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RSA Conversations

The latest thinking from the world’s leading voices on topics ranging from education, design and creativity, to politics, philosophy and economics. Fresh ideas for better futures from the RSA.
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Episodes

ReGeneration Rising S2E12: Re-enchanting the Earth with David Abram

In this episode, Daniel and Philipa discuss perception and language in a more-than-human world with cultural ecologist, Dr David Abram. David Abram is a cultural ecologist, geophilosopher, and the founder and creative director of the Alliance for Wild Ethics (AWE). His books include Becoming Animal: An Earthly Cosmology and The Spell of the Sensuous: Perception and Language in a More-than-Human World . David is the recipient of various fellowships and awards, including the international Lannan L...

Sep 13, 202455 minEp. 197

ReGeneration Rising S2E11: Making Embassy with Tyson Yunkaporta

In this episode, Daniel and Philipa welcome Dr Tyson Yunkaporta back for an extended yarn on relatedness and making embassy through community. Tyson Yunkaporta is an Aboriginal scholar, educator, maker, researcher, and poet. He is the founder of the Indigenous Knowledge Systems Lab at Deakin University in Melbourne, and the author of two books, the bestselling “Sand Talk: How Indigenous Thinking Can Save the World ” and the recently published “Right Story, Wrong Story: Adventures in Indigenous T...

Aug 15, 202434 minEp. 196

ReGeneration Rising S2E10: Border Work with Bayo Akomolafe & Tyson Yunkaporta

In this episode, Philipa and Daniel talk about post-activism, border transgressions and making sanctuary with Dr Bayo Akomolafe and Dr Tyson Yunkaporta. Bayo Akomolafe is a widely celebrated international speaker, post-humanist thinker, philosopher, writer, activist and professor of psychology. He is the author of two books, These Wilds Beyond our Fences: Letters to My Daughter on Humanity's Search for Home and We Will Tell our Own Story: The Lions of Africa Speak . Bayo is the Founder of The Em...

Jul 30, 202454 minEp. 195

ReGeneration Rising S2E9: Thinking Like a Mountain with John Seed & Skye Cielita Flor

In this episode, Daniel and Philipa discuss the practices that can help us reconnect with the living world with renowned author and activist, John Seed, and deep ecology practitioner, Skye Cielita Flor. John Seed is the founder and director of the Rainforest Information Centre in Australia. Since 1979 he has been involved in the direct actions which have resulted in the protection of the Australian rainforests. He has written and lectured extensively on deep ecology and has been conducting Counc...

Jul 12, 202454 minEp. 194

ReGeneration Rising S2E8: Enlivenment with Andreas Weber

In this episode, Philipa and Daniel discuss the kindness at the heart of reality with author and biophilosopher, Dr Andreas Weber. Dr Andreas Weber is a Berlin-based author, biophilosopher & independent scholar. His work focuses on re-evaluating our understanding of the living world in which organisms are subjects and the biosphere is a meaning-creating and poetic reality. Andreas is the author of numerous books, inlcuding Enlivenment: Toward a Poetics for the Anthropocene , The Biology of W...

Jun 26, 202455 minEp. 193

ReGeneration Rising S2E7: Patterns of Meaning with Jeremy Lent & Morag Gamble

In this episode, Daniel and Philipa are joined by award-winning permaculture teacher and designer, Morag Gamble, and best-selling author and integrator, Jeremy Lent. Together, they discuss the urgent need to realign our patterns of meaning with the life-sustaining patterns of our planet to create thriving, regenerative cultures. An award-winning permaculture teacher and designer, Morag Gamble has been at the forefront of the permaculture revolution for over 30 years. She is the founder of the Pe...

Jun 03, 20241 hr 3 minEp. 192

ReGeneration Rising S2E6: The Systems View of Life with Fritjof Capra

In this episode, Daniel and Philipa talk with best-selling author author, physicist, and educator, Dr Fritjof Capra about how adopting a systems view of life can help to address our current crisis of perception. Fritjof Capra , Ph.D., is a scientist, educator, activist, author and systems theorist. Capra received his Ph.D. in theoretical physics from the University of Vienna in 1966 and spent 20 years doing research in theoretical high-energy physics, including at the University of Paris, the Un...

