Lse: Public Lectures And Events

Contributor(s): Hashi Mohamed, Dr. Aaron Reeves, Professor Lauren Rivera, Dr Faiza Shaheen | In Aaron Reeves and Sam Friedman’s new book, which they launch at this event, they provide a uniquely data-rich analysis of the British elite from the Victorian era to today: who gets in, how they get there, what they like and look like, where they go to school, and what politics they perpetuate.Think of the British elite and familiar caricatures spring to mind. But are today’s power brokers a conservative chumocracy, born to privilege and anointed at Eton and Oxford? Or is a new progressive elite emerging with different values and political instincts? Aaron Reeves and Sam Friedman combed through a trove of data in search of an answer, scrutinizing the profiles, interests, and careers of over 125,000 members of the British elite from the late 1890s to today. At the heart of this meticulously researched study is the historical database of Who’s Who, but the authors also mined genealogical records, examined probate data

Contributor(s): Rory Stewart, Professor James Walters | While religion continues to be perceived as of diminishing significance by many in Western Europe, religious nationalisms are on the rise around the world and the religious dimensions of many conflicts are becoming more pronounced. While the early twenty-first century focused on political Islam, we now see new political formations across all the world’s faith traditions, as well as new faith-based initiatives to engage more constructively with global issues such as conflict and climate change. Rory Stewart – academic, podcaster and former politician – will share his perspectives on why this happening and what can be done about it, in this conversation with James Walters, founding director of LSE Faith Centre, chaired by LSE's Mukulika Banerjee.

Contributor(s): Nils Gilman, Dr Ganga Shreedhar, Professor Karen E Smith | Deadly viruses, climate-changing carbon molecules, and harmful pollutants across the globe are unimpeded by national borders. While the consequences of these flows range across scales, from the planetary to the local, the authority and resources to manage them are concentrated mainly at one level: the nation-state. This profound mismatch between the scale of planetary challenges and the institutions tasked with governing them is leading to cascading systemic failures. Join us for this event featuring Nils Gilman, co-author of a new book, Children of a Modest Star: Planetary Thinking for an Age of Crises. Drawing on intellectual history, political philosophy, and the holistic findings of Earth system science, Children of a Modest Star argues that it is essential to reimagine our governing institutions - we can only thrive if the multi-species ecosystems we inhabit are also flourishing. Using this book as the basis for discussion, our pa

Contributor(s): Matt Blakemore, Richard Nesbitt, Carolyn Scott, Reshma Shaikh, Noa Srebrnik | This event will navigate the complexities of AI implementation in the workplace and examine how these technologies are being developed to benefit society while challenging traditional work experiences. The event will feature conversations on the latest advancements, challenges, and ethical considerations in AI development, emphasising reducing bias and supporting diverse communities. Participants can interact with panellists during a Q&A session, fostering a deeper understanding of how AI can drive positive change.

Contributor(s): Ed Conway, Dr Kamala Dawar, David Henderson, James Wallace | We have a growing waste problem, which has been around for some time and is only getting worse. Dumping of sewage is threatening the health of our rivers. Plastics have penetrated deep into the world’s oceans. Leakages from landfills, farming and industry are contaminating our soil and groundwater. Waste pollution harms public health, biodiversity and the environment. To address it, we need new laws and huge investments. There has been much recent controversy in the UK around Sewage in Our Waters. New laws would have to specify who has the responsibility of undertaking the transition and the investments – water companies, producers, consumers or governments? Preventing transboundary waste flows would require international action to plug loopholes in domestic laws and international conventions.

Contributor(s): Professor Luis Garicano, Professor Maisa Rojas Corradi, Professor Catherine Wolfram | Trade and climate change policies have become increasingly interwoven. Subsidies for green industries often provoke tariffs, such as US actions over Chinese solar panels and electric vehicles. The European Union’s Emission Trading System (ETS) has set an increasingly high price on carbon emissions. But if high emission industries like steel, simply relocate and European consumers then buy the imported steel, this “carbon leakage” undermines the original policy. To tackle this problem, the European Union has introduced the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) which seeks to tax such imports to prevent carbon leakage – and to encourage other countries to also introduce carbon taxes. The UK is planning the same. But many countries are unhappy, claiming this is simply disguised protectionism.

Contributor(s): Claudio Frischtak, Basak Odemis, Professor Rohini Pande, Ali Sarfraz | Large investments are needed to confront climate change. Current levels are far below what is required. Bridging this investment gap rests on harnessing both public and private climate finance. Yet, accessing and effectively using these funds presents substantial challenges, especially in developing countries. Innovative market solutions could help. Markets can be useful because climate change is a global commons problem and different countries have different abilities to reduce emissions. What is missing is a link between those who wish to and can pay for reducing emissions and those who have opportunities to do so. These challenges are amplified in low and middle income countries which grapple with limited institutional capacity and complex international finance frameworks. Strict eligibility requirements and cumbersome application processes further complicate access to vital financial resources, exacerbating disparities

