Google processes billions of searches every day, and the data behind the searches say a lot about us. The data analysis presents fascinating insights not just for social science, but for every person using search engines to navigate modern life.

In the final episode of Season 11 of the We Society with Will Hutton, join Simon Rogers, Data Editor at Google, and author of What We Ask Google, as he talks about the two decades of data from the world’s biggest search engine that reveal our inner desires, moods and secrets. The data analysis findings are uplifting, with less division and cynicism than you'd expect, and a lot more curiosity, confusion, and kindness.

This episode is ideal for listeners interested in topical issues, social science, data analysis, and internet history.  

In the We Society, join acclaimed journalist and Academy of Social Sciences president Will Hutton, as he invites guests from the world of social science to explore the stories behind the news and hear their solutions to society’s most pressing problems. In this series social science calls on aspects of business, education, economics, geopolitics, healthcare, human geography and more, exploring their impact on society and the social policy they can inspire. The We Society is for those interested in how social science impacts their world, and how evidence backed research can improve it.

Don't want to miss an episode? Follow the show on your favourite podcast platform and you can email us at [email protected] to tell us who we should be speaking to.

The We Society podcast is brought to you by the Academy of Social Sciences in association with the Nuffield Foundation and the Leverhulme Trust.

Producer: Emily Uchida Finch
Assistant Producer: Emily Gilbert 
A Whistledown Production for the Academy of Social Sciences

It's the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence this year, but the mood isn’t purely about celebration. If you've wondered why the US and US politics feel so unstable despite the country being richer and more powerful than ever, this episode explains the paradox.

In this episode of the We Society with Will Hutton, join Adam Smith, Professor of United States Politics & Political History at the University of Oxford, and Edward Orsborn, Director of the Rothermere American Institute. They discuss why the country that once called itself "humanity's last best hope" is now better known for polarisation, misinformation, and political gridlock than democratic optimism. For more on US politics and political history, find Adam Smith’s podcast here: https://www.rai.ox.ac.uk/podcast 

This episode is ideal for listeners interested in topical issues, contemporary US politics, US history and British / US relations.

In the We Society, join acclaimed journalist and Academy of Social Sciences president Will Hutton, as he invites guests from the world of social science to explore the stories behind the news and hear their solutions to society’s most pressing problems. In this series social science calls on aspects of business, education, economics, geopolitics, healthcare, human geography and more, exploring their impact on society and the social policy they can inspire. The We Society is for those interested in how social science impacts their world, and how evidence backed research can improve it.

Don't want to miss an episode? Follow the show on your favourite podcast platform and you can email us at [email protected] to tell us who we should be speaking to.

The We Society podcast is brought to you by the Academy of Social Sciences in association with the Nuffield Foundation and the Leverhulme Trust.

Producer: Emily Uchida Finch
Assistant Producer: Emily Gilbert 
A Whistledown Production for the Academy of Social Sciences

The UK’s Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) system is buckling because of rising demand. One in five children now qualify for some form of SEND support, yet access still depends heavily on postcode and parental intervention. 

In this episode of the We Society with Will Hutton, join Alice Reeves, Research Grants and Programmes Manager at the Nuffield Foundation, as she unpacks the root causes of the SEND crisis, and what the government's new SEND White Paper proposes to do about it. 

The Nuffield Foundation is an independent charitable trust with a mission to advance educational opportunity and social well-being. They tackle the UK's biggest social challenges by funding research and guiding decision-makers to improve people's lives. To find out more about the research the Nuffield Foundation has funded when it comes to education go here.  You can read more about the Government’s SEND White paper here. 

This episode is ideal for listeners interested in topical issues, the UK’s education system, disability, and institutional change in education.  

In the We Society, join acclaimed journalist and Academy of Social Sciences president Will Hutton, as he invites guests from the world of social science to explore the stories behind the news and hear their solutions to society’s most pressing problems. In this series social science calls on aspects of business, education, economics, geopolitics, healthcare, human geography and more, exploring their impact on society and the social policy they can inspire. The We Society is for those interested in how social science impacts their world, and how evidence backed research can improve it.

Don't want to miss an episode? Follow the show on your favourite podcast platform and you can email us at [email protected] to tell us who we should be speaking to.