May 07, 202450 minEp. 191

ReGeneration Rising S2E5: Indirect Work with Carol Sanford

In this episode, Daniel and Philipa talk with award-winning author and regenerative leadership expert, Carol Sanford. In this episode, Daniel and Philipa are in conversation with award-winning author and regenerative leadership expert, Carol Sanford. Carol draws on her experience working with business leaders to explain the importance of working on change in an indirect way. Carol Sanford is a consistently recognized disruptor and contrarian working side by side with Fortune 500 and new economy ...

Apr 23, 202431 minEp. 190

ReGeneration Rising S2E4: Architects of Abundance with Lyla June Johnston

In this episode, Daniel and Philipa talk with Indigenous musician, scholar, and community organiser, Dr Lyla June Johnston. Lyla June shares lessons from her Diné, Tsétsêhéstâhese and European heritage and highlights the importance of engaging with, recognising and respecting Indigenous wisdom traditions as we seek to reinhabit our world regneratively. Lyla June is an Indigenous musician, scholar, and community organizer of Diné (Navajo), Tsétsêhéstâhese (Cheyenne) and European lineages. Her mul...

Apr 10, 202447 minEp. 189

ReGeneration Rising S2E3: Combining with Nora Bateson

Many of us are guilty of imagining that we can neatly measure and therefore manage the world around us. But an essential aspect of life is its continued motion. How might we learn from the patterns and nature of this motion in order to think ‘like an ecology’? Nora Bateson is an award-winning filmmaker, writer and educator, as well as President of the International Bateson Institute. Her work brings the fields of biology, cognition, art, anthropology, psychology, and information technology toget...

Mar 27, 202451 minEp. 188

ReGeneration Rising S2E2: Becoming Earth Pilgrims with Satish Kumar

When faced with global social and environmental challenges, we can assume that we should be entirely focused on solving the problems ‘out there’. But without paying attention to our inner world and inter-being - the ways in which we relate to one another - can we really reimagine our world and enable flourishing futures for all? In this episode, Daniel and Philipa are joined by peace pilgrim, activist and former monk, Satish Kumar . Aged 9, Satish renounced the world and became a wandering Jain ...

Mar 08, 202441 minEp. 187

ReGeneration Rising S2E1: Biomimicry with Janine Benyus & Dayna Baumeister

ReGeneration Rising is a specially-commissioned RSA Oceania podcast exploring how regenerative approaches can help us collectively re-design our communities, cities, and economies, and create a thriving home for all on our planet. In this first episode of the second series, co-hosts Philipa Duthie and Daniel Christian Wahl talk to Biomimicry pioneers Janine Benyus and Dr Dayna Baumeister about the practice of learning from life’s enduring patterns and wisdom. Over 3.8 billion years life has evol...

Feb 21, 202449 minEp. 186

SPARKS: Johnny Lynch – Unlimited Edition

How might the creation of scarcity, lead to popularity? Johnny Lynch is a Scottish musician, also known as Pictish Trail. As well as his solo and collaborative performance career, he runs a unique record label from a remote Scottish Island. In this final Spark of the series, enjoy some of Johnny’s music along with his take on what it means to be your very own limited edition – with unlimited results. Disclaimer: This Spark has been created using material recorded online during the pandemic - so ...

Aug 31, 202314 minEp. 185

SPARKS: Malcolm Gladwell – Mini-Sparks

When can constraint be a good thing? And why should we learn to trust, in order to maximise creativity? Malcolm Gladwell is a journalist, author and public speaker. Malcolm’s enquiring mind and capacity to communicate complex ideas very clearly has made him a best-seller across many book titles. In this sequence of mini-Sparks, Malcolm considers the beauty of constraint, the role of story in ideas and how trust and creativity are intrinsically linked. Disclaimer: This Spark has been created usin...

