Analysis

From April, 2.7 million workers will get one of the biggest pay rises in UK history as the National Living Wage rises to £11.44 an hour. But will they feel better off?

It's 25 years since the National Minimum Wage was introduced. During that time it's credited with putting billions of extra pounds in the pockets of low-paid workers. But, despite that, according to the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, two thirds of households living in poverty have at least one adult in work. And, according to the Institute for Fiscal studies, far from cutting the annual benefits bill, the cost of benefits paid to working families has ballooned since 1999 to about 50 billion pounds a year. So what's behind this low pay puzzle? And what can employers, governments and workers do to ensure that work pays? Pauline Mason investigates.

Presenter: Pauline Mason Producer: Ravi Naik Editor: Clare Fordham.

Contributors: Kate Bell, TUC Assistant General Secretary and former low pay commissioner Damian Grimshaw, Professor of Employment Studies, Kings College London and London & South Forum Co-Lead at the Productivity Institute Patricia Findlay, Distinguished Professor of Work and Employment Relations, University of Strathclyde, and Director of the Scottish Centre for Employment Research Matthew Fell, Low Pay Commissioner and Director of Competitiveness at BusinessLDN Nye Cominetti, Principal Economist, the Resolution Foundation James Cockett, Labour Market Economist, CIPD Margaret Esapa, Managing Director and owner, Cherry Care Services, Oxfordshire Conor Taylor, Director, Foresso

The existential threat caused by Artificial Intelligence is a popular theme in science fiction. But more recently it?s started to be taken seriously by governments around the world and the companies developing the technology. Where did this idea come from, and why is so much money being spent on it, rather than on the regulation of AI and the real threat it poses to jobs and to copyright?

Presenter: Jack Stilgoe Producer: Philip Reevell Editor: Clare Fordham

It's 2024, and the Manchester extension of HS2 has been cancelled. The leg to Leeds was cancelled in 2021. The remaining line to Birmingham is now less than half the initial planned route, and will cost over double the initial budget. This is not exclusive to HS2; Sprialling costs and missed deadlines have become commonplace in big engineering projects, the UK is now one of the most expensive places in the world to build infrastructure, but Britain has a proud history of engineering, and one name in particular looms large - Isambard Kingdom Brunel. Ruthless, bloody minded and notoriously driven - what could he do about the current state of UK infrastructure?

Presenter: Neil Maggs Producer: Johnny I'Anson Editor: Clare Fordham

It's widely believed that the Conservaives won the Uxbridge by-election because of motorists who were annoyed by the London mayor's ultra low emission zone. With a general election looming, both main english parties want to harness "driver power". But how did the vote of car and van owners become so important? Does the independence driving brings lead to a libertarian attitude? Or is that combative attitude caused by drivers feeling that they have been used as cash-cows by successive governments, which have gladly taken their road tax and fuel duty. But that power balance is also set to change, with the eventual electrification of all UK vehicles. Could road pricing replace fuel duty - and how will motorists respond?

Presenter: Chris Bowlby Producer: Jim Frank Editor: Clare Fordham

Middlesbrough, in the north-east, is one of the most deprived towns in England. Once a steel and shipbuilding powerhouse, its fortunes changed when those industries closed down. Today, the town that Gladstone described as ?an infant Hercules? faces a precarious future. David Baker, who grew up in Middlesbrough in the 1970s, returns to his hometown to ask what can be done to revive its fortunes and what Middlesbrough can teach us about regenerating small, postindustrial towns elsewhere in the UK.

Presenter: David Baker Producer: Dan Hardoon Editor: Clare Fordham

Contributors: Natasha Vall, Professor of Urban and Cultural History, Teesside University Rob Nichols, Editor, Middlesbrough FC fanzine Fly Me To The Moon Sally Rodgers, DJ, producer, and vocalist Steve Dugan, Head of Enterprise, Teesside University Oliver Lloyd, co-founder and COO, Dink Chris Cooke, Mayor of Middlesbrough Gary Hamilton, managing director, Community Leisure Management Lord Michael Heseltine, former Secretary of State for the Environment With thanks to the students of Teesside University and Reverend Kath Dean of the Genesis Project.

Democracies do not die in military coups. They are dismantled slowly, by libel laws, through tax audits, and procedure. Democracies are dismantled by bureaucrats and judges, not by soldiers and heavy-handed policing. It has always been thus, from ancient Rome to present-day Tunisia. The program outlines the tricks of the trade that imperceptibly kill democracies ? and how examples in Mexico, Turkey, India and Poland illustrate that the autocratic playbook is nearly always the same. With Anne Applebaum, historian and staff writer at The Atlantic, Amy Slipowitz, research manager at Freedom House, Greta Rios, co-executive director, People Power, David Runciman, professor of politics at the University of Cambridge, Professor Larry Diamond, Stanford University, Jennifer Gandhi, professor of political science and global affairs, Yale University, Renata Uitz, professor of law and government at Royal Holloway, The University of London.

