The Good Apocalypse Podcast

Alex Evans speaks to Miriam Juan-Torres González, a leading expert on polarisation, democracy and belonging. They discuss the evolution of political polarisation since 2016, the rise of authoritarian populism and strategies for building bridges and defending democracy in turbulent times. Miriam shares insights from her research and real-world examples of successful civic campaigns, offering practical advice for anyone passionate about positive change.Key Topics:- Issue-based vs affective polarisation and the global landscape.- The role of the political right and left in driving polarisation. When it can be a necessary strategy for justice.- The importance of focusing on authoritarianism and democracy.- The pitfalls of mainstream parties adopting far-right rhetoric. Alternative strategies for centrist governments.- Relational organising, deep canvassing, and bridge-building.- Do labels like “fascism” and “radical right” describe current political trends?- The importance of electoral and grassroots strategies in defending democracy.- A new vision of democracy.- Integrating bridge-building with justice.People:Míriam Juan-Torres González is an expert on authoritarian populism, polarisation and human rights. She is Head of Research at OBI's Democracy & Belonging Forum at UC Berkeley, and formerly acted as advisor to Our Common Home and taught at the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. She is the co-author of “Hidden Tribes: A Study of America’s Polarized Landscape” and the lead author of “Britain’s Choice: Common Ground and Division in 2020s Britain". She is also co-chair of the Board of the Belong Network. Alex Evans is the founder and Executive Director of Larger Us. He’s also a Visiting Professor in Practice at Newcastle University’s School of Arts and Cultures, a Senior Fellow at New York University’s Center on International Cooperation, and the author of "The Myth Gap: What Happens When Evidence and Arguments Aren’t Enough?" (Penguin, 2017). Alex is a former Campaign Director at Avaaz, where he ran campaigns on areas including Brexit. He’s also been a political adviser, including for two UK Secretaries of State for International Development and in the UN Secretary-General’s office.Resources & Further Reading:Chris Armitage’s blog on racism. Corrine Fowler’s interview on the Larger Us podcastAlex Evan's article on Radical Love and Depolarisation Hidden Tribes (US) reportBritain’s Choice (UK) reportResearch by Maria Stephan and Erica Chenoweth on nonviolent resistanceThe Othering and Belonging Institute’s work on targeted universalismSubscribe for more conversations on navigating turbulent times and building a brighter future. Music by Fogheart, with permis

In this insightful discussion, Adam Kahane, a renowned facilitator and peace expert, shares transformative experiences from his work on the Mont Fleur scenarios in South Africa. He explores how powerful stories and metaphors can shape futures and build trust in polarized settings. Adam discusses the distinction between normative and analytical scenario planning and reflects on both successful and challenging processes. He emphasizes the importance of collective engagement and finding 'cracks' in systems to enable positive change, leaving listeners inspired by the potential for hope.

Why do those of us in western societies find it so difficult to face the prospect of our deaths, or to grieve collectively for experiences of shared loss? How does unprocessed collective grief - for instance about the pandemic - show up politically? And might changes in how we think and feel about death make it easier for us to confront existential risks like climate breakdown?Ivor Williams is an old friend of Larger Us’s (he co-wrote This Too Shall Pass, our report on collective grief written at the height of the pandemic), a healthcare designer working at the cutting edge of end-of-life care, and now founder of Mortals, an extraordinary small group journey into our attitudes to both death, and everything that happens before it. Featuring:Alex Evans is founder and director of Larger Us, writer of the Good Apocalypse Guide on Substack, Professor in Practice at Newcastle University, and author of The Myth Gap.Elizabeth Oldfield is chair of Larger Us, host of The Sacred podcast, author of Fully Alive: Tending to the Soul in Turbulent Times, and was formerly director of Theos, the UK's leading think tank on religion in public life.Ivor Williams is designer and founder of Mortals, a small group programme that explores questions around dying and living well. He has worked as an end-of-care designer with Imperial College and the NHS, is an end-of-life doula, and was co-creator of Cove, one of the first mental health apps to be recommended by the NHS.