The We Society podcast is brought to you by the Academy of Social Sciences in association with the Nuffield Foundation and the Leverhulme Trust.

Producer: Emily Uchida Finch
Assistant Producer: Emily Gilbert 
A Whistledown Production for the Academy of Social Sciences

The ongoing war in Ukraine has recently hit a grim milestone: in June 2026 it surpassed the duration of World War One. 

In this episode of the We Society, Michael Kofman talks to host Will Hutton about why what began as a bid for quick victory has become a grinding war of attrition, and now exhaustion, and how a social science lens aids his understanding of the conflict. 

Michael Kofman is one of the world's foremost authorities on the Russian military and the war in Ukraine. A senior fellow in the Russia and Eurasia Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, he regularly presents evidence-led analysis of a conflict now in its fourth year. Born in Ukraine and travelling to the country every few months, he brings a rare combination of academic expertise and first-hand observation to a war that has reshaped modern warfare.

This episode is ideal for listeners interested in topical issues, the war in Ukraine, the efficacy of international sanctions and modern warfare. 

In the We Society, join acclaimed journalist and Academy of Social Sciences president Will Hutton, as he invites guests from the world of social science to explore the stories behind the news and hear their solutions to society’s most pressing problems. In this series social science calls on aspects of business, education, economics, geopolitics, healthcare, human geography and more, exploring their impact on society and the social policy they can inspire. The We Society is for those interested in how social science impacts their world, and how evidence backed research can improve it.

Don't want to miss an episode? Follow the show on your favourite podcast platform and you can email us at [email protected] to tell us who we should be speaking to.

The We Society podcast is brought to you by the Academy of Social Sciences in association with the Nuffield Foundation and the Leverhulme Trust.

Producer: Emily Uchida Finch
Assistant Producer: Emily Gilbert 
A Whistledown Production for the Academy of Social Sciences

In today’s global media landscape we are confronted with seemingly endless urgent crises: issues like the housing crisis, the climate crisis and the wealth inequality crisis all vie for our attention, despite social science research proving these issues are often more nuanced than the headlines would have us believe.

In this episode of the We Society, host Will Hutton and Danny Dorling discuss his latest book, The Next Crisis, which explores our growing obsession with the language of crisis. Today's public debate often presents every challenge as a huge existential emergency. Drawing on global survey data and historical evidence, Dorling asks which crises genuinely deserve our attention, which have been exaggerated, and how constant exposure to alarming headlines may itself be fuelling anxiety and pessimism. 

Professor Danny Dorling is one of Britain's leading social geographers. His social science research uses cutting-edge data visualisation to uncover the unseen social forces shaping modern Britain, from housing, health, employment, education, wealth and poverty. 

This episode is ideal for listeners interested in topical issues, social geography, the housing crisis and global media debate.

In the We Society, join acclaimed journalist and Academy of Social Sciences president Will Hutton, as he invites guests from the world of social science to explore the stories behind the news and hear their solutions to society’s most pressing problems. In this series social science calls on aspects of business, education, economics, geopolitics, healthcare, human geography and more, exploring their impact on society and the social policy they can inspire. The We Society is for those interested in how social science impacts their world, and how evidence backed research can improve it.

Don't want to miss an episode? Follow the show on your favourite podcast platform and you can email us at [email protected] to tell us who we should be speaking to.

The We Society podcast is brought to you by the Academy of Social Sciences in association with the Nuffield Foundation and the Leverhulme Trust.

Producer: Emily Uchida Finch
Assistant Producer: Emily Gilbert
A Whistledown Production for the Academy of Social Sciences

Saul Klein is one of Europe's leading venture capitalists and co-founder of Phoenix Court, the venture capital firm behind some of Britain's most successful high-growth technology companies. He likes to say he is investing with venture capital in ‘practical science fiction’. Having spent more than three decades backing entrepreneurs, he has helped build companies including Monzo - now a well-recognised online bank. He also serves on the Prime Minister's Council for Science and Technology, advising the government on how Britain can strengthen its innovation economy. 

