
LSE: Public lectures and events
The London School of Economics and Political Science public events podcast series is a platform for thought, ideas and lively debate where you can hear from some of the world's leading thinkers. Listen to more than 200 new episodes every year.
Latest episodes

Jun 11, 2024 • 58min
Authoritarian populism and media freedom
Contributor(s): Dr Kate Wright, Dr Damian Tambini, Alan Rusbridger | How did the Trump administration capture one of the world’s most important public service news networks, The Voice of America? How did the BBC, an exemplary public service broadcaster, end up being accused of bias towards the privileged and the ruling elites?

Jun 11, 2024 • 1h 1min
How can countries prepare for the next global health crisis?
Contributor(s): Dr Clare Wenham, Professor Ken Shadlen, Dr Ulrich Sedelmeier, Dr Tine Hanrieder | They explore how power, politics and public opinion are affecting the next international pandemic response and preparedness, including the crucial question of access to vaccines and other medicines.

Jun 11, 2024 • 57min
How to make better decisions
Contributor(s): Dr Luc Schneider |
Learn about the fundamental ingredients of any personal or professional decision
Explore the evidence around how these ingredients inform the quality of the decision-making process
Get actionable tips to implement and improve your own strategic decisions
Consolidate your understanding with the Q&A

Jun 10, 2024 • 1h 16min
A year of elections: power and politics in 2024
Contributor(s): Bill Neely, Professor Sara Hobolt, Dr Mukulika Banerjee, Dr Nick Anstead | This year people around the world are going to the polls. What have been the surprises and takeaways from election results so far, and what is still to come?

Jun 10, 2024 • 1h 2min
The ministry for the future: navigating the politics of the climate crisis
Contributor(s): Professor Elizabeth Robinson, Kim Stanley Robinson | Kim Stanley Robinson is the Author of about twenty books, including the internationally bestselling Mars trilogy, and more recently Red Moon, New York 2140 and The Ministry for the Future and explores the political economy needed to cope with existential threats in his writing.

Jun 10, 2024 • 1h 4min
Economics and wellbeing: inflation, public debt, and commercial wars
Contributor(s): Professor Olivier Blanchard | What are the prospects for inflation? Is the level of public debt now dangerous? And will commercial wars between nations blight our future?

Jun 6, 2024 • 1h 34min
The 2024 European elections and the challenges ahead
Contributor(s): Professor Sara Hobolt, Dr Heather Grabbe, Tony Barber | The 2024 European Parliament elections promise to be a pivotal moment for the European Union. Polling suggests Eurosceptic parties could make large gains, fundamentally shifting the balance of power within the Parliament.

Jun 5, 2024 • 1h 29min
Tech tantrums - when tech meets humanity
Contributor(s): Baroness Beeban Kidron | AI is poised to supercharge its impact on almost every aspect of economic, public and personal life. Tech leaders in Silicon Valley believe that AI poses an existential threat to humanity even as they enter an arms race to be ’the ruler of the world”. This year 50% of the world’s population go to the polls, without a single party offering a vision of how they will ride, contain or regulate the wave of change that AI will bring.

Jun 4, 2024 • 60min
How to build a cohesive society
Contributor(s): Professor Jonathan Wolff, Professor Marc Stears, Professor Margaret Levi | Tim Besley, School Professor of Economics and Political Science and Director of the Programme on Cohesive Capitalism chairs our discussion on cohesion and capitalism.

Jun 3, 2024 • 1h 33min
Alternatives to neoliberalism
Contributor(s): Professor Debra Satz, Professor Sir Paul Collier | The first of two events to launch LSE’s new Programme on Cohesive Capitalism, a distinguished panel, chaired by LSE President and Vice Chancellor Larry Kramer.