RSA Events

Are we still a liberal nation? Are we even pretending or aspiring to be one?Several extraordinary years in politics and public life have shaken Britain’s image of itself as a model of liberal democracy. The status of political parties, the media, and public officials have morphed and shifted as increasingly desperate attempts have been made to contain the impulses of reactionary nationalism within mainstream political institutions. Widening inequality and the expanding role of technology have changed the way we relate to one another, eroding the sense of consensus required for liberal politics to thrive. Momentous public votes and major events have been surrounded by lying and propaganda, once met with shock, but now wearily familiar.How was the ground laid for this liberal collapse? Professor of Political Economy William Davies reflects on this extraordinary moment as a product of a larger and longer historical context, examining the underlying preconditions for the turmoil through which we’re living, and where we might go from here. How has the UK’s response to the coronavirus pandemic shone a light on the state of its politics? And with injustice more clearly exposed and widely acknowledged than ever, could this moment pave the way for something better?#RSAliberalismThis conversation was broadcast online on the 24th September 2020. Join us at: www.thersa.org

Statistics are vital in helping us tell stories and make sense of the world - and yet we doubt them more than ever.But numbers - in the right hands - have the power to change the world for the better. Good statistics are not smoke and mirrors; in fact, they help us see more clearly – if we keep our wits about us.Economist Tim Harford is an unrivalled guide to the world of numbers. Amidst a sea of disinformation and obfuscation, he shows how to seek out data with the power to inform and illuminate.In an unmissable RSA conversation with data bias campaigner Caroline Criado Perez, we’ll learn how to look closer at how statistics are sourced and presented, and how to evaluate the claims that surround us with greater confidence, curiosity - and a healthy dose of scepticism.#RSAnumbersThis conversation was broadcast online on the 17th September 2020. Join us at: www.thersa.org 

In recent months, the Black Lives Matter movement has heightened public consciousness of the extent to which racial injustice is embedded in all aspects of our society.As a new term begins, many teachers will be returning to the classroom with a renewed commitment to practising active anti-racism in their school community.But what does it take to make that commitment real? From behaviour to curriculum, what needs to be challenged, confronted, re-created? What tools and resources are available? And what is missing, overlooked, or denied?RSA education director Laura Partridge is joined by Zahra Bei and Rodeane Henry-Grant, Coalition of Anti-Racist Educators; Sarah Brownsword, lecturer in education, UEA; and Daniel Kebede, senior vice-president, NEU, to share perspectives on what we need now to turn the discourse of anti-racism into the practical, sustained, everyday actions that will be vital to securing a fair education for everyone.  #RSAeducation Further ReadingExplore RSA Fair Education projects:https://www.thersa.org/bridges-future/fair-educationThe NEU’s framework for developing an anti-racist approach:https://neu.org.uk/anti-racism-charterAddition links and reading suggestions:https://my.chartered.college/2020/06/anti-racist-education-selected-reading/ This conversation was broadcast online on the 10th September 2020. Join us at: www.thersa.org 

To read 'The Reflexive Age' in full, click here This conversation was broadcast online on the 30th July 2020. Discover more here. 

Impact investment pioneer Sir Ronald Cohen argues that social justice must dictate the economic response to the crisis now facing countries the world over. Capitalism is being challenged as never before - it can be radically reshaped. This conversation was broadcast online on the 23rd July 2020. Discover more at: www.thersa.org/events/bridges-to-the-future

Women’s economic subordination is a global problem that affects us all. Gender equality, often treated as an afterthought or a luxury only wealthy countries can afford, is essential for stabilising and strengthening our economies, bettering our societies, and liberating women across the world. Economist Linda Scott examines the growing body of evidence that we all do better when women do better. This conversation was broadcast online on the 14th July 2020. Discover more at: www.thersa.org/events/bridges-to-the-future

As movements for change sweep across the globe, two of the UK’s most admired public thinkers, Mary Beard and David Olusoga, reflect on the enduring and evolving dialogue between past and present, and the duty we owe to the legacies we inherit. This conversation was broadcast online on the 21st July 2020. Discover more at: www.thersa.org/events/bridges-to-the-future

From climate crisis to the next pandemic, the existential threat of short-termism is now all too clear. Drawing on ideas and movements from around the world, public philosopher Roman Krznaric shows how a shift to long-term thinking can help us create more just, secure and sustainable societies - and set us on a path to becoming the good ancestors that future generations deserve. This conversation was broadcast online on the 16th July 2020. Discover more at: www.thersa.org/events/bridges-to-the-future

What are the alliances, practices, tools and behaviours that will best support a united health and care system in the move towards long term change? Can we create a model of public service that is agile and resilient, able to cope with crisis and meet the needs and expectations of today’s citizens? This conversation was broadcast online on the 9th July 2020. Discover more at: www.thersa.org/events/bridges-to-the-future

The Covid-19 crisis has highlighted the extent to which schools have been plugging gaps in the care of vulnerable children. Can we develop a new vision and shared responsibility for young people’s education, health and wellbeing - one that places schools at the heart of a much wider community network of support? This conversation was broadcast online on the 30th June 2020. Discover more at: www.thersa.org/events/bridges-to-the-future