LSE: Public lectures and events

Contributor(s): Professor Lelia Green, Professor Jessica Ringrose, Dr Kim Sylwander, Giselle Woodley | With the ubiquity of technological devices, young people are more visible and accessible than ever before, and they are encountering, using and producing an unprecedented amount of sexualised imagery. Although evidence suggests that ‘sexting’ is considered a normal practice among teens, there are, nonetheless, inherent risks. Teens who sext run a range of legal, financial, health, educational and sociosexual risks, yet still they do it. Apart from image-based sexual harassment and abuse, teens also face emerging risks such as AI-informed deepfakes and sextortion. In this public event, four speakers will discuss empirical findings from three different countries: Australia, Sweden and the UK.

Contributor(s): Professor Michael Posner | Join us for the launch of Conscience Incorporated by Michael Posner. In today’s world, where corporations wield immense power and influence, how can business leaders balance the pursuit of profits with ethical responsibility? Drawing from decades of experience as a human rights lawyer, former State Department official, and Director of the Centre for Business and Human Rights at NYU Stern School of Business, Posner presents a clear roadmap for business leaders to align profitability with ethical practices. Through well-researched case studies of major corporations—including Nike, Coca-Cola, Walmart, and Meta—he explores how companies can, and must, do better in addressing human rights abuses within their supply chains, labour practices, and digital platforms. With governments, particularly in Europe, stepping in to regulate corporate behaviour, Conscience Incorporated is a guide for executives, investors, and policymakers navigating the evolving landscape of corporate accountability.Featured image (used in source code with watermark added): Photo by Teju via Pexels: https://www.pexels.com/photo/tall-skyscrapers-in-downtown-21086324/

Contributor(s): Professor Patrick Wallis | In his latest book, The Market for Skill: apprenticeship and economic growth in early-modern England, which forms the basis of this event, Patrick Wallis shows how apprenticeship helped reshape the English economy between 1500-1800. By detailing the activities of apprentices and masters, the strategies of ambitious parents, the interventions of guilds and the decisions of town officials, he shows how the system contributed to the growth of cities, the movement of workers, and the spread of new technologies. He argues that this success was because it was a flexible institution which allowed apprentices to change their minds and exit contracts early, providing a vital training accessible to most young people, whatever their background.

Nick Cowen, an associate professor at the University of Lincoln, and Paola Romero, a political philosopher at LSE, delve into the complex relationship between neoliberalism and social justice. Cowen discusses insights from his book, highlighting how market economies can foster social equity. They tackle crucial issues such as housing affordability and the interplay of self-interest with social justice. The conversation emphasizes the need for economic liberties as fundamental rights and critiques existing social policies while exploring alternative models for a more equitable society.

In this engaging discussion, John Kay, a prominent British economist and founding dean of the Oxford Business School, critiques traditional business practices. He explores the evolving relationship between capitalism and societal values, using case studies like the transformation of a Danish energy company. Kay also addresses corporate ethics, market perceptions, and the implications of AI on employment. With thought-provoking insights, he challenges listeners to rethink the very nature of business success in the 21st century.

Chris Wiggins, an applied mathematics professor and chief data scientist at the New York Times, discusses the evolution of data and its impact on truth perception. Alison Powell from LSE highlights ethical practices in data and AI, urging for responsible governance in tech. Erin Young brings attention to corporate responsibility and the need for diversity in data science. Together, they explore how data influences power dynamics and the importance of collaborative approaches to ethical practices in a rapidly changing technological landscape.

Contributor(s): Will Hutton, Professor Robert Kuttner, Professor Stephanie J. Rickard | Since the 1990s, progressive parties have tended to combine globalist neoliberal policies with avant-garde social views. Life steadily became more precarious for large numbers of working people, who lost confidence in traditional left-of-center parties. Economically stressed and culturally conservative lower- and middle-income voters found themselves no political champion and turned increasingly to the nationalist, authoritarian right. This trend is in drastic contrast to the economics of the postwar boom, when the center-left and center-right shared basic assumptions about how to manage and regulate capitalism. Global trade and migration expanded at a socially bearable pace that did not undermine national social contracts. The politics of that era produced economic security for ordinary people and strengthened democratic institutions. With the loss of confidence in both center-left parties and in democracy itself, what is a conceivable road back to building a society that is both dynamic and secure, and that restores a believable center-left?Featured image (used in source code with watermark added): Photo by Joakim Honkasalo via Unsplash: https://unsplash.com/photos/low-light-photography-of-armchairs-in-front-of-desk-DurC25GdOvk

Contributor(s): Professor Gudni Jóhannesson, Professor Kristina Spohr | President Trump’s determination to increase American influence and presence in Greenland has generated great interest in the future of the world’s largest island and its surrounding regions in the Arctic and the North Atlantic. While Trump's offhand idea of purchasing Greenland is preposterous, it jolted the Danish government and its European NATO/EU allies. At the same time, the evident US-Danish tensions may have increased the Greenlanders’ resolve to move faster towards full independence in the not-too-distant future. Iceland is Greenland’s closest neighbour in Europe. In 1944, Iceland declared full independence from Denmark, at a time when Greenland was still a Danish colony. When the Icelanders severed their final ties with their erstwhile masters in Copenhagen, there were doubters among the Great Powers about this small nation’s ability to stand on its own feet in a bipolar world. Similar words can be heard today about the capabilities of some 57,000 Greenlanders and their national aspirations when so many have their eyes on the Arctic. This event will focus on the current position and future developments of these two countries in the Arctic and the North Atlantic at large.

Contributor(s): Professor Nick Couldry, Dr Eugenie Dugoua, Ceara Carney | Artificial intelligence is transforming the world around us, offering increased productivity and promising to help tackle difficult problems like global warming. But behind the scenes, its environmental costs are mounting. From massive energy use to vast quantities of water required to cool data centres, AI’s footprint is growing fast. So, in an age of water scarcity and climate crisis, can we justify this technological boom? In this episode of LSE iQ, Anna Bevan asks: Is AI destroying the planet? She travels to a data centre in Slough to find out exactly how data centres work, and speaks to Nick Couldry, Professor of Media, Communications and Social Theory at LSE; Eugenie Dugoua, Assistant Professor in Environmental Economics at LSE; and Ceara Carney, an actor and climate activist.  This episode explores the AI sustainability paradox: can AI be both a climate solution and a climate problem? And discusses surprising ways AI is being used for good, such as catching poachers in the Serengeti. Research Data Grab: The New Colonialism of Big Tech and How to Fight it, Nick Couldry and Ulises Mejias The Space of the World: can Human Solidarity Survive Social Media and What if it Can't? Nick Couldry Induced innovation, inventors and the energy transition, Eugenie Dugoua and Todd D. Gerarden Directed technological change and general purpose technologies: can AI accelerate clean energy innovation? Pia Andres, Eugenie Dugoua and Marion Dumas  Could artificial intelligence deliver a green transition? Marion Dumas LSE iQ is a university podcast by the London School of Economics and Political Science. We’re keen to find out more about our audience so we can better tailor our content to suit your interests. With this in mind, we would be grateful if you could please take the time to fill out this short survey and share your feedback.

In this engaging discussion, Valerie Ramey, Professor Emerita of Economics at UC San Diego and Senior Fellow at the Hoover Institute, revisits the role of Keynesian fiscal stimulus during economic crises. She explores how governmental spending has evolved, particularly during the Global Financial Crisis and the COVID-19 pandemic. Ramey analyzes the effectiveness of fiscal policies like tax rebates, infrastructure spending, and transfers, while challenging traditional views on their impact on consumption and debt, prompting a reconsideration of modern economic strategies.