Presenter: Matt Qvortrup Producer: Bob Howard Editor: Clare Fordham

'What is "British Culture?? I was born in the UK and have lived here for 40 years, and yet, as a British Asian person, I am constantly told ?we are not integrating?. Not integrating into what culture exactly?'

Bushra Shaikh runs a charity, is a business-owner and is also a writer and commentator. When she posted this question on social media, two million people viewed it, she received thousands of replies, but no clear definition of British Culture. Some respondents mentioned the food, while others defined it by quoting literature or history. But those answers were often just lists; of meals. books, names and dates.

Is "culture" a synonym for race? How can British people of colour integrate, and what does that mean?

Americans put their hands on their hearts, gaze at the stars and stripes and identify with freedom, while the French look to liberty, equality, and fraternity, but is there a British equivalent? Bushra speaks to Historians, cultural commentators, as well as both the UK's newest citizens, and people who can trace their British family roots back hundreds of years, to try to find out what British culture means to them.

Presenter: Bushra Shaikh Producers: Ravi Naik and Sean Johnson Editor: Clare Fordham.

Contributors: Robert Colls, emeritus professor of history at De Montfort University Lionel Shriver, novelist and journalist Pen Vogler, food historian and writer Dr Bernard Trafford, retired headteacher and former member of the citizenship advisory group Anton Dani, Conservative councillor and former mayor of Boston Robert Owen, Vice Lord Lieutenant of Merseyside Professor Alice Foucart, Principal Investigator, Psycholinguistics, Universidad Nebrija, Madrid Dr Tessa Dunlop, historian and broadcaster Keith Richardson, Author

British politicians love to invoke the family, from John Major's "Back to Basics" campaign, to New Labour's "hardworking families" - and now a prominent strain of the Conservative right says parents sticking together for the sake of the children is "the only possible basis for a safe and successful society".

By turning family values into a political football, are they in denial about the way society has developed this century? For decades, single-person households have been the fastest-growing demographic and younger generations are re-defining romantic commitments and their purpose.

Is the erosion of traditional structure around marriage and family a destructive thing for society, or does it offer the kind of freedom and individual choice denied to previous generations?

Presenter: Zoe Strimpel Producer: David Reid Editor: Clare Fordham

Contributors: Danny Kruger, Conservative Member of Parliament for Devizes and Co-Chair of the New Conservatives: Committing to a Better Politics. Dr. Ruth Beecher, Historian of Modern Britain and the United States, Birkbeck, University of London Prof. Deborah Cohen, Richard W. Leopold Professor of History at Northwestern University. Prof. Sasha Roseneil, Vice Chancellor of the University of Sussex. Prof. Sylvie Fogelj-Bijaoui, sociologist specialising in gender, human rights, the family and the kibbutz. Daisy Lees, resident of Old Hall Chris Lees, resident of Old Hall Rob Connigale, resident of Old Hall

The term nudge has become a byword for the application of behavioural science in public policy, changing how governments the world over create policies designed to encourage, or nudge, people to make choices that better benefit themselves and society as a whole. Over the last fifteen years much has been learned about what works, as well as what doesn?t, when it comes to this way of supporting us in making decisions about our health, our money and how we lead our lives.

Magda Osman is Principal Research Associate at the Cambridge Judge Business School, The University of Cambridge, and Visiting Professor at Leeds University Business School. Through her work she has examined the problems, and the opportunities, with this way of creating policy. She talks to those working in the field of behavioural change and examines what has been discovered over the last fifteen years, what concerns remain around this way of doing things and what the future is for the behavioural change methods known as nudge.

Presenter: Professor Magda Osman Producer: Steven Hobson Editor: Clare Fordham

Contributors: Dr Michael Hallsworth, Managing Director, Behavioural Insights Team Americas Colin Strong, Head of Behavioural Science, Ipsos and Professor of Consumer and Behavioural Psychology, Nottingham University Business School Rory Sutherland, Vice Chairman, Ogilvy Laura Dodsworth, author and journalist Professor Neil Levy, Senior Research Fellow, Oxford Uehiro Centre for Practical Ethics, University of Oxford Katy Milkman, James G. Dinan Professor, The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania

Most educational research now suggests that reading for pleasure is strongly linked to a child?s future outcome, educational success, and even wellbeing. But the latest studies also show that reading for pleasure is at its lowest level for twenty years.

Why has this happened in a country that's produced more successful children's books than any other? From Paddington, to Harry Potter, the Chronicles of Narnia to Alice in Wonderland, and of course, the Gruffalo, the list is vast. Is a lack of access to school and local libraries the problem, too few books at home or the rise of phones, tablets and game consoles?

What can schools, government, the media and parents do to help foster a love of reading that could help children throughout their lives? Author and former Children's Laureate Julia Donaldson investigates.

