milk and modernity, and why burglary is going out of fashion. New research on how society works | |
| 20100324 | 20100328 (R4) | In April the world's publishing industry descends on Earls Court for the London Book Fair. It is principally a showcase of British books and an opportunity to sell their foreign rights but there is so much more going on. Laurie Taylor talks to the social scientist Brian Moeran and the publishing industry insider Damian Horner about parties, restaurants, one-upmanship and the importance of long-term friendships in an industry which relies on something as intangible as the quality of a book. He also talks to David Cox about the forerunners to the Metropolitan Police, the Bow Street Runners. Were they anything more than corrupt thief-takers and a private security firm for the upper classes? Laurie hears new evidence which casts them as world class innovators in the 18th and 19th centuries. Book fairs and the Bow Street Runners. New research on how society works | |
| 20100331 | 20100404 (R4) | Current sexual surveys reveal that many older people continue to enjoy sex. As the ageing population expands, the pharmaceutical industry has been quick to exploit opportunities to market drugs to eliminate age related sexual problems. But the sociologist Professor Barbara Marshall tells Laurie that sexual medicine is in danger of pathologising the normal processes of ageing and promoting a youth centred definition of sexuality. Also, does love overcome race in Brazilian democracy? There is a much higher intermarriage between races in South America than in Europe or the USA, Laurie explores the underlying traits which govern who marries whom in Latin American Society. Sexuality in later life and interracial relationships in Latin America. New research on how society works | |
| 20100407 | 20100411 (R4) | The idea that modernity leads to a lessening religious belief is being abandoned by theorists in America and Europe. Figures like Richard Dawkins and AC Grayling argue that increasingly religion seeks to impinge on science, and now the first systematic study of European cultural groups predicts that fundamentalists of all religions are out-breeding moderates and atheists, and will eclipse them quite soon. In Israel the Ultra Orthodox will form the majority as soon as 2050. Since the birth rate of secular people in the West is way below replacement level (2.1), and the birth rate of religious fundamentalists of practically any stripe is far above (roughly between 5 and 7.7 children per mother), through the sheer force of demography, academic Eric Kaufmann claims they will become a much bigger force in the Western World. Is that inevitable? Should people be worried? Laurie Taylor discusses the anxieties of atheists and the predictions of demography with three theorists of different perspectives.: The Professor of Contemporary Islamic Studies at Oxford University, Tariq Ramadan; Eric Kaufmann, Reader in Politics at Birkbeck College and author of Shall the Religious Inherit the Earth? and Rebecca Goldstein, philosopher and author of 36 Arguments for the Existence of God; A Work of Fiction. Is the secular world under threat? Discussing new demographics and the future of belief. New research on how society works | |
| 20100414 | 20100418 (R4) | Uninterrupted birdsong, the sound and smell of softly percolating coffee, old ladies cycling to communion through the morning mist, the Sunday papers in bed - all these textures and tastes of the British weekend could be under threat according to a new report called A Lament for the Lost Weekend. Jill Ebrey spoke to people whose work brought them out of the house at the end of the week and found that, despite days off midweek, losing Saturday and Sunday had a serious impact on the quality of their lives. Could the British weekend be under threat? Are we aware of what else we might lose when we remove the restrictions that Sunday in particular makes on our activities? Laurie Taylor discusses the changing place of the weekend in British society with Jill Ebrey of Warwick University and Richard Reeves from Demos. Also, the motivations of people who educate their children at home: There are anything from 20,000 to 50,000 families in the UK who educate their children at home. Who are they? Why do they choose to shoulder the burden of teaching their children themselves and how do they go about it? Ruth Morton discusses the study she recently presented at the British Sociological Association annual conference. Is the British weekend under threat? Plus new research on home education. New research on how society works | |
| 20100519 | 20100523 (R4) | Genealogical research has become a passion for a growing number of people. Programmes like Who Do You Think You Are? and websites like Genes Reunited feed a voracious interest in family origins and the lives of ancestors. But what impact does this kind of research have on the families which are being studied? Hidden pregnancies...mental illnesses...shunned relatives... Laurie Taylor talks to sociologist Anne-Marie Kramer, whose research has unveiled some of the conflicts which arise when family skeletons are dragged into the light, and to the cartoonist Martin Rowson who has performed some geneaological research of his own. Also, how did a Danish stew of left-over vegetables and scrag end of lamb come to epitomise a proud and enduring British city culture? Ciara Kierans discusses a cultural history of Scouse. Producer: Charlie Taylor. New research revealing the rifts and resentment created by researching family history. New research on how society works | |
| 20100526 | 20100530 (R4) | From Curtis Mayfield to 50 Cent, from Nina Simone to JayZ, black music has declined in its quality and lost its moral stance. That's the contention of the cultural critic Paul Gilroy. He joins Laurie Taylor and Caspar Melville to discuss the counter-cultural stance that black popular music once had, and explore whether it really has been destroyed. Producer: Charlie Taylor. Has black music declined? Laurie Taylor discusses with Paul Gilroy and Caspar Melville. New research on how society works | |
| 20100602 | 20100606 (R4) | Popular stereotypes assume that a nation's language reflects its culture and psychology. The German's orderly language is held to be a better vehicle for philosophy than Spanish. The mellow sounds of Portuguese are believed to reflect a relaxed, continental character. Some linguists have even suggested our mother tongue can limit the capacity for thought. So a language with no future tense prevents its speakers from anticipating tomorrow. And primitive cultures which had no word for blue must have been colour blind. But a new book argues that words are not such a prison house. Just because we do not have a word for blue does not mean we can't see it or name it one day. There's evidence of complexity even in the language of hunter gatherer societies. So says the writer Guy Deutscher, who's joined by the philosopher A.C. Grayling. They explore with Laurie Taylor how words shape and define our world. Also, what explains the contrasting economic fortunes within different parts of the same country? The economist Mario Polese examines the causes and patterns of regional inequality around the world. How did Manchester, the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution, lose out to London? Why is the formerly impoverished rural South in the US enjoying an economic revival? And is it inevitable that the flight to urban cities will always be at the expense of the areas left behind? Join Laurie Taylor for an exploration into why some regions prosper and others decline. Producer: Jayne Egerton. Laurie Taylor explores the relationship of language to culture with AC Grayling. New research on how society works | |
| 20100609 | 20100613 (R4) | Since 2006 over 200 British soldiers have been killed in Helmand, Afghanistan. Laurie Taylor discusses a new study which explores the way in which these dead solders have been commemorated in Britain. We have become familiar with the painful sight of mourners lining the main street of Wootton Bassett, as hearses carry coffins away from RAF Lyneham. In public acts of remembrance today soldiers are remembered as fathers, husbands, wives, sons and daughters. This modern way of personalising and even domesticating soldiers is in stark contrast to the twentieth century rituals which mourn the sacrifice of anonymous individual soldiers who have died for the nation. What lies behind this change of attitude and what impact is the new public consciousness likely to have on how and when we wage war? Laurie talks to Anthony King from Exeter University, author of 'The Afghan War and 'postmodern' memory: commemoration and the Dead of Helmand'. Producer: Charlie Taylor. The changing way we commemorate the dead: a study of the war in Afghanistan. New research on how society works | |
| 20110119 | 20110124 (R4) | Committing crime in West Belfast carries a double jeopardy. As well as the police, there are the paramilitaries to look out for. Between 1973 and 2007 there were two and a half thousand shootings and beatings attributed to republican paramilitaries as punishment attacks. Young people have been 'tarred and feathered', had their legs broken, hundreds have been 'knee-capped' and a few have been 'executed' - i.e. murdered - in response to what they are assumed to have done. For three years at the height of this practice Heather Hamill lived and worked in the Catholic Community of West Belfast to research the pseudo-judicial process administered by the IRA. As punishment attacks are growing again, this time at the hands of dissident republican groups, she discusses paramilitary punishment attacks with Laurie and the criminologist Dick Hobbs. Also on the programme today, Hanna Zagefka discusses her report which shows why people give more money to natural disasters like the Asian Tsunami than human ones like the crisis of Darfur. Producer: Charlie Taylor. The impact of paramilitary punishment attacks on the young delinquents of Belfast. New research on how society works | |
| 20110126 | 20110131 (R4) | People have often referred to conflicts between the concepts we use to understand the best way to live - ideas like Liberty, Equality, Justice, Democracy. You need to suppress one to achieve the other, and this - the argument goes - proves that they are not universal moral concepts. In his engagingly titled new book, Justice for Hedgehogs, the US philosopher Ronald Dworkin seeks to show that there is no incompatibility between these ideas because they are part of a single unified value, they only appear to conflict because of the way we are looking at them. But how do we ascribe this value with a universal role without recourse to God, or some other metaphysical entity? Laurie discusses the idea with Ronald Dworkin and AC Grayling. Also, shinning up the greasy pole: Bill Jones talks about his essay on how Prime Ministers pick their ministers and how to get ahead in politics. Producer: Charlie Taylor. Ronald Dworkin and Anthony Grayling on liberty versus equality. New research on how society works | |
| 20110202 | 20110207 (R4) | Britain and Ireland have always lagged far behind the rest of Western Europe in terms of second home ownership. But, MPs apart, there is a relentless upsurge in people owning more than one residence. In a new report Chris Parks has analysed the effect of the increase of home ownership on British and Irish society and compared it with other parts of the world. He discusses his findings with Susan Smith and Laurie Taylor. Also, Laurie talks to the writer Iain Sinclair about his examination of the culture of the urban cyclist. Producer: Charlie Taylor. The growth in second home ownership and the cult of the bike. New research on how society works | |
| 20110608 | 20110612 (R4) | Dirt is dust, soil, refuse, excrement, bacteria, filth, sleaze, slime, smut. How easily the word changes its meaning from the physical to the moral. It is this fascinating relationship and threat which dirt seems to pose that is explored in the Wellcome Collection's exhibition 'Dirt: The Filthy Reality of Everyday Life'. In a special edition recorded with an audience of the public at Wellcome, Laurie Taylor and a panel of experts explore the meaning of dirt, its relationship to order and how hygiene and the mass generation of dirt have become such potent symbols of civilisation. He is joined by the anthropologist Adam Kuper, the writer and cartoonist Martin Rowson and the historian Amanda Vickery to discuss dirt and why it provokes such fear, loathing and occasionally desire. Producer: Charlie Taylor. Dirt, filth and why we like to be clean: A special edition at the Wellcome Collection. New research on how society works | |
| 20120222 | 20120227 (R4) | In 1980 there were around 300,000 students in forty-six universities, now there are some two and a quarter million students studying in 130 universities across Britain. More people than ever before are receiving a university education but despite - or even because of this - there is enormous anxiety about the role that universities should play. Should they be judged on their contribution to the economy or on the pursuit of knowledge for knowledge's sake? How can their 'impact' or success be measured? The intellectual historian Stefan Collini puts these debates in their historical context as he talks to Laurie about his new book, What Are Universities For? And why are we so fascinated with outlaws? Could it be that they offer an alternative way of life without the hierarchies and corporate power that seem to hold us back? Martin Parker, author of Alternative Business: Outlaws Crime and Culture thinks so. He discusses his work with Laurie and criminologist Dick Hobbs. Producer: Charlie Taylor. Laurie talks to Stefan Collini about the point of universities. New research on how society works | |
| A History Of Tennis, Talking Treatments | 20140709 | 20140713 (R4) | Tennis: From Victorian Pastime to Global Phenomenon. Laurie Taylor talks to life long tennis fan and cultural historian, Elizabeth Wilson. The story of tennis illuminates social change and struggle across the 20th century, going hand in hand with the march of modernity, globalisation, commercialisation and gender equality. Also, Daniel Holman, a post doctoral researcher at the University of Cambridge, discusses class differences in the use of 'talking treatments' for mental health problems with Stephen Frosh, Professor of Psychology at Birkbeck College. Why are these treatments so underused by working class people? Producer: Jayne Egerton. Tennis: A social history. Also, psychotherapy and class. New research on how society works |
| A Social History Of Dying, Obituaries | 20070718 | 20070722 (R4) | A SOCIAL HISTORY OF DYING `Death is a very dull, dreary affair, and my advice to you is to have nothing whatever to do with it.` (W. Somerset Maugham) According to Allan Kellehear, Stone Age people had an idea of death, but not of dying. Death came so suddenly and violently there was not a passage of time in which people slipped from one world to the next. Dying, he claims, became a facet of human culture when the first cities began to be formed. With the cities came disease, and with disease came dying. His new book A Social History of Dying examines the process before death and how it has changed over 10,000 years. How does the contemporary experience of dying and its place in our culture compare with the past? Laurie Taylor and Allan Kellehear, Professor of Sociology at the University of Bath, are joined by Kate Berridge, author of Vigor Mortis; the end of the Death Taboo to discuss the nature of dying in the modern world and how the arrival of slow deaths' has transformed the ways in which people prepare for death. OBITUARIES Bridget Fowler Professor of Sociology, Glasgow University talks about her recent paper The Obituary as Collective Memory: a Bourdieusian Approach which she will be presenting at the Cultural Studies Conference, East London University on Saturday. Professor Fowler argues that, despite the pretence of a democratic revolution in obituaries, they still perform the function of enshrining the dominant sections of society that they had in 1900. She says that her detailed analysis shows that prejudices against the working class, minor universities, racial minorities and women are still very present in the selection of who gets an obituary, and whose life is publicly forgotten. Laurie Taylor explores the social history of dying and the social memory of obituaries. New research on how society works |
| A Special Programme Devoted To The Bsa-thinking Allowed Ethnography Shortlist | 20170405 | 20170409 (R4) | A special programme devoted to the BSA and Thinking Allowed Ethnography Award Shortlist for 2017. ~Thinking Allowed, in association with the British Sociological Association, presents a special programme devoted to the academic research which has been short listed for our fourth annual award for a study that has made a significant contribution to ethnography, the in-depth analysis of the everyday life of a culture or sub culture. Laurie Taylor is joined by the 3 other judges; Sarah Neal , Professor of Sociology at the University of Sheffield, Shane Blackman, Professor of Cultural Studies at Canterbury Christ Church University and Alpa Shah , Associate Professor in the Department of Anthropology at the LSE. Producer:Jayne Egerton. A special programme devoted to the BSA/Thinking Allowed Ethnography Award shortlist 2017. New research on how society works |
| A Special Programme On Pierre Bourdieu | 20160622 | 20190605 (R4) 20190609 (R4) | A special programme on Pierre Bourdieu: Laurie Taylor explores the ideas and legacy of the French sociologist, best known for establishing the concepts of cultural, social, and symbolic forms of capital (as opposed to traditional economic forms of capital). His book 'Distinction: A Social Critique of the Judgment of Taste' was judged the sixth most important sociological work of the twentieth century by the International Sociological Association. His work is credited with enhancing the understanding of the ways in which the social order and power are transferred across generations. Laurie is joined by Diane Reay, Professor of Education at Cambridge University, Derron Wallace, Post Doctoral Fellow at Brandeis University and Kirsty Morrin, Phd Student at the University of Manchester and co-convenor for the Bourdieu Study Group. Revised repeat Producer: Jayne Egerton Pierre Bourdieu: A special programme presented by Laurie Taylor. New research on how society works |
| A Special Programme On Rituals | 20151223 | 20151228 (R4) | Rituals at Christmas & beyond. Laurie Taylor presents a special programme on the place of rituals in everyday life. How have they changed over time and do we still need them? He's joined by Adam Kuper, Centennial Professor in Anthropology at the London School of Economics and Political Science; Marina Warner, writer and mythographer and Elizabeth Pleck, Professor Emeritu of History and Human Development & Family Studies at the University of Illinois. Producer: Jayne Egerton. A special programme on rituals, at Christmas and beyond. New research on how society works |
| A Valentine Day's Special | 20180214 | 20180219 (R4) | A Valentine Day's Special. Laurie Taylor explores changing attitudes to infidelity and considers a cross cultural history of rings. Wendy Doniger, Distinguished Service Professor of the History of Religions at the University of Chicago, asks why this piece of circular jewellery keeps re-occurring in myths and stories about seduction, love, sex and betrayal. What can it tell us about the shifting nature of power relations between men and women? She's joined by Adam Kuper, Visiting Professor in Anthropology at Boston University. Also, have attitudes hardened towards adultery? The visibility of non-monogamy suggests a challenge to dominant assumptions about the feasibility of lifelong sexual fidelity. However, infidelity remains the lone area of adult sexual practice that is disapproved of under any circumstances. Dr Jenny van Hooff, Senior Lecturer in Sociology at Manchester Metropolitan University, examines claims about the extent to which relationships have been de-traditionalised. Producer: Jayne Egerton. A Valentine Day's Special programme exploring infidelity and the history of rings. New research on how society works |
| Acquaintance, Tea Rooms | 20090923 | 20090927 (R4) | Many of us will exchange intimate details of our lives with our hairdesser or chat to the person on the same train platform as us every morning on the way to work, but we probably don't think of either as a friend. Laurie Taylor discusses the role of acquaintances, and why the people who are neither friend nor stranger are incredibly important. He talks to sociologist David Morgan and anthroplogist Henrietta Moore about the role of acquaintances in our lives and finds out why, without them, the very fabric of society could break down. Also in the programme, why more than one million tea rooms opened in the early 20th century and gave American women their first taste of business and financial freedom. Laurie Taylor discusses the role of acquaintances. New research on how society works |
| Adam Smith (1723-1790) | 20070711 | 20070715 (R4) | ADAM SMITH (1723-1790) Adam Smith is known as the Father of Economics, the absent-minded son of a Scottish customs inspector who was said to go wandering for miles in his pyjamas, lost in thought about how to make life better for all. In 1776 Adam Smith published An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations in which he argued that if people were set free to improve themselves, it would - 'as if by an invisible hand' - actually benefit the whole of society. Beloved of everyone from the 19th century factory owners to Margaret Thatcher, Adam Smith is often used as a justification for the rugged pursuit of self-interest. But he was also deeply concerned about the poorest in society. Laurie Taylor is joined by American satirist P. J. O'Rourke, author of a new critical work on `The Wealth of Nations`, Murray Pittock, Professor of Scottish and Romantic Literature at the University of Manchester and Anthony Hilton, Financial Editor of the Evening Standard. Laurie Taylor and guests discuss the life and work of Adam Smith, the Father of Economics. New research on how society works |
| Affluence | 20171115 | 20171120 (R4) | Affluence - from the Kalahari desert to Wall St; Laurie Taylor explores contrasting conceptions of material plenty and the 'good life'. He's joined by James Suzman, an anthropologist who has spent 30 years studying and spending time with the bushmen of Namibia and Rachel Sherman, Associate Professor of Sociology at The New School whose study of wealthy New Yorkers found an uneasiness, as well as an enjoyment in affluence. Producer: Jayne Egerton. Affluence - what does it mean? New research on how society works |
| Afghanistan | 20211006 | 20211010 (R4) | Afghanistan: The lives of Afghans in Britain today and the role of corruption in the return of the Taliban. Laurie Taylor talks to Nichola Khan, Reader in Anthropology and Psychology at the University of Brighton, about her monumental study of Afghan migrants in Sussex, England, at a time when we are seeing a fresh wave of migration from their home country. Also, Sarah Chayes, former Senior Associate in the Democracy and Rule of Law Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, explores the role of political corruption in the renewed ascendency of the Taliban. Producer: Jayne Egerton Afghanistan: Afghan migrants in Britain. Also, the return of the Taliban. New research on how society works |
| After Redundancy, Global Payday Lending | 20141210 | 20141215 (R4) | Global payday loans: Laurie Taylor talks to Carl Packman, a researcher and writer, who has analysed the growth of a worldwide industry. Today there are more payday lender shops in the US than McDonald's restaurants. They cater mainly to those without access to mainstream credit and with no other option. But how did they evolve and proliferate? And what is their impact on the most financially vulnerable consumers? He's joined by Johnna Montogomery, an economist from Goldsmiths, London. Also, redundancy at a Welsh aluminium plant. Tony Dobbins, Reader in Employment Studies at Bangor Business School, asks why re-training has failed to provide jobless workers with a fresh future. Producer: Jayne Egerton. The growing worldwide industry of global payday loans. Plus the aftermath of redundancy. New research on how society works |
| Age Of Noise, British Drinking | 20170118 | 20170123 (R4) | The 'age of noise': How a preoccupation with unwanted sounds came to characterise modernity. The 20th century saw the expansion of cities and technological change. The sounds of motor cars, vacuum cleaners and gramaphones filled the air, leading social commentators to forecast the end of civilisation and a breakdown in mental health. Did noise provide people with a way of talking about their social anxieties? Does it still serve this function today? Laurie Taylor talks to James Mansell, Assistant Professor of Cultural Studies at the University of Nottingham and Marie Thompson, Lecturer in the School of Film and Media at the University of Lincoln. British drinking and the night time carnival. William Haydock, Visiting Fellow in the Faculty of Health and Social Sciences at the University of Bournemouth, argues that our alcohol consumption is peculiarly 'carnivalesque', combining ritual with risk taking and spectacle. Producer: Jayne Egerton. Laurie Taylor considers how unwanted sounds came to characterise modernity. New research on how society works |
| Aids Conspiracy Theories, Comics | 20120530 | 20120603 (R4) | British comics are full of iconic and transgressive characters from Dan Dare to Minnie the Minx. Laurie Taylor talks to professor James Chapman the author of a new book charting the cultural history of British comics. They are joined by the broadcaster Matthew Sweet. Also, Professor Nicoli Nattrass explains why a disproportionate percentage of Black South Africans and African Americans subscribe to conspiracy theories about the origins of AIDS.. Producer: Jayne Egerton. A cultural history of British comics plus AIDS conspiracy theories. New research on how society works |
| Airport Security, Retiring To Spain | 20160727 | 20160731 (R4) | Airport security: what are the costs of a surveillance regime which turns us all into potential suspects? Laurie Taylor talks to Rachel Hall, Associate Professor in Communications at Syracuse University, New York, about her study into the 'transparent traveller' who must submit their bags and bodies to technologies aimed at countering terrorism. Also, Anya Ahmed, Senior Lecturer in Social Policy at the University of Salford, explores the pleasures and pitfalls of retiring to Spain in her research into the lives and times of working class British women who've made this choice. Producer: Jayne Egerton. Airport security, and retiring to Spain. New research on how society works |
| Ale Drinkers, Northern Accents | 20160601 | 20160605 (R4) | Northern accents at work: Trainee teachers are under pressure to speak the Queen's English. Laurie Taylor talks to Alex Barrata, lecturer in Linguistics at the University of Manchester, & author of a study which finds that certain regional accents are frowned upon in a profession that would normally oppose discrimination. They're joined by Paul Kerswill, Professor in the Department of Language and Linguistic Science at the University of York. Sensible drinkers: the drinking discourses of real ale enthusiasts. Thomas Thurnell-Read, Lecturer in Cultural Sociology at the University of Loughborough, explores the way in which some drinkers construct themselves as sociable and self controlled, in contrast to their hedonistic and unruly counterparts Producer: Jayne Egerton. New research on how society works. Ale drinkers. Northern accents. |
| Alienation | 20100825 | 20100829 (R4) | Laurie Taylor discusses Karl Marx's theory of Alienation with Philosophy Professor, Sean Sayers, political economist, Ian Fraser, and Professor of Medical Ethics, Donna Dickenson. Marx saw Alienation as an objective condition inherent in waged labour under capitalism. He believed that the mass proletariat were alienated because the fruits of production belonged to the employers. Factory workers were estranged from themselves, from the products of their labour, and from each other. Human relations came to be seen as relations between commodities rather than people. Marx believed this alienation would be overcome in a communist future in which we could 'hunt in the morning, fish in the afternoon, rear cattle in the evening, criticise after dinner...without ever becoming hunter, fisherman, shepherd or critic'. Individuals would become multifaceted and be at one with their creative selves. Work, in such a future, would be an end in itself rather than a means to an end in the form of a wage. ~Thinking Allowed explores the evolution and development of Marx's theory of Alienation. Can it, in any way, capture the experience of today's worker? Or is it hopelessly outdated in an economy dominated by a service sector rather than factory production? Laurie Taylor explores the meaning and relevance of Karl Marx's theory of alienation. New research on how society works |
| Alistair Cooke And Bio-piracy, Wedding Presents | 20070214 | ALISTAIR COOKE and BIO-PIRACY In 2004 Alistair Cooke, former Radio 4 presenter, died at the age of 95. He had requested for his remains to be cremated but instead his legs, arms and pelvis were removed as part of a criminal body trafficking conspiracy. Subsequently, his trafficked tissue and bone sold for more than $7000 despite his advanced age and the fact that he had cancer. It is now thought that the body parts were used in medical procedures in the UK and were part of a huge international clandestine trade. Laurie Taylor examines the growing phenomenon of bio-piracy and talks to Professor Nancy Scheper-Hughes, Advisor to the World Health Organisation who will be unveiling her new research in to this massive and largely unregulated industry. WEDDING PRESENTS Louise Purbrick, Senior lecturer at University of Brighton and author of The Wedding Present; Domestic Life Beyond Consumption and Dr Rachel Hurdley, Research Associate at Cardiff University discuss the social history of the wedding present. What happens to unwanted presents? Has the wedding list' killed off the original meaning of the gift? And when it is chosen by the receiver and often never seen by the giver why do we continue to give presents at weddings? Laurie Taylor examines the phenomenon of bio-piracy and wedding present etiquette. New research on how society works | |
| Amazonian Friendship, Shame And Stigma | 20070704 | 20070708 (R4) | AMAZONIAN FRIENDSHIP Fernando Santos Granero is a Peruvian anthropologist and Staff Scientist at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute in Panama. He has researched the social organisation, cultural practices and histories of the indigenous peoples of Upper Amazonia, doing fieldwork among the Yanesha and Ashanika of Central Peru. Fernando Santos Granero has lived with the Yanesha in the Amazonas region of Peru just east of the Andes and has written a paper entitled Of Fear and Friendship: Amazonian Sociality beyond Kinship and Affinity for the Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute. He discusses the importance and value of friendship between members of different tribes and how such friendships are maintained and initiated. He argues that these relationships are not as different from western friendships as other anthropologists have claimed. SHAME AND STIGMA Dr Rachel Condry, Research Fellow at the London School of Economics, has spent several years attending a self help group for the families of serious offenders to find out how serious crimes - such as murder, manslaughter, rape and sex offences - have affected their lives, and how they have been treated by friends and family. Her research has revealed that the relatives of the accused had strong feelings of shame and stigma. Rachel's findings have now been published in her new book entitled Families Shamed. Laurie Taylor is joined by Dr Rachel Condry to discuss where this stigma comes from and how it gets transferred, and asks if families are somehow seen as responsible for the crime. Laurie Taylor hears from a Peruvian anthropologist on how Amazonian Indians make friends. New research on how society works |
| Ambient Religion, Poverty And Social Work | 20120229 | 20120305 (R4) | poor mentality, placidly bovine, volubly unreachable, feeble minded - just some of the terms used by social workers as they tried to describe the poor in the 1920s and 30s. Much of their case work was given over to discussing whether the poor were deserving or whether they were making fraudulent claims on the charities and government organisations these new professionals were representing. Laurie is joined by Mark Peel, the author of a new study of social work and poverty in the United States, Australia and Britain, and they discuss which attitudes have changed and which remain the same with the historian Selina Todd. Also, how evangelic Christians have turned their backs on fire and brimstone and are seeking to put the Bible into the background of everyday life. Matthew Engelke talks about his study of the Bible Society of England and Wales. Producer: Charlie Taylor. Ambient faith and social work, and poverty between the wars. Presented by Laurie Taylor. New research on how society works |
| Ambivalent Atheism, Neoliberalism And Old Age | 20151028 | 20151102 (R4) | Ambivalent atheism: Laurie Taylor talks to Lois Lee, Research Associate with the Institute of Advanced Studies at University College, London, and author of a study of non religious people. In the UK today a variety of identity labels exist which articulate non belief -atheist, agnostic, humanist, secular, rationalist, free thinker and sceptic. Most of these terms are associated with organised and activist forms of non religion. But what of the ambivalent atheist, whose beliefs may be fuzzier, less clear cut? They're joined by the philosopher, Julian Baggini. Also, old age and neoliberalism. John Macnicol, Visiting Professor of Social Policy at the London School of Economics, & one of Europe's leading academic analysts of old age and ageing, asks if the idea of retirement is being replaced by the belief that citizens should (or be forced to) work later in life. In a harsher economy is the notion of old age, as a protected stage of life, becoming increasingly anachronistic? Producer: Jayne Egerton. Laurie Taylor explores forms of non-religious culture and identification. New research on how society works |
| American West, Garden Love | 20090311 | 20090316 (R4) | AMERICAN WEST The great American West where savagery met civilisation and boys became men'. To find out how the myth was made, Laurie Taylor is joined by Karen Jones and John Wills, Lecturers in American History at the University of Kent and co-authors The American West: Competing Visions. GARDEN LOVE A new article in the journal of the Royal Anthropological Society reveals the enduring relationships that exist between plants and human beings. Its author, Cathrine Degnen, lecturer in Social anthropology at Newcastle University, talks about the findings of her research on `Vegetable Love` in the north of England, and its implications for ideas about the human relationship to nature. Laurie Taylor tries to solve the myths of the great American West. New research on how society works |
| Anonymity, Self-creation | 20240214 | 20240219 (R4) | Anonymity and self creation: Laurie Taylor talks to Thomas DeGloma, Associate Professor of Sociology at Hunter College and the Graduate Center, City University of New York, about hidden identities and how and why we use anonymity, for good or ill. He explores a wide range of historical and contemporary cases, from the Ku Klux Klan to 'Dr H' the psychiatrist who disguised his identity in a meeting which changed his profession's regressive attitudes towards homosexuality. In recent years, anonymity has featured widely in the political and social landscape: from the pseudonymous artist, Banksy, to Hackers Anonymous and QAnon. What is anonymity, and why, under various circumstances, do individuals act anonymously? How do individuals use it, and, in some situations, how is it imposed on them? Also, Tara Isabella Burton, Visiting Fellow at George Mason University's Mercatus Center, on the crafting of public personae, from Beau Brummell to the Kardashians. She finds the trend for personal branding, amongst ordinary people as well as celebrities, originated with the idea that we could shape our own destiny, once the power of the church had waned. What are the connections between the Renaissance genius and the Regency dandy, the Hollywood 'IT' girl and Reality TV star? Might there be social costs to seeing self-determination as the fundamental element of human life? Producer: Jayne Egerton Laurie Taylor explores hidden and crafted identities. New research on how society works Laurie Taylor explores hidden and disguised identities, as well as those that are carefully crafted. Laurie Taylor explores the latest research into how society works. |
| Anthropology Of Wall Street, Rural Idyll | 20091202 | 20091207 (R4) | Anthropology in an unusual setting: Wall Street. Laurie Taylor talks to the anthropologist who gave up her academic life for over a year to become an investment banker in order to study life on Wall Street. She explains why she immersed herself in the culture of high finance, high risk and high reward and why she thinks it was the culture of Wall Streeters which brought the world's financial system to the edge of catastrophe. Also in the programme, Laurie asks if there is such a thing as an idyllic English village life. While some media reports suggest that life in rural communities is seriously under threat and even dying, Laurie talks to the geographer who thinks that, far from it, village life is thriving and in many places a new kind of idyllic life is being created. Did the rural idyll ever exist and what form might it take in the 21st century? Laurie Taylor talks to the anthroplogist who spent a year studying Wall Street. New research on how society works |
| Anthropology, The Future Of The A-level, Crime And Blame | 20150603 | 20150607 (R4) | Anthropology: the future of the A level. Laurie Taylor talks to Joy Hendry, Emeritus Professor of Anthropology at Oxford Brookes University, about the proposed cancellation of this course. At a time of global conflict, is it the right time to axe a discipline which allows insight into cultures and ideas very different from our own? Also, 'blame' in the criminal justice system. Tim Hillier, Associate Head of Leicester de Montfort Law School, De Montfort University, Leicester, explores the role and parameters of culpability within the legal system. He's joined by Lord Ken Macdonald QC and former Director of Public Prosecutions. Producer: Jayne Egerton. The future of the A-level. Plus the role of blame within the criminal justice system. New research on how society works |
| Arab Londoners, Migrants And British Identity | 20150708 | 20150712 (R4) | Being Arab in London: diaspora and difference in the city. Laurie Taylor talks to Ramy M. K. Aly, Assistant Professor of Anthropology at the American University in Cairo, about his seven year study of the everyday experiences of young, British-Arab people and the ways in which London has shaped and changed their ethnic identities. Also, British identity among migrant groups. Dr Saffron Karlsen, Senior Lecturer in Social Research, explores the degree to which ethnic and religious minorities feel themselves to be British. Producer: Jayne Egerton. Laurie Taylor considers Arab Londoners. Also, migrants' sense of British identity. New research on how society works |
| Archaeology Of Homelessness, Residential Care Revisited | 20121121 | 20121126 (R4) | Residential care revisited - Laurie Taylor considers Peter Townsend's landmark research, 'The Last Refuge', fifty years after its publication. Retracing Townsend's footsteps, a hundred, older volunteer researchers sought to find out what had happened to the 173 care homes in his classic study. Julia Johnson, one of the authors of the new study, charts the changes and continuities in care for older people in England and Wales. She's joined by Robin Darton, an expert in social care, Also, the archaeologist Rachael Kiddey, examines artefacts from two homelessness sites in Bristol and York. What can these items, as well as oral histories collected from the homeless, tell us about what it means to have no shelter in the 21st century? Producer: Jayne Egerton. Older people in residential care - a landmark study. Also, an archaeology of homelessness. New research on how society works |
| Architecture And Health | 20181114 | 20181119 (R4) | Architecture, housing and health. New research on how society works |
| Architecture And Living, Class Endures | 20090506 | 20090510 (R4) | Can the tubular steel and smoked glass dreams of leading architects ever take account of the mess of life? Jeremy Till claims that architecture exists in a bubble and ignores the way people really live. He joins Laurie Taylor to discuss how architecture engages - or fails to engage - with the society for which it builds. They are joined by Ricky Burdett, Chief Architectural Advisor for the Olympic Development Authority, to critique a profession whose output we all have to live with. Plus, Will Atkinson from Bristol University introduces his groundbreaking study into the life decisions made by the children of working class parents. He finds that despite claims that we live in a new society, class is remarkably durable. Laurie Taylor asks if the buildings built today cater for modern life. New research on how society works |
| Artisanal Food, Natural Foods | 20180221 | 20180226 (R4) | The politics and meaning of 'alternative' foods: Laura Miller, Associate Professor of Sociology at Brandeis University, discusses her study of 'Natural Foods'. How did what was once a culturally marginal set of ideas evolve from associations with spirituality and bohemian lifestyles to being a mainstream consumer choice? She's joined by Ton Hayward, food writer and broadcaster. Also, Harry West, Professor of Anthropology at the University of Exeter, considers the 'authenticity' of artisanal and heritage foods. Producer: Jayne Egerton. Artisanal and natural foods. New research on how society works |
| Asylum And 'home' | 20230405 | 20230409 (R4) | Asylum and 'home' - the impact of asylum dispersal and Syrian refugees' quest for home. Laurie Taylor talks to Jonathan Darling, Associate Professor in Human Geography at Durham University, about the system of housing and support for asylum seekers and refugees in Britain, from the first outsourced asylum accommodation contracts in 2012 to the renewed wave of outsourcing pursued by the Home Office today. Drawing on six years of research into Britain's dispersal system, and foregrounding the voices and experiences of refugees and asylum seekers, he argues that dispersal has caused suffering and played a central role in the erasure of asylum from public concern. Also, Vicki Squire, Professor of International Politics at the University of Warwick, discusses the narrative recollections of people who have survived the current Syrian War, only to confront the challenges of forced displacement and relocation, from the West Midlands to London, Canada. What is the meaning of home to those who are subjected to complex migratory journeys and carry memories of extended family, community and homeland in a conflict which has displaced half the population? How do refugees create home away' from home? Producer: Jayne Egerton New research on how society works |
| Au Pairing And Domestic Labour | 20181212 | 20181217 (R4) 20200909 (R4) 20200913 (R4) | With her 1974 study The Sociology of Housework, Ann Oakley offered a comprehensive sociological study of women's work in the home. Analysing interviews with urban housewives, she found that most women, regardless of class, were dissatisfied with housework. It was a finding that contrasted with prevailing perspectives, and a study that challenged the scholarly neglect of housework. Now that this landmark text has been reissued, Ann talks to Laurie Taylor about its significance and reflects on what has changed in the decades since it was published. Also, Rosie Cox discusses her co-authored study of au pairing in the twenty first century, As an Equal? Drawing on detailed research, the book examines the lives of au pairs and the families who host them in contemporary Britain, arguing that au pairing has become increasingly indistinguishable from other forms of domestic labour. Revised repeat. Producer: Alice Bloch Laurie Taylor explores the latest research into how society works. New research on how society works |
| Backpacking Food Tourist, Touring Poverty | 20131002 | 20131006 (R4) | Slum Tourism - the transformation of impoverished neighbourhoods into attractions for international tourists. Laurie Taylor talks to the sociologist, Bianca Freire-Medeiros, about 'Touring Poverty', her study of Rocinha, a district in Rio de Janeiro which is advertised as 'the largest favela in Latin America.' She talked to tour operators, guides, tourists and residents to explore the ethical and political questions raised by selling a glimpse into other peoples' poverty. Professor of Tourism Mobilities, Kevin Hannam, joins the discussion. Also, 'eating the world' - the geographer, Emily Falconer, discusses her research into the food driven impulses of backpacking tourists. Producer: Jayne Egerton. Laurie Taylor on the transformation of slums into visitor attractions. Also, food tourism. New research on how society works |
| Bad Medicine, Heritage Miners | 20080723 | 20080727 (R4) | BAD MEDICINE According to Professor David Wootton author of Bad Medicine: Doctors Doing Harm Since Hippocrates, up until the advent and application, in the 19th century, of Joseph Listers's theories about antiseptic surgery, most doctors and medical practitioners did more harm than good. Laurie Taylor reappraises the history of medicine with historian, Professor David Wootton and medical sociologist, Professor David Armstrong from King's College, London. HERITAGE MINERS Sociologist Bella Dicks talks about her study of the ex-miners who currently entertain and instruct visitors to coal-mining heritage sights. Laurie Taylor reappraises the history of medicine with David Wootton and David Armstrong. New research on how society works |
| Ballroom Dancing | 20220601 | 20220605 (R4) | Ballroom dancing: Laurie Taylor explores its social history and sexual politics with Hilary French, Professor of Design Studies at Bath Spa University and author of a new book which charts the evolution of a form of dance which originated in upper class, private balls but became a mass, working class pastime in the early 20th century. From Hollywood movies to Mecca dance halls. What explains its rise and fall and rise again, in the current moment? They're joined by Vicki Harman, Reader in Sociology at University of Surrey, who unpacks the intriguing appeal of ballroom in the light of changing gender norms which question the notion that a man should 'lead'. Producer: Jayne Egerton Ballroom dancing: its social history and sexual politics. New research on how society works |
| Baristas, 'people' History | 20140507 | 20140511 (R4) | The rise & fall of the working class: Laurie Taylor talks to Selina Todd, social historian at St Hilda's College, Oxford, about her sweeping study of ordinary British people between 1910-2010. Rooting her analysis in first person accounts from factory workers, servants and housewives, she reveals a hidden history full of the unexpected: How many of us know that cinema audiences once shook their fists at Winston Churchill? Also, US sociologist, Yasemin Besen-Cassino, discusses her research on 'baristas', the preparers of coffee across the urban world. She finds a group of affluent young people who'll work for poor wages if they're associated with a 'cool' brand. Producer: Jayne Egerton. The rise & fall of the working class. Also, the attraction of 'cool' jobs with poor wages. New research on how society works |
| Beauty, Ugliness | 20180718 | 20180722 (R4) | Beauty and ugliness - to what extent are our ideas about physical perfection culturally and socially constructed? Laurie Taylor talks to Gretchen Henderson, Lecturer in English at Georgetown University & author of a study of perceptions of ugliness throughout history and to Heather Widdows, Professor of Global Ethics at the University of Birmingham, whose latest book explores the radical transformation of the status of beauty and the increasing emergence of a global ideal. Producer: Jayne Egerton. Beauty and ugliness. New research on how society works |
| Becoming Yellow, Journalist Bias | 20111019 | 20111023 (R4) | Laurie Taylor explores impartiality in TV political interviewing and he examines how the colour 'yellow' became applied to people of Asian origin. Professsor Ian Hutchby from the University of Leicester discusses a recent seminar 'Going Ballistic: Non-neutrality in the Televised Hybrid Political Interview'. In it, he outlines the structures of a new form of televised political journalism, the Hybrid Political Interview (HPI), which combines standard forms of interview technique with much more tendentious, opinionated, and even argumentative reporting. Laurie and Ian are joined by the Director of Broadcasting at City University, Lis Howell. Laurie also discusses a new book called 'Becoming Yellow: A short history of racial thinking'. Professor Michael Keevak from The National Taiwan University explores how the notion of the colour yellow became attached to people of Asian origin. Producer: Chris Wilson. Laurie Taylor explores impartiality in TV political interviewing. New research on how society works |
| Being Single, Modern Romance | 20151014 | 20151018 (R4) | Modern romance: love in the age of technology. Laurie Taylor talks to Eric Klinenberg, Professor of Sociology at New York University, & co- author of a new study exploring the dilemmas & pleasures of dating in the age of Tinder. He's joined by the writer & blogger, Zoe Margolis. Also, Ai Ling Lay, lecturer in Marketing & Management at the University of Leicester, discusses her research on 'singles' in the marketplace. Producer: Jayne Egerton. Laurie Taylor looks at stigma versus choice and explores romance in the digital age. New research on how society works |
| Betting Shops, Women On The Line | 20090527 | 20090531 (R4) | The betting shop is an egalitarian space; unlike pubs there is no necessity to buy, and as long as your behaviour does not impact on anyone else's you can do what you want. It also brings people of different backgrounds and ethnicities together in a unique way. Although gambling carries a stigma and people often campaign against opening more betting shops in their communities, Rebecca Cassidy tells Laurie that they are incredibly cosmopolitan and tolerant, and are emblematic of changes that are happening in Britain. Laurie also hears from Miriam Glucksmann, who has updated a study of women working on assembly lines which she first published anonymously nearly 30 years ago. Laurie hears of a new study which compares betting shops to 18th-century coffee houses. New research on how society works |
| Biologising Parenthood, A Lost Avant-garde | 20150311 | 20150316 (R4) | A lost avant garde: Laurie Taylor examines the tension between art & money in the contemporary art museum. He talks to Matti Bunzl, Professor of Anthropology at the University of Illinois, and author of a study which takes a rare look behind the scenes of Chicago's Museum of Contemporary Art. He found that a commitment to new and difficult work came into conflict with an imperative for growth, leading to an excessive focus on the entertaining and profitable. Also, biologising parenthood: recent years have seen claims about children's brains becoming central to child health & welfare policies. Pam Lowe, Senior Lecturer in Sociology at Aston University, Birmingham, argues that this has led to a simplistic construction of the child and one which claims parenting to be the main factor in child development. Producer: Jayne Egerton. Laurie Taylor examines the tension between art and money. Also, biologising parenthood. New research on how society works |
| Biometric Security, Ethnographer's Dilemma | 20090415 | 20090419 (R4) | Laurie Taylor explores the latest research into how society works. There is a revolution happening in security and the human body is at the centre of new ways of monitoring and controlling the way we live. From fingerprinting to retinal scans. Laurie Taylor explores the way that the history of biometrics has changed the relationship between the citizen and the state. What are the new measures that are due to be introduced? How are new technological developments likely to change the way we live? Laurie talks to anthropologist Mark Maguire about changes which mean that the body becomes our passport and asks whether the so-called 'securitization of identity' will change the way we think of ourselves. Plus, is it possible for a social scientist to always remain uninvolved in the world he is studying? When does it become impossible to keep your mouth shut? Laurie talks to two medical sociologists, Charles Bosk and Clare Williams, about the ethical questions they have had to face. Laurie Taylor explores the history of biometrics. New research on how society works |
| Birth Of Neo-liberalism, Music, Race And Difference | 20130116 | 20130121 (R4) | Neo liberalism - its genesis and development. Laurie Taylor talks to Daniel Stedman Jones, the author of a new book which traces the origins of neo liberal economics. Also, the enduring and complex relationship between race and music. Laurie meets Jo Haynes, the author of a new study which considers the significance of race to the understanding of music genres and preferences. What does the 'love of difference' via music contribute to contemporary perspectives on racism? The research draws on interviews with people from the British world music scene. They're joined by Professor Paul Gilroy. Producer Jayne Egerton. Tracing the origins of neo-liberalism. Plus, the relationship between race and music. New research on how society works |
| Black Emancipation | 20100811 | When 'Liberte, egalite, fraternite' first defined the ideals of French Revolution, it was over half century before they applied to the hundreds of thousands of slaves working in the French Colonies. Similarly the ideals of 'Life Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness', failed to encompass American slaves until as late as 1863. When these slaves were freed a complicated debate began on what freedom really meant, and how true freedom would be achieved. From Booker T Washington to Martin Luther King, from WEB Dubois to Frantz Fanon, ideas of black freedom have been defined, tested and fought for. In the first of a three part series tracing some of the key ideas of sociology, Laurie Taylor talks to Paul Gilroy, Brett St Louis and Gurminder Bhambra about ideas of black freedom and the impact they have had. Producer: Charlie Taylor. Laurie Taylor discusses emancipation, ideas of black freedom from slavery to the present. New research on how society works | |
| Black Emancipation | 20100815 | When 'Liberte, egalite, fraternite' first defined the ideals of French Revolution, it was over half century before they applied to the hundreds of thousands of slaves working in the French Colonies. Similarly the ideals of 'Life Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness', failed to encompass American slaves until as late as 1863. When these slaves were freed a complicated debate began on what freedom really meant, and how true freedom would be achieved. From Booker T Washington to Martin Luther King, from WEB Dubois to Frantz Fanon, ideas of black freedom have been defined, tested and fought for. In the first of a three part series tracing some of the key ideas of sociology, Laurie Taylor talks to Paul Gilroy, Brett St Louis and Gurminder Bhambra about ideas of black freedom and the impact they have had. Producer: Charlie Taylor. Laurie Taylor discusses emancipation, ideas of black freedom from slavery to the present. New research on how society works | |
| Black Girls And British Education, Roads | 20090722 | 20090726 (R4) | Most of the research into black children's experience in British education has focused on the underachievement of boys, whereas black girls are thought to be doing well. However, new research from Heidi Mirza at the Institute of Education shows that, far from being served well by the system, black girls are having to make huge efforts to overcome obstacles to their advancement and are still falling behind white girls and boys. Laurie Taylor hears about supplementary schools, retaking GCSEs and entrenched attitudes from largely white teaching staff. Laurie also hears about the secret history of roads. Joe Moran calls them, 'the most commonly-viewed and least-contemplated landscape in Britain'. He tells Laurie how our motorways are built on pulped remaindered literature and that migratory birds use our system as tools for their navigation. Why black girls succeed and fail in education? New research on how society works |
| Black Music Cultures In London | 20191127 | 20191202 (R4) | Black music culture: Laurie talks to Caspar Melville, Lecturer in Global Creative and Cultural Industries at SOAS, about his study of the musical life which emerged in post-colonial London at the end of the twentieth century - from reggae and soul in the 1970s, to rare groove and rave in the 1980s and jungle in the 1990s. They're joined by Kim-Marie Spence, Post Doctoral Student at Solent University, Southampton, who explores the mixed fortunes of reggae and dancehall within Jamaica and beyond. Producer: Jayne Egerton Black music cultures - how did they evolve in London? New research on how society works |
| Blackface, Minstrelsy | 20210512 | 20210516 (R4) | BLACKFACE & MINSTRELSY - At its most basic level, 'blackface' is the application of any prosthetic to imitate the complexion of another race. In theory, it's a performance available to all, yet 'whiteface' is relatively unknown. Laurie Taylor talks to Ayanna Thompson, Regents Professor of English at Arizona State University, about the painful history of blackface', an ancient European theatrical device that the Europeans brought with them to America. What connects it to Blackface minstrelsy, a specific comedic performance tradition rooted in slavery, and why does this racist practice endure today? Also, Christine Grandy, Associate Professor in History at the University of Lincoln, discusses the origins of the British Black and White Minstrel Show, a prime time, BBC variety programme which lasted for 20 years, from 1958-1978. She uncovers a little known history in which broadcasters, the press, and audience members collectively argued that the show had nothing to do with race whilst the complaints and anger of Black people were dismissed. Thinking Allowed is produced in partnership with the Open University. Producer: Jayne Egerton Blackface and minstrelsy - a troubled history. New research on how society works |
| Blame The Parents?, Chungking Mansions, Hong Kong | 20110817 | 20110821 (R4) | Are we right to blame the parents? Is there anything they could do? Laurie Taylor speaks to two researchers behind a massive investigation into the families of British gang members. Judith Aldridge and Jon Shute tell him what they discovered about the lives and experience of families with children in gangs and whether it is possible to intervene. Also, Gordon Mathews, the author of a book about Chungking Mansions, the cheapest accommodation in Hong Kong, describes its multifarious residents. This ramshackle building in the heart of the tourist district is home to a polyethnic melting pot of people - from Pakistani phone stall operators to American backpackers and Indonesian sex workers. Producer: Charlie Taylor. Blame the parents? New research on UK gangs. Also, Chungking Mansions in Hong Kong. New research on how society works |
| Blood | 20200624 | 20200628 (R4) | Blood - Laurie Taylor explores the metaphorical, as well as material, reality of blood. He's joined by Gil Anidjar, Professor of Religion and Middle Eastern, South Asian, and African studies at Columbia University, and author of a study which explores the relationship between the history of Christianity and blood. What are the social and political implications of the way in which Christian blood come to be associated with purity and kinship? Also, Janet Carsten - Professor of Social and Cultural Anthropology at the University of Edinburgh, considers the extraordinary symbolic power of blood. She traces the multiple meanings of blood as it moves from donors to labs, hospitals, and patients in Penang, Malaysia, telling the stories of blood donors, lab staff and hospital workers. In the process, she shows that blood is a lens for understanding the entanglements of modern life. Producer: Jayne Egerton Blood - its many meanings. New research on how society works |
| Bob Marley, John Stuart Mill | 20071121 | 20071126 (R4) | BOB MARLEY Robert Nesta Marley is still the only developing world artist to have achieved global superstar status. Dr Jason Toynbee, Lecturer in Media Studies in the Department of Sociology at the Open University and the author of Bob Marley: Herald of a Postcolonial World? explains how the artist achieved that distinction. He debates its cultural impact and why have no similar artists conquered Babylon to the same degree? JOHN STUART MILL Laurie talks about the great liberal theorist John Stuart Mill and asks whether - after the end of hostilities between left and right - he is coming back to prominence as the most influential thinker on liberal democracy. Richard Reeves, the author of a new biography John Stuart Mill; Victorian Firebrand discusses his work with the political philosopher Professor John Gray. Laurie Taylor debates the cultural impact of Bob Marley's music with Dr Jason Toynbee. New research on how society works |
| Boffins, Wwi Emotions | 20090909 | 20090913 (R4) | New research on a group of high achieving 12 and 13-year-old children could provide insight into why children underachieve in school. Laurie Taylor talks to Becky Francis from Roehampton University, one of the authors of a new report into the uneasy relationship between being clever and popular. Laurie finds out how children negotiate being both academically successful and liked by their peers, and the differences in classroom experience for boys and girls. While a boy can avoid being bullied if he is both sporty and successful, girls are more likely to be picked on and seen as asexual if they do well in school. Does the risk of being bullied or labelled a 'swot' prompt children of both sexes to avoid performing to their best ability? Also, Laurie explores the letters sent home by soldiers in WWI and what they reveal about the emotional experience of war. He talks to Michael Roper and Joanna Bourke about the role of the connection between the home front and the battlefield, and why it was critical in helping soldiers cope with the horrors of war. Can children be both clever and popular in school? Laurie explores the role of class swot. New research on how society works |
| Bohemian Soho | 20130911 | 20130915 (R4) | Bohemian Soho - Laurie Taylor talks to the writer, Sophie Parkin, about her book on the Colony Room Club, a private members bar whose doors opened in 1948 and shut in 2008. The only criterion for membership was that you weren't dull. For 60 years it played host to an assortment of offbeat and colourful characters from the fashionable to the criminal: the artist, Francis Bacon, rubbed shoulders with the gangster Kray twins. Eccentrics and misfits congregated and drank in a smoky, shabby room with sticky carpets. But what place does the Colony Room have within a wider history of Bohemian life? Professor of Cultural Studies, Elizabeth Wilson, joins the discussion. Also, Melissa Tyler discusses her study of sales workers in Soho sex shops. Producer: Jayne Egerton. Laurie Taylor considers a cultural history of the Colony Room Club. Also, Soho sex shops. New research on how society works |
| Book Publishing, Active Citizenship | 20101110 | 20101115 (R4) | Laurie Taylor talks to Cambridge sociologist Professor John Thompson about his book 'Merchants of Culture' which approaches the US/UK publishing trade from an anthropological point of view. Laurie also talks to MP Jesse Norman and author Dan Hind about Dan's new book The Return of the Public arguing for more active citizenship. Producer: Chris Wilson. Laurie Taylor examines new research about publishing and looks at active citizenship. New research on how society works |
| Borders | 20200122 | 20200127 (R4) | Borders: Laurie Taylor explores the control of national borders. He talks to Nira Yuval Davis, Director of the research centre on Migration, Refugees and Belonging at the University of East London and co-author of a new book which asks why borders have moved from the margins into the centre of political life and turned many ordinary citizens into untrained border guards. They're joined by Jeremy Slack, Assistant Professor of Geography at the University of Texas, who charts the way in which Mexican deportees from the United States become the targets of extreme drug related violence upon their return to Mexico. Producer: Jayne Egerton Borders: from Calais to Mexico. New research on how society works |
| Bourgeois Power And Marriage | 20091223 | 20091228 (R4) | The new bourgeoisie played an enormously important role in the history of industrial and imperial Britain. The extent to which cousin marriage proliferated in the 19th century relates to the central question as to which people were going to lead Industrial England. Close-knit families in Victorian England delivered enormous advantages. They shaped vocations, generated patronage, yielded vital commercial information and gave access to capital; no wonder that marriage within the family, between cousins or between in-laws, was a characteristic strategy of this new bourgeoisie. Laurie Taylor discusses private life in 19th-century England with Adam Kuper, the author of Incest and Influence: The Private Life of Bourgeois England, and Catherine Hall, professor of modern British social and cultural history at University College, London. Was marrying within the family key to success of the ruling classes in Victorian England? New research on how society works |
| Boxing And Kickboxing | 20230906 | 20230910 (R4) | BOXING AND KICKBOXING: Can they transform lives? Boxing has long been cited as a potential cure for a range of social ills, including criminal justice failures, poor mental health and childhood trauma, yet little research has been carried out into how and why such claims exist. Laurie Taylor talks to Deborah Jump, Reader in Criminology at the Manchester Metropolitan University, about the potential of boxing as a mechanism for change among vulnerable groups. Also, Amit Singh, Leverhulme Early Career Fellow in the Sociology Department at the University of Manchester discusses his study of a kickboxing gym in East London where people struggle to gain an identity as a fighter', one that transcends race, class, sexuality and gender. Producer: Jayne Egerton Boxing and Kickboxing: Laurie Taylor explores their potential for transforming lives. New research on how society works |
| Boxing In Gleason's Gym, Sport And Capitalism | 20131127 | 20131202 (R4) | Sport and capitalism: Laurie Taylor talks to Professor of History, Tony Collins, about his new book which argues that modern sport is as much a product of our economic system as the factory, the stock exchange and the unemployment line. Also, The US sociologist, Lucia Trimbur, invites us into the everyday world of Gleason's gym, the last remaining institution of New York's golden age of boxing. Once the domain of white and black working class men, it's now shared with women as well as the wealthy. Is modern sport a product of our economic system? Also, boxing's golden age. New research on how society works |
| Boxing Styles Uk Vs Us, Why Nations Fail | 20120307 | 20120312 (R4) | Why do some nations remain mired in poverty whilst others thrive? A new book argues that the clue to prosperity has less to do with a country's climate, culture and geography than with the inclusivity of its institutions. Authoritarian regimes may succeed in the short run, but long term wealth is only ensured by secure private property, the rule of law and democracy. James Robinson, Professor of Government at Harvard University, discusses his thesis with Laurie Taylor. They're joined by Paul Collier, Professor of Economics at Oxford University. Also 'A Straight Left against a Slogging Ruffian' - the origins of different boxing styles in the UK and US. Research by, Kasia Boddy, an English lecturer at University College, London, explores the boxing boom in the years leading up to the First World War. How did anxieties about the pre-war balance of power turn into a debate on the pros and cons of English versus American styles of boxing? And does this cultural clash about sporting technique still get played out today? Producer: Jayne Egerton. Why Nations Fail. Plus boxing, UK and US style. New research on how society works |
| Boxing, Urban Outcasts | 20080528 | 20080601 (R4) | BOXING Laurie Taylor is joined by Kasia Boddy, author of Boxing: A Cultural history, and Professor Lo?c Wacquant, sociologist, ethnographer and former apprentice boxer to consider the sport's history in terms of race, class, and representation, from bare-knuckle fights to attempts to tame the Kray Twins. URBAN OUTCASTS Loc Wacquant, Professor of sociology at the University of California-Berkeley, looks at the trend amongst academics and certain commentators for talking about `ghettoisation` in Europe's cities, and questions the idea that our cities are becoming Americanised. He discusses his theory of advanced marginality', symptoms of which, he says, can be found on both sides of the Atlantic. Laurie Taylor considers boxing in terms of race, class, and representation. New research on how society works |
| Branding | 20190403 | 20190407 (R4) | Branding: Laurie Taylor explores the 'persuasion industries' and their role in creating modern consumer society. How has their use of an emotional model of brand communication, whether in political campaigning or product advertising, transformed our understanding of the rational consumer? He's joined by Steven McKevitt, Visiting Professor in Brand Communication, at Leeds Beckett University. Also, how 'branding' can desensitize far right consumers to extremist ideas. Cynthia Miller-Idriss, Associate Professor of Education and Sociology at American University, discusses her study into the ways in which extremism is going mainstream in Germany through clothing brands laced with racist and nationalist symbols. Producer: Jayne Egerton Branding - the 'persuasion industries'. New research on how society works |
| Breaking Rules, Wall Street Women | 20120815 | 20120819 (R4) | The first generation of women to establish themselves on Wall Street began their careers in the 1960s. Laurie Taylor hears from Melissa Fisher about her in depth study of the working lives of the women at the heart of America's financial centre, and Liz Bolshaw joins the discussion to bring a comparison with women in The City of London. Also, Beth Hardie joins Laurie to discuss her new report on youth crime in Peterborough called Breaking Rules. Does morality have a role in preventing people committing crime? Her study uncovers its importance. Producer: Charlie Taylor. Inside the world of Wall Street women, and the role of morality in preventing crime. New research on how society works |
| British Class Survey, Tribute To Geoff Pearson | 20130501 | 20130505 (R4) | Laurie Taylor discusses the 'Great British Class Survey', a unique piece of research conducted by BBC Lab UK and academics from six different universities. The researchers devised a new way of measuring class, which doesn't define it by occupation but by the different kinds of economic, cultural and social resources or 'capitals' that people possess. But how have other academics with an interest in class reacted to this research? Mike Savage, one of the survey researchers and Professor in Sociology at the University of Essex, debates the merits of this new approach to class stratification with Colin Mills, lecturer in Sociology at Nuffield College, Oxford and Beverly Skeggs, Professor of Sociology at Goldsmiths College, London. Also, Dick Hobbs, Professor of Sociology at the University of Essex, offers a tribute to the eminent criminologist, Geoff Pearson who died recently. Producer: Jayne Egerton. Laurie Taylor explores a unique piece of research done by BBC Lab UK and social scientists New research on how society works |
| British Constitution, Anciet Rome And Modern America | 20090603 | Leading constitutional expert Vernon Bogdanor tells Laurie Taylor that the age of the mass political party is over, but it still rules in our system of government. Mass political parties started in the 1870s as a response to the advent of mass suffrage. 50 years ago, nearly one in ten people belonged to a party; it has now declined to one in 88, yet they still have a huge role in administering power in our democracy. It is that anomaly which constitutional expert Vernon Bogdanor claims lies behind the frustration and disillusionment that so many people feel towards our political system. He discusses his book, The New British Constitution, with Laurie. Also, why is the idea of Rome so powerful in the American imagination? How is Roman politics used to play the political game in the US? Laurie talks to Margaret Malamud, author of Ancient Rome and Modern America. Laurie Taylor hears how the 'political party' is out of date & Roman politics in the US? New research on how society works | |
| British Society Of Criminology Conference At Leicester University | 20100908 | 20100912 (R4) | When is a crime a 'hate crime', and what does that term actually mean? How has living on what other people throw away become a subject for criminologists? Laurie explores some of the latest ideas on crime as he visits the British Society of Criminology Conference held this year at Leicester University. He hears from the film maker Rex Bloomstein, from Sylvia Lancaster whose daughter Sophie was murdered because of the way she looked, from Jon Garland, Senior Lecturer in Crimilogy, University of Leicester, and also from Jeff Ferrell, the Professor of Criminology from the United States who has been living out of dumpsters, skips, rubbish bins in an attempt to understand an increasingly criminalised and marginalised way of life. Producer: Charlie Taylor. Laurie Taylor visits the British Society of Criminology Conference at Leicester University New research on how society works |
| British Working Class Gardens, Why England Fails (at Football) | 20140416 | 20140420 (R4) | Gardens of the British Working Class - the historian, Margaret Willes, considers the remarkable feats of cultivation by the working class in Britain, even if the land they planted and loved was not their own: From lush gardens nurtured outside crumbling workers' cottages to 'green' miracles achieved in blackened yards. In doing so, she reveals the ingenious ways in which determined workers transformed drab surroundings. She's joined by Lisa Taylor, Senior Lecturer in Media and Cultural Studies at Leeds Metropolitan University, who has explored the ways in which struggles over classed and gendered tastes are played out in our gardens. Also, 'Why England Fails At Football' - a sociological account of our international 'shame' from Anthony King, Professor of Sociology at the University of Exeter Producer: Torquil Macleod. Exploring a hidden horticultural history, and why England fails at international football. New research on how society works |
| Builders And Musicians | 20120718 | 20120722 (R4) | Building workers constitute between five and ten per cent of the total labour market in almost every country. We rely on them to construct the infrastructure of our societies yet we know little about their culture. The sociologist, Darren Thiel, talks to Laurie Taylor about his study into their every day lives on a London construction site. Also, drawing on research with musicians in the North East of England, Dr Susan Coulson finds that co-operation, creativity and entrepreneurship make uneasy bedfellows. Producer: Jayne Egerton. Builders' lives and the cooperation between musicians. New research on how society works |
| Bunkers | 20200923 | 20200927 (R4) | Bunkers: The bunker has become the extreme expression of our greatest fears: from pandemics to climate change and nuclear war. Laurie Taylor talks to Bradley Garrett, Assistant Professor in Human Geography at University College Dublin, about the global movement of 'prepping' for social and environmental collapse, or 'Doomsday'. They're joined by Diane Morgan, Lecturer in Cultural Studies at the University of Leeds and author of a study examining the symbolic meaning of the bunker and the way in which demilitarised bunkers have taken on a new cultural life. Producer: Jayne Egerton Bunkers: building for doomsday. New research on how society works |
| Business Schools | 20180530 | 20180603 (R4) | Laurie Taylor examines the role of business schools in the UK and abroad. Martin Parker joins him in the studio to discuss the arguments in his book Shut Down the Business School - What's Wrong with Management Education. Laurie is joined on the line from New York by the author of The Golden Passport - Harvard Business School, the Limits of Capitalism, and the Moral Failure of the MBA Elite, Duff McDonald. Are there similarities between the American business school model and its British counterpart? With some MBAs costing in excess of £75,000 in the UK, what is the lure for prospective students and is the qualification worth the money? Or should we be thinking beyond the monetary value of MBAs and focus instead on what MBA graduates could be giving back to society and the importance of corporate responsibility? Maeve Cohen is the Director of Rethinking Economics, an organisation which argues for a change in the way that economics is taught and calls for more diversity and historical context in the economics curriculum, and she also joins the discussion. Should business schools be shut down? Laurie Taylor examines the arguments. New research on how society works |
| Butchers, Fat Gay Men | 20141217 | 20141222 (R4) | Fat gay men: Laurie Taylor examines a world in which men are doubly stigmatised - for their weight as well as their sexuality. Jason Whitesel, an Assistant Professor in Women's and Gender Studies at Pace University in the US, discusses a study which illuminates how such men negotiate and fight back against a gay culture which places them in an inferior and stigmatised position in the 'attractiveness' hierarchy.They're joined by Paul Simpson, a Lecturer in Sociology at the University of Manchester, who has researched the marginality of older gay men on the gay 'scene'. Also, the masculine world of the butchers. Dr Natasha Slutskaya, lecturer of Organization Studies at Brunel Business School, discusses a study into the values and meanings butchers ascribe to the 'dirty work' of meat production and sale. Producer: Jayne Egerton. Fat gay men - resisting the stigma. Also, the masculine world of the butcher. New research on how society works |
| Cafe Culture , Human Waste | 20080910 | 20080914 (R4) | CAFɀ CULTURE Laurie Taylor examines our behaviour in coffee shops with Dr Eric Laurier, author of The Cappuccino Community: cafes and civic life in the contemporary city. HUMAN WASTE Simon Winchester wrote that `Few are the writers brave and bold enough to take on so difficult a topic`. Rose George is bold enough, and she talks about her new book The Big Necessity; Adventures in the World of Human Waste with Patrick Wakely, Emeritus Professor of Urban Development at University College London. Laurie Taylor examines our behaviour in coffee shops with Dr Eric Laurier. New research on how society works |
| Capitalism | 20240207 | 20240212 (R4) | Capitalism – what's the story behind the word and a cross cultural survey of peoples attitudes to it. Laurie Taylor talks to Michael Sonenscher, Fellow of Kings College, Cambridge about the evolution of a word which was first coined in France in the early 19th century. How has its meaning changed over time and how can a historical analysis shed light on political problems in the here and now? What's at stake in our understanding or misunderstanding of the term? They're joined by the German sociologist and historian, Rainer Zitelmann, whose latest study argues that many people are buying into myths about Capitalism and includes the largest international survey of attitudes towards our economic system. He finds negative attitudes to be widespread, including in Great Britain, the motherland of Capitalism - only in 12 countries are attitudes more critical. What accounts for this disillusion? Producer: Jayne Egerton Capitalism: the origins of the word and a survey of attitudes to our economic system. New research on how society works Capitalism: Laurie Taylor explores the origins of the word and considers the findings of a cross-country survey of attitudes to our economic system. Laurie Taylor explores the latest research into how society works. |
| Capitalism And Development | 20100428 | 20100502 (R4) | Capital is the lifeblood that flows through the body politic of all those societies we call capitalist, spreading out, sometimes as a trickle and other times as a flood, into every nook and cranny of the inhabited world', writes David Harvey, the world's most cited academic geographer. He gives Laurie a radical critique of what governs that flow of capital and what causes the crises which, he claims, will increasingly disrupt that flow with alarming rapidity. Modern economics has buried its head in detail but ignored the systematic character of capital flow, he claims, and it is time for a restore an understanding of how capital works. Also on Thinking Allowed is the Cambridge development economist Ha-Joon Chang. In his analysis the detailed global programmes on international development amount to little more than poverty reduction, and the rich world is keeping the less developed countries poor in the name of free trade. Laurie Taylor discusses capitalism with leading economists David Harvey and Ha Joon Chang. New research on how society works |
| Cappuccino Conquests, The Culture Of Calamity | 20070801 | 20070805 (R4) | CAPPUCCINO CONQUESTS Professor Jonathan Morris has been researching the history of espresso from its evolution in Italy to the take-up of cappuccino and caf退 latte by the wider world and he is the author of a paper entitled The Cappuccino Conquests'. Laurie Taylor talks to Professor Jonathan Morris about his findings, what prompted or promoted their march across the globe. THE CULTURE OF CALAMITY Laurie Taylor speaks to Professor Kevin Rozario about his latest book the Culture of Calamity which explores the part played by disaster in the making of modern America. He argues that the American can do' attitude has been fostered by its response to catastrophes like the San Francisco earthquake of 1906, and that in the past America has almost welcomed the opportunity calamities present. However, since the destruction of the Twin Towers and Hurricane Katrina, America is suddenly showing worrying signs of a loss of confidence. He is also joined by Professor Hugh Brogan, specialist in American history. Laurie Taylor discusses how the espresso evolution led to the cappuccino conquests. New research on how society works |
| Cars | 20200930 | 20201004 (R4) | CARS: How do cars transmit our identities behind the wheel? Laurie Taylor explores the meaning of cars from Bradford to China. Yunis Alam, Senior Lecturer in Sociology at the University of Bradford, discusses his study of car ownership amongst Bradfordians of Pakistani heritage. How do cars project status, class, taste and racial identity? Also, Jun Zhang, Assistant Professor of Asian and International Studies at City University of Hong Kong, describes the rise of car consumption in China and the ways in which it has shaped the emerging, but insecure, middle class. Producer: Jayne Egerton New research on how society works |