In this episode of The We Society, Saul speaks to host Will Hutton about how Britain outperforms most other countries when it comes to innovation. They discuss why Britain's pension funds have historically invested so little in the country's own innovation economy, what recent reforms could change, and why stronger links between venture capital, government and entrepreneurship are essential if Britain is to improve productivity and living standards. Economics is one of the disciplines comprising the social sciences, with the creation and distribution of wealth a dynamic and often controversial topic. 

This episode is ideal for listeners interested in topical issues, economics, innovation, the possibilities of venture capital and UK entrepreneurship. 

In the We Society, join acclaimed journalist and Academy of Social Sciences president Will Hutton, as he invites guests from the world of social science to explore the stories behind the news and hear their solutions to society’s most pressing problems. In this series social science calls on aspects of business, education, economics, geopolitics, healthcare, human geography and more, exploring their impact on society and the social policy they can inspire. The We Society is for those interested in how social science impacts their world, and how evidence backed research can improve it. 

Don't want to miss an episode? Follow the show on your favourite podcast platform and you can email us at [email protected] to tell us who we should be speaking to.

The We Society podcast is brought to you by the Academy of Social Sciences in association with the Nuffield Foundation and the Leverhulme Trust.

Producer: Emily Uchida Finch
Assistant Producer: Emily Gilbert
A Whistledown Production for the Academy of Social Sciences

Despite decades of campaigning, women's healthcare is an issue repeatedly neglected,  with systemic issues in UK healthcare and on the international stage leading to women disproportionally affected in healthcare emergencies.

In this episode of the We Society with Will Hutton, Will speaks to Professor Sophie Harman, who is Professor of International Politics at Queen Mary University of London and one of the world's leading authorities on global health politics. Her research examines the political forces that shape women's health, UK healthcare systems and the global governance that determines health outcomes. A recipient of a prestigious Philip Leverhulme Prize in 2018 in recognition of her research achievements, she advises governments and international bodies such as the UN on global health policies.

Beyond ‘traditional’ academic research, she co-produced the BAFTA-nominated feature film Pili, made in collaboration with women living with HIV in rural Tanzania. This film demonstrates the innovative ways of presenting Social Science research, and the film’s profits returning to the women involved shows the power of social science in action. 

She talks to Will Hutton about her acclaimed book, Sick of It: The Global Fight for Women's Health (2024), where Sophie argues that while women's health has received growing public attention in recent years, it is still not receiving the right kind of attention. Collective action is needed to rebalance the prejudices and assumptions in women’s healthcare, backed by strong social policy and research.

This episode is ideal for listeners interested in topical issues, UK healthcare, women’s health and the social policy needed to level healthcare inequalities. 

In the We Society, join acclaimed journalist and Academy of Social Sciences president Will Hutton, as he invites guests from the world of social science to explore the stories behind the news and hear their solutions to society’s most pressing problems. In this series social science calls on aspects of business, education, economics, geopolitics, healthcare, human geography and more, exploring their impact on society and the social policy they can inspire. The We Society is for those interested in how social science impacts their world, and how evidence backed research can improve it.

Don’t want to miss an episode? Follow the show on your favourite podcast platform and you can email us on [email protected] and tell us who we should be speaking to. 
The We Society podcast is brought to you by the Academy of Social Sciences in association with the Nuffield Foundation and the Leverhulme Trust. 
Producer: Emily Uchida Finch
Assistant Producer: Emily Gilbert
A Whistledown Production for the Academy of Social Sciences 

The UK is experiencing a crisis of inequality: core tenets like our education and UK healthcare system are geographically unequal and suffering, but what are the expert social policy solutions to these issues, and can we dare to be optimistic for the future?

In this episode of the We Society with Will Hutton, join Institute for Fiscal Studies Director Helen Miller and economist Sir Richard Blundell who talk us through the findings of one of the most comprehensive studies ever undertaken on inequality in the UK called the Deaton Review. 

This was a major six year review of inequalities in the UK, chaired by Nobel Prize-winning economist Sir Angus Deaton, and funded by the Nuffield Foundation. Drawing on research from economics, sociology, public health, philosophy and political science, the Review argues that Britain's inequalities extend far beyond income alone and presents a framework for how social policy makers should address their response.  

But what can be done about it? Helen, Sir Richard and podcast host Will Hutton come together to discuss the evidence and the potential solutions in local government funding and long-term social policy. 