Daryl Davis, a renowned blues musician and race relations expert, shares his incredible journey of befriending over 200 former KKK members. He discusses how personal connections can dismantle hate and the importance of open dialogue in addressing racism. Daryl recalls his own experiences with prejudice and reveals how music serves as a bridge for understanding. His insights challenge us to engage constructively with those we disagree with and highlight the need for genuine leadership to combat white supremacy in America.

What does it mean to be 'fully alive' during turbulent times? Our guest for this episode - who'll also be joining us as one of our rotating cast of co-hosts - is Elizabeth Oldfield, the author of Fully Alive: Tending to the Soul in Turbulent Times and Chair of Larger Us's board. Liz talks about how connection and belonging are at the heart of what she writes about in her book, what it's like to live in an intentional community, and how we fill the 'religion shaped hole' in modern life. Featuring:Alex Evans is founder and director of Larger Us, writer of the Good Apocalypse Guide on Substack, Professor in Practice at Newcastle University, and author of The Myth Gap.Claire Brown is head of development and impact at Larger Us, oversees the organisation's climate conversations project, and has previously worked on welcoming refugees to the UK and as a local journalist. Elizabeth Oldfield is chair of Larger Us, host of The Sacred podcast, author of Fully Alive: Tending to the Soul in Turbulent Times, and was formerly director of Theos, the UK's leading think tank on religion in public life.Other resources:Caleb Meakins TEDx - My 40 days - facing the fear of failureCitizens by Jon AlexanderThe Larger Us programmeSound Effect by Shagor Miah from Pixabay

What do you do when you find yourself at the centre of a culture war? Our guest for this episode is Professor Corinne Fowler who became a target for ‘anti-woke’ journalists and politicians due to her work exploring the colonial histories of National Trust properties. Corinne’s approach - to positively engage with her attackers - yielded some surprising results and she shares what she’s learned about taking on the culture warriors. We also had a wide-ranging discussion about her fascinating new book, Our Island Stories. In it we join Corinne on a series of walks through the countryside during which she delves into the history of slavery, colonialism and empire that has shaped our green and pleasant land. We spoke about everything from her approach to research to the links between oppression and at home and abroad. Our Island Stories is published by Penguin Books. 

Welcome to a new series of the Larger Us Podcast! This time we’re talking to Imran Ahmed, who is founder and CEO of the Center for Countering Digital Hate. We spoke to him in the immediate aftermath of the wave of far right riots that swept the UK in July after misinformation about the identity of the perpetrator of a mass stabbing targeting children spread rapidly and widely across social media.Imran is an authority on the social and psychological impacts of digital platforms and the bad actors who exploit them, and he’s been a hugely influential voice in advising politicians around the world on policy and legislation to combat online hate and misinformation – so much so that Elon Musk sued the Center for Countering Digital Hate (and lost). For more about CCDH check out their website here, and you can find a recent Wired interview with Imran here. 

How do we achieve social buy-in for the huge, disruptive and sustained transformation entailed in making our societies sustainable? Why is it such a problem that social media has become the 'public square' where we have big conversations about the future - and how have campaigning and activism become embroiled?Hugh Knowles is Co-Executive Director of Friends of the Earth and was formerly Head of Innovation at Forum For The Future. He's speaking on this episode in a personal capacity.

How does a single chemical in our brains drive love, sex, consumerism and creativity? Why are some people more 'dopmaninergic' than others, why is that such a big deal for politics, and what does it mean for change-makers?Daniel Lieberman is a clinical professor of psychiatry and behavioural sciences at George Washington University, co-author of the international bestseller The Molecule of More, and author of Spellbound: Modern Science, Ancient Magic, and the Unconscious Mind.

How can we build inclusive belonging in conditions of acute polarisation - for example when members of a historically privileged group feel that more power and status for a historically marginalised group means less power and status for them? What do the recent US mid-terms mean for American democratic health, and what lessons do they offer for other countries?Michelle Barsa runs the Omidyar Network's programme on Building Cultures of Belonging, and is a former program director at Beyond Conflict where she was lead author for their report on Renewing American Democracy. She has also worked at Inclusive Security, where she trained hundreds of women across Syria, Afghanistan, Sudan, Libya and Nigeria, and at the US Department of Homeland Security on countering violent extremism.