| Catholic Police Officers In Northern Ireland, Facebook | 20110413 | 20110417 (R4) | In the wake of the murder of Ronan Kerr, a Catholic police officer in Omagh, Laurie talks to Dr Mary Gethins about her research into the Catholic police officers who have joined the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI). She conducted a survey of 300 serving officers followed by in depth interviews with 70 current, trainee and officers and explored the rewards for doing a job which can isolate people from their communities, expose them to prejudice from colleagues and always carries the risk of violence from dissident republicans. Community policing is an enduring problem for the force with some Catholic communities utterly rejecting the legitimacy of the police. Will the PSNI eventually becoming an integrated force, respected by Catholics and Protestants alike? Perhaps the strong reaction against the murder of Ronan Kerr will help establish the authority of the police force across Northern Irish society. Also on Thinking Allowed, Facebook in Trinidad. Laurie talks to Danny Miller about his ethnographic study of Facebook users in the Caribbean island. He finds it can wreck your marriage, put your job in jeopardy but actually bolsters community and augments many of the positive aspects of modern life. Producer: Charlie Taylor. Catholic police officers in Northern Ireland and Facebook in Trinidad. New research on how society works |
| Cemetery Taboo, The City | 20110518 | 20110522 (R4) | Cities are growing at an enormous rate all over the world. As they wrestle with overcrowding, pollution, resource vulnerability and an increasing gulf between the rich and poor what will be the dominant factor to define them? Which forces will shape the experience of urban life for the individual and will our imagination and creativity enable cities to survive into the future? The sociologist Sophie Watson and the geographer Matthew Gandy join Laurie Taylor to discuss the future of the city. Also, the taboo of the body in the cemetery. Kate Woodthorpe reveals her research into what remains unmentionable at the graveside. Producer: Charlie Taylor. New research on cemetery etiquette and on the future of cities. New research on how society works |
| Ceo Society, Time Management | 20190410 | 20190414 (R4) 20200916 (R4) 20200920 (R4) | CEO Society - Laurie Taylor talks to Peter Bloom, Head of the Department of People and Organisations at the Open University and author of a new book which asks why corporate leaders such as Steve Jobs and Mark Zuckerberg have become cultural icons of the 21st century. Also, how did productivity emerge as a way of thinking about job performance? Melissa Gregg, Research Director at Intel, explains why she thinks that time management is actually counterproductive. Repeat. Producer: Jayne Egerton CEO Society and Time management. New research on how society works |
| Cervantes Don Quixote, Cultural Hybridity | 20090729 | 20090802 (R4) | The 15th century mosques of India were built by Hindu craftsmen trained on temples. Shakespeare borrowed from Seneca and emulated Ovid in the writing of his plays, and reggae was introduced to Britian by Jamaican immigrants who had brought African influence to the development of ska which in turn had borrowed from American R and B. No wonder that Edward Said said that, 'the history of all cultures is the history of cultural borrowing'. But is that cultural borrowing a fair exchange? Are some cultures more readily imposed than others and is there any sense in resisting the influence of foreign ways of life? Laurie Taylor discusses cultural hybridity with Tariq Ali, Peter Burke and Angela McRobbie. Cultural hybridity: is globalisation making the world homogenous? New research on how society works |
| Channel Four, Day Of The Dead | 20071031 | 20071105 (R4) | CHANNEL 4 This November 2007, Channel 4 celebrates its twenty-fifth anniversary. Laurie Taylor is joined by Dorothy Hobson author of Channel 4 Television: The Early Years and the Jeremy Isaacs Legacy and Greg Philo,Professor of Sociology at Glasgow University. They discuss its history, singularity and enduring appeal. THE DAY OF THE DEAD On the 1st and 2nd of November, Mexicans will be celebrating the Day of the Dead. Anthropologist and world expert in this ritual, Stanley Brandes, is the author of a new book entitled Skulls to the Living, Bread to the Dead. On the phone from the city of Zamora in the Mexican state of Michoacကn he explains what preparations are underway. Laurie Taylor celebrates the 25 years of Channel 4 and the Mexican 'Day of the Dead'. New research on how society works |
| Chavs, Ageing Goths | 20110629 | 20110703 (R4) | Have the working class in modern Britain become objects of fear, scorn and ridicule? That's the claim of Owen Jones who joins Laurie and Imogen Tyler on today's Thinking Allowed. He claims that the media and politicians alike dismiss as feckless, criminal and ignorant a vast, underprivileged section of society whose members have become stereotyped by one, disgust-filled word - 'chavs'. If this is true, then how has the reality of the working-class majority become regularly served up as a feral rump for our contempt and amusement? Also, what happens to Goths when they get old? Laurie talks to Paul Hodkinson about his study of members of that youth cult which used to be called Gothic Punk. How have they adapted their love of black clothes, multiple piercings, make up and androgyny to mortgages, children and the rites of passage incumbent upon middle age? Producer: Charlie Taylor. That word 'chav' and the characterisation of the working class. Also, ageing Goths. New research on how society works |
| Chess Worlds, Competitive Entrepreneurs | 20151216 | 20151221 (R4) | Chess players: Laurie Taylor talks to Gary Fine, Professor of Sociology at Northwestern University, and author of a study into the complex, committed and conflict ridden worlds of chess communities, both amateur and professional. They're joined by John Saunders, chess player and writer. Also, the competitive culture of the self-made man. Simon Down, Professor of Management at Anglia Ruskin University, discusses his study of businessmen whose talk of luxury cars and loads of cash represented a bid to gain a higher position in the hierarchy of their group. Producer: Charlie Taylor. Laurie Taylor looks at chess communities and the competitive culture of the self-made men. New research on how society works |
| Children In Hospitals, History, Heritage And Tradition In British Politics | 20121212 | 20121217 (R4) | British politics, heritage and history. Laurie Taylor explores the divergent stories political parties construct about our history and their own historical roles. From disputes over the National Curriculum for History to the assertion of a lost 'social democratic' tradition by New Labour. Research Fellow, Emily Robinson, argues that politicians' manipulation of the past leaves them unable to speak of different futures. Also, Allison James talks about her research on the experience of sick children in hospital. Producer: Jayne Egerton. How British political parties construct history, and children's experiences in hospital. New research on how society works |
| Children, Sex And Mobile Phones, Terror Of History | 20110810 | 20110814 (R4) | What role does the mobile phone have in showing off, hooking up and getting dumped? Laurie talks to Emma Bond about her new study into how young people use mobile phones in their intimate sexual relationships. Also on the programme the historian Teofilo Ruiz talks about the radical thesis of his book the Terrors of History: Is our struggle to find rational solutions to the fearful events of history entirely in vain? Is the idea of progress nothing more than a sweet lie? David Byrne also joins them to discuss whether anything can be done to address the cruel vicissitudes that history makes us suffer. Producer: Charlie Taylor. With Laurie Taylor. Mobile phones and sexual discovery, also the 'terror of history'. New research on how society works |
| China And The Markets, Ufo | 20071024 | CHINA AND THE MARKETS Laurie Taylor talks to Howard Davies, Director of the London School of Economics about China's past and present financial systems. UFO RELIGION Weird lights in the night sk | |
| China Today | 20180620 | 20180624 (R4) | Will China rule the world? Laurie Taylor talks to Yuen Yuen Ang, Assistant Professor of Political Science at the University of Michigan, and author of a study which explores China's unusual route out of poverty. They're joined by David Tyfield, Co-Director of the Centre for Mobilities Research at Lancaster University, and author of new book examining the prospects for an alternative global power regime. Producer: Jayne Egerton. China - how was it lifted out of poverty and what does the future hold? New research on how society works |
| Chinese Capitalism, Concepts In Education | 20081217 | 20081222 (R4) | CHINESE CAPITALISM On June1989 the tanks moved into Tiananmen Square, there was widespread shooting by Chinese soldiers and as the people lay dying on the streets of Beijing the student pro-democracy demonstration was brought to an end. In his new book Capitalism with Chinese Characteristics, the economist Yasheng Huang examines China's change from a rural orientated liberalising entrepreneurial economy to a state led, urban based economy dedicated to the manufacture of foreign goods. Laurie Taylor is joined by Yasheng Huang and Will Hutton, Chief Executive of the Work Foundation and author of The Writing On The Wall: China in the 21st Century, to discuss the impact for China of its economic reforms as the world heads into recession. CONCEPTS IN EDUCATION `Think of the tools in a toolbox: there is a hammer, pliers, a saw, a screwdriver, a rule, a glue-pot, glue, nails and screws. The functions of words are as diverse as the functions of these objects.` A quotation from the introduction to a new book entitled Key Concepts in Education. Fred Inglis co-author with Lesley Aers outlines what this alphabetical guide has to offer and explores how familiar educational terms have been variously used by people with different material and philosophical interests. Laurie Taylor discusses the impact of China's economic reforms with Will Hutton. New research on how society works |
| Christmas Television | 20171220 | Christmas Television: Laurie Taylor explores the history, meaning and variety of this very British tradition. What's its role in the construction of a real or imagined 'national' family? He's joined by Martin Johnes, Reader in History at Swansea University, Helen Wood, Professor of Media and Communication at Leicester University and Brett Mills, Senior Lecturer in Media and American Studies at University of East Anglia. Producer: Jayne Egerton. Christmas television - an exploration of a very British tradition. New research on how society works | |
| Cities And Ethnicities | 20080402 | 20080406 (R4) | CITIES AND ETHNICITIES Last week Laurie Taylor travelled to Marseille to find out how the city's ethnic diversity helped it to escape the race riots that scarred much of the rest of France. Can lessons be learnt from France's most diverse city? And how successful is the British model of multi-culturalism? Laurie Taylor is joined by four experts on ethnic diversity, Professor Tariq Modood, Professor Sophie Watson, Professor Lola Young (Baroness Young of Hornsey) and Ted Cantle to discuss race, immigration and ethnicity in our cities and to debate the relative merits of multicultural and assimilatory approaches to migrant cultures. Laurie Taylor asks if identifying cities rather than nations can help racial integration. New research on how society works |
| Cities And Memory, Berlin Extra | 20080102 | 20080107 (R4) | CITIES AND MEMORY Last week Laurie Taylor visited Berlin to discover how the city is dealing with the ghosts of its past. But other cities around the world have also carved the memories of their citizens into their buildings and infrastructure. As communities change, new memories become layered over old ones, and decisions about what is commemorated and what is forgotten come to reflect the prevailing political climate of the day. Laurie is joined by the writer and filmmaker Iain Sinclair, Professor Richard Sennett and Professor Sophie Watson to discuss how cities come to reflect the pride, and the shame, of what has gone before. BERLIN EXTRA You can debate the issues raised in this week's programme on our discussion forum, hosted by the Open University. Laurie Taylor discusses how cities reflect the pride and shame of what has gone before. New research on how society works |
| Citizens Without Frontiers, Monogamy In Men | 20120215 | 20120220 (R4) | Laurie Taylor considers why men 'cheat' in relationships. 78% of young male students have been unfaithful to their current partners according to the sociologist, Eric Anderson. He discusses men, monogamy and the reality of infidelity. They're joined by the sociologist, Lynn Jamieson. Also, the new politics of citizenship - Engin Isin, a Professor of politics at the Open University, explores the ways in which people embrace acts and causes which transcend national boundaries. Producer: Jayne Egerton. New research on men and monogamy. Plus, citizens without frontiers. New research on how society works |
| Citizenship | 20200226 | 20200302 (R4) | Citizenship - Carol Vincent, Professor of Sociology of Education, explores the way in which children are being taught about fundamental British values' such as democracy and tolerance. Does this government imposed requirement too easily result in a celebration of reductionist symbols and stereotypes of Britishness - 'tea and the Queen'? Also, David Bartram, Associate Professor in the Department of Sociology at the University of Leicester, takes a critical look at a UK citizenship process' which subjects immigrants to a test designed to enhance their participation in British political and civic life. Does it work? Producer: Jayne Egerton Citizenship - from schools to the process by which immigrants become British citizens. New research on how society works |
| Citizenship Ceremonies, Family Ties And Genetics | 20150401 | 20150405 (R4) | Making citizens: how countries make public rituals out of endowing new citizens with citizenship. Laurie Taylor talks to Bridget Byrne, Senior Lecturer in Sociology at the University of Manchester, about her in-depth comparative study of citizenship ceremonies. In a mobile, transnational world passports and rights matter now more than ever. So how do states draw and establish the boundaries of citizenship? Using empirical research in the UK, the United States, Canada, Australia, the Netherlands, and Ireland, Dr Byrne roots contemporary concepts of national belonging in colonial history. Family ties in genes and stories: Janice McLaughlin, Professor of Sociology at Newcastle University, discusses her study of families referred to a paediatric genetic service. An increasing number of children are referred for genetic investigation due to physical & learning difficulties. This study found that the clinical discussions which ensue bring family histories to the fore in surprising and unpredictable ways. Sociologists have long recognised the importance of narrative to forming and maintaining family ties. But how are such stories altered as a result of geneticists' involvement in family relations? Which stories can and can't be told? Producer: Jayne Egerton. Laurie Taylor explores the way in which states use public rituals to create new citizens. New research on how society works |
| Civic Core, Public Convenience | 20101124 | 20101129 (R4) | Laurie Taylor talks to Professor Harvey Molotch from New York University about his book examining public conveniences from a sociological, architectural and town planning perspective. Laurie also discusses the idea of a 'civic core'- who volunteers in their community and how? - and talks to Professor John Mohan about his research paper exploring volunteerism. They are joined by Professor Su Maddock. Producer Chris Wilson. Laurie Taylor examines new research into the public convenience. New research on how society works |
| Civilians In The Line Of Fire | 20201104 | 20201109 (R4) | CIVILIANS IN THE LINE OF FIRE: Laurie Taylor talks to Nicola Perugini, Senior Lecturer in International Relations at the University of Edinburgh, about the global history of human shields, from civil wars to Black Lives Matters. How have ordinary people come to be both voluntary and involuntary shields for protection, coercion, or deterrence? Also, war lawyers. Craig Jones, Lecturer in Political Geography at Newcastle University, discusses the way in which legal professionals have increasingly been invited to advise on military operations which were once the exclusive preserve of commanders. What implications has this had for the conduct of war, in general and the treatment of civilians, in particular? Why has it allowed for an extension, rather than a curtailment, of civilian deaths? Producer: Jayne Egerton New research on how society works |
| Class And Commuting, Engaging With Climate Change | 20130123 | 20130128 (R4) | Climate change - what lies beneath its widespread denial? Laurie Taylor talks to Sally Weintrobe, the editor of the first book of its kind which explores, from a multi disciplinary perspective, what the ecological crisis actually means to people. In spite of a scientific consensus, many continue to resist or ignore the message of climate communicators - but why? What are the social and emotional explanations for this reaction? They're joined by the Professor of Social Policy, Paul Hoggett. Also, Simon Abernethy looks at the history of class and commuting on the London Underground. Although builders and managers travel in the same coaches in the 21st century 'tube', the mixing of classes was once seen as revolutionary. Producer: Jayne Egerton. Climate change - why is it denied by so many? Plus class, commuting and the 'tube'. New research on how society works |
| Class And Reality Tv, Balti Britain | 20080917 | 20080921 (R4) | CLASS and REALITY TV According to new research around 78% of our free to air tv schedules is now comprised of reality TV advising us, chastising us, humiliating us and surprising us - but what is the underlying message about the kind of people we are supposed to think we are? Laurie Taylor is joined by Professor Beverley Skeggs, co-author of a recent ESRC research project entitled Making Class and Self Through Televised Ethical Scenarios. They discuss the sub-text of reality TV make-over programmes and the manner in which they portray working class people. BALTI BRITAIN Ziauddin Sardar talks about his new book Balti Britain - A Journey through the British Asian experience and discusses the nature of the relationship between Britain and the Indian Sub-continent. Laurie Taylor discusses the sub-text of reality TV programmes with Prof. Beverley Skeggs. New research on how society works |
| Class At Christmas | 20101222 | 20101227 (R4) | Chestnuts roasting on an open fire, children gathered beneath a sparking tree, a table groaning with turkey.....the cliches of the season are as alive and well as they were in Dickens time. But does everybody have equal access to the bounty of Christmas and the good will of others? The geographer, Steve Millington, finds that the distaste some middle class people feel for 'excessive' displays of xmas lights in working class areas reveals a narrative of class hostility which echoes Victorian attitudes to the 'undeserving' poor. He joins Laurie Taylor, the sociologist Bev Skeggs and the historian Julie Marie Strange to explore Christmas, compassion and class, then and now. Producer: Jayne Egerton. Laurie Taylor explores Christmas, compassion and class, from the Victorian era to today. New research on how society works |
| Coalmining, Luddism | 20210602 | 20210606 (R4) | Coalmining & Luddism: Laurie explores the meaning of progress, from the former pit villages of South Wales & Durham to contemporary high tech industry. He's joined by Huw Beynon, Emeritus Professor in the School of Social Sciences at the University of Cardiff, who charts the rise and fall of coalmining. What has happened to those communities in a post industrial era? Those who opposed the closure of the mines were often described as Luddites, trapped in a romanticised version of a lost world, but Gavin Mueller, a Lecturer in Media Studies at the University of Amsterdam, suggests that Luddism may not always be regressive. His research provides an innovative rethinking of labour and machines & argues that improvement in people's working lives may depend on subverting or halting some technological changes. Thinking Allowed is produced in partnership with the Open University. Producer: Jayne Egerton Coalmining & Luddism: What do we mean by progress? New research on how society works |
| Cocaine Girls In The West End, Orgasm | 20081210 | 20081215 (R4) | Laurie Taylor explores the latest research into how society works. Was the Imperial era the result of repressed sexuality? A new book claims that forbidden desires lie behind the West's great cultural output. Laurie talks to Robert Muchembled, author of Orgasm and the West, and historian Joanna Bourke. Laurie Taylor explores the idea that the Imperial era was a product of repressed sexuality New research on how society works |
| Comedy Capital, Work's Intimacy | 20110706 | 20110710 (R4) | British comedy, from Music Hall to TV sitcom, was once a democratic medium. Humour united people otherwise divided by class and education. But new research finds that the Alternative Comedy Movement transformed comedy's place in our culture. It rejected the 'lowbrow' tone of earlier humour, creating the basis for comic taste to provide new forms of social distinction. The sociologist, Sam Friedman joins Laurie Taylor to debate comedy snobbery. Also, mobile communications have elided the distinction between work and home. The cultural studies lecturer, Melissa Gregg, and the Professor of Social and Cultural Analysis, Rosalind Gill, ask if the lines between our personal and professional lives are increasingly blurred. Producer: Jayne Egerton. Laurie considers the links of our work and home lives plus the cultural currency of comedy New research on how society works |
| Commercial Surrogacy In India, Money | 20150304 | 20150309 (R4) | Wombs for Sale: commercial surrogacy in India & beyond. Couples from all over the world can now hire Indian women to bear their children for a fraction of the cost of surrogacy elsewhere. Laurie Taylor talks to Amrita Pande, Senior Lecturer in Sociology at the University of Cape Town, and author of a detailed study into a burgeoning business which has little or no government regulation. She talked to surrogates, their families, clients, doctors and brokers to capture the full mechanics of a labour regime rooted in global gender & economic inequality. They're joined by Michal Nahman, Senior Lecturer in Anthropology at the University of the West of England, who has studied reproductive tourism. Also, the transformation of money in the post crisis world. Nigel Dodd, Professor of Sociology at the London School of Economics and Political Science, highlights the proliferation of new forms and systems of money, from local currencies and social lending to mobile money and Bitcoin. Why has our understanding of money failed to keep pace with these changes? Producer: Jayne Egerton. Commercial surrogacy in India and beyond, plus new kinds of money. With Laurie Taylor. New research on how society works |
| Commodification Of Water, Job Satisfaction | 20070808 | 20070812 (R4) | COMMODIFICATION OF WATER Recent research by Bronwen Morgan, Professor of Socio-legal Studies Faculty of Social Sciences and Law, University of Bristol, raises vital political and economic questions about the extent to which water is a commercial product like any other commercial product - a bottle of coke or a can of beans - or a basic human right. Professor Morgan's study explores the ways in which provision of water has developed into a highly contested terrain about its meaning and use; taking in forms of social protest, to notion of rights, and governance. JOB SATISFACTION Why are hairdressers the second most contented people in the UK workforce, after highly paid managers? Why have teachers moved up from being the most unhappy workers in the country to being near the top of the occupational satisfaction charts? Laurie Taylor hears the details of a new analysis of which workers in Britain are happy and which jobs lead to very low satisfaction. Does happiness really affect productivity? What is the most important factor that leads to fulfilment at work? Laurie is joined by Michael Rose, Professor of Social and Policy Science at the Bath University who has compiled an index of workplace satisfaction, based upon his analysis of latest information from a government workplace study and Richard Reeves author of Happy Mondays - putting the pleasure back into work, which calls for revolutionary re-evaluation of modern working life. Water, water everywhere, but who owns it? Laurie Taylor finds out. New research on how society works |
| Communism As A Religion, Cultural Capitalism | 20090401 | 20090405 (R4) | Laurie Taylor discusses what is being called the re-Stalinisation of Russia on today's Thinking Allowed. According to exiled Russian academic Michail Ryklin, Putin's Russia is turning the clock back and rehabilitating the most famous demon of the Soviet Union. In a new book, he claims that although the Soviet Union proclaimed itself an aethist state, communism functioned as its religion, and when faith faded it was replaced by mass terror. But now memories of the terror and bloodshed have receded and Stalin is being reclaimed. Tony Bennett, professor of sociology at the Open University and director of the ESRC Centre for Research on Socio-Cultural Change, and Dr Elizabeth Silva, senior lecturer of the Faculty of sociology at the Open University, are the authors of Culture, Class and Distinction, a book described as the most sophisticated mapping of British cultural practices and preferences ever undertaken. They talk about art and the social origins of artistic taste. Laurie Taylor discusses what is being called the re-Stalinisation of Russia. New research on how society works |
| Community And Social Capital | 20210407 | 20210411 (R4) | Community & social capital. Laurie Taylor talks to Robert D Putnam, Malkin Research Professor of Public Policy at Harvard University and co-author of a new study which revisits some of the themes of 'Bowling Alone' his 20 year old, groundbreaking book, which argued that Americans were losing their connections with one another. His latest research takes a look at trends over the last century which have brought us from an `I` society to a `We` society and then back again. What lessons can be drawn from the past, especially at a time of increased economic inequality, political polarisation and loss of social capital and trust, all of which are playing out against the backdrop of a global pandemic? Is it, as he suggests, time for an 'upswing', more focused on our responsibilities to each other and one which, for the first time, must properly account for the way in which racism has shaped America? They're joined by Emily Falconer, Senior Lecturer in Sociology at the University of Westminster, who considers the extent to which Robert Putnam's arguments apply to the UK. She also discusses her own research, which focuses on collective singing as a manifestation of social capital and community, in action. Her study of an Online Zoom community choir - at a time when so many face-to-face activity have disappeared - suggests that virtual, group singing has afforded deep connections between people in a landscape in which the future of social gatherings remains uncertain. Producer: Jayne Egerton Produced in partnership with The Open University Community & social capital. How connected to each other are we compared to previous eras? New research on how society works |
| Con Men In New York, Iconography Of Punishment | 20160120 | 20160125 (R4) | Con men in New York: The little known world of the urban hustler. Laurie Taylor talks to Terry Williams, Professor of Sociology at the New School for Social Research in New York, about his study into the ways in which con artists play their game in back alleys, police precincts and Wall St boiler rooms. He spent years studying their psychological tricks as they scammed tourists with bogus tales, sold off knock offs in Canal St and crafted Ponzi schemes. They're joined by Dick Hobbs, Emeritus Professor of Sociology at the University of Essex. The iconography of punishment. From Piranesi's prison fantasies to Warhol's Electric Chair, images of penal retribution have featured prominently in Western art. Eamonn Carrabine, Professor of Sociology at the University of Essex, asks what we can learn from artistic treatments of the ways in which we've dealt with criminals over time. Producer: Jayne Egerton. A look at con men in New York and the iconography of punishment. New research on how society works |
| Conservatism, Emotional Labour In A Care Home | 20150218 | 20150223 (R4) | Conservatism: Roger Scruton, Professor of Philosophy at Birkbeck College, London, talks to Laurie Taylor, about the intellectual roots of Conservative values and ideology. Also, the emotional labour of care workers in a private residential care home. Eleanor Johnson, Researcher in Social Sciences at the University of Cardiff, talks about her case study of carer's practical and emotional work. Producer: Jayne Egerton. Conservatism: its roots and meaning. Also, the emotional impact of working in a care home. New research on how society works |
| Conspiracy Theories | 20190508 | 20190512 (R4) | Conspiracy theories: Laurie Taylor talks to Thomas Konda, Professor of Political Science at SUNY, Plattsburgh, about the history and changing nature of conspiracy theories. Why have such wild theories overrun America? Also, Hugo Leal, Methods Fellow at the University of Cambridge discusses the most comprehensive examination of conspiracy theories ever conducted. About 11,500 people were surveyed in a study covered nine countries - the US, Britain (excluding Northern Ireland), Poland, Italy, France, Germany, Portugal, Sweden and Hungary. The research found that Trump and Brexit voters were more likely to believe in conspiracy theories than others. Producer: Jayne Egerton Conspiracy theories - their origins and evolution. New research on how society works |
| Conspiracy Theories, International Suffering | 20120125 | 20120130 (R4) | Do you remember the moon landings? Up to 20% of American believe they never happened. When it comes to 9/11 the public suspicion is even greater. Polls consistently show that between 30% and 40% of Americans think the official account is a cover up, that the US establishment was directly involved in planting explosives in the towers or was guilty of deliberately looking the other way as the attacks were planned. In this country we are scarcely more trusting. Why has suspicion of conspiracy become so widespread? Laurie discusses the lure of the conspiracy theory with David Aaronovitch and Jovan Byford. Also on the programme, the suffering of strangers: What is it that makes us care for people we have never met and have very different lives from our own? A sense of justice or an impulse for charity? Laurie talks to Kate Nash Producer: Charlie Taylor. Exploring conspiracy theories and the suffering of strangers. New research on how society works |
| Consumerism, Work-life Balance | 20160203 | 20160208 (R4) | Consumerism: a history of our modern, material world and the endless quest for more 'things'. Laurie Taylor talks to Frank Trentmann, Professor of History at Birkbeck College, University of London and author of a study which examines how the purchase of goods became the defining feature of contemporary life. They're joined by Rachel Bowlby, Professor of Modern English Literature at University College London. Also, the middle class bias in work/life balance research. Tracey Warren, Professor of Sociology at the University of Nottingham, suggests that working class experience of precarity complicates the debate. Producer: Jayne Egerton. Laurie Taylor explores the history of the modern, material world. New research on how society works |
| Consuming Passions | 20130102 | 20130107 (R4) 20191218 (R4) | Consumer pleasures - the origins and evolution of the 'shopping' experience. New research on how society works |
| Contagion, Changing Masculinity In Retail | 20130109 | 20130114 (R4) | Contagion - how commerce spreads disease. Laurie Taylor talks to Mark Harrison, Professor of the History of Medicine, about the close intertwining between trade and germs from the 14th century to today. His new book explores the development of public health in the Western world as well as the global misuse of quarantines for political ends. Also, young men working in retail. The sociologist, Steven Roberts' research finds evidence for a new and softer kind of masculinity. He's joined by Professor Valerie Walkerdine, who's documented the changing relationship between men and work in a post industrial economy. Producer: Jayne Egerton. Contagion - how commerce spreads disease. Also, 'boys will be boys' or will they? New research on how society works |
| Cook Books And Identity, Culture And Globalization | 20080423 | 20080427 (R4) | COOK BOOKS and IDENTITY New research shows that people's choice of cook books is governed by the kinds of lifestyles or ideologies that they represent rather than by the recipes and skills imparted within; it also reveals that celebrity chefs may have less to do with a food renaissance in this country and more to do with the collapse of cooking traditions within families. Laurie Taylor discusses celebrity cook books and Britain's food culture with social scientist and author of the research Andrea Tonner and food critic and cultural commentator Jonathan Meades. CULTURE AND GLOBALIZATION A new collection of essays entitled Cultural Politics in a Global Age raises questions about globalisation and cultural identity. Henrietta Moore, Professor of Social Anthropology at the London School of Economics and co-editor the book talks about the resilience of such identity in the face of external threats, about the relative success of campaigns against globalisation and about the manner in which the opportunities provided by global communication can provide alternative centres of power and influence. Laurie Taylor and Andrea Tonner discuss celebrity cook books and Britain's food culture. New research on how society works |
| Cool | 20191023 | 20191028 (R4) | Cool' - Laurie Taylor traces the trajectory of the notion of cool' with Joel Dinerstein, Professor of English and American Studies at Tulane University, and author of a study which suggests it originated in American jazz clubs as a stylish defence against racism and cross fertilised with French existentialism and film noir. Also, cool shades': Vanessa Brown, Senior Lecturer in the School of Art and Design at Nottingham Trent University, explores the enduring appeal of sunglasses as the ultimate signifiers of cool' in mass culture. Producer: Jayne Egerton The origins & meaning of 'cool New research on how society works |
| Cool Consumers | 20210922 | 20210926 (R4) | Cool Consumers: Laurie Taylor considers how music acquires the social connotations of `cool` & its implicit association with youth and outsider status. He's joined by Jo Haynes, Associate Professor in Sociology at the University of Bristol. Also, the way in which racial marketing promoted menthol cigarettes to African Americans, linking them to notions of cool', with enduringly harmful effect. Keith Wailoo, Professor of History and Public Affairs at Princeton University, unpacks a poignant and intricate story which reveals why 85% of Black smokers prefer menthol brands and how difficult it has been to ban them, not least because of the way that tobacco companies forged deep connections with Black media publishers and civil rights campaigners. He argues that the cry of 'I can't breathe' has multiple meanings in America's painful racial history. Producer: Jayne Egerton Cool Consumers: the construction of 'cool' music tastes & the marketing of menthol smoking New research on how society works |
| Corporate Pr, Highrise Living | 20080903 | 20080907 (R4) | CORPORATE PR Laurie Taylor is joined by Professor David Miller, author of a new book entitled Thinker, Faker, Spinner, Spy and Mark Borkowski, PR Practitioner, to discuss the idea that Corporate Spin' has launched a full scale assault on modern democracy to the point that lies, fakes and dark arts' are behind a bewildering array of untruths that completely mislead the media and the public. HIGHRISE LIVING Could our sense that so many modern cities look alike be the result of looking at them only from the outside - of considering exteriors rather than interiors? Dr Stephen Cairns picks up on some questions raised in last week's programme about the city and talks about the findings of new research into highrise residential buildings currently being carried out at the University of Edinburgh. Laurie Taylor discusses whether 'Corporate Spin' has launched an assault on democracy. New research on how society works |
| Corridors | 20190306 | 20190311 (R4) 20200419 (R4) | Corridors: We spend our lives moving through hallways and corridors, yet these channelling spaces do not feature in architectural histories. They are overlooked and undervalued. Laurie talks to Roger Luckhurst, Professor of Modern Literature at Birkbeck, University of London, whose new book charts the origins and meaning of the corridor, from country houses and utopian communities in the eighteenth centuries, through reformist Victorian prisons to the 'corridors of power,' as well as their often fearful depiction in popular culture. They're joined by Kate Marshall, Associate Professor of English at the University of Notre Dame and author of a study of the intriguing place of the corridor in modernist literature. Producer: Jayne Egerton Corridors - their evolution and changing nature. New research on how society works |
| Corridors, Margret Mead And Mary Douglas | 20070613 | 20070617 (R4) | CORRIDORS Rachel Hurdley, Research Associate at Cardiff University's School of Social Sciences, talks about the findings of her latest research into what she calls the power of corridors'. Rachel conducted her research in the Glamorgan' building in Cardiff, it is a very grand former local authority building now housing two university departments and has a lot of corridors along which many academics have their offices. She followed people during their working days to find out what takes place informally in corridors, and the part they play in the life of an institution. MARGARET MEAD & MARY DOUGLAS Laurie Taylor is joined by Professor Adam Kuper to discuss the varied lives and contrasting ideas of two renowned anthropologists of the twentieth century, Margaret Mead and Mary Douglas. Laurie Taylor explores what takes place in the informal space of corridors. New research on how society works |
| Corruption | 20201111 | 20201116 (R4) | Corruption: Laurie Taylor talks to Sarah Chayes, writer and former Senior Fellow in the Democracy and Rule of Law programme at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, about the ways in which vested interests have corrupted America - from unjust Supreme Court rulings to revolving doors between the private and state sector - and challenges the notion that this phenomenon is principally caused by wicked individuals lining their own pockets. Instead she reveals a many headed hydra of sophisticated networks spanning political and national boundaries. They're joined by Dan Hough, Director of the Sussex Centre for the Study of Corruption at the University of Sussex, who provides a British & global perspective on a phenomenon which is threatening democracy. How can it be tackled at a personal, political and collective level? Edited since first transmission. Producer: Jayne Egerton Corruption - what is it and how can it be tackled? New research on how society works |
| Cosmetic Tourism, Debt 5,000 Years | 20120111 | 20120116 (R4) | In Britain the market for cosmetic surgery is now estimated to be worth about £900 million per year, and world-wide it is growing fast too, with people increasingly combining surgery with a holiday abroad. The lines between a hospital procedure and a recuperative break are being blurred and Laurie hears of new research from Ruth Holiday exploring the experiences of people who have a face-lift in Costa Rica or liposuction in Koh Samui. Jacqueline Sanchez-Taylor tells him about her study of young British women who view breast augmentation as a beauty treatment, 18 women from one group of friends have all had the op and are very relaxed about the risks. Also on the programme - being in the red is nothing new: David Graeber tells Laurie about his anthropological study of 5,000 years of Debt which shows that dispensing credit precedes even the invention of money. Producer: Charlie Taylor. 5,000 years of debt, plus cosmetic surgery tourism. New research on how society works |
| Cosmopolitanism, Dietetics | 20110112 | 20110117 (R4) | Many of our global problems - from climate change to terrorism - require international not local solutions. Yet the world is increasingly fractured by nationalism. The political scientist, David Held, has a new book which explores cosmopolitan values. He tells Laurie Taylor why we should regard ourselves as citizens of the world rather than members of nations. Also, should we take responsibility for our own health, bodies and nutrition? Steven Shapin, Professor of the History of Science, talks about Dietetics - a branch of traditional western medicine which sought to prevent illness rather than find a cure. Originating in the 2nd century it held that good health reflected a virtuous life. This moral approach to the body died out with the advent of modern science but may now be enjoying a revival. Producer: Jayne Egerton. Laurie Taylor explores cosmopolitan values and the morality of medicine and health. New research on how society works |
| Couchsurfing, Trauma Advocacy | 20121107 | 20121112 (R4) | Ever in need of a new way to travel? 'Couchsurfing', in the form of online social networking, allows users to travel with and stay at the homes of fellow users. It's just one example of how the internet aids face to face intimacy - sometimes amongst strangers. Paula Bialski talks to Laurie Taylor about her book 'Becoming Intimately Mobile' . Based on five years of ethnographic research amongst coach surfers and online hitchhiking website users, it documents new forms of human hospitality and connection. Also, trauma advocates in Croatia. Vanessa Pupavac and Ben Shephard reflect on the growth of compensation schemes for victims of civil war. Producer:Jayne Egerton. Laurie Taylor looks at how the internet lets us encounter strangers, as well as friends. New research on how society works |
| Countercultural Seekers, Slum Tourism | 20180124 | 20180129 (R4) | Counter cultural seekers: Laurie Taylor talks to Mark Liechty, Professor of Anthropology at the University of Illinois, Chicago, and author of a new book exploring the origins and meaning of the hippy trail to Kathmandu. Also, slum tourism in Mumbai. Does it de-politicise poverty? Melissa Nisbett, Senior Lecturer in Arts and Cultural Management at Kings College, London, found that many white westerners viewed such visits as personally enriching but saw no need for structural change. Producer: Jayne Egerton. Countercultural seekers on the road to Kathmandu and slum tourism in Mumbai. New research on how society works |
| Couples And Chronic Illness, Fashion And Dress In Later Life | 20131218 | 20131223 (R4) | Fashion and dress in later life: Laurie Taylor talks to the sociologist, Julia Twigg, about her study into the links between clothing and age. Throughout history certain forms and styles of dress have been deemed appropriate for people as they get older. Older women, in particular, have been advised to dress in toned down, covered up styles. Drawing on fashion theory and cultural gerontology, Professor Twigg interviewed older women, fashion editors, clothing designers and retailers. She asks if the emergence of a 'grey market' is finally shifting cultural norms and trends. The broadcaster, writer and fashion enthusiast, Robert Elms, joins the discussion. Also, Research Student, Eloise Radcliffe, discusses her study into how couples cope when one develops a chronic illness. Producer: Jayne Egerton. The links between clothing and age. Also, how couples deal with chronic illness. New research on how society works |
| Covid | 20211027 | 20211101 (R4) | Covid: Laurie Taylor explores the financial impact of the coronavirus & asks if it represents an opportunity, as well as a crisis. He's joined by Lisa Suckert, Senior Researcher at the Max Planck Institute for the Study of Societies in Cologne, whose recent study examines the way in which the pandemic has disrupted our sense of time and the temporal logic of the capitalist economy. Also, Adam Tooze, Shelby Cullom Davis chair of History at Columbia University, considers the shockwaves unleashed by the shutdown of the global economy. Will they yield any positive changes to our way of life? Producer: Jayne Egerton Covid: Crisis or opportunity? New research on how society works |
| Covid And Change | 20220518 | 20220522 (R4) | Covid: Laurie Taylor explores the impact of the pandemic on our working and home lives. Will Davies, Professor in Political Economy at Goldsmiths, University of London, suggests it has revealed the politics of our economy, offering prosperity to some and hardships to others. He's joined by Heejung Chung, Professor of Sociology and Social Policy at the University of Kent, whose research explores the impact of Covid on flexible working . Has it led to a more equal division of labour for heterosexual couples or entrenched existing inequalities? Producer: Jayne Egerton Covid: how has it changed our economy and home lives? New research on how society works |
| Craft And Community | 20110427 | 20110501 (R4) | Is DIY culture and home improvement linked to the ideals of John Ruskin? David Gauntlett, author of Making is Connecting believes it is and he contends that bloggers and online enthusiasts are the inheritors of Britain's creative culture - making communities through their craft in the same way that medieval stone masons used to do. But is posting a skate-boarding dog on YouTube really comparable to carving a gargoyle on a gothic cathedral? The sociologist Richard Sennett joins Laurie Taylor and David Gauntlett to discuss making things, creating communities and what counts as craftsmanship. Producer: Charlie Taylor. Laurie Taylor explores craft and community with Richard Sennett and David Gauntlett. New research on how society works |
| Craft Work, 'dirty' Work | 20170510 | 20170514 (R4) | Masters of Craft: Laurie Taylor talks to Richard Ocejo, Associate Professor of Sociology at City University of New York and author of a study which explores the renaissance of bartending, distilling, barbering, and butchering, traditionally low status manual labour jobs which are being re-created as upscale careers by middle class, well educated young men. How does this complicate our notions of upward and downward mobility? They're joined by Phil Hubbard, Professor of Urban Studies at Kings College London. Also, 'dirty work': Ruth Simpson, Professor of Management at Brunel Business School, finds out how street cleaners and refuse collectors retain their self esteem in jobs which are sometimes stigmatised and held in poor regard. Producer: Jayne Egerton. Craft work. Also, 'dirty' work. New research on how society works |
| Craftwork And Skill | 20080206 | 20080211 (R4) | CRAFTWORK and SKILL Last week the Prime Minister said that he wanted to make sure that 'Britain raises its skills game to world class'. Nowadays people have people skills, managers have management skills and leaders have leadership skills. But are these true skills - or are they rather aptitudes we are born with, perhaps something that can be learnt on a weekend course? Laurie Taylor is joined by sociologist Richard Sennett, author of a new work entitled The Craftsman and Grayson Perry Turner Prize winning artist and craftsman-potter. They discuss the meaning of 'true' skill, of craftsmanship - of the lifelong engagement with a particular skill or craft. Is there still a need for the craftsman's ethic in our computer-driven, factory-made society where strings to our bows count for so much more than a way with wood? Laurie Taylor puts human behaviour, institutions and conventions under the microscope. New research on how society works |
| Creating Capabilities | 20110727 | 20110731 (R4) | Development of a country is conventionally measured by GDP, but that can mask a growing inequality in that nation and makes no reference to freedoms, rights or education. The philosopher Martha Nussbaum outlines her 'human capabilities' approach which she has developed with the Nobel Prize winning economist Amartya Sen. She tells Laurie that her index can be applied around the world and across all cultures as an index which measures how populations are flourishing or flailing. Producer: Charlie Taylor. Martha Nussbaum on human capabilities. New research on how society works |
| Creative Britain, Sexology | 20141126 | 20141201 (R4) | Creative Britain: Laurie Taylor explores its rise and fall with the British historian, Robert Hewison, who provides an assessment of the cultural policies of New Labour and the Coalition. Why has culture failed to escape class? Also, a new Sexology exhibition prompts an analysis of the changing field of sex research. Kaye Wellings, Professor of Sexual & Reproductive Health Research at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, charts a history involving book burning, scandal and shame. Producer: Jayne Egerton. The rise and fall of Creative Britain. Plus sexology re-visited. New research on how society works |
| Creativity | 20180926 | 20180930 (R4) | Creativity - has it become the meaningless buzz word for our times? Oli Mould, Lecturer in Human Geography at Royal Holloway, University of London, delivers a broadside against the injunction to 'be creative' and the 'creative economy' itself. He's joined by David Hesmondhalgh, Professor of Media, Music and Culture and Eliza Easton, Principal Policy Researcher in the Creative Economy and Data Analytics team at Nesta. Producer: Jayne Egerton Creativity re-examined. Has it become a meaningless buzz word for our times? New research on how society works |
| Crime And Consumerism, Meaning Of Marriage | 20080924 | 20080928 (R4) | CRIME AND CONSUMERISM According to Steve Hall, Senior Lecturer in Criminology at Northumbria University and co-author of a new book entitled Criminal Identity and Consumer Culture, many young people turn to crime as the most efficient means to get hold of the material possessions they desire. But they do not desire these consumer goods solely for their practical uses - they want to adorn their lives with the symbols of success, to set themselves apart from society. Laurie Taylor is joined by Steve Hall and Paddy Rawlinson, Lecturer in Sociology at the London School of Economics to explore the darker side of consumer culture. They debate how our immersion in consumer culture prevents individuals from reflecting critically upon themselves and their actions. MEANING OF MARRIAGE Fifties style traditional marriage is thought to be unequal and not very intimate; described in sociological terms as companionate'. Nowadays, however, marriage is imagined as more intimate and more egalitarian. But does it really meet these expectations? Has marriage really changed? Andrew Bell from Edinburgh University discusses the notion of modern marriage and talks about his research which challenges Anthony Giddens' model of the intimate marriage and suggests that the traditional notion of the companionable marriage' endures. Laurie Taylor debates the dark side of consumer culture with Steve Hall & Paddy Rawlinson. New research on how society works |
| Criminal Communication, Scandal | 20090930 | 20091004 (R4) | Laurie Taylor discusses the language of crime and the codes of criminal communication with Diego Gambetta, mafia scholar and criminal sociologist. He finds out why, in order to survive in the criminal underworld, language requires subtle, coded and sometimes gruesome modes of communication to avoid being found out by rivals or police. Laurie is joined by Dick Hobbs, sociologist from the LSE, to find out why the language of the criminal underworld is often written in code. Also, what makes a scandal? Ari Adut from the University of Texas discusses. Laurie Taylor discusses the secret codes of criminal communication. New research on how society works |
| Cross-class Marriage, The Social History Of Women-only Train Carriages | 20150923 | 20150927 (R4) | Cross class marriage: Laurie Taylor talks to Jessi Streib, Assistant Professor of Sociology at Duke University, US, about her study into the lives of people who married a partner raised in a social class very different from their own. Do spouses from blue collar backgrounds take a laissez faire approach to daily life? Are those from white collar, professional families likely to want to take organisational control? They're joined by Mary Evans, Centennial Professor at the Gender Institute at the London School of Economics and Political Science. Also, the social history of women only train carriages: did they promote safety or inequality? Producer: Jayne Egerton. Laurie Taylor explores marriages between people from different class backgrounds. New research on how society works |
| Cuban Cure, Moral Panics | 20101208 | 20101213 (R4) | With the huge investment needed and patents which have the potential to generate a lot of money, biochemistry is perhaps the most capitalistic strain of science. How did Cuba - a socialist, embargoed, isolated, developing world country - manage to become one of the world's leaders in genetic modification and bioscience? Laurie talks to Simon Reid Henry, Lecturer in Geography at Queen Mary London about his new book The Cuban Cure; Reason and Resistance in Global Science. Also on the programme - 'moral panics'. The phrase was first defined by Stan Cohen in an analysis of the reaction to Mods and Rockers fighting on Britain's beaches. Since then it has been used many times by social scientists to describe media reaction to everything from dangerous dogs to binge drinking, but how useful is the term? Does it falsely imply that there is no underlying reason for social concern? Laurie discusses the uses and abuses of the notion of moral panic with Chas Critcher, Emeritus Professor of Communications at Sheffield Hallam University and Jewel Thomas, Post Graduate Researcher, Oxford University. Producer: Charlie Taylor. Laurie explores Cuba's success in developing world-beating bioscience. Also moral panics. New research on how society works |
| Culinary Culture And Globalisation, Dignity | 20120328 | 20120401 (R4) | Britain congratulates itself on the success of its restaurants and its stable of 21 multiple Michelin-starred eateries, but how many people know that Germany has nearly double that figure? What are the Germans cooking up that leaves the Brits behind? Economic sociologist Christel Lane discusses her recent research with Laurie Taylor, arguing that, while French culture still dominates in restaurants awarded multiple stars by the 'little red book', it is a regional emphasis which sets Germany apart. Food critic and editor of Waitrose Kitchen William Sitwell joins the discussion of the extent of globalising factors in the high end restaurant industry. Does the ubiquity of lemongrass or the rise of the Othello Cake show that French influence is starting to wane? Also in the programme: why do we show dignity towards the dead when they are not around to appreciate it? Dignity is a quality which pervades many aspects of modern life. Philosopher Michael Rosen explains the practical applications of dignity, how it forms the basis of notions like human rights and the tangles and confusions that arise from diverging notions of what dignity means. Producer: Charlie Taylor. With Laurie Taylor. Including Michelin-starred restaurants and the meaning of dignity. New research on how society works |
| Culture And Privilege | 20210908 | 20210912 (R4) 20220831 (R4) 20220904 (R4) | Governments and arts organisations claim that culture brings joy to many lives and unites communities. But a recent study signals a note of scepticism. Orian Brook, AHRC Creative and Digital Economy Innovation Leadership Fellow at the University of Edinburgh, talks to Laurie Taylor about the mechanism of exclusion in cultural occupations which ensures that women, people of colour, and those from working class backgrounds experience systematic disadvantage in terms of gaining such jobs, in the first place, or progressing within these industries. In addition, only a very small percentage of people in England & Wales ever go to an art gallery, the theatre or opera. Only 60% go to cinemas, even though this is seen as accessible to all. So why do so few people participate in or produce 'culture'? They're joined by Dave O'Brien, Chancellor's Fellow in Cultural and Creative Industries at the University of Edinburgh, who asks why people from privileged class backgrounds often misidentify their origins as working class. Drawing on 175 interviews with those working in professional and managerial occupations, he finds that such misidentification allows them to tell an upward story of career success against the odds' that casts their progression as well deserved while erasing the structural privileges that have shaped key moments in their lives. Revised repeat. Producer: Jayne Egerton Culture and privilege: are the cultural and creative industries meritocratic? New research on how society works |
| Culture Of Apocalypse -politics Of The Veil | 20080123 | 20080128 (R4) | CULTURES OF APOCALYPSE A CNN Poll found that 20% of Americans - nearly 60 million people - believe the Apocalypse will take place in their lifetime. In his new book Have a Nice Doomsday: Why Millions of Americans Are Looking Forward to the End of the World, Nicholas Guyatt claims that the growing constituency of Apocalyptic Christians have influenced American Foreign Policy, particularly in the Middle East; and also suggests that we should worry because the end of days' is not something they wish to avoid, but something they positively welcome. Laurie Taylor is joined by Nicholas Guyatt and religious commentator Martin Palmer to debate the issue. POLITICS OF THE VEIL In March 2004, after fifteen years of debate over the wearing of the hijab, all conspicuous' signs of religious affiliation were outlawed in French public schools. The Government claimed that it had done so in order to protect the secularism upon which the French Republic was based and to integrate Muslims into French society. A number of the law's supporters saw the headscarf, or the `veil` as it came to be called, as a means of oppression and believed the legislation would emancipate the girls from an Islamic patriarchal imposition. But Joan Wallach Scott in her book Politics of the Veil claims that the controversy over the wearing of the veil in France is due to the country's failure to integrate its former colonial subjects as full citizens. Professor Wallach Scott argues that the outlawing of the veil in public schools in France was a racist act and merely a means of avoiding the real issues facing modern France's multicultural society. Laurie Taylor and guests debate the culture of apocalyptical theories in America. New research on how society works |
| Dalit Parties And Democratisation In Tamil Nadu, History Of The Elevator | 20140723 | 20140727 (R4) | Elevators - a cultural history. Before skyscrapers transformed the urban landscape a new conveyance made them possible. The elevator, invented in New York in the 1850s, became a factor of metropolitan modernity on both sides of the Atlantic - forever in motion and reflecting the intimacy, as well as the anonymity, of capitalist cities. Laurie Taylor talks to Andreas Bernard, Visiting Professor of Cultural Studies at Leuphana University of Luneburg, and author a of new book which explores the origins & meaning of the 'lift'. Also, Hugo Gorringe, Senior Lecturer in Sociology at the University of Edinburgh, discusses his study of political militants in India who move into mainstream electoral politics. Producer: Jayne Egerton. Elevators: A cultural history. Also, Indian militants who embrace electoral politics. New research on how society works |
| Dance Culture | 20230503 | 20230507 (R4) | Dance Culture: Laurie Taylor takes a journey through the dancefloor with the music writer, Emma Warren, whose latest research combines social history and memoir to answer the question 'why do we dance together?' Also, Melin Levent Yuna, a sociologist and anthropologist at Acibaden University, explains why Istanbul has become the Tango capital of the world, after Buenos Aires, in spite of its conservative government. Producer: Jayne Egerton Laurie Taylor takes a journey through the dancefloor, from the electric slide to the tango New research on how society works |
| Dance Halls, Pick-up Artists | 20160330 | 20160403 (R4) | Dance halls: a social and cultural history. James Nott, Lecturer in History at the University of St. Andrews, talks to Laurie Taylor about the origins, meaning and decline in a ritual which was once central to many young people's romantic lives and leisure time. He's joined by Caspar Melville, Lecturer in Global, Creative and Community Studies at SOAS. The 'Seduction Community': a study into the mores and codes of self styled, male 'pick up artists'. Rachel O'Neill, Phd graduate at Kings College London, interviewed men whose attitudes to women have attracted considerable condemnation in the wake of the banning of Julien Blanc, US 'pick up artist', from the UK. Producer: Jayne Egerton. Laurie Taylor discusses the social and cultural history of 'going to the Palais'. New research on how society works |
| Darwin And Modernity, Female Voyeurism As Sex Torism In Thailand | 20090708 | 20090712 (R4) | Laurie Taylor explores the latest research into how society works. Darwinian theory has provided a powerful explanation for animal behaviour, but can it be used to explain how humans act? Evolutionary psychologists contend that it can and have brought their critique to bear on many fields including economics, law, anthropology and sociology. Laurie speaks to Lesley Newson about her theory that evolution can explain how societies become modern. Also on the programme, why western women are increasingly relaxed about attending sex clubs and 'ping pong' bars in Thailand. Erin Sanders tells Laurie about her latest research. With Laurie Taylor. Can Darwin explain why some societies become modern? New research on how society works |
| Dating At University, Online Dating | 20180328 | 20180401 (R4) | Hook up' culture - Laurie explores a new sexual culture on American campuses and asks if it has a British counterpart. Casual sex in higher education has a long history but Lisa Wade, Professor of Sociology at Occidental College Los Angeles, suggests a significant shift in the culture - one which benefits some students at the expense of others. They're joined by Zoe Strimpel, a researcher and historian from Sussex University, who has analysed the changing nature of dating. Also, Josue Ortega, lecturer in economics at the University of Essex, analyses the impact of online dating. Tinder and other such apps are often thought to be routes to temporary hook ups. But this new study suggests that these tools may actually be helping more people to get together in new ways, and for good. Producer: Jayne Egerton. Hook-up culture: dating at university. Also, how online dating has changed our world. New research on how society works |
| Debt | 20190320 | 20190325 (R4) | Debt: we live in a culture of credit with a dramatic surge in private borrowing due to wage stagnation over several decades. Many people will now be indebted until death. Johnna Montgomerie,Reader in International Political Economy King's College London, tells Laurie Taylor why she proposes the abolition of household debt in the context of a chronically dysfunctional situation, both individually and collectively. Also, the story of the National Debt. Martin Slater, Emeritus Fellow in Economics at the University of Oxford, explores its changing fortunes and role in shaping the course of British history. How has Britain been moulded by attempts to break fee of the debt, from post war Keynesian economics to today's austerity? Producer: Jayne Egerton Debt - from household to national. New research on how society works |
| Decline Of The Weekend, British Riots Of 2011 | 20121114 | 20121119 (R4) | What was behind the British riots? From Blackberry and gossip to hard facts and first hand accounts. Laurie Taylor talks to Daniel Briggs about his research into last year's summer of discontent and damage. A definitive account of the nature and causes of the riots of 2011. Also, is it all over for the weekend? The sociologists, Jill Ebrey and Guy Standing, ask whether or not the weekend as a time for rest, family life and pleasure, is threatened with extinction by contemporary patterns of work. Producer: Jayne Egerton. Laurie Taylor explores the summer riots of 2011. Also, the death of the weekend. New research on how society works |
| Dective Tours And Russian Organised Crime | 20100505 | 20100509 (R4) | Crime tours which take people to the scenes from works of detective fiction are an increasing feature of regional tourism across Europe. What draws people to the places where fictional murders were imagined to have taken place? Laurie Taylor talks to Stijn Reijnders who has made an anthropological study of three detective tours, Wallander in Sweden, Baantjer in Holland and Morse in Oxford. The crime fictional novelist Val McDermid joins them to discuss her impression of the importance of landscape in encapsulating impressions of crime and guilt. Also on the programme Patricia Rawlinson discusses her study of organised crime in Russia. When Soviet era economics made way for 'Shock Therapy' privatisation in the early 1990s, the resulting social chaos was blamed on organised crime. Was it to blame? And is gangsterism really so antithetical to unbridled capitalism? Producer: Charlie Taylor. From Morse to Wallander, the anthropology of the detective tour. Plus criminals in Russia. New research on how society works |
| Dementia Handbags, Place Hacking | 20141008 | 20141012 (R4) | Place hacking the hidden city. Laurie Taylor talks to Bradley Garrett, Lecturer in Geography and Environment at the University of Southampton, about his research into the world of urban exploration. Bridges, sewerage and underground rail systems are just a few of the sites penetrated by crews of place hackers who want to journey beyond the boundaries of everyday metropolitan life. They are joined by writer and film maker Iain Sinclair whose work also involves uncovering unseen layers of the city. Also, Julia Twigg, Professor of Social Policy and Sociology at the University of Kent, discusses the role of handbags in the lives of women with dementia. How do they function as memory objects and sources of identity, particularly in the transition to care homes? Producer: Torquil MacLeod. Laurie Taylor takes an urban tour beyond the boundaries of everyday metropolitan life. New research on how society works |
| Demise Of A Welsh Steel Town, Sexual Politics Of Ballroom Dancing (bsa 60th Anniversary) | 20110420 | 20110424 (R4) | A special edition marking the British Sociological Association's 60th anniversary. Laurie Taylor considers some of the seminal figures who've changed the face of sociology in the UK over more than half a century. He also highlights some of the most interesting research to emerge from this year's BSA conference, including Professor Valerie Walkerdine's study of the demise of breadwinning masculinity in a former South Wales steel town. How do men cope when few options are available other than 'women's work' in supermarkets and industrial cleaning? In addition, he hears about Dr Vicki Harman's exploration of ballroom dancing and traditional gender roles. Is it possible to be a feminist as well as being twirled around in a cloud of chiffon and sequins? Producer: Jayne Egerton. A special edition with new research from the British Sociological Association conference. New research on how society works |
| Democracy | 20230426 | 20230430 (R4) | Democracy: Quinn Slobodian, Professor of the History of Ideas at Wellesley College, takes Laurie Taylor on the journey of radical libertarians who search for the perfect home, free from the burden of democratic oversight, from Hong Kong to Canary Wharf and the Honduras. What accounts for the explosion of new legal entities, including free ports, gated enclaves, city states and special economic zones? They're joined by Mukulika Banerjee, Associate Professor of Anthropology at the London School of Economics, whose latest study into the lives of West Bengal villagers finds that they promote democratic values in everyday acts of citizenship at a time when Indian democracy is under threat. How do their creative practices around kinship, farming and religion promote republican virtues of cooperation, civility, solidarity and vigilance? Producer: Jayne Egerton Democracy - what threatens or promotes it? New research on how society works |
| Deportation | 20201118 | 20201123 (R4) | DEPORTATION: Laurie Taylor explores the lives of people whose criminal convictions have led to them being deported to Jamaica, although many of them left the Caribbean as children and grew up in the UK. Luke de Noronha, Simon Research Fellow in the School of Social Sciences at the University of Manchester, describes the experiences of a group who are regarded as undeserving of sympathy, compared to the victims of the Windrush scandal of 2018. But are such hard and fast divisions fair or accurate? They're joined by Adam Goodman, Assistant Professor of History and Latin American Studies at the University of Illinois, who traces the long history of deportation in the US, beyond current headlines about detention camps and anti migrant walls', and asks if America is deserving of its reputation as a country which has always welcomed immigrants. Producer: Jayne Egerton Deportation - from the UK to the US. New research on how society works |
| Detective Fiction, Homicide And Social Media | 20190417 | 20190421 (R4) 20200510 (R4) | Detecting the social - how the changing nature of crime stories illuminates shifts in society. Also, homicide confessions on social media. What does it mean when killers confess online? Laurie Taylor is joined by Mary Evans, Emeritus Professor of Sociology at the LSE and Elizabeth Yardley, director of the Centre for Applied Criminology at Birmingham City University. Producer: Jayne Egerton Detective fiction - how it represents social change. Also homicide confessions on Facebook New research on how society works |
| Detectives | 20081224 | DETECTIVES Laurie Taylor brings past and present together to explore the culture of the detective. He talks to criminologists Louise Westmarland and Dick Hobbs and Kate Summerscale, author of The Suspicions of Mr Whicher; or, The Murder at Road Hill House. They discuss the theory and practice of detection based on Kate's book, a gripping story of a real-life 19th century murder as well as a sociological treatise on the nature and significance of the detective in fact and fiction. New research on how society works | |
| Digital Intimacy | 20230524 | 20230528 (R4) | Digital intimacy - Laurie Taylor asks how the algorithms embedded in digital technologies are transforming our relationships. He's joined by Anthony Elliott, Distinguished Professor of Sociology at the University of South Australia and author of a new book which suggests that that machine intelligence is changing the nature of human bonds, from sexual partners to friendship and therapy. Also, Carolina Bandinelli, Associate Professor in Media and Creative Industries at the University of Warwick, discusses her study of Tinder, and other dating apps, and the surprising finding that sex and love are not at the core of how people use them. Producer: Jayne Egerton How are algorithms transforming our relationships? New research on how society works |
| Dirt | 20201209 | 20201214 (R4) | DIRT: Laurie Taylor explores its material & symbolic meanings. Stephanie Newell, Professor of English at Yale University, traces the ways in which urban spaces and urban dwellers come to be regarded as dirty, as exemplified in colonial and postcolonial Lagos,Nigeria. They're joined by Lucy Norris, Guest Professor of Design Anthropology and Material Culture at the Weissensee School of Art and Design, Berlin, who asks if the resistance to recycled clothes relates to our fear that they may intimately link us with 'dirty' & contagious bodies. Producer: Jayne Egerton DIRT: Its material and symbolic meaning. New research on how society works |
| Dirty Work | 20230111 | 20230116 (R4) | Dirty work - Laurie Taylor explores the invisible labour we choose not to see. The writer and sociologist, Eyal Press, considers the morally dubious, even dangerous jobs, which sustain modern society but which are concealed from view, from the prison guards who patrol the wards of America's most violent and abusive prisons to the migrants who work in industrial slaughterhouses. What are the ethical, as well as physical costs of doing this kind of labour? Why do those individuals carry the stigma and shame of doing 'dirty work', rather than the society which condones it? Ellie Johnson, Research Fellow in the School for Policy Studies at the University of Bristol, discusses the treatment of older people in two English residential care homes, sketching out the workers' attitudes and practices concerning hygiene and bodily waste and the ways in which they do, or don't, offer dignity and respect to those receiving care. Is the mistreatment of older people simply an outcome of a deeply inequitable market for care provision or can it also tell us something about the way in which marginalised groups, such as elderly and disabled people, can be dehumanised? Producer: Jayne Egerton Dirty work - the invisible labour we choose not to see. New research on how society works |
| Disasters | 20191106 | 20191111 (R4) | Disasters: Kathleen Tierney, Professor of Sociology at the University of Colorado, sheds light on the social roots of disaster vulnerability. We know that hurricanes and tsunamis kill, maim, and generate huge financial losses - but they do not wreak their damage equally across populations. How do countries recover from disasters? Greg Beckett, Assistant Professor in Sociocultural Anthropology at Western University, Ontario, talks about the lives of Haitian people struggling to survive amid the ruins of ecological devastation and economic collapse. In what ways do natural disasters - principally the 2010 earthquake - amplify existing crises? Producer: Jayne Egerton Disasters: from Haiti to New Orleans. New research on how society works |
| Disenchantment | 20100818 | 20100822 (R4) | The sociologist Max Weber saw the Enlightenment as the period when science started to take over from religion as the way of comprehending human existence, and became the defining character of modernity. The process of casting magic and superstition aside in favour of rationality he defined as 'disenchantment': no longer was the world a place of supernatural signs and natural magic. In the second of a special series of programmes looking at some of the key concepts in social science, Laurie Taylor explores the idea of disenchantment with three experts. David Voas, Sam Whimster and Linda Woodhead, discuss how the idea has been applied to understanding the development of secular societies and whether we are now entering a phase of re-enchantment. Producer: Charlie Taylor. The impact of the rational: Laurie Taylor explores the social concept of 'Disenchantment'. New research on how society works |
| Disinformation | 20201223 | 20201228 (R4) | Laurie Taylor talks to Annie Kelly, a researcher of the Digital Far Right, about the QAnon conspiracy theory and why it has attracted a striking number of female followers, many of whom are mothers. She argues that their rhetoric and slogans have cleverly smuggled legitimate concerns about the welfare of children into a baseless and dangerous set of entirely false claims about the nature of child trafficking. What role have social media sites dominated by women played in the circulation of QAnon theories and how can they be challenged? Also, Nina Jankowitz, Global Disinformation Fellow at the Woodrow Wilson International Centre for Scholars, examines Russia's role in the spread of disinformation, not only in the USA but also in Eastern and Central Europe. What lessons can be learned from these experiences? She argues that the best types of disinformation are able to amplify and exploit the already existing divisions in society, including racism and inequality in the US context. Laurie Taylor examines the spread of disinformation and how it can be challenged. New research on how society works |
| Division Of Domestic Labour, Gentrification And Working-class Residents | 20150506 | 20150510 (R4) | Gentrification: its impact on working class residents. Laurie Taylor talks to Kirsteen Paton, lecturer in the School of Sociology and Social Policy at the University of Leeds, about her groundbreaking research in a neighbourhood undergoing urban renewal and improvement. Many such studies have focused on middle class lifestyles rather than the experience of less well off members of the community. Are working class residents inevitably displaced by gentrification and must traditional ways of life always disappear? Or can poorer people re-work the process and gain on their own terms? They're joined by Melissa Butcher, lecturer in Human Geography at Birkbeck, University of London. Also, 'sharing the load': the division of domestic labour amongst couples where women are the higher earners. Clare Lyonette, Senior Research Fellow at the University of Warwick, asks if men do more when they earn less. Producer: Jayne Egerton. The impact of gentrification on working-class people. Plus the division of domestic labour New research on how society works |
| Doctors At War, Wasting Gp's Time | 20170524 | 20170528 (R4) | Doctors at War: a candid account of a trauma surgical team based, for a tour of duty, at a field hospital in Helmand, Afghanistan. Laurie Taylor talks to Mark de Rond, a professor of organizational ethnography at Cambridge University, about the highs and lows of surgical life in a morally ambiguous world in which good people face impossible choices and in which routines designed to normalize experience have the unintended effect of highlighting war's absurdity. The doctor and reporter, Saleyha Ahsan, joins the discussion. Also, Dr Nadia Llanwarne, Research Fellow at the Department of Primary Care at the University of Cambridge, discusses her study of patient's fears of wasting their GP's time. Producer: Jayne Egerton. Doctors at war. Also, patients who worry about wasting their GP's time. New research on how society works |
| Documentaries, Intellectual Property Law | 20090304 | 20090309 (R4) | DOCUMENTARIES Documentaries purport to reflect reality as it is, but do they? The classic 1934 film Man of Arran showed fishermen in dangerous and dramatic waters. The film won prizes around the world, but the men only agreed to go out in risky seas because they were highly paid to do so. It was a stunt and their lives were put at risk, but it made a great film. Laurie Taylor talks to Professor Brian Winston who claims that the documentary, from Cinema Verite to Reality TV, has always had a troubled relationship to the truth and David Gauntlett, Professor of Media and communication at the University of Westminster. They consider some aesthetic and ethical aspects of documentary making. INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY LAW Is copyright killing creativity? James Boyle is William Neal Reynolds Professor of Law at Duke Law School, North Carolina and the author of a new book The Public Domain: Enclosing the Commons of the Mind explaining the uneasy relationship between culture, copyright laws and creativity. Laurie Taylor considers the aesthetic and ethical aspects of documentary making. New research on how society works |
| Does Europe Hate America?, Tourist Tv | 20070207 | DOES EUROPE HATE AMERICA? It is claimed that American foreign policy during the Bush Presidency has lead to an enormous growth in anti-American feeling across Western Europe, and that people are reacting against the influence of American culture. Are the claims true? Laurie Taylor is joined by Professor Andrei S. Markovits author of Uncouth Nation: Why Europe Dislikes America, a study of attitudes across Western Europe and Aurore Wanlin, Research Fellow at the Centre for European Reform. They discuss the history of anti Americanism and debate the future for relations between Europe and America, as Europe becomes extended and possibly more closely united. TOURIST TV This year BBC 1's Holiday programme is ending after 36 years of broadcasting. Dr David Dunn talks about his new research entitled Singular Encounters - Mediating the tourist destination in British Television Holiday Programmes in Tourism Studies which looks at how the democratization of travel' has forced changes in TV travel programmes. Laurie Taylor considers anti-American attitudes in Europe and TV holiday destinations. New research on how society works | |
| Drifters | 20180912 | 20180916 (R4) | Drifters: What place does the train hopping hobo have in working class history and the popular imagination? The travelling vagrant is a figure, at once romantic and pitiable, associated with the freedom of the open road, but also with destitution. How linked were drifting communities to a specifically American form of capitalism, one which demanded transient labour? Laurie Taylor takes a cross cultural and historical look a life of uncertain mobility, from America to Britain, and explores its contemporary equivalent. He's joined by Jeff Ferrell,Professor of Sociology at Texas Christian University, Selina Todd, Professor of Modern History at the University of Oxford and Amy Morris, Lecturer in American Literature at the University of Cambridge. Producer: Jayne Egerton. Laurie Taylor explores the life and times of the American train hopping hobo. New research on how society works |
| Drink And Society, Varieties Of Nationalism | 20070620 | 20070624 (R4) | DRINK AND SOCIETY Different drinks have come to prominence in different times, places and cultures, from stone-age villages to Ancient Greek dining rooms or Enlightenment coffee houses. What do they tell us about the course of human history? Laurie Taylor is joined by Tom Standage, Business Editor at The Economist and the author of a new book entitled A History of the World in Six Glasses, and historian Felipe Fernandez-Armesto who is Prince of Asturias Professor at Tufts University in Medford, Massachusetts. They discuss how beer, wine, spirits, coffee, tea and cola have influenced the events and patterns of history. VARIETIES OF NATIONALISM This evening, Roy Foster, Professor of Irish History Oxford University is giving the Eva Colorni Memorial Lecture. It is entitled Forward to Methuselah: Varieties of National Identity, and discusses the survival and changing influence of nationalism from the early 19th century to the present day. Coffee, Beer, Spirits, Cola; Laurie Taylor explores how drinks have influenced history. New research on how society works |
| Drone Warfare, Fitness Instructors | 20161102 | 20161107 (R4) | Drone warfare: from soldiering to assassination? Laurie Taylor talks to the US philosopher, Laurie Calhoun, about her study of remote controlled killing. Has self defence become naked aggression in the Drone age. She argues that 'black ops' are now standard operating proceedure. Professor David Galbreath, Professor of International Security at the University of Bath, offers an alternative perspective. Also, the precarity of personal trainers. Geraint Harvey, Senior Lecturer in Industrial Relations at the University of Birmingham, discusses a new study which claims that their working conditions represent a new form of hyper flexible and insecure work. Producer: Jayne Egerton. Drone warfare: from soldiering to assassination? Also, the world of fitness instructors. New research on how society works |
| Drug Mules, 'dads Only' Parenting Project | 20141015 | 20141019 (R4) | Drug Mules - Laurie Taylor talks to Jennifer Fleetwood, Lecturer in Criminology at the University of Leicester, about her study of women in the international cocaine trade. Drawing on 'in depth' interviews with female traffickers imprisoned in Ecuador, she uncovered narratives which went beyond the stock dichotomy of helpless 'victims' versus confident 'agents'. Also, a 'dads only' parenting project. Alan Dolan, Associate Professor in the Warwick Medical School at the University of Warwick, considers how learning to be a good father can clash with ideals of masculinity as well as traditional notions of fathering. Producer: Jayne Egerton. Laurie Taylor looks at women in the international cocaine trade. Also, dads in training. New research on how society works |
