Power to the people
27 January 2025 - 1 hour 26 minsContributor(s): Dr Danny Sriskandarajah, Lysa John, Jo Swinson | In 2024, two billion people headed to the polls in some 50 countries around the world. But the drama of these elections risks obscuring just how fragile the foundations of democracy have become. A political system that is geared towards short-term wins, run by politicians that few of us trust, is failing to address complex global problems. Many of us feel disempowered, disillusioned and distrustful.
Hear Danny Sriskandarajah discuss his new book Power to the People. Drawing on his extensive experience in leading civil society organisations around the globe, he sets out his radical blueprint for change. From giving democracy a...
Series Episodes
How to win a trade war
In this public event, Soumaya Keynes and Chad Bown discuss their new book, How to Win a Trade War.
1 hour 24 mins
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The halted march of the European left: lessons from history
In the 1970s, the European left was thriving. Across the continent, numerous groups emerged to defend the working‑class in all its diversity. New waves of organising—led by women, migrants, and young workers—pointed to the vitality of the labour movement. And then... the left’s progress came to a sharp halt. What brought about such decline? What lessons must we take away from this historical turning point?
1 hour 22 mins
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From citizen to subject: police militarisation and the imperial boomerang
Militarised policing is one of the preconditions for fascist rule, but how and why would police in liberal democracies militarise?
1 hour 28 mins
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Inheritance, demographics, and economic development
Inheritance institutions shape family structures and demographic decisions, with enduring implications for economic development. This lecture describes how inheritance rules affect fertility, marriage, and migration decisions in historical and development contexts.
1 hour 23 mins
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Trade under strain: policy challenges in a fractured world
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1 hour 31 mins
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Economics, ethics, and the role of the state in climate action
Climate change and biodiversity loss are among the defining challenges of our time — but they also open the door to extraordinary possibility. The investments, innovation, and structural change required for climate action can unlock, particularly when combined with AI, far more dynamic and resilient paths of growth and development than anything the past has offered.
1 hour 32 mins
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