Rsa Events

What are the political and moral fault-lines that divide Brexit Britain — and how can we achieve a new settlement that works for everyone? Several decades of greater economic and cultural openness in the West have not benefited all our citizens. Founding editor of Prospect magazine, David Goodhart argues that among those who have been left behind, a populist politics of culture and identity has successfully challenged the traditional politics of Left and Right. He suggests that a new division has been created: between the mobile ‘achieved’ identity of the people from Anywhere, and the marginalised, roots-based identity of the people from Somewhere. This schism accounts for the Brexit vote, the election of Trump, the decline of the centre-left, and the rise of populism across Europe. Goodhart visits the RSA to reveal how the 'Somewhere' backlash is a democratic response to the dominance of 'Anywhere' interests, in everything from mass higher education to mass immigration.

Kate Raworth, renegade economist and author of Doughnut Economics, visits the RSA to argue that’s it’s time to start thinking like a 21st century economist. Drawing on insights from emergent schools of thought – including complexity, ecological, feminist, behavioural and institutional economics – she argues that today’s economies are divisive and degenerative by default, and must become distributive and regenerative by design. It’s time for humanity’s portrait at the heart of economic theory to be drawn anew so that, instead of bringing out the worst in us, it nurtures the best of human nature.

We are anxious to succeed but terrified of failing. Matthew Taylor interviews RSA fellow Moses Sangobiyi about his single minded attempts to break into professional American Football, what he learnt from falling short and why he’s on a mission to let people know that it’s ok to fail. Subscribe to “RSA Radio” to get future podcasts like this from The RSA. Music: Lobo Loco - Mountain Creek

Exciting new thinker Rutger Bregman visits the RSA to argue that the real crisis of our times is not that we don’t have it good, or even that we might be worse off in the near future - it’s that we don’t have the imagination to come up with anything better. Having already sparked a movement across the Netherlands, where 20 municipalities are now putting basic income into action, Rutger’s work inspires a firm belief that the most vital ingredient for political change is the conviction that there truly is a better way.

The prison reform agenda in the UK has reached a critical stage of development with new legislation expected in the coming months and the expansion of the 'Reform Prisons' model which gives governors greater freedoms. Nils Öberg will join Rachel O'Brien, who has led the RSA's work on prisons, to share his experience in prisons and probation - the results, challenges and what the reform agenda in the UK can learn from this.

The Inclusive Growth Commission was set up in April 2016 to identify practical ways to make inclusive growth a reality. Chaired by Stephanie Flanders, former economics editor of the BBC and Chief Strategist (UK and Europe) for J P Morgan, the Commission is calling on all leaders – in business, civil society, public service and government – to make inclusive growth our working definition of economic success. The UK government has set out an ambitious goal to create an economy that works for everyone, not just the privileged few. At this event the Commission will launch its final report which will outline a practical roadmap for a more inclusive economy, where everyone can benefit from greater prosperity. Panel to include Stephanie Flanders, Commission Chair and Chief Market Strategist for the UK and Europe, J P Morgan Asset Management; Tim Besley, School Professor of Economics and Political Science, LSE and Irene Lucas CBE, Chief Executive, Sunderland City Council.

Money makes the world go round: but what is it really? And how is it produced? Above all, who controls its production, and in whose interests? Money is never a neutral medium of exchange. Nor are bankers simply go-betweens for savers and borrowers. How can democracies reclaim control over money production? Leading political economist Ann Pettifor visits the RSA to explain the money system – history’s most misunderstood invention. She lays out a blueprint for how we can subordinate the out-of-control finance sector to the interests of society and the ecosystem – how we can link the money in our pockets (or on our smartphones) to the change we want to see in the world around us. She also examines and assesses popular alternative debates on, and innovations in, money: positive money, helicopter money and the rise of goldbugs.

Spiritual and religious spaces are fundamental features of a place, signifying the value and importance of faith and connection at the heart of a community. In a changing global context, the design, status and use of places of worship evolves to reflect the diverse needs of a wider public. Faith spaces are reimagined to foster a culture of mutuality and engagement, facilitating the growth of social capital. John McAslan CBE and Aidan Potter of John McAslan + Partners are joined by Sophia de Sousa and The Revd The Lord Griffiths to discuss the way in which communities are shaped socially and culturally through shared spaces, values and connections.

The pace of modern life is accelerating, and the self-help shelves are groaning with advice on how to keep up – and stay positive in the process. But the demands of life in the fast lane come at a price: anxiety, fatigue and depression are at an all-time high, and our social interactions have become increasingly self-serving and opportunistic. Leading Danish philosopher and psychologist Svend Brinkmann argues that we must not be afraid to reject the self-help mantra. The secret to a happier life lies not in finding your inner self, but in coming to terms with yourself in order to coexist peacefully with others.