| Drug Users And Enforcement, 'militant' Liverpool | 20130814 | 20130818 (R4) | Drug enforcement - does it change the drugs market? Laurie Taylor talks to Neil McKeganey about his research into police crackdowns on illegal drugs in 3 different areas of the UK. The researchers interviewed local heroin users to establish their views and experience of police activity. Although most had found raids to be shocking and distressing, this had little impact on the price or availability of illegal drugs locally. Also, the sociologist, Diana Frost, explores Militant Tendency's domination of Liverpool politics in the 1980s. Interviewing key protagonists of the time, she uncovers mixed memories of a 'city on the edge'. Producer: Jayne Egerton. Laurie Taylor considers the impact of drug enforcement operations. New research on how society works |
| Drugs And Society, Laddish Masculinity In Higher Education | 20090211 | 20090216 (R4) | DRUGS AND SOCIETY Angus Bancroft, author of a new book Drugs, Intoxication And Society and Dick Hobbs, Professor in Sociology with special reference to Criminology, at London School of Economics discuss how the effects of drink and drugs are affected by the context in which they are consumed. LADDISH MASCULINITY IN HIGHER EDUCATION A new study finds that 'acting cool' and 'having a laugh' is sabotaging the chances of male working class students at university. Whilst female working class students adapt to their new environment, their male counterparts struggle to fit in and are apt to withdraw into laddish behaviour. Laurie Taylor is joined by Si n Preece, Senior Lecturer at the University of Westminster who contributed to the study, and Deborah Cameron, Rupert Murdoch professor of Language and Communication at Oxford University, to discuss the implications of this latest research with regards to a future widening participation in further education. Laurie Taylor explores how the context in which drugs are consumed alters their effect. New research on how society works |
| Drugs For Life, Subcultural Identity | 20130306 | 20130311 (R4) | Drugs for life - Laurie Taylor talks to the US anthropologist, Joseph Dumit, about his research into the burgeoning consumption of medicine in the US. Dumit did ethnographic research with drug company executives, marketers, researchers, doctors and patients, and assessed the industry's strategies for expanding their markets. He asks if the huge growth in medication ties us to a radically new conception of ourselves as intrinsically ill and need of treatment. Is this a uniquely American development or does it equally apply to the UK and beyond? He's joined by the British sociologist, John Abraham. Also, hanging on to a subcultural identity in later life - we hear from listeners who still carry a torch for their youthful selves, be it as teds, mods, punks or goths....Professor Angela McRobbie analyses the phenomenon. Producer: Chris Wilson. Laurie Taylor on the growing medicalisation of everyday life, and subcultural 'oldies'. New research on how society works |
| Drugs In Warfare | 20170426 | 20170430 (R4) | DRUGS IN WARFARE: Laurie Taylor talks to Lukasz Kamienski, Lecturer in Political Science at at Jagiellonian University, Poland, and author of a book which examines how intoxicants have been put to the service of states, empires and their armies throughout history. They were prescribed by military authorities but there's also been widespread unauthorised use by soldiers from the American Civil War to the Vietnam War and the rebel militias of contemporary Africa. Whether to improve stamina, increase fighting spirit or deal with shattered nerves, drugs turn out to have been a 'secret weapon' in warfare. Also, the writer, Norman Ohler discusses his study into the overwhelming role of drug-taking in the Third Reich. According to his research, Nazi Germany was permeated with cocaine, heroin, morphine and, most of all, methamphetamines, or crystal meth, and crucial to troops' resilience. Producer: Jayne Egerton. The role of intoxicants in the context of warfare, from Nazi Germany to the Vietnam war. New research on how society works |
| Drugs Trial Calamity, Mccarthy Stigma | 20101006 | 20101010 (R4) | Professor Laurie Taylor looks at new research dealing with the McCarthy period in US History when actors and artists found themselves unable to work having been denounced or charged for having associations with communism. The stigma and the effect of the accusations is examined by Elizabeth Pontikes, author of 'Stained Red' and she discusses her detailed analysis of the work prospects of those associated with black listed actors and film workers in the US film Industry from 1945 to 1960. Laurie also talks to Professor Adam Hedgecoe about his sociological research into a drug trial that went disastrously wrong. Producer: Chris Wilson. Laurie Taylor examines new research about black listed artists during the McCarthy period. New research on how society works |
| Durkheim And Financial Collapse, Obesity | 20081008 | 20081012 (R4) | DURKHEIM and FINANCIAL COLLAPSE In his book Suicide, French sociologist Emile Durkheim discussed the nature and the consequences of economic crisis. Steven Lukes, Professor of Sociology at New York University, debates Durkheim's contention that the prospects created by economic disaster, like the current financial crisis, leads to an increase in misery and suicide. OBESITY Nowadays obesity is spoken in terms of an epidemic, and according to some scientists in the United States, to stay thin one should eat sensibly, exercise, but also wash their hands. Like SARS, or bird flu or even bubonic plague, obesity is treated as a contagion and evidence is produced to support the assertion. But is this disease model of obesity, and talk of the Global Obesity Epidemic' just the latest in a long line of strategies for shifting responsibility for being over weight away from individuals? And is being fat always a bad thing anyway? Sander L. Gilman is the author of a new book about attitudes towards fat. He joins Laurie Taylor and social anthropologist Henrietta Moore to discuss the cultural history of obesity. Laurie Taylor debates Emile Durkheim's 'Suicide' theory with Professor Steven Lukes. New research on how society works |
| Eavesdropping, Cctv In Schools | 20100915 | 20100919 (R4) | From Hitchcock's 'Rear Window' to Facebook and Twitter, from Soviet Spies to Parisian cafes, eavesdropping is a universal phenomenon. John Locke, who has provided the first serious and systematic study of the behaviour, tells Laurie that it is a practice which extends into the animal kingdom and brings advantages to birds and chimpanzees. An attempt to understand the lives of others can help one live better oneself but despite the fact that it has shaped human history and culture, listening in to what others are saying continues to have a very bad name. Also on the programme Emmeline Taylor presents her research on CCTV in schools and the impact on privacy. Producer: Chris Wilson. An exploration of the meaning and history of 'eavesdropping', from cafe society to Twitter New research on how society works |
| Economic Migration And Happiness, Hairdressing And Emotional Labour | 20101013 | 20101017 (R4) | Laurie Taylor asks whether migrants who move to another country for economic reasons are likely to increase their levels of happiness with higher incomes. Using the USA as a focus for his research, Dr David Bartram from Leicester University uncovers evidence that casts doubt on this assertion and he's joined by Bristol University researcher Dr Michaela Benson who has written widely about migration and happiness. Laurie's second topic for discussion is 'being paid to be happy'. Rachel Cohen is a Senior Research Fellow at the University of Warwick and her research paper 'When it pays to be friendly: Employment Relationships and Emotional Labour in Hairstyling' is discussed by Laurie and by writer Michael Bywater, who explores the broader notion of being paid to be friendly. Producer. Chris Wilson. Laurie Taylor discusses being paid to be nice and explores migration versus happiness. New research on how society works |
| E-elections, Jazz | 20091125 | 20091130 (R4) | Barack Obama famously used new technologies in his 2008 election campaign. Could those same techniques be used to reinvigorate the next UK general elction in the same way it did for Obama's Web 2.0 campaign? From MySpace and Facebook, text messages to email, will new media transform the election in the same way it did for America? Or is the UK too party political for digital technology to have the same impact? Laurie Taylor discusses with Rachel Gibson, Professor of Political Science at the University of Manchester. Also, how musicians performing can give new insights into negotiation, learning and decision making. Howard S Becker, professional jazz player and acclaimed sociologist, joins Laurie to discuss what jazz and music can teach the rest of the world. Will UK party politics be transformed by new media and digital technology? New research on how society works |
| Elite Education | 20170419 | 20170423 (R4) | ELITE EDUCATION: Laurie Taylor explores the ways in which the most prestigious schools and universities around the world sustain inequality. Debbie Epstein, Professor of Cultural Studies in Education at Roehampton University, talks about a far reaching study looking at the origins and costs of the 'export' of the British public school to other countries including Hong Kong and South Africa. Also, Natasha K. Warikoo, Associate Professor of Education at the Harvard Graduate School of Education consider how elite students in America and Britain think about merit, race and privilege having gained admittance to one of the world's top universities. Producer: Jayne Egerton. How prestigious schools and universities around the world sustain inequality. New research on how society works |
| Elite Graduates In France And Uk, Surnames And Social Mobility | 20140305 | 20140310 (R4) | Surnames and social mobility - How much of our fate is tied to the status of our parents and grandparents? Laurie Taylor talks to Gregory Clark, Professor of Economics at the University of California, Davis, about movement up the social ladder over 8 centuries, from medieval England to modern Sweden. Using a unique methodology, Professor Clark tracked family names to assess social mobility across diverse eras and societies. His conclusion is that mobility rates are less than are often estimated and are resistant to social policies. It may take hundreds of years for descendants to move beyond inherited advantages, as well as disadvantages. He's joined by Andrew Miles, Reader in Sociology at the CRESC, University of Manchester and author of the only systematic study of historical social mobility in the UK. Also, elite graduates and global ambition. Sally Power, Professorial Fellow at the School of Social Sciences at Cardiff University, talks about a comparative study which finds that British students from top universities seek worldwide opportunities, whereas their French counterparts wish to 'serve' France. In theory, globalization has dissolved national borders and loyalties, so why do elite students from France and England have such strikingly different visions of their future? Producer: Torquil Macleod. Laurie Taylor asks how much of our fate is tied to our parents' and grandparents' status. New research on how society works |
| Elite Jobs, Hairdresser Craft | 20151118 | 20151123 (R4) | How elite students get elite jobs. Lauren Rivera, Associate Professor of Management and Organisation at Northwestern University's Kellog School of Management, discusses her study into the hiring practices of top investment banks, consultancies and law firms. Do America's elite keep the top jobs for people just like themselves? Louise Ashley, Lecturer in Management Studies at Royal Holloway, University of London, adds a British perspective. Also, hairdressing as craft. Dr Helen Holmes, Hallsworth Research Fellow at the University of Manchester, argues that the craft of such service work is obscured by the intangibility of the product, as well as the fact that it is a female dominated profession. Producer: Jayne Egerton. How elite students get elite jobs and a look at hairdressing as a craft. New research on how society works |
| Elite Universities, Working Class Students | 20230412 | 20230416 (R4) | CLASS AND EDUCATION Laurie Taylor talks to Kalwant Bhopal, Professor of Education and Social Justice at the University of Birmingham, about her research into the inner workings of elite universities and the making of privilege. They're joined by Iona Burnell Reilly, Senior Lecturer in the Sociology of Education at the University of East London, whose latest study presents a collection of autoethnographies, written by working class academics in higher education, and considers how have they become who they are in an industry steeped in elitism. Producer: Jayne Egerton Elite universities and the lives of working class academics. New research on how society works |
| Elites | 20201007 | 20201011 (R4) | Elites: Laurie Taylor explores the anti elitism which has become a common staple of media commentary and political rhetoric. He talks to Eliane Glaser, Reader in Creative Writing at Bath Spa University, and author of a new study arguing that we are taking aim at the wrong enemy and confusing a corporate elite, which does pose a threat to many of us, with people who make our lives worth living, even save our lives - from doctors and lawyers to writers and artists. Are we letting the real' elite off the hook? They're joined by William Davies, Professor of Political Economy at Goldsmiths, University of London, whose latest book takes stock of our historical moment and claims that the basic norms of public life have been thrown into question, as the status of political parties, mainstream media and public experts have been undermined. Producer: Jayne Egerton Elites: Why has anti-elitism become such a common stable of media and political rhetoric? New research on how society works |
| Engineers Of Jihad. Orange Jumpsuits | 20160608 | 20160612 (R4) 20190710 (R4) 20190714 (R4) | Laurie Taylor asks why so many Islamist extremists come from an engineering background. He talks to Steffen Hertog, Associate Professor of Comparative Politics at the London School of Economics, about a new study which finds that Islamist and right-wing extremism have more in common than either does with left-wing extremism, in which engineers are absent while social scientists and humanities students are prominent. Is there a mindset susceptible to certain types of extremism? They're joined by Raffaello Pantucci, Director of International Security Studies at the Royal United Services Institute. Orange prison jumpsuits: Elspeth Van Veeren, Lecturer in Political Science at the University of Bristol, discusses the US prisoner uniform which took on a transnational political life due to the Global War on Terror. Revised repeat. Producer: Jayne Egerton The link between education and violent extremism. Also, the iconic orange jumpsuit. New research on how society works |
| English Heritage, Clergy Lives | 20130417 | 20130421 (R4) | Heritage politics in the UK - Laurie Taylor talks to Ruth Adams, the author of a new study which argues that powerful interest groups have championed a 'country house' version of our national past in place of a more complex and diverse history. Has the heritage lobby transformed the architectural heritage of the aristocracy from a minority interest to a cause with popular support? And, if so, at what cost? Also, Dr Caroline Gatrell discusses her sociological exploration of the every day lives of modern day parish priests with her co- author, Dr Nigel Peyton, the Bishop of Brechin. Producer: Jayne Egerton. Laurie Taylor on heritage politics in the UK, and the everyday lives of parish priests. New research on how society works |
| Englishness | 20070321 | ENGLISHNESS Laurie Taylor goes in search of the real England and asks where its heart truly beats when he's joined by Julian Baggini Editor of The Philosophers'Magazine and author of Welcome to Everytown; A Journey into the English Mind and Stuart Maconie, author of Pies and Prejudice; In Search of the North. Is the centre of England's gravity the North? Is the abiding culture of England secretly working class? If the answer to these two questions is yes', then why do the English paint themselves a very different picture their nation? Laurie and his guests grapple with the questions. Laurie Taylor goes in search of the real England. New research on how society works | |
| Equal Societies, Teddy Bears | 20090715 | 20090719 (R4) | Laurie Taylor explores the latest research into how society works. Research has shown that health and social problems become more acute in an unequal society, where the gap between the richest and poorest is greatest. For most of us, respect is measured in money, and lack of it or low pay tells us that we are worth very little. But given the chance, would we as a society be prepared to rebalance? Laurie Taylor discusses these issues with Professor Richard Wilkinson and Kate Pickett, authors of The Spirit Level: Why Equal Societies Almost Always So Better, and Sunder Katwala from The Fabian Society, on a new paper on underlying motivation. Also teddy bears; how did a real hunting story become a political myth which left Theodore Roosevelt forever credited as the namesake of the teddy bear, symbolic of childhood innocence? Is an unequal society bad for your health? New research on how society works |
| Erving Goffman, A Special Programme | 20130904 | 20130908 (R4) 20190522 (R4) | Erving Goffman - a special programme on his work and influence. New research on how society works |
| Estates | 20191009 | 20191013 (R4) 20200729 (R4) 20200802 (R4) | Council estates: Laurie Taylor talks to Insa Lee Koch, Associate Professor in Anthropology at LSE, and author of a new study which explores the history of housing estates and the everyday lives of residents on one such estate in southern England. How did council housing turn from being a marker of social inclusion to a marker of abject failure? Also, the origins and symbolism of the sink estate', a term invented by journalists and amplified by think tanks and politicians. Tom Slater, Professor of Urban Geography at the University of Edinburgh, traces the usage of this term and the long-term impact of associating council estate residents with effluence and sewage. Revised repeat. Producer: Jayne Egerton Council estates - then and now. Laurie Taylor explores the concept of the 'sink estate'. New research on how society works |
| Ethical Capital, The Burden Of Happiness | 20110302 | 20110307 (R4) | The British government is seeking to develop a way to accurately measure the happiness of the population. In France such a gauge already exists, but is happiness really the proper goal of life? The French philosopher Pascal Bruckner tells Laurie Taylor that happiness has become a burdensome duty, and that the wave of enthusiasm for pursuing the nebulous quality has the opposite effect of actually promoting unhappiness amongst those who seek it. Much better, says he, to accept that happiness as an unbidden and fragile gift, arrives only by grace and luck. Also on the programme, Patricia Drentea talks about her new study 'Ethical Capital: What's a Poor Man Got to Leave?'. It looks at the hoped for legacy of people who have no financial assets to leave their families. Producer: Charlie Taylor. Is happiness the answer? Pascal Bruckner says it is not. Also, the legacies of the poor. New research on how society works |
| Ethnic Pay Gap, Racial Segregation | 20120919 | 20120923 (R4) | Segregation: a Global History of Divided Cities' Laurie Taylor talks to Carl Nightingale, the author of a groundbreaking new book about the ideology and practice of racial segregation in the city. Traversing continents and millennia, he analyses the urban divide from its imperial origins to postwar suburbanisation; from the racially split city of Calcutta to the American South in the age of Jim Crow. Finally, he considers the extent to which separation by race continues to deform the contemporary city. Also, the sociologist Malcolm Brynin, charts the causes and consequences of pay gaps between different ethnic groups in the UK. Producer: Jayne Egerton. Laurie Taylor on research into racial segregation in cities and Britain's ethnic pay gap. New research on how society works |
| Ethnography Award Shortlist 2018 | 20180411 | 20180415 (R4) | This year's winning entries explored complex lives and worlds. How did Dalits, member of India's lowest caste, shake the political establishment in the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu? What's the impact on the health of people living in a heavily polluted area in rural China? How do Liberian refugees earn a living in a refugee camp in Ghana? Laurie discusses this year's shortlist with two of his fellow judges - Hilary Pilkington, winner of the 2017 award and Professor of Sociology at the University of Manchester and Nayanika Mookherjee, shortlisted for the 2015 award and Associate Professor (Reader) in Socio-Cultural Anthropology at Durham University. Producer: Jayne Egerton. The shortlist for the 2018 BSA/Thinking Allowed Ethnography Award 2018. New research on how society works |
| Ethnography Award Winner, Transcultural Football | 20160413 | 20160417 (R4) | The winner of the 2016 British Sociological Association & Thinking Allowed Ethnography award, Maxim Bolt, Lecturer in Anthropology and African Studies at the University of Birmingham, talks to Laurie Taylor about his groundbreaking study of insecure lives on the border farms between Zimbabwe and South Africa. How do people create homes and stability in times of mass unemployment and uncertainty? Also, transcultural sport: Max Mauro, Associate Lecturer in Sports Studies at Southampton Solent University, considers young Congolese migrants establishing a sense of belonging in a Dublin football team. Producer: Jayne Egerton. The 2016 BSA Thinking Allowed Ethnography winner. Also, transcultural football. New research on how society works |
| Ethnography Award: The Winner | 20140430 | 20140504 (R4) | The winner of Thinking Allowed's first Ethnography award, in association with the British Sociological Association. Laurie Taylor and a team of esteemed academics - Professor Beverley Skeggs, Professor Dick Hobbs, Professor Henrietta Moore and Dr Louise Westmarland - set themselves the task of finding the study that has made the most significant contribution to ethnography over the past year. In the past, ethnographic studies have cast light on hidden or misunderstood worlds, from the urban poor in 1930s Chicago to the mods and rockers in British seaside towns in the 1950s. This year they considered submissions of startling range, colour and diversity, in the process learning much about the struggles of the war wounded 'amputees' of Sierra Leone; the ties between mothers and daughters on a working class housing estate in South Wales; the hedonistic excess of young holidaymakers in Ibiza; and the dreams and desires of young women in hostess bars in Cambodia. After much passionate debate, finally the winner can be revealed. Laurie Taylor presents a programme about the winning entry which, in the judges' view, has made the most significant contribution to ethnography, the in-depth analysis of the everyday life of a culture or sub culture. Producer: Jayne Egerton. Laurie Taylor presents the winning entry of Thinking Allowed's first Ethnography Award. New research on how society works |
| Euro-islamaphobia, Viewing The Recently Dead | 20080312 | 20080317 (R4) | EURO-ISLAMAPHOBIA Pulitzer Prize winning historian David Levering-Lewis talks about his new book God's Crucible: Islam and the Making of Europe 570-1215, a period during which `Islam and Christianity uneasily co-existed on the continent just beginning to be known as Europe`. VIEWING THE RECENTLY DEAD In the past the parlour, or sometimes the kitchen table would be used to lay out the body of a recently deceased loved one or family member. But as attitudes changed, and the embalmers' art developed, the funeral home became the new focus for a more formal kind of viewing'. Laurie Taylor is joined by Sheila Harper and Kate Berridge author of Vigor Mortis: a cultural commentary on death to discuss how our responses to viewing the recently dead' have changed. Do we mourn differently? Do we still want to be confronted with the physical evidence of death? Sheila Harper will be presenting the findings of her research at the forthcoming BSA Annual Conference in a paper entitled Shh! Granddad is sleeping!: Viewing the recently-dead in England and the United States'. Laurie Taylor discusses how our responses to viewing the 'recently dead' have changed. New research on how society works |
| Evacuation | 20100512 | 20100516 (R4) | In 1939 over three quarters of a million unattended schoolchildren left Britain's towns for the supposed safety of the countryside. They were the first wave of evacuees and they stunned their rural hosts with their combination of lice, bedwetting, bad table manners, dirtiness, inadequate clothing and malnutrition. For the first time the realities of urban deprivation were brought out of the shadows of the city and into the light of public opinion. What effect did the experience have on social policy in Britain? Laurie Taylor talks to John Welshman, the author of a new book Churchill's Children: The Evacuee experience in war time Britain and also to the social historian Selina Todd. Also on the programme the extraordinary enthusiasm for the barbecue which gripped America in the years after the war. Laurie talks to Tim Miller about the birth of what has become known as 'Patio Daddy-o'. The social impact of sending millions from the cities to the country during WWII. New research on how society works |
| Evangelicals, Troubled Families | 20161109 | 20161114 (R4) | Evangelicals in London: Laurie Taylor talks to Anna Strhan, Lecturer In Religious Studies at the University of Kent, about her study of the everyday lives of members of a conservative, evangelical Anglican church at the heart of the modern city. How do they navigate work and faith in a largely secular society? They're joined by Linda Woodhead, Professor of Sociology of Religion, at Lancaster University Also, 'troubled families': Tracy Shildrick, Professor of Sociology at Leeds University, draws on interviews with different generations of deeply disadvantaged families who are often blamed for their multiple problems, including poverty. Producer: Jayne Egerton. Evangelicals in the city. Also, 'troubled families'. New research on how society works |
| Everyday Life, Cafe Society | 20151202 | 20151207 (R4) | Everyday life: Laurie Taylor talks to Les Back, Professor of Sociology at Goldsmiths, University of London, about his study into those seemingly unimportant aspects of life which throw a spotlight on the relationship between history, culture and biography. Returning to the council estate in Croydon where he grew up, and where his extended family still live - it tells a story about community formation, housing crisis and the geography of class through Christmas decorations. They're joined by Bev Skeggs, fellow Professor of Sociology at Goldsmiths. Also, Sarah Neal, Reader in Sociology at the University of Surrey, discusses multicultural conviviality in coffee shops. Producer: Natalia Fernandez. Laurie Taylor takes a sociological look at everyday life. Plus cafe society. New research on how society works |
| Eviction, Self-build | 20160323 | 20160327 (R4) | Evicted: Laurie Taylor explores the lives of people who are compelled to leave their homes. Matthew Desmond, Associate Professor in the Social Sciences at Harvard University, went into the poorest neighbourhoods in Milwaulkee to tell the stories of people on the edge of a rapidly expanding form of hardship in America. They're joined by Kirsteen Paton, Lecturer in Sociology at the University of Leeds, who provides a British perspective on evictions. Self Build: creating a home of their own in the absence of 'Grand Designs' style budgets. Michaela Benson, Senior Lecturer in Sociology at Goldsmiths, University of London, discusses her research amongst people who are determined to make affordable housing for themselves and their families. Producer: Jayne Egerton. Laurie Taylor looks at the rising number of people losing their homes in the US and UK. New research on how society works |
| Evil, The Morality Of Cycling | 20120627 | 20120701 (R4) | Evil' is a concept more readily associated with theology and psychology than the social sciences. Tabloid headlines denounce 'evil' crimes but offer little in the way of explanation. Indeed, the very term implies that no explanation is possible. But Michel Wieviorka, the leading French sociologist, tells Laurie Taylor why he thinks that 'evil' can and should be subjected to sociological scrutiny. They're joined by Peter Young, Head of Criminology at the University of Kent. Also, the sociologist, Judith Green, talks about her study into the morality of cycling - do cyclists feel they are 'better' than drivers and have drivers conceded the ethical high ground? Producer: Jayne Egerton. Laurie Taylor asks if a sociology of evil is possible. Also, the morality of cycling. New research on how society works |
| Exhaustion | 20170726 | 20170730 (R4) | Exhaustion: is extreme fatigue a peculiarly modern phenomenon? Laurie Taylor talks to Ann Katharina Schaffner, Reader in Comparative Literature and Medical Humanities at the University of Kent and author of a multi disciplinary study into weariness, past and present. Also, listeners' thoughts on subway travel. Producer:Jayne Egerton. Exhaustion: a historical study of weariness. New research on how society works |
| Extremism | 20220126 | 20220131 (R4) | Extremism: Laurie Taylor talks to Julia Ebner, Senior Research Fellow at the Institute for Strategic Dialogue, about her experience of going undercover amongst political extremists, including neo Nazis, Islamic jihadists and anti feminists. Also, Daniel Koehler, founding Director of the German Institute on Radicalization and De-Radicalization Studies (GIRDS) discusses the side-switchers and defectors who migrate across extremist groups and ideologies. Ray Hill is a positive example of a former British fascist, turned informant on the far right. Unlike Sascha Lemanski, a German far right activist who crossed over into Islamic jihadism. Can an understanding of the phenomenon of side-switching help us understand the way in which people become radicalised and help combat terrorist violence? Producer: Jayne Egerton Extremism: going undercover with the far right, Islamists and anti feminists. New research on how society works |
| Factory Music, Volunteering Post-recession | 20150701 | 20150705 (R4) | Factory music:the role that popular music plays in workers' culture. Marek Korczynski, Chair in Sociology of Work at the Nottingham University Business School, talks to Laurie Taylor about his study of a British factory that manufactures window blinds, revealing how pop music can enliven monotonous work, providing a sense of community as well as moments of resistance to the tyranny of the workplace. Also, volunteering in 'hard times': James Laurence ESRC Research Fellow at the University of Manchester, examines how the 2008-9 recession has affected peoples' willingness to do formal voluntary work as well as informal helping. Producer:Jayne Egerton. Laurie Taylor explores the role of pop music in enlivening mundane assembly line work. New research on how society works |
| Family Funerals, Red Tape | 20121128 | 20121203 (R4) | Red Tape in India - a major new study by the renowned anthropologist, Akhil Gupta, seeks to understand why state bureaucracy hinders the fight against poverty in the world's third largest economy. Laurie Taylor hears about his ethnographic study among officials in charge of development programs in rural Uttar Pradesh. Why is it that the expansion of government programmes have failed to improve significantly the lives of the poorest? Fellow anthropologist, Dr Alpa Shah, joins the discussion. Also, the sociologist, Kate Woodthorpe explores how funeral arrangements illuminate the modern family. Producer: Jayne Egerton. Laurie Taylor hears how corrupt officialdom causes poverty. New research on how society works |
| Family Life Running Hotels, Slum Travellers | 20080213 | 20080218 (R4) | FAMILY LIFE RUNNING HOTELS Dr Julie Seymour recently published the findings of her new research study entitled Treating the Hotel Like a Home. Dr Seymour who grew up in a hotel in Clacton-on-Sea herself, discusses the accommodations that family life must make when living in and running a hotel. SLUM TRAVELLERS For upper class women of the two generations preceding World War I, the poorest parts of London exerted a magnetic pull. Thousands of women from the best circles', turned their backs on the season, balls, parties and picnics and headed for the slums; some of them living incognito with the poor to better understand their predicament. Laurie Taylor talks to Professor Ellen Ross, author of a new book Slum Travellers which explores these women's experiences and the impact they had on attitudes to the poor. Joining the discussion is writer and journalist Polly Toynbee who went undercover amongst Britain's low-paid workers to discover the realities of life on minimum wage. Laurie Taylor explores the lot of London's poor a century ago. New research on how society works |
| Fanaticism | 20100616 | 20100620 (R4) | How much does Robespierre have in common with Bin Laden? Can you equate Stalin with Savonarola? The term 'fanatic' is often applied to those who criticise the status quo, and a new book by Alberto Toscano explores the question of whether fanaticism ever means more than the ideas of which the West does not approve. In 'Fanaticism', Toscano traces the development of the idea from the reaction to the 16th century Peasants War in Germany through to contemporary ideas about Islamism. In Thinking Allowed he will tell Laurie Taylor that movements which we call 'fanatical' are often revealed by history to be dedicated to freedom. Laurie's other guest, the philosopher John Gray, will beg to differ. Also the myths that make sense of life in a high crime area: Kaye Haw talks about her study of young people. Producer: Charlie Taylor. Fanaticism: use and abuse of a wild idea. Laurie Taylor talks to John Gray. New research on how society works |
| Fashion And Beauty | 20151230 | 20160104 (R4) | Fashion:pleasure and danger. Laurie Taylor considers the costs of 'keeping up appearances', then and now. From the flaming tutus of ballerinas to the deaths of garment workers: what perils have accompanied changes in dress, for the producers of clothing, as well as the wearers. How have our ideas of style and good looks shifted according to changing notions of masculinity & femininity? What relationship do beards and facial hair have to our understanding of what it means to be a man? And have the vagaries and demands of fashion invariably hurt women more than men, the poor more than the wealthy? Laurie is joined by Christopher Oldstone-Moore, Senior Lecturer in History at Wright State University, Alison Matthews David, Associate Professor in the School of Fashion at Ryerson University and Joanne Entwistle, Senior Lecturer in Culture and Creative Industries at King's College London. Producer: Jayne Egerton. Laurie Taylor explores the pleasures and dangers in keeping up appearances. New research on how society works |
| Fashion And Class | 20170607 | Fashion and Class: Laurie Taylor talks to Daniel Smith, Lecturer in Sociology at Anglia Ruskin University, and author of a study of the 'branded gentry' the target buyers of the Jack Wills clothing brand. How did a fashion company come to be associated with elite educational institutions and what can it tell us about the maintenance and reproduction of social and economic privilege? How has the relationshio between class, style and fashion democratised, or not, over the years? They're joined by Angela McRobbie, Professor of Communications at Goldsmiths, University of London and Angela Partington, Associate Dean at Kingston University. Producer: Jayne Egerton. Fashion and class: from the 'branded gentry' to the high street. New research on how society works | |
| Fashion And Vip Parties | 20201021 | 20201026 (R4) | Fashion & VIP parties - Laurie Taylor explores the hidden stories behind the glamour and wealth. He's joined by Giulia Mensitieri, Social Anthropologist and Ethnologist Research Fellow at the Universit退 Paris Nanterre, and author of a study which investigates the fashion industry and uncovers the harsh and exploitative realities which lurk beneath the glittering fa瀀ade. Also, Ashley Mears, Associate Professor in Sociology at Boston University, describes the exclusive global nightclub and party circuit, from New York City to Saint-Tropez, revealing a culture of ostentatious display & waste. Producer: Jayne Egerton Fashion & VIP parties - the hidden stories behind the glamour and wealth. New research on how society works |
| Fashion Re-imagined | 20230531 | 20230604 (R4) | FASHION RE-IMAGINED: Laurie Taylor talks to Angela McRobbie, Emeritus Professor at Goldsmiths, University of London about the working lives of independent designers in London, Berlin and Milan, at a time when fashion is under the spotlight due to concerns about the environment and exploitation in the industry. How might we create a more equitable and inclusive fashion future? Also, Kat Jungnickel, Reader in Sociology at Goldsmiths, uncovers the lesser-known clothing inventions which enabled women to access the male preserve of sports, move in new ways and expand female mobility and freedom. Producer: Jayne Egerton Fashion Re-imagined: how might we create a more equitable industry? New research on how society works |
| Fashion, Class And Mums, Red Racisms | 20130227 | 20130304 (R4) | Red Racisms' - Laurie Taylor talks to the Professor of Racism and Ethnicity Studies, Ian Law, about his study of racism in Communist and Post Communist countries. He hears about the battle to challenge the racist underground in the Russian Federation, the post war experiences of the Roma in Hungary, the emergence of new forms of racism in Cuba and Tibetan struggles against Chinese domination. They're joined by the historian, Michael Stewart. Also, Katherine Appleford's research on class, motherhood and fashion - the extent to which mothers influence their daughters' taste in style and clothes. Producer: Jayne Egerton. Laurie Taylor with a unique analysis of racism in communist and post-communist countries. New research on how society works |
| Female Jockeys, Military Migrants | 20121219 | 20121224 (R4) | Military Migrants and the British Army. From Fiji to Ghana, the British military recruits soldiers to fight Britain's wars. Since 1998 overseas recruitment has been stepped up in response to labour shortages and diversity programmes. The sociologist, Vron Ware, talks to Laurie Taylor about her new book 'Military Migrants: Fighting for Your Country'. She argues that this new category of soldier inhabits a contradictory situation - on the one hand, praised as a 'hero' but on the other, stigmatised as an 'immigrant' and 'foreigner'. They're joined by the sociologist, Les Back. Also, Deborah Butler discusses her research on trainee female jockeys in the horse racing world. Producer: Jayne Egerton. Laurie Taylor on our multinational armed forces, and Deborah Butler on female jockeys. New research on how society works |
| Female Serial Killers, Secular Stagnation | 20151007 | 20151011 (R4) | Female Serial Killers: Although there is much written on male serial killers, there's less analysis of their female equivalent, perhaps because of their comparitive rarity. Elizabeth Yardley, Associate Professor of Criminology at Birmingham City University, talks to Laurie Taylor about her new study into the social context in which such killings occur. They're joined by Lisa Downing, Professor of French Discourses of Sexuality at the University of Birmingham. Also Secular Stagnation: the impossibility of an economic future for our grandchildren? Kevin O'Rourke, the Chichele Professor of Economic History at All Souls College Oxford, discusses the recent revival of the hypothesis that 'secular stagnation' - negligible or zero economic growth - could lead to permanently depressed economies, if no policy counter-measures are taken. What's the history of this theory and how applicable is it today? Producer: Jayne Egerton. Laurie Taylor discusses female serial killers. Plus low economic growth and the future. New research on how society works |
| Fertility Holidays, Male Infertility | 20170705 | 20170709 (R4) | Fertility holidays: Laurie talks to Amy Speier, Assistant Professor in Sociology & Anthropology at the University of Texas, Arlington, about her study of IVF tourism. Focusing on a group of North Americans travelling to the Czech Republic in search of low cost treatments, she explores reproductive travel as a form of consumption motivated by complex layers of desire for white babies, a European vacation, better health care and technological success. They're joined by Michal Nahman, Senior Lecturer in Sociology at The University of the West of England, Bristol. Also, male infertility. Alan Dolan, Associate Professor in Social Work at the University of Warwick, considers the relationship between conventional masculinity and fertility. Producer: Jayne Egerton. Laurie Taylor discusses a study of IVF tourism. Also, male infertility. New research on how society works |
| Finance | 20200701 | 20200705 (R4) | Traders and finance: Daniel Beunza - Associate Professor in the Cass Business School at City, University of London, talks to Laurie Taylor about his study of a Wall Street derivatives-trading room. In particular, he explores how the extensive use of financial models and trading technologies over recent decades has exerted a far-ranging influence on Wall Street , one which should alert us to the risks of moral disengagement caused by a dependence on models'. Also, Anastasia Nesvetailova, Director of City Political Economy Research Centre at City, University of London , argues that financial malpractice is not an anomaly, but part of a business model of finance which involves the sabotaging of competitors, clients and even the state. Producer: Jayne Egerton Traders and finance. New research on how society works |
| Fitness And Fatness | 20210519 | 20210523 (R4) | Fitness & fatness: Laurie Taylor asks if they are two sides of the same coin. He's joined by Jürgen Martschukat, Professor of North American History at the University of Erfurt and author of a new book which looks at the history of self-optimisation from the Enlightenment to the present. What's the relationship between neoliberalism and phenomena like Viagra & aerobics? How did the body come to symbolise success and achievement? Also, Sarah Trainer, medical anthropologist at Seattle University, discusses her study on extreme weight loss, via bariatric surgery. Her in depth interviews with patients reveal, in painstaking detail, how the journey to drastic weight - often half a person's body weight - can be at once painful and liberating, revealing which bodies are treated as though they don't belong in modern societies. Thinking Allowed is produced in partnership with the Open University. Producer: Jayne Egerton Fitness & fatness: a programme exploring two sides of the same coin. New research on how society works |
| Foie Gras And The Politics Of Taste, Memories Of Irish Food | 20161130 | 20161205 (R4) | Foie gras: The politics of taste. Laurie Taylor talks to Michaela DeSoucey, Assistant Professor of Sociology at North Carolina State University, about the controversies that surround this luxury product. What makes us see some foods as 'wrong' and worthy of prohibition? They're joined by the distinguished anthropologist, Henrietta Moore. Also, memories of Irish food. Angela Maye-Banbury, Principal Lecturer at Sheffield Hallam University, talks about her research with working class Irish male migrants whose evocative recollections of the food back home illuminate their sense of the past. Producer: Natalia Fernandez. Foie gras and the politics of taste. Also, male Irish migrants recall the food back home. New research on how society works |
| Food Bank Britain, Food Poverty In Europe | 20160720 | 20160724 (R4) | Hunger pains: Life inside foodbank Britain. Kayleigh Garthwaite, Leverhulme Trust funded researcher in the Centre for Health and Inequalities Research , Durham University, interviewed hundreds of people who depend on emergency food provision, one of the most controversial by products of the UK government's 'austerity' programme. Critics of these economic policies claim that food poverty has now become a major issue for many citizens - Trussell Trust foodbank use is at a record high with over one million three-day emergency food supplies given to people in crisis in 2015/16. Beyond the statistics, the study focuses on the experience and feelings of users of foodbanks, as well as the volunteers. Stewart Lansley, Economist and visiting fellow at the School of Policy Studies, University of Bristol, joins the discussion, providing a historical perspective on hunger in Britain. Also, food poverty in Europe. Owen Davis, Doctoral Candidate in Social Policy at the University of Kent, places hunger in Britain in a wider context. How do we compare to other countries? Producer: Jayne Egerton. Food bank Britain. Also, food poverty in Europe. New research on how society works |
| Food Work In Hospital Wards, The Bangladesh-india Border | 20130724 | The Bangladesh/India border - As India sets about constructing a metal curtain along the full length of its border with Bangladesh, Cambridge anthropologist, Delwar Hussain travelled to the remote village of Boropani, which straddles the frontier, to see how the lives of ordinary people are being affected by the tussle between Dhaka and its emerging superpower neighbour. He talks to Laurie Taylor about the social and intimate lives of the people he met and a cross border coal industry that has little respect for the past, people or the environment. By focusing on the peripheries, his research exposes the promise and danger at the heart of the globalised world. Dirty work', emotional labour and the professionalisation of nursing - a qualitative study of meal services for older people at 4 UK hospital sites. Around 60% of UK patients aged 65 or older are at risk of malnutrition while in hospital. Ben Heaven discusses timely research into 'food work' and feeding assistance on hospital wards. Producer:Jayne Egerton. The Bangladesh/India border: danger and progress. Also, elderly malnutrition in hospitals. New research on how society works | |
| Food, Identity And Nation | 20220105 | 20220110 (R4) | FOOD, IDENTITY AND NATION - At a time when many of us are feeling overstuffed by festive eating, Laurie Taylor asks why food matters. He's joined by Paul Freedman, Chester D. Tripp Professor of History at Yale University, who explores food's relationship to our sense of self, as well as to inequality and the environment. Joy Fraser, Adjunct Professor in the Department of Folklore at Memorial University, Newfoundland, Canada, also joins the conversation. She asks why Scottishness has so often been signified, in a derogatory way, through food - from haggis to the deep-fried Mars bar. Does it say something about the relationship between England and Scotland? Producer: Jayne Egerton Food, identity and nation - why food matters. New research on how society works |
| Footwear | 20220420 | 20220424 (R4) | Footwear - the magic' & the material reality. Laurie Taylor talks to Claudio Benzecry, Associate Professor of Communication Studies and Sociology at Northwestern University, about the people and places involved in the global manufacture of women's shoes. They're joined by Elizabeth Ezra, Professor of Cinema and Culture at the University of Stirling, and author of a study about magic shoes, from Wizard of Oz to Cinderella, which finds that 'the perfect fit' relates to more than size and that our culture invests footwear with symbolic meanings beyond their status as mere commodities. Producer: Jayne Egerton Footwear: the 'magic' and the material reality. New research on how society works |
| Frauds Of The Left, Siblings | 20151125 | 20151130 (R4) | Frauds' of the Left: Laurie Taylor examines the intellectual credibility of key thinkers of the New Left. Roger Scruton, Visiting Professor of Philosophy at the University of Oxford, argues that the modern academy is gripped by a form of 'group think' which fails to challenge the positions of theorists such as Michel Foucault and Antonio Gramsci. Has left wing fashion trumped credible argument? They're joined by Mark Fisher, Lecturer in Visual Culture at Goldsmiths, University of London. Also, the significance of siblings in constructing a sense of self. Katherine Davies, Lecturer in Sociology at the University of Sheffield, discusses a study which suggests that the stories people tell about their similarity, or difference, from siblings have a critical role in shaping past, present and future identities. Producer: Jayne Egerton. New research on how society works |
| Free Will Explored | 20150408 | 20150412 (R4) | Free will explored. Laurie Taylor talks to Julian Baggini, writer and Founding Editor of The Philosophers' Magazine, about his latest work which considers the concept of freedom. He argues against the idea that free will is an illusion due to a combination of genes, environment and personal history. Instead he posits a sliding scale of freedom which allows for the possibility of individual agency and responsibility. Also, pets as family: Nickie Charles, Professor and Director of the Centre for the Study of Women and Gender at Warwick University, discusses her study of kinship across the species barrier. Producer: Jayne Egerton. Laurie Taylor explores free will and pets as family. New research on how society works |
| Freedom | 20211020 | 20211024 (R4) | Freedom: Laurie Taylor explores an unruly & disputed concept. Annelien de Dijn, Professor of Modern Political History at Utrecht University, asks how it came to be identified with limited government. Does our view of freedom owe more to the enemies of democracy than the liberty lovers of the Age of Revolution? Also, Tyler Stovall, Professor of History at Fordham University, considers the intertwined histories of racism and freedom in the United States, a nation that has claimed liberty as at the heart of their national identity. Producer: Jayne Egerton Freedom: how it came to be equated with limited government and white people. New research on how society works |
| French Culture, Network Nudge | 20100901 | 20100905 (R4) | Has French culture become provincial and inward looking? France aspires to be a global cultural power. But a new book - 'The Death of French Culture' - argues that its government creates a walled garden producing cinema and literature for its own market but not for the world. Gone are the days of geniuses like Emile Zola and Francois Truffaut who spoke to millions. Laurie Taylor is joined by the book's author Donald Morrison and by Noelle Lenoir, a former French minister for European affairs. They consider whether protectionism has caused a decline in French creativity and if state subsidies produce mediocre art. Also, the economist Paul Ormerod highlights the power of networks to change behaviour. Could an understanding of how our connections influence our choices help tackle everything from obesity to unemployment? Producer: Jayne Egerton. Laurie explores the decline in French culture and the power of networks. New research on how society works |
| Futilitarianism, Extreme Pessimists | 20221005 | 20221009 (R4) | Futilitarianism & Extreme Pessimists: Laurie Taylor talks to Neil Vallelly, Researcher at Economic and Social Research Aotearoa (ESRA) at the University of Otago, New Zealand about a new study which argues that the current moment is characterised by feelings of futility and uselessness. If maximising utility leads to the greatest happiness of the greatest number of people, as utilitarianism has always proposed, then why is it that as many of us currently maximise our utilityby working endlessly, undertaking further education and relentlessly marketing ourselveswe are met with the steady worsening of collective social and economic conditions? They're joined by Monika Mühlb怀ck, Assistant Professor at the University of Vienna and Senior Researcher at the Institute for Advanced Studies, whose research finds that expected downward mobility is impacting the political attitudes & voting behaviour of young people. Drawing on data from a survey among young adults aged 18-35 in eleven European countries, she asks to what extent that young adults who expect to do worse than their parents in the future are more likely to locate themselves at the extreme ends of the ideological scale. Producer: Jayne Egerton Laurie Taylor talks to Neil Vallelly about current feelings of futility and uselessness. New research on how society works |
| Gambling | 20201125 | 20201130 (R4) | Gambling: Laurie Taylor talks to Rebecca Cassidy, Professor of Anthropology at Goldsmiths, University of London, about her research into a pastime which was once a criminal activity but is now a respectable business run by multinational corporations listed on international stock markets. Who are the winners and losers created by this transformation? Also, Emma Casey, Associate Professor of Sociology at Northumbria University, discusses her research on gambling and social mobility. Producer: Jayne Egerton Gambling: Who are the winners and losers? New research on how society works |
| Gang Culture | 20081231 | GANG CULTURE Stories of gang conflict often hit the headlines. Commentators hark back to a golden age in which British streets were safe. But did such an age ever exist? Andrew Davies is the author of a new book which describes the gangs who waged turf war in Victorian Manchester. The Scuttlers emerged from the squalid slums of the Industrial Revolution, fighting for fun, with belts and knives. In response, some called for the Lash and others for lads clubs. Laurie Taylor is joined by Andrew Davies, Senior Lecturer in history and author of The Gangs of Manchester, Geoffrey Pearson, Professor of Criminology and Tara Young, a Senior Research Fellow who is currently carrying out research into the nature of gang membership. They explore the historical hoodie and discuss what the past can reveal about the causes and cures for gang violence? Laurie Taylor explores whether the past can reveal the causes and cures for gang violence? New research on how society works | |
| Gang Labour In Uk, Industrial Ruination | 20130327 | 20130331 (R4) | Industrial Ruination - the landscapes and legacies of post Industrial decline. Laurie Taylor talks to Alice Mah about her comparative study into urban dereliction in 3 contrasting contexts - Newcastle, Uk; Niagara Falls, Canada; and Ivanova, Russia. Also, the geographer, Kendra Strauss, discusses her research into the origins and rise of gang labour in the UK. She's joined by Ben Rogaly who has done extensive research into forced labour and exploitation in British horticulture. Producer: Jayne Egerton. Industrial ruination - a global study into urban decline. Also, gang labour in the UK. New research on how society works |
| Gangs And Spirituality | 20180627 | 20180701 (R4) | Gangs, spirituality and desistance from crime - what leads people away from criminality? Laurie Taylor talks to Ross Deuchar, Director of the Interdisciplinary Research Unit on Crime, Policing and Social Justice at the University of the West of Scotland. His new study draws on in-depth interviews with male gang members and offenders and spans three continents, focusing on the USA, Scotland, Denmark and Hong Kong. They're joined by Ruth Armstrong, Senior Research Associate in the Institute of Criminology at the University of Cambridge and author of a study exploring the role of fatalism in offenders' relapses into crime. A final guest, Shadd Maruna, Professor of Criminology at the University of Manchester, asks if the future of desistance lies in its transformation into a social movement. Producer: Jayne Egerton. Gangs and spirituality - can religious belief lead members away from crime? New research on how society works |
| Gay Chav Erotic, Investment Clubs | 20080416 | 20080420 (R4) | GAY CHAV EROTIC Laurie Taylor is joined by Paul Johnson, Lecturer in Sociology at the University of Surrey and author of a recent paper Rude Boys: The Homosexual Eroticization of Class, published in Sociology, and Jonathan Dollimore, Honorary Professor at the Centre for the Study of Sexual Dissidence at the University of Sussex to discuss how chav culture' has also been appropriated in order to market a range of products and services to gay men. INVESTMENT CLUBS Ladies with Leverage, Men in Motion and Frocks for Stocks are American investment clubs where people club together to invest their monthly subscriptions for hard returns on the American stock market. Social scientist Brooke Harrington, author of a new book Pop Finance, explains the revelations of her new study of investments clubs in America. Laurie Taylor reflects on the homosexual eroticization of class with Paul Johnson. New research on how society works |
| Gaybourhood And City Life | 20140806 | 20140810 (R4) | Gay life at home and in the 'city' - a special edition of Thinking Allowed presented by Laurie Taylor. From squatted terraces to rented bedsits, the social historian, Matt Cook, explores the domestic and family lives of gay men - the famous, infamous and unknown - in London over the past century. The social anthropologist, Rachael Scicluna, charts the changing domestic lives of metropolitan lesbians. And US sociologist, Amin Ghaziani, describes the way in which urban enclaves such as Greenwich Village in New York have long provided sexual minorities with a safe haven in an unsafe world. How have gentrification, as well as increasing social acceptance and legal rights, impacted on the existence of gay neighbourhoods? And do lesbian and gay home lives now mirror those of heterosexuals rather than offering alternative models of domesticity, family and belonging? Producer: Jayne Egerton. Gay life, at home and in the 'city' - a special programme. New research on how society works |
| Gdp, Mali Music | 20171122 | 20171127 (R4) | GDP - Laurie Taylor talks to Lorenzo Fioramonti, Professor of Political Economy at the University of Pretoria, and author of a new book which exposes the flaws of an economic system which values this statistic, above all others, as a measure of prosperity and growth. They're joined by Douglas McWilliams, Deputy Chairman of the Centre for Economics and Business Research. Also, Mali music - Caspar Melville, Lecturer in Global Creative and Cultural Industries at SOAS, discussed his study into the ways in which Eurocentric copyright is impacting on African musical traditions. Producer: Jayne Egerton. GDP - what are its limits? Also, the music of Mali. New research on how society works |
| Gender And Alcohol | 20221012 | 20221016 (R4) | Gender and Alcohol: Laurie Taylor talks to Thomas Thurnell-Read, Senior Lecturer in Sociology at Loughborough University, about the masculine domain of craft drinks, an area of the alcohol industry associated with liberal and progressive values but where assumptions about tastes are still informed by gender stereotypes, the marketing of products may draw heavily on sexist imagery and men are seen as the gatekeepers of expertise. They're joined by Kath Hennell, Senior Lecturer in Childhood and Youth Studies, who explores the key ingredients of a 'proper night out' for young women and men. What are the hidden, gendered rules which inform a ritual involving extreme intoxication? Producer: Jayne Egerton Gender and alcohol - the craft drink scene and what constitutes a 'proper night out'? New research on how society works |
| Gender Inequality In China, Smokestack Nostalgia | 20140528 | 20140601 (R4) | Chinese women & the resurgence of gender inequality. Laurie Taylor talks to Leta Hong Fincher, about 'Leftover Women', her study of the pressures facing Modern Chinese women who are often locked out of social equality, property rights, and legal protection from domestic abuse. Also, 'smokestack nostalgia' - the meaning of post-industrial imagery. Tim Stangleman, Professor of Sociology at the University of Kent, questions the continuing desire to reflect back and find value in our industrial past. Producer: Jayne Egerton. Chinese women and the resurgence of gender inequality. Also, 'smokestack nostalgia'. New research on how society works |
| Gender Voting, Revolution | 20071017 | 20071021 (R4) | GENDER VOTING Rosie Campbell, Lecturer in Research Methods at Birkbeck College, University of London, discusses her research into masculine and feminine perspectives on politics, and the different ways in which men and women evaluate the policies put forward by the political parties. REVOLUTION George Bernard Shaw said that `revolutions have never lightened the burden of tyranny: they have only shifted it to another shoulder` and the French Revolution with its guillotines, The Terror and finally Napoleon would seem to give the argument strength - as would Stalin in Russian. But are we doing revolution a disservice? Is it outsiders and counter-revolutionaries that cause all the problems? Laurie Taylor talks to Mike Haynes, the author of a new study which claims that revolutions are a useful and inevitable engine of social progress and to David Wootton, Professor of History at the University of York. The English Revolution brought parliamentary sovereignty and the French revolution lead - eventually - to the abolition of slavery. Are revolutions violent and abhorrent or glorious and misunderstood? Laurie Taylor explores whether revolutions are violently bad or just misunderstood. New research on how society works |
| Generational Divide, Webcam | 20140226 | 20140303 (R4) | Webcam' - the use of webcam, especially through Skype, has recently become established as one more standard media technology, but one with profound implications for many facets of human life, from self-consciousness and intimacy to the sustaining of long-distance relationships and the place of the visual within social communications. Daniel Miller, Professor of Anthropology at University College London, talks to Laurie Taylor about a study which took him from London to Trinidad. Also, the 'Generational' divide: Today's social problems are the problems of generations, according to much public debate. Terms such as the 'baby boomers' and the 'jilted generation' are a common feature of discussions about debts, access to higher education, housing or pensions. Jonathan White, Associate Professor of European Politics at the LSE, talks to Laurie Taylor about his sociological investigation of contemporary uses of the generational concept: where did this form of thinking originate and does it disguise more than it illuminates in terms of inequality in modern Britain? He's joined by Mary Dejevsky, Honorary Research Fellow at the University of Buckingham and the chief editorial writer at The Independent. Producer: Jayne Egerton. Laurie explores how webcams are changing human life. Also, the 'generational' divide. New research on how society works |
| Gentrification | 20080618 | 20080622 (R4) | GENTRIFICATION Laurie Taylor is joined by Sophie Watson, Professor of Sociology at the Open University, Tim Butler, Head of the Department of Geography at King's College in London, Dr Tom Slater who will soon be talking a post as Lecturer in Human Geography at the University of Edinburgh, and Lance Freeman, Assistant Professor in Urban Planning at Columbia University to discuss the driving forces and patterns of gentrification in the UK. Does the gentrification process bring benefits to existing and new inhabitants of an area? How much does it involve the displacement of present residents? Laurie Taylor discusses the driving forces and patterns of gentrification in the UK. New research on how society works |
| Gentrification In Harlem | 20080611 | 20080615 (R4) | GENTRIFICATION IN HARLEM - A THINKING ALLOWED/OPEN UNIVERSITY SPECIAL Harlem is transforming. The capital of black America' has made it through the cultural ferment of the 1960s, the disinvestment and urban decay of the 1970s, the rampant crime and crack house era of the eighties only to find that its greatest threat could be the investment now pouring in to New York's famous black neighbourhood. Harlem is finally gentrifying: The brownstone apartment houses that line Marcus Garvey Park are being gutted, re-fitted and sold for upwards of $3 million - even during the Credit Crunch; Columbia University has hired the architect of the Pompidou Centre, Renzo Piano and has plans to spend an astonishing $7 billion to expand its campus there; and 125th Street, which used to be a no go area for whites, now holds the offices of the Bill Clinton, former President of the United States. But what of the Harlem's long term residents? For years they had to put up with violent crime, burnt out buildings, rubbish strewn streets and very limited services - with rising rents can they afford to live in the new Harlem? Fusion' restaurants, delicatessens, wine bars and smart coffee shops have moved onto 125th Street - along with the white and black professionals who like use them. Starbucks caf退 tables now line the street corner where Malcolm X used to preach. Is the very culture of Harlem - radical centre of politics, music and religion now under threat? In a special edition of Thinking Allowed produced in association with the Open University, Laurie Taylor travels to Harlem to explore the changes. He speaks to the outspoken minister Reverend James Manning, who has organised a black boycott of Harlem businesses to try and halt the area's economic revival. He meets the sociologist Lance Freeman who thinks gentrification is the key to Harlem's salvation and meets some of the new black middle class who are tasting cheese and sipping Sauvignon in Harlem's fist wine bar. Laurie Taylor presents a special programme from New York. New research on how society works |
| Gentrification Revisited | 20220921 | 20220925 (R4) | Gentrification revisited: Laurie Taylor talks to Leslie Kern, Associate Professor of Geography and Environment at Mount Allison University, Canada and author of a new study unpacking the meaning and impact of gentrification six decades after the term was first coined. She travelled from Toronto to New York, London, Paris and San Francisco, scrutinising the myth and reality that surround this highly contested phenomenon. Beyond the yoga studio, farmer's market and retro cafe, she argues that this is not a 'natural' process, but one which impacts the most vulnerable. They're joined by Dr Charmaine Brown, Senior Lecturer in Politics, Education and Cultural Studies at the University of Greenwich, whose research in Peckham, South East London, finds contrasting perspectives amongst different residents. Beautiful shop fronts, fewer police sirens and new street furniture appeal to incomers but Dr Brown sees a loss of social capital, opportunity and support for the original mainly Black communities. Producer: Jayne Egerton Exploring the myth and reality six decades after the term gentrification was coined. New research on how society works |
| Geopolitics And Empire, Romani Culture | 20090624 | 20090628 (R4) | Who rules East Europe commands the Heartland. Who rules the Heartland commands the World-island. Who rules the World Island commands the World'. So decreed Halford Mackinder, one of the pioneers of geography and of the nascent science of geopolitics. He had a huge influence on the strategy of the British Empire and a great impact on the foreign policy of Hitler. Gerry Kearns, author of Geopolitics and Empire: The Legacy of Halford Mackinder tells Laurie Taylor that, with dwindling resources of gas and oil and the quest for sphere of influence, Mackinder is very much back in vogue. Also, Laurie speaks to Roma academics Delia Grigore and Ian Hancock about ambivalent feelings towards traditional gypsy or Romani culture and the threats and advantages of assimilation. Laurie Taylor discusses geopolitics and the science of spheres of influence. New research on how society works |
| Ghosts Of Berlin | 20071226 | 20071231 (R4) | THE GHOSTS OF BERLIN Berlin is haunted by histories: the twentieth century brought defeat in the First World War and the abdication and exile of the king; it brought a Nazi government, war with much of Europe, a holocaust and the devastation of the German capital. It also brought a division which left one half of the city in Communist control and the other half marooned in a foreign country. Memories of these histories are carved into the infrastructure of modern Berlin. As the process of unification develops, what is remembered and what is forgotten, what is re-used and what is demolished, bedevils and divides the capital of Germany as it tries to position itself for a global future. A classic sociological work, The Ghosts Of Berlin by Brian Ladd documented the unique challenges for the changing Berlin since unification in 1990. In association with the Open University, Laurie Taylor goes to Berlin to update the story and discover how successful Berlin has been in taming or exorcising its unruly ghosts. Laurie talks to Bruno Flierl, a former Urban Planner from the East of the City; Professor Werner Sewing; Professor Lena Schulz zur Wiesch and Professor Gabi Dolff-Bonek䀀mper to discover how memorials can paradoxically serve to isolate difficult memories. BERLIN EXTRA: Extra material from our partnership with the Open University Laurie Taylor explores the city of Berlin's continuing struggle with its troubled history. New research on how society works |
| Glamour, Advertising | 20080709 | 20080713 (R4) | GLAMOUR Laurie Taylor is joined by Stephen Gundle, Professor of Film and Television Studies at Warwick University and the author of Glamour: A History and Peter York, management consultant, cultural critic and columnist to debate the origin of glamour and its shift into the contemporary world. ADVERTISING Winston Fletcher, former Chairman of the Advertising Association and author of Powers of Persuasion: The Inside Story of British Advertising and Peter York discuss the development and impact of British advertising. Laurie Taylor discusses the history of glamour with Stephen Gundle. New research on how society works |
| Glasgow Gangs, Russian Gangs | 20160518 | 20160522 (R4) | Glasgow & Russian gangs: Laurie Taylor explores their origins, organisation and meaning in two strikingly different cultures. He talks to Alistair Fraser, Lecturer in Criminology and Sociology at the University of Glasgow, whose fieldwork with young Glaswegian men, demonstrates that gangland life is inextricably bound together with perceptions of masculinity and identity and the quest to find a place in the community. They're joined by Svetlana Stephenson, a Reader in Sociology at London Metropolitan University, who found that Russian gangs, which saw a spectacular rise in the post Soviet, market economy in the 1990s, are substantially incorporated into their communities, with bonds and identities that bridge the worlds of illegal enterprise and legal respectability. Alistair Fraser was in the final shortlist of six for this year's BSA/Thinking Allowed Ethnography Award. Producer: Jayne Egerton. Glaswegian and Russian gangs: their origins, organisation and meaning. New research on how society works |
| Global Clothing And Poverty, Fur Inheritance In Poland | 20150325 | 20150329 (R4) | Jeans on a journey: Laurie Taylor talks to Andrew Brooks, Lecturer in Development Geography at Kings College London, about his study of the hidden world of fast fashion and second hand clothes. Following a pair of jeans in an around-the-world tour, this research reveals the commodity chains which perpetuate poverty - from Mozambican markets to London's vintage clothing scene. Fur, family and inheritance. Siobhan Magee, Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the University of Edinburgh, discusses her research into the convention of passing down fur clothes from grandmother to granddaughter in the Polish middle class. Producer: Jayne Egerton. Laurie Taylor explores the commodity chains in high fashion and second-hand clothing. New research on how society works |
| Global Higher Education, Homophobia And Football | 20101020 | 20101024 (R4) | Laurie Taylor examines some new research about homophobia and football and talks to Professor Ellis Cashmore from Staffordshire University about how fans, players and management respond to the issue. They're joined by writer and broadcaster David Goldblatt who has a strong interest in sport. Laurie also discusses the growth of global higher education and talks to Ben Wildavsky whose new book charts the development of academic migration across the world- looking at the cross border movement of students, academics, faculties and the development of new universities in places like China, Asia and The Middle East. Producer Chris Wilson. Laurie Taylor examines homophobia and football and looks at global higher education. New research on how society works |
| Global Inequality, Signs Of 'nation' | 20170628 | 20170702 (R4) | Global inequality: is the Global South catching up with the North, as many corporations and governments have claimed for the last 30 years? Laurie Taylor talks to Jason Hickel, fellow in anthropology at the LSE, who argues that the divide is actually greater than ever. They're joined by Marian Tupa, Senior Policy Analyst at the Center for Global Liberty and Prosperity at the Cato Institute, Washington DC. Also , Michael Skey, Lecturer in Communication and Media Studies at Loughborough University explores the markers and symbols of nation and national identity across Britain. Producer: Jayne Egerton. Global inequality and poverty - is it decreasing? Also, signs of 'nation'. New research on how society works |
| Globalization | 20071128 | 20071203 (R4) | GLOBALIZATION Laurie Taylor talks to Nobel prize-winner Joseph E. Stiglitz, one of the world's most influential economists, who was Chief Economist at the World Bank until January 2000, before that President Clinton's Chief Advisor on Economic Affairs. Professor Stiglitz discusses the rapidly accelerating process of globalisation and the increasing problems that it is likely to cause the world. He explains how, despite the mismanagement of the project and discrimination against countries in the developing world, he has confidence that we have what it takes to make globalisation work. Laurie Taylor discusses the accelerating process of globalisation with Professor Stiglitz. New research on how society works |
| Good Neighbours, The Connection Between Sport And Domestic Abuse | 20160629 | 20160703 (R4) | Good Neighbours and the democracy of everyday life. Our neighbours do small favours and greet us on the street. They also, on occasion, startle us with noises at night and even betray us to the authorities. Laurie Taylor talks to Nancy Rosenblum, the Senator Joseph Clark Professor of Ethics in Politics and Government at Harvard University, about her study into our many and varied encounters with the people 'next door' - from suburbia to popular culture; in peaceful times & during disasters and across time and culture. They're joined by Graham Crow, Professor of Sociology at the University of Edinburgh. Also, the connection between sporting events and violence against women. Jodie Swallow, Post Graduate Research Student at Chester University, discusses her research into women's experience of domestic abuse in the context of the FIFA World Cup and the Six Nations Rugby Union Tournament. Producer: Jayne Egerton. Laurie Taylor explores encounters with the people next door. Plus domestic abuse and sport New research on how society works |
| Grammar Schools And Social Mobility, The Opera Fanatic | 20111130 | 20111205 (R4) | Laurie Taylor explores opera fanatics at the Teatro Colon in Buenos Aires and compares them to fans in Cardiff, with Professor Claudio Benzecry from the University of Connecticut and Professor Paul Atkinson from Cardiff University. And he explores the popularly held notion that grammar schools aid social mobility with Dr Adam Swift from the University of Oxford. Producer Chris Wilson. Laurie Taylor explores opera in Argentina, plus grammar schools and social mobility. New research on how society works |
| Grandfathers, Dementia Carers | 20170322 | 20170326 (R4) | Grandfathers today: Laurie Taylor talks to Ann Buchanan, Senior Research Associate in the Department of Social Policy and Intervention at the University of Oxford, about the changing nature of grandfatherhood. She brought together a team of international scholars, from Finland to South Africa, who found that grandfathers were re-inventing themselves into a new, caring role in the wake of increased divorce, long parenthood and more active, elder lives. They're joined by the writer and broadcaster, Michael Bywater. Dementia carers: Simon Bailey, Research Fellow in Sociology at the University of Manchester, talks about the findings of three National Health Service wards and one private care home in England. Staff are expected to provide person centred care which mitigates the loss of insight, personality and capacity associated with dementia. But, as his research demonstrates, direct care staff have only limited training and remuneration to deliver such quality care. Producer: Jayne Egerton. Grandfathers: a global study. Also, dementia carers. New research on how society works |
| Grandparents, Tourism | 20071205 | 20071210 (R4) | GRANDPARENTS Ask any grandparent what being a `good grandparent` actually entails, and the chances are they will tell you that two things are required of them above all else: Being there, and not interfering. Grandparents want their children and grandchildren to feel that they are there for them in times of need, or to provide on-tap babysitting, but woe betide the grandparent who starts to hand out too many childrearing tips. Professor Jennifer Mason tells Laurie Taylor how grandparents negotiate this delicate relationship with their offspring, and how the role of being a good grandparent can often come into conflict with being a good parent. TOURISM Christophe Jouan, Managing Director of The Future Foundation and John Urry, Professor of Sociology at Lancaster University discuss the idea that the great days of tourism and foreign travel are drawing to a close. What makes a good Grandparent? Laurie Taylor discovers the secret to a good relationship. New research on how society works |
| Guatemalan Cemetery, Art Auctions | 20130313 | 20130318 (R4) | Art Auctions - How do auctioneers and buyers transact sales in seconds? Laurie Taylor hears from Professor Christian Heath who discusses his detailed study into the tools and techniques which lead to the strike of a hammer. They're joined by the arts writer and critic, Georgina Adam. Also, the Guatemalan cemetery with no more room. The growth of the city combined with high death and murder rates means the cemetery is overflowing. The anthropologist, Kevin O'Neill, talks about the harsh effects of an aggressive policy of disinterment when poor relatives can't pay the dues. Producer: Jayne Egerton. A study into the dynamics of art auctions, and a Guatemalan cemetery with no more room. New research on how society works |
| Guns | 20230920 | 20230924 (R4) | Guns: Laurie Taylor talks to Jennifer Carlson, Professor of Sociology at Arizona State University and author of an in depth study of gun sellers in the US. In 2020 they were on the front line of an unprecedented surge in gun purchasing against a backdrop of pandemic insecurities and political polarisation. Interviewing 50 sellers from four states, 84% of whom were on the right of the political spectrum, she found they were not simply selling guns, but also a conservative vision. How then did they react to a new wave of gun buyers which included women and sexual minorities, some of whom were liberal? Did this vindicate or challenge their gun centric world view? And what are the possibilities for a positive transformation in America's harmful gun culture when only one third of the population are opposed to the personal ownership of hand guns? They're joined by Andrew Nahum, historian & Keeper Emeritus at The Science Museum whose latest work considers the impact of the gun on progress, both intellectual and industrial, from the Enlightenment to the American West, the Cold War and contemporary gun culture. How did so many rifles come to be held in private hands and what does the ongoing preoccupation with the creation of ever more effective firearms tell us about human creativity? Producer: Jayne Egerton Guns: from gun sellers in the US to the impact of the gun on human progress. New research on how society works |
| Gypsy Children And Education, Blind Willie Mctell | 20070725 | 20070729 (R4) | GYPSY CHILDREN & EDUCATION Dr Martin Levinson, is senior lecturer and researcher at Exeter University's School of Education and Lifelong Learning. He presented his paper Gypsy children at home and school: questions of culture, learning and identity last Friday at the Cultural Studies Now conference in London. Life has changed significantly for gypsy families in recent years. Travel is the main factor, while some gypsies still have an entirely itinerant lifestyle, many live in houses. Some have a lifestyle somewhere in between. But even those who are sedentary never consider themselves to be completely static, there is a sense of `travelling in the mind`. Dr Levinson originally became interested in gypsy children's relationship with schooling when he was a teacher. He was struck by the poor attainment of the gypsy pupils he came across in the classroom. He joins Laurie Taylor to discuss the educational needs of Gypsy children and whether formal education necessarily means compromising cultural identity? BLIND WILLIE MCTELL According to Bob Dylan's song, `Nobody can sing the blues like Blind Willie McTell`. But who was Blind Willie McTell, and why is so little known about the man whom many have described as the most gifted musician of his generation? Michael Gray, writer, critic and broadcaster is the author of a new book entitled Hand Me My Travelin' Shoes: In Search Of Blind Willie McTell which recounts his journey into the deep American south, to discover what life was like for a black musician from a poor town, growing up in the pre-civil rights era. Blind from birth, McTell used his musical talents to escape a life of labouring in the cotton fields and went on to explode every stereotype about blues artists. Despite numerous record deals, he spent much of his life busking on street corners, achieving fame only after his death during the 1960s country blues revival. Laurie Taylor discusses the cultural and educational needs of Gypsy children. New research on how society works |
| H G Wells, Utopias, Paraphernalia | 20110615 | 20110619 (R4) | H G WELLS was so involved in establishing sociology in this country that he wrote to Prime Minister Balfour to ask for a special endowment so he could give up on his novels. His emphasis was on utopias, he felt that social science could only progress if an ideal version of society was created with which to compare our own. He lost his battle but the sociologist Ruth Levitas tells Laurie that sociology has become boring and that Wells was right! Also, some everyday things - keys, combs, glasses - have the ability to enchant or absorb. Laurie Taylor talks to Steven Connor and Michael Bywater about how paraphernalia can have an almost magical power. Producer: Charlie Taylor. Combs, keys, glasses - how everyday objects can have special powers. Also, Utopia. New research on how society works |
| Happiness And Government, Good Parenting | 20160420 | 20160424 (R4) | Happiness - Should the government promote it? Danny Dorling, Halford Mackinder Professor of Geography at the University of Oxford, talks to Laurie Taylor about the necessity to inspire a better politics with new measures of what matters most to us. These would include the avoidance of misery, the gaining of long term life satisfaction, the feeling of fulfilment, of worth, of kindness, of usefulness and love. Politicians, he contends, should promote a collective good which incorporates these priorities. They're joined by Paul Ormerod, economist and Visiting Professor at UCL Centre for Decision Making Uncertainty, who contends that policymakers should not claim that they can increase happiness through public policy decisions. Also, do dominant ideals of 'good' parenting contain a class bias? Esther Dermott. Professor of Sociology, argues that the activities of the most educationally advantaged parents are accepted as the benchmark against whom others are assessed. Producer: Jayne Egerton. Laurie Taylor asks if the government should aim to promote well-being. New research on how society works |