Professor Sir Richard Blundell is a Co-Director of the ESRC Centre for the Microeconomic Analysis of Public Policy (CPP) and a Senior Research Fellow at the Institute for Fiscal Studies. Helen Miller is the Director of Institute for Fiscal Studies, the UK's leading independent economics research institute. Find out more about the IFS Deaton Review here: https://ifs.org.uk/inequality 

This episode is ideal for listeners interested in topical issues, social policy, UK healthcare, inequality and local government funding solutions.

In the We Society, join acclaimed journalist and Academy of Social Sciences president Will Hutton, as he invites guests from the world of social science to explore the stories behind the news and hear their solutions to society’s most pressing problems. In this series social science calls on aspects of business, education, economics, geopolitics, healthcare, human geography and more, exploring their impact on society and the social policy they can inspire. The We Society is for those interested in how social science impacts their world, and how evidence backed research can improve it.

Don’t want to miss an episode? Follow the show on your favourite podcast platform and you can email us on [email protected] and tell us who we should be speaking to. 
The We Society podcast is brought to you by the Academy of Social Sciences in association with the Nuffield Foundation and the Leverhulme Trust. 

Producer: Emily Uchida Finch
Assistant Producer: Emily Gilbert
A Whistledown Production for the Academy of Social Sciences 

The We Society returns for its 11th season on Wednesday, so join acclaimed journalist and Academy of Social Sciences president Will Hutton, as he invites guests from the world of social science to explore the stories behind the news and hear their solutions to society’s most pressing problems.

In this series social science calls on aspects of business, education, economics, geopolitics, healthcare, human geography and more, exploring their impact on society and the social policy they can inspire. The We Society is for those interested in how social science impacts their world, and how evidence backed research can improve it. 

We end Season 10 with an intimate interview between the Nobel Prize winning economist Philippe Aghion and Will Hutton. 

They delve into the concept of "creative destruction," a term coined by economist Joseph Schumpeter, which highlights the dual nature of innovation in driving economic growth while simultaneously rendering older methods and certain industries and jobs obsolete. Aghion believes that for an economy to thrive creative destruction is key. They talk about certain countries such as Finland where creative destruction is allowed and supported to thrive by the Government. 

Aghion is Professor of Economics at the LSE. In the We Society podcast, join acclaimed journalist and Academy president Will Hutton, as he invites guests from the world of social science to explore the stories behind the news and hear their solutions to society’s most pressing problems.

Don’t want to miss an episode? Follow the show on your favourite podcast platform and you can email us on [email protected] and tell us who we should be speaking to. 

The We Society podcast is brought to you by the Academy of Social Sciences in association with the Nuffield Foundation and the Leverhulme Trust. 

Producer: Emily Uchida Finch
Assistant Producer: Emily Gilbert
A Whistledown Production for the Academy of Social Sciences 

Professor Carissa Véliz is a philosopher who is examining the threats and possibilities of today’s digital world. She is an Associate Professor of Philosophy at the Institute for Ethics in AI at the University of Oxford – and fellow at Hertford College. She currently holds a Leverhulme Major Research Fellowship and her work has been featured by the Ada Lovelace Institute. 

In her first landmark book, Privacy is Power (2020), she discussed the vital necessity of protecting our data as a precondition of sustaining our freedom. But the algorithms constructed by AI and data don’t just stop there; they have born a new era of data based predictions masquerading as objective. Like all predictions, they are shaped by human choices, assumptions, and incentives. In her latest book, Prophecy: Prediction, Power, and the Fight for the Future, from Ancient Oracles to AI (Out 21st April) Carissa Véliz challenges us to see predictions not as neutral forecasts, but as power over others. 

In the We Society, join acclaimed journalist and Academy president Will Hutton, as he invites guests from the world of social science to explore the stories behind the news and hear their solutions to society’s most pressing problems.

Don’t want to miss an episode? Follow the show on your favourite podcast platform and you can email us on [email protected] and tell us who we should be speaking to. 

The We Society podcast is brought to you by the Academy of Social Sciences in association with the Nuffield Foundation and the Leverhulme Trust. 

Producer: Emily Uchida Finch
Assistant Producer: Emily Gilbert
A Whistledown Production for the Academy of Social Sciences