I, Daniel Blake won the Palme d’Or at Cannes 2016, was nominated for Best Picture, Best Original Screenplay, Best Supporting Actress & Best Director and won Outstanding British Film at the 2017 BAFTA Awards. Following the screening, director Ken Loach discusses the pressing social issues highlighted in his film and how we can move towards a more equal platform from which people can manage their lives.

Politics fractures when policy fails - as events of the last year have shown. Nine years on from the global financial crisis, policymakers are still struggling to find convincing answers to the economic problems it exposed. At the same time, the world faces many significant and complex challenges, from climate change to the problems of managing chronic health conditions, to the challenges of ageing populations, to meeting the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. If innovation is part of the answer, how can public policy be used to steer it towards tackling these kinds of global problems? This special event marks the launch of a new collaboration between the RSA and UCL’s new Institute for Innovation and Public Purpose to develop mission-oriented innovation policy in practice. Chaired by the RSA’s director of innovation Rowan Conway, the event will consist of provocations and conversation between IIPP's founder and director Mariana Mazzucato, Professor in the Economics of Innovation and Public Value, UCL (from

International bestseller and so-called ‘Darwin of technology’ Steven Johnson argues that the pursuit of novelty and wonder has always been a powerful driver of world-shaping technological change. He finds that throughout history, the cutting edge of innovation lies wherever people are working the hardest to keep themselves and others amused. In describing a vivid history of innovation, Johnson explains how popular entertainment - games, cinema, music, food and fashion – have played a crucial role in shaping our world. These amusements did more than just entertain, they directly contributed to economic and social revolutions that transformed the modern world.

Self-employment is once again on the rise. The number of people working for themselves has grown by 40 percent since 2000, and is set to reach a record 5 million by the end of the decade.A debate rages as to whether this is a trend to be lauded or lamented. While some hold that the self-employed are just another legion in a growing army of precariat workers, others hail an entrepreneurial renaissance among spirited self-starters. Join us as we launch The Entrepreneurial Audit, a new RSA report that examines the past, present and future of self-employment policy in the UK.

People in the West tend to think of corruption as a problem unique to the lower-income countries. But are we fooling ourselves? Development economist and co-founder of Transparency International, Laurence Cockroft and anti-corruption expert Anne-Christine Wegener have analysed the driving forces behind such cases, particularly the role of political finance, lobbying, the banking system and organised crime. In the course of their investigation, Cockroft and Wegener have uncovered why anti-corruption legislation has not been more effective, and why there is an increasing discrepancy between regulation and commercial and cultural practice.

We are living in an age of anger: from American 'shooters' and ISIS to Trump, from a rise in vengeful nationalism across the world to racism and misogyny on social media. Renowned author and essayist Pankaj Mishra visits the RSA to discuss how and why we got to this point.

We are all aware that we are living longer – and for some of us, that’s a scary prospect, especially when we consider that it has been estimated that by 2030 there will be 2 million people aged over 65 without adult children to look after them. And 230,000 of those will be in need of more than 20 hours' care a week and yet will have no informal support. But, what if we lived longer AND with better health? Our expert panel explore what people might do differently in the future to become a healthy, active and engaged member of the “150 Club”. In partnership with Philips UKI

We are bombarded with more information each day than our brains can process. It’s raining bad data, half-truths, and even outright lies in amongst the facts. But how can we know if we are being sold mistruths? Neuroscientist and New York Times bestselling author Daniel J. Levitin visits the RSA to help us sort the wheat from the digital chaff.

Could drones, and other robotics, provide an answer to some of the most persistent humanitarian and development challenges? Drones are just one example of a range of new frontier technologies that “tech for good” advocates claim as potentially paradigm-shifting for developing countries. However, even as sources of investment and knowledge-sharing increase, there remain obstacles and concerns – including issues around regulation, privacy and data protection, health and safety, and public understanding – and critics seek more evidence of cost-effectiveness and more positive engagement with the communities served. In this special event in partnership with Crown Agents Foundation, RSA Chief Executive Matthew Taylor discusses how we fulfil the humanitarian promise of technological advance with Tamara Giltsoff, Head of Innovation at the Department for International Development, whose ambition it is to bring tech innovation into day-to-day leadership and delivery of UK aid; and former Africa Correspondent at the Eco

Schools are generally recognised as playing a crucial role in developing citizens of the future, helping to equip young people with the ability to debate and deliberate, to question, critique and understand differences in their communities. But with an already crowded curriculum, do we have to accept that the responsibility for citizenship education can’t – and indeed, shouldn’t - lie solely with schools?

Alex Evans of NYU’s Center on International Cooperation argues that today we have a ‘myth gap’. He visited the RSA to contend that in this time of global crisis and transition – mass migration, inequality, resource scarcity and climate change – it is only by finding new myths that we will navigate our way to a better future. It is stories, rather than facts and pie-charts, that have the power to animate us and bring us together to change the world.