| Happy Families?, Science's First Mistake | 20101027 | 20101101 (R4) | Was there ever a golden age of the family? Political debates about the family often invoke a norm of family life in which marriages lasted and children thrived. But a new report suggests that pre-marital sex, cohabitation, single parenthood and illegitimacy have been rife for two centuries. It's the post war period from 1945-1970 which is unusual for its high rates of enduring marriages. Many people in the past didn't ever marry because of the problems in obtaining or affording a divorce. The historian Professor Pat Thane discusses families, real and ideal, with Laurie Taylor. Also, are most scientific claims little more than delusions? The Professor of Information Systems, Ian Angell talks about his co-authored book 'Science's First Mistake' which critiques science's claims to 'truth'. Producer: Jayne Egerton. Laurie Taylor discusses the family and why we should be sceptical about science. New research on how society works |
| Harvard Business School , The Construction Of Pain | 20150211 | 20150216 (R4) | Harvard Business School: Laurie Taylor takes a journey through the complex moral world of what many call the West Point of American Capitalism. Michel Anteby, Associate Professor at Harvard Business School, describes his research into the inner workings, mores and rituals of this highly influential institution.They're joined by Professor Ken Starkey from the Nottingham University Business School. Also, a cultural history of pain with Dr Louise Hide, Honorary Research Fellow in the Department of History, Classics and Archaeology at Birkbeck. University of London. Producer: Jayne Egerton. Harvard Business School: profit versus morality. Also, the cultural meaning of pain. New research on how society works |
| Health Divides, Counting Global Health | 20170125 | 20170130 (R4) | Health divides: Where we live can kill us. Americans live 3 years less than their counterparts in France and Sweden. Scottish men survive 2 years less than English men. Across Europe, women in the poorest communities may live 10 years less than those in the richest. People who live just a few miles apart can have gaps in life expectancy of up to 25 years. Laurie Taylor talks to Clara Bambra, Professor of Public Health Newcastle University Medical School, whose research draws on international case studies to examine the cause of these health inequalities and to consider what changes would be needed so that geographical location need not be a matter of life or death. Global health: moving beyond metrics - From maternal mortality to malaria, statistical methods are used to measure sickness, injury and suffering across the world. But Vincanne Adams, Professor of Medical Anthropology at the University of California, argues that such well-intentioned 'evidence based' interventions often fail. Drawing on rich case histories from countries including Nigeria and Haiti, she argues that we are missing other ways of knowing and tackling global health problems. Producer: Jayne Egerton. Health divides. Also, counting global health. New research on how society works |
| Hearing Voices, Paganism | 20080507 | 20080511 (R4) | HEARING VOICES The phenomenon of hearing voices might not be as unusual as we think, and many people even live quite happily with the voices they hear. Sometimes the voices have helpful advice, or words of encouragement to offer. But where do the voices come from? Might they be the sound of society itself? Dr Julie Kirby, senior Lecturer at Edge Hill University talks about her research study of over sixty people who live with voice hearing. PAGANISM Laurie Taylor is joined by Dr Graham Harvey, Reader in Religious Studies at The Open University and the author of paper entitled Recent developments in Paganism and Professor Wendy Griffin, co-founder of the Pagan Studies Group of the American Academy of Religion, to discuss the nature of contemporary paganism and to find out if it can ever become more accepted as a religion in the future. Laurie Taylor talks to Dr Julie Kirby about her research into people who hear voices. New research on how society works |
| Hebden Bridge, Neighbours | 20120509 | 20120513 (R4) | Hebden Bridge was once a working class textile town shaped by a culture of chapel and self help. But a new book finds its character transformed by a wave of incomers - from hippies to home workers. The writer Paul Barker talks to Laurie Taylor about community, past and present, in Hebden Bridge. Also, the social historian, Emily Cockayne explores relations between neighbours down the ages. As long as people have lived in shelters they have had people living next door. But how has the support, as well as the noise and nuisance of neighbours changed over time? Producer: Jayne Egerton. Laurie Taylor explores the fortunes of Hebden Bridge. Also, a social history of neighbours New research on how society works |
| Heritage And Preservation | 20170621 | 20170625 (R4) | Heritage beyond saving: Laurie Taylor talks to Caitlin DeSilvey, associate professor of cultural geography & author of a new book which journeys from Cold War test sites to post industrial ruins. Do we need to challenge cherished assumptions about the conservation of cultural heritage? Might we embrace rather than resist natural processes of decay and decline? They're joined by Haidy Geismar, reader in anthropology at University College, London & Tiffany Jenkins, sociologist & cultural commentator. Producer: Jayne Egerton. Heritage beyond saving: should we collaborate with, not defend natural processes? New research on how society works |
| Hidden Gay Lives | 20200129 | 20200203 (R4) | Hidden gay lives: Laurie Taylor uncovers the fabuloso' history of Polari, Britain's secret gay language with Paul Barker, Professor of English Language at Lancaster University. He also talks to the cultural historian, James Polchin, about the ways in which 20th c American crime pages recover a little discussed history of violence against gay men, one in which they were often held responsible for their own victimisation. Producer: Jayne Egerton Hidden gay lives, from Polari to true crime stories. New research on how society works |
| High Finance | 20230607 | 20230611 (R4) | HIGH FINANCE: Laurie Taylor talks to Brett Christophers, Professor in the Department of Human Geography at Uppsala University, Sweden, whose latest book argues that banks have taken a backseat since the global financial crisis . Today, our new economic masters are asset managers who don't just own financial assets, they also own the roads we drive on; the pipes that supply our drinking water; the farmland that provides our food; energy systems for electricity and heat; hospitals, schools, and even the homes in which many of us livethese all now swell asset managers' bulging investment portfolios. They're joined by Megan Tobias Neely, Assistant Professor in the Department of Organization at Copenhagen Business School and author of a study which takes us behind the designer suits and helicopter commutes to provide a glimpse of the lives and times of the mainly white men who dominate the hedge fund industry where about 10,000 firms manage $4 trillion in assets and the average earnings are $1.4 mm a year - which can rise to several billion. Producer: Jayne Egerton Laurie Taylor considers the impact of the asset management industry on our everyday lives. New research on how society works |
| Higher Education, Crisis Or Change? | 20160928 | 20161002 (R4) | Higher education - crisis or change? A special programme exploring the role, meaning and future of a university education in a globalised world. It was once assumed that university graduates, particularly those from working class backgrounds, had a route to social mobility via a degree. Sara Goldrick-Rab, Professor of Higher Education Policy and Sociology at Temple University, tells Laurie Taylor why her new study suggests the end of the American dream of self improvement. Half the students, in her sample of 3,000 disadvantaged young adults, dropped out of college due to a lack of financial resources. Lorenza Antonucci, Senior Lecturer in Sociology at Teeside University, compared the lives of students in England, Italy and Sweden and found that, contrary to what is assumed by HE policies, participating in university education now exacerbates inequality. Thomas Docherty, Professor of English and of Comparative Literature at the University of Warwick, joins the discussion, placing these developments in the context of an increasing marketisation of education which, he argues, has turned the university into the servant of the economy. Producer: Jayne Egerton. New research on how society works |
| Hikikomori, Women's Anti-suffrage | 20080514 | 20080518 (R4) | HIKIKOMORI Up to a million adolescents in Japan have been labelled hikikomori' because of their predilection for withdrawing from social life and cutting off relationship outside the family for periods in excess of six months. Professor Andy Furlong, Deputy Head of the Department of Management at the University of Glasgow, has been researching this phenomenon and wrote about his findings in a recent article entitled The Japanese Hikikomori phenomenon: acute social withdrawal among young people - published in the Sociological Review. WOMEN'S ANTI-SUFFRAGE Julia Bush, Senior Lecturer in history at the School of Social Sciences, University of Northampton, is the author of a new book Women Against the Vote; Female Anti Suffragism in Britain. Laurie Taylor is joined by Julia Bush and Joanna Bourke, Professor of History at Birkbeck College, to talk about the Anti Suffrage Movement. They discuss the lives and historical legacy of the women who actively campaigned against the extension of the franchise to females. Laurie Taylor explores why Japanese adolescents are acutely withdrawing from society. New research on how society works |
| History Of Murder, Scottish Conservatives | 20090422 | 20090426 (R4) | Laurie Taylor explores the latest research into how society works. Laurie discusses the history of murder, from duelling to drive-by killings, with Pieter Spierenburg, author of A History of Murder: Personal Violence in Europe from the Middle Ages to the Present and Joanna Bourke, author of An Intimate History of Killing. Why was the murder rate higher in the Middle Ages than it is now? What factors have pushed the practice of killing men down the social order and should we worry about the first increase in the murder rate for over 200 years? Laurie also hears of the surprise of Antje Bednarek, a German sociologist pursuing an ethnography of Young Scottish Conservatives. She had not realised that tracking them down would be such a tricky business. From duels to drive-by, Laurie Taylor discusses the history of murder. New research on how society works |
| History Of Surfing, Coffee Shops And Idleness | 20140625 | 20140629 (R4) | Surfing - a political history. Laurie Taylor looks beyond the tanned bodies, crashing waves and carefree pleasure, talking to Scott Laderman, Associate Professor of History at the University of Minnesota. His study traces the rise of surfing in the context of the rise of imperialism and global capitalism. From its emergence in post annexation Hawaii and its use as a diplomatic weapon in America's Cold War to the low wage labour of the surf industry today; he uncovers a hidden history involving as much blood and repression as beachside bliss. Also, Pelle Valentin Olsen, graduate student at the University of Oxford, explores the Baghdad coffee shop, idleness and the emergence of the bourgeoisie. He's joined by Graham Scambler, Emiritus Professor of Sociology at University College, London. Producer: Jayne Egerton. Laurie Taylor looks beyond the crashing waves and suntanned bodies. New research on how society works |
| Hole In The Wall, Victorian Light | 20090121 | 20090126 (R4) | HOLE IN THE WALL Vikras Swarup, the author of the novel which inspired the movie Slum Dog Millionaire, recently revealed he was inspired by the Hole in the Wall project in Delhi which installed a computer in a Delhi slum. The project leader behind that Hole in the Wall experiment, Sugata Mitra, who is currently Professor of Educational Technology at Newcastle University, reveals how children teach themselves how to use digital technology. VICTORIAN LIGHT Imagine the impact of gaslight on the once dark nights of Victorian Britain..`As I walk about the streets by night, endless and always suggestive intercommunings take place between me and the trusty, silent, ever watchful gas. Gas to teach me; gas to counsel me; gas to guide my footsteps, not over London flags, but through the crooked ways of unseen life and death`, that was George Augustus Sala in 1859. Laurie Taylor is joined by Chris Otter, assistant professor of Modern European History at the Ohio State University, and Lynda Nead, Professor of History of Art at Birkbeck, University of London, to discuss the political history of gas, how did people react? What affect did its yellowy hue have on the ambitions of police and government? Laurie Taylor reveals how children teach themselves how to use digital technology. New research on how society works |
| Holiday Hedonism In Ibiza, White Working Class Voters | 20130918 | 20130922 (R4) | Holiday hedonism - Laurie Taylor talks to the criminologist, Daniel Briggs, about his study into young British tourists' risk taking behaviour in Ibiza. From drug taking to prostitution, violence and injury. What leads these holidaymakers to engage in deviant, even dangerous behaviour when abroad? Also, Nathan Manning discusses his research into the meaning and causes of white, working class political disaffection. He interviewed low wage workers in Yorkshire and the NorthWest, areas where support for the far right British National Party and low voter turnout indicate alienation from mainstream politics. He's joined by Professor of Politics, Michael Kenny. Producer: Jayne Egerton. Laurie Taylor explores the risk-taking experiences of young British tourists in Ibiza. New research on how society works |
| Home At Riba | 20120321 | 20120325 (R4) | What does the idea of home mean to us in Britain? How is that changing, and are those new needs being met? A new economic landscape and an irresistible pressure on housing are changing the way we live. For the first time since the 1980s home ownership is decreasing, more people are renting longer and people are starting to club together in bigger groups. In a special edition recorded at the Royal Institute of British Architects, Thinking Allowed examines the concept of home and its relationship to housing. Laurie Taylor is joined by an audience of the public and an expert panel: Angela Brady, President of RIBA; the housing economist Susan Smith, Mistress of Gurton College Cambridge; sociologist Esther Dermott from Bristol University and the architectural writer Jonathan Glancey. The event draws on a series of investigations of listeners' homes in which Laurie Taylor and a team of sociologists have explored the future of private life. It will also reflect on the RIBA exhibition on the history of the British Home, 'A Place to Call Home'. Producer: Charlie Taylor. What does the idea of home mean to us in Britain today? A special edition on private life. New research on how society works |
| Home Life 1: Multi-generational Household | 20110824 | 20110828 (R4) | ~Thinking Allowed explores the changing nature of home in a 3 part summer series recorded in the homes of our listeners. Who do we live with, how do our homes operate and what do they say about us and about the dramatic social transformations of the last century and the century to come? By invitation, in each edition a new type of home is invaded, analysed and explained by Laurie Taylor and a panel of two sociologists round the kitchen table. Much political debate still revolves around the assumption that most of us live in conventional family homes. However research suggests that in 20 years time only 2 out of 5 people will be in marriages and married couples will be outnumbered by other types of household. Behind closed doors, Britain is changing: Single living has increased by 30% in 10 years but at the same time financial pressures are fuelling a growth in extended families - people sharing bills, childcare and mucking-in in a way which makes private life far less private. After generous invitations from Thinking Allowed listeners, Laurie Taylor visits three. In this edition he visits a big multi-generational family in Bristol accompanied by the sociologists Rachel Thomson and Esther Dermot. They attempt to divine the future for Britain's private life. Producer: Charlie Taylor. Home life 1: Laurie and sociologists visit a multi-generational household. New research on how society works |
| Home Life 2: Single Person Household | 20110831 | 20110904 (R4) 20181121 (R4) | ~Thinking Allowed explores the changing nature of home in a 3 part summer series recorded in the homes of our listeners. Who do we live with, how do our homes operate and what do they say about us and about the dramatic social transformations of the last century and the century to come? By invitation, in each edition a new type of home is invaded, analysed and explained by Laurie Taylor and a panel of two sociologists round the kitchen table. Much political debate still revolves around the assumption that most of us live in conventional family homes. However research suggests that in 20 years time only 2 out of 5 people will be in marriages and married couples will be outnumbered by other types of household. Behind closed doors, Britain is changing: Single living has increased by 30% in 10 years but at the same time financial pressures are fuelling a growth in extended families - people sharing bills, childcare and mucking-in in a way which makes private life far less private. After invitations from a host of Thinking Allowed listeners, Laurie Taylor visits three. In this edition he travels to Cove in Argyll and Bute to meet someone who lives alone and works from home. He is accompanied by the sociologists Roona Simpson and Bren Neale in order to help divine the future for Britain's private life. Producer: Charlie Taylor. Home life 2: Laurie and sociologists visit a single person household. New research on how society works |
| Home Life 3: Nuclear Household | 20110907 | 20110911 (R4) | ~Thinking Allowed explores the changing nature of home in a 3 part summer series recorded in the homes of our listeners. Who do we live with, how do our homes operate and what do they say about us and about the dramatic social transformations of the last century and the century to come? By invitation, in each edition a new type of home is invaded, analysed and explained by Laurie Taylor and a panel of two sociologists round the kitchen table. Much political debate still revolves around the assumption that most of us live in conventional family homes. However research suggests that in 20 years time only 2 out of 5 people will be in marriages and married couples will be outnumbered by other types of household. Behind closed doors, Britain is changing: single living has increased by 30% in 10 years but at the same time financial pressures are fuelling a growth in extended families - people sharing bills, childcare and mucking-in in a way which makes private life far less private. After invitations from a host of Thinking Allowed listeners, Laurie Taylor visits three different homes. In the last of the series he travels to a village near Preston in Lancashire to meet what is sometimes called a classic 'nuclear' family. He and his accompanying sociologists, Jacqui Gabb from the Open University and Professor Peter Bramham from Leeds Metropolitan University, attempt to divine the future for Britain's private life. Producer: Jayne Egerton. Home Life 3: Laurie and sociologists visit a 'nuclear' family. New research on how society works |
| Home Life 4: Shared Home | 20111228 | 20120102 (R4) | Is there an age in which people should couple-up and settle down? Laurie Taylor visits the home of 6 young people who are extending their student sharing habits into their early thirties. What is the factor that keeps an increasing amount of people living like this - is it economics, good friendships or an antipathy towards what other people might regard as growing up? Laurie and his two sociological companions, Esther Dermott from Bristol University and Josh Richards from the University of Manchester accompany him on his investigation. Producer: Charlie Taylor. Laurie explores the home lifestyle of six young people who live together. New research on how society works |
| Hoodies, City Planning | 20080227 | 20080303 (R4) | HOODIES Laurie Taylor talks to criminologist Dr Jack Fawbert about a recent phenomenon and ensuing moral panic' generated by young people wearing hooded tops. What was it that made this simple piece of clothing into a symbol of fear? What was the effect of trying to ban hoodies' from public places? How did all the media attention affect the sales of hooded tops? CITY PLANNING Architectural historian and writer, Gavin Stamp and Ricky Burdett Centennial Professor in Architecture and Urbanism at the LSE discuss the traditional and futuristic notions of what makes a good city. Laurie Taylor debates the 'moral panic' generated by young people wearing hooded tops. New research on how society works |
| Hoods, Construction Blacklist | 20161026 | 20161031 (R4) | Hood: a cultural history of a seemingly neutral garment which has long been associated with violence, from the Executioner to the KKK and inner city gangs. Laurie Taylor talks to the America writer, Alison Kinney, about the material and symbolic meaning of hoods. Also, the blacklisting of employees. Dr Paul Lashmar, Senior Lecturer in Journalism at the University of Sussex, examines a hidden history of discrimination. He's joined by Jack Fawbert, Associate Lecturer at Anglia Ruskin University, who provides the most contemporary and widespread instance of blacklisting in the UK - an extraordinary corporate crime which led to over 150 current or retired building workers reaching a substantial out of court settlement with the country's eight largest building employers earlier this year. All had been blacklisted for their trade union activities and alleged political views. How did this happen? Producer: Jayne Egerton. Laurie Taylor explores the cultural history and many meanings of the hood. New research on how society works |
| Hope And The 'good Enough' Life | 20240103 | 20240108 (R4) | Laurie Taylor talks to Daniel Miller, Professor of Anthropology at University College London, about his highly original exploration of what life could and should be. It juxtaposes a philosophical enquiry into the nature of the good life with an in-depth study of people living in a small Irish town. Just how much can we learn from a respectful acknowledgment of what far from extraordinary people have achieved? By creating community, they've provided the foundation for a fulfilling life, one that is ‘good enough'. Also, Carol Graham, Senior Fellow in the Economic Studies Program at The Brookings Institution, argues for the importance of hope - a concept little studied in economics. She argues that individual unhappiness and public policy problems can't be solved without the belief that we can make things better. Producer: Jayne Egerton New research on how society works Hope and the 'good enough' life. Laurie Taylor asks if hope is the secret of well being & considers whether a small Irish town provides a glimpse of a better way of living. Laurie Taylor explores the latest research into how society works. |
| Horses, Comfort Of Things | 20080604 | 20080608 (R4) | HORSES Dr Joanna Latimer, has co-authored with Lynda Birke, a recent paper Natural relations: horses, knowledge and technology. Their research examines the different ways in which humans relate to horses and their various attitudes towards horses and horsemanship. It throws some light upon the division between the human and the non-human world. COMFORT OF THINGS Laurie Taylor is joined by Professor Daniel Miller, anthropologist and the author of a new book entitled The Comfort of Things. They consider the relationship between people and the personal possessions that adorn their homes and explore whether our lust for material objects could be damaging to widely accepted ideals of community spirit. Laurie Taylor explores how humans relate to horses and their personal possessions. New research on how society works |
| Hospices, Palliative Care | 20171025 | 20171030 (R4) | Palliative medicine and care: Laurie Taylor talks to David Clarke, Professor of Medical Sociology at the University of Glasgow, about his social history of 'easeful death'. Also, daily life in an English Hospice. Danny Miller, Professor of Anthropology at UCL, explores kinship, loneliness and community amongst people suffering from terminal or long term illness. Producer: Jayne Egerton. Laurie Taylor explores the history of 'easeful death'. Also, life in an English hospice. New research on how society works |
| Hostility To Tax, Mumbai Slums | 20120620 | 20120624 (R4) | Annawadi is a makeshift settlement in the shadow of luxury hotels near Mumbai's international airport. The Pulitzer prize winning writer, Katherine Boo, spent 4 years hearing the stories of the slum dwellers who stand little chance of joining the 'new' Indian middle class. She talks to Laurie Taylor about her new book Behind the Beautiful Forevers: Life, Death and Hope in a Mumbai Slum. Also, the sociologist, Jeff Kidder, highlights new research which analyses why so many Americans are morally opposed to taxation. They're joined by British sociologist, Peter Taylor Gooby, who's researched British attitudes to tax. Producer: Jayne Egerton. A study of the slums of Mumbai. Also, the rights and wrongs of taxation. New research on how society works |
| House Of Commons, Voting And Inequality | 20161019 | 20161023 (R4) | The House of Commons - an anthropologist's guide to the political 'tribe'. Emma Crewe, Professorial Research Associate at SOAS, spent two years doing interviews in the Palace of Westminster and MPs constituencies. She talks to Laurie Taylor about her study, which provides a fascinating glimpse into the hidden mechanisms of parliamentary democracy. She's joined by Lord Daniel Finkelstein, political commentator and associate editor at The Times. Also, Anne Phillips, Graham Wallas Professor of Political Science, asks if inequality impacts on rates of voting in general elections. Producer: Jayne Egerton. Laurie Taylor hears about the hidden workings of Parliament. Also, voting and inequality. New research on how society works |
| Household Breakup In New Orleans, Communist Memories | 20110601 | 20110605 (R4) | Hurricane Katrina led to the compulsory evacuation of all the residents of New Orleans. They were sent to shelters in distant destinations ranging from Houston to Tennessee. The scale of the disaster meant that most were unable to stay with or near family. But new research finds that this trauma was compounded by the authorities' failure to recognise the prevalence of extended families amongst the New Orleans poor. The trailers to which they re-located were set up for nuclear families as was the reconstructed housing to which they returned. The American social scientist Michael Rendall discusses post Katrina family breakdown with Laurie Taylor. Also, the process of remembering Communism in Central Eastern Europe. The historian James Mark's new book considers how countries come to terms with the legacies of the past. He joins the Psychology lecturer, Dr Jovan Byford, to question whether people's actual memories of the communist era at odds with officially imposed narratives? Producer: Jayne Egerton. Family breakdown post Hurricane Katrina. Also, remembering Communism. New research on how society works |
| Howard Becker, Arab Conquests And Social Memory | 20070919 | 20070923 (R4) | HOWARD BECKER (Sociologist) Howard Becker is one of our most influential and provocative social scientists. A one-time successful jazz musician, he abandoned that career for graduate work at the University of Chicago, where he was not only influenced by some of the brilliant ethnographers of urban life who helped to create the so-called Chicago school, but by his contemporary Erving Goffman. Howard Becker's 1963 book, Outsiders, became a staple for sociology undergraduates, and explored commonly held assumptions about unconventional individuals and their position in 'normal' society. ARAB CONQUESTS and SOCIAL MEMORY The Arab conquests following the death of Mohammed changed the world for ever. The old world order of fading Greek and Roman civilisations was brought to an end and by 641 Islamic Arab armies had conquered Syria, Egypt, Palestine and Iraq, by 700 all of North Africa, and by 720 all of Spain, Pakistan and much of Central Asia too. Laurie Taylor discusses the old Arab stories about that extraordinary period; how accurate are they, and what do they tell us about how society reflects on itself? He is joined by the historian Hugh Kennedy and the writer, broadcaster and cultural critic Ziauddin Sardar to discuss the Arab foundation stories and the role they play in the history of a culture. Laurie Taylor explores Howard Becker's influential assumptions about Outsiders. New research on how society works |
| Human Remains In Museum Collections, Suicide Rates | 20081029 | 20081103 (R4) | HUMAN REMAINS IN MUSEUM COLLECTIONS Tiffany Jenkins, author of a paper called Dead Bodies: The Changing Treatment of Human Remains in British Museum Collections and Adam Kuper,Professor of Anthropology at Brunel University discuss the acquisition and restitution of human specimens by museums and the changes in attitudes towards them from outside the museum world as well as from within. SUICIDE RATES Laurie Taylor talks to Professor Stephen Platt, one of this country's leading experts on suicide, about the nature and incidence of suicide in contemporary Britain. How is an unexplained death classified as a suicide? Are suicide rates falling and could this trend be reversed by the current economic crisis? Laurie Taylor debates the changing attitudes towards the bodies displayed in our museums. New research on how society works |
| Human Rights In Northern Ireland, Social Mobility And Education | 20151021 | 20151026 (R4) | Northern Ireland & the unusual role of human rights discourse in the peace process. Laurie Taylor talks to Jennifer Curtis, honorary fellow in Social Anthropology at the University of Edinburgh, about her study into the way in which human rights became 'war by other means'. Also, Vik Loveday, lecturer in Sociology at Goldsmiths College, discusses her research into attitudes to social mobility within higher education. Producer: Jayne Egerton. Laurie Taylor looks at the complex role of human rights in the peace process. New research on how society works |
| Human Zoos, Girl Racers | 20090610 | 20090614 (R4) | Laurie Taylor discusses 'human zoos', the practice of putting colonial subjects on display to western audiences. He is joined by Charles Forsdick, co-editor of Human Zoos: Science and Spectacle in the Age of Colonial Empires, and the cultural commentator Kate Berridge. There were 20-25,000 on display, in special villages, in circuses and in bars. Millions of spectators from New York to London, Tokyo to Warsaw visited at their feeding times, watched as they gave birth and came to ogle at their extraordinary physicality as they stood nude behind bars. These were the people of Africa, Aboriginals from Australia, Fijians, Zulus and even Laplanders, brought to the cradle of imperialism to tell a story of savagery and civilisation. Also Girl Racers, an ethnographic study of car modifiers in Aberdeen, and how the women involved in the youth cult intergrate themselves in a traditionally male pass time. Karen Lumsden from Aberdeen University tells Laurie about her research. Exhibiting the 'Savage'. How Paris and London created human zoos in the name of science. New research on how society works |
| Identity | 20181226 | 20181231 (R4) | Identity: Laurie Taylor presents a special programme exploring the ways in which we define ourselves and gain a sense of belonging - from race, religion and nationality to membership of a subcultural tribe. He talks to Kwame Anthony Appiah, Professor of Philosophy and Law at New York University, and author of a new book which takes issues with fixed notions of identity; Carrie Dunn, author of a study of female football fandom and Karl Spracklen, Professor of Music, Leisure and Culture at Leeds Beckett University and author of a new book about the Goths', a counter cultural identity originating in the 1980s. Producer: Jayne Egerton Identity: a special programme exploring the way in which we define ourselves. New research on how society works |
| Ignorance | 20200715 | 20200719 (R4) | Strategic ignorance and knowledge resistance: Laurie Taylor talks to Mikael Klintman, Professor of Sociology at the University of Lund, Sweden about our capacity for resisting insights from others. At all levels of society, he argues, our world is becoming increasingly dominated by an inability, even refusal, to engage with others' ideas. It does not bode well either for democracy or for science. They're joined by Linsey McGoey, Professor of Sociology at the University at Essex, whose new study explores the use of deliberate and wilful ignorance by elites in pursuit of the retention of power - from News International's hacking scandal to the fire at Grenfell Tower. Producer: Jayne Egerton Strategic ignorance and knowledge resistance. New research on how society works |
| 'illicit' Dance, The Purpose Of War | 20140514 | 20140518 (R4) | Illicit' dance in India. Laurie Taylor talks to Anna Morcom, Senior Lecturer at Royal Holloway, University of London, about her extensive research into marginalised dancers in contemporary South Asia. From bar dancers to transgender erotic performers, she has chronicled their relationship with 'legitimate' performing arts; their struggles against stigma and the ways in which post colonial nation building has excluded these 'non elite' carriers of culture. Also, can war ever be a force for good? The historian, Ian Morris, argues that war, as well as provoking countless deaths & horrors, has also, in the very long term, allowed us to create peaceful societies. Producer: Jayne Egerton. Illicit' dance in Indian popular culture. Also, does war serve a social purpose? New research on how society works |
| Imagination And The City | 20080827 | 20080831 (R4) | IMAGINATION AND THE CITY In part three of a series exploring how imagination and reality combine to create the environments in which we live, Laurie Taylor discusses our experience of the modern city. He is joined by the novelist Will Self, the sociologist Richard Sennett and the geographer Doreen Massey in the Radio Theatre at Broadcasting House. In front of a live audience at the Radio Theatre at Broadcasting House, Laurie is joined by writer Will Self, sociologist Richard Sennett and geographer Doreen Massey. Made in association with The Open University. Laurie Taylor is joined by Will Self, Richard Sennett and Doreen Massey. New research on how society works |
| Imagination And The Countryside | 20080813 | 20080817 (R4) | IMAGINATION AND THE COUNTRYSIDE Laurie Taylor discusses how imagination and reality combine to create the environments in which we live. What happens when our view of the countryside collides with the reality of rural life? In part one of a series exploring how imagination and reality combine to create the environments in which we live,Novelist Joanna Trollope, sociologist Howard Newby and rural ethnographer Martin Phillips discuss the rural idyll. The dream the British have of the countryside is not always borne out by the experience of living there, yet the ideas we hold about the countryside often prompt changes. Martin's research revealed long-term residents complaining of too many village fetes and incomers who are simply too keen to get involved in everything. Joanna Trollope explains what drove her out of the countryside five years ago. The dream the British have of the countryside is not always borne out by experience. New research on how society works |
| Imagination And The Suburbs | 20080820 | 20080824 (R4) | IMAGINATION AND THE SUBURB Why is the dream of suburbia so often portrayed as a nightmare? In part two of a series exploring how imagination and reality combine to create the environments in which we live, Laurie Taylor discusses facts and fantasies of suburban life with writer Iain Sinclair and sociologists Paul Barker and Dr Nick Hubble. Laurie Taylor talks to writer Iain Sinclair and sociologists Paul Barker and Nick Hubble. New research on how society works |
| Immortality, Evil | 20120711 | 20120715 (R4) | From Victorian seances to schemes which upload our minds into cyberspace, there are myriad ways in which human beings have sought to conquer mortality. The philosopher, John Gray, discusses his book The Immortalisation Commission: Science and the Strange Quest to Cheat Death with Laurie Taylor. The cultural historian Marina Warner joins the debate. Also, listeners' response to Thinking Allowed's recent discussion on the sociology of 'evil'. Professor Barry Smith, the director of the Institute of Philosophy, explores contrasting analyses of 'evil' within modern thought. Producer: Jayne Egerton. Laurie Taylor explores the ways in which human beings have resisted the idea of mortality. New research on how society works |
| Immortality, Transhumanism | 20191030 | 20191104 (R4) | Immortality: Pursuing a life beyond the human. Anya Bernstein, Associate Professor of the Social Sciences at Harvard University, talks to Laurie Taylor about the Russian visionaries and utopians who seek to overcome the limitations of our material bodies. Also, Alex Thomas, Lecturer in Media Production at the University of East London, explores the ethical dilemmas relating to transhumanism. Who will benefit from technologies which assist the desire to transcend our mortal state? Producer: Jayne Egerton Immortality and transhumanism New research on how society works |
| Impact Of Recession On Health Inequalities, Youth Culture | 20090225 | 20090302 (R4) | IMPACT OF RECESSION ON HEALTH INEQUALITIES Laurie Taylor is joined by Mel Bartley, Professor of Medical Sociology at University College London Medical School, and Andrew Oswald, Professor of Economics at Warwick University to discuss the personal and psychological consequences of unemployment in the light of the current global recession. YOUTH CULTURE Dr David Fowler, author of a new book entitled Youth Culture in Modern Britain, c1920-c.1970, talks about the meaning of youth culture'. He contends that authentic youth movements have a philosophy and way of life; they do not simply celebrate consumerism and popular music. Laurie Taylor discusses the personal psychological consequences of recession unemployment. New research on how society works |
| Incivility, Ak-47 (kalashnikov) | 20101117 | 20101122 (R4) | Laurie Taylor talks to Pulitzer Prize winner C.J Chivers, a former US Marine and currently a journalist at the New York Times about the cultural, social and political impact of the AK-47 or Kalashnikov. A gun that has transformed how we fight wars and who can fight them, the AK-47 is a weapon central to many conflicts all over the world. With testimony from its inventors, its users and its victims, Laurie explores how a single instrument can have been so influential as both transformer and destroyer. They are joined by military historian Richard Holmes. Laurie also talks to Philip Smith, Professor in the Department of Sociology at Yale University, about new research looking at public incivility. What drives some people to such extremes of public rudeness? Producer Chris Wilson. Laurie Taylor examines the social impact of the AK-47, plus rudeness in public places. New research on how society works |
| Inequality And Nakedness | 20100421 | 20100425 (R4) | Nakedness can thrill, it can disgust, it can humiliate, amuse and entertain. The sight of humans without clothes provokes powerful and contradictory impressions: it is both the shame of Adam and Eve as they are expelled from Eden and the purity of Jesus as he is baptised; both the humiliation of prisoners at Abu Ghraib and the exuberance of young people at a rock festival. The power of the taboo against nakedness in Western Culture has meant that it is a potent form of protest, but as films like the Full Monty and plays like Calendar Girls bring it into the mainstream, have our attitudes to nakedness changed? Laurie discusses A Brief History of Nakedness with its author Philip Carr-Gomm and the sociologist Angela McRobbie. Also, the geographer Danny Dorling argues that inequality in the rich world is perpetuated by five ingrained beliefs: elitism is efficient; exclusion is necessary; prejudice is natural; greed is good; despair is inevitable. He uses his social research to argue that those beliefs are nothing more than myths. Producer: Charlie Taylor. A brief history of nakedness - its role in politics, protest and popular culture. New research on how society works |
| Inside The Muslim Brotherhood | 20150204 | 20150209 (R4) | Inside the Muslim Brotherhood - The first in-depth study of the relationship between the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood and its own members. Laurie talks to Hazem Kandil, Lecturer in Political Sociology at Cambridge University, about his intimate portrayal of the organisation's recruitment, socialisation and ideology. Privately educated girls - a 3 year study of 91 young women at 4 independent schools. Claire Maxwell, Reader in Sociology of Education at the Institute of Education, finds that an elite education doesn't always guarantee class privilege. Producer: Jayne Egerton. Laurie Taylor on the Muslim Brotherhood, plus a study into privately educated young women. New research on how society works |
| Insuring Against Disasters, Electronic Finance | 20170503 | 20170507 (R4) | Disaster insurers: Laurie Taylor talks to Rebecca Bednarek, Senior Lecturer in Management at Birkbeck, University of London, about a study into a global re-insurance market in which 'Acts of God' provide formidable opportunities for financial markets. Also, amateur traders: why do they risk so much for so little? Alex Preda, Professor of Accounting, Accountability and Financial Management at King's College, London, explores how ordinary people take up financial trading in a world far removed from the glamour and wealth of investment bankers. They're joined by Dan Barnes, the business journalist. Producer: Jayne Egerton. Insuring against disasters, and amateur financial traders. New research on how society works |
| Intersections | 20231025 | 20231030 (R4) | Intersections - Laurie Taylor talks to world-renowned, Black feminist scholar, Patricia Hill Collins, Distinguished Professor Emerita of Sociology at the University of Maryland and author of a new study looking at how violence differentially affects people according to their sex, class, sexuality, nationality, and ethnicity. These invisible workings of overlapping power relations give rise to what she terms 'lethal intersections,' where the risk of death is much greater for some than others. Drawing on a rich tapestry of cases she asks us to think about what counts as violence today and what can be done about it. They're joined by Joyce Jiang, Senior Lecturer in Human Resource Management at the University of York, whose latest research examines abuses against female migrant domestic workers in the UK which include long working hours, harsh working conditions, but also verbal, physical and sexual abuses. Producer: Jayne Egerton Intersections - how violence impacts some people more than others. New research on how society works Intersections - Laurie Taylor explores the ways in which violence impacts some people more than others. Also, female migrant domestic workers. |
| Intoxication | 20121226 | 20121231 (R4) | Intoxication - In a special programme, Laurie Taylor explores the role and meaning of both alcohol and drugs in human life. Why do so many people chose to alter their consciousness with stimulants, whether legal or illicit? Professor James Mills, the author of 'Cannabis Nation..' is joined by Professor Fiona Measham and Professor Chris Hackley. Producer: Jayne Egerton. New research on how society works |
| Irregular And Undocumented Workers, America's Death Penalty | 20110223 | 20110228 (R4) | Every country in the Western world has abandoned the use of capital punishment in the name of civilisation and humanity. Yet in the USA, dozens of states and the Federal Government itself continue to execute criminals for certain crimes. Laurie Taylor talks to David Garland about his investigation into the US death penalty and how America has become a peculiar exception in a world which is moving towards abolition. They are joined by former Director of Public Prosecutions, Ken (Lord) MacDonald. Also on the programme David Whyte presents new research gathered from interviewing undocumented workers in Britain. Seven years on from the tragedy on Morecombe sands, what is the experience of illegal workers in the UK? Producer: Charlie Taylor. Why does the US support capital punishment? Also, illegal workers in the UK. New research on how society works |
| Islam And Capitalism, Sex Before The Sexual Revolution | 20110216 | 20110221 (R4) | Sexual Intercourse began in I963, according to Philip Larkin's 'Annus Mirabilis'. But what of the dark ages before the sexual revolution? A new study shows them to be not quite as repressed, unfulfilled and pitiable as many have been keen to cast them. In this edition Laurie talks to Kate Fisher and Simon Szreter about their illuminating exploration of intimate life in England between 1918 and 1963, which involved them speaking frankly and in depth to almost a hundred people about their sex lives in the period. Also, Charles Tripp talks about the relationship between Islam and capitalism, and some Muslim societies' reactions to what are seen as the dangers of a rapacious and socially destructive force. Producer: Charlie Taylor. Sex before the Sexual Revolution and how Islam reacts to capitalism. New research on how society works |
| Islamic Movement In Turkey, Fair Access To Work | 20090805 | 20090809 (R4) | The Islamist movement in Turkey is not revolutionary, it does not decry the United States and it is not opposed to Turkey's liberal capitalist state. In fact, it forms the democratically-elected government of that country and has done since 2002. Laurie Taylor discusses an in-depth study which analyses how and why the Islamic movement in Turkey transformed itself into a pillar of the state, and asks whether the process could work in other Muslim countries. Also, Richard Reeves joins Laurie to discuss the latest research into what it takes to get a decent job in Britain these days. How Turkey's once revolutionary Islamists became a pillar of the state. New research on how society works |
| Islamophobia And Anti-semitism, Sociology Of Sleep | 20140521 | Islamophobia and Anti-Semitism - similarities and differences. Comparisons of anti-Semitic and anti-Muslim sentiment are strikingly absent in British accounts of race and racism. Laurie Taylor talks to Nasar Meer, Reader in Comparative Social Policy at Strathclyde University, about a new study which attempts to remedy this omission. They're joined by Rumy Hasan, Senior Lecturer at the Sussex Centre for Migration Research at the University of Sussex. Also, the sociology of 'sleep'. How does sleep fit into our wired awake world? Catherine Coveney, Senior Research Fellow at the University of Warwick, explores the sleeping experiences & strategies of shift workers and students. Producer: Torquil MacLeod. Islamophobia and Anti-Semitism. Also, the sociology of sleep. New research on how society works | |
| Italian Family 1: Milan | 20120822 | 20120826 (R4) | Italy, home to the Pope and the Holy See, perhaps the most Catholic of all countries, is undergoing a peculiarly un-Catholic crisis; it now has one of the lowest birth rates in the world. There are so few children being born that if the current trend persists, traditional Italians are at risk of dying out in just a handful of generations. How can the nation famed for Romanticism, for enormous affectionate families, for Mamma Mia and for an enviable certainty that all you need is good food, good wine and your family around you, be the same nation that no longer gives birth? Laurie travels to Milan to unpick the tangled interactions between the individual, the family, the church and the state and discovers why Italians are delaying parenthood and in many cases rejecting having a family altogether. The first of three special editions on the crisis of the Italian family. Producer: Charlie Taylor. Why is the Italian birth rate falling? Laurie Taylor on the crisis of the Italian family. New research on how society works |
| Italian Family 2: Naples | 20120829 | 20120902 (R4) | Italy, home to the Pope and the Holy See, perhaps the most Catholic of all countries, is undergoing a peculiarly un-Catholic crisis; it now has one of the lowest birth rates in the world. There are so few children being born that if the current trend persists, traditional Italians are at risk of dying out in just a handful of generations. How can the nation famed for Romanticism, for enormous affectionate families, for Mamma Mia and for an enviable certainty that all you need is good food, good wine and your family around you, be the same nation that no longer gives birth? Laurie travels to the South of Italy and visits the sole-remaining glove maker in Naples, in an attempt to discover whether the Italian family business is heading for extinction. He also explores whether organised crime is a distortion of Italian family values - or their logical extension. Producer: Charlie Taylor. Laurie Taylor visits Naples to investigate the role of Italian family values. New research on how society works |
| Italian Family 3: Studio Discussion | 20120905 | 20120909 (R4) | What has cause the Italian family to decline so fast? What are the prospects for encouraging Italians to start having more children? Laurie is joined in the studio by three experts in order to discuss his explorations of the family in Italy. Geoff Andrews, David Gilmour and Annalisa Piras give their views on what has caused the Italian crisis and what hopes there are for the future. Producer: Charlie Taylor. Is the fabled Italian family in terminal decline? Laurie Taylor discusses the crisis. New research on how society works |
| Jobs For The Boys | 20120801 | 20120805 (R4) | Jobs for the Boys?' New research presented at the British Sociological Association's 2012 conference claimed that middle class people hoard job opportunities in the UK TV and film industry. In a pre- recorded interview from the conference, Professor Irena Grugulis, suggests to Laurie Taylor that working class people don't get these jobs because they don't have the right accents, clothes, backgrounds or friends. Indeed, it's hard to find an area of the economy where connections and contacts are more significant. But is this mainly due to structural changes in the industry rather than to class based prejudice? The media expert, Sir Peter Bazalgette and Professor of Sociology, Mike Savage, respond to this research and explore nepotism, networking and discrimination in the media world and beyond. Producer: Jayne Egerton. Jobs for the Boys?' Discrimination and nepotism in the media industry, with Laurie Taylor New research on how society works |
| Junk Food Traders In Secondary Schools, Darjeeling Tea Workers | 20141022 | 20141027 (R4) | Tea workers in Darjeeling. Laurie Taylor talks to Sarah Besky, Assistant Professor in Anthropology at the University of Michigan, about her study of the tough lives of tea plantation workers, and the struggle to re-make one of the world's most expensive teas for the 21st century consumer. Also, the sociologist, Adam Fletcher, discusses an emerging underground trade in junk food at English secondary schools. Is this an unforeseen result of 'healthy food' policies? Laurie explores the lives of the producers of some of the most expensive tea in the world. New research on how society works |
| Kidnap | 20200311 | 20200316 (R4) | KIDNAP - Millions of people live, travel, and work in areas with significant kidnap risks, yet kidnaps of foreign workers, local VIPs, and tourists are surprisingly rare and the vast majority of abductions are peacefully resolved. Anja Shortland, Reader in Political Economy, King's College London, explores this lucrative but tricky business. Also, Jatin Dua, Assistant Professor of Anthropology at the University of Michigan, examines the upsurge in maritime piracy off the coast of Somalia, taking us inside pirate communities in Somalia. In what ways are modern day pirates connected to longer histories of trade and disputes over protection? Producer: Jayne Egerton Kidnap for ransom, past and present. New research on how society works |
| Kinship | 20120613 | 20120617 (R4) | Kinship is a key term in Anthropology. It describes the genealogical and biological ties which bind human beings to each other. The French anthropologist, Maurice Godelier, tells Laurie Taylor about his groundbreaking study into the evolution of kinship as a reality, as well as a concept. He disputes the idea that it constitutes the original building block of society; arguing instead that political and religious allegiances cut across family groups. He also suggests that traditional ideas of 'kinship' are complicated by the modern day transformation in family forms. The celebrated British anthropologists, Henrietta Moore and Adam Kuper, join the debate. Producer: Jayne Egerton. A special programme linked to a landmark study of 'kinship'. New research on how society works |
| Kissing Cousins, Big Cats In Rural Wales | 20090218 | 20090223 (R4) | KISSING COUSINS Like the queen, and many of his own class in the nineteenth century Charles Darwin was married to his first cousin. However he became increasingly anxious about the consequence of such close intermarriage; he attempted to have Parliament amend the census include a question on cousin marriage, and even asked his son George to scientifically investigate close-kin unions on a national scale. By the new century, though, it was a statistical rarity and by the 1920s only one marriage in 6,000 was with a cousin. Laurie Taylor is joined by Professor Adam Kuper, author of Changing the subject - about cousin marriage, among other things' to discuss Charles Darwin, Victorian marriage and the sudden demise of kissing cousins. BIG CATS IN RURAL WALES Samantha Hurn, Lecturer in Social Anthropology at the University of Wales, Lampeter talks about her research on feral big cats in Ceredigion, West Wales between 2001 and 2008. Laurie Taylor is joined by Professor Adam Kuper to discuss the demise of kissing cousins. New research on how society works |
| Kissing Men, Decline Of Violence In History | 20111102 | 20111107 (R4) | Laurie Taylor explores Professor Steven Pinker's notion of a decline in human violence with Anthony O'Hear, Professor of Philosophy at the University of Buckingham. Laurie also examines an apparent rise in heterosexual men kissing other men, with Professor Eric Anderson from the University of Winchester. Producer. Chris Wilson. Laurie Taylor explores ideas about a decline in human violence with Steven Pinker. New research on how society works |
| Kissing, The British Hitman | 20140402 | 20140406 (R4) | Kissing - a cultural history. How do we make sense of the kiss and why did it become a vital sign of romance and courtship? Laurie Taylor talks to Marcel Danesi, Professor of Linguistic Anthropology about his new book 'The History of the Kiss' which argues that kissing was the first act of 'free romance' liberated from the yoke of arranged unions. When the kiss first appeared in poetry and songs of the medieval period, it was as a desirable but forbidden act. Since then it has evolved into the quintessential symbol of love-making in the popular imagination. From early poems and paintings to current films, its romantic incarnation coincides with the birth of popular culture itself. They're joined by Karen Harvey, Reader in Cultural History at the University of Sheffield, who has studied the meaning of the kiss across different cultures and periods. Also, hitmen for hire: David Wilson, Professor of Criminology, examined 27 cases of contract killing committed by 36 men (including accomplices) and one woman. Far from involving shadowy, organised criminals, the reality of killing for cash turned out to be surprisingly mundane. Producer: Jayne Egerton. Laurie Taylor explores the cultural meaning and history of the romantic kiss. New research on how society works |
| Kitsch, Cute | 20190327 | 20190331 (R4) 20200329 (R4) | Cute and kitsch - Simon May, visiting professor of philosophy at King's College London, explores cuteness and its immense hold on us, from emojis and fluffy puppies to its more uncanny, subversive expressions. Also, the changing significance of kitsch, from garden gnomes to Eurotrash. Ruth Holliday, Professor of Gender and Culture at the University of Leeds, suggests that judgements of taste have shifted ground rather than relaxed. They're joined by the cultural critic, Peter York. This programme was first broadcast in March 2019 Producer: Jayne Egerton Cute and kitsch: their nature and changing meaning. New research on how society works |
| 'lad Culture' In Higher Education, Fugitives From The Law In Philadelphia | 20141105 | 20141110 (R4) | Fugitives from the law: Laurie Taylor talks to Alice Goffman, Assistant Professor of Sociology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, about 'On the Run' her study of the lives of African American men caught up in webs of criminality in Philadelphia. She spent six years living in a neighbourhood marked by pervasive policing, violence and poverty. She argues that high tech surveillance and arrest quotas have done little to reduce crime or support young lives in the most disadvantaged parts of the US. They're joined by Professor Dick Hobbs, Criminologist at the University of Essex. Also, Alison Phipps, Director of the Centre for Gender Studies at the University of Sussex, explores the rise of 'lad culture' in Higher Education and its relationship to the 'marketisation' of learning. Producer: Jayne Egerton. Laurie Taylor explores the lives of African-American men caught up in webs of criminality. New research on how society works |
| Land And Territory | 20191002 | 20191006 (R4) | Land Struggles: From Bolivia to Britain, the way that land is owned and controlled is central to many contemporary inequalities and political battles. Laurie Taylor talks to Brett Christophers, Professor in the Department of Social and Economic Geography at Uppsala University, Sweden, about the new enclosure', a UK study into the appropriation of public land by the private sector - an astonishing two million hectares worth £400 billion - in recent decades. This ownership now forms the largest component of wealth in Britain and is the largest privatisation of a public resource in European history. Also, Penelope Anthias, Assistant Professor in the Department of Geography at University of Durham, describes the lives of indigenous people in Bolivia as they struggle to regain ancestral territory after a century of colonialism and state backed dispossession. Producer: Jayne Egerton Land struggles: from Bolivia to Britain. New research on how society works |
| Land Ownership, Home At Work | 20151209 | 20151214 (R4) | Land ownership in Britain: Laurie Taylor explores our forgotten acres. He talks to Peter Hetherington, writer and journalist, as well as author of a new book which asks if food security and the housing of the nation is being thwarted by record land prices and speculation. They're joined by Michael Edwards, from the Bartlett School of Planning at University College, London. Also, how employees create a sense of 'home' at work. Rachel Hurdley, Research Fellow in the Department of Sociology at the University of Cardiff, discusses her study of the ways in which people conjure feelings of belonging and intimacy in impersonal work spaces. Producer: Jayne Egerton. Laurie Taylor explores forgotten acres and looks at creating a sense of 'home' at work. New research on how society works |
| Language Of Food Politics, Italian Food Market | 20130320 | 20130325 (R4) | An Italian food market - Rachel Black talks to Laurie Taylor about her ethnographic account of Porto Palazzo, one of Europe's largest outdoor markets. She watched and spoke to its vendors, shoppers and passers-by to find out how a multi-ethnic market fosters a culinary culture and social life. Professor Sophie Watson is currently studying street markets and joins the discussion. Also, Guy Cook analyses the language of food and food politics; from baby food labels to organic marketing. How our choices and beliefs about what we eat are influenced by the persuasive power of words. Producer: Jayne Egerton. Laurie Taylor explores an Italian food market and the language of food politics. New research on how society works |
| Lap Dancing, Climate Change | 20100721 | 20100725 (R4) | Leering punters, seedy dives, cruel and crude objectification of women's bodies... the classic image of a strip joint does not leave much space for the notion that occasionally the women might enjoy the performances they give. However, a new ethnography of a lap dancing club in the North of England presents a slightly more complicated picture of life as a sexual entertainer. The sociologist Rachela Colosi worked as a dancer in the clubs she studied and her study offers a rare insiders account of the relationships between the dancers, with the management and the highs and lows, rewards and occasional despair of life as a stripper. Also, Laurie Taylor will be talking to Marek Kohn about his predictions for the shape of British society in 2100 after global warming has brought its influence to bear. Producer: Charlie Taylor. Rachela Colosi tells Laurie about her detailed ethnography of a lap dancing club. New research on how society works |
| Late-modern Hipsters, Before The Windrush | 20140618 | 20140622 (R4) | Before the Windrush - Laurie Taylor talks to John Belchem, Professor of History at the University of Liverpool, about his study of race relations in 20th century Liverpool. Long before the arrival of the Empire Windrush after the Second World War, the city was already a teeming mix of different nationalities and races. Black Liverpudlians pioneered mixed marriages and parentage but they also experienced rejection and discrimination. Nisha Katona, city born resident and trustee of National Museums Liverpool, joins the debate. Also, Bjorn Andersen, a sociologist at the University of Gothenburg, discusses the phenomenon of the late modern 'hipster', the young bohemian of the cosmopolitan city. Producer: Jayne Egerton. Laurie explores race relations in 20th-century Liverpool. And, the modern 'hipster'. New research on how society works |
| Laurie Taylor Discusses The Relationship Between Literature And Sociology. | 20161228 | 20170102 (R4) | What is the relationship between literature and sociology? Laurie Taylor discusses fiction and the real world with crime writer Denise Mina, criminologist Dick Hobbs and English literature lecturer Nick Bentley. From Charles Dickens' 'Oliver' to Alan Sillitoe's 'Saturday Night and Sunday Morning', literary descriptions of the social world - and working class life in particular - have often been called 'realistic'. But how has 'real life' been misrepresented by scholars and novelists alike? Can ethnography produce fictions of its own? And what skills are vital for any writer who wants to capture the complexity of everyday life? Plus, is it really true, as WH Auden once suggested, that 'poetry makes nothing happen'? Laurie and guests discuss the influence of literature and sociology on attitudes and policy, reflecting on how both can make a meaningful impact. Producer: Alice Bloch. Laurie Taylor and guests explore the relationship between fiction and the real world. New research on how society works |
| Law And Order | 20180523 | 20180527 (R4) | Law and Order: the legacy - 40 years ago, G F NEWMAN's quartet of plays, Law & Order, provoked calls from MPs for the author to be arrested for sedition and the summoning of the director-general of the BBC to the Home Office to explain himself. The dramas explored the role of the Metropolitan Police, the criminal, the solicitor and the prison system around one central story. They provided a savage and uncompromising assessment of the criminal justice system, one in which corruption and stitch ups were common. Laurie Taylor considers the impact of those plays and the extent to which they created a public and political debate which produced positive reform. Four decades later, have we any cause for complacency? He's joined by the writer, G F NEWMAN, Tim Newburn, Professor of Criminology at the LSE and Charlotte Brunsden, Professor of Film & Television Studies at the University of Warwick. Producer: Jayne Egerton. Law and Order: the drama series revisited 40 years later. New research on how society works |
| Lesbian Lives In Russia, Big Data | 20150610 | 20150614 (R4) | Lesbian lives in Russia: Laurie Taylor talks to Francesca Stella, Research Fellow in Sociology at the University of Glasgow, and author of a study which explores the changing nature of same sex relationships amongst women since the demise of state communism. From the metropolis to the provinces, she finds evidence of women negotiating visible, as well as closeted lives. Also, is 'big data' leading to the pervasive 24/7 surveillance of every moment of our lives? Frank Pasquale, Professor of Law at the University of Maryland, argues that unlimited data collection is having unforeseen and risky consequences. Producer: Jayne Egerton. The changing nature of same-sex relationships since the demise of Russian state communism. New research on how society works |
| Life Imprisonment | 20210421 | 20210425 (R4) | Life imprisonment - Why is it that such sentences were almost unheard of a generation ago and what is their impact on prisoners, as well as society? Ben Crewe, Deputy Director of the Prison Research Centre at the University of Cambridge, talks to Laurie Taylor about the largest ever sociological study of long term imprisonment conducted in Europe. Focusing on prisoners convicted of murder & serving life sentences of 15 years or more from young adulthood, it asks how they manage time, think about the future, and deal with existential issues of identity and the meaning of their lives. They're joined by Elaine Player, Professor of Criminology and Criminal Justice at Kings College, London, who discusses the different needs and experiences of the much smaller number of female lifers', many of whom are victims of multiple trauma & male violence, drawing on research conducted in a democratic therapeutic community in a women's prison. Thinking Allowed is produced in partnership with the Open University. Producer: Jayne Egerton Life imprisonment - why are those convicted of murder serving longer sentences than ever? New research on how society works |
| Light And Dark | 20180613 | 20180617 (R4) | Illumination and darkness: Laurie Taylor is joined by Tim Edensor, Reader in Cultural Geography at Manchester Metropolitan University, and author of a study into the ways in which light and dark produce everyday life and the stories we tell about ourselves. In examining the modern city as a space of fantasy through electric illumination, he considers how we are seeking-and should seek-new forms of darkness in reaction to the perpetual glow of urban lighting. They're joined by Robert Shaw., lecturer in geography at Newcastle University, who has studied the relationship between night and society in contemporary cities. He claims that the economic activity of the 'daytime' city has so advanced into the night, that other uses of the night as a time for play, for sleep or for escaping oppression have come increasingly under threat. Producer: Jayne Egerton. How the meanings of light and dark have changed over time in the context of urban life. New research on how society works |
| Live Music, From Dance Hall To The 100 Club | 20130522 | 20130526 (R4) | Live music - from Dance Hall to the 100 Club. The social history of music in Britain since 1950 has long been the subject of nostalgic articles and programmes, but to date there has been no proper scholarly study. The writer and Professor of Music, Simon Frith, is one of the co-authors of the first in a three volume series which addresses this gap. He talks to Laurie Taylor about how the organisation and enjoyment of live music changed between 1950 and 1967 offering new insights into the evolving nature of musical fashions; the impact of developing technologies and the balance of power between live and recorded music businesses. The first volume draws on archival research, a wide range of academic and non-academic sources, participant observation and industry interviews. Dr Catherine Tackley, musician and lecturer, and Caspar Melville, lecturer in Global Cultural Industries, join the debate. Producer: Jayne Egerton. Laurie Taylor explores a social history of live music from 1950 to 1967. New research on how society works |
| Liverpool Football Club, Au Pairs | 20100929 | 20101003 (R4) | Laurie Taylor explores the different experiences of au pairs in the UK and finds that the ( predominantly ) girls view of the families they work for is not always very positive. Laurie also talks to sociologist John Williams about his new biography of Liverpool Football Club and explores not only the early history of the club in the late 19th century and its place in the rapidly expanding seaport of Liverpool, but also how it has reflected the city it inhabits and how it fits into what some call Liverpool's 'exceptionalism'. Producer: Chris Wilson. Laurie Taylor discusses a new study of au pairs in the UK and examines Liverpool FC. New research on how society works |
| Liverpool Riots, Children And Politics | 20110713 | 30 years ago riots broke out in Liverpool which lead to 160 arrests and 258 police officers needing hospital treatment. The four days of street battles, arson and looting lead to violent disturbances in many other British cities and have changed community relations and disorder policing in the country forever. On today's Thinking Allowed, Laurie Taylor explores a study of first hand accounts of those tumultuous days, from police officers, rioters and residents. Richard Phillips and Diane Frost recreate the times. Also on the programme, what makes a child political? Dorothy Moss discusses research which reveals how engaged young children are in issues and social change. Producer: Charlie Taylor. Laurie Taylor hears about the Liverpool riots and political childhoods. New research on how society works | |
| Living Apart Relationships, Grading Universities | 20150114 | 20150119 (R4) | Grading universities - The rights and wrongs of the Research Excellence Framework. The REF is the most recent in a series of national assessments of research in British universities. But how reliable and fair are these assessments? Do they give the taxpayer value for money, as is hoped by their advocates? And will they lead to the best and most innovative research in the future? Laurie Taylor asks the questions. He's joined by the former Minister for Higher Education and Conservative MP, David Willets, and by Derek Sayer, Professor of History at the University of Lancaster and author of a recent book which argues that the REF isn't fit for purpose. Also, living apart together. Sasha Roseneil, co-author of a Europe wide study, examines why a growing number of couples choose to live separately. Producer: Torquil Macleod. Laurie Taylor examines the rights and wrongs of the Research Excellence Framework. New research on how society works |
| Loneliness | 20200304 | 20200309 (R4) | Loneliness - Fay Bound Alberti, Reader in History at the University of York, charts the emergence of loneliness as a contemporary emotional state. Also, Janne Flora, postdoctoral scholar at Aarhus University, explores the deep connections between loneliness and modernity in the Arctic, tracing the history of Greenland and analysing the social dynamics that shaped it. Producer: Jayne Egerton Loneliness - is it a uniquely modern emotion? New research on how society works |
| 'long Hours' Work Culture, Empty Labour | 20130605 | 20130609 (R4) | Empty labour - international statistics suggest that the average time an employee spends engaged in private activities is 1 and a half to 2 hours a day. Laurie Taylor talks to Roland Paulsen, a Swedish sociologist, who interviewed 43 workers who spent around half their working hours on 'empty labour'. Are such employees merely 'slacking' or are such little' subversions' acts of resistance to the way work appropriates so much of our time? They're joined by the writer, Michael Bywater. By contrast, Jane Sturges, discusses her research into professionals caught up, both reluctantly as well as willingly, in a 'long hours' work culture. Producer: Jayne Egerton. Employees who pursue private actitivies at work. Also, 'long hours' work culture. New research on how society works |
| Loss | 20200219 | 20200224 (R4) | Loss: How should we understand the 'road not taken'? Laurie Taylor talks to Susie Scott, Professor of Sociology at the University of Sussex, about her study of lost experience - that vast terrain of things we have not done, that did not happen or that we have not become. Also, Tim Strangleman, Professor of Sociology at the University of Kent, reveals a lost world of paternalistic employment in which people enjoyed a well-paid job for life, free meals in silver service canteens, after work sports & theatre clubs & a generous pension on the horizon - the story of the Guinness Brewery in West London. Producer: Jayne Egerton Loss - an exploration of different forms of lost experience. New research on how society works |
| Lost In Runescape , Social Worth In Early Modern England | 20070307 | LOST IN RUNESCAPE Laurie Taylor explores the practices in the virtual spaces of online gaming communities with Nic Crowe, and Dr Simon Bradford. They discuss their recent academic paper on the online game-world called Runescape, which explores how young people construct and maintain identities within virtual social systems. They explain how values of the real world are replicated in Runescape. SOCIAL WORTH IN EARLY MODERN ENGLAND In the fifteen and sixteenth centuries seven million people appeared as witnesses in church courts, and were asked a series of questions. One of which was; how much are you worth? Exploring the answers from gentlemen to servants, Economic historian Dr Alex Shepard, describes how his extensive research into this question uncovered a surprisingly material culture, where the value of your word was exactly analogous to the weight of your purse. Laurie Taylor explores the social values of the virtual world Runescape. New research on how society works | |
| Love | 20140101 | 20140106 (R4) 20191211 (R4) | A Thinking Allowed special on 'love'. What are the origins of our notions of high romantic love? Was the post war period a 'golden age' for lifelong love? Has marriage for love now failed? Laurie Taylor hopes to finds some answers with the help of the social historian, Claire Langhamer, the philosopher, Pascal Bruckner, and the sociologist, Professor Mary Evans.Revised repeat. Producer: Jayne Egerton A Thinking Allowed special on 'romantic love'. New research on how society works |
| Love And Romance | 20211013 | 20211017 (R4) | LOVE & ROMANCE - Laurie Taylor unpacks different conceptions of love. He's joined by Raksha Pande, Senior Lecturer in Social Geography at Newcastle University, whose latest research explores arranged marriages amongst people in the British-Indian diaspora. She finds that they have skilfully adapted cultural norms to carve out an identity narrative that portrays them as modern migrants offering a different take on romantic love. She's joined by Eva Illouz, Rose Isaac Chair of Sociology at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, who considers the ways in which romantic affairs in Western culture fail to spark or break up. What can the end of love' tell us about the effects of consumer culture on personal relationships? Producer: Jayne Egerton Love and romance in changing times. New research on how society works |
| Love, Money And Hiv In Kenya, Microbreweries | 20150318 | 20150323 (R4) | Love, Money and HIV in Kenya. Laurie Taylor talks to Sanyu Mojola, Assistant Professor of Sociology at the University of Colorado, and author of a study exploring how modern women in developing countries experience sexuality and love. Drawing on a rich variety of interview, ethnographic and survey data from her native country of Kenya, she examines how young African women, who suffer disproportionate rates of HIV infection compared to young African men, navigate their relationships, schooling, employment and financial access in the context of a devastating HIV epidemic and economic inequality. Also, Thomas Thurnell-Read, Lecturer in Sociology at Coventry University, discusses his study of microbreweries and the revival of traditional beer in the UK. Producer: Jayne Egerton. Laurie Taylor explores the disproportionate rates of HIV infection in young African women. New research on how society works |
| Madness, Anti Psychiatry And Psychoanalysis | 20111221 | The Anti Psychiatry movement of the 1960s, pioneered by R.D. Laing, asserted that societal ills were at the root of mental illness. Insanity was therefore a sane response to a repressive and unjust world. Michael Staub, Professor of English and author of 'Madness is Civilisation', talks to Laurie Taylor about the once popular, now discredited, theories of anti psychiatry. Also, new research uncovers the hidden history of psychoanalysis. Professor of Jung History, Sonu Shamdasani, suggests that psychoanalysis achieved its cultural power only by re-scripting history in its own image. He's joined by Stephen Frosh, Professor of Psychology. Producer: Jayne Egerton. The rise and fall of the Anti Psychiatry movement. Also, the cultural prominence of Freud. New research on how society works | |
| Mafias, Live Music | 20110330 | 20110403 (R4) | Woodstock did not have a sponsor, people flooded to Hyde Park for a free concert from the Rolling Stones but now a top price ticket to see Bon Jovi - the 'Diamond Circle VIP Experience' - can cost you something approaching $2,000. What has happened to live music to transform it into the industry it has become? How have concert performances become a successful way of funding music when recorded music has been in retreat? Laurie Taylor speaks to two authorities in the field of popular music studies, Simon Frith and Martin Cloonan, to discuss the social and economic changes which have brought music performance to the fore. Also we hear of Russian mobsters in New York, Chinese Triads in London and Italian Mafias across the western world, but is organised crime really spreading like a global virus? The criminologist Federico Varese explores the capacities of mafias trying to conquer new territories. Producer: Charlie Taylor. Why does live music now make more money than recorded? Also, Mafias on the move. New research on how society works |
| Make-up In Iran, Offshoring | 20140604 | 20140608 (R4) | Offshoring - the economy of secrecy. The concealment of wealth in tax havens is part of public debate, but John Urry, Professor of Sociology at Lancaster University, argues that offshore worlds now also involve relations of work, pleasure, energy and security. He talks to Laurie Taylor about new patterns of power which pose huge challenges to democratic government. Also, Dr Aliakbar Jafari, Senior Lecturer in the Department of Marketing at the University of Strathclyde, discusses his research on Iranian women's use of make up, as a form of escape and self expression. He's joined by Dr Ziba Mir Hosseini, Professorial Research Associate at the Centre of Islamic and Middle Eastern Law at the School for Oriental and African Studies at the University of London. Producer: Jayne Egerton. Laurie Taylor explores the clandestine activities that go beyond concealment of wealth. New research on how society works |
| Male Immaturity, Female Political Prisoners | 20081119 | 20081124 (R4) | MALE IMMATURITY Laurie Taylor explores the contention that men might be failing to grow up with Gary Cross, Professor of History at Pennsylvania State University and the author of a comprehensively documented new book entitled Men to Boys: the Making of Modern Immaturity and Michael Bywater whose own distinctive contribution to this genre is called Big Babies or Why Can't We Just Grow Up. FEMALE POLITICAL PRISONERS Out of Order: The political Imprisonment of Women in Northern Ireland 1972 - 1998 is a new book based on first-hand accounts and interviews with former prisoners, staff, and senior prison manager. Its author Dr Mary Corcoran, Lecturer in Criminology at Keele University, discuses the history of the punishment of female political prisoners from the period of internment, direct rule of Northern Ireland, the prevention of terrorism act and finally the Good Friday Agreement. Laurie Taylor explores the contention that men might be failing to grow up. New research on how society works |
| Management Jargon | 20170913 | 20170917 (R4) | Management speech - Laurie Taylor explores the origins and purpose of 'Business Bullshit', a term coined by Andre Spicer, Professor of Organizational Behaviour at Cass Business School, City University of London and the author of a new book looking at corporate jargon. Why are our organisations flooded with empty talk, injuncting us to 'go forward' to lands of 'deliverables,' stopping off on the 'journey' to 'drill down' into 'best practice.'? How did this speech spread across the working landscape and what are its harmful consequences? They're joined by Margaret Haffernan, an entrepreneur, writer and keynote speaker and by Jonathan Hopkin, Associate Professor of Comparative Politics at the LSE. Producer: Jayne Egerton. Management speech - what's behind this empty talk? New research on how society works |
| Maoism | 20181121 | 20181126 (R4) 20200805 (R4) 20200809 (R4) | Maoism: the changing face of a revolutionary ideology. Julia Lovell, Professor in Modern Chinese History and Literature at Birkbeck, University of London explores the origins and development of global Maoism; Alpa Shah, Associate Professor in Anthropology at LSE, provides a glimpse into the lives of a group of Maoist guerrillas in modern day India and Dennis Tourish, Professor of Leadership and Organisation Studies at the University of Sussex, looks at Maoist organisations in the context of his research into political cults. Revised repeat. Producer: Jayne Egerton Maoism: its origins and development as a global political force. New research on how society works |
| Maps And Postcodes | 20181024 | 20181029 (R4) | Maps and postcodes. Is there such a thing as a predictive postcode? Can it reveal more about us than our bank account, ethnicity or social class? Laurie Taylor poses the question to Roger Burrows, Professor of Cities at Newcastle University. Also, Mapping Society - Laura Vaughan, Professor of Urban Form and Society at the Bartlett School of Architecture, UCL, examines how maps not only serve as historical records of social enquiry, but also reveal the ways in which difference and inequality are etched deeply on the surface of our towns, villages and cities. Producer: Jayne Egerton Maps and postcodes - what do they reveal about our society and selves? New research on how society works |
| Marseille | 20080326 | 20080330 (R4) | MARSEILLE Marseille is France's major port and over centuries has been defined by the waves of immigrants that have settled in the city - Tunisians, Moroccans, Algerians, Italians, Armenians, Jewish communities, and now Eastern Europeans and Indian Ocean immigrants too. When burning cars and race riots tore at the fabric of France in 2005, and again in 2007, Marseille was expected to explode, but it did not. How did its most diverse city manage to escape unscathed? Laurie Taylor explores Marseille's unique racial geography to find out what kept the peace. Laurie Taylor visits Marseille to explore its unique racial geography. New research on how society works |
| Marx And Marxism | 20180516 | 20180520 (R4) | Marx and Marxism revisited. New research on how society works |
| Marxism, 'red' Globalisation | 20171108 | 20171113 (R4) | Marxism - Laurie Taylor talks to David Harvey, Professor of Anthropology at CUNY and world authority on Marx's thought. His latest book explores the architecture of capital & insists that Marx's original analysis of our economic system still resonates today. They're joined by Jonathan Sperber, Professor of History at the University of Missouri. He insists that Marx was a 19th century figures who ideas have run their course. Also, 'red' globalisation. James Mark, Professor of History at the University of Exeter, tells a little known story about the way in which anti capitalist ideas once circulated the globe. Producer: Jayne Egerton. Marxism - does it have any contemporary relevance? Also, 'red' globalisation. New research on how society works |