Presenter: Julia Donaldson Producer: Ravi Naik Editor: Clare Fordham

Contributors: Frank Cottrell-Boyce, author and screenwriter Joseph Coelho, 2022-24 Children?s Laureate, author and poet Teresa Cremin, Professor of Education (Literacy), the Open University Joanna Prior CEO Pan Macmillan Publishing, and Chair of Trustees at the National Literacy Trust Laura Patel, head of literacy, Sandhill View Academy school, Sunderland Leia Sands, librarian and committee member, the Great School Libraries campaign Ben Lawrence, arts and culture editor, The Daily Telegraph Sonia Thompson, headteacher, St Matthews C of E primary school, Birmingham

A record 2.6 million people are off work due to long-term sickness, with mental health conditions the biggest single contributor. The problem is particularly acute among younger people, who are disproportionately likely to cite poor mental health as their reason for not working. Other surveys suggest that poor mental health and burnout are among the top reasons for young people to quit their job. But should young people develop more resilience and ?soldier on?, as older generations may have done, or is being more open about mental health a good thing? And how well are employers adapting to the expectations of younger workers when it comes to mental health and wellbeing? Contributors: Tim Gibbs, Head of Public Service Analysis Team, Office for National Statistics Emma Codd, Global Chief Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Officer, Deloitte Gabrielle Judge, Influencer and CEO, Anti Work Girlboss Joel Gujral, CEO and Founder, MYNDUP Dr Lucy Foulkes, Research Fellow in the Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford Mel Stride, Secretary of State for Work and Pensions Alison McGovern, Shadow Minister for Work and Pensions With thanks to City, University of London

Presenter: James Kirkup Producer: Dan Hardoon Editor: Clare Fordham

The USA, the UK and France, which have led the democratic world, are all suffering problems with their constitutions. But the problem is most acute in France, where President Macron has lost his parliamentary majority, and forced his pension reforms through by decree. But worse is to come; Macron can only serve as President until 2027 and will leave a vacuum at the heart of French politics when he steps down. And unlike Charles de Gaulle, he doesn?t seem likely to leave an enduring movement or an obvious successor. He hoovered up centrist support when he swept to power, and his main rivals now are either far-left or far-right. They both are populists, anti-NATO and pro-Putin. Edward Stourton explores if France is heading towards a constitutional crisis and asks what political turmoil in our nearest neighbour might mean.

Presenter: Edward Stourton Producer: Jonathan IAnson Editor: Clare Fordham

Should we be sceptical when politicians claim to act in "the national interest"? The phrase is frequently trotted out to elevate policy and actions as unimpeachably serving us all. But what does it actually mean? So far the Oxford English Dictionary has steered clear of pinning down this "slippery" term. Mark Damazer digs up its historical roots and talks to politicians, prime-ministerial speechwriters and policymakers to define a term that can obscure as much as it elucidates. Is its use just cynical high grounding or does it speak of a sincere effort to disentangle policy from personal or party interests? Is the national interest best served by a strong civic landscape where differing visions of ?the national interest? are free to battle it out?

Presenter: Mark Damazer Producer: David Reid Editor: Clare Fordham

Contributors: Michael Gove, Minister for Levelling up, Housing and Communities Angela Rayner, shadow deputy prime minister and shadow levelling up secretary Phil Collins, former prime-ministerial speechwriter Munira Mirza, former Director of the No10 Policy Unit Dame Linda Colley, Professor of History at Princeton Fiona McPherson, Senior Editor at the Oxford English Dictionary, specialising in new words

How should we evaluate schools? Is it about delivering a wide range of subjects, or extra activities and pastoral care that make a ?good? school? Who gets to decide what is a good school and what does that mean to different people? Many people are influenced by the four Ofsted grades and Ofsted reports so what does research tell us about how consistent those judgements are? Would you choose a school with a good local reputation but a lower inspection grade. The programme talks to Sonia Exley, an associate professor at the London School of Economics, Professor Christian Bokhove at the University of Southampton, Natalie Perera, chief executive of the Education Policy Institute, Andreas Schleicher, Director of Education and Skills at the OECD, George Leckie, Professor of Social Statistics at the University of Bristol,Dr Ellen Gleaves, a postdoctoral researcher.

Presenter: Branwen Jeffreys Producer: Bob Howard Editor: Clare Fordham

The cost of living crisis followed a decade in which people?s wages and incomes barely grew. The idea that each generation does at least as well as the one before, has for the moment ended. We?ll only start getting better off again if we can get the economy growing ? as it used to in the decades preceding the financial crisis. So, what levers can governments pull to get growth back into the system? Why don't governments do the things that nearly every expert thinks might work? Should we be looking to governments at all? Paul Johnson of the Institute for Fiscal Studies explores the challenges facing the UK economy and asks: how can any government get the UK economy growing? Presenter: Paul Johnson Producer: Farhana Haider Editor: Claire Fordham

Contributors: Diane Coyle, Bennett Professor of Public Policy at the University of Cambridge. Jagjit Chadha, Director of the National Institute of Economic and Social Research Stephen Evans, Chief Executive of the Learning and Work Institute Richard Davies, Director of the Economics Observatory Louise Hellem, Chief economist at the CBI. Nicholas Macpherson, former Permanent Secretary at the Treasury. Rowan Crozier, CEO C. Brandauer & Co Ltd Sam Bowan, Editor of Works in Progress

Our brain is a wonderful machine, but it can also short-circuit. What happens to us when emotions and politics intersect, when the democratic, listening brain is cut off, or when we succumb to ?hate speech?? Research using the latest brain scanners shows that the older part of the brain called the amygdala is ?triggered? by emotional responses out of proportion to the impacting stimulus. So, perhaps are we after wolves in human clothing? Not necessarily; we have also developed the frontal cortex which the scans show is stimulated by rational argument. What can scanning the brain reveal about our political affiliations? Can the field of neuro-politics improve political discourse or leave us open to manipulation?