Aug 29, 20238 minEp. 184

SPARKS: Nadya Tolokonnikova – Life As Art, As Activism

How can injecting ideas into art create meaningful direction? Nadya Tolokonnikova is perhaps known best for being a musician and founding member of the group Pussy Riot - but would describe themself primarily as a conceptual artist and political activist. Nadya was jailed in their home country of Russia in 2012, following a performance in Moscow Cathedral. Amnesty International named them a ‘Prisoner of Conscience’. For Nadya, concepts and ideas come first. Joy and mental health should all form ...

Aug 24, 20239 minEp. 183

SPARKS: Professor Anil Seth – Dream Machine

How can collective artistic experiences help us to understand how our minds work? This short audio Spark introduces the Dream Machine – one of ten UK-wide projects from Unboxed. Anil Seth is Professor of Cognitive and Computational Neuroscience at the University of Sussex and co-director of the Sackler Centre for Consciousness Science; he also wears other hats including Editor-in-Chief for a leading neuroscience journal and he’s a best-selling author. In this neurologically soothing Spark, you c...

Aug 22, 20239 minEp. 182

SPARKS: Dr Ella Gilbert – Imagining Our Way Out

How can wonder and positivity impact the way we make progress? Dr Ella Gilbert describes herself as a cloud nerd and all-round polar enthusiast. She has a post-doctorate role in climate modelling at the British Antarctic Survey and believes that communication is key when it comes to the big scientific challenges. In this audio Spark, Ella discusses the idea that creativity and imagination are essential in any discipline, and especially in finding our way towards more helpful outcomes for our fut...

Aug 17, 202312 minEp. 181

SPARKS: Professor Dacher Keltner – Awe, The Field Guide

How can the science behind a specific human emotion, change our lives for the better? Dacher Keltner is Professor of Psychology at Berkeley University, California and is the founder of the Greater Good Science Center. You may have heard his podcast, the Science of Happiness. Dacher and his students have been studying the transformative power of a single emotion. Keep listening to hear a brief history of our understanding of awe , its age-old purpose in the pursuit of knowledge… and how the humbl...

Aug 15, 202310 minEp. 180

SPARKS: Dr Maggie Aderin-Pocock – The Power of a Lunatic’s Dream

Dr Maggie Aderin-Pocock is a space scientist and science educator. She’s also a broadcaster and author - bringing science to life for her many audiences. In this audio Spark, you’ll hear a potted tale of dreaming big and reaching for the stars. Maggie’s story is one that we can all feel inspired by, whichever field we create or work in. We’ve got to think big. Disclaimer: This Spark has been created using material recorded online during the pandemic - so the sound quality varies in places, but t...

Aug 10, 202312 minEp. 178

SPARKS: IDEAS UNBOXED – Introducing Sparks with Dr Ella Gilbert

Dr Ella Gilbert introduces a new podcast from Unboxed. This series of short audio Sparks has been created from talks recorded during Unboxed - a UK-wide festival of creativity that brought together Arts, Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEAM). Each Spark contains at least one take-away idea that you can apply to your own thinking, whatever your approach or discipline. The collection contains messages across Arts and Sciences, of positivity, community and how by unboxing our thinking ...

Aug 10, 20232 minEp. 177

SPARKS: Adrian Hon – A History of the Future

How can we switch our thinking to feel more positive about our collective future? Adrian Hon is Co-founder and CEO at Six to Start, creators of game-like stories and story-like games - including the world's bestselling smartphone fitness game, "Zombies, Run!" which has over ten million players. Before Adrian became a game designer, he was a neuroscientist and experimental psychologist at Oxford, Cambridge and the University of California San Diego. This Spark is taken from Adrian’s keynote speec...

Aug 10, 20238 minEp. 179

Henry Dimbleby on our relationship with food

In this farewell episode of Bridges to the Future, Matthew meets with food writer and restaurateur Henry Dimbleby to explore our complex relationship with food and how it shapes our lives, from childhood memories and family traditions to the ways we cook, eat, and share meals with others. Henry Dimbleby is the co-founder of LEON, and the Director of The Sustainable Restaurant Association, which runs some of London's most successful street food markets. His work with DEFRA culminated in the Natio...