| Masculinity And Betting Shops, 'new' Biological Relatives And Kinship | 20140611 | 20140615 (R4) | IVF - it's 35 years years since the initial success of a form of technologically assisted human reproduction which has led to the birth of 5 million 'miracle' babies. Laurie Taylor talks to Sarah Franklin, Professor in Sociology at the University of Cambridge, about her study into the meaning and impact of IVF. Has the creation of new biological relatives transformed our notion of kinship? They're joined by Henrietta Moore, Professor of Social Anthropology at the University of Cambridge. Also, the male space of the 'bookies'. Betting on horses and dogs has long been seen as a male pastime and the betting shop as a 'man's world'. Rebecca Cassidy, Professor of Social Anthropology at Goldsmiths at the University of London, asks why this should be, interviewing both workers and customers in London betting shops. Producer: Jayne Egerton. IVF's transformation of biological relations. Also, men in betting shops. New research on how society works |
| Mass Collaboration, Free Trade | 20080305 | 20080310 (R4) | MASS COLLABORATION In late July 2004 the closing frames of cinema advertisements for Halo 2, the sci-fi computer game, a website address - www.ilovebees.com - flickered across the screen. Over the following few days Halo fans and others intrigued by the address visited the website, which appeared to belong to an amateur bee-keeper called Margaret, who had gone missing. Her honey-based recipes had been replaced by 210 global positioning system co-ordinates. In the ensuing four months in an act of mass collaboration 600,000 individuals came together and set out to solve the mystery surrounding Margaret's disappearance using blogs, bulletin boards, websites and instant messaging groups. Laurie Taylor is joined by the writer Charles Leadbeater to discuss this phenomenon, which he called We-Think and to explain how it could come to dominate the way in which people think, play, work and create, together, en masse, in the real world - not just online. FREE TRADE Professor Frank Trentmann, author of Free Trade Nation and Peter Cain, Research Professor in History at Sheffield Hallam University debate the part that free trade' has played in development of the British national psyche. Laurie Taylor explores the phenomenon 'We-Think' with Charles Leadbeater. New research on how society works |
| Medically Unexplained Symptoms, Lesbian Motherhood | 20090701 | 20090705 (R4) | From dizziness to chronic pain, the overstretched health service is faced with increasing numbers of patients with symptoms that defy a medical explanation. They are often subject to repeated tests and treatment yet their illness persists. Laurie Taylor is joined by Monica Greco, whose research suggests the practice of patient choice ensures that many such patients get worse rather than better. Also on the programme, R is퀀n Ryan-Flood, the author of Lesbian Motherhood: Gender, Families and Sexual Citizenship, talks about the growing numbers of lesbians choosing to have children by donor insemination and the evolution of new definitions of family. Laurie Taylor explores medically unexplained symptoms - illness that has no physical cause New research on how society works |
| Memories Of An Empire, Family In East London | 20070425 | 20070429 (R4) | MEMORIES OF EMPIRE Andrew S. Thompson, Dean of Arts Faculty and Professor of Commonwealth and Imperial History at Leeds Universtiy is delivering tomorrow's Trevor Reese Memorial Lecture at Kings College, London University entitled Living the Past. Public Memories of Empire in the Twenty-First Century. He argues that `The British, it might be said, have been attached to that imperial past like a mooring rope: the further they travel, the more they seem to feel its pull`. Should we try to forget out imperial past? Should we remember it differently? Can anything be gained by remembering Imperial history today? Laurie Taylor is joined by Andrew S. Thompson and Catherine Hall, Professor of Modern British Social and Cultural History to discuss the influence of Britain's colonial past on its present, from foreign policy to British museums. FAMILY AND KINSHIP IN EAST LONDON Paul Barker, Senior Research Fellow at the The Young Foundation marks the 50 years anniversary of the publication of Family and Kinship in East London by Michael Young and Peter Wilmott. Laurie Taylor discusses how Britain's colonial past affects present day attitudes. New research on how society works |
| Men And Violence, Stag Parties | 20161214 | 20161219 (R4) | Men, Masculinities and Violence. Laurie Taylor talks to Anthony Ellis, lecturer in Criminology and Sociology at the University of Salford, about his ethnographic study conducted with men involved in serious crime and violence over the course of two years in the North of England. How do some men come to value physical violence as a resource? Historian Joanna Bourke joins the discussion. Also, stag parties and consumerism. Daniel Briggs, Professor in Criminology at the Universidad Europea de Madrid, unpicks the commercial and emotional motivations of men taking part in stag 'dos'. Is such stereotypical excessive and deviant behaviour ultimately rooted in commercial ideology? Producer: Natalia Fernandez. Men, masculinities and violence. Also, stag parties, deviance and consumerism. New research on how society works |
| Men Dressing Up, The Male 'suit' | 20160914 | 20160918 (R4) | The male 'suit': Christopher Breward, Professor of Cultural History at the University of Edinburgh, talks to Laurie Taylor about the myriad forms and meanings of a garment which has dominated men's wardrobes for 400 years. From Saville Row to Wall St; in times of crisis, as well as celebration; the tailored suit is so ubiquitous that we take it for granted, ignoring its complex history and many varieties, including the Zoot Suit and Le Smoking. Although it embodies ideas of traditional masculinity and respectability, it has also been subverted by women, musicians and revolutionaries Also, men 'dressing up'. Barbara Brownie, a senior lecturer at University of Hertfordshire, explores how, in recent years, the wearing of costumes has become an increasingly masculine pursuit. Through historical re-enactment, superhero 'cosplay', and the personalisation of characters in online games, a new generation of men are taking pleasure in costume. Producer: Jayne Egerton. Men 'dressing up'. Also, the male 'suit'. New research on how society works |
| Menswear Revolution | 20180425 | 20180429 (R4) | The menswear revolution: Laurie Taylor explores the transformation in men's clothing with Jay McCauley Bowstead, lecturer in Cultural and Historical Studies at London College of Fashion. Also taking part is John Harvey, Life Fellow at the University of Cambridge, and author of a book charting the history of men's dress from the toga to the suit. They're joined by Julia Twigg, Professor of Social Policy and Sociology at the University of Kent, who talks about her research on older men and fashion. Producer: Jayne Egerton. Menswear revolution - the changes in men's clothes over time. New research on how society works |
| Meritocracy, Desert Island Doctors | 20141112 | 20141117 (R4) | Meritocracy, then and now. Laurie Taylor talks to Peter Hennessy, Attlee professor of contemporary British history at Queen Mary, University of London. How did meritocracy arise as a concept and has it ever been realised in practice given the persistence of notions of a British Establishment with control over access to the centres of power? They are joined by Danny Dorling, professor of Geography at the University of Oxford. Also, doctors' choice of desert island discs - what do they tell us about the possession of cultural capital? Ruth McDonald, professor of health science research at Manchester University, discusses the meaning of elite musical tastes. Producer: Jayne Egerton. Laurie Taylor examines the rise, meaning and reality of meritocracy as a concept. New research on how society works |
| Metrics | 20181219 | 20181224 (R4) 20200812 (R4) 20200816 (R4) | Laurie Taylor explores the increasing use of metrics across diverse aspects of our lives. From education to healthcare, charities to policing, we are are target-driven society which places a heavy emphasis on measuring, arguably at times at the expense of individual professional expertise. Laurie is joined by Jerry Muller, Professor of History at the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C., who asserts in his book, The Tyranny of Metrics, that we are fixated by metrics, to the extent to which we risk compromising the quality of our lives and most important institutions. He is also joined by Btihaj Ajana, Senior Lecturer in the Department of Digital Humanities at King's College London, who, in the introduction to the book, Metric Culture - Ontologies of Self-Tracking Practices, explains the concept of the 'Quantified Self Movement' - whose philosophy is 'self-knowledge through numbers'. With such a plethora of personal information about ourselves being generated daily are we complicit in creating a culture of surveillance with the blurring of boundaries between the private and public? Stefan Collini, Professor of Intellectual History and English Literature at the University of Cambridge, joins the discussion. Revised repeat. Producer Natalia Fernandez Laurie Taylor explores the increasing use of metrics across many aspects of our lives. New research on how society works |
| Michel Foucault, A Special Programme On His Work And Influence. | 20130821 | 20130825 (R4) 20190529 (R4) 20190602 (R4) | Michel Foucault - a special programme on his work and influence. New research on how society works |
| Middle Class Enclaves And Escapes | 20130508 | 20130512 (R4) | Middle class enclaves and escapes. A special edition of Thinking Allowed partly recorded at the British Sociological Association's 2013 conference. Privatised neighbourhoods and lifestyle migration are a global phenomenon. Increasingly, it seems, middle class people with sufficient capital are choosing to 'opt out' of urban environments, or, at least, to shield themselves from their more 'dangerous' elements, namely the poorer residents. Laurie Taylor talks to a range of academics who have researched the various manifestations of this desire for enclaves, escapes and the 'good life'. Can the broader social dynamics and conflicts of a society be understood by examining evolving form of housing and urban flight? Maggy Lee talks about the rapid expansion of residential tourism and 'lifestyle migration' between Hong Kong and mainland China, as the 'well off' buy up high end, gated communities. Nick Osbaldiston looks at 'lifestyle migrants' in Australia who move to small, mainly coastal communities, representing a middle class 'takeover'. And Ceren Yalcin explores the proliferation of 'sealed off' housing complexes in Istanbul. They're joined by Rowland Atkinson who has done extensive research into gentrification, gated communities and housing inequality. Producer: Jayne Egerton. Special edition recorded at the British Sociological Association's 2013 conference. New research on how society works |
| Middle-class Drug Dealers, Globalisation Of White Collar Work | 20150715 | 20150719 (R4) | Middle class drug dealers: Laurie Taylor discusses a study into suburban drug selling amongst well heeled teens in a wealthy suburb of Atlanta, USA. The author, Richard Wright, Professor of Criminal Justice and Criminology in the Andrew Young School of Policy Studies at Georgia State University, reveals a world which provides a striking counterpoint to the devastation of the drug war in poor, minority communities. Instead, he found that middle class 'dealing' rarely disrupted conventional career paths or involved legal risks and violence. A British perspective is provided by Richard Hobbs, Emeritus Professor of Sociology at the University of Essex. Also, white collar jobs which move to the Global South. Shehzad Nadeem, Assistant Professor of Sociology at the City University of New York, charts the impact on emerging economies of the globalisation of IT and service sector work. Is it producing upward mobility in countries like India? Producer: Jayne Egerton. Laurie Taylor discusses a study into the selling of drugs among teens in suburban America. New research on how society works |
| Migrant Women, Wedding Paradoxes | 20160504 | 20160508 (R4) | Migrant women in Britain: Laurie Taylor talks to Linda McDowell, Professor of Human Geography at the University of Oxford and author of a sweeping study of generations of immigrant working women in Britain. From textile mill workers in the 1940s to shopkeepers in the 50s, nannies of the 90s and software developers of today, these first and second generation migrants have been in the vanguard of a social revolution in women's contribution to the economy in the second half of the 20th century. In factories and hospitals, care homes and universities they've played a lasting role in British society, in spite of recurrent discrimination. But what do they have to say about their work and experience? Also, Julia Carter, Senior Lecturer in Sociology at the Canterbury Christ Church University, considers the reasons why, in an era when weddings have never been more liberated from cultural norms and official control, couples still choose to follow the same assumed traditions. Producer: Jayne Egerton. Laurie Taylor explores the role in British society of migrant women over the past 60 years New research on how society works |
| Migrants In London | 20210526 | 20210530 (R4) | MIGRANTS IN LONDON: how has London been shaped by the history of immigration? Laurie Taylor talks to Panikos Panayi, Professor of European History at De Montfort University, & author of a new study which examines the contribution of immigrants to London's economic success and status as a global capital - from Jewish & Irish immigrants in the 19th century to the Windrush generation and beyond. They're joined by Esther Saraga, a retired social scientist, whose recent book charts the emotional journeys of her parents, two German Jewish refugees, reconstructing their story from a substantial collection of family material, archives and secondary historical sources. She argues that their contradictory experiences of welcome and restriction challenge simple views of Britain's liberal tradition of welcoming refugees. Thinking Allowed is produced in partnership with the Open University. Producer: Jayne Egerton New research on how society works |
| Migrants, Refugees | 20190109 | 20190114 (R4) | Migrants and refugees: Laurie Taylor explores the historical and contemporary realities of the marooned, unhomed and displaced peoples of the world. Today's refugee 'crisis' has its origins in the political-and imaginative-history of the last century. Exiles from other places have often caused trouble for ideas about sovereignty, law and nationhood. Lyndsey Stonebridge, Professor of Humanities and Human Rights at the University of Birmingham, charts the changing meaning of exile. Also, how do the lives of migrants in London illuminate our complex, urban multiculture? Les Back, Professor of Sociology at Goldsmiths, University of London, and Shamser Sinha, Senior Lecturer in Sociology and Youth Studies at the University of Suffolk, talk about a unique, collaborative study which involved 30 young migrants. Producer: Jayne Egerton Migrants and refugees. New research on how society works |
| Migration In China | 20070411 | MIGRATION IN CHINA China now possesses the fourth largest economy in the world and it is set to become the world's second biggest within 10 years. The boom cities along the country's Eastern Coast are drawing huge numbers of people from the countryside in a migration of unprecedented scale. Now it is estimated that 200 million people, a quarter of the country's workforce is counted as China's floating population'. Because of the peculiarities of China's household registration system these migrants do not have access to schools, hospitals or other aspects of state care and the protests are growing every year. They are second class citizens with the potential to create massive disharmony within the Chinese state. Can the situation be sustained? Can the Chinese economy continue its miraculous growth without the granting of democratic or other human rights to its population? Laurie is joined by Caroline Hoy who has conducted fieldwork on internal migration in China; Fulong Wu, Professor of East Asian Planning and Director of the Urban China Research Centre at Cardiff University; Will Hutton, who recently published his book entitled The Writing on the Wall: China in the 21st Century and Professor Nigel Harris, author of The New Untouchables: Immigration and the New World Worker. Laurie Taylor and guests look at the social cost of China's vast economic expansion. New research on how society works | |
| Migration, Music And Politics | 20111012 | 20111016 (R4) | Laurie Taylor explores new research that resonates in society. In the recent Arab Spring a Syrian singer has his vocal chords cut after singing at protest rallies. Forty years ago the Chilean musician Victor Jara had his hands chopped off before being murdered by government forces. In both cases, music was seen as challenging the power of a dictatorship. Thinking Allowed explores popular music as a threat to national security.John Street, Professor of Politics at the University of East Anglia joins Laurie to discuss a paper on the subject written by Thierry Cote, Research Associate at the York Center for International and Security Studies in Toronto, Canada Laurie also looks at a new book co-authored by economist Professor Ian Goldin, a former Vice President of the World Bank, which examines the history, present and future of immigration and argues that, overall, immigration is essential for economic and cultural prosperity. Producer. Chris Wilson. Laurie Taylor explores music as a threat to national security and new work on immigration. New research on how society works |
| Mixed-race Families | 20180404 | 20180408 (R4) | Mixed-race' is the fastest growing ethnic group in the UK. But how do multiracial parents identify their own children? When is a mixed-race heritage passed down to the next generation and when is it not? Miri Song, Professor of Sociology at the University of Kent tackles these questions in her new book, Multiracial Parents: Mixed Families, Generational Change, and the Future of Race (2017). Joining the discussion is socio-linguist Marta Wilczek-Watson whose work on trans-national relationships finds there has traditionally been too great a focus on the apparent difficulties faced by couples who come from different countries. And we hear from one of those tasked with recording the UK's shifting demographics in the British Census, Pete Benton, Director of Population and Public Policy Operations at the Office of National Statistics. When is mixed-race heritage passed down to the next generation and when is it not? New research on how society works |
| Mobility To Higher Education | 20091230 | 20100104 (R4) | As part of Radio 4's University tour, Laurie Taylor travels to the University of Bedfordshire where he's joined by an audience of students and panel to discuss class and social mobility. In 2003 Tony Blair announced he wanted half of all 18 to 30-year-olds to participate in higher education by 2010. While numbers are up, a report from the Higher Education Statistics Agency suggests their social background has barely changed, with the middle classes still making up the majority of University students. So does education provide a means to social mobility, is social mobility even a meaningful expression and has society ignored class barriers in favour of focusing on identity politics? Laurie is joined by Lynsey Hanley, Guardian journalist and author of Estates - an Intimate History; Richard Reeves, Director of the think tank Demos; Danny Dorling Professor of geography at Sheffield University and by Dick Hobbs, sociologist at the London School of Economics. They discuss these and other questions of class barriers, social divides and whether Britain will ever shed its class system and the divisions it creates. Laurie Taylor is at the University of Bedfordshire to discuss class and social mobility. New research on how society works |
| Modern Slavery, School Lunch Boxes | 20160113 | 20160118 (R4) | Modern Slavery: Laurie Taylor explores the tensions and dilemmas at the heart of contemporary struggles against enslavement; from forced labour to sex trafficking. He's joined by Julia O'Connell Davidson, the author of a new study which argues that the 'new abolitionist movement' fails to address the fundamental realities of injustice and exploitation in a globalised world. The writer and journalist, Rahila Gupta, offers another perspective. Also, school lunchboxes: Vicki Harman, Senior Lecturer in Sociology at Royal Holloway, University of London, considers the way in which middle class mothers view their children's packed lunches as a reflection of their parenting skills - sometimes struggling to satisfy their children's tastes and keeping on the right side of the school's strict guidelines. Is a home-made cupcake a transgression of rules or a worthy display of good mothering and home baking? Producer: Jayne Egerton. Laurie Taylor explores tensions at the heart of contemporary struggles against enslavement New research on how society works |
| Modern-day Grave Goods, Politics Of Alcohol | 20091014 | 20091018 (R4) | Laurie Taylor finds out about what we leave with the dead and why. From clothes to jewellery, photographs, hats, eye glasses, walking sticks, letters and even food, alcohol and tobacco, the objects mourners leave in the coffins and caskets of their loved ones tells us a huge amount about our attitudes to death and the rituals it involves. Laurie talks to Sheila Harper, sociologist at the Centre for Death and Society at the University of Bath, whose new study about 'modern-day grave goods' uncovers the fascinating, touching and often moving examples of our gifts to the dead and why the objects we leave today are remarkably similar to the kinds of items uncovered by archaeologists in graves going back thousand of years. Duncan Sayer, archaeologist from the Centre for Death and Society, discusses how human society has buried their dead. Also in the programme: alcohol as a lens to understand social change. The links between drink, national identity and economic prosperity. New research on how society works |
| Money, How To Break The Power Of The Banks | 20170308 | 20170313 (R4) | The production of money: how to break the power of the banks. Laurie Taylor talks to Ann Pettifor, Director of Policy Research in Macroeconomics (PRIME) and author of a provocative new book which asks how money is created and whose interests it serves. Countering the notion that it's a neutral medium of exchange in which bankers are merely go betweens for savers and borrowers, she says we can claim control over money production and avert another financial crisis. But how might we go about it? Diego Zuluaga, Financial Services Research Fellow at the Institute of Economic Affairs, offers a contrasting perspective. Producer: Jayne Egerton. New research on how society works |
| Moral Relativism | 20090114 | 20090119 (R4) | MORAL RELATIVISM Different cultures have different beliefs, so what gives us the right to judge the behaviour of other people in a world where moralities often conflict? Is there a universal human standard of right and wrong, or does culture explain and excuse behaviour that other peoples might find abhorrent? How should the anthropologist understand cannibalism? Can a cultural context excuse female genital mutilation? Laurie Taylor is joined by Professor Steven Lukes, author of a book on moral relativism, Henrietta Moore, Professor of Social Anthropology at the University of Cambridge and Professor Conor Gearty, Professor of Human Rights Law at the London School of Economics, to discuss relationship of culture and morality in the debate on a universal notion of human rights. Laurie Taylor debates the universal notion of human rights. New research on how society works |
| Motorbikes | 20190206 | 20190211 (R4) | Motorbikes: Born to be wild. Randy McBee, Professor of Labor and Social History at the Texas Tech University, considers the rise of the American Motorcyclist from its largely working-class roots to the growth in 'outlaw' motorcycle culture in the 1950s through to the development of the motorcycle rights movement of the 1960s and the emergence of the rich urban biker more recently. What impact has the 'biker' had on American culture and politics? He's joined by Esperanza Miyake, Lecturer in Digital Media and Communications at Manchester Metropolitan University, and author of a new study of the 'gendered motorcycle' in film, advertising and TV. She asks why biker culture is often seen as essentially masculine and what happens to gender at 120mph. Producer: Jayne Egerton Motorbikes - a social and cultural history. New research on how society works |
| Multicultural Prison, Jellied Eels | 20130529 | 20130602 (R4) | The multicultural prison - a unique analysis of the daily lives and interactions of both white and ethnic minority inmates in the closed world of the modern, male prison. Diverse British nationals, foreign. and migrant populations, have been brought into close proximity within prison walls. How do they negotiate their tensions and differences? The criminologist, Coretta Phillips, talks to Laurie Taylor about her empirical research in Rochester Young Offenders' Institution and Maidstone Prison. Also, reactions to jellied eels. Drawing on a series of ethnographic encounters collected while hanging around at a seafood stand in east London, Alex Rhys Taylor explores the relationship between individual expressions of distaste and the production of class, ethnic and generational forms of distinction. Producer: Jayne Egerton. Laurie Taylor discusses life in the modern male prison. Also, jellied eels and 'disgust'. New research on how society works |
| Museums | 20230201 | 20230206 (R4) | Museums - Laurie Taylor talks to Adam Kuper, most recently Centennial Professor of Anthropology at the London School of Economic, about their history and future. Originally created as colonial enterprises, what is the purpose of these places now? How do we regard the ways in which foreign and prehistoric peoples were represented in museums of anthropology? What should be done with the artefacts and human remains in their custodianship and how can they help us to understand and appreciate other cultures? Kerry Wilson, Reader in Cultural Policy at Liverpool John Moores University, discusses House of Memories, a multiple award-winning dementia awareness programme, led by National Museums Liverpool. The programme promotes the use of social history collections and museum objects to inspire communication and connection between carers and people with dementia, via dedicated museum-based events. Is this an example of how museums can offer social value to local communities today? Producer: Jayne Egerton Museums: Then and now. New research on how society works |
| Museums And Nationalism, Imagining Utopias | 20160217 | 20160222 (R4) | Museums and the 'nation': What can we learn about nationalism by looking at a country's cultural institutions? Laurie Taylor talks to Peggy Levitt, Professor of Sociology at Wellesley College, and author of a study which explores how museums today represent diversity and make sense of immigration and globalisation. She interviewed a range of museum directors, curators, and policymakers and heard the inside stories of the famous paintings and objects which define collections across the globe; from Europe to the United States, Asia, and the Middle East. They're joined by Julian Spalding, the art critic and writer. Also, imagining utopias. Professor Craig Calhoun, director of the London School of Economics and Political Science, considers the role of impossible dreams in shaping our reality. Producer: Jayne Egerton. Laurie Taylor asks what can be learnt about nationalism from cultural institutions. New research on how society works |
| Musicians Union, Women Heavy Metal Fans | 20161221 | 20170101 (R4) | The Musicians Union: Laurie Taylor explores the history of musicians efforts to be seen as workers, as well as entertainers. Martin Cloonan, Professor of Popular Music Politics at the University of Glasgow, drew on extensive archive and interviews with Union employees and members to provide a comprehensive assessment of the role of the MU in the nation's ballrooms, orchestras, recording studios and radio stations. They're joined by Caspar Melville, Lecturer in Global Creative and Cultural Industries, SOAS, University of London. Also, women heavy metal fans. Rosemary Hill, Lecturer in Sociology at University of Leeds, examines the tensions between being a 'metal' fan and being a woman. From the media representation of women rock fans as groupies to the widely held belief that hard rock and metal is masculine, being a music fan is an experience shaped by gender. How do female fans negotiate their place in a male dominated music scene? Producer:Jayne Egerton. The Musicians Union. Also women heavy metal fans. New research on how society works |
| Muslim Fundamentalism, Customer Abuse To Service Workers | 20131023 | 20131028 (R4) | Muslims against Muslim Fundamentalism - Laurie Taylor talks to Karima Bennoune, US Professor of Law and author of a groundbreaking book which addresses resistance to religious extremism in Muslim majority contexts. Over a 3 year period, she interviewed nearly 300 people from almost 30 countries, from Afghanistan to Mali, Egypt, Israel/Palestine, Niger and Russia.They include teachers, journalists, doctors, musicians, street vendors and women's rights activists - some of whom have risked death. Her subjects range from the secular to the devout, yet all share a desire to challenge religion inspired violence and oppression. She's joined by Professor Stephen Vertigans, a sociologist who has studied Islamic movements globally. Also, Marek Korczynski discusses his research into the abuse of service workers by customers. Producer: Jayne Egerton. A study into Muslim resistance to religious extremism. Also, customer abuse of service. New research on how society works |
| Muslim Women's Basketball, Still Life | 20111026 | 20111031 (R4) | Is tradition under threat from capitalism, or are we overly negative about the cultural impact of globalisation? Henrietta Moore challenges what she sees as despair about the impact of international capitalism and new technology and claims that globalisation is just as likely to improve the human experience. She tells Laurie Taylor that her new theory about how we create culture, rejects the notion that it is ever 'imposed' from abroad. Also, there's an absence of visible Muslim female sportswomen. Islamic rules on gender segregation and dress codes can create limitations on women's ability to be athletes. And the secular world of sport doesn't always welcome women who don't wear shorts and swimsuits. But new research suggests that the picture is changing as women find ways to play sport which don't conflict with their faith. The sociologist, Dr Sam Farooq, tells Laurie about the young British Muslim women who see no contradiction between basketball and religious belief. Producer: Charlie Taylor. Laurie Taylor discusses: globalisation is good for you - and Muslim women's basketball. New research on how society works |
| Nationality: Wog, College Girls | 20070606 | 20070610 (R4) | NATIONALITY: WOG David Oluwale was young Nigerian who had stowed away on a ship and came to England in 1949. He suffered from mental illness and ended up sleeping rough in Leeds, a confused, troublesome individual who picked up a string of convictions, mostly for disorderly conduct. In 1969 his body was found floating in the river Aire. Eighteen months later a police cadet set off a criminal investigation into his death. It emerged that two police officers had carried out a campaign of harassment and violence against him over a six month period leading up to his death, and had been spotted attacking Oluwale in an arcade on the night he died. Kester Aspden, writer and historian has just published Nationality: Wog. The Hounding of David Oluwale and discusses how Oluwale's case stands in black history and the history of race crime. COLLEGE GIRLS Women gained access to University education during the second half of the 19th century, predictably there was resistance from many quarters. Many feared that the intellectual credibility of the great institutions would be compromised. There was also a worry that femininity itself would be undermined. But along side the feeling that educated women are a threat, and occasionally an abomination, there has always been a sense that they are erotic. Laurie Taylor is joined by Lynn Peril, author of a new book entitled College Girls: Bluestockings, Sex Kittens and Coeds (a comprehensive history of the American college girl) and Professor Carol Dyhouse, Research professor of History at the Sussex University whose research interests are in the social history of nineteenth and twentieth century Britain, focussing on gender and education. They consider family courses, sex classes, curfews and qualifications - the often surprising history of women's further education. Discussing a new study into one of the most notorious cases of police racism in Britain. New research on how society works |
| Nationhood, Recognising Transgender | 20120502 | 20120506 (R4) | What drives people to make the often difficult choices to change their bodies and change their gender? How is the everyday affection for one's country changing in English life? Laurie Taylor discusses issues of transsexuals and the body modifications they choose. Also the place of ordinary English nationalism, as he meets the joint winners of The British Sociological Association's Philip Abrams first book prize. Producer: Charlie Taylor. Transgender body modifications and latent nationalism, subjects of two prize-winning books New research on how society works |
| 'ned' Pride In Scotland, Weapon Dogs | 20130220 | 20130225 (R4) | Weapon dogs - Laurie Taylor discusses the phenomenon of status dogs with Simon Harding, the author of 'Unleashed..' Also, the growth of 'Ned' pride in Scotland. 'Ned', or non educated delinquent, is the Scottish equivalent of the English term 'Chav'. It refers stereotypically to uneducated and anti social youth. But the sociologist, Robert Young, finds that some young Scots, including middle class teenagers, are proudly adopting the 'Ned' label as a mark of sub cultural rebellion. Stephanie Lawler, who has also studied the 'chav' phenomenon, joins the discussion. Producer: Jayne Egerton. Weapon dogs - status canines as urban menace. Also, the Scottish subculture of 'neds'. New research on how society works |
| Niall Ferguson On Financier Siegmund Warburg | 20100707 | 20100711 (R4) | Siegmund Warburg laid the foundations of the prosperity which has sustained the post-war City of London, and was one of the architects of European Integration. Niall Ferguson, in his new book High Financier tells Laurie Taylor how this extraordinarily dominant figure had meticulous business methods and an uncompromisingly strict ethical code. How much relevance does his example have for today? Could the traders and speculators who inhabit today's financial world learn from the elite of the past? Laurie discusses the lessons we can draw from this figure and the role played by today's financial elite with the historian Niall Ferguson and financial sociologist Karel Williams. Producer: Charlie Taylor. Niall Ferguson tells Laurie Taylor about his new book on financier Siegmund Warburg. New research on how society works |
| Night-time Economy | 20181128 | 20181203 (R4) | The Night-time Economy: Laurie Taylor talks to Adam Eldridge, Senior Lecturer in Sociology at the University of Westminster, about the origins and changing nature of the after dark economy. They're joined by Emily Nicholls, Senior Lecturer in Sociology at the University of Portsmouth and author of a new, Newcastle based study into the phenomenon of the 'girls night out'. How do young women negotiate friendships, flirtations and fun on a night out with mates? Producer: Jayne Egerton The Night-time Economy: How has it changed over the years? New research on how society works |
| No-go Zones And Dangerous Holidays | 20190424 | 20190428 (R4) | Laurie Taylor discusses the complex relationship between danger, travel and tourism. Ruben Andersson asks whether Western powers should reconsider their treatment of some no-go zones and move away from a politics fired by fear. How can we best calculate the risks of visiting countries where there is the possibility of unrest or worse? Debbie Lisle turns the lens on tourism in areas of conflict and considers what happens when soldiers become tourists and tourists enter war zones. Producers: Natalia Fernandez and Alice Bloch Global no-go zones and the complex overlap between conflict and tourism. New research on how society works |
| Non-networking Graduates, Race And Consumption | 20140730 | 20140803 (R4) | Race & consumption - Laurie Taylor talks to Ben Pitcher, Senior Lecturer at the University of Westminster, about the ways in which racial meaning is produced in everyday acts of consumption. From the depiction of 'red Indians' by children's authors to the wearing of Bob Marley T shirts and the enthusiasm for 'ethnic' street food; our ideas of race are made and re-made across the terrain of contemporary culture. They're joined by Lola Young, Crossbench Peer and former Professor of Cultural Studies at the University of Middlesex. Also, Jessica Abrahams, graduate student at the University of Cardiff, explores working class students' refusal to use networks and contacts as a route to career advancement. Producer: Jayne Egerton. Race and consumption. Also, working class graduates who refuse to network. New research on how society works |
| Noodle Narratives, British Men Dancing Capoeira | 20130925 | 20130929 (R4) | Noodle narratives - Laurie Taylor talks to US anthropologist, Deborah Gewertz, about the invention, production and consumption of instant ramen noodles. From their origins in Japan to their worldwide spread to markets as diverse as the USA and Papua New Guinea. As popular with the affluent as with the poor, they enable diverse populations to manage their lives. So how did noodles become one of the industrial food system's most successful achievements? And what can the humble noodle tell us about the history of food and the anthropology of globalisation? Also, British men dancing like Brazilians. Social scientist, Neil Stephens, discusses a study which finds that Capoeira challenges the traditional opposition between masculinity and dance. He's joined by Theresa Buckland, Professor of Dance History and Ethnography. Producer: Jayne Egerton. The rise of instant noodles. Also, British men dancing like Brazilians. New research on how society works |
| Normalizing Dirty Work, Fenian Diaspora | 20070221 | NORMALIZING DIRTY WORK Laurie Taylor is joined by Professor Blake Ashforth, Rusty Lyon Chair in Strategy in the W.P. Carey School of Business, Arizona State University and co-author of Normalizing Dirty Work: Managerial Tactics for Countering Occupational Taint, a research study which looked at how 54 managers, in 18 dirty work' occupations in America, utilise a series of social tactics to normalise' the social stigma attached to their occupation. They discuss how workers, who are employed in a dirty occupation, are able to retain a relatively high occupational self esteem and pride. FENIAN DIASPORA Dr Gerry Kearns, Senior Lecturer in Geography at the University of Cambridge talks about his current research into the Irish abroad and their effect upon terrorist activities at home during the late 19th century. Dr Kearns examines the Fenian Diaspora' to look for the mechanisms that underlie relationships between emigrants and nationalist conflicts at home. How do those tackling society's dirtiest jobs make their occupations seem more palatable? New research on how society works | |
| Northern Ireland Sectarianism And Civility, The Global Pigeon | 20130703 | 20130707 (R4) | The Global Pigeon - our complex and contradictory relationship with the quintessential city bird. Laurie Taylor talks to Colin Jerolmack, an American sociologist, who spent over 3 years studying pigeon/human interaction across 3 continents. Pigeons were domesticated thousands of years ago as messengers, as well as a source of food. These days they're either treated as a nuisance or scarcely noticed on our city streets and roofs. This new study uncovers the many and versatile lives of these anonymous looking birds; the ways in which people have kept them for sport, for pleasure and profit: From the 'pigeon wars' waged by breeding enthusiasts in the skies over Brooklyn to the Million Dollar Pigeon Race held every year in South Africa. The author argues that our interactions with pigeons offer surprising insights into city life, community, culture, and politics. Also, sectarianism and civility in Northern Ireland - Dr Lisa Smyth explores how mothers from different religious communities 'get along' in the shared spaces of inner city Belfast. Producer: Jayne Egerton. Laurie Taylor considers an ethnography of human-bird interactions. Also, Belfast mothers. New research on how society works |
| Nudity | 20200205 | 20200210 (R4) | NUDITY - Laurie Taylor explores the cultural history of nudity and its impact on ideas about the body from the early twentieth century to the present. He talks to Sarah Schrank, Professor of History at California State University, about the unusual eras and locations in which it thrived - from Depression-era collectives to 1950s suburban nudist communitiesas well as the more predictable beaches and resorts. They're joined by Barbara G rnicka, Assistant Professor in Sociology at University College, Dublin, who asks why we find exposing bodies shameful and draws on her own participation in a nudist swimming club. Producer: Jayne Egerton Nudity - its cultural history and changing meaning. New research on how society works |
| Numbers In Global Politics, Gay Rights And Religion In Belfast | 20140205 | 20140210 (R4) | The power of 'numbers' in global politics: Laurie Taylor talks to the economist, Lorenzo Fioramonti, about the hidden agendas which may underpin the use of statistics, affecting the way we deal with poverty and sustainability. Numbers are at the heart of debates on the GDP which drives our economies and the credit ratings which steer financial markets. But what is behind these numbers? Also, pride and prejudice in Northern Ireland: The social anthropologist, Jennifer Curtis, discusses her research with Belfast's LGBT Pride Festival to explore religious groups' increasing support for gay rights since 2008. She's joined by Andrew McKinnon, an expert on the sociology of religion. Producer: Jayne Egerton. The power of numbers in global politics, plus gay rights and religion in Belfast. New research on how society works |
| Obesity, Cruel Optimism | 20120208 | 20120213 (R4) | We inhabit a precarious world of crisis and calamity which mocks the post war promise of upward mobility, social equality and job security. We remain attached to the unachievable fantasies of the good life, even though they are thwarted at every turn. That's the cheering claim of the cultural theorist Lauren Berlant. She and Laurie are joined by the sociologist, Professor Bev Skeggs, to analyse what she calls the 'cruel optimism' of contemporary life. Also on the programme, Karen Throsby talks of her ethnographic study of an obesity clinic and the hidden moral element to every aspect of the procedure. Producer: Charlie Taylor. Obesity Clinics and the 'cruel optimism' that still promises the good life. New research on how society works |
| Odd Couples, Student Drinking | 20120912 | 20120916 (R4) | Odd Couples' - friendships which cross the boundaries of gender and sexuality. A new book challenges the widespread assumption that men and women are fundamentally different and can only forge significant bonds within romantic relationships. It charts the deep friendships between gay men and straight women, and also between lesbians and straight men. Laurie Taylor talks to the sociologist, Anna Muraco, who claims that such 'intersectional' friendships serve as as a barometer for shifting social and sexual norms. The UK sociologist, Brian Heaphy joins the discussion. Also, an in depth study of the centrality of drinking to student identity. Its author, Maria Piacentini, discusses the ways in which young people neutralise feelings of guilt and stigma regarding their alcohol consumption. Producer: Jayne Egerton. Gay-straight friendships, and how students approach alcohol. With Laurie Taylor. New research on how society works |
| Office Life | 20210929 | 20211003 (R4) | Office life: As more people return to the conventional workplace, Laurie Taylor talks to Craig Robertson, Associate Professor of Media Studies at Northeastern University, about a new study which charts the vertical' history of the filing cabinet and its role in capitalist modernity. Why was it advertised alongside gleaming skyscrapers & how did the logic of the cabinet come to penetrate the domestic sphere? Also, Harriet Shortt, Associate Professor in Organisation Studies at UWE, Bristol, considers the ways in which people deploy private possessions, from toys to photos, to personalise their increasingly sanitised working environments. Has Covid changed our relationship to such objects at work, as Zoom meetings have blurred the private and professional allowing us to enter our colleagues homes? Producer: Jayne Egerton Office life: the evolution and meaning of the filing cabinet. Also, objects at work. New research on how society works |
| Older Gays In Rural Areas, Protest Over Art And Culture In America | 20111123 | 20111128 (R4) | Protests against art and culture occur every day across America. Conservatives object to artworks deemed blasphemous or obscene; liberals rally against depictions they see as racist or misogynist. But why do some parts of the United States see more such controversies than others? Why so many protests in Atlanta and so few in West Palm Beach? The US sociologist, Steven Tepper, talks to Laurie Taylor about his new book 'Not Here, Not Now, Not That..Protest over Art and Culture in America'. They're joined by Jo Glanville, the editor of Index on Censorship. Also, Dr Kip Jones from Bournemouth University discusses the challenges faced by older gay men and lesbians who live in rural areas of The South West of England and Wales. His paper, 'Gay and Pleasant Land?' uses first hand evidence to explore the attitudes of both older gay countryside dwellers and the communities they live in. Producer: Jayne Egerton. Laurie Taylor explores US art protests. Also, the lives of older, gay, rural dwellers. New research on how society works |
| On Brick Lane, Sex And The Whip | 20070912 | 20070916 (R4) | ON BRICK LANE Brick Lane Street in East London has historically been a unique world of cultural diversity and a gateway to waves of immigration from as far back as the Huguenots. Rachel Lichtenstein is the author of a new book entitled On Brick Lane, in which she traces the history of the street and argues that although often branded as emblematic of multi-cultural London, it has become Britain's most mythologized and misunderstood street. SEX AND THE WHIP What role has flagellation played in the history of sexuality and what is its place in contemporary culture? How does the whip link medieval religious devotion with modern pornographic imagery? Laurie Taylor discusses the place of the whip in the history of arousal with Niklaus Largier, author of In Praise of the Whip; A Cultural History of Arousal and with Kate Copstick, contributing editor of the Erotic Review. Laurie Taylor discusses the place of the whip in the history of arousal. New research on how society works |
| Organ Donation, Flip Flops | 20091028 | 20091102 (R4) | While nine out of ten people agree organ donation is a good thing, a recent audit found 40 per cent of bereaved families, when approached, didn't agree to donate. Laurie Taylor discusses new research which uncovers some of the reasons behind this apparent anomaly. Magi Sque, from the University of Southampton, was part of a team who interviewed families who had declined organ donation. While many agreed in principle, carried organ donor cards and knew their relatives desire to donate, they still didn't feel able to let their loved ones organs be used. The most common reason families gave for this was a simple desire to keep the body intact. They didn't want the dead to be 'hurt' any more. Magi explains why the research reveals some of our deep-seated cultural beliefs, and how those beliefs have their roots in wider society's values and, at times of grief, can completely overcome our pre-existing views. We also hear from Professor Caroline Knowles of Goldsmiths College, London who has researched the history, meaning and journey of the flip flop sandal. The social and cultural influences on bereaved families' decisions to donate organs. New research on how society works |
| Organisation-disorganisation | 20081126 | 20081201 (R4) | ORGANISATION/DISORGANISATION According to Michael Thompson, former mountaineer, professional soldier, sociologist and advisor to governments around the world, there are five ways to organise everything, and the best organisations use all five methods. Laurie Taylor is joined by Michael Thompson author of Organising and Disorganising, and philosopher John Gray to discuss the hierarchical, the individualistic, the egalitarian, the fatalistic and the autonomous - ways in which things can be organised, and forces that disorganise the other ways. What is the best way for things to run? Is John Gray's contention just a theory too far and can there really be a way to describe everything from a tea party to the United Nations? Laurie Taylor discusses the many individualistic ways in which things can be organised. New research on how society works |
| Organised Crime In The Uk | 20130206 | 20130211 (R4) 20190626 (R4) 20190630 (R4) | Organised crime in the UK - how has it changed? Professor Dick Hobbs, joins Laurie Taylor, to discuss his work on 'Lush Life', a rich, ethnographic study into 'Dogtown', a composite of several overlapping neighbourhoods in East London. Looking behind the clich退d notions of criminal firms and underworlds, he finds that activity which was once the preserve of professional criminals has now been normalised. He invites us to consider whether or not the very idea of organised crime has become outdated in a predatory, post industrial world in which many fight, by illegal as well as legal means, to survive on the margins. Also, the presence and activities of Mafia style crime both in Italy, as well as in the UK. Dr Felia Allum, a Lecturer in Italian History and Politics, discusses how Italian organised crime functions outside its territory of origin. Revised repeat. Producer: Jayne Egerton Organised crime in the UK - how has it changed? Also, the Italian Camorra. New research on how society works |
| Oslo Drug Dealers, Choice | 20100728 | 20100801 (R4) | We are told that life presents us with myriad choices. Like products on a supermarket shelf, our jobs, our relationships, our bodies and our identities are all there for the choosing. We are encouraged to 'be ourselves', but the pressure to make those choices can lead to enormous anxiety. In a new study Renata Selacl researches dating sites, self help books and people's relationship to celebrity, and uncovers the complexities involved in the choices we make and how they often lead to disquiet. In Thinking Allowed on 28 July, Laurie Taylor explores whether we have too much choice in our lives. Also, a new study from Norwegian Sociologist Sveinung Sandberg looks at the life skills that Oslo drug dealers acquire and explores whether operating from within a welfare state is very different from the street life of dealers in the USA. Producer: Charlie Taylor. How does having more choice affect our lives? Laurie Taylor discusses a new study. New research on how society works |
| Outsourced Cultures, Happiness Letters | 20110309 | 20110314 (R4) | In the Indian call centre or 'outsourcing' industry, workers are trained to emulate the American or British workers which they have replaced. They change their names, take on western accents and develop lifestyles organised around a foreign culture in a distant time zone. Laurie Taylor is joined by Henrietta Moore to talk to Shehzad Nadeem about his new study into the hybrid culture these Asian employees have created. Also on the programme the writer Marek Kohn joins Laurie to discuss the Thinking Allowed audience's spirited response to Pascal Bruckner's indictment of the culture of happiness. Producer: Charlie Taylor. How answering calls will change your life: the cultural impact of call centres in India. New research on how society works |
| 'over, By Christmas', Race, Sport And Politics | 20101215 | 20101220 (R4) | When Jack Johnson became heavy-weight champion of the world and then knocked out the 'Great White Hope' Jim Jeffries in 1910, riots and celebrations broke out throughout the United States. Black people had a champion who stood as the finest man in the world, and many white people saw that as an image which threatened their supremacy. In sporting terms the image of the black athlete was forged, a hyper-masculine individual characterised by aggression and defined by physicality. Laurie is joined by Ben Carrington, author of Race, Sport and Politics, and the sociologist Brett St Louis to discuss the complex history of that stereotype. An image which has been both to the benefit and also to the great detriment of black people. Also on the programme, Stuart Hallifax discusses why it was that people said that the First World War would be over by Christmas and whether they truly believed it. Producer: Charlie Taylor. Laurie explores race and sport, also why people thought WW1 would be over by Christmas. New research on how society works |
| Package Holidays And 'authentic' Travel | 20220615 | 20220619 (R4) | Package holidays and authentic' travel: Michael John Law, retired research fellow in History at the University of Westminster, investigates the origin of budget tourism and how the package deal opened up a previously unaffordable world to working class holidaymakers. Also, Kaylan Schwarz, assistant professor in the School of Liberal Education at the University of Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada, explores the experience of international volunteers who insist on experiencing authenticity' and claim superiority to every day tourists. Producer: Jayne Egerton Package holidays and 'authentic' travel: Laurie Taylor on the origins of budget tourism. New research on how society works |
| Palaces For The People | 20181010 | 20181014 (R4) | Palaces for the People: can social infrastructure fight inequality and the decline in civic life? Laurie Taylor talks to the American sociologist, Eric Klinenberg. They're joined by Kate Pahl, Professor of Arts and Literacy at Manchester Metropolitan University and Katie Williams, Director of the Centre for Sustainable Planning and Environments at the University of the West of England. Producer: Jayne Egerton Palaces for the People: the decline in civic life. New research on how society works |
| Parenting | 20230118 | 20230123 (R4) | Parenting - Laurie Taylor explores its cultural history and the shift towards intensive parenting. Andrew Bomback, Associate Professor of Medicine at Columbia University Irving Medical Center, investigates the emergence of an immersive, all-in approach to raising children that has made parenting a competitive sport. Drawing on `how-to` parenting books and historical accounts of parental duties he charts the way in which being a parent became a skill to be mastered. They're joined by Benedetta Cappellini, who considers the impact of these social transformations on Grandmothers. Producer: Jayne Egerton Parenting - a cultural history. New research on how society works |
| Parents, Teens And The Culture Of Sex: The Claims Of Parenting | 20111207 | 20111212 (R4) | Laurie Taylor examines research into the advice offered to parents with Judith Suissa from the Institute of Education and Frank Furedi from Kent University and looks at comparative research in America and Holland into teenage sex in the parental home with sociologist Amy Schalet from the University of Massachusetts. Producer: Chris Wilson. Laurie Taylor explores new research into teenage sex in the parental home. New research on how society works |
| Passengering, Superclass | 20080430 | 20080504 (R4) | PASSENGERING Dr Eric Laurier is a research fellow in the Department of Geography at the University of Edinburgh; together with his colleagues he recently made a study of the distinctive ways in which people behave in cars. He reveals his findings about the conversational conventions and rituals of car passengers. SUPERCLASS The global superclass is made up of 6,000-7,000 people whose influence is so great that it dwarfs the power of nation states. Laurie Taylor is joined by David Rothkopf the author of a new book called Superclass: The Global Power Elite and the World They Are Making and Saskia Sassen Centennial Professor in the Department of Sociology at the LSE to discuss who the members of this superclass are, how they affect our lives, and whether or not we should be doing anything to regulate their incredible power. Laurie Taylor explores the conventions and rituals of car passengers with Dr Eric Laurier. New research on how society works |
| Perfume | 20210505 | 20210509 (R4) | PERFUME: What's the connection between perfume & politics in the 20th century and how do scents become invested with meaning? Laurie Taylor talks to Professor Karl Schloegel, Chair of East European History at the European University Viadrina in Frankfurt, and author of a new study which examines contemporary history through the prism of two scents - Moscow Red and Chanel No 5. They're joined by Karen Cerulo, Professor of Sociology at Rutgers University, who asks how individuals make sense of certain fragrances and correctly decode perfume manufacturers' intended message and target users. To what extent do our every day readings of scent produce a world bound by class and race? Thinking Allowed is produced in partnership with the Open University. Producer: Jayne Egerton Perfume: a social history of Chanel No 5 and Red Moscow. Also, the meaning of scents. New research on how society works |
| Personal Insecurity And Religious Belief, Oxford Admissions | 20090819 | 20090823 (R4) | Tom Rees has conducted research into religion and personal insecurity in 50 countries. Using figures on how much people pray and how unequal income is in each of them, he claims to have found evidence to show that the most religious societies are the most unequal, and concludes the inequality leads to religion. Is it fear and hardship that makes people of one country more religious than another, or is there a mysterious third factor that can explain why some nations pray so much more than others? Laurie Taylor talks to Tom Rees about his findings, and to sociologist of religion David Voas. What are the key factors the underlie acceptance to Oxford University? New research explores the influence of cultural factors on the decisions that admissions tutors make at the elite university. After allowing for exam results and for cultural knowledge, Alice Sullivan tells Laurie that men were twice as likely to get a Science place than women and that some ethnic minorities faced an even greater disadvantage. Does inequality lead to religion? Laurie Taylor explores the lastest research. New research on how society works |
| Pets | 20231011 | 20231015 (R4) | PETS: Laurie Taylor talks to Jane Hamlett, Senior Lecturer in Modern British History at Royal Holloway, University of London, about her study of the British love affair with pets over the last two century. She found that the kinds of pets we keep, as well as how we relate to and care for them, has changed radically. Most importantly, pets have played a powerful emotional role in families across all social classes, creating new kinds of relationships and home lives. Also Jessica Amberson, Lecturer in Adult and Continuing Education at University College, Cork, takes us on a dog walk and explores what this mundane daily activity means for a canine owner and how it helps shapes the identity of a ‘dog person'? Producer: Jayne Egerton How the British relationship to companion animals has changed. Also, the dog walk. New research on how society works Laurie Taylor explores the changing nature of our relationship to companion animals and goes on a dog walk. Also Jessica Amberson, Lecturer in Adult and Continuing Education at University College, Cork, takes us on a dog walk and explores what this mundane daily activity means for a canine owner and how it helps shapes the identity of a dog person'? |
| Pets As Kin, India And Spirituality | 20080409 | 20080413 (R4) | PETS AS KIN Researchers looking into people's support groups and family networks were surprised to find that people kept mentioning their pets; twenty three per cent of the participants put their pets as part of the network of people' who helped them out. Professor Nickie Charles is co-author of a paper My Family and Other Animals. Pets as Kin; she explains the recent findings about the relationship between the British and their pets. INDIA and SPIRITUALITY India is one of the world's fastest growing economies, with burgeoning cities and modernising technology. Perhaps surprisingly religion is growing as well. Laurie Taylor is joined by Professor Meera Nanda the author of a new book entitled God and Globalisation in India and Professor Nigel Harris, author of The Return of Cosmopolitan Capital to discuss the apparent paradox of the simultaneous rise of scientific modernity and traditional religiosity. Laurie Taylor explores the relationship between the British and their pets. New research on how society works |
| Philanthropy, Charity | 20160316 | 20160321 (R4) | Philanthropy & charitable giving: Is there such a thing as a free gift? Laurie Taylor talks to Linsey McGoey, Senior Lecturer in Sociology at the University of Essex and author of a study of contemporary philanthropy. The amount of money placed in philanthropic trusts helps make the charitable sector one of the fastest growing global industries. Is this a new 'golden age' of giving which promises to replace the role of government as provider of social welfare? What are the potential conflicts between good deeds and hard profit? They're joined by Tom Hughes Hallett, philanthropist and Non Executive Chair of the Marshall Institute at the London School of Economics and Political Science. Also, John Mohan, Professor of Social Policy at the University of Birmingham, discusses his British study into the logic of charity in 'hard times'. Producer: Jayne Egerton. Philanthropy and charitable giving: who do they benefit, and is there a price? New research on how society works |
| Physiognomy And Teenage Music | 20100714 | 20100718 (R4) | The study of facial features and assumptions about their relationship to character informs the judgements we make about people to this day. For centuries, in literature, in art, in images and cartoons the descriptions of the way people look has served to indicate how they might behave and there is even a kind of science - physiognomy - dedicated to cataloguing the complex relationship between the two. Laurie Taylor discusses the impact on culture of this strange science of instinct and prejudice with the literature scholar John Mullan and Sharrona Pearl author of About Faces; Physiognomy in Nineteenth-Century Britain. Also, should we grow out of the music of our youth? Laurie discusses teen passions with Jon Savage and whether musical appreciation means a development away from the sounds we first loved. Producer: Charlie Taylor. Do facial features indicate moral character? Laurie explores the culture of physiognomy. New research on how society works |
| Picturing The Social Order | 20090408 | 20090412 (R4) | Laurie Taylor is in Leeds to visit the first exhibition to draw together images of how, historically, artists have represented the social order. He is joined by Alistair Robinson, the curator of Rank: Picturing the Social Order 1615-2009, as well as by political cartoonist Martin Rowson and sociologist Gordon Fyfe. They discuss evocative images, from The Chain of Being to the Map of World Poverty, and consider the challenges of demonstrating power, class and wealth in a visual way. Laurie Taylor sees an exhibition on how artists have represented social order through time New research on how society works |
| Planet Of Slums | 20070926 | 20070930 (R4) | PLANET OF SLUMS For the first time in the earth's history more people live in cities than in the countryside, and recent figures from the United Nations show more than one billion people now live in the slums of cities in the Southern hemisphere. That figure is set to rise, with mega slums developing in Cono Sur (South America), Sadr City (Iraq) and the Cape Flats (South Africa). Laurie Taylor is joined by Mike Davis, author of a new book entitled Planet of Slums and Emeritus Professor of Urban Development at the University of London, Patrick Wakely to discuss the problem of urban slums in the developing world. Why are slums continuing to rise? Why are people fleeing the countryside although there are no jobs for them in the towns? And what, if any, are the chances of these gang run, crime infested, disease ridden slums being converted into the public housing that Europe managed to create. Laurie Taylor discusses the problems of urban slums with Mike Davis and Patrick Wakely. New research on how society works |
| Planet Of Slums Follow Up, Popular Comedy | 20071003 | PLANET OF SLUMS FOLLOW UP Laurie Taylor re-visits some of the scenes encountered in last week's discussion of the new urban slums - slums which currently contain more than one billion people, many of them living in almost unimaginable squalor. He is joined by Patrick Wakely, Emeritus Professor of urban development at the University of London to consider some of the points raised by listeners. POPULAR COMEDY: Benny Hill, Morcambe and Wise, Julian Clary, Victoria Woo | |
| Platform Capitalism | 20170222 | 20170227 (R4) | Platform Capitalism: How the most powerful tech companies of our time are revolutionising the global economy. Laurie Taylor talks to Nick Srnicek Lecturer in International Political Economy at City, University of London, and author of a new study which critically examines how companies ranging from Google, Amazon and Microsoft to Facebook, GE and Airbnb, are turning into platforms: businesses that provide the hardware and software foundation for others to operate on. This transformation in how companies operate offers new possibilities for consumers, but also represents an arguably troubling monopoly control over both distribution and production. How did Platform Capitalism originate, what are its merits - as well as its dangers - and does it have an infinite future? Ursula Huws, Professor of Labour and Globalisation at Hertfordshire School of Business and Andrew Leyshon, Professor of Economic Geography at the University of Nottingham, also join the discussion. Producer: Jayne Egerton. Laurie Taylor explores platform capitalism - its origins, meaning and future. New research on how society works |
| Playboy, Celebrity Politics | 20110525 | 20110529 (R4) | Carrie Pitzulo, the author of a new history of Playboy claims it has 'a surprisingly strong record of support for women's rights and the modernisation of sexual and gender roles'. Are Bunny Girls and Playmates of the Month really allies of the feminist cause? Laurie is joined by the author Carrie Pitzulo and the sociologist Angela McRobbie to discuss the secret and surprises of the bunny brand. Also, why do young people trust popular entertainers more than politicians? Sanna Inthorn discusses her new research into celebrity politics. Producer: Charlie Taylor. Is Playboy an unlikely ally for the feminist cause? Also, celebrity politics. New research on how society works |
| Pocket Calculator In Papua New Guinea, Chicago | 20131211 | 20131216 (R4) | The Great American City - US Professor of Social Sciences, Robert J Sampson, discusses his landmark research project with Laurie Taylor. Following in the influential tradition of the Chicago School of urban studies, but updating it for the twenty-first century, he argues that communities do still matter because life is decisively shaped by where we live. Neighbourhoods influences a wide variety of phenomena including teen births, altruism and crime. Not even national crisis can destroy the enduring impact of place. Also, the anthropologist, Anthony Pickles, reveals the significance of pockets for controlling money in Highland Papua New Guinea. Producer: Jayne Egerton. Laurie discusses a landmark study into communities. Also, pockets in Papua New Guinea. New research on how society works |
| Police Culture | 20180117 | 20180122 (R4) | Police culture, socialisation and identity. Laurie Taylor explores the process by which police officers become 'blue'. He's joined by Sarah Charman, a Reader in Criminology at the University of Portsmouth, Carol Cox, Acting Head of the School of Forensic and Applied Sciences at The University of Central Lancashire and Louise Westmarland, Professor of Criminology at the Open University. Producer: Jayne Egerton. Police culture and socialisation - how has it changed? New research on how society works |
| Political Polarisation, An Anthropologist's Guide To Naming | 20161005 | 20161009 (R4) | Political polarisation in America. Laurie Taylor talks to Marc Hetherington, Professor of Political Science at Vanderbilt University, about why distrust of the opposite party is now so common in the US. Is the same pattern emerging in Britain? They're joined by Robert Ford, Professor of Political Science at the University of Manchester. Also, an anthropologist's guide to names and naming with Barbara Bodenhorn, Emeritus Fellow, Pembroke College, University of Cambridge. Producer: Jayne Egerton. Political polarisation. Also, an anthropologist's guide to naming. New research on how society works |
| Political Women And Language, The Morality Of Sleep Medication | 20160706 | 20160710 (R4) | Political women, gender and speech: Laurie Taylor talks to Deborah Cameron, Rupert Murdoch Professor of Language and Communication at the University of Oxford, about her analysis of the performances of the three female party leaders who took part in televised debates during the 2015 UK General Election campaign. What were the similarities and differences between the women and their male colleagues, as well as between the women themselves and how was it taken up as an issue in media coverage of the campaign? Also, the morality of sleep medications. Jonathan Gabe, Professor of Sociology at Royal Holloway, University of London, talks about his study into attitudes towards the prescribing and taking of sleeping pills. Producer: Jayne Egerton. Political women and language. Also, the morality of sleep medication. New research on how society works |
| Politically Connected Firms, Gangs And Territory | 20101201 | 20101206 (R4) | Professor Laurie Taylor explores the connections between politics and business with economist Mara Faccio, who talks about her new research into the subject. Laurie also talks to criminologist Judith Aldridge and discusses her research about how territory influences youth gangs. They are joined by Peter Squires from Brighton University. Producer: Chris Wilson. Laurie Taylor explores the connections between politics and business around the World. New research on how society works |
| Politicians And Politics In British Media , Trading Pits | 20070314 | POLITICIANS & POLITICS IN BRITISH MEDIA Laurie Taylor talks to Professor Stephen Coleman, author of a new paper entitled Beyond the Westminster Wing, The Depiction of Politicians and Politics in British Soaps, about his research showing the extent of Britain's distaste for its politicians. They are joined by Professor Greg Philo to discuss whether our elected representatives really as are as untrustworthy as we think they are. TRADING PITS From New York to Singapore, From Chicago to London the centuries old cultures of the financial world's trading markets are dissolving in the ether of the digital age. The pit is being replaced by the computer. Former share dealer turned anthropologist, Caitlin Zaloom takes Laurie Taylor on an investigation of the arcane rites of a dying world. Using her first hand experiences as a clerk and a trader to gain access to the key sites of global finances she has anatomised the transformation of financial cultures in her social study, Out of The Pits. Caitlin explains how people and places are responding to the digital transition. Laurie Taylor talks to Caitlin Zaloom about financial trading in the digital age. New research on how society works | |
| Politics And Emotion | 20171129 | 20171204 (R4) 20200323 (R4) | A revolution in feeling: How the Enlightenment forged our understanding of human emotion and the ways in which this relates to the contemporary political world. Laurie Taylor talks to the literary historian, Rachel Hewitt; Russell Foster, political scientist at King's College London; and to Karin Wahl-Jorgensen, Director, Research Development and Environment, Cardiff School of Journalism, Cardiff University. Revised repeat. Producer: Jayne Egerton. The evolution of our contemporary idea of emotions and how they play out in politics. New research on how society works |
| Popular Music And Violence, The Etymology Of 'hooligan' | 20090107 | 20090112 (R4) | POPULAR MUSIC AND VIOLENCE David Gray, Eminen, ACDC, Bruce Springsteen, Christina Aguilera and Nancy Sinatra are artists whose music - despite their protests - have all been used by states as instruments of war. Laurie Taylor is joined by Dr Martin Cloonan, co-author of the Dark Side of the Tune and Caspar Melville, former lecturer in Popular Music Studies at Goldsmiths, to discuss how music is used in conflicts, and how it is increasingly employed by public utilities and commercial organisations in attempts to control what people do. THE ETYMOLOGY OF HOOLIGAN According to Professor Geoffrey Pearson the word 'hooligan' made its official entrance into the English language during the summer of 1898, in the wake of a rowdy, August bank holiday celebration in London when hundreds of people appeared before the courts on charges of assault and drunkenness. Professor Pearson expands on the origins of the word hooligan'. Laurie Taylor discusses how music is used in conflicts with Dr Martin Cloonan. New research on how society works |
| Population Change, Chronic Illness | 20161116 | 20161121 (R4) | Population change - how will it transform the world? Laurie Taylor talks to Sarah Harper, Professor of Gerontology at the University of Oxford, about one of the greatest global challenges of the 21st century. She's joined by Robert Mayhew, Professor of Historical Geography at the University of Bristol. Also, a cross cultural study of chronic illness management. Ivaylo Vassilev, Senior Research Fellow in Health Sciences at the University of Southampton, discusses the different experiences and perceptions of people suffering with diabetes in the UK and Bulgaria. Producer: Jayne Egerton. Population change: how it's transforming our world. Also, managing chronic illness. New research on how society works |
| Population Control, Torture And Democracy | 20080521 | 20080525 (R4) | POPULATION CONTROL Reduction of fertility is estimated to have contributed to about thirty percent of the huge improvement in living standards in the East Asian tiger economies and there are claims it has averted mass starvation in many developing countries. A new book Fatal Misconception by Professor Matthew Connelly debates the value of control projects and highlights the often extreme human rights violation they entail. Professor Connelly debates the issue with John Cleland, Professor of Medical Demography at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. TORTURE AND DEMOCRACY Does the need for security justify the increasing use of clean torture', torture such as sleep deprivation, electro-torture and the infamous water-boarding? Despite a number of international condemnations of torture from bodies like the United Nations, the Council of Europe and Amnesty International, some argue in favour of torture as an efficient way of detecting plots that might otherwise lead to the deaths of a great number of innocent citizens. Professor Darius Rejali monumental new work Torture and Democracy documents the history of torture in modern democracy and debates its efficacy. Laurie Taylor debates how much influence states should have on their administrations. New research on how society works |
| Populism | 20180207 | 20180212 (R4) | Populism - Laurie Taylor explores the origins, meaning and rise of populist politics, across the Left as well as the Right. He's joined by Mukulika Banerjee, Associate Professor in the Department of Anthropology, LSE; Luke March, Deputy Head of Politics and International Relations at Edinburgh University and Thomas Osborne, Leverhulme Research Fellow in Liberalism & Political Ethics and Prof of Social & Political Theory at the University of Bristol. Producer: Jayne Egerton. Are populist politics on the rise? New research on how society works |
| Port Cities, Middle Class Alcohol Use | 20141203 | 20141208 (R4) | Port cities in the global age; from Marseilles to Liverpool and New Orleans. Laurie Taylor talks to Alice Mah, a sociologist at the University of Warwick, about her study of transformation along city waterfronts. What happens when world harbours are relegated to minor seaports? Can they ever return to their former greatness? Also, middle class alcohol use often exceeds safe levels but little research explains why. Lyn Brierley-Jones, a Research Fellow at the University of Sunderland, explores the meaning of drinking amongst professional workers. Producer: Jayne Egerton. Port cities in the global age, from Marseilles to Liverpool. Plus middle class drinking. New research on how society works |
| Post Soviet Death Rates, Prisoners' Partners | 20090128 | 20090202 (R4) | POST SOVIET DEATH RATES After 1991 when Boris Yeltsin stood on top of a tank and successfully resisted a coup in Soviet Russia, the country sped towards capitalism. Optimism was unleashed as shares in state industries suddenly became available the following year and many people swiftly became rich. However, for many others in Eastern Europe and the Soviet block, that optimism was unfulfilled as the era brought chaos and uncertainty. A new study published in the Lancet argues that mass privatisation led to large rises in mortality, the swifter the pace of privatisation the higher the rate of premature death. Laurie Taylor discusses this controversial new report with two of its co-writers, Martin McKee and David Stuckler, and explores the human cost of rapid economic change. PRISONERS' PARTNERS Megan Comfort, talks about her new book called Doing Time Together: Love and Family in the Shadow of Prison - a study of women who have husbands or boyfriends incarcerated in San Quentin prison. The study shows that in many cases, such women actually find that this incarceration improves the quality of their relationship. Laurie Taylor explores the human cost of rapid economic change. New research on how society works |
| Post Traumatic Stress, Managing Beds In The Nhs | 20150429 | 20150503 (R4) | Post traumatic stress in male combat veterans: Laurie Taylor talks to Nick Caddick, Research Assistant at Loughborough University, and co-author of a study exploring the relationship between masculinity, militarism and mental health. Do conventional notions of male bravery and resilience impede soldiers' ability to access to support? They're joined by Anthony King, Professor in Sociology at the University of Exeter. Also, managing beds in the NHS. Pressure on beds is an acute challenge to the health service. Davina Allen, Professor of Healthcare Organisation at Cardiff University, discusses her study into bed utilisation from the point of view of UK hospital nurses. How is access to beds granted or denied and who decides? Producer: Natalia Fernandez. Post traumatic stress in combat veterans and managing beds in the NHS. New research on how society works |
| Post-dictatorship Art In Argentina, Young Jazz Musicians In London | 20141029 | 20141103 (R4) | Post dictatorship art in Argentina and beyond. Laurie Taylor talks to Vikki Bell, Professor of Sociology at Goldsmiths College, about the role of the arts in a society's journey to democracy. Whilst scholars of transitional justice tend to focus on the courts and the streets; this study asks how culture enables a country marked by state oppression to both mark, as well as transcend, its past. They're joined by Professor Sanja Bahun from the Department of Literature, Film, and Theatre Studies at the University of Essex. Also, Charles Umney, Senior Lecturer in Human Resources and Organisational Behaviour at the University Of Greenwich, talks about the 'creative labour' of jazz musicians in London. Producer: Jayne Egerton. Post-dictatorship art and culture, and the lives of jazz musicians in London. New research on how society works |
| Post-katrina New Orleans, The Capitalist Personality | 20140312 | 20140317 (R4) | Post-Katrina New Orleans: how disaster recovery became a lucrative business. Laurie Taylor talks to Vincanne Adams, US Professor of Medical Anthropology, about her account of market failure after the devastation wrought by Hurricane Katrina in 2005. She discovered private companies profiting from the misery they sought to ameliorate and a second order disaster that intensified inequalities based on race and class. Why were residents left to re-build their lives and homes almost entirely on their own, save for the contribution of churches and charities? Phil O'Keefe, Professor of Economic Development, joins the discussion. Also, 'The Capitalist Personality' - Laurie Taylor explores interpersonal bonds in the post communist world. Christopher Swader, Assistant Professor of Sociology in Moscow, argues that successful people in countries as diverse as China and Russia adjust to the market economy at a social cost, compromising moral values in pursuit of material gain. Is anti social behaviour in new capitalist economies a by-product of their communist pasts or does the individual ambition released by economic development also have a part to play in threatening human relationships? Producer: Jayne Egerton. Laurie investigates New Orleans' disaster relief failure. Also, the capitalist personality New research on how society works |
| Post-truth | 20180919 | 20180923 (R4) | Post-Truth - Laurie Taylor explores a very modern phenomenon, or is it? He's joined by Steve Fuller, Professor of Sociology at the University of Warwick, Helen Pluckrose, Editor of Areo, a digital magazine focused on Enlightenment liberalism and Andrew Chadwick, Professor of Political Communication at Loughborough University. Producer: Jayne Egerton Post-truth - what is it and how did we get to this point? New research on how society works |
| Potatoes, Leisure Pleasure | 20090617 | 20090621 (R4) | The potato, with just a little bit of milk, can provide all of the nutrients necessary to sustain human life. Its wonderful productivity and the fact that it can be grown in small family plots in urban and rural areas means that, according to Professor Nancy Ries, it provides subsistence when local economies fail and other sources of food disappear. This fact more than any other explains why Russia, the home of the vast collective wheat farm, increasingly relies on the potato. Nearly half of all agricultural production in the country is potatoes and 90 per cent of that is in small family plots. Is the potato a tool of oppression? Does it perpetuate poverty? Laurie Taylor is joined by Professor Ries and by John Reader, author of The Untold History of the Potato. Also, Allison Hui from Lancaster University talks about her research into the role of travel in people's hobbies, and how leisure pursuits play an increasing part in global tourism. Post-Soviet Potato: Laurie Taylor discusses the politics of spuds. New research on how society works |