Presenter: Matt Qvortrup Producer: Bob Howard Editor: Clare Fordham

Contributors: Barbara Sahakian, Professor of Clinical Neuropsychology at the University of Cambridge Dr Darren Schreiber, Senior Lecturer at Exeter University Skyler Cranmer, Associate Professor at Ohio State University Dahlia Scheindlin, political consultant and public opinion researcher Dr Liya Yu, Columbia University

Amid mounting claims for reparations for slavery and colonialism, historian Zoe Strimpel asks how far reparative justice should go. Should we limit reparations to the living survivors of state atrocities, such as the Holocaust, or should we re-write the rulebook to include the ancestors of victims who suffered historical injustices centuries ago? Alongside testimony from a Holocaust survivor and interviews with lawyers, historians and reparations advocates, Zoe hears about the long shadow cast by slavery - lumbering Caribbean states and societies with a legacy that they are still struggling with today. Are demands for slavery reparations just another front in the culture war designed to leverage white guilt? Will they inevitably validate countless other claims to rectify historical grievances? Or are they a necessary step for diverse societies to draw in the extremes of a polarised debate so we can write a common history that we can all live with?

Presenter: Zoe Strimpel Producer: David Reid Editor: Clare Fordham

Contributors Mala Tribich, Holocaust survivor. Michael Newman, Chief Executive, Association of Jewish Refugees. Albrecht Ritschtl, Professor of Economic History, London School of Economics Dr. Opal Palmer Adisa, former director, University of West Indies. Kenneth Feinberg, Master of the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund. Tomiwa Owolade, journalist and author of "This is not America". Alex Renton, journalist, author and co-founder of Heirs of Slavery. Dr Hardeep Dhillon, historian, University of Pennsylvania. James Koranyi, Associate Professor of modern European History at the University of Durham.

People have always fought back against ?The elite?, and until recently they were easily recognisable: rich, privileged and often born into money. Old Etonians, billionaires, oil barons, media tycoons ruled the roost, but there are claims things are changing, and the rise of a new elite is challenging the status quo. Author Matthew Goodwin calls them a group of ?radical woke middle-class liberals completely out of step with the public?. University graduates working in creative industries, media and universities, who have an heavy influence over the national conversation about things like immigration, trans rights and sex education, but critics say they don?t represent ?ordinary folk?, and as a result communities are feeling unrepresented and left behind. So who is in charge, or is there an unlikely, and unknowing, coalition between the two ? the new elite dominating social discourse and cultural discussion, whilst the traditional elite pull the strings of politics and economics? This is the next chapter of the culture wars ? but while the pair of them battle it out for supremacy, much of the country struggles on day-to-day watching from the side lines.

Presenter: Neil Maggs Producer: Jonathan IAnson Editor: Clare Fordham

Contributors Matt Goodwin, Professor of Politics, University of Kent and author "Values, Voice and Virtue". George Monbiot, Author, journalist and environmental campaigner Dr Lisa McKenzie, research fellow, University of Durham, writer and anarchist Bob & Lee, builders Dr Rakib Ehsan, Social policy analyst and author "Beyond Grievance" Baroness Tina Stowell of Beeston Paul Embery, Firefighter, trade unionist and writer Tom, boxing club owner Aaron Bastani, Broadcaster and founder of Novara Media

Will 2023 be known as the summer of discontent? This year, nearly every corner of the country has been affected by some kind of industrial action, and more is coming. Teachers, doctors, nurses, railway workers, airport security, civil servants are among the many professions which have called strikes to protest against, amongst other things, future pay packets during a cost of living crisis. But do labour union tactics really deliver for their members, or does the strong bargaining position of the government come out on top in the end?

In this edition of Analysis, Faisal Islam hears from three top union leaders, along with industrial relations experts, about the challenges of calling and maintaining strike actions and the tolls it can take on members and the public. Where lies the balance of power between a workforce banding together to demand a better deal and the public which has to work around disappearing services?

You can learn more about this topic by watching the BBC 2 documentary Strike: Inside the Unions available on BBC iPlayer.