Contributor(s): Professor Esther Duflo, Elizabeth Lewis Channon, Khari Motayne, Professor Sir Christopher Pissarides | While there are always rumours about who might win a Nobel Prize every year, there is no short list for the globally revered academic awards. This means that winning one always comes as a complete surprise. In this episode of LSE iQ, we explore what it’s like to win the prestigious prize and how it changes your life. The Nobel Prizes were established in 1900 at the behest of Alfred Nobel, a Swedish Chemist, Inventor and Industrialist, known in particular for his invention of dynamite. In his will he stated that his fortune was to be used to reward those who have made the most significant contributions to humanity. The prizes would recognise achievements in physics, chemistry, physiology or medicine, literature and peace. The prize for economics would come much later in 1968. The prizes are awarded in October every year. Sue Windebank and Charlotte Kelloway talk to two Nobel Laureates, Profess

Contributor(s): Professor Susan Athey | Digital interventions are well-suited for social impact applications because they are relatively inexpensive to develop and update, they can be targeted to meet the needs of individuals, and they are highly scalable. This talk will review several recent implementations of digital technology to social impact applications, including childhood literacy, programs to enable career transitions and demonstrate skills, and digital assistants that help workers and service providers be more effective. In each case, a new digital product was developed and evaluated in the field. The evidence shows that the interventions work better for some types of individuals than others, illustrating the importance of targeting interventions where they are most effective.

Contributor(s): Nina Rousille, Camille Landais, Jane Garvey | This episode of LSE iQ explores whether gender pay gap reporting, pay transparency and tackling gender norms can reduce the gender pay gap. On average across the globe, for every pound earned by a man, a woman earns around 80 pence, according to a 2023 report from the United Nations. But despite huge advances in access to education, the labour market, and the introduction of the UK Equality Act of 2010, which guarantees equal pay for men and women doing equal work, those figures have pretty much remained the same for the past two decades. Still, the gender pay gap - the difference between the average earnings of men and women - endures. So, how can we solve it? Anna Bevan talks to broadcaster Jane Garvey about the impact of gender pay gap reporting and what happened to her after the BBC was forced to publish its gender pay gap report. She also speaks to Nina Rousille, the Executive Director of LSE’s Hub for Equal Representation and Assistant Profes

Contributor(s): Professor Sir Tim Besley, Professor Richard Davies, Eshe Nelson | They explore the pressure on public finances (from the likelihood of future tax rises or spending cuts) to each stance the parties have taken and whether they've accounted the coming fiscal challenges, to what the next Government could and should do next.

Contributor(s): Dr Laura Serra, Elinor Goodman, Professor Tim Bale | Our experts provide insight and analysis on the night. 

Contributor(s): Professor Andrés Velasco, Dr Mukulika Banerjee, Professor Chris Anderson | In addition to the UK election, our experts weigh in on the future of liberal democracies. 

Contributor(s): Professor Iain Begg, Professor Michael Cox, Professor Stephanie Rickard, Professor Peter Trubowitz | They explore rising global tensions and defence spending to the outcome of the next US election, and the future of our relationship with the EU and potential outcomes of the French elections.

Contributor(s): Professor Wendy Thomson, Professor Andrew Street, Professor Nicholas Barr | They review the stances of each party and how they’ve shaped their campaigns to what the next Government needs to do to address them.

Contributor(s): Dimitri Zenghelis, Dr Philipp Rode, Professor Elizabeth Robinson | They will also examine the role climate change has played in the election and if the plans made by the main political parties deliver sufficiently to what the next Government could and should do.

Contributor(s): Dr Nick Anstead, Professor Helen Margetts, Professor Julie Posetti | They explore the difference between this election in 2024 and previous ones with regard using AI and what the next Government should do (if anything) to protect the democratic process.

Contributor(s): Ruchir Sharma | Sharma says progressive youth are partly right and that capitalism has morphed into “socialism for the very rich.” The broader issue, however, is socialised risk for the poor, the middle class and the rich; government is trying to guarantee that no one ever suffers economic pain by borrowing heavily to prevent recessions, extend recoveries, and generate endless growth. The result is rapidly rising debt and declining competition. 

Contributor(s): Zaneta Sedilikova, Cynthia Hanawalt, Professor Harro van Asselt, Dr Joana Setzer, Catherine Higham | Activist groups and civil society organisations continue to play a pivotal role in leveraging climate litigation to shape climate governance. Central to many of these cases is the use of human rights arguments to hold governments and corporations accountable for inadequate action on climate issues. The report's authors share their insights and discuss with experts on the latest trends in climate change litigation.

Contributor(s): Shirley Rodrigues, Jean-Louis Missika, Ciaran Cuffe, Dr Liam Beiser-McGrath | Cities are widely considered to be progressive bastions against the tide of populism and growth of right-wing movements across Europe. But recent election results show that cities are not immune to the divisive discourses surrounding the green transition. From Berlin to Barcelona to Oslo to London, green policies have developed into a central battleground in local politics, with initiatives such as 15-minute cities, low-traffic neighbourhoods, low emission zones and other attempts to reduce car dependency proving particularly contentious. How can urban leaders design and communicate policies in ways that reconcile concerns for the end of the month and concerns for the end of the world, and enable the transition towards more just and sustainable cities?