| Poverty | 20230419 | 20230423 (R4) | Poverty in the UK & US: Laurie Taylor talks to Matthew Desmond, Maurice P. During Professor of Sociology at Princeton University, whose latest study asks why the richest country on earth has more poverty than any other advanced democracy. Also Elizabeth Jane Richards, Senior Lecturer in Social Sciences at Edge Hill University, explores the way in which understandings of poverty have changed over time. Producer: Jayne Egerton Laurie Taylor explores the causes and consequences of poverty in the UK and US. New research on how society works |
| Poverty And 'shame', Small-scale Technology In India | 20140326 | 20140330 (R4) | Poverty and 'Shame' - shame was once described as the 'irreducible core' of poverty by Nobel laureate, Amartya Sen. Laurie Taylor looks at new cross cultural research which examines the psycho-social consequences of being poor in countries as diverse as Britain, Pakistan and South Korea. Elaine Chase, Research Officer at the Department of Social Policy and Intervention at the University of Oxford, considers the way that shame and stigma have been experienced by British people receiving welfare aid throughout history. She found that feelings of unworthiness, guilt and shame were common. In the current day, her study found that poor people accepted that 'other peoples' poverty was the result of personal failures rather than structural factors. The only alibi for their present circumstances was to deflect blame on to the 'undeserving' poor. She's joined by Sohail Choudhry, Research Assistant, also at the University of Oxford, whose Pakistan based interviews offered a contrasting perspective. Pakistanis on the 'breadline' also felt shame, but were also more inclined to blame the government and the 'big guns' for their reduced state. Also, Professor of History, David Arnold, describes the impact of small scale technology on modern India. How the sewing machine, bicycle and typewriter reinvented every day life and work leading to new ways of thinking about the politics of colonial rule and Indian nationhood. Producer: Torquil Macleod. The psycho-social effects of being poor. Also, small-scale technology in modern India. New research on how society works |
| Poverty In Britain, Unemployment As A Choice | 20150520 | 20150524 (R4) | Poverty in Britain: Laurie Taylor talks to Joanna Mack, Learning and Teaching producer at the Open University, about the largest ever survey of UK levels of economic and social deprivation. Her co-authored book, 'Breadline Britain..' claims that poverty is at an all time high. Also, claimants who reject work. Andrew Dunn, Senior Lecturer in Social Policy at Lincoln University, has conducted research which suggests that some unemployed people turn down 'undesirable' work, thus choosing to remain in financial hardship. Producer: Jayne Egerton. Is poverty in Britain increasing? Plus unemployment as a 'choice'. New research on how society works |
| Power Restoration After Hurricane Ike, White Middle Class Identity In Urban Schools | 20111109 | 20111114 (R4) | Laurie Taylor explores new research examining the motives of middle class parents who deliberately send their children to failing or under-performing schools.'White, Middle Class Identities in Urban Schools' is discussed by the paper's author Diane Reay, Professor of Education at Cambridge University and journalist Melissa Benn. Laurie also talks to Dr Lee Miller, Department of Sociology, Sam Houston State University in Texas, about her paper 'Hazards of Neo-Liberalism: Delayed Electric Power Restoration after Hurricane Ike'. Producer Chris Wilson Presenter LAURIE TAYLOR. Laurie Taylor looks at new research about middle-class parents and schooling. New research on how society works |
| Predicting The Financial Crisis, Work-life Balance | 20081015 | 20081019 (R4) | PREDICTING THE FINANCIAL CRISIS Laurie Taylor is joined by Richard Dale, Emeritus Professor of International Banking at Southampton University, one of the very few professional economists who predicted the present crisis. They discuss his recipe for crisis. WORK/LIFE BALANCE Dr Ben Fincham, Lecturer in the School of Social Science at the University of Brighton claims to have found a group - cycle couriers - for whom a clear distinction between work and leisure is virtually meaningless. Dr Ben Fincham and Richard Reeves, author of Happy Mondays: Putting the Pleasure back into Work debate the meaning of the work life balance'. Richard Dale discusses his recipe for financial crisis with Laurie Taylor. New research on how society works |
| Prison Abolition | 20230517 | 20230521 (R4) | PRISON ABOLITION: Laurie Taylor talks to Tommie Shelby, Caldwell Titcomb Professor of African and African American Studies at Harvard University, about a new study which considers the case for ending imprisonment. Mass incarceration and its devastating impact on black communities have been widely condemned as neoslavery or `the new Jim Crow.` Can the practice of imprisonment be reformed, or does justice require it to be ended altogether? They're joined by Clare McGlynn, Professor of Law at Durham University, who questions 'anti carceral' approaches from a feminist perspective - do they serve the interests of survivors of male violence against women and girls? Producer: Jayne Egerton Laurie Taylor considers the radical case for ending imprisonment. New research on how society works |
| Prison Clothing, Lewes Arms Boycott | 20091216 | 20091221 (R4) | Laurie Taylor explores the history of clothing behind bars. From broad arrows on prisoners suits in the 19th century to the orange jumpsuits worn by inmates of the Guantanamo Bay detention camp, the uniform prisoners wear reflects the regime they are being punished by. Laurie is joined by Juliet Ash from the Royal Collge of Art and Elizabeth Wilson from the London College of Fashion to undress the history of prison clothing and discuss what it reveals about the social cultural and political context of the time. Also in the programme, Paul Sparks from Sussex University discusses the importance of the local pub and the power of the boycott. Laurie Taylor explores the history of prison clothing, and the power of the boycott. New research on how society works |
| Prison Gangs In Us, Millionaire Children | 20150729 | 20150802 (R4) | Prison gangs in the USA. Laurie Taylor talks to David Skarbek, Lecturer in the Department of Political Economy at King's College, London, about his research into the hidden world of convict culture, inmate hierarchy and jail politics. He finds sophisticated organisations, often with written constitutions, behind the popular image of chaotic violence. They're joined by Jane Wood, Senior Lecturer in Forensic Psychology at the University of Kent. Also, what would children do with an unexpected windfall of a million pounds? Sally Power, Professor of Education at Cardiff University, asked this question in order to explore children's values and priorities. Would they spend, save or give it away? Producer: Jayne Egerton. A look at convict culture. Also, how would children choose to spend a million pounds? New research on how society works |
| Prison Protest | 20220427 | 20220501 (R4) | Prison protest: Laurie Taylor explores the way in which prisoners have sought to transform the conditions of their imprisonment and have their voices heard. Nayan Shah, Professor of American Studies and Ethnicity and History at the University of Southern California, considers the global history of hunger strikes from suffragists in the US and UK to Republican prisoners in Northern Ireland and anti apartheid campaigners in South Africa. What is the meaning and impact of the refusal to eat? They're joined by Philippa Tomczak, Director of the Prisons, Health and Societies Research Group at the University of Nottingham, and author of a study which examines the way in which the 1990 riots at HMP Strangeways helped to re-shape imprisonment. Was the change lasting or significant? Producer: Jayne Egerton Prison protest: from riots to hunger strikes. New research on how society works |
| Privacy And Parenting, By Mobile Phone. | 20110720 | 20110724 (R4) | What is personal, what is confidential and what is private? These are all questions which are addressed in a new sociological study of the nature of privacy. Christena Nippert-Eng claims that 'privacy violations' are particularly damaging because they go to the heart of our rights to determine ourselves as individuals. Her work brings precision to an analysis of current reactions to the unwarranted intrusions of the press. Also on the programme, how the millions of migrants from the Philippines attempt to parent their stay at home children by mobile phone. Do they think they are successful? Do their children agree? Mirca Madianou talks about her study of mothers in Britain and their children back home. Producer: Charlie Taylor. Privacy and parenting by mobile phone. New research on how society works |
| Private Military Security, Whisky Tourism | 20120314 | 20120319 (R4) | The MIddle Eastern conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan have been characterised by widespread deployment of private military and security companies. Their job has been to provide protection to army compounds, aid agencies and governments. Most of these men are American but a third are British. Laurie Taylor hears about new research by Professor Paul Higate, a Reader in Gender and Security at Bristol University. His study finds that British operatives see themselves as cool headed professionals but regard their American counterparts as 'trigger happy cowboys'. But is this perception an objective reality or a self serving illusion? The sociologist, Professor Anthony King, joins this discussion. Also, artifice versus authenticity on the traveller trail. Professor Karl Spracklen from Leeds Metropolitan University talks about the quest for the 'real' and 'authentic' in tourism. Whisky tours are now as central to Scottish tourism as buying heather or eating haggis. Has 'tasting a dram' become just another element in the construction of invented tradition? Producer: Jayne Egerton. Professionals and cowboys? UK and US military security workers. Also, 'whisky tourism'. New research on how society works |
| Prostitution In The Community, Drinking And Moderation | 20140129 | 20140203 (R4) | Prostitution in the community: The criminologist, Sarah Kingston, discusses her study of the impact of sex work on local residents and businesses. Policies restricting sex work are often based on assumptions about the alleged negative effects of commercial sex on everyday lives. This is the first comprehensive text to examine the empirical basis of this assumption. How do neighbourhoods react to the presence of prostitutes and male clients in their areas? Do stereotypes of stigma and deviance mean that residents will always wish to move this 'problem' elsewhere. Also, the sociologist, Henry Yeomans, charts the fluid, ever changing definitions of 'moderate' alcohol consumption. Producer: Jayne Egerton. Laurie Taylor explores the impact of sex work on local residents and businesses. New research on how society works |
| Protests | 20221019 | 20221023 (R4) | Protests: from Occupy to MeToo and the current situation in Iran. Laurie Taylor is joined by Sara Burke, Senior Policy Analyst at Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung political foundation in New York, and co-author of a recent study which analyses the myriad protests which have shaken the world since 2010. She explores their main causes, which include the perceived failures of democracies, as well as the oppression of women and economic inequality. Which protests are likeliest to achieve success and how do we measure success, in the first place? They're joined by Maryam Alemzadeh, Associate Professor in the History and Politics of Iran at the University of Oxford, who discusses the characteristics and trajectory of the women-led protests in Iran. Producer: Jayne Egerton Protests: from Occupy to MeToo and Iran. New research on how society works |
| Psychiatry: A Social History | 20220504 | 20220508 (R4) | Psychiatry: Laurie Taylor explores the social history of modern psychiatric practice. He's joined by Andrew Scull, Emeritus Professor in Sociology at the University of California and author of a magisterial study which asks if we are any closer to solving serious mental illness than we were a century ago. He traces the history of psychiatry's attempts to analyse and mitigate mental disorders: from the era of the asylum and psychosurgery to the rise and fall of psychoanalysis and the drugs revolution. Why is this history littered with examples of 'care' which so often resulted in dire consequences for the patient? Producer: Jayne Egerton Psychiatry: Laurie Taylor explores the history of modern psychiatric practice. New research on how society works |
| Punishing The Poor | 20091007 | 20091011 (R4) | America's social state is withering at the expense of its expanding prison system and the UK is heading in the same direction, with potentially disastrous consequences. That's the argument of Laurie Taylor's guest, Loic Wacquant, Professor of Sociology at the University of California. From 1980 to 1990, spending by the US government on operating its prisons and correctional establishments doubled while at the same time spending on public housing more than halved. According to Wacquant, this process is continuing; he says that 'the construction of prisons has effectively become the country's main housing programme'. Are America's penal policies too harsh, and if prisons and correctional facilities are becoming increasingly important, what are the social consequences? He talks to Laurie about why he believes America is too ready to accept a state of poverty for huge sections of its population and at the same time see the social state obliterated. Is America punishing its poor and is the UK at risk of following the same path, overly dependent on prisons while eroding its social state? Sociologist Loic Wacquant discusses the consequences of a growing US prison system. New research on how society works |
| Punters, Cultural Transfer | 20080730 | 20080803 (R4) | PUNTERS Dr Teela Sanders, Senior Lecturer in Sociology at the University of Leeds, talks about her latest research findings on the complex and unexpected relationships which develop between sex workers and their regular clients. CULTURAL TRANFER According to new research, the increasing numbers of Chinese students coming to Britain expect to find themselves in a land of gentle people with good manners and respect, but some of them do not find what they were hoping for. Laurie Taylor is joined by Professor Greg Philo, author of a new survey entitled Cultural Transfer; The Impact of Direct Experience on Evaluations of British and Chinese Societies and by Professor Hugode Burgh, director of the China Media Centre at the University of Westminster, to discuss what China is learning back from Britain. Laurie Taylor explores the complex relationships between sex workers and regular clients. New research on how society works |
| Push Buttons | 20181003 | 20181007 (R4) 20200722 (R4) 20200726 (R4) | Push Buttons: Laurie Taylor explores the pleasure, panic and the politics of pushing. The touch of a finger can summon a taxi, turn on a TV, call for an elevator or 'like' a Facebook post. But are buttons simply neutral and natural mechanisms which ease our daily lives? He's joined by Rachel Plotnick, Assistant Professor of Cinema and Media Studies at Indiana University, Steven Connor, Professor of English at the University of Cambridge and Barbara Speed, Acting Managing Editor at the i newspaper. Revised repeat. Producer: Jayne Egerton Push buttons: pleasure, panic and the politics of pushing. New research on how society works |
| 'queer' Wars, Nigerian Beauty Pageants | 20160525 | 20160529 (R4) | Queer' Wars: The claim that LGBT rights are human rights meets fierce, sometimes deadly opposition in many parts of the world. Politicians and religious leaders invoke tradition to deflect such universal claims, accusing Western activists of neo colonial interference. Laurie Taylor talks to Dennis Altman, Professorial Fellow in Human Security at La Trobe University, Melbourne, who has examined the international polarisation over sexual rights. He asks how best we can advocate for change in contexts where people face violence and imprisonment for their sexuality and gender. They're joined by Lama Abu- Odeh, Professor in Law at Georgetown University, Washington. Also, Nigerian Beauty Pageants. Juliet Gilbert, Teaching Fellow in African Studies and Anthropology at the University of Birmingham, reflects on the popularity of such spectacles in a country where crowned winners use pageantry as a 'platform' for success, hoping to overcome the double bind of gender and generation in a deeply religious and patriarchal society. Producer: Jayne Egerton. Queer' wars: the global struggle for lesbian/gay rights. Also, Nigerian beauty pageants. New research on how society works |
| Race And The Seaside, The Brain | 20111116 | 20111121 (R4) | Laurie Taylor examines the limits of science and the machine age with writer Bryan Appleyard and philosopher John Gray and asks whether we are in danger of losing the essence of what it is to be human. And, kiss me quick hats, fortune tellers and buckets and spades. The cliched pleasures of the English seaside. But are those delights equally available to all? The seaside is traditionally inhabited by majority white populations, many of whom are older and retired. And although increasing numbers of ethnic minorities visit and reside by the coast, it remains stubbornly white in our collective imagination. New research by Dr Daniel Burdsey claims that our nation's identity is bound up with monocultural images of coastal resorts. Producer: Chris Wilson. Laurie Taylor looks at the limits of science with Bryan Appleyard and John Gray. New research on how society works |
| Race In An English Village, Decoding Organisation | 20120926 | 20120930 (R4) | Bletchley Park, the decoding organisation, was at the heart of British intelligence operations in the Second World War. A mythology has grown around its secret activities, which some claim shortened the war by several years. Professor Christopher Grey talks to Laurie Taylor about his seminal research into the romance and reality of Bletchley Park. They're joined by Professor Anthony King. Also, race and 'belonging' in an English village. The social anthropologist, Katharine Tyler, explores the attitudes of white residents to their British Asian neighbours in a semi suburban village in the Midlands. Producer: Jayne Egerton. Laurie Taylor explores the culture and work of Bletchley Park. New research on how society works |
| Race In Police Disciplinaries, Protestant Fishermen In Scotland | 20140319 | 20140324 (R4) | Race in police 'misconduct' proceedings - Laurie Taylor considers new research exploring the perception that ethnic minority police officers are disproportionally subjected to such investigations. Graham Smith, Senior Lecturer at University of Manchester School of Law, looked at data provided by 3 English police services over a 4 year period between 2008 and 2011. Also, Evangelical Fishermen - the lives and beliefs of fundamentalist Christians living in a remote Scottish fishing village. Joseph Webster, Lecturer in Anthropology, Queen's University Belfast, discusses his study of an austere community of Protestant Brethren struggling with the crisis of the contemporary fishing industry whilst also focusing on the 'End of Days'. How does this most demanding form of religious faith survive in the midst of the tough and perilous work at sea? Producer: Jayne Egerton. Perceptions about ethnic minority officers. Also, evangelical fishermen in Scotland. New research on how society works |
| Racial Inequality Now, Women And Political Language | 20180314 | 20180319 (R4) | Racial inequality now - what explains its persistence? Nasar Meer, Professor of Race, Identity and Citizenship at the University of Edinburgh asks why racial and ethnic disparities continue to be fundamental to our society. Also, women and political language. Deborah Cameron, Rupert Murdoch Professorship in Language and Communication at Oxford University, discusses her study of the speech styles of the leaders of the main political parties in the 2015 General Election. (The latter was a pre-recorded interview which was transmitted in an earlier Thinking Allowed. The billed interview with Miri Song, Professor of Sociology at the University of Kent, had to be abandoned due to problems with the line from America). Producer: Jayne Egerton. Racial inequality now. Also, women and political language. New research on how society works |
| Racial Segregation, Dementia And Hair Care | 20161123 | 20161128 (R4) | Racial segregation in the United States: Laurie Taylor explores a provocative new study which sheds light on the racism which still endures today. Nicholas Guyatt, lecturer in American History at the University of Cambridge, asks why America's founding fathers failed to include Black and Native American people in their cherished ideals of equality. Kehinde Anderws, Associate Professor in Sociology at Birmingham City University, provides a Black British perspective. Also, hairdressing for people with dementia. A new study by Sarah Campbell, Research Associate at the University of Manchester, discovered the importance of salon chat and human touch to women and men who struggled to recall the past. Producer: Jayne Egerton. Racial segregation in the United States. Also, hairdressing for people with dementia. New research on how society works |
| Raising Middle-class Black Children, Neon | 20130717 | 20130721 (R4) | Neon - Laurie Taylor discusses a history of the flickering light which illuminated the modern world. Professor of American Studies, Christoph Ribbat, charts the rise and fall of neon. From seedy back alleys to gaudy Las Vegas, its blinking presence has electrified the contemporary city. So why did the theorist, Theodor Adorno, so despise these glowing tubes? How did neon become such a recurrent metaphor for modernity in popular culture, ranging from the writings of Vladimir Nabokov to the art of Tracy Emin? And why has the gas which once lit up our lives begun to fade into oblivion? They're joined by the cultural critic, Matthew Sweet. Also, the first dedicated UK study of black Caribbean middle-class families, and their strategies and priorities in relation to their children's education. The role of 'extra-curricular' activities in the process by which black middle-class parents seek to raise and develop their children. Producer: Jayne Egerton. How neon illuminates the world, plus middle-class black families and education. New research on how society works |
| Raoul Moat, The Media Story, Indian Sex Workers | 20120425 | 20120429 (R4) | The sad story of the hunt for the lone gunman Raoul Moat had many of the ingredients of classic crime fiction: a countryside location; an outsider against the law and an extraordinary set of tragic circumstances that unfolded over time. In this edition of Thinking Allowed Laurie Taylor speaks to Michael Rowe, a criminologist at the centre of the crisis. He gave countless media interviews at the time and has now conducted a study of how 24 hour news media used the rubric of crime fiction to present events in a gripping way. He argues, however, that it was a method in which truth and understanding seem to have been amongst the victims. Also on the programme Prabha Kotiswaran discusses her ethnographic study of the daily and nightly life of prostitutes in two of India's cities. Producer: Charlie Taylor. Raoul Moat - the media story, and prostitutes in Calcutta. New research on how society works |
| Rational Voter, Drugs In Afghanistan | 20070502 | 20070506 (R4) | RATIONAL VOTER In 1957 Anthony Downs wrote An Economic Theory of Democracy in which he tried to imagine an electoral world in which everyone behaved rationally. He concluded that from a strictly rational point of view there is no point in voting and that there is no point in expanding time and effort learning about politics, that in effect it was rational to be ignorant. In his new book The Myth of the Rational Voter: Why Democracies Choose Bad Policies, Professor Brian Caplan develops the idea that voters are worse than ignorant, they are in fact irrational and vote accordingly. On the day before local and regional elections, Laurie Taylor is joined by Professor Bryan Caplan, and Paul Whiteley, Professor of Government at the University if Essex and Co-Director of the British Election Study to discuss whether electorates in democracies are ignorant and irrational, and if so whether it matters. DRUGS IN AFGHANISTAN In 1999 Sociologist David MacDonald became the Drug Demand Reduction Specialist for the United Nations's Afghanistan programme, working for a number of counter narcotics projects in Kabul. Since 2006 he has become an independent consultant on drugs and development. David Macdonald has just published a book called Drugs in Afghanistan: Opium, Outlaws and Scorpion Tales talks about the culture of heroin growth and use in contemporary Afghanistan. Laurie Taylor discusses the rationality of voting and opium growing in Afghanistan. New research on how society works |
| Refusing Adulthood, How Young People Feel About Being Poor | 20160224 | 20160229 (R4) | Refusing adulthood. Laurie Taylor talks to Susan Neiman, the American moral philosopher, who asks, if and why, some people refuse to grow up. She argues that being an adult allows the opportunity for agency and independence rather than signalling decline. Yet a modern tendency to idolise youth prevents us from seeing the rewards of maturity. They're joined by the writer, Michael Bywater, who wonders if we inhabit a culture of creeping infantilisation. Also, how children and young people feel about being poor. Rys Farthing, social policy researcher, explores how young people living in low-income neighbourhoods feel about their own lives, using data generated as part of a participatory policy project with five groups of young people, aged 11-21. Producer: Jayne Egerton. Laurie Taylor asks if and why some people refuse to grow up. New research on how society works |
| Religion Of Work And Welfare | 20230125 | 20230130 (R4) | The religion of work and welfare: Laurie Taylor explores the way in which our understanding of jobs and joblessness has become entangled with religious ideologies. He's joined by Tom Boland, Senior Lecturer in Sociology at University College, Cork, who argues that Western culture has faith' in the labour market as a test of the worth of each individual. For those who are out of work, welfare is now less a means of support than a means of purification and redemption where job seeking becomes a form of pilgrimage. Also, Carolyn Chen, Professor of Ethnic Studies at the University of California, Berkeley, explores how the restructuring of work is transforming religious and spiritual experience in late capitalism. She spent five years conducting an ethnographic study in Silicon Valley and found that tech companies have brought religion into the workplace, in ways that replace churches, temples, and synagogues in workers' lives and satisfy needs for belonging, identity, purpose, and transcendence. What happens when work replaces religion and are there wider lessons for workers beyond the niche world of high tech? Producer: Jayne Egerton The religion of work and welfare. New research on how society works |
| Remembering Diana, Ethnography Award | 20130619 | 20130623 (R4) | Remembering Diana - did Princess Diana's death lead to a major shift in British culture? Professor of Sociology, Vic Seidler, talks to Laurie Taylor about his new book which analyses the repercussions of Diana, Princess of Wales', death in 1997. He argues that the public outpourings of grief and displays of emotion prompted new kinds of identification and belonging in which communities came together regardless of race, class, gender and sexuality and helped to make visible changes in what might be called 'New' or 'post-traditional' Britain. Did her unexpected death see a challenge to 'stiff upper lip' reserve and to the typical split made in modernity between reason and emotion? The writer, Bea Campbell, who has also written about the Diana 'phenomenon', joins the discussion. Also, the anthropologist, Henrietta Moore discusses the history and significance of Ethnographic research. Producer: Jayne Egerton. Did Princess Diana's death prompt a major shift in British culture? Plus ethnography. New research on how society works |
| Renaissance Dance, Working Class Liverpool | 20090204 | 20090209 (R4) | RENAISSANCE DANCE Elizabeth I danced six galliards every morning up until a year before her death, and Francis I of France publicly performed as the head of a centaur with the Cardinal of Marseille as the rear end. In the renaissance obsessed courtly classes dances went on for days or even weeks as many frustrated foreign ambassadors did attest. A kingly distraction from national duty or the essence of state craft itself? Professor Margaret McGowan, author of Dance in the Renaissance talks about her exploration of this social obsession. WORKING CLASS LIVERPOOL Dr Selina Todd, Lecturer in Modern History at the University of Manchester is the author of a new paper which looked at how sociologists researched the Liverpool working class identities in the late fifties and early sixties. Laurie Taylor is joined by Dr Selina Todd and Beverley Skeggs, Professor of Sociology at Goldsmith's University of London to discuss the experiences of the working class and efforts to describe them. Laurie Taylor explores the obsession with dancing in the Renaissance with Margret McGowan. New research on how society works |
| Rentier Capitalism, Protest Camps | 20161012 | 20161016 (R4) | The Corruption of Capitalism & the rise of the rentiers. Laurie Taylor talks to Guy Standing, Professor at the School of Oriental and African Studies, who claims we're living through a Second Gilded Age, one which mirrors the vast inequality and concentration of wealth in the hands of the few which characterised late 19th century America. The difference now is that it's global and its beneficiaries are mainly the owners of property. So is capitalism now rigged in favour of a rentier class? They're joined by David Smith, the Economics Editor of The Times. Also, Protest camps: Anna Feigenbaum, Senior Lecturer in Digital Storytelling at Bournemouth University, charts the transnational history of tents pitched for political change. Laurie Taylor asks if the economic system is rigged in favour of the owners of property. New research on how society works |
| Resource Nationalism, Democratising Fashion | 20070131 | RESOURCE NATIONALISM The proposed Iran/India gas pipeline has become a new concern of foreign affairs. Dr Warwick Knowles, Senior Economist at Dunn & Bradstreet and author of a forthcoming paper entitled Politics of Pipeline Placement explains the rise of Resource Nationalism' and its policy implications for Western Democracies and their companies. DEMOCRATISING FASHION In the 1920s Marks and Spencer introduced styles and designs to the high street, bringing quality clothes to the masses. But can it be called fashion? Laurie Taylor is joined by Dr Rachel Worth author of a new study of the history of M&S fashion and cultural analyst Martin Raymond to discuss the unique history of Marks and Spencer's clothing. Did the company democratise fashion or put an end to the original working class style? And how did it position itself to embody the values of Britain in the middle of the twentieth century? Laurie Taylor discusses how 'Resource Nationalism' affects foreign affairs policy. New research on how society works | |
| Restaurants, A Taste Of Class | 20171011 | 20171015 (R4) | Class, labour, exchange, symbolism, performance - the restaurant is a stage which serves many functions. Laurie Taylor explores a cultural history of restaurants with author of 'The Restaurant: Society in Four Courses' Christoph Ribbat and Times food critic Giles Coren. Also on the programme - an ethnography of a farmer's market with Dr Jessica Paddock, lecturer in Sociology at Bristol University. Producer Fiona Woods. What are restaurants for? Laurie Taylor explores the many functions of dining out. New research on how society works |
| Restorative Justice In N.i, Rg Collingwood | 20090916 | 20090920 (R4) | What is the best way to settle a dispute, and if you are a victim of crime what is the best way to get justice? Laurie Taylor finds out about an alternative to police and courts and the conventional criminal justice system. The idea of restorative justice is to try to find a new way to settle arguments and bring justice so that offenders and victims can carry on living side by side. Can bringing victims and culprits together to talk or making a guilty party compensate the injured one provide the answer? And can it work for all crimes, however serious? Laurie talks to Anna Eriksson and Heather Strang about the use of restorative justice in Northern Ireland. For countries with a long history of violence in their communities, can restorative justice be used to heal the wounds? Also in the programme, what lessons can we learn from history about how to live our lives? Laurie talks to Prof Fred Inglis about the life of philosopher Robin Collingwood and how we can live the good life by learning our lessons from the past. The life of philosopher RG Collingwood, and restorative justice in Northern Ireland. New research on how society works |
| Return Migration, Pensioners And Identity Politics | 20090902 | 20090906 (R4) | Laurie Taylor explores the latest research into how society works. A new book explores what happens to people who return to the island of Dominica, the land of their birth, after living for many years in the UK. Research suggests around 25 per cent of the Caribbean population will go back to their country of origin, either to work or on retirement. But what are the forces which dictate this decision, and why do some people choose to go home and others choose to stay here? Research suggests that definitions of home are changing as the world contracts due to global communication and transport. Laurie talks to Dr Margaret Byron, a social geographer, and the writer Mike Phillips about the meaning of return migration. Also, the limits of 'silver power'; why old age doesn't lend itself to collective political action and identity. New research finds that the pensioner movements of the interwar years, which helped shape the postwar welfare state, have declined in importance. Laurie discusses the politics of ageing and pensioner power with Prof Paul Higgs. Why do people return to their country of birth? Laurie Taylor explores return migration. New research on how society works |
| Revolution | 20201014 | 20201018 (R4) | REVOLUTION: Are all radical upheavals in the social, economic and political order destined to fail? Laurie Taylor talks to Daniel Chirot, Herbert J. Ellison Professor of Russian and Eurasian Studies at the University of Washington, about his study into why so many of the iconic revolutions of modern times have ended in bloody tragedies. Does radical idealism inevitably have tragic consequences? Also, the Rojava Revolution, how a region in Northeastern Syria, has become the site of extraordinary transformation. The writer and activist, Rahila Gupta, describes an experiment in direct democracy, inter-ethnic co-operation and women's liberation which has taken place against a backdrop of civil war. Producer: Jayne Egerton Revolution: Must all radical upheavals in the social and political order end in tragedy? New research on how society works |
| Rich Russians, Millionaire Tax Flight | 20181017 | 20181021 (R4) | Rich Russians: Laurie Taylor talks to Elisabeth Schimpfossl, Lecturer in Sociology at Aston University, about her study of the changing nature of the Russian elite, from oligarchs to bourgeoisie. Also, millionaire tax flight - myth or reality? Cristobal Young, Associate Professor of Sociology at Cornell University, suggests that location is surprisingly important to the rich. Producer: Jayne Egerton Rich Russians. Also, millionaire tax flight. New research on how society works |
| Richard Hoggart | 20090826 | 20090830 (R4) | Laurie Taylor discusses the life and work of leading cultural commentator Richard Hoggart, asking why his time is coming again. Hoggart's evidence in the Lady Chatterley trial changed censorship for ever, his influence on the Pilkington Committee established the norms of public service broadcasting still in operation today and his academic work led to the invention of cultural studies in the UK. He is considered a titan of contemporary culture and his famous book The Uses of Literacy combined sociology with literature and biography, going on to have a huge influence on the way popular culture was viewed. That influence has been on the wane in recent decades, but now a new edition of Hoggart's book is about to be published, a biography is being written and a recent conference was dedicated to his work. Laurie Taylor discusses the life and work of leading cultural commentator Richard Hoggart. New research on how society works |
| Richard Hoggart, The Anti-social Family | 20131106 | 20131111 (R4) | Richard Hoggart: Laurie Taylor talks to Professor of Cultural Studies, Fred Inglis, about his biography of this leading cultural commentator and academic. Hoggart's 1957 book 'The Uses of Literacy' documented the lives and hardships of the life of the poor in pre-World War Britain as well as providing an account of the transition from working class to 'mass' culture in the post War period. Inglis considers some of Hoggart's key ideas including his emphasis on working class community and family life as a source of support and sanctuary. Also, the sociology of the family, then and now. Hoggart's views about the family form part of an ongoing sociological debate to which the late Mary McIntosh made a major contribution. Professor of Sociology, Carol Smart, pays tribute to her classic 1982 book 'The Anti Social Family' which offered a socialist and feminist critique of the traditional nuclear family, arguing that it was as often a site of inequality and conflict as of refuge, particularly for women. Deborah Chambers, Professor of Media and Cultural Studies, joins the debate. Producer: Jayne Egerton. Laurie Taylor discusses the first biography of this leading cultural commentator. New research on how society works |
| Rio, Protests And The World Cup, Dying In Prison | 20140716 | 20140720 (R4) | Rio, protests and the World Cup. Laurie Taylor talks to Jessica Leigh Glass, graduate student in the Department of Anthropology at Georgia State University, about her research into the street protests taking place in Rio since June 2013. Initially arising in reaction to a hike in public transport fares, the protests broadened to target wider social inequalities, expenditure on multi-million dollar projects ahead of the 2014 World Cup & the 2016 Olympics and the clearing of some favelas. What is the impact of such sporting 'mega-events' on the people who live in the host cities.? They're joined by Professor Anthony King from the University of Exeter. Also, men dying in prison. Marian Peacock, Senior Research Associate in the Faculty of Health and Medicine at Lancaster University, discusses the increasing number of elderly men - many of whom are sex offenders - who may end their lives in jail. Producer: Jayne Egerton. Laurie Taylor examines the meaning of the street demonstrations taking place in Rio. New research on how society works |
| Rituals At Christmas | 20141225 | 20141229 (R4) | Customs at Christmas and beyond. It may be best not to invite a sociologist for Xmas - they're liable to spend their time chronicling, even questioning your seasonal rituals. In this festive programme, Laurie Taylor looks at the ever shifting nature of our habits, practices and customs; changes in our lives which have been detected and discussed in previous editions of Thinking Allowed. Is our concept of romantic love as timeless as we often presume? How did bathrooms evolve from luxurious Victorian rooms to classless and clinical spaces? Do contemporary constructions of sophisticated drinking downplay the risks of middle class alcohol consumption? In what ways has the elevator changed the status associated with the top and bottom floors of homes and buildings? And when did consumerism cease to be about the satisfaction of mere wants as opposed to the indulgence of hedonistic pleasures? Thinking Allowed subjects the trivial, the everyday and the taken for granted to entertaining sociological scrutiny. Producer: Jayne Egerton. Laurie Taylor presents a special edition that explores rituals at Christmas and beyond. New research on how society works |
| Robots | 20171004 | 20171008 (R4) | Robots & AI: Laurie Taylor takes a cool, non dystopian look at future possibilities. He's joined by Toby Walsh, Professor of Artificial Intelligence at the University of New South Wales, Judy Wajcman, Anthony Giddens Professor of Sociology at the LSE and Kathleen Richardson, Professor of Ethics and Culture of Robots and AI Centre for Computing and Social Responsibility at De Montfort University. Does automation herald the death of work or even pose an existential threat? How significant are the differences between humans and machines? What should be the ethical limits to the development of killer and sex robots? How can we create a society in which technology is a force for collective good given that future imaginaries are shaped by such a narrow, Silicone Valley elite? Producer: Jayne Egerton. Laurie Taylor takes a cool, non-dystopian look at future possibilities. New research on how society works |
| Robots And Gender, Economic Progress | 20100804 | 20100808 (R4) | Prosperity is accused of encouraging greed, ruining the environment, undermining communities, causing unhappiness and widening social inequalities. The push for growth has been the bedrock policy for almost every world economy but since the financial crisis, belief in growth has become increasingly challenged. Daniel Ben-Ami, takes on what he calls the 'growth sceptics' and makes the claim that more affluence benefits the whole of society. He discusses the 'glories of growth' with Laurie Taylor and Kevin Doogan on Thinking Allowed on 4 August. Also, the rise of the 'fembot'. The Japanese government is investing billions in the development of robotic technology. They think the robot will do for the 21st century economy what the automobile did for the 20th. However, Jennifer Robertson thinks that as female robots are developed to perform some of the functions traditionally performed by women, it bodes ill for the future of Japanese society. Producer: Charlie Taylor. Laurie Taylor hears why growth is good for all. Plus the rise of the fembot. New research on how society works |
| Rock Climbing In Conflict, Women In Russian Prisons | 20130130 | 20130204 (R4) | Russian women prisoners - in the light of Pussy Riot's imprisonment, timely research on Russia's distinctive penal geography. The sociologist, Judith Pallot, talks to Laurie Taylor about a study based on extensive interviews with prisoners and officers in different regions of Russia. She finds that the vast distances between prisons and womens' homes imposes harsh penalties on women and their families. They're joined by the criminologist, Dr Sharon Shalev. Also 'Bolt Wars': Lisa Bogardus spent 16 months researching and observing the rock climbing world. She describes a battle for the cliffs in which climbers clash about the need to reduce risk and danger. Producer: Jayne Egerton. With Laurie Taylor. Featuring Russian women prisoners and rock climbers in conflict. New research on how society works |
| Rubbish, Civil Partnerships | 20120411 | 20120415 (R4) | We pay others to take away our household refuse from the front of our house whilst hoarding other junk in the attic. And while most of us wouldn't mind buying other people's discarded clothes in a charity shop, only a few are prepared to take even edible food from supermarket dumpsters. What hidden motives lurk behind our relationship with waste? Martin O'Brien, author of 'A Crisis of Waste?' and Jeff Ferrell, author of 'Empire of Scrounge', join Laurie to sift through the competing ways of understanding refuse. Producer: Charlie Taylor. Rubbish society: the social impact of waste. New research on how society works |
| Rugby, Magic | 20090318 | 20090323 (R4) | RUGBY According to Oscar Wilde `Rugby is a good occasion for keeping thirty bullies far from the centre of town`. Laurie Taylor re-appraises this sport of gentleman with Social Historian, Tony Collins who's charted the class wars that have beset rugby union, from Tom Brown's Schooldays to England's victory in the English World Cup in 2003 and Dr Dominic Malcolm, Senior lecturer in the Sociology of Sport at Loughborough University. They discuss how rugby has championed the virtues of patriotism, physical courage and manliness. MAGIC Professor Owen Davies is the author of a new book entitled Grimoires; A History of Magic Books, he talks about the past and present significance of magical books and spells. Laurie Taylor re-appraises Rugby with Tony Collins and Dr Dominic Malcolm. New research on how society works |
| Rules And Order | 20220928 | 20221002 (R4) | Rules & Order: Laurie Taylor talks to Tim Newburn, Professor of Criminology and Social Policy at the LSE, about the social history of orderly Britain' - the way in which we've resolved everyday problems, from dog fouling to smoking and queuing. They're joined by Lorraine Daston, Director Emeritus at the Max Planck Institute for the History of Science, who traces the development of rules in the Western tradition, ones which have set out work hours, dictated how we set the table, told us whether to offer an extended hand or cheek in greeting, and organised the rituals of life. Why do we need such rules and could we live without them? Producer: Jayne Egerton Are we are more orderly society than in the past? New research on how society works |
| Rummage, Waste | 20200708 | 20200712 (R4) | Rummage & waste: Laurie Taylor talks to Emily Cockayne, Senior Lecturer in Early Modern History at the University of East Anglia, about the overlooked story of our throwaway past, from ladies of the First World War who turned dog hair into yarn to Girl Guides inspired to collect bottle tops by the litter collecting Wombles of Wimbledon. What lessons can be drawn from the past to address urgent questions of our waste today? Patrick O'Hare, Senior Research Fellow in the Department of Social Anthropology at the University of St Andrews, joins the conversation and considers our shifting definitions of waste, from domestic homes in the Global North to the rubbish dumps of Uruguay. Producer: Jayne Egerton Rummage & waste: a social history of recycling and an examination of the meaning of waste. New research on how society works |
| Rural Idyll, Mediated | 20070530 | 20070603 (R4) | RURAL IDYLL Francine Watkins, Teacher at the University of Liverpool spent three months in Stonycroft village in South East England. Francine went to explore the notion of the rural idyll in English villages and how stigma impacts on the health and well-being of those supposedly living the good life. Her research findings are published in a paper entitled Is the rural idyll bad for your health? Stigma and exclusion in the English countryside'. MEDIATED In his new book, Mediated: How the Media Shape The World Around You, Thomas De Zengotita, contributing Editor at Harper's magazine, develops his theory that people experience and build their own world through the television and other media in order to shelter from reality. Laurie Taylor is joined by Thomas de Zengotita and Jonathan R退e, Philosopher and critic to discuss whether the entire world's a stage. Laurie Taylor explores the rural idyll and considers the media impact on our perception. New research on how society works |
| Russian Children In Custody, Paranormal Media | 20110511 | 20110515 (R4) | Laurie Taylor explores representations of the paranormal; Russian youngsters in custody. New research on how society works |
| Russian Prison Visitors, Prison Boundaries | 20170517 | 20170521 (R4) | Relatives of Russian Prisoners: Judith Pallot , Professor of the Human Geography of Russia at the University of Oxford talks to Laurie Taylor about her research into the experiences of the wives, mothers, girlfriends, daughters who, as relatives of Russia's three-quarters of a million prisoners, are the 'invisible victims' of the country's harsh penal policy. She's joined by Laura Piacentini, Professor of Criminology at the University of Strathclyde. Also, how to bridge the boundary that divides prison and society. Jennifer Turner, Lecturer in Human Geography at the University of Liverpool, discusses her study. Producer: Jayne Egerton. Russian prison visitors. Also, prison boundaries. New research on how society works |
| Russia's Red Web, Older Entrepreneurs | 20150930 | 20151004 (R4) | The 'Red Web': The Internet in Russia is a totalitarian tool but is also a device by which totalitarianism can be resisted. Laurie Taylor talks to Andrei Soldatov, a Moscow based journalist and co-author of a book which explores the Russian government's battle with the future of the Internet. Drawing on numerous interviews with officials in the Ministry of Communications, as well as the web activists who resist the Kremlin, he exposes a huge online surveillance state. What hope is there for ordinary digital citizens? They're joined by Natalia Rulyova, a Lecturer in Russian at the University of Birmingham. Also, older entrepreneurs. Oliver Mallett, Lecturer in Management at the University of Durham, discusses the obstacles faced by late entrants to enterprise culture. Producer: Jayne Egerton. Laurie Taylor explores the Russian government's battle with the future of the internet. New research on how society works |
| Russia's Upper Class, Flip Flops | 20140702 | 20140706 (R4) | Flip flops: the world wide trail of an everyday commodity. Laurie Taylor talks to Caroline Knowles, Professor of Sociology at Goldsmiths, University of London, whose study takes a ground level view of the lives and places of globalisation's back roads, via that most ubiquitous of footwear - the flip flop sandal. Also, research into Russia's elite and how they acquire social distinction. Dr Elisabeth Schimpfossl, Honorary Research Fellow at the University of Manchester, looks at the strategies employed by representatives of Russia's new social upper class to gain status and prestige. Distancing themselves from the 'vulgar' excesses of the brutal 90s, they've moved away from ostentatious displays of wealth, seeking legitimacy for their position by developing a more 'cultured' image. Producer: Jayne Egerton. Flip flops: A global journey. Also, Russia's upper class. New research on how society works |
| Sacrifice | 20180321 | 20180325 (R4) | Sacrifice - Laurie Taylor explores the many meanings of the term. Terry Eagleton, Distinguished Professor of Literature at the University of Lancaster, argues that sacrifice has a bad press in the modern age. The notion of giving anything up fails to appeal in a world devoted to self-fulfilment. But is there more to sacrifice than burnt offerings and self-denial? Can it ever be radical? Also, Chetan Bhatt, Director for the Centre on Human Rights at the LSE, examines the idea of sacrifice as invoked by Salafi-Jihadist suicide bombers. Does the inherently de secular nature of sacrifice inevitably pose the risk of promoting political violence? Producer: Jayne Egerton. Sacrifice - from Christ's crucifixion to Salafi jihadist suicide bombers. New research on how society works |
| Santa Helpers, Christmas Tradition | 20131225 | A Thinking Allowed special on our construction of Christmas tradition. What does Christmas mean to you - a visit to Santa's grotto with the little ones, the opening of presents before breakfast, a house festooned with sparkly lights and wreaths of ivy? Or is your Christmas an understated and low key affair? Perhaps you don't even recognise it for cultural or religious reasons. Professor Philip Hancock discusses his study into the 'elite' squad of Santa helpers who dispense seasonal cheer and gifts to children in department stores up and down the country. How do they maintain their 'ho, ho hos' in the face of 500 length queues? What special challenges does this unique branch of interactive service work present? Also, Professor Jennifer Mason talks about her research into how people create the Christmas experience, drawing on the rituals of their childhoods and negotiating conflicting traditions. The writer, Antony Lerman, joins the discussion. Producer: Jayne Egerton. Laurie Taylor presents a special programme on our construction of Christmas tradition. New research on how society works | |
| Scottish Independence, Viewing The Recently Dead: Feedback | 20080319 | 20080324 (R4) | SCOTLAND INDEPENDENCE Laurie Taylor is joined by Professor Murray Pittock the author of a new book The Road To Independence? Scotland Since the Sixties' and Vernon Bogdanor, Professor of Government at Oxford University, to consider the reasons behind the rise of Scottish nationalism since the end of World War Two and to find out if the next step on the road will be a vote for full independence. VIEWING THE RECENTLY DEAD - FEEDBACK Anthropologist, Adam Kuper discusses last week's responses on the cultural differences in the manner in which we choose to view the bodies of the dead. Laurie Taylor considers the rise of Scottish nationalism since the end of WW2. New research on how society works |
| Scottish Nationalism And Identity, Austerity | 20130612 | 20130616 (R4) | Does Austerity Kill? Laurie Taylor talks to political economist, David Stuckler, about the human costs of the financial crisis as documented in his book 'The Body Economic' (co-authored with Sanju Basu) -the culmination of ten years research. They're joined by David Smith, Economics Editor of the Sunday Times. We're well aware of the extreme costs of banking crisis in terms of the wealth of nations, but much less idea of how they affect one of the most central issues of all: our physical and mental health. Why has health in Iceland actually got better whilst it's deteriorated in Greece? From the Great Depression of the 1930s to post communist Russia and the US foreclosure scandal; Dr Stuckler study examines the surprising, seemingly contradictory nature of economic disasters' role in public health. They are joined by David Smith Economic Editor of the Sunday Times. Also, Nasar Meer discusses his study into ethnic minority Scots' relationship to Scottish Nationalism and identity Producer: Jayne Egerton. The impact of financial crisis on public health. Also, race and Scottish identity. New research on how society works |
| Secrecy At Work, Drugs And Employment | 20160615 | 20160619 (R4) | Secrecy at Work: the hidden architecture within our organisations. Laurie Taylor talks to Christopher Grey, Professor of Organization Studies at Royal Holloway, University of London, about his study into the secrecy which is woven into the fabric of our lives at work - from formal secrecy, as we see in the case of trade and state secrets based on law and regulation; informal secrecy based on networks and trust; and public or open secrecy, where what is known goes undiscussed. Also, drug taking and employment: how does the UK anti drugs policy shape our concept of 'employable citizens'? Charlotte Smith, Lecturer in Management at the University of Leicester, argues that drug consumption, in neo liberal times, is positioned as the antithesis of economic potential. Producer: Jayne Egerton. The hidden architecture of people's working lives. Plus drug-taking and employment. New research on how society works |
| Secrets Of Capitalism, Religion And Science | 20100922 | 20100926 (R4) | The United States does not have the highest living standard in the world - The washing machine has changed the world more than the internet - People in poor countries are more entrepreneurial than people in rich countries: Three contentions from the economist Ha-Joon Chang as he joins Laurie Taylor and tries to dispel what he sees as the myths and prejudices of free-market capitalism. He claims that we labour under the misconception that financial markets become more efficient, when the opposite is true and his analysis suggests that by breaking free of its free-market ideology, capitalism can be vastly improved. Producer: Chris Wilson. Eeconomist Ha-Joon Chang tries to expose the 'myths' of free-market capitalism. New research on how society works |
| Sectarianisation, The Middle East | 20170927 | 20171001 (R4) | Sectarianisation - Laurie Taylor asks if a new theory offers an explanation for contemporary conflicts across the Arab Islamic world. Have we become too wedded to a version of events which suggests that Shia and Sunni peoples are locked into a primordial, trans-historical battle, seemingly without end? He's joined by Danny Postel, Assistant Director of the Middle East and North African Studies Program at Northwestern University, Madawi Al-Rasheed, Visiting Professor at the Middle East Centre at the LSE and Patrick Cockburn, Middle East correspondent for the The Independent. Producer: Jayne Egerton. Sectarianisation - a new explanation for conflict across the Arab Islamic world. New research on how society works |
| Section 136 And Mental Health Act, Bbc World Service | 20131016 | 20131020 (R4) | Laurie Taylor explores The World Service, talking to Marie Gillespie about her study into the role of the diasporic broadcasters at the heart of the BBC's foreign service. Even though the Service has derived much of its creative and diplomatic significance from these men and women, they've been largely absent from academic work and public debate. Professor Gillespie's work brings to light the invisible writers and intellectuals who've been responsible for the BBC's credibility as an international broadcaster. She's joined by Ramy Aly, a Middle Eastern scholar who has studied the BBC Arabic Service, in particular. Also, who decides when someone is a danger to themselves or others? Professor Gillian Bendelow discusses her research into the use of section 136 of the Mental Health Act 1983. Producer: Jayne Egerton. The World Service and its broadcasters. Also, the use of mental health 'sections'. New research on how society works |
| Segregation, Mizrahi Jews | 20090513 | 20090517 (R4) | Are walls going up around Britain's communities? Are we sleepwalking to racial segregation? Laurie hears of new research which counters some contemporary fears about immigration in Britain. In 2005, Trevor Phillips, then Chair of the Commission for Racial Equality warned, 'The walls are going up around many of our communities and the bridges are crumbling ... we are sleepwalking our way to segregation'. Are there really ghettoes growing in Britain's cities? Laurie talks to Ludi Simpson about his new research into the state of segregation in Britain and hears from Tariq Modood about how and why Muslim communities are feared. Also in the programme, Laurie hears from Rachel Shabi about the Mizrahis, Israel's Jews from Arab lands. Many talk Arabic and their customs are rooted in the Middle East, but despite constituting almost half of the Israeli population she claims they are sidelined and discriminated against in their own country. Laurie Taylor hears of new research which counters contemporary fears about immigration. New research on how society works |
| Self-help And Self-improvement | 20141231 | 20150105 (R4) | Self-help & self-improvement. As thoughts turn to resolutions and making a fresh start in 2015, Laurie Taylor wonders if his scepticism about self-help books and self-improvement programmes is well founded. He goes for advice to Christine Whelan - Professor in the School of Human Ecology at the University of Wisconsin and a self-help author. Further enlightenment is provided by Meg John Barker - Senior Lecturer in Psychology at the Open University - who has studied self-help literature dealing with sex and relationships and has also written what she describes as 'an anti self-help book'. And Rebecca Coleman - Senior Lecturer in Sociology at Goldsmiths, University of London - explains how TV makeover shows and online dieting sites create powerfully gendered and class-based messages about changing our bodies. Producer: Torquil MacLeod. Can self-help books help you to become a better you? Presented by Laurie Taylor. New research on how society works |
| Selfies, Disconnection From Icts | 20180704 | 20180708 (R4) | Selfies' - every day Facebook users upload 350million photos, Instagrammers share 95 million photos and there are 3 billion Snapchat snaps. A central element of visual sharing online involves 'selfies' -which often generate more comment than anything else. But why this fascination with images that can often be repetitive and unimaginative? Do they feed a culture of unhealthy narcissism, as critics assert, or are they a more complex cultural phenomenon? Also, Disconnected - why are some people turning their back on the use of any information communication technologies? Laurie Taylor talks to Mariann Hardy, Acting Director, Advanced Research in Computing at Durham University, about new research which uncovers the motives and lives of a global population which explicitly rejects our hyper connected world. Producer: Jayne Egerton. Selfies' - narcissism or self-expression? Also, choosing to disconnect from ICTs. New research on how society works |
| Self-improvement | 20230104 | 20230109 (R4) | SELF IMPROVEMENT: Laurie Taylor explores the 'wellness' and 'confidence' cultures that injunct us to be better versions of ourselves. He talks to Shani Orgad, a Professor in the Department of Media and Communications at the LSE and co-author of a new study arguing that imperatives directed at women to `love your body` and `believe in yourself` imply that psychological blocks rather than entrenched social injustices hold women back. Why is there now such an emphasis on confidence in contemporary discourse about body image, workplace, relationships, motherhood, and even international development? They're joined by Stephanie Alice Baker, a Senior Lecturer in Sociology at City, University of London, whose latest work traces the emergence of 'wellness culture' from a fringe countercultural pursuit to a trillion-dollar industry. Wellness has become synonymous with yoga, meditation, and other forms of self-care and is no longer simply an alternative to mainstream medicine. As it's coalesced with consumer culture, it's become synonymous with an industry of exclusive products and services. In addition, in the Covid moment, it's become associated with harmful conspiracy theories. So is 'wellness' culture delivering on its myriad promises, or does it have a darker side? Producer: Jayne Egerton Self-improvement: are 'wellness' and 'confidence' cultures enhancing our lives? New research on how society works |
| Sensory Multiculturalism In An East End Market, Cultural Passions | 20140108 | 20140113 (R4) | Cultural passions - From a love of Proust to an enthusiasm for tennis and tarot readings; a diverse range of aesthetic pleasures excite human beings. Laurie Taylor talks to the cultural theorist and writer, Elizabeth Wilson, about the emotional commitment people bring to their enjoyment of both 'high' and 'low' culture. Professor Wilson analyses why such pleasures are sometimes seen as suspect; invoking, by turns, a fear of elitism as well a dislike of mass culture. Also, the sociologist, Alex Rhys-Taylor, charts a sensory journey into the heart of an East End Market. Producer: Jayne Egerton. Laurie Taylor discusses the emotional commitment people bring to 'high' and 'low' culture. New research on how society works |
| Serial Killers | 20191016 | 20191020 (R4) | Serial killers: Laurie talks to Ian Cummins, Senior Lecturer in Social Work at the University of Salford, about the media and cultural responses to the child murders committed by Ian Brady and Myra Hindley two decades earlier. The Moors Murders were to provide an unfortunate template for future media reporting on serial killing, including the crimes committed by Peter Sutcliffe - the Yorkshire Ripper - as described in a new study by Louise Wattis, Senior Lecturer in Criminology and Sociology at Teesside University. Sutcliffe murdered 13 women in the North of England between 1975 and 1980. Dr Wattis discusses the way in which these crimes shed light on how we think about fear of crime, gender and serial murder and the representation of victims and sex workers. Producer: Jayne Egerton Serial killers: the media and cultural response to these crimes. New research on how society works |
| Sex Trafficking, Hunger | 20071212 | 20071217 (R4) | SEX TRAFFICKING Laura Mar퀀a Agustin talks about her latest book Sex at the Margins: Migration, Labour Markets and the Rescue Industry and exposes the myths surrounding human trafficking'. HUNGER In the 18th century political economists like Adam Smith and Thomas Malthus encouraged the view that the hungry were responsible for their own hunger, through being lazy, morally degenerate, and incapable of keeping their family size down. Laurie Taylor is joined by Professor James Vernon, author of new book Hunger, a modern history and Joanna Bourke Professor of History at Birkbeck, University of London to discuss our attitudes past and present towards hunger. Laurie Taylor explores the history of hunger and exposes the myths of human trafficking. New research on how society works |
| Sex Workers And International Migration, Poverty In Britain | 20131030 | 20131104 (R4) | Low pay, no pay' Britain. Laurie Taylor talks to the sociologist, Tracy Shildrick, about her prize winning study of individuals and families who are living in or near poverty. The research was conducted in Teesside, North East England, and focuses on the men and women who've fallen out of old working class communities and must now cope with drastically reduced opportunities for standard employment. Also, the US sociologist, Kimberly Kay Hoang, discusses her study into Vietnamese sex workers who've become American wives who, contrary to their hopeful expectations, end up as primary breadwinners in their new country. Producer: Jayne Egerton. Laurie Taylor explores prize-winning research. Also Vietnamese sex workers turned US wives New research on how society works |
| Sexual Violence In The Bangladeshi War Of Independence, Global Danger And The Risk To Research | 20170111 | 20170116 (R4) | Sexual violence in the Bangladeshi War of Independence. Laurie Taylor talks to Nayanika Mookherjee, Reader in Socio-Cultural Anthropology at Durham University, about the internationally unprecedented state designation of raped women as birangonas (brave women) in 1971. Her groundbreaking study was shortlisted for the 2016 BSA/Thinking Allowed Ethnography Award. She analysed the pubic memory or wartime rape perpetrated by the West Pakistani army and local Bengali men in East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) during that conflict. This national commemoration of the women's suffering counters the assumption of silence and shame amongst victims of rape in war. But what did it mean to the women themselves? Has their elevation to the status of heroines ensured their integration into their communities and acceptance by their menfolk? Also, Ruben Andersson, Associate Professor at Oxford University's Department of International Development, discusses the expansion of 'no go' areas of the world since 9/11. He argues that alleged regions of 'risk' are seen as posing a particular danger to Western states and citizens. How can ethnographers who, by definition, do not wish to observe from a distance, address this challenge to their research? Professor Andersson was the winner of the 2015 Ethnography Award for his study of clandestine migration on the borders of Europe. Producer: Jayne Egerton. Sexual violence in the Bangledeshi War of Independence. Also, global danger and risk. New research on how society works |
| Shoes | 20181107 | 20181112 (R4) | Shoes: Laurie Taylor explores their cultural history and sociological meanings. He's joined by Elizabeth Semmelhack, Senior Curator of the Bata Shoe Museum in Toronto, Tim Edwards, Honorary Fellow in Sociology at the University of Leicester and Naomi Braithwaite, Senior Lecturer in the School of Art & Design at Nottingham Trent University. Producer: Jayne Egerton Shoes: a cultural history. New research on how society works |
| Shoes, Islamic Youth Culture In Western Europe | 20141119 | 20141124 (R4) | Shoes - a journey through our lives and identities. From 'brothel creepers' to perilous stilettos, our choice of footwear changes and evolves over a life time. Laurie Taylor talks to Victoria Robinson, Reader in Sociology at the University of Sheffield, about the ways in which shoes can, variously, plunge us back into the past or inform the present. Whether worn for comfort or glamour, they are powerful indicators of taste and identity. Also, Maruta Herding, a sociologist at the German Youth Institute, discusses her Europe wide research into Muslim youth, subcultures. She's joined by Tufyal Choudhury lecturer in law at the University of Durham. Producer: Jayne Egerton. Shoes - a journey through our lives. Also, young Muslim subcultures in Europe. New research on how society works |
| Shopping | 20220608 | 20220612 (R4) | Shopping: Laurie Taylor talks to Rachel Bowlby, Professor of Comparative Literature at University College London, about the history of shops & shopping, from pedlars to chain stores, markets to home delivery. Shops have occupied radically different places in political arguments and in our everyday lives, over time. They are sites of purchase but also of community. What's their future in the age of Covid? Also, Robin Sheriff, Associate Professor of Anthropology at the University of New Hampshire, explores young American women's dreams of shopping. What can dreams tell us about cultural change and consumption? Producer: Jayne Egerton The history of the high street. Also, dreams of consumption. New research on how society works |
| Shyness, Names | 20160921 | 20160925 (R4) | Shyness: Laurie Taylor talks to Joe Moran, Professor of English and Cultural History at Liverpool John Moores University and the author of study of the 'shrinking violet' in history and sociology. Also, a sociology of naming. Jane Pilcher, Associate Professor of Sociology at the University of Leicester, explores the relationship between names and our sense of identity. Producer: Jayne Egerton. Shyness: a cultural history. Also, the relationship between names and identity. New research on how society works |
| Sickness Benefit Recipients, New Society 50 Years On | 20121003 | 20121007 (R4) | Sickness benefit claimants and their fear of the 'brown envelope'. Laurie Taylor hears about a new study into the views and experiences of the long term sick and disabled in the context of ongoing welfare reforms. The researcher, Kayleigh Garthwaite, highlights their ambivalence - whilst some have a deep seated anxiety about losing rights and income; others hope it will distinguish between the genuinely ill, such as themselves, and those that are 'faking'. Also, the former social science magazine 'New Society' broke new and radical grounds in its creation of a space for thoughtful debate about everyday culture and social issues; showcasing the ideas of academics and intellectuals as diverse as Angela Carter and Richard Hoggart. A former editor, Paul Barker, analyses the heyday and legacy of 'New Society' 50 years after its launch. He's joined by the writer, Lynsey Hanley and the Professor of Cultural Studies, Fred Inglis. Producer: Jayne Egerton. Sickness benefit claimants, and 'New Society' 50 years on. Presented by Laurie Taylor. New research on how society works |
| Size Discrimination | 20180606 | 20180610 (R4) | Laurie Taylor is joined by Lynne Vallone, Professor of Childhood Studies, to discuss her book, Big and Small, in which she explores the often uncomfortable implications of using physical measures to judge normalcy and perceptions of beauty. Tanya S Osensky is an attorney who has made it her personal crusade to highlight the discrimination faced by short people in our society and to suggest ways of changing this. In her book, Shortchanged, Tanya reflects on her own experiences of being short as well as addressing 'heightism' in the workplace, in social situations, and beyond. She joins the discussion on the line from Atlanta, Georgia. Producer Natalia Fernandez. Laurie Taylor considers what it means to be very tall, very big or very short. New research on how society works |
| Skateboarding, Parkour | 20190227 | 20190304 (R4) 20200819 (R4) 20200823 (R4) | Skateboarding and parkour: Laurie Taylor explores lifestyle sports in the hyper regulated city. Iain Borden, Professor of Architecture and Urban Culture at UCL, considers the origins, history and thrill of skateboarding. They're joined by Thomas Raymen, a senior lecturer in the Social Sciences department at Northumbria University, who followed a group of Newcastle free running enthusiasts, from wall to rooftop, and probed the contradictions between transgression and conformity to the values of consumer capitalism. Revised repeat. Producer: Jayne Egerton Skateboarding and parkour: lifestyle sport in the hyper regulated city. New research on how society works |
| Skill | 20220202 | 20220207 (R4) | SKILL: Laurie Taylor explores the social construction of skilled and unskilled work. Far from being objective categories, Chris Warhurst, Professor & Director of the Institute for Employment Research at the University of Warwick, suggests a more complex history, one which has favoured male workers. They're joined by Natasha Iskander, Associate Professor of Urban Planning and Public Service at NYU, whose new study takes us into Qatar's booming construction industry in the lead-up to the 2022 World Cup. She argues that the experiences of migrant workers reveals the way in which the distinction between the `skilled` and `unskilled` is used to limit freedom and personhood. Does skill make us human? Producer: Jayne Egerton Laurie Taylor explores the social construction of the notion of skilled work. New research on how society works |
| Slumming | 20090520 | 20090524 (R4) | Slumming' was the name given to the thousands of white middle class voyeurs crossing boundaries of race, class and sexual orientation to trip into the worlds of the poor on their dorstep. There they learnt to drop the restraints of respectability and savoured an often salatious sense of sex and discovery in the period of prohibition. The jazz raged, the 'pansies' preened, but after the party what was the effect on the communities they visitied? Laurie talks to the author of Slumming, Chad Heap, and the writer Bonnie Greer about the impact that the wild white adventuring in urban areas had on sexual and racial politics in America. Slumming: how whites' wild times in America's black areas changed sex and politics forever New research on how society works |
| Small Towns, Patient Rescue And Resuscitation | 20160309 | 20160314 (R4) | Small towns: Laurie Taylor talks to Steve Hanson, Associate Lecturer in Sociology at the University of Lincoln, and author of an ethnographic study of Todmorden in 'austere' times. Dr Hanson returned to his home town, on the border of Lancashire and Yorkshire, to immerse himself in the life and times of a place which has almost halved since its industrial heyday. He finds micro worlds that never encounter each other, debunking the myth that people in small towns all know each other's business. They're joined by Katherine Tyler, Lecturer in Anthropology at the University of Exeter. Rescuing 'acute' patients: what happens when patients in a hospital ward become acutely unwell? Nicola Mackintosh, Research Fellow at Kings College, London, interviewed doctors, nurses, health care assistants and managers at two UK hospitals, in order to explore the practice of 'rescue' and patient safety on the front line. A study of Todmorden. Also, the rescue and resuscitation of chronic patients. New research on how society works |
| Smart Cities | 20180725 | 20180729 (R4) | Smart Cities: Laurie Taylor presents a special edition of Thinking Allowed which was recorded at the Open University in Milton Keynes. He was joined by Sophie Watson, Professor of Sociology at the Open University, Oliver Zanetti, Visiting Fellow at the Open University and Gillian Rose, Professor of Human Geography at Oxford University. Producer: Jayne Egerton. Laurie Taylor presents a special edition recorded at the Open University in Milton Keynes. New research on how society works |
| Snobbery | 20190220 | 20190225 (R4) 20200405 (R4) | Snobbery is defined as the behaviour or attitude of people who think they are better than others. Laurie Taylor explores the social history, meaning and changing nature of this sense of superiority. He talks to David Morgan, Emeritus Professor of Sociology at the University of Manchester, Bev Skeggs, Professor of Sociology at the LSE and Florence Sutcliffe Braithwaite, Lecturer in 20th Century History at University College, London. Producer: Jayne Egerton Snobbery - its meaning, history and changing nature. New research on how society works |
| Social Capital | 20100623 | 20100627 (R4) | A new concept came along, 'social capital', and it revolutionised the way people are governed and communities are planned. The only trouble is ...it's completely wrong. That is the contention of sociologist Ben Fine. He claims that 'social capital' is part of a mindset that sees everything as quantifiable assets akin to money or commercial resources. Are communities, neighbourhoods and the people more complicated than that? Laurie Taylor discusses an idea which has had a huge impact on social science and beyond, and asks whether it is time to abandon the assumption that people have social qualities that can be weighed and measured. David Halpern from the Institute for Government defends the concept. Also, what does it mean to be a twin? A new study by Kate Bacon defines the social pressures put on twins' behaviour. She explores the extent to which twins can escape their identities as one half of a double act and what they do to forge their own identities. Producer: Charlie Taylor. Is the buzz phrase 'social capital' a big mistake? Also, what it means to be a twin. New research on how society works |
| Social Capital, Gentrification | 20120808 | 20120812 (R4) | What happens when middle class white people move into vibrant, ethnically diverse and challenging areas in inner city London? Emma Jackson talks to Laurie about the developing attitudes of the 'gentrifiers' in Peckham and in Brixton. Also, Irena Grugulis, author of Jobs for the Boys returns to the programme: She address points raised by listeners on her study of networking in the media and discusses the concept of 'social capital'. Producer: Charlie Taylor. White middle-class settlers in edgy areas, plus how to get ahead in the media. New research on how society works |
| Social Stigma And Negative Labels, Migraine | 20150128 | 20150202 (R4) | Migraine: a cultural history. How did a painful and disabling disorder come to be seen as a symptom of femininity? Laurie Taylor talks to Joanna Kempner, Assistant Professor of Sociology at Rutgers University, about her research into the gendered values which feed into our understanding of pain. Also, 'chavs' and 'pramfaces': Anoop Nayak, Professor in Social and Cultural Geography at Newcastle University, discusses a study into how marginalised young men and women resist the social stigma attached to negative labels. He's joined by Helen Wood, Professor of Media and Communication at the University of Leicester. Producer: Jayne Egerton. A cultural history of migraine. Also 'pramfaces' - denigrating the working class? New research on how society works |
| Sociologists And The Financial Crisis, Against Security | 20121017 | 20121021 (R4) | Are the stringent checks at airports really for our benefit? 'Against Security', a new book by the acclaimed American sociologist, Harvey Molotch, explores the complex systems which are designed to make us feel safe in public places. He tells Laurie Taylor why he thinks that security measures in airports and subways, post 9.11, have damaged the pleasure and dignity of our daily lives. They're joined by the design critic, Stephen Bayley. Also, Sociology's failure to address the financial crisis. The social scientist, Alberto Toscano's paper 'Reformism and Melancholia' argues that the twin spectres of Fordism and Keynesianism have prevented sociologists from imagining a future beyond austerity. Producer: Jayne Egerton. Security systems - their pitfalls. Also, a sociological take on the financial crisis. New research on how society works |
| Softer Masculinity In The Sixth Form, Dr Who | 20110105 | 20110110 (R4) | The Daleks are obsessed with racial purity and dedicated to a policy of genocide: they represent the Nazis. The Jagrafess is a loathsome alien purveying useless information - which he has censored, rewritten and controlled: he represents a modern day media mogul. This is the theory of the US academic Marc Edward DiPaolo who has analysed the political content of five decades of Doctor Who. He finds that the Time Lord is a liberal, bohemian, pacifist environmentalist, and definitely anti-American. Is Doctor Who a closet radical? Laurie and Marc discuss the contention with journalist, broadcaster and some-time Dr Who script-writer Matthew Sweet. Also on the programme: Softening Masculinities. New research by Mark McCormac finds that British secondary school boys are far less restrictive in their behaviour than they used to be. It is okay to use conditioner, comment on someone's clothes, and even give each other a hug. Is Doctor Who political? Laurie explores the notion of an historical anti-American bias. New research on how society works |
| Solo Living, Response To Wall Street | 20091209 | 20091214 (R4) | The number of people living in single person households has doubled since 1971. Why are more people living alone and what are the consequences for the environment and the economy? How do ideas in the popular press of the single lifestlye really match reality? Laurie Taylor talks to Lynn Jamieson, Professor of Sociology at the University of Edinburgh, and to Jan MacVarish from the University of Kent about one of the biggest demographic shifts since World War Two. Also in the programme, Laurie discusses anthropological research into the culture of Wall Street. How much is the global economy influenced by the culture of bankers; are wider, brutal economic forces the more powerful player? Laurie talks to Professor of Sociology Robin Blackburn, from the University of Essex. Why are more people living on their own and what are the consequences for society? New research on how society works |
| South African Land Reform, Intimate Life | 20070627 | 20070701 (R4) | SOUTH AFRICAN LAND REFORM When the ANC came to power in South Africa in 1994, it was committed to make land reform a priority. One way to do this was to strengthen the land rights of the rural poor, another way was re-distribution. The political belief was that the injustices of apartheid could only be corrected by providing the landless and the disadvantaged with an opportunity which they never had before, the ability to acquire their very own piece of land. Land reform is a powerful symbol in South African politics. Ministers of Agriculture in South Africa often begin a period in office by saying all farms will be returned' to black claimants. The latest of these announcements was given last year by Lulu Xingwana, Minister for Agriculture and land Affairs in 2006. She claimed all farms would be redistributed to black farmers by December 2008. However, the country operates under the rule of law and has a complex legal system where white farmers have been successful in beating the government in the courts. Dr Deborah James, Reader in the Department of Anthropology, London School of Economics outlines the progress of South Africa land reform in her new book Gaining Ground?: Rights' and property' in South African Land Reform. INTIMATE LIFE In the forties and fifties Britain had one of the most socially conservative moral codes in Europe backed by a severe legal system. Over the last 60 years there has been a dramatic change in the way intimate decisions about our lives are made. Laurie Taylor is joined by Professor Jeffrey Weeks, author of a new book entitled The World We Have Won and Lynne Segal, Professor of Psychology and Gender Studies at Birkbeck University to discuss the transformations in people's erotic and intimate life since 1945. What political changes have taken place for gay people and heterosexual women during that time? Has there been a democratisation' of sexuality and individual autonomy? How has erotic and intimate life changed since 1945? Laurie Taylor examines a new report. New research on how society works |