Contributors: Sharon Graham - General Secretary: Unite Union Mick Lynch - General Secretary: Rail, Maritime and Transport Union Pat Cullen - General Secretary: Royal College of Nursing Jerry Cope - Former Pay Review Body Chair Mark Stuart - Montague Burton Professor of Employment Relations, University of Leeds Lord Richard Balfe - Member, House of Lords

Presenter: Faisal Islam Producer: Sandra Kanthal Editor: Clare Fordham Programme Coordinator: Maria Ogundele

How can employers in all sectors of the UK economy get the best out of their workers, retain experienced staff, improve productivity and increase profits at the same time?

The principles of "Job Design" seem to promise all of these benefits. It's a process of work innovation which focuses on people, their skills, their knowledge and how they interact with each other and technology, in every workplace, in every sector of the economy.

Proponents claim it gives workers a voice in their workplace, allows them to balance their work and home lives, stops burnout and could get more of the economically inactive back in employment. But what evidence is there that it works - and how difficult would it be to implement changes in the workplace?

Presenter: Pauline Mason Producer: Ravi Naik Editor: Clare Fordham

Contributors: Patricia Findlay, Professor of Work and Employment Relations, University of Strathclyde and Director of the Scottish Centre for Employment Research. Kate Bennett, Labour ward coordinator at Liverpool Women's Hospital. Damian Grimshaw, Professor of Employment Studies, King's College London, and former head of research at the International Labour Organisation. Dame Diane Coyle, Bennett Professor, University of Cambridge and a director of the Productivity Institute. Rachel London, Deputy Chief People Officer at Liverpool Women's Hospital. Jenna Brimble. Midwife in the continuity of care team at Liverpool Women's Hospital. Heejung Chung, Professor of Sociology and Social Policy, University of Kent. Emma Stewart, Flexible working consultant and co-founder, Timewise. Dr Charlotte Gascoine independent researcher and consultant on flexible and part-time working Paul Dennett, Mayor of the City of Salford Jim Liptrot, Managing director, Howorth Air Tech. Stacey Bridge, Financial accounting assistant, Howorth Air Tech.

Single people make up a large proportion of the population in Britain. People are marrying later and less, getting divorced more often, and living longer. Although not all people who live alone are single, the growth of one-person households now outstrips the rise in the UK population - and is projected to continue.

And yet life in Britain often seems ill-suited to their needs. Being single is expensive and modern dating can be brutal. The idea that being in a couple provides greater happiness and fulfillment still has a tight grip on our collective psyche. So is it right to say that singles get discriminated against? And are there ways we might re-imagine life in Britain so that singles get a fairer deal? Producer: Ant Adeane Editor: Clare Fordham Sound Engineer: Kelly Young Production Coordinators: Maria Ogundele and Sabine Schereck Contributors: Amy Key - Poet and Author of Arrangements in Blue: Notes of Love and Making a Life Sarah Harper - Professor of Gerontology at the University of Oxford Emma John - Journalist and Author of Self Contained: Scenes from a Single Life Ben Arogundade - Author of My Terrifying, Shocking, Humiliating, Amazing Adventure in Online Dating Elyakim Kislev - Professor of Public Policy and Government at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and author of numerous books about single life Sasha Roseneil - Sociologist and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Sussex

The past decade has seen important shifts in when women become mothers, with 31 years now being the average age for this to occur. This has implications for fertility, pregnancy and birth experiences. Maternal age is related to ?medical risk? and almost one in three births now involve a Caesarean section. But how well are maternity services in the UK keeping up with these changes? Professor of Sociology, Tina Miller examines each stage of becoming a mother ? from conception to antenatal preparation, labour and birth, and the postnatal period ? to find out how maternity care and other services should respond to these changes.

Presenter: Tina Miller Producer: Dan Hardoon Editor: Clare Fordham Production Coordinator: Maria Ogundele

Zeynep Gurtin, Lecturer in Women's Health at the Institute for Women's Health, UCL Marcia Inhorn, Professor of Anthropology and International Affairs, Yale University Noreen Hart, antenatal educator Pat O'Brien, consultant in obstetrics and gynaecology, UCL Katherine Hales, midwife Eliane Glaser, author of "Motherhood: Feminism's Unfinished Business"

Ruth Sunderland, the group business editor of the Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday, asks industry leaders and thinkers about the purpose of companies. Should they be organisations designed to generate profits for the benefit of shareholders, or do they have a bigger role to play in society? What part do they play in environmental policy? Ruth investigates ESG investments, which claim to promote environmental, social and corporate governance best practice, and have become a trillion pound industry. Why has ESG become a flashpoint in the US political culture wars and could the same happen in the UK?