Apr 05, 202339 minEp. 176

Who Owns History?

In this thought-provoking interview series from the RSA , Matthew Taylor , puts a range of leading thinkers on the spot - from writers to business leaders, politicians to journalists - by asking for big ideas to help build effective bridges to our new future. Anthropologist and author, Adam Kuper, explores the intricate relationship between museums and the societies that they represent. Adam joins Matthew to discuss the ways in which museums have become cultural battlegrounds for debates about p...

Mar 07, 202332 minEp. 175

The spy in your pocket

In this thought-provoking interview series from the RSA , Matthew Taylor , puts a range of leading thinkers on the spot - from writers to business leaders, politicians to journalists - by asking for big ideas to help build effective bridges to our new future. Installed without you even noticing, once on your phone it can record your calls, copy your messages, steal your photos - even secretly film you. But what exactly is 'Pegasus', and is it really a threat to our democracy and our human rights...

Feb 21, 202334 minEp. 174

Management consultancy under the spotlight

In this thought-provoking interview series from the RSA , Matthew Taylor , puts a range of leading thinkers on the spot - from writers to business leaders, politicians to journalists - by asking for big ideas to help build effective bridges to our new future. McKinsey & Co is one of the biggest names in the global consulting business. Established in 1926, it employs 30,000 people, has offices in more than 130 locations and earns billions of dollars in fees. But what exactly does the company ...

Feb 07, 202332 minEp. 173

Regeneration rising S1E7: The Re-generation

In this series we’ve heard from key thinkers on what they are doing to nurture regenerative systems – locally, regionally and globally – and to create thriving futures for all life on this planet. In this final episode of the series, Josie and Daniel are joined by Paul Hawken, one of the environmental movement’s leading voices, to hear his perspectives on why now is the time for collaborative action and how we can all be part of the re-generation. Paul Hawken is a pioneering architect of corpora...

Jan 31, 202337 minEp. 164

What are austerity measures really about?

In this thought-provoking interview series from the RSA , Matthew Taylor , puts a range of leading thinkers on the spot - from writers to business leaders, politicians to journalists - by asking for big ideas to help build effective bridges to our new future. In the wake of the crisis of 2008, austerity measures were implemented across the western world to stop financial catastrophe. But what impact have these long-lasting and controversial polices had on workers and communities? Clara E. Mattei...

Jan 24, 202338 minEp. 172

ReGeneration Rising S1E6: Coming Home to Place

In this special series, we explore how regenerative practice is helping people in place collectively re-design their communities, cities and economies and create a thriving home for all on our planet. In this sixth episode, Josie and Daniel discuss the importance of place with two leading voices in regenerative development -- Pamela Mang and Jenny Andersson . We are living through a period of seemingly insurmountable challenges – from the climate crisis to global disparities of health and wealth...

Jan 17, 202338 minEp. 163

How to be a 'good' drinker

In this thought-provoking interview series from the RSA , Matthew Taylor , puts a range of leading thinkers on the spot - from writers to business leaders, politicians to journalists - by asking for big ideas to help build effective bridges to our new future. Adrian Chiles once put away 100 units of alcohol a week. The recommended amount is 14. But Adrian never considered himself an alcoholic, just someone who enjoyed drinking a bit too much. But after a warning from his doctor, and now well in ...

Jan 10, 202330 minEp. 171

ReGeneration Rising S1E5: Beyond Business as Usual

In this special “Bridges to the Future” series, we explore how regenerative practice is helping people in place collectively re-design their communities, cities and economies and create a thriving home for all on our planet. In this fifth episode, Josie and Daniel discuss the role companies can play in shaping our future with John Elkington and Louise Kjellerup Roper from Volans Ventures. The last decade has seen a shift in the discussion around corporate social responsibility and the role busin...

Jan 03, 202337 minEp. 162
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