| Special Programme On Winner Of Ethnography Award | 20170412 | 20170416 (R4) | The winner of the British Sociological Association/Thinking Allowed Ethnography award 2017 is Hilary Pilkington, Professor of Sociology at the University of Manchester. She talks to Laurie Taylor about her study of the English Defence League. What beliefs and goals animate this right wing populist group? What ethnical issues are raised by studying the extreme Right? She's joined by the celebrated American sociologist, Arlie Hochschild, who took a similar journey to the white heartlands of the American Right. Producer: Jayne Egerton. A special programme on the winner of the BSA/Thinking Allowed Ethnography award. New research on how society works |
| Spectacular Cities | 20190313 | 20190318 (R4) 20200503 (R4) | Spectacular urbanisation: The world's tallest building is in Dubai and the 2022 World Cup in soccer will be played in fabulous Qatar facilities. But what role do the sensational cities of the Arabian Peninsula play in urban development across the Earth? Laurie Taylor talks to Harvey Molotch, Professor of Sociology at New York University and to Davide Ponzini , Associate Professor of Urban Planning at Politecnico di Milano, Italy. Also, Natalie Koch, Associate Professor of Geography at Syracuse University, asks why autocrats in resource rich nations build spectacular new capital cities. Producer: Jayne Egerton Spectacular cities - from Kazakhstan to the United Arab Emirates. New research on how society works |
| Spending The Home, The New Age Community Of Esalen | 20070509 | 20070513 (R4) | SPENDING THE HOME People are increasingly considering their home as the main part of their financial future. With house prices on the rise, one third of people are cashing in on their house equity early spending the money in a variety of ways, from holidays, to house improvements, to children's education and even for personal retirement. Susan Smith, Professor of Geography at Durham University, thinks that this shift fundamentally changes what 'home' means to the UK population and talks about the findings of her latest research 'Banking on Housing; Spending the Home'. THE NEW AGE COMMUNITY OF ESALEN Laurie Taylor is joined by Professor Jeffrey Kripal author of Esalen: America and the Religion of No Religion and Eileen Barker,Professor Emeritus of Sociology with Special Reference to the Study of Religion at the London School of Economics to discuss the history of Esalen, its philosophy and the effects it has had on the new age. Laurie Taylor discusses a scholarly study of Esalen, the Californian institute. New research on how society works |
| Sport And Philosophy, Inside An African-caribbean Football Club | 20170614 | 20170618 (R4) | Laurie Taylor talks to David Papineau - Professor of Philosophy at Kings College London - whose latest book addresses the philosophical questions that sport raises, from highlighting the difference between rules and conventions to challenging the orthodox economic view of altruism and group decision making. Dr Paul Ian Campbell is Course Director for Sociology and Senior Lecturer at Coventry University. He talks to Laurie about the ethnographic study he has carried out of an African-Caribbean-founded football club in the East Midlands. The development of the club during the period that he covers - 1970 to 2010 - was intimately connected to wider changes in the social and sporting landscape. Producer: Torquil MacLeod. What sport teaches us about philosophy and the evolution of an East Midlands football club New research on how society works |
| Sport Under Communism, Regeneration Games | 20120725 | 20120729 (R4) | Advanced CCTV, security cordons and an £80 million pound electric fence: The security impact of the Olympics is already being felt in the London Borough of Newham. Security procedures are some of the most intense and developed in the world, designed to protect not only Olympic visitors but also future residents of the 40,000 new homes due to be completed by the end of the decade. Newham is one of the most impoverished areas in the country and the condition of its current residents stands in sharp contrast to the lives of people flooding into the borough for the Olympics. Laurie Taylor talks to Gary Armstrong about a large scale study of security, policing and the impact of the 'Regeneration Olympics' on the lives of the residents of Newham. Also on the programme, Laurie speaks to Jonathan Grix about 'sport under communism' and why East Germany was, for two decades, one of the most successful nations in the Summer and Winter Olympics. Producer: Jayne Egerton. Laurie Taylor discusses the security impact of the Olympics. Also, sport under communism. New research on how society works |
| Squatting, A Cross Cultural History. Plus Taking Ones Clothes Off In Public. | 20170301 | 20170306 (R4) | Squatting: Laurie Taylor discusses the first popular history of squatting in Europe and North America. Alexander Vasudevan, Associate Professor of Human Geography at the University of Oxford, drew on extensive archival research to retrace alternative forms of housing from Copenhagen's Christiana 'Free Town' to the Lower East Side of Manhattan. He's joined by Lucy Finchett-Maddock, Lecturer in Law at the University of Sussex Also: 'Streaking', 'mooning' and 'flashing'. Barbara Brownie, Senior Lecturer in Visual Communication at the University of Hertfordshire, explores the many meanings of public disrobement, from the playful to the criminal. Producer: Alice Bloch. Squatting: a cross-cultural history. Also, taking one's clothes off in public. New research on how society works |
| Stag Tourism, Men And Childbirth | 20120118 | 20120123 (R4) | Vomiting, urinating openly, dressing up as women and public nudity - some of the features of the Stag Tour which show a new kind of masculinity, claims new research from Thomas Thurnell-Read. He tells Laurie that far from the controlled, contained and emotionally repressed image of traditional men, these young men are letting it all hang out - at least for one weekend. Also on the programme how men experience the process of childbirth. Are they sidelined by the medical process? Alan Dolan talks about his latest research. The social commentator Owen Jones also joins the discussion of modern young men and how masculinity is changing. Producer: Charlie Taylor. Stag Tours and men's experience of childbirth. Laurie encounters the modern male. New research on how society works |
| Stammering And Identity, Land Of Too Much | 20130515 | 20130519 (R4) | Poverty versus abundance in the US - why does America have more poor people than any other developed country? How can its great wealth fail to impact on the 46 million Americans, who, according to official figures, live below the poverty line? US sociologist, , Monica Prasad, suggests some reasons. She talks to Laurie Taylor about her new book, 'The Land of too Much: American Abundance and the Paradox of Poverty', arguing that we can't answer these questions by saying that America has always been a liberal, laissez-faire state - it hasn't. Instead, she claims that a particular tradition of government intervention in America has undermined the development of a European-style welfare state. They're joined by Professor of Social Policy, Peter Taylor-Gooby, who provides a British perspective. Also, stammering and identity - Dr Clare Butler discusses her interview based research into how people who stammer learn to control, conceal and rise above the stigma of having a style of speech which departs from the norm. Producer: Jayne Egerton. Poverty versus abundance in the US. Plus managing a social stigma for people who stammer. New research on how society works |
| Stan Cohen (1942, 2013) | 20130213 | 20130218 (R4) | Stan Cohen - Laurie Taylor presents a special programme which pays tribute to the work and legacy of one of the most significant sociologists of our times. Eminent social scientists, Stuart Hall, Conor Gearty and Howard Becker, highlight his unique personality and contribution. And in the studio, three younger academics, Dr Claire Moon, Senior Lecturer in the Sociology of Human Rights, Dr Karen Lumsden, Lecturer in Sociology and David Scott, Senior Lecturer in Criminology and Criminal Justice, discuss Stan Cohen's ongoing influence . Producer: Jayne Egerton. Laurie Taylor pays tribute to the work and legacy of the sociologist, Stan Cohen. New research on how society works |
| Steeltown, Life After Burberry | 20120404 | 20120408 (R4) | When the factories close, what happens to the communities they leave behind? In this week's programme, Laurie investigates the effects of industrial decline in Wales, examining in-depth sociological studies of the residents of two industrial Welsh towns. Professor Valerie Walkerdine discusses the impact of the closure of the steelworks in 'Steeltown.' How does an community cope when its focal point finally closes? How does the community attempt to maintain a sense of identity? How do young men deal with the embarrassment of being branded mammy's boys for having to take on 'feminine' work? And how do women manage to hold the community together? Also in the programme, Jean Jenkins tells Laurie about her research on how the closure of the Burberry factory in Treorchy affected non-work life for the workers concerned. Many people found part time work, but did that really improve their life at home? Producer: Charlie Taylor. Steeltown meltdown and Burberry closure - life after industry death in two Welsh towns. New research on how society works |
| Stigma | 20180131 | 20180205 (R4) | Stigma - Laurie Taylor explores the origins and meaning of Erving Goffman's famous sociological concept and the ways it's being re-cast by social scientists in the 21st century. He's joined by Graham Scambler, Emeritus Professor of Sociology at University College, London, Lisa Morris, Lecturer in Social Work at the University of Birmingham and Joanna Latimer, Professor of Sociology at the University of York. Producer: Jayne Egerton. Stigma - an old sociological concept revisited and recast for the 21st century. New research on how society works |
| Stop And Search, Cancer Patients And Welfare Reform | 20150916 | 20150920 (R4) | Stop & Search: Laurie Taylor explores a police practice which is seen as a vital tool against crime by law enforcers, but has been dogged by controversy. He's joined by Michael Shiner, Associate Professor of Social Policy at the LSE, and editor of a new collection of research which assesses the use & misuse of the tactic. How did it arise and what is its future? Also, Suzanne Moffatt, Senior Lecturer at Newcastle University, discusses her study into a group of cancer patients experience of current welfare reforms. Producer: Jayne Egerton. Laurie Taylor examines the history and future of an often controversial police tactic. New research on how society works |
| Stories Behind Immigration, Winner Of The Ethnography Award | 20150422 | 20150426 (R4) | This year, the BBC's Thinking Allowed, in association with the British Sociological Association, launched the second year of its award for a study that has made a significant contribution to ethnography, the in-depth analysis of the everyday life of a culture or sub-culture. Laurie Taylor presents a special edition of Thinking Allowed to mark the announcement of the winner of the 2015 award. Laurie and a team of leading academics - Professor Beverley Skeggs, Professor Adam Kuper, Dr Coretta Phillips and Dr Louise Westmarland - were tasked with judging the study that has made the most significant contribution to ethnography over the past year. Ethnographic studies in the past have often illuminated lives which were little understood or stigmatised such as the urban poor in 1930s Chicago and the mods and rockers of 50s Britain. This year the judges combed through an extraordinary diversity of entries to arrive at a shortlist of 7: Flip-Flop: A Journey Through Globalisation's Backroads by Caroline Knowles. The Social Order of the Underworld: How Prison Gangs Govern the American Penal System by David Skarbek Lesbian Lives in Soviet and Post-Soviet Russia by Francesca Stella. Illegality Inc: Clandestine Migration and the Business of Bordering Europe by Ruben Andersson. Songs of the Factory: Pop Music, Culture and Resistance by Marek Korczynski Human Rights as War by Other Means: Peace Politics in Northern Ireland by Jennifer Curtis. Educational Binds of Poverty: The Lives of School Children by Ceri Brown. After much passionate and lively debate, the winner can be announced. Producer: Jayne Egerton. The winner of the 2015 BBC/BSA Ethnography Award. New research on how society works |
| Strangers | 20220112 | 20220117 (R4) | Strangers: Laurie Taylor explores Xenophobia, the fear or hatred of those we do not know. Evolutionary psychologists often describe it as a natural and timeless phenomenon rooted in ancient history. But how accurate is that bleak assessment? George Makari, historian and Director of the DeWitt Wallace Institute, has authored a new study sparked by the resurgence of Xenophobia in 2016. He set out to explore the origins of the concept: Coined by late nineteenth-century medics and political commentators, it emerged alongside Western nationalism, colonialism, mass migration, and genocide. Can an understanding of its complex history offer a more hopeful vision of human co-operation in the future? They're joined by Jonathan Purkis, an independent academic and lifelong aficionado of hitchhiking culture. His history of hitchhiking argues that 'driving with strangers' can offer unique opportunities for cooperation, friendship and an openness to the feared 'other'. Producer: Jayne Egerton Strangers & Xenophobia: an exploration of a historically rooted phenomenon. New research on how society works |
| Street Names, The Shock Of Old | 20070523 | STREET NAMES There are a myriad of reasons why people living or working on the street wish to hide their identity - especially from bureaucracy. Dr Tom Hall, Lecturer in Sociology at Cardiff University spent six months with the outreach workers of Cardiff on their nightly patrols of the streets of the city to find out what their work involved, and to understand the importance of identity and anonymity for the prostitutes of the red light district. His findings are compiled in his paper Unknowns, faces, clients and records (Or, What's in a name?) presented at this year's British Sociological Association conference. THE SHOCK OF THE OLD David Edgerton, Hans Rausing Professor at Imperial College London and Founding Director of the Centre for the History of Science is the author of a new book entitled The Shock of the Old' in which he challenges the idea that we live in an era of ever increasing change and suggests that the technologies that will be most important in the twenty first century are often overlooked. Laurie Taylor is joined by Professor Edgerton and Ian Angell, Professor of Information Systems at the London School of Economics, to debate what the future holds for our relationship with technology? Laurie Taylor explores why street people and rough sleepers disguise their identity. New research on how society works | |
| Street Names, The Shock Of Old | 20070527 | STREET NAMES There are a myriad of reasons why people living or working on the street wish to hide their identity - especially from bureaucracy. Dr Tom Hall, Lecturer in Sociology at Cardiff University spent six months with the outreach workers of Cardiff on their nightly patrols of the streets of the city to find out what their work involved, and to understand the importance of identity and anonymity for the prostitutes of the red light district. His findings are compiled in his paper Unknowns, faces, clients and records (Or, What's in a name?) presented at this year's British Sociological Association conference. THE SHOCK OF THE OLD David Edgerton, Hans Rausing Professor at Imperial College London and Founding Director of the Centre for the History of Science is the author of a new book entitled The Shock of the Old' in which he challenges the idea that we live in an era of ever increasing change and suggests that the technologies that will be most important in the twenty first century are often overlooked. Laurie Taylor is joined by Professor Edgerton and Ian Angell, Professor of Information Systems at the London School of Economics, to debate what the future holds for our relationship with technology? Laurie Taylor explores why street people and rough sleepers disguise their identity. New research on how society works | |
| Streetlife, Performing Politics In The Square | 20110406 | 20110410 (R4) | In 1905 Russians gathered at 6 different points to march on the Winter Palace and the streetscape of St Petersburg contributed enormously to their success. The Russian poor were cheek by jowl with the rich and this inflamed a class consciousness which - despite industrialisation - the poor suburbs of Europe did much to dissapate. How does urban geography effect the way societies develop? What have streets given to politics? As street protests continue to challenge authority across the Middle East and violence characterises the marches in our own capital, Laurie is joined by Leif Jerram and John Clarke from the Open University to discuss the role the street in the history of politics. Also on the programme Jeffrey Alexander discusses how the revolution was 'performed' for Egypt and for the rest of the world from Cairo's central square. That compelling drama provided a powerful symbol which was enough to bring down the government. Producer: Charlie Taylor. Street Politics and 'performing' the revolution in Tahrir Square. New research on how society works |
| Strongmen | 20220413 | 20220417 (R4) | Strongmen - what accounts for the global rise of authoritarian leaders? Laurie Taylor talks to Ruth Ben-Ghiat, Professor of History and Italian Studies at New York University, and analyst of the blueprint which autocratic demagogues, from Mussolini to Putin, have followed over the past 100 years. What lessons might be learned to prevent disastrous rule in the future? They're joined by Christophe Jaffrelot, Professor of Indian Politics and Sociology at King's College, London, whose recent study of Narendra Modi, Prime Minister of India, examines how a popularly elected leader has pursued Hindu nationalist policies, steering the world's largest democracy towards further ethnic strife and intolerance, according to many observers. Producer: Jayne Egerton Strongmen: what accounts for the global rise of authoritarian leaders? New research on how society works |
| Stuart Hall | 20110316 | 20110321 (R4) | The Prime Minister recently criticised what he called 'state multiculturalism' and said it had failed, arguing that Britain needs a stronger national identity. Is it time to turn our backs on the multi-cultural idea? And what would a stronger national identity mean to people who feel at the cultural margins of our society? As the politicians debate, Laurie Taylor speaks to Britain's leading cultural theorist, Stuart Hall. They discuss culture, politics, race and nation in a special edition of Thinking Allowed. Producer: Charlie Taylor. A special edition: Laurie talks to cultural theorist Stuart Hall. New research on how society works |
| Stuart Hall (1932-2014) | 20140212 | 20140217 (R4) | In memory of Stuart Hall: a special programme paying tribute to the leading cultural theorist and former director of the Birmingham Centre for Cultural Studies. A pioneer of 'multiculturalism', he documented the changing character of 'post Imperial' British society. Laurie Taylor is joined by Caspar Melville, Lecturer in Global Creative and Cultural Industries at SOAS, Baroness Lola Young and Jeremy Gilbert, editor of the journal, New Formations. They explore Stuart Hall's life, influence and legacy. Producer: Jayne Egerton. A tribute to the leading cultural theorist Stuart Hall, who died this week. New research on how society works |
| Subcultures | 20100630 | 20100704 (R4) | The term subculture has often been used to describe counter cultural youth groups such as Teddy Boys and Goths. But this week Thinking Allowed hears from young sociologists from York University who've explored the sub culture of pop fans. What are the attractions of belonging to such communities of music enthusiasts? Tonya Anderson talks about women in their forties who link up with other Duran Duran fans via the internet in their bedrooms. And Rosemary Hill reveals the altogether noisier world of female heavy metal aficionados. Professor Angela McRobbie joins Laurie Taylor in the studio to ask where the fans of teen pop and heavy metal do or don't fit into the history and meaning of subcultures. Girly pop and heavy metal: Laurie Taylor visits a university conference on sub-cultures. New research on how society works |
| Suburbia Planning, Modernity Forgets | 20091021 | 20091026 (R4) | How do housing estates and suburbs serve or fail to serve their residents? Three out of four British people live in the suburbs, many of which grew as cities and their populations expanded. Laurie Taylor is joined by Paul Barker and Lynsey Hanley to discuss housing estates and suburbs. What form of housing most fulfills people's desires? And will urban planning ever be able to fulfill Aneurin Bevan's dream of social integration? Also on the programme, why modernity makes us forgetful. Does the speed and transience of life today damage our shared and individual memories? The social anthropologist Paul Connerton thinks it does. He discusses his latest book with Laurie Taylor. From suburbia to housing estates, Laurie Taylor discusses town and city planning. New research on how society works |
| Suburbia Revisited | 20180711 | 20180715 (R4) | Suburbia Revisited: Has it ceased to be a place of leafy affluence as poverty has migrated from the city? New research suggests the decline of an American 'golden age' of white picket fences and two garage homes. Laurie Taylor explores the origin, myth and reality of the suburban dream, in Britain as well as the US. Is the suburbanisation of poverty a widespread phenomenon? He's joined by Mark Clapson, Professor of Social and Urban History at the University of Westminster, Scott Allard, Professor of Social Policy at the University of Washington and Anne Power, Professor of Social Policy at the London School of Economics Producer: Jayne Egerton. Laurie Taylor explores the latest research into how society works. New research on how society works |
| Success And Luck, Cosmopolitanism And Private Education | 20161207 | 20161212 (R4) | Success and Luck: Good Fortune and the Myth of Meritocracy. Laurie Taylor talks to Robert H. Frank, Professor of Economics at Cornell University's Johnson School of Management, about the role luck has to play in life's successes, or failures. Frank argues that chance is much more significant than people give it credit for. Lynsey Hanley, writer and Visiting Fellow at the Research Centre for Literature and Cultural History at Liverpool John Moores University, joins the discussion. Also, Claire Maxwell, Reader of Sociology of Education at the UCL Institute of Education, University College London, talks about her co-authored paper looking at the attitudes of privately-educated young women towards the idea of cosmopolitanism. Did they feel like global citizens, or were their aspirations confined to the local and the national? Producer: Natalia Fernandez. Success and luck. Also private school attitudes towards cosmopolitanism. New research on how society works |
| Sugar | 20231004 | 20231008 (R4) | SUGAR: Laurie Taylor explores the ways in which the sweet stuff has transformed our politics, health, history and even family relationships. He's joined by Ulbe Bosma, Professor of International Comparative Social History at the Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, and author of a tour de force global history of sugar and its human costs, from its little-known origins as a luxury good in Asia to transatlantic slavery and the obesity pandemic. Also, Imogen Bevan, Research Fellow in Anthropology at the University of Edinburgh, considers the bittersweet nature of sugar consumption and kinship in Scotland. During extensive fieldwork in primary schools, homes and community groups, she traced the values and meanings attributed to sugar - its role in cementing social bonding, marking out special occasions and offering rewards to children, in particular. Far from being a simple and pleasurable choice, she found it often had a fraught, morally ambivalent presence in family life. Producer: Jayne Egerton Sugar: its social history and meaning in our lives. New research on how society works |
| Suicide Bombers, Luxury | 20071114 | 20071119 (R4) | SUICIDE BOMBERS Can the nineteenth century sociologist Emile Durkheim provide the key to understanding present-day suicide bombers? Laurie Taylor is joined by James Dingley, Chairman of Northern Light Review, who, this Saturday,will be presenting a paper entitled Durkheimiam Analysis of Suicide Bombing at the University of Kent conference on Suicide Bombers in the Middle East. LUXURY Luxury brands were distinctive for being small, often family owned businesses with a dedication to traditional craftsmanship. Now that has all changed and they are more likely to be part of massive international conglomerates like LVMH which by 2005 had more than fifty brands including Moet Chandon champagne, Givenchy couture, Tag Heuer watches. Has it changed the products? Has it changed concept of luxury? Laurie Taylor find out the meaning of luxury in an age of mass production and debates the idea that luxury has changed forever with Dana Thomas, author of Deluxe, How Luxury Lost its Lustre and Angela McRobbie, Professor of Communications at Goldsmiths College, University of London. Laurie Taylor tries to understand present-day suicide bombers with James Dingley. New research on how society works |
| Suicide, The Midriff | 20090429 | 20090503 (R4) | Laurie Taylor talks to Caroline Simone about her new study of the families of suicide victims, and hears how retelling stories of the experience can help people enormously. Also, how the 'mid-riff' has become a professional term in the advertising industry to signal a post-feminist generation who see no contradiction between sexiness and equality. The 'midriffs' get their name from the late 1980s Madonna-influenced style for exposed abdomens and pierced belly buttons. Laurie talks to Rosalind Gill about her study of the depiction of women in advertising, and asks whether the ad industry has rejected or merely repackaged its old sexism. Laurie Taylor talks to Caroline Simone about her study of the families of suicide victims. New research on how society works |
| Sunlight Technology And Health, Global Workers | 20070516 | 20070520 (R4) | SUNLIGHT TECHNOLOGY AND HEALTH Dr Simon Carter, Lecturer in Sociology at the Open University, talks about his recently completed historical study in which he examines the cultural turn towards the sun and sunlight in early twentieth century Europe. His research analyses of the roles that sunlight played in the mediation of such notions as health, pleasure, the body, gender and class. GLOBAL WORKERS Globalisation, and the sourcing of manufacturing labour in the developing world has an enormous effect upon the lives of labourers in those countries, can they use the tactics of the labour movement of the developing world to improve their working conditions? Laurie Taylor is joined by Dr Stephanie Barrientos, Research Fellow at the Institute of development Studies at Sussex University and Paul Mason, Newsnight Business and Industry Correspondent and Author of Live Working or Die Fighting; How the Working Class Went Global. Laurie Taylor hears surprising tales from a Peruvian anthropologist. New research on how society works |
| Super Rich: The 1% Of The 1% | 20170104 | 20170109 (R4) | The 'Super Rich' - Laurie Taylor presents a special programme on the 1% of the 1%. Rowland Atkinson, Research Chair in Inclusive Society at the University of Sheffield, Roger Burrow, Professor of Cities at Newcastle University and Emma Spence, PhD Researcher at Cardiff University explore the origins of this wealthiest of elites and their impact on our cities and lives. Producer: Jayne Egerton. Laurie Taylor and guests explore the origins of this wealthiest of elites. New research on how society works |
| Superheroes, Ribbon Culture | 20080220 | 20080225 (R4) | SUPERHEROES General fascination with the idea of a superhero is extraordinarily enduring. Superman, Batman and Spider-Man have survived translations from the comic page into a range of media and have somehow been able to adapt to social circumstances quite different to those which surrounded their original creation. Laurie Taylor talks to cultural commentator Roz Kaveney about her study entitled Superheroes! Capes and Crusaders in Comics and Films; They are joined by Kim Newman, author of Cat People and Apocalypse Movies to discuss the enduring appeal of Superheroes. RIBBON CULTURE The first ribbon campaign was lead by Penelope Laingen in 1979. However, awareness ribbons did not become internationally popular until the 1990s with the introduction of the Red Ribbon Campaign for AIDS awareness. Researcher Sarah Moore, in her recently published book Ribbon Culture: Charity, Compassion, and Public Awareness, says that popular Ribbon Culture came about initially as a means of going against the grain, by focussing on controversial topics. But although charities claim that ribbons spread awareness, she thinks that it has become a fashion item, making giving to charity easy without the need to really consider the cause it supports'. Laurie Taylor discusses the enduring appeal of Superheroes with Roz Kaveney. New research on how society works |
| Supermax, Western Rule | 20101103 | 20101108 (R4) | Laurie Taylor explores the growth of high security prisons in America alongside the increased use of solitary confinement with criminologist Dr Sharon Shalev whose book 'Supermax' examines both topics. Laurie's second discussion is with Professor Ian Morris whose major new book 'Why The West Rules- For Now' examines the rise and fall and rise of Eastern and Western societies and asks whether it's possible for historians to predict the future with any confidence. Producer: Chris Wilson. Laurie Taylor explores the growth of high security prisons in America. New research on how society works |
| Surnames, War, Politics And Comic Strip Superheroes | 20111005 | 20111009 (R4) | Laurie Taylor explores surnames and comic book superheroes. New research on how society works |
| Surveillance | 20190116 | 20190121 (R4) 20200902 (R4) 20200906 (R4) | Surveillance: Laurie Taylor explores the way in which we have become the watchers, as well as the watched. From 9/11 to the Snowden leaks, stories about surveillance increasingly dominate the headlines. But surveillance is not only 'done to us' - it is something we do in everyday life. We submit to surveillance, believing we have nothing to hide. Or we try to protect our privacy. At the same time, we participate in surveillance in order to supervise children, monitor other road users, and safeguard our property. Social media allow us to keep tabs on others, as well as on ourselves. Laurie Taylor explores the contemporary culture of surveillance. He's joined by Kirstie Ball, Professor of Management at the University of St Andrews, and David Lyon, Professor in the Department of Sociology at Queen's University, Canada. Revised repeat. Producer: Jayne Egerton Surveillance - how we are both watchers, as well as the watched. New research on how society works |
| Survival Of The City | 20220907 | 20220911 (R4) | Survival of the City: Laurie Taylor talks to Edward Glaeser, Fred and Eleanor Glimp Professor of Economics at Harvard University and author of a study examining the future of urban life at a time when the pandemic has exposed failures of governance. Whilst cities have been engines for creativity and wealth, they have also, of late, exposed deep inequities in health care and education and advances in technology mean many can opt out of city life as never before. So are we moving to a post urban world? Or will the city continue to thrive and re-invent itself? Producer: Jayne Egerton Survival of the city: how do cities manage to thrive and re-invent in the face of threats? New research on how society works |
| Tales From The Field, Beauty Capital | 20110914 | 20110918 (R4) | Being beautiful apparently brings big dividends: 'The total effect of facial attractiveness on income is roughly equal to that of educational qualifications or self-confidence', claims Catherine Hakim in her new book Honey Money. Perhaps it's time to give up on exams and spend more time at the spa because Laurie also hears from the U.S. economist Daniel Hamermesh that being beautiful can greatly inflate your pay packet. Also on the programme, Louise Westmarland talks about some of the extraordinary experiences that criminologists have faced whilst researching crime. Producer: Charlie Taylor. Erotic capital and criminologists' tales from the field. New research on how society works |
| Tartan, Dog Ownership | 20081001 | 20081005 (R4) | TARTAN A favourite of punk and the Christmas garb of the Windsors, a textile of tradition and a radical rebellious symbol, from the Jacobites to the Bay City Rollers, Tartan has developed into an extraordinarily potent weave. Is it an invented tradition? How did it garner such seemingly contradictory associations? Laurie Taylor is joined by Jonathan Faiers, Senior Lecturer at Central St Martins College of Art & Design and the author of a new book entitled Tartan; and Murray Pittock, A. C. Bradley Professor of Literature at the University of Glasgow to discuss the cultural and political history of tartan. DOG OWNERSHIP Social psychologist Sarah Knight co-author of a paper entitled In the Company of Wolves discusses the findings of her research on the physical, social and psychological benefits of dog ownership. Laurie Taylor explores the cultural and political history of tartan with Jonathan Faiers. New research on how society works |
| Taste And Lifestyle | 20230510 | 20230514 (R4) | Taste and Lifestyle: Laurie Taylor talks to Ben Highmore, Professor of Cultural Studies at the University of Sussex, whose latest study explores the ways in which consumer culture remade the tastes of an emerging middle class - from pine kitchen tables to Mediterranean cuisine. Did this world of symbolic goods create new feelings and attitudes? Also, Michael McMillan, Associate Lecturer for Cultural and Historical Studies at the London College of Fashion, discusses the migrant experience of African-Caribbean families setting up home in the UK in the mid-20th century. How did the artefacts and objects which dressed the West Indian front room provide an outlet for feelings of displacement and alienation in a society where they weren't always made to feel 'at home'? Producer: Jayne Egerton Taste and Lifestyle: how consumer culture remade taste and the West Indian front room. New research on how society works |
| Taxis And Gps Surveillance, Dancers' Bodies | 20070418 | 20070422 (R4) | TAXIS and GPS SURVEILLANCE Laurie Taylor talks to Sociologist Beverley Geesin about her research in Philadelphia, a city where, in a unique trial all taxis are compelled to have satellite navigation. The state authorities call it a technology enhancement project' promising greater efficiency for passengers. But what about the social impact upon taxicab drivers themselves, as the satellite system constantly monitors their whereabouts. Is this a case of workplace surveillance going to far? Philadelphia taxicab drivers seem to think so and a new phenomenon of resistance to workplace surveillance' is now emerging. DANCERS' BODIES `Ballet dancers, their bodies and suffering for their art`. Professor Anna Aalten is author of an article entitled Listening to the dancer's body and she debates with the ballet dancer Deborah Bull whether the motto No Gain Without Pain has problematic associations in the world of pirouettes. Does the ballet world encourage a dangerous attitude towards physical pain, or does pain help the dancers attune themselves to the limits of their bodies? Laurie Taylor discusses the GPS Surveillance for Taxis and ballet body problems. New research on how society works |
| Tea | 20201202 | 20201207 (R4) | TEA: A dark history. Laurie Taylor talks to the historian, Seren Charrington-Hollins, about the exploitation, wars & intrigue at the heart of the history of that most 'British' hot beverage. Also, Sarah Besky, Associate Professor in the Departments of International and Comparative Labour & Labour Relations, Law, and History in at Cornell University, discusses her study of mass market black tea, one of the world's most recognized commodities, and one which is still rooted in the colonial plantation. Producer: Jayne Egerton Tea: A dark history of Britain's favourite beverage. New research on how society works |
| 'teddies' And 'gollies', Smart-casual Dining | 20130731 | 20130804 (R4) | Smart/casual dining - Once fine dining meant chandeliers, white tablecloths, and suited waiters. Yet today many of us will queue up for a seat at a loud, crowded noodle bar or eagerly seek out street stalls where the burgers are organic. The US food writer, Alison Pearlman, talks to Laurie Taylor about the forms and flavours taken by this 'foodie' revolution. Through on-the-scene observation and interviews with major players and chefs, she explores the blurring of boundaries between high and low cuisine. She's joined by Alan Warde, Professor of Sociology at the University of Manchester. Teddies' and 'Gollies' - US English Professor, Rhoda Zuk, talks to Laurie about her historical study into the place and meaning of teddy bears and golliwogs in children's lives and books, as well as in the 'racist' imagination. Producer: Jayne Egerton. The transformation of gourmet restaurant style. Also, racialised children's literature. New research on how society works |
| Teen Bedrooms, Skydivers | 20170315 | 20170320 (R4) | Get out of my room! A social history of teen bedrooms in America. Laurie Taylor talks to Jason Reid, Lecturer in History at Ryerson University who charts the evolution and meaning of this sanctuary for adolescent self expression.They're joined by Sian Lincoln, Senior Lecturer in Media Studies at Liverpool John Moores University who has explored the role of bedrooms in the lives of young British people. Skydivers & dangerous sports: James Hardie-Bick, Senior Lecturer in Sociology and Criminology at the University of Sussex, discusses the motivations, behaviours and experiences of those who voluntarily engage in high-risk activities Producer: Jayne Egerton. Teen bedrooms. Also, skydivers. New research on how society works |
| Terrorism Studies | 20130710 | 20130714 (R4) | Terrorism Studies' - how it emerged as a new academic field in the post 9/11 world. Laurie Taylor talks to Harvard social scientist, Lisa Stampinitzky, about the themes of her new book 'Disciplining Terror: How Experts Invented 'Terrorism' '. She argues that terrorists are now constructed as pathological and evil personalities who are beyond our understanding, unlike the pre 70s era when the acts of political violence, that we now call terrorism, were seen as the work of rational actors with strategic goals. This transformation of political violence into terrorism is held to have led to the current 'war on terror'. Drawing on archival research as well as interviews with terrorism experts, she traces the struggles through which experts made terrorism, and terrorism made experts. John Bew, a British expert on terrorism, considers and contests the arguments. Also, Christine Fair discusses a groundbreaking study which finds that support for political violence in Pakistan is lower amongst the poor than the middle classes. Producer: Jayne Egerton. Laurie Taylor explores a new academic field emerging. Also, political violence in Pakistan New research on how society works |
| Terrorism: Does It Work?, The 'hotline' | 20170215 | 20170220 (R4) | Terrorism: does it ever work? Laurie Taylor talks to Richard English, Professor of Politics at Queen's University, Belfast and author of a historical study exploring the efficacy of political violence from the Provisional IRA to Hamas. They're joined by John Bew, Professor in History and Foreign Policy at Kings College, London. Also, the origins and development of the 'hotline' . Claudia Aradou, Reader in International Politics at Kings College, London charts the chequered history of a form of communication which arose in the context of the Cuban Missile Crisis and the Cold War. Producer: Jayne Egerton. Terrorism: does it work? Also, the origins and development of the 'hotline'. New research on how society works |
| The Attainment Gap | 20070905 | 20070909 (R4) | THE ATTAINMENT GAP Laurie Taylor presents a special series of three programmes to examine the social gaps which most concern researchers in today's divided Britain: the residential gap, the generation gap and the class gap. Laurie is joined by two policy makers throughout the series, the Conservative MP David Willetts and the Labour MP Frank Field; in this third part they discuss the attainment gap together with two academic experts Leon Feinstein and John Goldthorpe. They consider a rather more traditional and enduring difference between the educational attainments of working class and middle class children and how it perpetuates the disadvantages of poorer families. Laurie Taylor explores the class gap in today's divided Britain. New research on how society works |
| The Bed | 20201230 | 20210104 (R4) | THE BED: Laurie Taylor talks to Nadia Durrani, writer on archaeology and co-author of a study which explores 'what we did in bed', offering a social history of an often taken-for-granted object. In a story spanning millennia, she illuminates the role of the bed through time, reminding us that it was not always simply a private space for sleep, sex and relaxation; it's also been a place for sharing with strangers, issueing decrees, even taking us to the afterlife. Also, the rise and fall of twin beds for couples. Hilary Hinds, Professor of English Literature at Lancaster University , charts shifting attitudes towards separate sleeping. Whereas it was once seen as the sign of a modern, hygiene conscious and forward thinking relationship, it came to be regarded as the enemy of intimacy. Why did so many couples abandon a sleeping arrangement which used to be regarded as one of the keys to re-imagining domestic relations, promoting equality between the sexes and personal autonomy? This is the last of our current series, as Thinking Allowed heads for a long 'lie in' until April 2021. Producer: Jayne Egerton The Bed: an exploration of its history and many uses. New research on how society works |
| The Brave New World Of Virtual Workers, Also Globalisation, The Old And The New. | 20170201 | 20170206 (R4) | Globalisation: the history of the movement of goods, knowledge and people. Laurie Taylor talks to Richard Baldwin, Professor of International Economics at the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies, Geneva and author of a groundbreaking new study. They were joined by Diane Coyle, Professor of Economics at the University of Manchester. Juliet Webster, Director of Work and Equality Research at the LSE, explores the brave new world of virtual workers - characterised by short contracts, flexible working hours and the blurring of boundaries between work and free time. Producer: Jayne Egerton. Globalisation, the old and the new. Also, virtual workers. New research on how society works |
| The British Bobby, Scottish Diaspora | 20090812 | 20090816 (R4) | Laurie Taylor explores the myths and enduring realities of the British police with Clive Emsley and Dick Hobbs. Robert Peel brought the Metropolitan Police Force into being in 1829; it was a centralised body of 3,000 uniformed men expected to patrol designated areas. They were the original 'Bobbies on the Beat'. However, in an age of mass public protests, Chartism and agitation for electoral reform, the police were founded more as a response to a crisis in public order than in a move to protect private property. The Weekly Dispatch of 1829 warned, 'The New Police is a military body employed in civil duties ... it is a powerful engine in the hands of government, and may be employed for the suppression of public freedom.' How much has changed? Laurie also discusses the worldwide influence of the Scottish diaspora and asks why such an enormous number Scots left their country of birth even when times were good. Tom Devine enlightens Laurie ahead of his talk at the Festival of Politics in Edinburgh. Laurie Taylor discusses myth and reality in the history of the British police. New research on how society works |
| The British In South Africa, Romanian Economic Migrants In London | 20150225 | 20150302 (R4) | Migration: the complexities of transnational movement, identity and belonging. Laurie Taylor explores migration in contrasting contexts. He talks to Daniel Briggs, Professor of Criminology at the Universidad Europea, Madrid, about his study of Romanian economic migrants in Britain. Leaving behind the debt and corruption of their home in life in the hope of finding something better, what kinds of lives do they end up living in the UK? Also, Daniel Conway, Lecturer in Politics & International Studies at the Open University, discusses his research into the lives, histories and identities of white British-born immigrants in South Africa, twenty years after the post-apartheid Government took office. Producer: Jayne Egerton. New research on how society works |
| The British Love Of Gardening, Finance And World Events | 20071219 | 20071224 (R4) | THE BRITISH LOVE OF GARDENING Professor Roy Ellen, along with Research Fellow Dr Simon Platten, has recently been awarded a grant by the Leverhulme Trust to carry out a three year project entitled The Ethnobotany of British Homegardens: diversity, knowledge and exchange. They discuss the important place that gardening occupies in British life and explain why such an essential and widespread activity has been so overlooked by social scientists. FINANCE AND WORLD EVENTS In the 1930s, Neville Chamberlain pursued a policy of appeasement towards Hitler, proclaiming optimistically in hindsight, to have `peace for our time`. Almost sixty five years later, prior to the Iraq invasion, President George Bush said `Saddam. We're taking him out.` But how do politicians make the decision when to go to war? Professor Niall Ferguson tells Laurie Taylor why the lessons of the marketplace and the language of financial risk management should be imported into political affairs. He wonders, in times of potential warfare and conflict, if there is a better way and debates the secret influence of stocks and shares on strategy and diplomacy. Laurie Taylor explores the history of British gardening and financial markets. New research on how society works |
| The Bsa And Thinking Allowed Ethnography Award Shortlist | 20160406 | 20160410 (R4) | The Ethnography award 'short list': Thinking Allowed, in association with the British Sociological Association, presents a special programme devoted to the academic research which has been short listed for our third annual award for a study that has made a significant contribution to ethnography, the in-depth analysis of the everyday life of a culture or sub culture. Laurie Taylor is joined by three of the judges: Claire Alexander, Professor of Sociology at the University of Manchester, Helen Sampson, Director of the Seafarers International Research Centre at Cardiff University and Olivia Sheringham, Postdoctoral Research Fellow in the School of Geography at Queen Mary, University of London. Producer: Jayne Egerton. A special programme on the shortlist for the BSA and Thinking Allowed Ethnography Award. New research on how society works |
| The Changing Middle Classes | 20190123 | 20190128 (R4) 20200412 (R4) | The global middle classes: How is the middle class expanding, changing or shrinking in different contexts? Laurie Taylor looks at the rise of the Chinese middle class, as well as the evolution of the African American middle class. He's joined by Bart Landry, Emeritus Professor of Sociology at the University of Maryland and Ying Miao, Lecturer in Politics at Aston University. Producer: Jayne Egerton Laurie Taylor explores the changing middle classes. New research on how society works |
| The Changing Nature Of Crime | 20210901 | 20210905 (R4) | The changing nature of crime: What do current day thieves, gangsters and dealers say about their business' and how its evolved over time? How strict a division is there between the 'respectable' and the 'illicit' world? To what extent are our notions of crime rooted in Hollywood myth making about sharp suited gangsters rather than the more mundane reality? Laurie Taylor explores these questions with Richard Hobbs, Emeritus Professor of Criminology at the University of Essex and author of a new study which analyses the essence of illegal capitalism, from anonymous warehouse thieves to exalted underworld figures such as the Krays. They're joined by Tuesday Reitano, Deputy Director of the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime, whose research highlights the impact on Covid 19 on the illegal economy. She finds that shortages, lockdowns and public attitudes have brought the underworld and upperworld closer together allowing criminals to taking advantage of the virus, finding new routes for illegal commodities, from narcotics to people. Producer: Jayne Egerton The changing nature of crime and the impact of Covid on criminal opportunity. New research on how society works |
| The Class Ceiling | 20190130 | 20190204 (R4) 20200426 (R4) | The Class Ceiling: Why it pays to be privileged. Drawing on four in-depth case studies - acting, accountancy, architecture and television - Sam Friedman, Associate Professor in Sociology at the LSE, argues that the class ceiling' in the elite professions can only be partially attributed to conventional measures of merit'. Instead, he suggests that more powerful drivers include the misrecognition of classed self-presentation as talent' and the affordances of the Bank of Mum and Dad'. He's joined by Louise Ashley, Senior Lecturer in Organization Studies at Royal Holloway, University of London and Anna Williams, Director of Research, Advocacy and Communications at the Sutton Trust. Producer: Jayne Egerton The Class Ceiling: does privilege pay? New research on how society works |
| The Colour Black, Mixed-race People | 20150722 | 20150726 (R4) | Black: the cultural and historical meaning of the darkest colour. From the 'little black dress' which epitomises chic, to its links to death, depression and evil, 'black' embodies many contrasting values. White Europeans exploited the negative associations of 'black' in enslaving millions of Africans whilst artists & designers have endlessly deployed the colour in their creative work. Laurie Taylor talks to John Harvey, Life Fellow of Emmanuel College, Cambridge, about his new book which explores how 'black' came to have such ambiguous and varied meanings. They're joined by Bidisha, the writer and broadcaster. Also, the last 20 years has seen a major growth in the number of people of mixed racial heritage. Miri Song, Professor of Sociology at the University of Kent, talks about her research into the ways that multiracial parents with white partners talk to their their children about race and identity. Producer: Jayne Egerton. Laurie Taylor explores the cultural and historical meaning of the colour black. New research on how society works |
| The Creative Economy, 'grudge' Spending | 20160127 | 20160201 (R4) | The Creative Economy: Angela McRobbie, Professor of Communications at the Goldsmiths, questions what's at stake in the new politics of culture and creativity. Talking to a range of artists, stylists, fashion designers and policy makers, she considers if the new 'creative economy' is a form of labour reform which accustoms the young, urban middle classes to a world of work which lacks the security of previous generations. She's joined by Christopher Frayling, Chancellor of the Arts University, Bournemouth and former Chair of the Arts Council England. Grudge spending: Ian Loader, Professor of Criminology at the University of Oxford, explores how we feel about buying security, compared to more enjoyable forms of spending. Producer: Jayne Egerton. The new politics of culture and creativity. Plus why people begrudge spending on security. New research on how society works |
| The Cultural Context Of Youth Suicide, Memory In A Russian Village | 20070328 | THE CULTURAL CONTEXT OF YOUTH SUICIDE Laurie Taylor hears about new research into the suicide risk among young gay, lesbian and transexual people. What are the factors that provoke self harm, and to what extent does self harm indicate a danger of suicide. Katrina Roen, Lecturer in Research Methods at Lancaster University and Professor Stephen Platt, Director, Research Unit in Health, Behaviour and Change, University of Edinburgh discuss the findings. MEMORY IN A RUSSIAN VILLAGE Margaret Paxson, author of Solovyovo, talks about her sixteen years of anthropological field work study of a small lake side village in north Russia. Solovyovo is about 300 miles north of Moscow, the village had about 30 buildings when Margaret lived there, and in the winter months the population was about 40 and mostly in their 50s and older. Margaret witnessed and took part in growing season and its activities where only a limited number of months must provide for food for the entire year. She saw deaths, suicide and violence; people leaving for the cities, and other joining the village. She discovered how the social idea of svoi - fellow feeling - amongst the villagers had allowed them to survive the ravages of totalitarian history. FOOTBALL IN THE PUB: Professor Mike Weed talks about his new research into why so many people now watch football in the pub, and how they find it as enjoyable as going to the match. Laurie Taylor discusses research into the role of sexuality in suicide among young people. New research on how society works | |
| The Day Of The Dead, Uses Of Nature | 20071107 | 20071112 (R4) | THE DAY OF THE DEAD Last week, Mexicans celebrated the Day of the Dead. Anthropologist and world expert in this ritual, Stanley Brandes, is the author of a new book entitled Skulls to the Living, Bread to the Dead. Back from the city of Zamora in the Mexican state of Michoacကn Professor Brandes describes the experience and discusses the conventional way of understanding its significance. USES OF NATURE Some environmental scientists claim that if the evolution of mankind was mapped out over the course of a week, we would have lived apart from nature for only the last three seconds of Sunday night. But what is nature? And what does it mean to be out of it? Patients in hospitals are said to recover more quickly if they are played tapes of birdsong; joggers on treadmills have lower heart rates if they are looking at a picture of a country scene; so do we need the real thing if representations of nature are so effective? Laurie Taylor is joined by Professor Jules Pretty, Head of Department of Biological Sciences, University of Essex; Dr Bronislaw Szerszynski, Senior Lecturer in Environment and Culture at Lancaster University and the writer Richard Mabey to debate the uses of nature and asks if it really is so good for us. Laurie Taylor debates the uses of nature and asks if it really is so good for us. New research on how society works |
| The Death Of Honour | 20070228 | THE DEATH OF HONOUR Is honour dead? In our society of celebrity worship, therapy, self absorption and shopping, what meaning does the concept of honour have? James Bowman, Research Scholar at the Ethics and Public Policy Center, Washington and author of Honor: A History and Anthony Grayling, Professor of Philosophy at the Birkbeck, University of London explore the idea of respect and what it means on an East London Estate. They discuss the idea of honour and respect as outmoded concepts or keys to understanding aspects of the modern world. RESPECT IN TOWER HAMLETS According to some new research, `a culture of respect is already very much present amongst young people within the inner-city and within inner-city schools, but it is one that places an emphasis on violence, a violent image and a lack of hope in conventional norms' such as achievement ideology.` Laurie Taylor is joined by Dr Carolyn Gaskell, ESRC Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of London to discuss her recently published paper entitled `But They Just Don't Respect Us`: Young People's Experiences of (Dis) Respected Citizenship and the New Labour Agenda. Social theorist James Bowman claims 'honour' has become meaningless in the Western world. New research on how society works | |
| The Debt Collection Industry, Spousal Job Loss | 20160302 | 20160307 (R4) | The debt collection industry: Laurie Taylor explores what happens when everyday forms of borrowing, such as credit cards, personal loans and store cards, spiral out of control. He talks to Joe Deville, Lecturer in Mobile Work at the University of Lancaster, and author of a study which offers a vivid account of consumer default and the evolution of agencies designed to collect people's debts. He's joined by Adrienne Roberts, Lecturer in International Politics at the University of Manchester, who has researched the growing reliance of households on borrowed money. Also, how do couples react to spousal job loss? Karon Gush, Senior Research Officer at the University of Essex, considers the ways in which couples re-configure their lives and finances in response to one person losing paid employment. Producer: Jayne Egerton. Laurie Taylor explores what happens when everyday forms of borrowing go bad. New research on how society works |
| The End Of Capitalism, Reforming Capitalism | 20140409 | 20140413 (R4) | Capitalism - renewal or decline? Laurie Taylor explores the future of our market driven economy. He's joined by David Harvey, Distinguished Professor of Anthropology and Geography at the Graduate Center of the City University of New York and Colin Crouch, Professor Emeritus in Sociology at the University of Warwick. Professor Harvey examines the contradictions at the heart of capitalism arguing that it's far from being the permanent or only way of organising human life. Professor Crouch, conversely, suggests that only Capitalism can provide us with an efficient and innovative economy but it should be re-shaped to better fit a social democratic society. Producer: Jayne Egerton. What is the future of our market-driven economy? Presented by Laurie Taylor. New research on how society works |
| The End Of 'careers', Humour At Work | 20160106 | 20160111 (R4) | Identity and work: Laurie Taylor explores selfhood in an era in which our working lives are becoming increasingly uncertain. He talks to Jesse Potter, lecturer in Sociology at Canterbury Christ Church University and author of a new study which interviewed people who'd undergone profound work-life changes. How do individuals achieve meaning and fulfilment when their productive lives fail to satisfy? Also, Paula Jarzabkowski, Professor of Strategic Management at City University London considers how employees use humour to cope with paradox and change. Producer: Jayne Egerton. Laurie Taylor explores personal identity in an era of uncertain working lives. New research on how society works |
| The English | 20240124 | 20240129 (R4) | THE ENGLISH: Laurie Taylor asks how the country house became ‘English' and explores changing notions of Englishness over the past 60 years. He's joined by Stephanie Barczewski, Professor of Modern British History at Clemson University, South Carolina and author of a new book which examines the way the country house came to embody national values of continuity and stability, even though it has lived through eras of violence and disruption. Also, David Matless, Professor of Cultural Geography at Nottingham University, considers the way that England has been imagined since the 1960s, from politics to popular culture, landscape and music. How have twenty-first-century concerns and anxieties in the Brexit moment been moulded by events over previous decades? Producer: Jayne Egerton THE ENGLISH: How the country house became 'English', and changing notions of England. New research on how society works THE ENGLISH: Laurie Taylor asks how the country house became ‘English', and explores changing notions of Englishness over the past 60 years. Laurie Taylor explores the latest research into how society works. |
| The English Defence League, 'real' Immigrants | 20160713 | 20160717 (R4) | The English Defence League: A study of the individuals who comprise this far right movement. Hilary Pilkington, Professor of Sociology at the University of Manchester, provides fresh and timely insights into a politics built on English identity and opposition to 'Islamism'. They're joined by Nasar Meer, Professor of Comparative Citizenship and Social Policy at Strathclyde University, Who's a 'real' immigrant and who's 'not really' an immigrant? Martina Byrne, Lecturer in the School of Social Policy, Social Policy and Social Justice at University College, Dublin, discusses her study into middle class attitudes to immigration. Why do white Irish professionals consider that white Eastern Europeans are immigrants but white French and Australians are not? Producer: Jayne Egerton. The English Defence League. Also, who are the 'real' immigrants? New research on how society works |
| The Ethnography Award 'short List' | 20140423 | 20140427 (R4) | The Ethnography award 'short list': Thinking Allowed, in association with the British Sociological Association, presents a special programme devoted to the academic research which has been short listed for our new annual award for a study that has made a significant contribution to ethnography, the in-depth analysis of the everyday life of a culture or sub culture. Laurie Taylor is joined by three of the judges: Professor Beverley Skeggs, Professor Dick Hobbs and Dr Louise Westmarland. Producer: Jayne Egerton. Laurie Taylor looks at academic research shortlisted for our new annual ethnography award. New research on how society works |
| The Ethnography Award 'shortlist' | 20150415 | 20150419 (R4) | The Ethnography award 'short list': Thinking Allowed, in association with the British Sociological Association, presents a special programme devoted to the academic research which has been short listed for our second annual award for a study that has made a significant contribution to ethnography, the in-depth analysis of the everyday life of a culture or sub culture. Laurie Taylor is joined by three of the judges: Professor Beverley Skeggs, Professor Adam Kuper and Dr Coretta Phillips. Producer: Jayne Egerton. Programme devoted to the academic research shortlisted for the Thinking Allowed award. New research on how society works |
| The Flaneur, Walking In The City | 20160427 | 20160501 (R4) | Walking in the city: The flaneur and flaneuse. Laurie Taylor presents a themed programme which explores the history and meaning of the urban stroller, past and present. Keith Tester, Adjunct Professor at the Thesis Eleven Centre for Cultural Sociology, LaTrobe University, Melbourne, charts the origins of the 'Flaneur'; the 'man of the crowd' of Edgar Allan Poe and Charles Baudelaire, and one of the heroes of Walter Benjamin's Arcades Project. Matthew Beamont, co-director of University College London's Urban Lab, contends that the city idler isn't simply a by product of modernism, illuminating London's past via the nocturnal wanderings of poets, novelists and thinkers. And Lauren Elkin, lecturer in the department of English and Comparative Literature at the American University of Paris, counters the implicit assumption that the city belongs to a figure of masculine privilege and leisure. She introduces us to the transgressive 'flaneuse' who claims the right to city space. Producer: Jayne Egerton. Laurie Taylor explores the history and meaning of the urban stroller, past and present. New research on how society works |
| The Football Pools, Mass Investment | 20221228 | 20230102 (R4) | Betting and Investment: Laurie Taylor explores the connections and the differences between two apparently very different phenomena - the football pools and the stock market. He's joined by Keith Laybourn, Professor Emeritus of History at the University of Huddersfield, who charts the rise and fall of the football pools over the 20th century. In its heyday, millions of working class people hoped for a life-changing jackpot cheque presented by a sporting personality and stories of big wins punctuated the news. So what led to a flutter on the pools falling out of favour? And Amy Edwards, lecturer of Modern British History at the University of Bristol, asks are we rich yet?' in a study which considers the way in which a growing number of British people engaged in stock market investment as financial markets became part of daily life from the 1980s following the privatisation of British Telecom. Did this development take investment away from the oak-panelled world of the City and give the wider public a genuine stake in popular capitalism? Producer: Jayne Egerton Betting and investment - what are the connections and the differences? New research on how society works |
| The Generation Gap | 20070829 | 20070902 (R4) | THE GENERATION GAP Laurie Taylor presents a special series of three programmes to examine the social gaps which most concern researchers in today's divided Britain: the residential gap, the generation gap and the class gap. Laurie is joined by two policy makers throughout the series, the Conservative MP David Willetts and the Labour MP Frank Field; in this second part they discuss the generation gap together with two distinguished social scientists Professor Frank Furedi and Professor Rachel Thomson. The generation gap might not be so readily quantifiable but there is a sense of new and possibly growing divisions between children and parents. Laurie debates what evidence would serve as proof of that intuition? Laurie Taylor examines the generation gap in today's divided Britain New research on how society works |
| The Grave, Memorial Benches | 20231018 | 20231022 (R4) | THE GRAVE AND MEMORIAL BENCHES: Laurie Taylor talks to Allison C. Meier, New York based researcher, about how burial sites have transformed over time. Whilst the grave may be a final destination, it is not the great leveller, and permanency is always a privilege with the indigent and unidentified frequently being interred in mass graves. So what is the future of burial with the rise of cremation, green burial, and new practices like human composting? Can existing spaces of death be returned to community life? Also, Anne Karpf, Professor of Life Writing and Culture at London Metropolitan University, explores the phenomenon of the memorial bench. Despite the proliferation of online spaces for memorialising a person who has died, there is a growing demand for physical commemorations in places that were meaningful to them, as evidenced by the waiting-lists for memorial benches in sought-after spots. Do such memorials constitute a ‘living obituary', a celebration of seemingly undistinguished lives, beyond the grave? Producer: Jayne Egerton Laurie Taylor explores the origins of the grave and the meaning of memorial benches. New research on how society works Laurie Taylor explores the origins and history of the grave, as well as the meaning of memorial benches. Also, Anne Karpf, Professor of Life Writing and Culture at London Metropolitan University, explores the phenomenon of the memorial bench. Despite the proliferation of online spaces for memorialising a person who has died, there is a growing demand for physical commemorations in places that were meaningful to them, as evidenced by the waiting-lists for memorial benches in sought-after spots. Do such memorials constitute a living obituary', a celebration of seemingly undistinguished lives, beyond the grave? |
| The Great Indoors | 20140219 | 20140224 (R4) | The Great Indoors. Laurie Taylor talks to cultural theorist Ben Highmore about his history of the family home in the 20th century and how houses display currents of class, identity and social transformation. Also, the evolution of the bathroom. Architectural historian Barbara Penner looks at that most intimate space in the home, and considers how it became an international symbol of key modern values, such as cleanliness, order and progress. Producer: Torquil MacLeod. Laurie Taylor on the home as a vehicle for self-expression. Also, the symbolic bathroom. New research on how society works |
| The Gym: A Social History, Tattoos At Work | 20150513 | 20150517 (R4) | The gym: Laurie Taylor explores the social history of the gymnasium with the writer and sociologist, Eric Chaline. Although this 'temple of perfection' appears primarily as a site for producing the 'body beautiful', this study finds it has also been a battleground in political, sexual and cultural wars. They're joined by Louise Mansfield, Sociologist of Sport at Brunel University Also, tattoos at work: Andrew Timming, Reader in Management at the University of St Andrews, talks about prejudices towards body art in the service sector. Does possession of a tattoo impact on job prospects? Producer: Jayne Egerton. Laurie Taylor explores the social history of the gymnasium and the taboo against body art. New research on how society works |
| The Hairless Body, Ghosts | 20071010 | 20071014 (R4) | THE HAIRLESS BODY It used to be a feminist faux pas but now over 99% of women regularly remove hair from their bodies. Men are doing it too, Peter Mandelsson waxes the back of his hand and sportsmen, like Gavin Henson, shave their legs. Anneke Smelik, Professor of Visual Culture at the Department of Cultural Studies, University of Nijmegen (Netherland), tells Laurie what she thinks lies behind this war on body hair. GHOSTS Dr Owen Davies, Reader in Social History at the University of Hertfordshire, looked back over the opinion polls of the last fifty years which reveal a constant rise in the percentage of the British population that believes in ghosts. Owen became interested in finding out why popular belief in ghosts and the supernatural should fluctuate, and what social, economic and religious changes are responsible for our changing attitudes. His new book is The Haunted: A Social History of Ghosts. Wax or shave? Laurie Taylor discusses the war on body hair with Professor Anneke Smelik. New research on how society works |
| The Handshake, Social Interaction | 20210609 | 20210613 (R4) | The handshake & social interaction. Laurie Taylor explores the history and meaning of a commonplace ritual which has played a role in everything from meetings with uncontacted tribes to political assassinations. He's joined by the paleoanthropologist, Ella Al-Shamahi, who asks what this everyday, friendly gesture can tell us about the enduring power of human contact. They're joined by Steven Shapin, Franklin L. Ford Research Professor of the History of Science at Harvard University, & author of a recent article which considers the way in which social distancing and self isolating have put us 'out of touch' with each other. As he says, COVID is a social disease, a pathological experiment on the nature of our social relations. Will it irrevocably change the way we interact with other human beings? Thinking Allowed is produced in partnership with the Open University. Producer: Jayne Egerton New research on how society works |
| The 'happiness Industry', The 'wellness Syndrome' | 20150527 | 20150531 (R4) 20200108 (R4) | The Happiness Industry: Laurie Taylor talks to Will Davies, Professor in Politics at Goldsmiths, University of London, who asks why policy makers have become increasingly focused on measuring happiness. Also, 'wellness syndrome': Andre Spicer, Professor of Organisational Behaviour at City University, argues that visions of positive social change have been replaced by a focus on individual well-being. They're joined by Laura Hyman, Senior Lecturer in Sociology at the University of Portsmouth. Revised repeat. Producer: Jayne Egerton The 'Happiness Industry'. Also, 'wellness syndrome'. New research on how society works |
| The High-life And The Row-life | 20120418 | 20120422 (R4) | What is the reality of life for a crack cocaine user in South London? Daniel Briggs new ethnography is a day to day observation of the people who use the drug, and their struggles to get the drug and also to get off it. He takes Laurie Taylor on an unsettling journey through violence and intimidation. Also in the programme, eight men in a boat - but how to stop them from pulling in different directions? Anthony King tells Laurie about his research into how a Cambridge crew prepared for and won the Boat Race. He explains the factors which helped and hindered their attempt to establish a rowing rhythm, and discusses what this says about co-ordinating action in society at large. Producer: Charlie Taylor. Laurie Taylor discusses an ethnography of crack users and a study of a Cambridge crew. New research on how society works |
| The Housing Crisis, Squatting In Amsterdam | 20180103 | 20180108 (R4) | The housing crisis and beyond: Laurie Taylor talks to Anna Minton, Reader in Architecture at the University of East London & author of 'Big Capital: Who Is London For?' and David Madden, Assistant Professor in Sociology at the LSE. They explore the way in which homes have come to be seen as sites of capital investment and accumulation rather than as places of shelter and security. Also, the anthropologist, Nazima Kadir, discusses her study of the 'autonomous' life of politically motivated squatters in Amsterdam. Producer: Jayne Egerton. The housing crisis. Also, squatting in Amsterdam. New research on how society works |
| The Impact Of The Temperance Movement, The New North | 20110323 | 20110327 (R4) | Will power and prosperity shift to the frozen North? A new book predicts that Iceland, Greenland, Denmark, Sweden, Finland, and Russia will be the beneficiaries of a new world order. By 2050, four megatrends - climate change, rising population, globalisation and resource depletion - will lead to the rise of 'The New North', as migration, energy bonanzas and international trade turn the world upside down. The geographer, Professor Laurence Smith, tells Laurie Taylor why these projections amount to more than planetary palm reading. Also, does the morality of the 19th century Temperance movement influence modern day attitudes to drinking? The law lecturer, Henry Yeomans, argues that prohibitionism - contrary to popular belief - lives on in 'binge drinking' Britain. Producer: Jayne Egerton. Laurie Taylor explores shifts in world power. Also, the legacy of 19th-century Temperance. New research on how society works |
| The Internet And Democracy | 20180509 | 20180513 (R4) | The Internet and Democracy: Laurie Taylor analyses the social and political consequences of our digitised world. In light of recent data breach scandals around companies like Facebook and Cambridge Analytica, what does that mean for democracy? Why has the Internet failed to set us free? He's joined by Jamie Bartlett, Director of the Centre for the Analysis of Social Media for Demos, in conjunction with The University of Sussex; Monica Horten, Visiting Fellow at the London School of Economics & Political Science and Will Davies, Reader in Political Economy at Goldsmiths College. Producer: Jayne Egerton. New research on how society works |
| The Internet, How It Shapes The Past And The Future | 20221221 | The Internet and time - how the World Wide Web has transformed our understanding of history as well as the future. Laurie Taylor talks to Jason Steinhauer, public historian and Global Fellow at the Wilson Centre, Washington, DC, whose latest study argues that the tangled complexity of history that we see via Instagram and Twitter is leading to an impoverished, even a distorted knowledge of the past. Algorithms play in a big role in determining the versions of history which we are seeing. Content does not rise to the top of news feeds based on its scholarly or factual merits. Political agendas and commercial agendas are almost always at play. So how can we become more discerning consumers of historical knowledge? They're joined by Helga Nowotny, Professor Emerita of Social Studies of Science a ETH Zurich, whose research suggests that our dependence on predictive algorithms might be closing down the horizon of our future, giving us a feeling of control whilst narrowing our choices. Producer: Jayne Egerton The Internet - how it shapes our understanding of the past and the future. New research on how society works | |
| The Mafia, Organised Crime | 20170920 | 20170924 (R4) | The Mafia and organised crime from Sicily to Japan and the UK. Laurie Taylor talks to Federico Varese, Professor of Criminology at Oxford University. He has charted the daily life of people working for the mafia and the ways in which it is being impacted by changes in technology and the movement of people and money. They're joined by Ann Veron, documentary maker and co-author of a new study on the role of Mafia women and by Paul Lashmar, an academic at City University and investigative journalist with a specialism in organised crime. Producer: Jayne Egerton. The Mafia and organised crime. New research on how society works |
| The Meaning Of The Face | 20170531 | 20190612 (R4) 20190616 (R4) | The meaning of the face: How critical is it to our sense of identity, and relationship with others? Sharrona Pearl, Assistant Professor in Communications at the University of Pennsylvania, discusses her study of face transplant surgery. She's joined by Anne-Marie Martindale, Post-Doctoral Research Associate at the University of Manchester, who has studied the impact of facial disfigurement; as well as Professor Jonathan Cole, consultant in clinical neurophysiology, and author of two books examining the relationship between facial expressions, communication and the self. Revised repeat. Producer: Jayne Egerton. Laurie Taylor explores the significance of the face. New research on how society works |
| The Meaning Of Work | 20201216 | 20201221 (R4) | The anthropologist, James Suzman, explores the shifting meaning of work, and argues that for 95% of our species' history, it held a radically different importance - it did not determine social status, mould our values or dictate how we spent most of our time. How did it become the central organisational principle of our societies and is it time for a dramatic re-think? Also, Ella Harris, Leverhulme Fellow in the Geography department at Birkbeck, University of London, examines pop up culture'. Temporary or nomadic sites such as cinemas, supper clubs and container malls are now ubiquitous in cities across the world. But what are the stakes of the 'pop-up' city? Has economic insecurity and precarity been re-branded as desirable and exciting? Presenter Laurie Taylor Producer Jayne Egerton The meaning of work: how has it shifted and evolved over time? New research on how society works |
| The Minutemen, 'lay' Witnesses In Court | 20130807 | 20130811 (R4) | The Minutemen - who are they? Laurie Taylor talks to US sociologist, Harel Shapira about the right wing activists who patrol the US border in search of illegal immigrants. How should these men be characterised - as vigilantes, patriots or racists? Shapira met men who fought in Vietnam and Desert Storm and spoke of an America which no longer exists. Living alongside these men, he uncovered narratives of lost identity and community as well as extreme political convictions. Also, Nigel Fielding observed 65 crown court cases in England as part of his study into the effects of criminal trial procedures on 'lay' people, including victims, witnesses and defendants. His research highlights the confusion, anxiety and frustration which is often felt by the legally untrained in the face of courtroom convention. Producer: Jayne Egerton. US activists in search of illegal immigrants. Also, lay witnesses in court. New research on how society works |
| The Mummy's Curse, Death Photography | 20110803 | 20110807 (R4) | Laurie Taylor discusses the mummy's curse and other Oriental myths with Marina Warner and Roger Luckhurst. The Ancient Egyptians had no real concept of the curse; instead, Luckhurst argues, it was a product of the Victorian imagination, a result of British ambivalence about Egypt's increasing self-determination. The curse was part of a wider Western tradition of portraying the East as exotic and irrational, dominated by superstitions. That attitude is revealed in the British reaction to English language translations of The Arabian Nights, which played into Oriental stereotypes of barbarity, cruelty and unbridled sexuality. Marina Warner discusses the reasons why the stories of Aladdin et al are as popular as ever in modern, multi-cultural Britain. Author Audrey Linkman discusses the relationship between photography and death in her study of post-mortem portraits from the late 19th century to the modern day, and how they reflect contemporary attitudes towards mortality. Producer: Stephen Hughes. Laurie Taylor investigates the curse of the mummy and other myths of the Orient. New research on how society works |
| The New Arab Man, Lords Club Affiliation | 20121010 | 20121014 (R4) | The 'New' Arab Man: Middle Eastern, Muslim men are often represented as 'zealots' and oppressors of women. But Laurie Taylor hears how 2 decades of research by the Professor of Anthropology, Marcia Inhorn, is undermining such cultural stereotypes. Her study found that ordinary Arab men who confront childlessness and infertility are re-thinking conventional masculinity. Also, research by Matthew Bond into elite club membership in the House of Lords. Is a British establishment still evident in the club community? Karel Williams, Professor of Sociology, joins the discussion. Producer: Jayne Egerton. The 'new' Arab man; elite club membership in the House of Lords. New research on how society works |
| The New Economy | 20171206 | 20171211 (R4) | The New Economy: How people turn themselves into 'brands' in the quest for work. Laurie Taylor talks to Ilana Gershon, Associate Professor of Anthropology at Indiana University, and author of a new study exploring the way that people do (and don't) find work by re-defining themselves as unique business enterprises. Also, the death of homo economicus. Peter Fleming, Professor of Business and Society at Cass Business School, argues that the creation of a fake persona - the rational, self interested economic 'man' - originated by classical economists such as Adam Smith, no longer serves any purpose in the contemporary world. Producer: Jayne Egerton. Finding work in the new economy and the death of homo economicus. New research on how society works |
| The Nhs | 20221026 | 20221031 (R4) | The NHS and the 'sick note': Laurie Taylor talks to Gareth Millward, Assistant Professor in the Department of History at the University of Southern Denmark (SDU) in Odense, and author of a new study which explores the history of the British welfare state via the story of the sick note'. It turns out that the question of who is really sick? was never straightforward. At various times, it was understood that a signed note from a doctor was not enough to 'prove' whether someone was really sick, yet with no better alternative on offer, the sick note survived in practice and in the popular imagination - just like the welfare state itself. They're joined by Sally Sheard, Professor of History at the University of Liverpool, who charts the cultural history and changing understandings of healthcare and the NHS in Britain. Producer: Jayne Egerton The NHS and the 'sick note'. New research on how society works |
| The Oprah Phenomenon, Complexity Theory | 20070815 | 20070819 (R4) | THE OPRAH PHENOMENON The Oprah Winfrey show is probably the highest rated show in television history and Oprah Winfrey herself, now aged fifty three, is one of the world's most influential women. Jennifer Harris, Professor of English at Mount Allison University in Canada, is Co-Editor of a recently published work of cultural criticism entitled The Oprah Phenomenon. She talks to Laurie about Oprah and her extraordinary appeal. COMPLEXITY THEORY Complexity science studies all kinds of different complex systems which exist in the world, looking for a commonality which can be explained mathematically. It is hoped by the adherents that Complexity theory can provide a theory of change which can explain and predict change in a host of different areas, from the rise and fall of the stock market to traffic jams on the M25. Laurie Taylor is joined by Neil Johnson, Professor of Physics from Oxford University, currently working at the University of Miami in Florida, author of Two's Company, Three Is Complexity and David Byrne, Senior Lecturer in the Department of Sociology and Social Policy at the University of Durham. Oprah Winfrey is one of the most successful women in America, Laurie Taylor finds out why. New research on how society works |
