New Politics on the Couch! A conversation with the peerless @jayvanbavel.bsky.social about polarisation, digital divides and reweaving the fibres of social connection shows.acast.com/6462652801a2...

Politics feels angrier and more tribal than it used to, but how much should we blame social media? I spoke to @rafaelbehr.bsky.social about how our group instincts collide with godlike technology to distort what we see & erode trust in our institutions. open.spotify.com/episode/5Gb2...

wish the BBC would lead on micro-economic aspects of budget rather than the politics and macro-economic sides. Overall tax takes are meaningless to most of us, and what's the point in asking Reform, Greens, Lib Dems, SNP and Conservatives unbiased opinion? I mean Kemi said it was worst one ever 🤨

Brilliant, as ever. The content was so rich I had to listen to it 3 times to get all the points.

📉London has recorded the lowest number of murders in 2025 since monthly records began! 😮That number represents a fall of almost 60% compared to 2003.

Excellent podcast, not least for Dr Buchanan recalling the great Cialdini quote “The media doesn’t tell you what to think, it tells you what to think about”. Distraction just as much a threat as disinformation to make some issues more or less salient. #merchantsofdistraction

Fantastic episode. Informative and enlightening. I'm going to listen again straight away. [Politics on the Couch] Changing minds about immigration #politicsOnTheCouch sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/646... via @PodcastAddict

New Politics on the Couch - the world’s most erratically scheduled politics podcast - this time on immigration, storytelling and changing even the most hostile minds (maybe). shows.acast.com/6462652801a2...

Anyone know whether Milner was still playing football professional football when Dowman was born?

All in the Mind is back! We kicked off today by finding out what AI therapists actually say to you and what the evidence says about them. Every Tues at 9.30am @bbcradio4 www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m...

Interested in learning about the psychology of laughter, lies, and gambling? Come to Think Again!, hosted by broadcaster @claudiahammond.bsky.social on 18th Nov in Brighton, UK. I'll be joined by @gillyforrester.bsky.social & Tom Ormerod from Sussex Uni. Tickets: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/think-agai...

In my latest podcast for Ecotextile News I talk Trump, Tariffs and Textiles with Kim Glas from the National Council of Textile Organizations to discuss the impact of Trump’s tariffs on the US's manufacturing base - which employs 471,000. open.spotify.com/episode/0sCd...

Must listen: Excellent episode on why there is so much distrust in our institutions, what we can do to reinvigorate democracy (based on Demos report recommendations) and where it already works (spoiler: locally).

Small excerpt from the latest edition of Politics on the Couch podcast (clip from: @appgfairelections.bsky.social) Full edition available here: Apple podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/h... Spotify open.spotify.com/episode/3o7N...

Also, Origin Story podcasts with Ian Dunt and Dorian Lynsky and, of course, Rafael Behr's Politics on the Couch

Thanks for kind comment. Here's the @demos-uk.bsky.social paper if you want to read more: demos.co.uk/research/upg...

❓Do you think our democracy is in trouble? Read our latest paper 'Upgrading Democracy', where Polly sets out the democratic doom loop threatening British politics, and how we can fix it. ⬇️ demos.co.uk/research/upg...

This podcast is always worth your time.

Polly Curtis at Demos just published a report that very much aligns with my thinking on the topic, really its about direct democratic empowerment, she explains it here player.fm/1BwkPRX

Excellent from @pollycurtis.bsky.social weaving a powerful narrative linking people’s trust in government, politicians’ trust in people, public services, participatory and deliberative democracy, mandatory voting and proportional electoral systems.

Calling regular listeners to Politics on the Couch. We - that is me and @philipberman.bsky.social - want your input. Has been fun 5 years, but what next? Survey link in show notes to latest episode here: shows.acast.com/politicsonth...

The Media Show presented by Katie Razzall and @rosatkins.bsky.social is almost certainly the most interesting, balanced and nuanced programme on the BBC at the moment. open.spotify.com/episode/4WHM...

Upgrading Democracy, the new report from our Chief Executive Polly Curtis is out today. 💡Read the report: demos.co.uk/research/upg... 🎙️Hear the deep dive on Politics on the Couch with @rafaelbehr.bsky.social: lnkd.in/e2rVEup3 🧵 Insights from @eliothiggins.bsky.social Founder of Bellingcat below

Just to be clear: this is a transaction, and it's profoundly corrupt. www.washingtonpost.com/style/media/...

