Rethink

Professor Ben Ansell asks some of the world's sharpest minds about the latest thinking, and what it might mean for policy and society.

Follow on

Episodes

Rethink...the civil service

Across many countries, civil services, once seen as the backbone of stable governance, are facing growing scrutiny. Long viewed as the impartial and efficient machine of government, the role of civil servants is now being questioned as political polarisation intensifies and trust in traditional institutions declines. In the UK, the United States and other democracies, critics question its effectiveness, arguing that the civil service has become opaque, unwieldy and inefficient, and process is ge...

Jun 05, 2025•28 min

Rethink...social housing

For most of this century, the UK has had a housing shortage, but for one section of society, that shortage has become a crisis. Prices have risen so much that people who need social housing are completely locked out of the private renting market, and owning a home for many is only a pipe dream. And when politicians speak about "affordable homes", these are also out of reach for many people. "Affordable" means homes available at 80% of the market rate. Typical social housing rents are much lower-...

May 29, 2025•28 min

For the best experience, listen in Metacast app for iOS or Android

Open in Metacast