Presenter: Ruth Sunderland Producer: Farhana Haider Editor: Clare Fordham Sound Engineer: Nicky Edwards Production Coordinator: Maria Ogundele

Contributors: Mark Goyder Founder, Tomorrows Company Euan Munro, Chief Executive, Newton Investment Management Merryn Somerset Webb, Senior Columnist at Bloomberg. Philip Gill, small Investor Giulia Chierchia, Executive Vice President for Strategy, Sustainability, and Ventures at BP Louise Oliver, Co-Founder, Piercefield Oliver Chartered Financial Planners Rachel, Small investor Dr Nina Seega, Director for the Centre for Sustainable Finance at the Cambridge Institute of Sustainability Leadership Tariq Fancy, Former Chief Investment officer for Sustainability Investing at BlackRock Witold Henisz, Vice Dean and faculty director of the ESG initiative at the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania

Boycotts are big at the moment. On a global scale, many countries are boycotting Russia following its invasion of Ukraine. There are campaigns to boycott products produced in Turkey, Israel or China. Sporting boycotts are used by countries across the world to express their displeasure with their international rivals. And there are plenty of boycotts going on against companies, over working practices, supply chains and political stances.

But international boycotts can be easily circumvented, and we can choose alternative products if we don't like a particular manufacturer. So is this low risk activism, or is it an effective way for ordinary people to hold businesses and nations to account? Do boycotts ever lead to permanent change?

Above all, do they work? Journalist and writer David Baker investigates.

Presenter: David Baker Producer: Ravi Naik Editor: Clare Fordham Sound Engineer: Nicky Edwards Production Coordinator: Maria Ogundele

Contributors: Caroline Heldman Associate Professor of politics at Occidental College, Los Angeles Stephen Chan Professor of World Politics at SOAS, University of London Mark Borkowski PR and Crisis Management agent Rob Harrison Director of Ethical Consumer Xinrong Zhu Assistant Professor in Marketing at Imperial College London Business School Richard Wilson Director and co-founder, Stop Funding Hate Professor Ellis Cashmore sociologist and cultural critic Ben Jamal Director of the Palestine Solidarity Campaign Pinar Yildrim Associate Professor of Marketing at the Wharton (Business) School at the University of Pennsylvania

In the last five years in the UK, more than 100 children have died from knife wounds. But violence isn't inevitable and evidence shows that we need more mentoring, therapy, family support and police in the areas where violence is high. So why don't we do what works? Jon Yates from the Youth Endowment Fund looks at the schemes that have successfully reduced knife crime. He investigates why the lessons they've taught us haven?t been scaled up. And why we?re spending money on other things like knife awareness campaigns without any evidence they work. Presenter: Jon Yates Producer: Rob Walker Editor: Clare Fordham Sound Engineer: Richard Hannaford Production Coordinator: Maria Ogundele Contributors: Karyn McCluskey, Chief Executive, Community Justice Scotland Karen Timoney, Director, KDT Wellness Graeme Armstrong, author of The Young Team Laura Knight, Toolkit and Evidence Engagement Lead, Youth Endowment Fund Gavin Stephens, Chair, National Police Chiefs? Council Lawrence Sherman, Chief Scientific Officer, Metropolitan Police Jhemar Jonas, youth worker and musician Ciaran Thapar, youth worker and author of Cut Short Thomas Abt, Founding Director, Center for the Study and Practise of Violence Reduction at the University of Maryland; author of Bleeding Out Sajid Javid, Conservative MP for Bromsgrove, former Home Secretary Luke Billingham, youth worker and researcher Jahnine Davis, Director, Listen Up

In May 2020 a group of experts came together, at speed, to form the UK?s Vaccine Task Force. Born in the teeth of a crisis, its efforts were responsible for allowing Britain to be among the first countries in the world to roll out vaccines against Covid-19. But as memories of the pandemic fade, the urgency it brought to its work has subsided as well. In this edition of Analysis, Sandra Kanthal asks what lessons have been learned from the success of the Vaccine Task Force and if we should be prepared to allocate the time, energy and expense required to be permanently prepared for the next global health emergency.

Presenter: Sandra Kanthal Producer: Sandra Kanthal Editor: Clare Fordham

How difficult is it for a police force to change? A review of the Metropolitan police by Baroness Louise Casey says racism, misogyny, and homophobia are at the heart of the force. The Met's commissioner Sir Mark Rowley admits 'we have let Londoners down'. Everyone agrees change must happen ? but where to start?

Margaret Heffernan meets experts on police reform and former senior officers to explore the organisational challenge that faces any force which wants to transform itself and re-establish public trust. She hears from those involved in establishing the Police Service of Northern Ireland, following the Good Friday Agreement. What were the political and organisational challenges that faced the PSNI in terms of recruitment from two different communities? What lessons might that process offer to the transformation that is needed across other forces? And how would organisational psychologists suggest tackling and turning round long established cultures?

Presenter: Margaret Heffernan Producer: Philip Reevell Editor: Clare Fordham

Is Britain Exceptional? Historian, author and Sunday Telegraph columnist Zoe Strimpel believes so, and sifts through the layers of Britain?s culture, politics and religious history to find the roots for the nation?s scientific, intellectual and cultural dynamism and the germ for today?s culture wars. With the help of leading historians, political activists and scientists, Zoe examines whether Britain's obsession with the glories of 'our finest hour': WWII determined a version of history that eclipsed inconvenient truths that contradict our national myths and identity. She asks whether Britain's 'long island story' has really been as unruptured and stable as commonly believed, revealing a much more compelling Britishness forged out of military conflict abroad and religious and political turmoil at home.

