AntiSocial

Just a few years ago the gender gap in book publishing was seen as an issue to address, with many publishing houses focussed on boosting women authors. Has it all gone too far? Are men, especially straight, white men, now being locked out of telling their stories? And what might that mean for society?Presenter: Adam Fleming Producers: Nik Sindle, Lucy Proctor, Tim Gillet Editor: Richard Vadon

A new law to bolster workers' rights by making it an employer's job to prevent staff being harassed by customers and clients, as well as fellow colleagues, has been criticised by some as an attack on free speech. Opponents worry that harmless banter - in pubs, for example - might need to be monitored as a result of this new legislation. That's denied by the government. The word ‘banter’ has seen a resurgence in the last few decades. Tony Thorne, a lexicologist and language consultant at King’s College London, tells Adam when the banter began.

An extension of workers' rights, designed to further protect them from harassment on the job, has been criticised as an attack on free speech.The Employment Rights Bill, first tabled in October 2024, would make it an employer's responsibility to prevent harassment of their staff by customers, clients and members of the public, as well as fellow colleagues. Some argue the bill, which is not yet law, would effectively outlaw banter - particularly in settings like pubs - and pressure companies to more closely monitor conversations. Others welcome the plans, arguing that workplace harassment is rife and that banter is often used as an excuse for discriminatory and upsetting behaviour.We go through the proposed changes, look at examples where banter has been used as a defence in court, and explore the origins and evolution of the word itself.Presenter: Adam Fleming Producers: Simon Tulett, Tom Gillett, Nik Sindle Production coordinator: Janet Staples Editor: Penny Murphy

Government ministers have been trying to promote grit among young people in England as part of proposals to improve young people's mental health and increase school attendance. 'Grit' is the latest in a lengthy line of interventions from education secretaries who've been keen to emphasise the values they think children should be learning in school. Dr Lydia Marshall, head of research at the education consultancy Oxford Measured, tells Adam about the long and winding history

The government has launched a new initiative to help teachers address a crisis in mental health among young people and a sharp drop in school attendance since the pandemic. The Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson says she wants schools to teach children greater "grit and resilience" to handle "life's ups and downs". It's the latest in a long line of interventions from education secretaries seeking to encourage the values they think children should be learning in school.Is this the promotion of an important life skill or the latest gimmick burdening teachers?Presenter: Adam Fleming Producers: Josephine Casserly, Viv Jones, Jason Murugesu and Nik Sindle Editor: Penny Murphy Production Coordinator: Janet Staples Studio Engineer: Hal Haines

In the last few weeks Adam has been noticing things popping up on his social media timeline tagged with the word “Yookay”, which is supposed to be a reference to how UK is pronounced in a multicultural London accent. The content is a combination of pictures of streets or public transport and sometimes videos. So what's going on? I spoke to Siddharth Venkataramakrishnan, analyst at the thinktank the Institute for Strategic Dialogue, who researches anti-migrant sentiment online.

Taj Ali, a journalist and historian researching South Asian political activism, and Rakib Ehsan, a researcher focusing on immigration and identity, dive deep into the UK’s contentious immigration rhetoric. They unpack the Prime Minister's warning about becoming an 'island of strangers' and its historical echoes. The duo discusses community responses to racism, the realities of social cohesion, and how political language shapes public sentiment. They advocate for grassroots initiatives that promote understanding amidst the complexities of diversity and integration.

A group of Labour MP's say they're opposed to government plans to cut the benefits paid to disabled people, with a lot of the online debate focusing on PIP - Personal Independence Payments. BBC journalist Emma Tracey presents the BBC's disability and mental health podcast, Access All, she explains what these payments are, how they can be used and who is eligible to claim.

There's a row in the Labour Party about cutting the benefits paid to disabled people. Ministers say they're trying to manage a budget that's ballooning. That's partly because of more claims from the young and from people with mental health conditions. But others say that these payments are lifelines for people with both mental and physical disabilities. Presenter: Adam Fleming Producers: Josephine Casserly, Viv Jones, Bethan Ashmead-Latham and Tom Gillett Production Coordinator: Janet Staples Studio Engineer: Hal Haines

A campaign to get verbal abuse on the agenda has sparked debate with headlines that say shouting at children is as bad as physical abuse.What does the evidence actually say about the words we use when speaking to children? Where did the phenomenon of gentle parenting come from, and how do you do it? And who decides how we treat our kids?Presenter: Adam Fleming Producers: Lucy Proctor, Josephine Casserly, Bethan Ashmead Latham, Tom Gillet Production coordinator: Janet Staples Editor: Penny Murphy