Podcast! New Politics on the Couch, and a timely one, too, on breaking the "democratic doom loop". Conversation with the excellent @pollycurtis.bsky.social shows.acast.com/politicsonth...

Column: The methods that won power for Labour don't work in government and Starmer needs to give his old supporters new reasons to stick with him. www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

The 2024 summer riots showed how urgently we need stronger community ties in the UK. A national strategy for community cohesion is welcome, but it must be shaped with people, not imposed on them. This week, our interim co-CEO Carly Walker-Dawson gave evidence to the HCLG Committee on this. 🧵

People think it's like TV, but it's a more conversational vibe, looser structure and a visual artifice of its a podcast that just 'happened to be filmed.' It's mainly consumed on new media platforms, so people come to it with different expectations than trad TV.

This was up there with one of @rafaelbehr.bsky.social's best eps. I learned a lot from @m-b-petersen.bsky.social Next up, Raf should talk to @noamgidron.bsky.social about status and populism - would make for a great follow up. Oh, and it's given me an earworm for one of my favourite ever tracks!

Added a new date: Brighton, September 3, with @rafaelbehr.bsky.social www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-genius...

Excellent listen, not least for the emphasis on building trustworthy public institutions to tackle disinformation.

I had an interesting conversation with @rafaelbehr.bsky.social on his podcast "Politics on the Couch" about why some voters just want to watch the world burn - and how that explains a lot of what goes on in the US right now and what can be done. Listen here: shows.acast.com/politicsonth...

So interesting, you get the best guests!

I found it genuinely fascinating, and as much in life, once we can reframe something, it then becomes obvious (that's a compliment). The excellent @philipberman.bsky.social very kindly gave me the heads-up about it. Really fab to have you back regularly. *signed a fan* x

Podcast! A really illuminating conversation with @m-b-petersen.bsky.social about the voters who are drawn to rule-breakers, institutional arsonists and chaos-mongers. shows.acast.com/politicsonth...

One of the strangest ironies of the last ten years has been watching Britain immersing itself as deeply as ever in memories of WW2 while proudly turning its back on the project that emerged from it.

🎙️This May 2025, a new podcast series I'm helping launch 🎙️ It's about a Rabbi and an Imam's enduring friendship, and the pair's quest for a greater understanding between their religions post-October 7th. Please like, follow, share. 👇 shows.acast.com/the-rabbi-th...

This podcast is always fantastic, and the recap of its 1st 5 years is fascinating and well worth your time. A great reminder of all the thought provoking subjects its covered with some exceptional guests. Thank you @philipberman.bsky.social and @rafaelbehr.bsky.social

Good episode of Politics on the Couch with @rafaelbehr.bsky.social The question at the end: How do we create a project for a functioning liberal democracy based on constitutional order and the rule of law that has a story to tell about the 21st century? shows.acast.com/politicsonth...

podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/p... Thoughtful and thought provoking episode from @rafaelbehr.bsky.social and @davidsonofaaron.bsky.social

New Politics on the Couch! A conversation with the ever erudite @davidsonofaaron.bsky.social about the long tail of the pandemic and how trans-Atlantically contagious Maga populism might be ... shows.acast.com/politicsonth...

It's Not Dark Yet, But It's Getting There. @rafaelbehr.bsky.social and @philipberman.bsky.social open.spotify.com/episode/0C0s...

Politics on the Couch 5th anniversary edition, in which @philipberman.bsky.social and I look back on some of the tools and insights from psychology that have helped* make sense of turbulent times shows.acast.com/politicsonth... *sometimes

There is a great and thoughtful review of @leorzmigrod.bsky.social THE IDEOLOGICAL BRAIN by @tomcalver.bsky.social in the Sunday Times

Had a great time chatting with @rafaelbehr.bsky.social about whether some people are “hard-wired” for radicalization and all about The Ideological Brain 📘🧠

To coincide with today's release of @leorzmigrod.bsky.social first book, The Ideological Brain - A Radical Science of Susceptible Minds, @rafaelbehr.bsky.social caught up with Leor for the Politics on the Couch podcast also out today👇

In conversation with Maxine Bedat about new bill introduced into the California State Assembly in February 2025 which could become the first US law to require brands to engage in “environmental due diligence” concerning their products and supply chains. podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/c...

Lovely pod Paula's understanding of the electorate is always fascinating

Really enjoyed this conversation with @rafaelbehr.bsky.social and 🤞doesn't seem to have been overtaken by events yet.