Latest thinking

The art of storytelling

Blog

31 Oct 2014

Georgina Chatfield

Thurston Hopkins died this week aged 101.  He was a photojournalist whose images captured British life and its humanity and inequalities in the 1950s.  They say a picture paints a thousand words.

What is the solution to political alienation? A profound moment of democratic renewal not populism

Blog

29 Oct 2014

Deep political alienation is a breeding ground for extremism and populism. Research released today by YouGov and Southampton University proves the point.

Big Idea - Warblr: the Birdsong App

Blog

27 Oct 2014

With an ever-growing urban population, the gap between people’s day-to-day lives and our natural world is widening. We live in a society full of distractions, and nature is becoming further removed from many people’s frame of reference.

Joining up is hard to do

Blog

27 Oct 2014

Matthew Taylor

Better integrating services around citizens needs is a no brainer. So why is it so difficult?

Creating Creative Cities - how the City Growth Commission report can unlock innovation and entrepreneurialism across the UK

Blog

24 Oct 2014

Rohan Silva, City Growth Commissioner, (@Rohan__Silva)

Three baby steps to direct democracy

Blog

23 Oct 2014

Rowan Conway

In his blog last week, Adam Lent talked about a crisis of representative democracy, referencing a YouGov survey in which 72% agreed with the statement: ‘politics is dominated by self-seeking politicians protecting the interests of the already rich and powerful in our society’. He eloquently made the case for political parties to  “shift away from the current highly representative approach to democracy based on strong party discipline, to one with a larger element of direct democracy”.

The illusion that is the decline of deference

Blog

23 Oct 2014

Benedict Dellot

Regular readers of this blog will know that the RSA has a new worldview called the Power to Create. In short, this is about helping more people in more places to turn their ideas into reality, and thereby become the authors of their own lives. The animation below gives you the gist of what it’s all about.

RSA Academies students set to take over the RSA

Blog

21 Oct 2014

Roisin Ellison

One month from today, and for the first time, the RSA will be participating in the Children’s Commissioner’s nationwide Takeover Day. 60 students from our five Family of Academies, all based in the West Midlands, will be descending on the RSA to partake in a packed programme of activities and get stuck into some real decision-making. The aim of Takeover Day is to provide children and young people with experience of the world of work, while also giving them the opportunity to have a voice in the various organisations taking part – RSA Academies are very excited to be able to facilitate the active involvement of our academy students with the RSA in this way.<!--more-->

Leeds Empties: RSA Catalyst-supported project

Blog

20 Oct 2014

Leeds-based fellow Rob Greenland updates us on the progress of Leeds Empties, which the RSA recently supported with a £5,000 Catalyst grant.