Hello! We’re incredibly excited to be talking to one of our favourite authors, Michael Lewis, about his new book, The Premonition: A Pandemic Story. He explores what went wrong in the US response to coronavirus through the lives of a number of people at the heart of pandemic planning. We chat to Michael about what he discovered, his approach to writing, and how he finds such compelling characters for his books.Listen to our conversation with Michael from last year about The Fifth Risk: https://pod.fo/e/13600 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hello! We’re talking about football… but not just about football. Hot on the heels of the European Super League fiasco we’re exploring ideas to change where power lies in football - and asking what they mean for society more widely. Uli Hesse tells us about the ‘50+1’ rule in Germany. Thomas Hanna from The Democracy Collaborative and Vidhya Alakeson from Power to Change explain how to promote fan ownership in the UK. Then footballer turned academic Alex Culvin talks about how to put women’s football at the centre of the conversation. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hello! This week we're exploring a vision for how we can address the environmental crisis and build a better society in the process. Friends of the pod Mat Lawrence and Laurie Laybourn-Langton are back to chat about Planet on Fire - their 'manifesto for the age of environmental breakdown'. Then climate justice activist Dominique Palmer talks about building a movement to push for this kind of action.AND we chat to the world's best teacher, Andria Zafirakou!Head to cheerfulpodcast.com for more info on all of our episodes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hello! President Biden sparked a major debate when he described spending on social care and childcare as an investment in infrastructure. We’re exploring why the question of what counts as ‘infrastructure’ really matters. US policy expert Julie Kashen talks us through the US infrastructure debate then Professor Sue Himmelweit from the Women’s Budget Group explains why it could have far-reaching implications around the world.Plus author Eileen Jones tells us about her new book ‘How Parkrun Changed Our Lives’ and the unconventional way she launched it… Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hello! Finland has just been named the world’s happiest country for the fourth year running. To celebrate, we’re going on a virtual Nordic trip to explore the secrets behind their success. We ask Finnish journalist Anu Partanen and authors of ‘Finntopia’ Danny Dorling and Annika Koljonen what we can learn from Finland about how to build a better society. Then we have our first ever president on the pod: former Finnish leader, President Tarja Halonen. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hello! In February the Supreme Court ruled against Uber in a major case on the rights of its drivers. Could it prompt a shift in working conditions in the gig economy? Former Uber driver and co-claimant in the recent case James Farrar tells us about his legal victory, Kelle Howson from Fairwork talks about what it could mean more widely, then Martin Buttle from ShareAction talks us through the investor response to Deliveroo’s recent IPO. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hello! The ‘right to play’ is recognised by the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. How can we make sure all children have the time and space to play? Aled Hanson tells us about his experience of working at Flintshire Playscheme. Marianne Mannello from Play Wales talks about the pioneering Welsh play legislation. Then writer and researcher Tim Gill talks about how ‘child-friendly cities’ around the world design public space to make it easier and safer for children to play. Plus volunteer Jenny Chigwende on how W12 Together in West London has supported the local community during the last 12 months. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Bonus episode: Our extended conversation with poet and children's author Michael Rosen about his new book 'Many Different Kinds of Love'. We talk about Michael's experience with Covid and why he decided to write about it. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hello! President Biden’s Covid relief package has been described as the most progressive piece of US legislation in the US for decades. Does it mark the start of a transformational presidency? We speak to Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro about the historic expansion of child tax credit and her 18 year campaign to make it happen. Lindsay Owens from the Groundwork Collaborate talks us through Biden’s wider economic agenda. And we ask Professor Stephen Skowronek whether this could be the beginning of a new era in US politics.Plus author and poet Michael Rosen on his experience with Covid-19. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hello! Is remote working here to stay? How do we deal with the new inequalities that creates? Friend of the pod & home working guru Nick Bloom talks us through his research on the future of workplaces. Claire McCartney from the CIPD explains how employers can make hybrid working work for all. And Claire Carpenter from the Melting Pot in Edinburgh sets out her vision for ‘hyper local’ coworking spaces.You can preorder Ed’s book here: http://bit.ly/3u9CVOL Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.