Analysis

Programme examining the ideas and forces which shape public policy in Britain and abroad, presented by distinguished writers, journalists and academics.

Radio 4,452 episodes

Episodes

ListGrid

The low pay puzzle
Why, after 25 years of rising wages, do most workers feel worse off?
25 Mar 2024,28 mins
How real is the existential threat from AI?
AI can't kill us, so why are imaginary threats being taken so seriously?
18 Mar 2024,28 mins
What would Isambard Kingdom Brunel have done?
Could Britain's most famous civil engineer solve the UK's infrastructure problems?
11 Mar 2024,28 mins
Power Drive
Motorists wield votes that politicians want, but is that power balance going to change?
04 Mar 2024,28 mins
How to cure the small town blues
What can Middlesbrough teach us about regeneration?
26 Feb 2024,28 mins
How to Dismantle a Democracy
How governments manipulate the law and bureaucracy to take democracies apart.
19 Feb 2024,28 mins
What is 'British culture'?
How can people truly integrate into British culture when it's not clearly defined?
12 Feb 2024,28 mins
Has the family had its day?
Is staying together for the sake of the children a basis for a safe, successful society?
05 Feb 2024,28 mins
What's the future of nudge?
What does the future hold for for the behavioural change methods known as nudge?
20 Nov 2023,28 mins
Can reading really improve your life?
Reading for pleasure can improve children's outcomes - but it's also in decline.
13 Nov 2023,28 mins
Can the UK afford a mental health crisis?
Is poor mental health amongst young people affecting the economy?
06 Nov 2023,28 mins
France: a constitutional crisis in the making
Could Macron's centrist dominance lead France towards a constitutional crisis?
30 Oct 2023,28 mins
What on earth is the national interest?
Exploring the origins, evolution and current use of the politicians' favourite phrase.
23 Oct 2023,28 mins
What makes a good school?
How can parents, teachers and school leaders work out if a school is 'good'?
16 Oct 2023,28 mins
How can we grow the UK economy?
Is there anything governments can do to get the economy growing again?
09 Oct 2023,28 mins
The Democratic Brain
What scanning the brain may reveal about our political affiliations.
02 Oct 2023,28 mins
How far should reparative justice go?
Zoe Strimpel weighs up the reparation claims for historical injustices like slavery.
24 Jul 2023,30 mins
Is there a new elite?
Who’s really in charge? A new progressive elite, or the rich, privileged born-to-rule?
17 Jul 2023,28 mins
Why are so many workers on strike?
Why are strikes being called all over Britain, and what will bring them to an end?
10 Jul 2023,28 mins
Does work have to be miserable?
Could 'job design' make British workers more productive? Pauline Mason investigates.
03 Jul 2023,28 mins
Do single people get a raw deal?
Is society stacked against single people? Ant Adeane investigates.
26 Jun 2023,28 mins
What’s changing about childbirth?
Is maternity care keeping up with societal changes?
19 Jun 2023,28 mins
What are companies for?
What are companies for? Ruth Sunderland investigates.
12 Jun 2023,28 mins
Do Boycotts Work?
Do boycotts lead to change or are they lazy activism? David Baker investigates
05 Jun 2023,28 mins
We know how to stop knife crime, so why don’t we do it?
There are proven ways to reduce knife crime, so why don’t we do more of what works?
29 May 2023,28 mins
Lessons from the vaccine task force
What are the lessons from the success of the UK's Vaccine Task Force?
03 Apr 2023,28 mins
Can the Met police change?
Margaret Heffernan asks: can the Metropolitan police force change?
27 Mar 2023,28 mins
Is Britain exceptional?
Zoe Strimpel finds the roots for Britain's dynamism, diversity and culture wars.
20 Mar 2023,28 mins
King Charles' Challenge
As the coronation approaches, we ask what the future holds for the monarchy and its king.
13 Mar 2023,28 mins
Does it matter who our MPs are?
Should we be on the lookout for ‘someone like me’ when casting our votes?
06 Mar 2023,28 mins