Latest thinking

The Refugee Crisis

Video

05 Oct 2015

Our panel of experts and commentators as they discuss what is to be done about the largest wave of mass-migration in Europe since WWII.

Sudhir Hazareesingh on How the French Think

Video

14 Aug 2015

France gave us the word intellectual; its world-leading thinkers taught us to reason. But in recent years, French thought has been in the doldrums – some say even in crisis. Award-winning historian Sudhir Hazareesingh asks: ...

Quote Bait: Twenty thoughts on spirituality

Blog

05 Jan 2015

Jonathan Rowson

Spiritualise: Revitalising spirituality to address 21st century challenges deals with a weighty subject and the overall process of producing the report involved about 300 people over two years, so it’s not surprising the final report is relatively long – about 40,000 words over 92 pages; it’s half a book really. (Now there’s a thought…)

Russ Roberts on Adam Smith

Video

30 Oct 2014

Russ Roberts is the host of EconTalk and research fellow at Hoover Institution, Stanford University

Rebecca Goldstein on 21st Century Plato

Video

23 Oct 2014

Acclaimed novelist and philosopher Rebecca Goldstein offers an original thought experiment in response: how would Plato respond to our modern-day ethical dilemmas?

Francis Fukuyama on Political Decay

Video

24 Sep 2014

Influential political scientist Francis Fukuyama tells the story of mankind’s emergence as a political animal, the development of state, law and democracy, and explores the modern landscape

The nature of the present crisis

Blog

09 Sep 2014

Matthew Taylor

As my colleague Adam Lent has argued, whether the result is disaster or near death experience for the UK the way the Scottish referendum campaign has unfolded is the most powerful indication yet of the enfeeblement of the Westminster political elite. Other consequential possibilities for humiliation loom large, including a strong showing for UKIP at the next General Election and a vote to leave the European Union. Whatever the virtues of Scottish independence, Mr Farage and national sovereignty there is no doubt each cause benefits hugely from our loss of faith in an establishment which has in one form or another held sway since the emergence of modern Parliamentary democracy in the mid nineteenth century.

Just so predictable

Blog

03 Sep 2014

Matthew Taylor

Many years ago a phrase used by a friend stuck in my mind: Interrupting my attempt to criticise some aspect of his beliefs, he asked why we should waste time on ‘an already conversation’. Ever since, from time to time, I have spotted this habit of diminishing our lives by replaying in our thoughts, statements and interactions conversations we have already had with outcomes we already know.

The Power to Create (in about 5 minutes)

Blog

21 Jul 2014

Matthew Taylor

It is now ten days since my annual lecture on the Power to Create. Writing a set piece speech can be a bit like preparing a big meal. You spend ages on it but it is consumed very quickly with little but some temporarily satiated appetite to show for your efforts. So I am very grateful for the positive feedback I am still receiving.