Does the secret to Britain's historical dynamism in scientific discovery, philosophy and culture reside in dissent from religious and political orthodoxy, rather than unstinting allegiance? Has the hidden history of religious noncomformity - a rebellion within a rebellion - been the hothouse encouraging creative genius to flourish? Zoe meets the modern-day heirs to noncomformity to examine how Britain's unwillingness to put culture at the heart of our holdall national identity has led to tolerance and cultural diversity on the one hand, but also an acceptance of inequality. This might be the cause of our lost sense of who we are and what Britain is now for; perhaps we need to learn from and incorporate our unexamined history to shake off self-loathing, embrace eccentricity and regain the creative dynamism we now lack.

Presenter: Zoe Strimpel Producer: David Reid Editor: Clare Fordham

The Queen?s funeral appeared a resounding reassertion of our enduring commitment to monarchy, but was it a tribute to her rather than the institution? As the coronation approaches, polls suggest support is at its lowest ever, and the King faces difficult questions on several fronts. As supreme Governor of the Church of England, congregation numbers are falling and divisions are deepening over its stance on gay marriage. The union is under threat ? what would the monarchy mean if Scotland votes for independence and Northern Ireland joins the Republic? Commonwealth countries from the Caribbean to the Pacific are asking whether it still makes sense to keep a king in London as their head of state. The coronation will be a grand reminder of our history, but hanging over everything is a dark chapter in that history; the monarchy?s role in the slave trade. If the King is to represent all his subjects, does he need to say sorry? And what about reparations?

Edward Stourton will unravel the challenges and ask how the King meets them.

Presenter: Edward Stourton Producer: Jonathan IAnson Editor: Clare Fordham

Classic theories of representative democracy argue that it?s the representation of ideas not our personal characteristics - such as age, gender, race or class - that should matter. But current debates about the diversity of our politicians suggest many of us are interested in who our MPs are and that they represent us.

We have more women and more ethnic minority MPs than ever before, we have had three women Prime Ministers and our first Prime Minister with an Asian heritage and yet attention has been drawn to the fact that the majority of the current cabinet, unlike the British population, attended private schools. Some have never worked outside of politics. Does this matter? Is personal background and history the most critical factor leading to good political representation? Do the backgrounds of our politicians influence voters? choices at the ballot box? And how do political parties react?

Presenter: Rosie Campbell Producer: Vicki Broadbent Editor: Clare Fordham

Professor Ian Goldin explores globalisation, and asks how far the world is fragmenting politically and economically, and what the consequences of that could be.

Since around 1990, with the end of the Cold War, the opening of China, global agreements to reduce trade barriers and the development of the internet, there has been a dramatic acceleration of globalisation.

But its shortcomings are under the spotlight. Governments are making policy choices that protect their industries, and there?s a knock on effect on other countries and consumers around the world.

How can the challenges be addressed?

With contributions from:

Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Director-General of the World Trade Organisation. Minouche Shafik, President and vice-chancellor of the London School of Economics Zanny Minton Beddoes, Editor of The Economist Rana Foroohar, Financial Times commentator and author. Kishore Mahbubani, former Ambassador to the UN

Credits: CBS News, 24.09.19 ? Donald Trump addressing the UN General Assembly in New York, pushing his ?America First? agenda. Conservative party, 02.10.19 ? Boris Johnson at Conservative party conference ?Let?s get Brexit done.? The White House, 04.03.22 ? Joe Biden announce his ?Made in America? commitments. World Economic Forum, 18.01.23 - German Chancellor, Olaf Scholz, addresses the World Economic For in Davos, warning of the dangers of de-globalisation. BBC Newsnight,19.02.97 - Reporter Mike Robertson, reports on Xiao Ping?s economic legacy. BBC interview, 2005 - Tim Berners Lee describes the creation of the worldwide web. BBC Newsnight, 10.11.89 ? reporter piece from the Berlin Wall. BBC Radio 5Live, 26.01.23 ? Latest UK car manufacturing figures from 5Live presenter Rachel Burden and detail from BBC Business editor, Simon Jack. Courtesy, Ronald Reagan Presidential Library, 26.11.88 ? Ronald Reagan?s radio address to the nation where he reminds the US to be thankful for economic prosperity generated by global trade. Courtesy, William J. Clinton Presidential Library, 28.01.2000 - President Clinton addresses the World Economic Forum about the connections between the global economy and US prosperity.

It?s a year since Russia launched its war in Ukraine; a year that has brought failure, humiliation, defeat and heavy losses on the battlefield, and international isolation. The conflict has impacted the entire Russian population, with unprecedented sanctions and an unpopular and poorly executed nationwide mobilization. Ukraine was always considered Russia?s closest and most loved neighbour, and yet the Kremlin?s so-called ?special military operation? still apparently enjoys considerable support and acceptance among Russians.