| The Orange Order | 20210414 | 20210418 (R4) | The Orange Order in Northern Ireland and Scotland: Its origins, practices and principles, from the Battle of the Boyne to the Good Friday Agreement.. Laurie Taylor talks to Joseph Webster, Lecturer in the Study of Religion at the University of Cambridge, and author of a new book about the Orange Order in Scotland which explores the politics of anti Catholic sectarianism and ultra Britishness, as well as the tensions between grassroots Orangemen and a hierarchy wishing to cultivate a respectable image beyond controversial parades and football hooliganism. Also, Karine Bigand, Senior Lecturer in Irish Studies at Aix-Marseille University, considers the history of Orange politics in Northern Ireland and current attempts to memorialise the Orange Order and contribute positively to reconciliation between divided communities post the GFA in 1998. Produced in partnership with the Open University. Producer: Jayne Egerton The Orange Order: an exploration of its origins, practices and principles. New research on how society works |
| The Passport | 20240117 | 20240122 (R4) | THE PASSPORT: Laurie Taylor explores the cultural history of an indispensable document which has given citizens a license to travel and helped to define the modern world. Patrick Bixby, Professor of English at Arizona State University, delves into the evolution of the passport through the tales of historical figures, celebrities, artists, and writers, from Frederick Douglas to Hannah Arendt. How has the passport become both an instrument of personal freedom as well as a tool of government surveillance? They're joined by Kristin Surak , Associate Professor of Political Sociology at the LSE and author of a new study which investigates the routes taken by wealthy elites in pursuit of a ‘golden passport'. Through six years of fieldwork on four continents, she discovered how the sale of passports has transformed into a full-blown citizenship industry that thrives on global inequalities. Producer: Jayne Egerton The Passport: a cultural history. Also, the trade in 'golden passports'. New research on how society works Laurie Taylor explores the cultural history of a document that has given citizens a licence to travel. Also, the trade in 'golden passports' for wealthy elites. Laurie Taylor explores the latest research into how society works. THE PASSPORT: Laurie Taylor explores the cultural history of an indispensable document which has given citizens a license to travel and helped to define the modern world. Patrick Bixby, Professor of English at Arizona State University, delves into the evolution of the passport through the tales of historical figures, celebrities, artists, and writers, from Frederick Douglas to Hannah Arendt. How has the passport become both an instrument of personal freedom as well as a tool of government surveillance? They're joined by Kristin Surak , Associate Professor of Political Sociology at the LSE and author of a new study which investigates the routes taken by wealthy elites in pursuit of a ‘golden passport'. Through six years of fieldwork on four continents, she discovered how the sale of passports has transformed into a full-blown citizenship industry that thrives on global inequalities. Producer: Jayne Egerton The Passport: a cultural history. Also, the trade in 'golden passports'. New research on how society works Laurie Taylor explores the cultural history of a document that has given citizens a licence to travel. Also, the trade in 'golden passports' for wealthy elites. |
| The Petite Bourgeoisie | 20230830 | 20230903 (R4) | The Petite Bourgeoisie - Laurie Taylor talks to Daniel Evans, Research Assistant at Cardiff University and author of a new study which explores the unstoppable rise of the lower middle class. Marx predicted that this insecure class, sandwiched between the working class and the bourgeoisie, would be absorbed into the proletariat as artisans died out during the industrial revolution. In fact, it has grown exponentially and is now a significant player within global politics, courted by the right and the left. Far from losing influence, the individualist values associated with it have been popularised by a society which some say fetishizes `aspiration` and entrepreneurship. They're joined by Nicola Bishop, cultural historian and Senior Teaching Fellow at Loughborough University, whose latest book analyses white collar workers in British popular culture, from the novels of Charles Dickens to comedy TV sitcoms. Why have lower middle class, suburban values become such a staple of our cultural consumption and what can this tell us about national British identity? Producer: Jayne Egerton Laurie Taylor explores the unstoppable rise of the lower middle class. New research on how society works |
| The Politics Of Alcohol, Cooperation | 20120201 | 20120206 (R4) | Sprezzatura' is an Italian word describing a nonchalant effortless style which conceals the skill and artistry involved in doing something. It is a quality which the sociologist Richard Sennett claims embodies the gentlemanly characteristics of cooperation and modesty which came to the fore in Europe during the Renaissance. However, sprezzatura is under siege from the aggressive and competitive tendencies of finance capitalism, and we are losing the art of working together. That is one contention from his new study of cooperation, and what we can do to operate in closer harmony. He joins Laurie and the philosopher John Gray to discuss the meaning of cooperation. Also on the programme, James Nicholls discusses what it is about the British and booze. Producer: Charlie Taylor. The British and booze, and how we can all learn to cooperate much better. New research on how society works |
| The Politics Of Climate Change, New Capitalism? | 20090325 | 20090329 (R4) | The distinguished sociologist Professor Anthony Giddens elucidates the political complexities of combating climate change. Could jobs be much more secure and long lasting than we've been led to believe? Laurie Taylor is joined by Professor Kevin Doogan, author of a book entitled New Capitalism? whose close analysis of the labour force in Britain and the United States shows a surprising continuity with the past. His thesis contends that, even with the present financial crisis, claims that the world of work has changed forever are little more that scare mongering. Laurie investigates the politics of climate change & whether there is now a new capitalism New research on how society works |
| The Politics Of Memorials | 20190501 | 20190505 (R4) 20200826 (R4) 20200830 (R4) | The Politics of Memorials: Remembering Emmet Till - in 1955, a young African-American was lynched in Mississippi at the age of 14, after being accused of offending a white woman in her family's grocery store. Driving through the Mississippi Delta today, you'll find a landscape dotted with memorials to major figures and moments from the civil rights movement, none more tragic than this murder. The ways in which his death is remembered have been fraught from the beginning, revealing the political controversies which lurk behind the placid facades of historical markers. Dave Tell, Professor of Communication Studies at the University of Kansas, analyses the various ways that this landmark event in the civil rights movement has been commemorated. Also, Margaret O'Callaghan, Reader in History, Queen's University Belfast, discusses commemoration in the context of Irish history. How has the marking of the Easter Rising shifted over time? What roles are played by memorials in any society? And what forces dictate what gets remembered and what is forgotten? Revised repeat. Producer: Jayne Egerton The Politics of Memorials - from Ireland to the Mississippi Delta. New research on how society works |
| The Politics Of Sleep, Women Who Kill | 20110622 | 20110626 (R4) | One third of us now think we are sleep deprived. Why should that be? Who loses the most and how is society reacting? Laurie is joined by Stephen Williams to discuss a new area for sociology, the contested area of the 'politics of sleep'. Also, what happens when a woman commits murder? It is a very rare event and can challenge ingrained notions about the nature of femininity. Perhaps because of that, a new study finds that there are existing stereotypes which guide the reaction of both the media and the judiciary to women who kill. Lizzie Seal and Louise Westmarland join Laurie to discuss our attitudes towards women, murder and femininity Producer: Charlie Taylor. Laurie discusses the politics of sleep and women who kill. New research on how society works |
| The Poor On Poverty And Radical Gardening | 20110504 | 20110508 (R4) | Gardening is the epitome of a peaceful pasttime, associated as it is with semi-somnolent suburban weekends, the sound of hedges being carefully clipped and the reassuring aroma of freshly mown grass. The notion of 'radical' gardening implies little more than a concerted attack on the mass of weeds accumulated in an herbaceous border or a garden makeover culminating in a fully decked patio. However, there is a radical history to gardening and it has been the site of protest and counterculture in Britain from the Levellers and the Diggers in the 17th century to today's so-called Guerrilla Gardeners. On today's Thinking Allowed Laurie is joined by George McKay and Tim Jordan to discuss the protest, politics and plots of the garden. Also on the programme, Tracy Shildrick on her illuminating study of the underprivileged of Teesside and why nobody describes themselves as poor. Producer: Charlie Taylor. Laurie Taylor explores radical gardening with George McKay. New research on how society works |
| The Poppy, Traveller Children In Schools | 20131120 | 20131125 (R4) | The Poppy - a cultural history. Laurie Taylor talks to renowned archaeologist and anthropologist, Nicholas Saunders, about his account of the origins, history and many meanings of the Remembrance Day Poppy. From ancient Egypt to Flanders Field to Afghanistan. How did a humble flower of the field become a worldwide icon? They're joined by Professor of History, Joanna Bourke. Also, Reader in Education, Kalwant Bhopal, discusses her research into the experience of traveller children in schools. Producer: Jayne Egerton. Laurie explores the origins the Remembrance Day poppy. Also, traveller children in schools New research on how society works |
| The Power Of Oil | 20130424 | 20130428 (R4) 20200115 (R4) | The Power of oil - Laurie Taylor explores the role of oil in shaping our society, economy and environment. He talks to James Marriott of Platform, co-author with Mika Minio-Paluello of 'The Oil Road'. Their research took them from the oil fields of the Caspian Sea to the refineries and financial centres of Northern Europe. Timothy Mitchell, Professor of Middle Eastern Studies at Colombia University, joins the discussion, considering the relationship between democracy and oil. John Urry (1946-2016) also took part in the programme. He was Distinguished Professor of Sociology at Lancaster University and author of a book which pioneered a sociology of energy, analysing our carbon addiction in the light of ever dwindling resources and asking if an oil free society was possible or desirable. Sadly, John died several years after the programme was first transmitted. He had done more than most British sociologists to characterise the complexities of global society. Revised repeat. Producer: Jayne Egerton The power of oil - a special programme exploring the role of oil in shaping our society. New research on how society works |
| The Power Of Song | 20240110 | 20240115 (R4) | The power of song: Laurie Taylor talks to James Walvin, Professor of History Emeritus at the University of York and author of a new study which explores the cultural history of 'Amazing Grace,' one of the transatlantic world's most popular hymns and a powerful anthem for humanity. How did a simple Christian hymn, written in a remote English vicarage in 1772, come to hold such sway over millions in all corners of the modern world? Also, Angela Impey Professor of Enthomusicology at SOAS, argues that songs in South Sudan can be key platform for truth-telling, often invested with greater moral force than other forms of communication in the context of 50 years of civil war. What role can songs play in the struggle for peace and justice? Producer: Jayne Egerton The power of song: An iconic hymn, and singing and peacebuilding in South Sudan. New research on how society works Laurie Taylor explores the cultural history of Amazing Grace and hears about the potential role of singing in peacebuilding in South Sudan. Laurie Taylor explores the latest research into how society works. |
| The 'precariat', Humour In Sociology | 20150617 | 20150621 (R4) | The 'Precariat': Laurie Taylor talks to Guy Standing, Professor in Development Studies at the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London. His highly influential 2011 book introduced the 'Precariat' as an emerging mass class, characterized by inequality and insecurity. Professor Standing argues that that the increasingly global nature of the Precariat is leading to the kind of social unrest which carries grave political risks. Marking the 800th anniversary of the Magna Carta, he takes his work a stage further, outlining A Precariat Charter which might award greater rights to this new 'class'. They're joined by Dr Lisa Mckenzie, Research Fellow in Sociology at the London School of Economics and Political Science. Also, whilst humour and laughter have been studied by social scientists, scholars who use wit, jokes and satire may get marginalised from the academy. Cate Watson, Professor in the School of Education at the University of Stirling, argues against this neglect of humour's potential. Producer: Jayne Egerton. Laurie Taylor asks if there is an emerging mass class characterised by insecurity. New research on how society works |
| The Religious Right In The Us | 20191204 | 20191209 (R4) 20200610 (R4) 20200614 (R4) | The religious right in the US - Laurie Taylor talks to Anne Nelson, writer and Adjunct Research Scholar in the Faculty of International and Public Affairs at Columbia University, about her exploration of the way in which the religious right in the US has risen to political power. Who are the Council for National Policy and why does she consider they represent a 'shadow network'? Also Gregory Smith, associate director of research at Pew Research Center in Washington, provides facts and figures on the white evangelical vote. Repeat. Producer: Jayne Egerton The religious right in the US - an exploration of their route to power. New research on how society works |
| The Residential Gap | 20070822 | 20070826 (R4) | THE RESIDENTIAL GAP Laurie Taylor presents a special series of three programmes to examine the social gaps which most concern researchers in today's divided Britain: the residential gap, the generation gap and the class gap. Laurie is joined by two policy makers throughout the series, the Conservative MP David Willetts and the Labour MP Frank Field to explore the statistics and cross examine the specialists who, in this first part looking at the residential gap, are leading academic researchers Professor Danny Dorling and Professor Susan Smith. Seventy percent of the UK population are now owner-occupiers living in their own accommodation, the highest proportion in the world. The figure was ten percent at the beginning of the twentieth century. As wealth is increasingly invested in housing, and new credit provision allows owner occupiers to draw on equity for key stages in their lives, what impact is this having on people who rent? Will it really be possible to provide homes for key workers that enable them to join the housing economy or - as that economy continues to grow - will the gap between owners and renters become crucial? Laurie Taylor explores the social gaps in today's divided Britain. New research on how society works |
| The Rich | 20201028 | 20201102 (R4) | The Rich: Laurie Taylor talks to Rowland Atkinson, Research Chair in Inclusive Societies at the University of Sheffield, about his study of London as an 'Alpha City'. Compared to New York or Tokyo, the two cities that bear the closest comparison, it has the largest number of wealthy people per head of population. Has London been transformed into a 'capital for capital' , marginalising the needs of the majority of its population? They're joined by the historian and sociologist, Rainer Zitelmann, who has conducted the first, large scale study into attitudes towards the rich and argues that social envy can lead to scapegoating and finds intriguing differences of opinion amongst Americans, Germans, the British and French. Producer: Jayne Egerton The Rich in London. Also, global attitudes towards the wealthy. New research on how society works |
| The Rural Idyll? | 20210428 | 20210502 (R4) | The Rural Idyll? Last year the National Trust produced a controversial report which revealed that 93 of its properties have direct links to colonialism and slavery. In this programme, Laurie Taylor talks to Corinne Fowler, Professor of Post Colonial Literature at the University of Leicester, whose new study engages directly with this painful history, uncovering the countryside's repressed colonial past and its relationship to notions of Englishness. How have pastoral mythologies in English literature served to erase the story of Empire? In what ways do contemporary writers of colour offer a challenge to uncritical celebrations of our 'green and pleasant' land? They're joined by Paul Readman, Professor of Modern British History at King's College London, whose recent research considers the relationship between landscape and English national identity, from the rural to the urban. Thinking Allowed is produced in partnership with the Open University. Producer: Jayne Egerton The Rural Idyll? The hidden relationship between the countryside and colonialism. New research on how society works |
| The Sea | 20220914 | 20220918 (R4) | The Sea - Laurie Taylor explores the privatisation of our oceans and the threat of plastic pollution. He gets into deep waters with Guy Standing, Professorial Research Associate at SOAS University of London, and author of new study which argues that exploitation and extraction now drive all aspects of the ocean economy, destroying communities, intensifying inequalities, and driving fish populations and other ocean life towards extinction. How can we rescue the economy of the sea? Alice Mah, Professor of Sociology at the University of Warwick discusses her recent work on the escalating plastics crisis. Even as public outrage has been prompted by viral imagines of choking marine wildlife, the demand for plastics continues to rise. Is it unstoppable? Producer: Jayne Egerton The Sea - the privatisation of our oceans and the threat of plastic pollution. New research on how society works |
| The Secret World Of Hair | 20170712 | 20170716 (R4) | The secret world of hair: Emma Tarlo, Professor of Anthropology at Goldsmiths, University of London, takes Laurie Taylor on an anthropological journey from wig factories in China to Hindu temples in Southern India. Also, Diane Trusson, lecturer in sociology at the University of Nottingham, talks about her study into the impact and meaning of hair loss amongst women with breast cancer. Producer: Jayne Egerton. The secret world of hair: an anthropological journey. Also, cancer and hair loss. New research on how society works |
| The Sensory Landscape Of The City | 20180110 | 20180115 (R4) | The sensory landscape of the city. Laurie Taylor explores the scenes, sounds, smells and tastes of urban life. He's joined by Daniel Silver, Associate Professor of Sociology at the University of Toronto, Alex Rhys-Taylor, Lecturer in Sociology at Goldsmiths, University of London and Monica Degen, Reader in Sociology at Brunel University London. Producer: Jayne Egerton. The scenes, smells, sounds and tastes of city life. New research on how society works |
| The Smartphone | 20210915 | 20210919 (R4) | The Smartphone: Nearly 90 per cent of British adults now own a smartphone and ownership among those aged 55 and over has soared from 55 per cent in 2019 to 70 per cent in 2020. Laurie Taylor explores the ways in which this ubiquitous object is transforming everyday life, from China to Ireland, & considers its impact on intimate relationships. He's joined by Daniel Miller, Professor of Anthropology at UCL and co-author of a new study involving 11 anthropologists who each spent 16 months living in communities in Africa, Asia, Europe and South America, focusing on the take up of smartphones by older people. They found that smartphones are technology for everyone, not just for the young, and are transformed by their users & national context. Also, Mark McCormack, Professor of Sociology at the University of Roehampton, considers the impact of smartphones on relationships in the UK. Are they keeping couples together when apart, and driving them apart when together? Producer: Jayne Egerton The Smartphone: how has it transformed everyday life, from China to Ireland? New research on how society works |
| The Sociology Of Smell, Getting A Confession | 20081203 | 20081208 (R4) | SOCIOLOGY OF SMELL In their new book The Guide to Perfumes Luca Turin and Tania Sanchez examine the sociology of smell from its aesthetic complexity, to its class, status associations, racial overtones and its gender implication. Laurie Taylor is joined by the fragrance expert Luca Turin, who describes perfume as an art, and Rod Watson, a sociologist of smell, to explore the hidden resonances of perfume. Why do we wear perfume, what do our choice of fragrance say about us? GETTING A CONFESSION Dr Elisabeth Carter, Research Associate of the University of Essex has studied the fine detail of police interrogation. She discusses the findings of her doctoral thesis called An Investigation into the structure of the police interview'. Laurie Taylor is joined by Luca Turin and Rod Watson to explore the resonances of perfume. New research on how society works |
| The Subway | 20170719 | 20170723 (R4) | International Express - the New York City Transit Authority 7 subway line runs through a highly diverse series of ethnic and immigrant neighborhoods in Queens. It's a microcosm of the urban, New York experience, in which individuals from a variety of cultures and classes are forced to interact and get along. William Kornblum, professor of sociology emeritus at the Graduate Center, City University of New York, talks to Laurie Taylor about the everyday reality of integrated mass transit. They're joined by the British writer, Iain Sinclair and the geographer, Melissa Butcher. A special programme on the subway. New research on how society works |
| The Transatlantic Trade And Investment Partnership, The Hidden Life Of Domestic Things | 20151104 | 20151109 (R4) | The Transatlantic Trade & Investment Partnership (TTIP) has stirred more passionate controversy than any other trade negotiations. Critics suggest it will undermine democracy and workers' rights, lowering health and safety standards and eroding public services; supporters claim it will produce spectacular growth and job creation. Laurie Taylor explores the likely costs and benefits in a discussion with Gabriel Siles-Brugge, Lecturer in Politics at the University of Manchester and co-author of an analysis of the TTIP. They're joined by the Rt Hon Lord Maude of Horsham, Minister of State for Trade and Investment. Also, the hidden life of domestic things. Sophie Woodward, Lecturer in Sociology at the University of Manchester, explores the dormant objects we stash away in drawers, cupboards and lofts. What can they tell us about the history of our homes, lives and relationships? Producer: Jayne Egerton. Laurie Taylor explores the likely costs and benefits of the TTIP. New research on how society works |
| The Trojan Horse Affair, Religion In Schools | 20171213 | 20171218 (R4) | Laurie Taylor talks to John Holmwood, Professor of Sociology at the University of Birmingham and author of a new book which argues against the notion that there was a plot to Islamicise schools in Birmingham. Instead, he considers the teachers and pupils are victims of a false narrative. They're joined by Sukhwant Dhaliwal, one of the founders and Editorial Collective members of a new journal on gender and fundamentalism called Feminist Dissent, who considers some of the claims have foundation and raises issues about the role of religion in our educational system. Producer: Jayne Egerton. Laurie Taylor asks if there was an attempt to Islamicise schools in Birmingham. New research on how society works |
| The Uk Strip And Lap-dancing Industry, Blue Jeans | 20121031 | 20121105 (R4) | Growth of the strip clubs - Why has erotic dance and stripping become a staple of the night time economy in the UK? Kate Hardy tells Laurie Taylor why her research suggests that the proliferation of these clubs has little to do with the demands of male customers. Instead, it's a by product of the economics of an industry which maintains its profits, even during a recession, by passing the financial risks on to its workers. Also, the anthropologist, Daniel Miller asks what the ubiquity of blue jeans tells us about our individual and social lives. He's joined by the sociologist, Sophie Woodward. Producer: Jayne Egerton. The strip industry - why is it growing? Also, the cultural meaning of 'blue jeans'. New research on how society works |
| The Underclass | 20220406 | 20220410 (R4) | The Underclass': Laurie Taylor explored a vexed concept which has engaged social scientists, philanthropists, journalists, policy makers and politicians. He's joined by Loic Wacquant, Professor of Sociology at the University of California Berkeley, and author of a magisterial study which traces the rise and fall of a scarecrow category which, he argues, had a lemming effect on a generation of scholars of race and poverty, obscuring more than it illuminated. They're joined by Baroness Ruth Lister, Emeritus Professor of Social Policy at Loughborough University, who charts the way in which the notion of an underclass travelled to the UK, via the New Right sociologist, Charles Murray. She describes its impact on the debate about 'welfare' dependency, across the political spectrum, and argues for a 'politics of renaming' one which accords respect and recognition to people who experience poverty. Producer: Jayne Egerton The Underclass: its rise and fall. New research on how society works |
| The Value Of Things | 20211229 | 20220103 (R4) | The value of things: At a time when many of us are sorting through Christmas presents, both wanted and unwanted, Laurie Taylor explores the value of attachment in a disposable world. Christine Harold, Professor of Communication at the University of Washington, asks why we hang on to certain objects and discard others. How might our emotional investment in things be harnessed to create less wasteful practices? Also, clutter in our homes, from the meaningless to the meaningful. Sophie Woodward, Professor of Sociology at the University of Manchester, challenges the moralistic view of clutter, one which sees it as a sign of individual failure to organise one's domestic life. Instead, she argues, it is central to the ways we negotiate and manage our intimate relationships. Producer: Jayne Egerton The value of things: why do we hang on to objects? New research on how society works |
| The Ways Women Age, Beauty Politics | 20170329 | 20170402 (R4) 20190619 (R4) 20190623 (R4) | The ways women age: Laurie Taylor talks to Abigail Brooks, Assistant Professor of Sociology at Providence College USA, and author of a study which asks why women choose or reject cosmetic anti ageing proceedures. Also, beauty politics in the Neoliberal age. Ros Gill, Professor of Social and Cultural Analysis at City University, discusses the ways in which women are required to be 'aesthetic entrepreneurs', maintaining a constant vigilance about their appearance. They're joined by Rachel Wood, Research Associate in the Department of Psychology, Sociology and Politics at Sheffield Hallam University. Revised repeat. Producer: Jayne Egerton. The ways women age. Also beauty politics. New research on how society works |
| The White Working Class. | 20180228 | 20180305 (R4) | The white working class - are they the left behind? Noam Gidron, a Fellow at the Niehaus Center for Globalization and Governance at Princeton University, asks if the right wing, populist vote is a reflection of the declining social status of this group. He's joined by Gurminder Bhambra, Professor of Postcolonial and Decolonial Studies at the University of Sussex, who argues that a concern with economic disadvantage, when talking about the election of Trump, as well as Brexit, has led to a new 'identity politics' of race - one where class takes second place to 'whiteness'. The writer and broadcaster, Kenan Malik, joins the discussion. Producer: Jayne Egerton. The white working class - is there a 'left-behind'? New research on how society works |
| Thrift | 20191120 | 20191125 (R4) | Thrift: Through the strictures of the global financial downturn and its aftermath citizens have been urged to keep calm and carry on'. This slogan, first coined in the 1940s and revived in the 2000s, found its way into political rhetoric and popular culture. Laurie talks to Rebecca Bramall, lecturer in media and communications at the London College of Communication, about the cultural politics of austerity. Also, Alison Hulme, lecturer in International Development at the University of Northampton, surveys the history of 'thrift' from the early Puritans to Post-war rationing and into consumer culture. What are the overlaps between thrift and austerity? Producer: Jayne Egerton New research on how society works |
| Thrift Chic, Thatcherism | 20130410 | 20130414 (R4) | Thatcherism' - was it a distinct ideology? In the light of Margaret Thatcher's death, Laurie Taylor considers whether or not she had a coherent and radical philosophy which marked a rupture with a post war consensus crossing party political lines. In addition, he explores her impact on academic research and the universities. He talks to Robert Saunders, lecturer in Politics and History and co-editor of a recent book, 'Making Thatcher's Britain'. They're joined by Geoff Andrews, Senior Lecturer in Politics & International Studies. Also, media and cultural studies lecturer, Dr Tracey Jensen charts the rise of 'new thrift' projects in popular culture which promise to show us how to do 'more with less'. Austerity politics has, she claims, generated a range of TV shows, advice manuals and weblogs which have turned thrift from a means of survival into a chic, middle class, lifestyle choice. Producer: Jayne Egerton. Thatcherism' - was it a distinct ideology? Also, the rise of thrift 'chic'. New research on how society works |
| Time | 20191113 | 20191118 (R4) | Time: Laurie Taylor considers the extent to which the way we spend our time has changed over the last fifty years. Is it true that we are working more, sleeping less and addicted to our phones? What does this mean for our health, wealth and happiness? Oriel Sullivan, Professor of Sociology of Gender at the UCL, has taken a detailed look at our daily activities and found some surprising truths about the social and economic structure of the world we live in. Also, Daniel S. Hamermesh, Distinguished Scholar at Barnard College, examines the pressure to do more in less time. Which people are the most rushed & why - from France and Germany to the UK and Japan. Producer: Jayne Egerton Time - how do we use & how has this changed in the last 50 years? New research on how society works |
| Tipping Points | 20111214 | 20111219 (R4) | Laurie Taylor explores the idea of the Tipping Point using a multidisciplinary project at Durham University as a springboard to examine what tipping points are, how they happen and what effect they have. Professor Tim Clark and Professor Pat Waugh from Durham University and Professor Alex Bentley from Bristol University are all involved in the Durham Tipping Points project and they are joined by Dr Shahidha Bari from Queen Mary, London to discuss the idea of the tipping point and what it might tell us about ourselves and our environment - and how, perhaps, we can use our understanding of it to prevent significant problems in areas as diverse as banking and sociology. Producer: Chris Wilson. Laurie Taylor explores 'The Tipping Point' in new research at Durham University. New research on how society works |
| Tooth Loss, Communist Utopia In A Spanish Village | 20131204 | 20131209 (R4) | Communist 'utopia' in a Spanish village. Laurie Taylor talks to the writer, Dan Hancox, about his research into a tiny community in Andalucia which set out to create an egalitarian enclave after the demise of General Franco. Does the reality match the dream? They're joined by the social geographer, Helen Jarvis. Also, the health researcher, Nicolette Rousseau, discusses the experience and meaning of tooth loss and replacement. Producer:Jayne Egerton. Laurie hears about an egalitarian enclave in Andalucia. Also, the meaning of tooth loss. New research on how society works |
| Tour Guide, Changing Incomes | 20110928 | 20111002 (R4) | New research compares income distribution in the UK with a multi storey apartment building in which the poorest dwell in the basement, the richest occupy the penthouse and most of us still live on the floors in between the two extremes. The economist, Professor Stephen Jenkins discusses income mobility and the dynamics of poverty with Laurie Taylor. They're also joined by the sociologist, Professor John Holmwood. Also, the raucous sidewalk culture of New York Tour Guides. The sociologist Jonathan R. Wynn introduces us to the eccentrics, educators and radicals who provide introductions to New York's dizzying array of attractions. Producer: Jayne Egerton. UK income mobility as a multi-storey building? Also, New York tour guides. New research on how society works |
| Tourism, Travel | 20210616 | 20210620 (R4) | Tourism & travel: Laurie Taylor explores their past, present and future. He's joined by the Italian social theorist, Marco D' Eramo, whose latest book unpacks a global cultural phenomenon at the point at which some of us are considering the possibilities of foreign travel, once again. How did travelling, as an elite pastime, evolve into mass tourism? Why do tourists often despise other tourists? How 'authentic' is the average heritage site? What impact does tourism have on our cities and the environment? Might we find more 'otherness' by staying at home? They're joined by Emily Thomas, Associate Professor of Philosophy at Durham University, whose research has found that philosophers have theorised extensively about the meaning and purpose of travel in a quest to understand the complexity of the world and of ourselves. Thinking Allowed is produced in partnership with the Open University. Producer: Jayne Egerton Tourism & travel. How have they evolved over the years and what is their future? New research on how society works |
| Traditionalism, Russian Orthodox Converts | 20240131 | 20240205 (R4) | Traditionalism and Russian Orthodox Converts – Laurie Taylor talks to Mark Sedgwick, Professor of Arab and Islamic Studies at Aarhus University, about the radical project for restoring sacred order. Traditionalism is founded on ancient teachings that, its followers argue, have been handed down from time immemorial and which must be defended from modernity. How has this mystical doctrine come to have contemporary sway on the political right, inspiring ex President Trump's former chief strategist, as well as the Russian philosopher Aleksandr Dugin, sometimes dubbed as “Putin's brain ?? They're joined by Sarah Riccardi-Swartz, Assistant Professor of Religion and Anthropology at Northeastern University, Boston, who has uncovered an extraordinary story of religious conversion in one corner of Appalachia. Here, a group of American citizens has embraced the Russian Orthodox Church and through it Putin's New Russia. They look to Russian religion and politics for answers to Western secularism and the loss of traditional family values. Producer: Jayne Egerton Traditionalism and Russian Orthodox converts. New research on how society works Traditionalism: Laurie Taylor explores a philosophy rooted in pessimism about modernity and hears about right wing American converts to the Russian Orthodox Church. Laurie Taylor explores the latest research into how society works. |
| Tribute To Ulrich Beck (1944, 2015), Dissident Irish Republicanism | 20150121 | 20150126 (R4) | Dissident Irish Republicanism - Laurie Taylor talks to John Morrison, Senior Lecturer in Criminology at the University of East London, about his in depth study into the recent intensification of rogue paramilitary activity, Can the upsurge in dissident Republican violence be explained by the history of splits within the Movement? He charts the rise of groups including the Real IRA, Continuity IRA and the newly emerging 'New IRA.' He's joined by Henry Mcdonald, Belfast correspondent at the Observer newspaper. Ulrich Beck - Angela McRobbie, Professor of Communications at Goldsmiths, University of London, gives a tribute to the eminent German sociologist who died earlier this month. What do his ideas about the 'risk society' tell us about current concerns relating to global terrorism? Producer: Jayne Egerton. Laurie Taylor on dissident Irish republicans, plus a tribute to sociologist Ulrich Beck. New research on how society works |
| Trouble At Work, Travellers Vs Tourists | 20121024 | 20121029 (R4) | Trouble at work: Laurie Taylor considers the findings of the largest UK study on ill treatment in the workplace ever undertaken. He's joined by the researchers, Ralph Fevre and Amanda Robinson, who claim that organisations which are well versed in modern management practices may create a culture in which bullying, harassment and stress thrive. Also, travellers versus tourists - Lara Week's research questions whether or not those seeking 'authentic culture' provide more to foreign countries than those who stick to the 'tourist trail Producer: Jayne Egerton. Laurie Taylor hears about research into workplace conflict, and travellers versus tourists New research on how society works |
| Trust | 20080702 | 20080706 (R4) | Laurie Taylor discusses the nature of trust in modern society with theorist Marek Kohn. New research on how society works |
| Trust In A Time Of Pandemic | 20200617 | 20200621 (R4) | Trust in a time of pandemic. Laurie Taylor explores the role of social capital and trust in combatting Covid-19. He's joined by Michael Calnan, Professor of Medical Sociology at the University of Kent and Tannistha Samanta, Assistant Professor at the Indian Institute of Technology in Gandhinagar. Producer: Jayne Egerton New research on how society works |
| Tv In Prison, Live Music In Prison | 20160511 | 20160515 (R4) 20190703 (R4) 20190707 (R4) | Prison TV: Laurie Taylor considers the therapeutic role of television in the modern day jail. He talks to Victoria Knight, Senior Research Fellow at De Montfort University, Leicester, and author of a new study examining the way in which TVs in cells manage the everyday life and emotions of prisoners; helping deliver both care and control. In addition, she offers insights into how technology in prison is evolving globally. They're joined by David Wilson, Professor of Criminology at Birmingham City University. Also, prison 'blues': BB King, the African American Blues musician, died on 14 May 2015. One year on, Les Back, Professor of Sociology at Goldsmiths, London, focused on his performances in prisons. Over a 25-year period, B.B. King performed for free in 47 different jails across America. Situating his concerts within a wider political context in which a crisis was unfolding in US prisons, Back explores the implications of King's prison 'blues' and interrogates the meaning of music behind bars. Revised repeat. Producer: Jayne Egerton Television in British prisons. Also, BB King and prison 'blues'. New research on how society works |
| Twitter, Elite University Admissions | 20131009 | 20131013 (R4) | TWITTER - Laurie Taylor talks to the sociologist, Dhiraj Murthy, about his new book 'Twitter: Social Communication in the Twitter Age'. This form of social media is now a household name, discussed for its role in political movements, national elections and natural disasters. But what's the real significance of this 'electronically diminished turn to terseness' as Murphy describes it? Using case studies including citizen journalism and health, his groundbreaking study deciphers the ways in which Twitter is re-making contemporary life. Also, elite university admissions. Harvard Professor of Education, Natasha Kumar Warikoo, discusses her research into the perceptions of meritocracy and inequality among undergraduates at Oxford University - part of a wider study of students at the highest ranking universities in the United States and Britain.Given the frequent critiques of such universities for admitting low numbers of state school graduates and, more recently, British Afro-Caribbean students, how do their students make meaning of the admissions process? Melissa Benn, writer and education campaigner joins the discussion. Producer: Jayne Egerton. Laurie looks at social communication in the Twitter age. Also, elite university admissions New research on how society works |
| Understanding Suicide, Families, Secrets And Memories | 20110921 | 20110925 (R4) | Laurie Taylor explores the latest research into how society works. He examines a new book seeking to understand suicide and talks to a sociologist about family secrets. Ben Fincham is a Lecturer in Sociology at Sussex University and his book 'Understanding Suicide: A Sociological Autopsy' assesses sociological work in this area and explores what can be known about the motivation and lives of suicidal people. He's joined by Dr Mike Shiner, a Senior Research Fellow in the Mannheim Centre for Criminology at London School of Economics. Laurie also talks to Professor Carol Smart from the University of Manchester about her paper exploring family secrets and memories. Producer Chris Wilson. Laurie Taylor explores our understanding of suicide, and family secrets. New research on how society works |
| Uniforms And Status In Hospitals, Cities Under Siege | 20120104 | 20120109 (R4) | How important is the way we dress for work? Laurie speaks to Stephen Timmons who has studied the impact on a hospital of removing professional markers and having almost all staff dress the same. Also how cities are the new battleground of our increasingly urban world: Stephen Graham, author of Cities Under Siege, tells Laurie that from the slums of the global South to the financial districts of the developed world political violence is policed with increasingly military tactics. He claims that the all over the world the city shows more and more features of a war zone. They discuss what he calls the 'new military urbanism' with Melissa Butcher. Producer: Charlie Taylor. Uniforms in hospitals and policing cities with military measures. New research on how society works |
| Universal Basic Income | 20180502 | 20180506 (R4) | Universal Basic Income: Laurie Taylor asks if it's the answer to an increasingly precarious job landscape. Could it bring greater financial freedom for women, tackle the issue of unpaid but essential work, cut poverty and promote greater choice? Or is it a dead-end utopian ideal that distracts from more practical and cost-effective solutions? He's joined by Stewart Lansley, Visiting Fellow at the School of Policy Studies, University of Bristol and editor of a new book which shares research and insights from a variety of nations including India and Finland; John Rentoul, Visiting Professor at King's College, London and Ursula Huws, Professor of Labour and Globalisation at the University of Hertfordshire Business School Producer: Jayne Egerton. Universal Basic Income - could it work? New research on how society works |
| Urban Crime And Disorder, Demography Of Death | 20081022 | 20081027 (R4) | URBAN CRIME AND DISORDER Laurie Taylor is joined by Robert J. Sampson, Professor of the Social Sciences at Harvard University who last night at the LSE delivered a lecture entitled: Disparity and Diversity in the Contemporary City. Social Disorder Revisited. They discuss urban environment and crime; what makes an urban area disorderly and dangerous? How does it acquire such a reputation? Can it ever be dispelled? DEMOGRAPHY OF DEATH Dr Leigh Shaw-Taylor Deputy Director of the Cambridge Group for the History of Population and Social Structure will be giving a talk at the Cambridge Festival of Ideas Called entitled A Short History of Death; Allan Kellehear, Professor of Sociology at the University of Bath is the author of A Social History of Dying. They address the history of human lifespan in Britain, and how the causes of death have changed overtime. Laurie Taylor speaks to Harvard's Robert Sampson about what causes disorder in cities. New research on how society works |
| Urban Nightlife, The Burlesque | 20080130 | 20080204 (R4) | Laurie Taylor puts human behaviour, institutions and conventions under the microscope. New research on how society works |
| Urban Protest | 20120704 | 20120708 (R4) | From the Paris Commune to the 'Right to the City', cities have long been the centre of utopian dreams and protests. They have generated riches, destitution, celebration and organised and often violent protest. Professor David Harvey, the acclaimed social geographer, talks to Laurie Taylor about the urban roots of the contemporary capitalist crisis and the vision of a city for all. They're joined by the sociologist, Sophie Watson. Producer: Charlie Taylor. Urban Protest: Laurie Taylor talks to David Harvey about trouble on the streets. New research on how society works |
| Us Elections And The Media, Tribute To Studs Terkel | 20081105 | US ELECTIONS AND THE MEDIA The printed press is often criticised for amongst others muck-raking, for its obsession with short term events, for relishing conflict and being cynical about politician | |
| Utopia | 20101229 | 20110103 (R4) | Laurie Taylor talks to Professor Russell Jacoby, Professor Ash Amin, Professor Barbara Graziosi and The Bishop of Whitby, Martin Warner, about whether we can imagine 'utopia' in the 21st century. In an age that some describe as filled with anxiety and uncertainty, are we breeding a kind of fatalism towards the future that excludes any notion of utopia? How indeed might we define and describe utopia? Can utopian ideas be not only practical and pragmatic but also democratic? When considering utopia where does religious faith and thinking intertwine with the secular world? Can we even talk about commonly held utopian ideals or are we condemned to imagine utopia only as fantasy, as an intellectual or artistic excerise that is, ultimately, futile. producer. Chris Wilson. Laurie Taylor explores new ideas about Utopia. New research on how society works |
| Vertical Cities, India's Property Boom | 20170208 | 20170213 (R4) | Vertical cities: Laurie Taylor explores the increasing segregation of cities by height. Stephen Graham, Professor of Cities & Society at Newcastle University, ponders 'class war from above'. His exploration of the built environment around the world, both above and below ground, finds that the wealthy have gone upwards; into 'islands' and 'archipelagos' of residential towers, hotels, private clubs, roof gardens, restaurants, swimming pools, even heliports. They enjoy fresher air, commanding vistas, safety from crime and speedy travel. Privileged Chinese citizens retreat to air conditioned citadels in the sky; wealthy Thai commuters enjoy the Skytrain, Bangkok's elevated railway for the fortunate few. Graham lays out a landscape where architecture reflects and reinforces divisions with ever greater brazenness. India's property boom. In recent years, India has seen a sudden and spectacular urban transformation. Gleaming business complexes encroach on fields and villages. Giant condominium communities offer gated security and pristine pools. Spacious, air-conditioned malls have sprung up alongside open-air markets. Llerena Guiu Searle , Assistant Professor of Anthropology at the University of Rochester, interviewed estate agents, investors and developers, documenting the new private sector partnerships and practices that are bringing prosperity, but also making India's cities ever more inaccessible to the urban poor Producer: Jayne Egerton. Vertical cities - a three-dimensional view of urban life. Also, India's property boom. New research on how society works |
| Violence, Arab Television | 20080109 | VIOLENCE He has been described as the Elvis of Critical theory', once ran as ran for the Presidency of his home country Slovenia, and is feted as one of the world's greatest living cultural philosopher | |
| Violence, Victorian Slum | 20080625 | 20080629 (R4) | VIOLENCE SLA Marshall, official US Army historian in the Second World War found that amongst frontline troops only fifteen per cent ever actually shot their weapons. A recent study claims that even when soldiers do fire their weapons they are so overcome with fear and tension that they are likely to fire wildly or miss. Laurie Taylor is joined by American Sociologist, Professor Randall Collins, author of Violence A Micro-Sociological Theory, to debate the rituals and micro-dynamics of violence and his contention that humans are biologically restrained from committing violent acts against each other. LONDON VICTORIAN SLUM Sarah Wise, author of a new book entitled The Blackest Streets based on her research study of life and death in a Victorian slum and Rushanara Ali, Associate Director of the Young Foundation discuss the past and present of Old Nichol, London's Bethnal Green. Laurie Taylor debates the rituals and micro-dynamics of violence. New research on how society works |
| Waiting In A&e, Faith And Doubt | 20140115 | 20140120 (R4) | Faith and doubt: an ethnographic study into political and spiritual convictions in an age of uncertainty. Laurie Taylor talks to the Lecturer in Anthropology, Dr Mathijs Pelkmans, about wide ranging research which suggests that the foundations of religious and secular 'faiths' are surprisingly fragile. Drawing on a diverse range of cases, from spirit mediums in Taiwan to right-wing populists in Europe, he analyses the ways that belief systems are either sustained or collapse. He's joined by Alpa Shah who has studied Maoists revolutionaries in India. Also, Alexandra Hillman discusses her new paper on 'waiting' in hospital emergency departments. Producer: Jayne Egerton. Laurie looks at research into the fragility of both religious and political belief systems New research on how society works |
| Walls | 20190213 | 20190218 (R4) | Walls: A social history of the human made barrier which has divided people into those who should be kept safe and those who should be excluded. From Hadrian's Wall and the Great Wall of China to the Berlin Wall. Laurie Taylor talks to David Frye, Professor of History at Eastern Connecticut University and Wendy Pullan, Professor of Architecture and Urban Studies at the University of Cambridge. Walls: Laurie Taylor explores the social history and symbolism of human-made barriers. New research on how society works |
| Walter Benjamin, A Special Programme On His Work And Influence | 20130828 | 20130901 (R4) 20190515 (R4) 20190519 (R4) | What is the value of forgotten histories, of possibilities not realised? What can a quite amble down a backstreet tell us about the nature of modernity? How has technology affected the nature and purpose of art? In the mid-twentieth century Walter Benjamin explored all these questions and brought Marxist thinking to high culture, exploring people's relationship to objects and art. His influence is probably felt now more than ever. Laurie Taylor presents a special programme on the work of this pioneering German intellectual and theorist. He's joined by the philosopher Jonathan Ree and the professor of political aesthetics, Esther Leslie. Revised repeat Producer: Charlie Taylor Walter Benjamin - a special programme on his work and influence. New research on how society works |
| War Games, Riding The Subway | 20150107 | 20150112 (R4) | The militarisation of every day life. Joanna Bourke, Professor of History at Birkbeck, University of London, talks to Laurie about the multiple ways in which military violence and war play invade our current lives, pervading language and entertainment. Are we irrevocably 'wounding the world'? Also, Richard Ocejo, Assistant Professor of Sociology at the City University of New York, takes us on a mystery ride with teenage New Yorkers, showing the diverse ways in which people experience being strangers in public space. Producer: Jayne Egerton. Laurie Taylor explores the way war and violence invades our lives. Also, riding the subway New research on how society works |
| War In The Air | 20171101 | 20171106 (R4) 20190717 (R4) 20190721 (R4) | War in the air: Laurie Taylor explores the history of aerial bombing and tear gas; from the battlefield to urban streets. He's joined by Thomas Hippler, Professor of Modern History at Caen University, Normandy, Anna Feigenbaum, Senior Lecturer in Digital Storytelling at Bournemouth University and Steve Graham, Professor of Professor of Cities and Society at Newcastle University. Revised repeat. Producer: Jayne Egerton. Laurie Taylor explores the history of aerial bombing and tear gas. New research on how society works |
| Water | 20200212 | 20200217 (R4) | WATER - Laurie Taylor explores the cultural life of a natural substance. Sophie Watson, Professor of Sociology at the Open University, considers the taken for granted-ness of this vital fluid and the everyday connections it forges amongst human beings. They're joined by Benjamin J. Pauli - Assistant Professor of Social Science at Kettering University in Flint, Michigan, whose study of the Flint water crisis describes the way in which `water warrior` activists have expanded the struggle for water justice, connecting it to a broader fight for democracy. Producer: Jayne Egerton Water: a cultural as well as a natural substance. New research on how society works |
| Water Ways | 20230913 | 20230917 (R4) | Water Ways: Laurie Taylor wades into the deep end with an exploration of human relationships with water. He talks to Veronica Strang, Professor of Anthropology, affiliated to Oxford University, whose latest study takes us from nature worship to the environmental crisis. Early human societies worshipped nature beings', including water serpent deities who manifested the elemental and generative powers of water. Such beliefs supported collaborative co-existence with the non-human world. How might an understanding of the role and symbolism of water serpents help us turn back the tide of ecological disaster? They're joined by Anna Mdee, Professor in the Politics of Global Development at the University of Leeds, who argues that water poverty isn't confined to the Global South, but takes a different form in the western societies, impacting around 20% of households in England and Wales. Producer: Jayne Egerton New research on how society works |
| Wealth, Plutocratic London | 20220525 | 20220529 (R4) | Plutocratic London and dynastic wealth. Caroline Knowles, Professor of Sociology at Goldsmiths, University of London, takes Laurie Taylor on a tour of plutocratic London, a city with more resident billionaires than New York, Hong Kong or Moscow. How have the fabulously rich re-made London in their own image and what is the cost to ordinary Londoners? They're joined by Katie Higgins, Postdoctoral Fellow in the Sociology of Elites at the University of Oxford, and author of a study exploring the inheritance practices of the ultra wealthy. How do they maintain a belief in the value of work whilst preserving inheritance for the generation to come? Producer: Jayne Egerton New research on how society works |
| Wealthy Irish And Sandwiches | 20080116 | 20080121 (R4) | WEALTHY IRISH AND SANDWICHES The Republic of Ireland has experienced enormous change since 1970, change which has brought an almost completely unexpected wave of prosperity. Ireland used to be a poor country but according to the Bank of Ireland there are now 30,000 Euro millionaires - that in a population of only 5 million. This week Laurie explores how the culture of Ireland has been affected by this change of fortunes and will be asking what it did in order to let the good times roll in. The historian Roy Foster has said that after centuries of misfortune, the Irish finally got lucky. He, along with the Financial Times Ireland Correspondent, John Murray Brown discuss the wealth of the Irish. Laurie Taylor is joined by John Murray Brown to discuss the new found wealth of the Irish. New research on how society works |
| Weather Forecasting, Young People And Politics | 20160210 | 20160215 (R4) | Weather forecasting: Laurie Taylor explores a scientific art form rooted in unpredictability. He talks to Phaedra Daipha, Assistant Professor of Sociology at Rutgers University, who spent years immersing herself in a regional office of the National Weather Service in America. How do forecasters decide if a storm is to be described as severe or hazardous; or a day is breezy or brisk? Do they master uncertainty any better than other expert decision makers such as stockbrokers and poker players? Charged with the onerous responsibility of protecting the life and property of US citizens, how do they navigate the uncertain and chaotic nature of the atmosphere? Also, young people, populism and politics. How do young Europeans regard the political process and are they more attracted to populist ideologies than their older counterparts? Gary Pollock, Professor of Politics at Manchester Metropolitan University, has used survey evidence from 14 European countries, to explore the mixture of political positions held by young people, finding they don't map easily on to the typical 'left-right' spectrum. Producer: Jayne Egerton. New research on how society works |
| Welfare Reform, Crime In The Armed Forces | 20130626 | 20130630 (R4) | Crime in the Armed Forces - Laurie Taylor talks to Emeritus Professor of History, Clive Emsley, about his pioneering, historical study into criminal offending by members of British armed forces both during and immediately after the two world wars of the 20th century, and concluding in the present day. For a quarter of the 20th century, the UK had large conscripted armed forces and it is these services, and in particular the Army, that are the principal focus of this study. Emsley argues that the forces 'reflect the society from which they come, both the good and the bad', pointing out that it's predominantly made up of younger men, the social group that commits the most crime. He also examines two popular assumptions about crime and war; namely, that crime decreases when wars begin as young men - those likeliest to commit crimes - are swept up into the forces; and that crime goes up at the end of war as men brutalised by combat returned to the civilian world but, unable to cope with 'peacetime', engage in crime and violence. Dr Deirdre MacManus, from King's College, joins the discussion, having recently completed a study into the relationship between combat experience and violent crime amongst British soldiers returning home from Iraq and Afghanistan. Also, Ruth Patrick's research into the lived experiences of welfare reform. She's interviewed a range of out of work benefits claimants between 2011 and 2013. Talking to single parents being moved from Income Support onto Jobseeker's Allowance, disabled people waiting to be migrated off Incapacity Benefit and onto Employment and Support Allowance, and young jobseekers experiencing the new Jobcentre/Work Programme and sanctions regime, her study gives a unique insight into the impact of a revolution in 'welfare' provision on 'real' people. Producer: Jayne Egerton. Laurie Taylor looks at crime in the armed forces. Also, the impact of welfare reforms. New research on how society works |
| White Collar Crime: Culture Of Crime | 20091104 | 20091109 (R4) | 1/3 In a series of special programmes in association with the Open University, Laurie Taylor explores the subject of white collar crime, from its late addition to the statute books to the increasing difficulty in securing a conviction. He speaks to the key academic experts in the field, explores the latest sociological research and hears from professionals on both sides of the law about the culture, the practice and most often the non-prosecution of white collar crime. In this edition, Laurie considers the culture of the crime. What exactly is white collar crime, who commits it and why? 1/3 Laurie Taylor explores white collar crime. What exactly is it, who commits it and why? New research on how society works |
| White Collar Crime: Punishment Of Crime | 20091118 | 20091123 (R4) | 3/3 In a series of special programmes in association with the Open University, Laurie Taylor explores the subject of white collar crime. Is it right that middle-class offenders should spend more of their sentence in open prisons? Should the loss of a professional position be taken into account when sentencing white collar criminals? Is our prison system set up to cope with professionals who offend? Laurie concludes his exploration of white collar crime and talks to past offenders including Jonathan Aitken, leading criminologist Michael Levi, and the former Director of Public Prosecutions, Sir Ken MacDonald, about the punishment of white collar criminals. Is it time we changed our attitude to crime in the workplace? Should we put more effort into enforcing the law and detecting white collar crime? 3/3 Laurie Taylor explores the punishment of white collar crime. New research on how society works |
| White Collar Crime: Regulation Of Crime | 20091111 | 20091116 (R4) | 2/3 In a series of special programmes in association with the Open University, Laurie Taylor explores the subject of white collar crime, from its late addition to the statute books to the increasing difficulty in securing a conviction. He speaks to the key academic experts in the field, explores the latest sociological research and hears from professionals on both sides of the law about the culture, the practice and most often the non-prosecution of white collar crime. In this edition, Laurie explores the culture of corporate crime and how regulatory bodies serve to keep the police at arm's length. In the UK, people are twice as likely to suffer a serious injury at work than to be a victim of violent crime, yet only a fraction of safety crimes are actually prosecuted. Globally, more people are killed at work each year than are killed in war. Why has corporate crime had a low priority, why has it been so hard to prosecute corporations and will the new crimes of corporate manslaughter and corporate murder make firms more responsible for the crimes they commit? 2/3 Why has corporate crime had such a low priority? New research on how society works |
| White Power Movement In Us, Rise Of Racist Right In Europe | 20181205 | 20181210 (R4) | The White Power Movement in the US: Laurie Taylor talks to Kathleen Belew, Assistant Professor of US History at the University of Chicago, and author of a new book which traces the origins and development of the racist far right. They're joined by Liz Fekete, Director of the Institute of Race Relations, who discusses her study of similar (and different) forces in Europe. Producer: Jayne Egerton The White Power Movement in the US. Also, the racist, far right in Europe. New research on how society works |
| White Privilege, Racial Ambiguity | 20181031 | 20181105 (R4) | Racial ambiguity in America: Lisa Kingstone, Senior Teaching Fellow in Race and Identity at Kings College, London, asks what happens to a country that was built on race when the boundaries of black and white have started to fade. She's joined by the writer, Bidisha. Also, what is meant by white privilege? Kalwant Bhopal, Professorial Research Fellow at the University of Birmingham, discusses her new study. Producer: Jayne Egerton What is white privilege? And what is the evidence that racial binaries are breaking down? New research on how society works |
| White Working Class Boys, French Thought | 20150624 | 20150628 (R4) | White, working class boys at school: Laurie Taylor talks to Garth Stahl. Lecturer in the School of Education at the University of South Australia, and author of a new study about boys' underachievement in Britain. Why do so many disengage from education? They're joined by Heather Mendick, Reader in Education at Brunel University. Also, the grand, French intellectual tradition. Dr Sudhir Hazareesingh, political scientist and writer, explores the prominence of thinkers in the life and history of France. From Voltaire to Foucault, how have intellectuals contributed to the distinctiveness of the nation? Producer: Jayne Egerton. White, working-class boys at school. Also, the French intellectual tradition. New research on how society works |
| Whither The Welfare State? | 20171018 | 20171022 (R4) | Whither the Welfare State? Laurie Taylor talks to Chris Renwick, Senior Lecturer in Modern History at the University of York and author of a new book examining the origins and purpose of the 'cradle to grave' welfare provision introduced under a Labour government in 1948. They're joined by Ruth Patrick, Post Doctoral researcher at the University of Liverpool, whose five year study of current welfare reform considers the impact of benefit sanctions and stigma. What does day-to-day life involve for those who receive out-of-work benefits? Is the political focus on moving people from 'welfare' and into work the right one? How do we balance the rights and responsibilities of contemporary citizenship in a time very different from the post war period? They're joined by Matthew Oakley, Senior Researcher at the Social Market Foundation. Producer: Jayne Egerton. Laurie Taylor explores the origins and meaning of the welfare state. New research on how society works |
| Why Love Hurts | 20120516 | 20120520 (R4) | The agony of love is a classic trope of romantic literature and popular journalism. The suffering caused by failures in our personal lives seems timeless. But the sociologist, Eva Illouz, argues that the nature of romantic suffering has changed radically in the modern era. Her book 'Why Love Hurts' argues that the individual misery of the 'broken hearted' should be subjected to scrutiny by social scientists. Failures in our private lives are shaped by social forces much larger than ourselves; they can't be explained by our individual psyches and histories alone. Stephen Frosh, Professor of Psychosocial studies, also joins the discussion. Laurie Taylor puts love under the sociological microscope. Producer: Jayne Egerton. Laurie Taylor investigates the pain of love from a sociological perspective. New research on how society works |
| Why Music Matters?, Bhangra And Belonging | 20140122 | 20140127 (R4) | Why Music Matters: David Hesmondhalgh, Professor of Music and Media Industries, examines the role of music in our lives and the ways in which it enriches people and society, or fails to do so. What is music's political and social significance beyond the pleasure it brings? He's joined by Caspar Melville, Lecturer in Global Creative and Cultural Industries. Also, 'Bhangra and Belonging': Falu Bakrania, US lecturer in Race and Resistance Studies, discusses her research into the social life of British Asian musical culture in the late 90s. From Bhangra to Asian underground, she talked to the male artists and female club goers. What impact did this musical explosion have on British Asian identity? Producer: Jayne Egerton. Laurie Taylor explores the role of music in our lives with Prof David Hesmondhalgh. New research on how society works |
| Why Sociology Matters | 20220119 | 20220124 (R4) | Laurie Taylor explores the meaning and purpose of public sociology with Michael Burawoy, Professor of Sociology at the University of California, Berkeley and author of a new book which describes his own contribution to reshaping the theory and practice of sociology across the Western world. He argues that social scientists should engage with the world they inhabit, rather than refusing to take positions on the most pressing issues of the twenty-first century. They're joined by Celine-Marie Pascale, Professor of Sociology at the American University, Washington, whose research advocates for, as well as describes, the daily lives of people in communities marked by poverty, racism, violence and misogyny. From Appalachia to the Standing Rock and Wind River Reservations and Oakland, California, she spoke to the self described 'struggling class'. She suggests that their stories can't be reduced to individual experience but illustrate a nation's deep economic and moral crisis and the collusion between governments and corporations that prioritise profits over people and the environment. Producer: Jayne Egerton Why Sociology matters: an exploration of the meaning and purpose of Public Sociology. New research on how society works |
| Wine Tasting, Us Philanthropy | 20120523 | 20120527 (R4) | Philanthropy is most often associated with the fight against poverty and disease. But a new book claims that the philanthropic foundations established by the major American industrialists - Rockefeller, Carnegie and Ford - have also promoted American values across the world. From Chile to Indonesia, they've invested in the creation of intellectual elites with a neo liberal agenda. And, it's claimed, they've had a significant role on the international stage, transforming America from a parochial nation into a global leader. Professor Inderjeet Parmar explores the power of US philanthropy with Laurie Taylor. Also, what does the language of wine tell us about civilisation? Professor Steven Shapin charts the cultural and chemical evolution of wine tasting. Producer: Jayne Egerton. US philanthropic foundations, and the changing language of wine tasting. New research on how society works |
| Winner Of 2018 Bsa-thinking Allowed Ethnography Award | 20180418 | 20180422 (R4) | The winner of the 2018 BSA/Thinking Allowed Ethnography award. Laurie Taylor talks to Anna Lora-Wainwright, Associate Professor in the Human Geography of China at the University of Oxford, and author of 'Resigned Activism: Living with Pollution in Rural China' . Her study revealed the health consequences of drinking tainted water and breathing visibly dirty air in villages effected by phosphorous mining & fertiliser production, lead and zinc mining and electronic waste production. Residents suffered a range of ailments, from arthritis to nosebleeds, in areas with a high incidence of cancer. Her extensive fieldwork found that villagers often felt powerless to challenge the 'slow violence' and human costs of rapid industrialisation - their activism was tempered by resignation. Isabel Hilton, international journalist and broadcaster joins the discussion. Isabel is the founder and editor of chinadialogue.net, an online publication that focuses on the environment and climate change. She was awarded the OBE for her work in raising environmental awareness in China. Producer: Jayne Egerton. New research on how society works |
| Woke | 20230927 | 20231001 (R4) | Woke: Laurie Taylor talks to Susan Neiman, philosopher and director of the Einstein Forum about her analysis of the concept of woke'. Contrary to popular assumption, she argues, it is not a set of attitudes which belong on the left of the political spectrum, but is rather an attack on progressive, universal values and the Enlightenment. They're joined by Huw Davies, lecturer in digital education at the University of Edinburgh, who offers a dissection of the British war on woke', suggesting that it is an intensive ideological campaign that is mobilising reactionary tropes within mainstream British political discourse. Producer: Jayne Egerton Laurie Taylor talks to philosopher Susan Neiman about the concept of 'woke'. New research on how society works |
| Women And Democracy, The Language Of Power | 20180307 | 20180312 (R4) | Has Democracy Failed Women?' Drude Dahlerup, Professor of Political Science at Stockholm University asks why women are still under-represented in politics, from the UK to the Global South. Some argue that we are on the right track to full gender equality in politics, while others talk about women hitting the glass ceiling or being included in institutions with shrinking power. Also, how 'normality' is established in language. Do the words we use-and don't use-reinforce dominant cultural norms? What are the unspoken assumptions behind terms like 'male nurse,' and 'working mother'? Eviatar Zerubavel, Distinguished Professor of Sociology at Rutgers University, explores the word choices we make every day, without even realizing it, and exposes the subtly encoded ways we talk about race, gender, sexual orientation and more. Producer: Jayne Egerton. Is democracy failing women? Also, how 'normality' is established in language. New research on how society works |
| Women And Domesticity, Corruption | 20081112 | 20081117 (R4) | WOMEN AND DOMESTICITY Amanda Vickery, Reader in Modern British Women's History at Royal Holloway University of London will be giving the 2008 HarperCollins History Lecture. Her talk called Out of the Closet - Love, Power and Houses explores the homes of men and women from the Glorious Revolution of 1688 to the Great Reform Act of 1832. Amanda discusses domestic visitors and the development of taste. CORRUPTION Professor Raymond Fisman is a business economist whose research focuses on corruption and its impact on development. In his latest book Economic Gangsters: Corruption, Violence and the Poverty of Nations, Professor Fisman describes his new approach to the detection and eradication of corruption. Laurie Taylor talks to Amanda Vickery about the history of the home. New research on how society works |
| Women And Gambling, Cleanliness | 20080806 | 20080810 (R4) | WOMEN AND GAMBLING Laurie Taylor talks to Emma Casey, Senior Lecturer in the School of Social Sciences at the University of Kingston about her research findings into women's gambling experiences and the ways in which these experiences are integrated with their everyday lives. CLEANLINESS Virginia Smith is the author of a new book entitled Clean: A History of Personal Hygiene and Purity. She is joined by anthropologist, Adam Kuper, to discuss her contention that our striving throughout history for personal cleanliness has brought great social benefits as well as great tragedies. Laurie Taylor talks to Emma Casey about her research into women's gambling experiences. New research on how society works |
| Women And The Armed Forces | 20130403 | 20130407 (R4) | Women in combat - the US secretary of defence announced in January 2013 that, from 2016, women will be allowed to serve in ground-combat roles in the US armed forces. The UK is likely to soon be faced with the need to make a similarly historic decision. Laurie Taylor talks to Anthony King, Professor in Sociology at the University of Exeter; Christopher Coker, Professor of International Relations at the London School of Economics and Joanna Bourke, Professor of History at Birkbeck College. This special programme explores the history of the female soldier and the implications of women's increasing involvement on the 'frontline'. How central is war to cultural definitions of masculinity and femininity? Is there something stubbornly masculine at the centre of the dominant, military ethos with its emphasis on courage, honour and valour? Or are these questions becoming redundant as the nature of war itself changes, so that an emphasis on the winning of' hearts and minds' in the Afghanistan context and elsewhere, could be said to signify a feminisation of war? And is the growth in technology assisted warfare actually sidelining the 'human' altogether, regardless of gender. Producer: Jayne Egerton. Laurie Taylor explores gender and the military as women go into the frontline of battle. New research on how society works |
| Work And Consumption, Neo-liberal Economics | 20131113 | 20131118 (R4) | The truimph of Neoliberal economics in the post Recession world. Laurie Taylor talks to US Professor of Economics, Philip Mirowski, about his analysis of why neoliberalism survived, and even prospered, in the aftermath of the financial meltdown of 2008. Although it was widely asserted that the economic convictions behind the disaster would be consigned to history, Mirowski says that the opposite is the case. He claims that once neoliberalism became a Theory of Everything, providing a revolutionary account of self, knowledge, markets, and government, it was impossible to falsify by data from the 'real' economy. Neoliberalism, he suggests, wasn't dislodged by the recession because we have internalised its messages. Have we all, in a sense, become neoliberals, inhabiting 'entrepreneurial' selves which compel us to position ourselves in the market and rebrand ourselves daily? Also, why do work almost as hard as we did 40 years ago, despite being on average twice as rich? Robert Skidelsky, Emeritus Professor of Political Economy, suggests an escape from the work and consumption treadmill. Producer: Jayne Egerton. Laurie Taylor discusses why neoliberal economics still dominates the post-recession world. New research on how society works |
| Work Identity On The Railway, How To Be Gay | 20121205 | 20121210 (R4) | How to be Gay - Laurie Taylor talks to David Halperin, the US Professor of History and Theory of Sexuality, whose controversial new book explores the way in which a gay male sensibility subverts mainstream culture, from Grand Opera to Broadway Musicals. Whilst some gay men repudiate what they perceive as a narrow and stereotypical version of their sexual identity; Halperin argues that a love of kitsch, camp and melodrama is, in fact, linked to a uniquely gay culture: Furthermore, its genius lies in some of its most despised features, namely its snobbery, caricatures of women and adoration of glamour. They're joined by the writer and cultural critic, Owen Jones. Also, Tim Strangleman discusses his study into work identity and 'loss': how older railway workers have reacted to change in their industry. Producer: Jayne Egerton. Laurie Taylor on a new book exploring gay male identity. Also, work identity in crisis. New research on how society works |
| Work Place Violence, War Reporting | 20070404 | WORK PLACE VIOLENCE Is workplace violence an escalating problem? Some statistics make grim reading especially over the last seven to eight years? But according to the British Crime Survey, it is still quite low, just 1.7% of the working population will be a victim of workplace violence. Peter (Tank) Waddington, Professor of Social Policy, at the University of Wolverhampton has just published new research using forensic or police interviewing techniques and talks about its findings. WAR REPORTING In a few days, Frank Webster, Department of Sociology, City University, London will present a paper entitled Campaigning in a changing Information Environment The Anti-War and Peace Movement in Britain and New Media at the BSA 2007 Conference. Laurie Taylor is joined by Frank Webster, who argues that there is an unprecedented battle underway over the perceptions and realities of war, and award wining foreign correspondent Christina Lamb to discuss whether a state's attempts to control information are being defeated by a new information environment'. Laurie Taylor explores violence in the work place and examines how we perceive war. New research on how society works | |
| Work, What Is It Good For? | 20190102 | 20190107 (R4) | Work: What is it good for? Laurie Taylor presents a special programme which takes a provocative look at work as a cultural norm. Josh Cohen, Professor of Modern Literary Theory at Goldsmiths, University of London, considers the joys of inertia - of being rather than doing; Andrea Komlosy, Professor in the Department of Economics and Social History at the University of Vienna, probes the debate about work as burdensome toil versus work as creative expression and Anthony Lloyd, Senior Lecturer in Criminology and Sociology at Teesside University, examines workplace harms in the service sector. Producer: Jayne Egerton Laurie Taylor explores the history, harms and downsides to our contemporary work culture. New research on how society works |
| Working Class Alienation, Nottingham Council Estate | 20120606 | 20120610 (R4) | Laurie Taylor explores new research from this year's British Sociological Association conference. Lisa Mckenzie describes the growth in working class alienation on the St Anne's housing estate in Nottingham. Also, Dr Maria Papapolydorou, considers how class impacts on young peoples choice and experience of friendship. Producer: Jayne Egerton. Laurie Taylor talks to speakers at the 2012 British Sociological Association conference. New research on how society works |
| Working Men's Health Practices, Plastic Surgery In Brazil | 20110209 | 20110214 (R4) | With a culture which equated health with beauty, Brazil has developed the biggest cosmetic surgery industry in the world. Public clinics often offer classic cosmetic procedures for free and 'La Plastica' is the realisable aim of people who can sometimes not afford the bus fair to make their consultation. How has plastic surgery become such an important part of the Brazilian culture and economy, and why is beauty seen as a 'right' for people who may not have electricity or running water. Laurie talks to Monica Figuero from Newcastle University and Alex Edmonds who's written on this subject. Also on the programme, Alan Dolan on how working class masculine culture in Britain puts men's health at risk. Producer: Charlie Taylor. Laurie discusses cosmetic surgery in Brazil and the health of British working men. New research on how society works |
| Working-class Actors, Class And Classical Music | 20171227 | 20180101 (R4) | Working class actors: Laurie Taylor asks if acting is becoming an increasingly exclusive and elite profession. He talks to the actor Julie Hesmondhalgh and to Dave O'Brien, Chancellor's Fellow, Cultural and Creative Industries at the University of Edinburgh, and author of a new study which suggests that working class actors face increasing economic, as well as cultural obstacles, comparable to skydiving without a parachute. Also, class and classical music. Anna Bull, lecturer in the School of Social, Historical and Literary Studies at the University of Portsmouth, considers why this musical genre is seen as such a middle class preserve. Producer: Jayne Egerton. New research on how society works |
| Workplace Misbehaviour | 20220511 | 20220515 (R4) | Workplace Misbehaviour: Laurie Taylor talks to Paul Thompson, Emeritus Professor of Employment Studies at the University of Stirling, about workers behaving badly, from pilferage and absenteeism to the deployment of satirical humour and dissent on social media. In what ways has the modern workplace facilitated new kinds of recalcitrance? Also, Rebecca Scott, Senior Lecturer in Marketing at the University of Cardiff, explores bullying and aggressive behaviour among chefs employed in fine dining restaurants. Does the isolation of the work itself, combined with the geography of elite kitchens, lead to outrageous conduct that would be condemned elsewhere? Producer: Jayne Egerton Workplace misbehaviour: how has it changed over the years? New research on how society works |
| World Dress, Relationships At Work | 20080716 | 20080720 (R4) | WORLD DRESS According to Robert Ross, author of new book Clothing: A Global History, leaders of the most powerful countries in the world have one thing in common: their choice of clothes. Laurie Taylor is joined by Dr Robert Ross and social anthropologist Henrietta Moore to discuss the world domination of the western business suit RELATIONSHIPS AT WORK Kathleen Riach, lecturer at the University of Essex talks about her joint research on work place romance. The literature of Human Resource Management' warns against the destabilising effects of romance in the office, how sexual relationships can lead to biased decisions, teasing, jealousy, and harassment claims. But are there worries justified? And do people pay the slightest heed? Laurie Taylor discusses the world domination of the western business suit. New research on how society works |
| Zoos Explored, Funeral Arranging | 20151111 | Zoos in the modern world: Laurie Taylor talks to David Grazian, Associate Professor of Sociology at the University of Pennsylvania and author of 'American Zoo: A Sociological Safari'. Zoos blur the boundaries between culture and nature; animals and humans and separate civilisation from the 'wild'. They are centres of conservation, as well as recreation and reveal the way we project our desires on to the animal kingdom. So how do zoos juggle their many contradictory meanings and what is their future? Also, funeral arranging. Isabelle Szmigin, Professor of Marketing at the University of Birmingham, explores 'consumption' choices which are forced through circumstance and can involve a competing range of sentiments, from love to obligation and regret. Producer: Jayne Egerton. Laurie Taylor goes on a sociological safari, plus a look at reasons behind funeral choices New research on how society works |