New Enlightenment

Tina Fordham, a leading independent strategist and advisor and founder of Fordham Global Insight, discusses the changing landscape of geopolitics and its impact on the global economy. She highlights the need for a holistic approach to understanding geopolitical risks and challenges the effectiveness of AI and machine learning in predicting human behaviour. Fordham also shares her insights on the u...

In this episode, we sit down with influential Oxford University management scholar Colin Mayer to discuss the purpose business and his new book 'Capitalism and Crises'. The discussion explores the need to rethink the purpose of corporations. The current focus on profit is flawed. Mayer proposes that the purpose of business should be to produce profitable solutions for the problems of peopl...

In this episode, we welcome Ilias Alami to discuss state capitalism and his new book, co-authored with Adam Dixon, The Spectre of State Capitalism. We discuss why we are currently witnessing a historic arc in the trajectories of state intervention, characterised by a drastic reconfiguration of the state's role as promoter, supervisor, shareholder-investor, and direct owner of capital across th...

In this episode, we welcome Dan Klein to discuss the rise and implications of hate speech and hate crimes laws. The discussion touches on hate as a philosophical concept, delving into Adam Smith's perspective on hate and the asymmetry of social and unsocial passions. We discuss the universal nature of hate and the cultural and societal factors that influence its expression. The conversation ra...

In this episode, we sit down with Jan Bebbington, Professor of Sustainability in Business, to discuss the evolving landscape of social and environmental accounting. We explore sustainability accounting in helping organisations contribute to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). She emphasises the need for organisations to navigate the complexities of achieving multiple SDGs simultane...

In this episode, we sit down with Sarah Bauerle Danzman to explore the increasing tensions between the United States, its allies in Europe, and China in the context of investment regulations and restrictions, as well as technological supremacy. We delve into the historical context of US-China relations, the bipartisan support in the US for policies tough on China, the influence of the business and...

In this episode, we sit down with Indrajit Roy to discuss the past, present, and future of Indian democracy, just as the country of more than 1 billion people goes to the polls. The conversation delves into the state of Indian democracy, its historical context, and the impact of Modi's leadership. We explore the effectiveness of Indian democracy in providing a voice to its citizens and the imp...

In this episode, we sit down with Philip Rathgeb to discuss the impact of radical right parties on social and economic policies in Europe and the USA. Rathgeb explains that the rise of the radical right is a result of the depoliticisation of the economy because of the neoliberal consensus of the last few decades. This has led to a migration of political conflict to cultural issues such as immigrat...

In this episode, we are joined by Helen Thompson, Professor of Political Economy at the University of Cambridge, and co-host of the popular podcast from UnHerd, These Times. We discuss how energy has become a key issue in political economy, which Thompson’s work is a key example of. Our conversation moves to discussing the differences and similarities with the development of an oil-based global ec...

In this episode, we sit down with Dr Joseph Henrich of Harvard University to discuss his work on how humans evolved genetically to be a cultural species. Our conversation begins with a discussion of radical interdisciplinarity, or how we need to adopt multiple approaches and perspectives to answer complex social scientific questions. This contrasts with a disciplinary focus, which still dominates...

In this episode, we sit down with tech evangelist James Whittaker to discuss the potential impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on society. We explore the short-term impacts of AI, including the potential for AI to spread disinformation but equally the possibility for AI to debunk false information. In regards the long term, we discuss the potential loss of purpose and creativity in humans as AI...

In this episode, we welcome Gracelin Baskaran, Director of the Project on Critical Mineral Security at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, to discuss the geopolitics and geo-economics of critical minerals. We discuss how China’s dominance in the sector can be addressed by building new relationships with countries in Africa and South America. But the benefits must not go in one dire...

In this episode, we sit down with Alex Trembath, Deputy Director at the Breakthrough Institute, an eco-modernist think tank that offers an alternative to traditional environmentalism. We discuss the inadequacies of the modern environmental movement and how in many places it has become a barrier to decarbonisation. We discuss the eco-modernist alternative, which takes seriously the reality of moder...

In this episode, we sit down with Paul Tucker, former Deputy Governor of the Bank of England and now research fellow at Harvard University’s Kennedy School, to discuss his book 'Global Discord' and the role of cooperation in a fractured world order. We discuss the continued relevance of David Hume’s work in defining how constitutional democracies can maintain their liberal traditions while...

In this episode, we sit down with Andrew Moore, a biochemist and author of 'The Decarbonization Delusion.' For Moore, the decarbonisation agenda is misguided. But he is emphatic about the need to stop using fossil fuels. Moore is concerned about the limitations of battery technology in achieving sustainability, arguing instead that we need to consider e-fuels and other technologies that ca...

In this episode, we sit down with geographer and political economist Brett Christophers to discuss his new book The Price is Wrong , which explores the profitability challenges of renewable energy businesses and the economic obstacles to decarbonisation. We explore the role of subsidies, profitability, and market design in renewable energy investment. For Christophers, there are clear limitations...

In this episode, we sit down with economist and noted inequality researcher Branko Milanovic to discuss the influence of classical political economists like Adam Smith, Karl Marx, and David Ricardo, along with his latest book Visions of Inequality . He shares his formative experiences studying income distribution in socialist Yugoslavia, the ideological reluctance to discuss income inequality, the...