Journalists Tim Whewell and Nick Sturdee tell the story of how the war has been presented to the Russian people. They explore the myths, lies and truths that have won Vladimir Putin the support he needs to sustain a war effort on whose success his rule and place in history will depend.

Talking to a Russian state TV talk-show host, Russia?s most famous war reporter, a singer and so-called ?Z poet?, and volunteer Russian fighters in Ukraine, Analysis investigates how Russians' understanding of and support for the war are forged.

The UK has pledged to reach net-zero by 2050. But has a pandemic, the fallout from the war in Ukraine and now an economic crisis derailed our plans to decarbonise? Or have they provided an inflexion point, accelerating necessary change? With the energy crisis has come a renewed emphasis on security of supply. Does that bind us more firmly to fossil fuels - or spur the transition to cleaner fuels and new technology? And has a cost of living crisis been a catalyst for change in consumer and corporate behaviour - or made going green seem unaffordable and less of a priority? Dharshini David speaks to policymakers, business leaders and experts and asks whether the economy, or political will, is the main driver in reaching net zero.

Presenter: Dharshini David Producer: Caroline Bayley Editor: Clare Fordham

In the search for stability and growth, policy and debate often focuses on looking for multi-million pound inward investment, or industries with big ideas such as technology and manufacturing. But these businesses, which often rely on sophisticated technology to produce tradeable and exportable products, only make up a small proportion of the UK economy. Instead the ?Foundational Economy? - things like food production and processing, retail, health, education, housing and welfare, contribute to a much larger proportion of spending. They account for around four in ten jobs and £1 spent in every three in Wales. Wales has been a global pioneer in supporting the ?mundane? but crucial Foundational Economy, shaping policies around it. They?ve establish a dedicated ministerial board, and have a £4.5m fund, supporting a series of experimental projects testing the importance and potential of the Foundational Economy. But can it ever be big enough or bold enough to transform the state?s finances? Clare McNeil visits the former Slate mining capital of the world - Blaenau Ffestiniog - to investigate whether these projects can provide sufficient stability and growth, and if the rest of the UK should focus on the mundane to develop the economy.

Presenter: Clare McNeil Producer: Jonathan IAnson Editor: Clare Fordham

Last week, the government unveiled around £30bn worth of cuts to public services as it attempts to plug a fiscal hole. Governments have attempted to rein in spending in the past and struggled to do so.

Philip Coggan takes a look at why public spending tends to rise in the long run and the continuing political battle to contain it.

Guests:

David Gauke, former Conservative MP and Treasury minister from 2010 to 2017 Carys Roberts, Executive Director of the Institute for Public Policy Research Jagjit Chadha, Director of the National Institute of Economic and Social Research Jill Rutter, Senior Fellow of the Institute for Government

Producer: Ben Carter Production co-ordinator: Helena Warwick-Cross and Maria Ogundele Sound engineer: James Beard Editor: Clare Fordham

In spite of progress on men's involvement in childcare the statistics show that women are still doing far more caring of young children. That is extended throughout life to the caring of ill and elderly relatives. And 82 per cent of people working in social care jobs are women. Professor of Sociology at Oxford Brookes University Tina Miller asks to what extent women are still trapped by society and its structures, such as who gets paid parental leave, into caring roles and whether we simply assume that women will care? But as she finds out, in much later life the roles can be reversed. She asks what needs to change in order for men to take on more caring responsibility earlier on.

Producer Caroline Bayley Editor Clare Fordham Sound Engineer: Neva Missirian Production Coordinators: Maria Ogundele and Helena Warwick-Cross

As the twin storms of economic turmoil and worsening climate change grip the UK and many other countries around the world, Analysis examines the future of economic growth. Does it offer a route out of economic malaise, or have its benefits reached a ceiling for developed countries? And can further growth be environmentally justified, or do we urgently need to halt - or even reverse - growth to limit the effects of climate change? Can so-called ?degrowth? ever be possible?

Edward Stourton talks to economists and thinkers from around the world to appraise whether there?s still a central role for growth in the 21st century.

Presenter: Edward Stourton Producer: Nathan Gower Editor: Clare Fordham Programme Coordinators: Maria Ogundele and Helena Warwick-Cross Sound Engineer: Neva Missirian

Over the decades, a string of umbrella terms and acronyms have been used in the UK to describe people who aren?t white. ?Politically Black?, Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic (BAME), ethnic minorities, or people of colour.

Virtually all of them have been rejected by the people they describe, but is there still value in a collective term for Britain?s ethnic minorities? Mobeen Azhar hears stories of solidarity and schism between different groups in modern Britain to find out whether any sense of unity still exists and whether we need a new label.

Contributors:

Clive Lewis, MP for Norwich South Asad Rehman, Executive Director, War on Want Professor Jason Arday, Professor of Sociology of Education, University of Glasgow Ada Akpala, writer and podcaster Dr Rakib Ehsan, research analyst specialising in social integration and community relations Dr Lisa Palmer, Deputy Director of the Stephen Lawrence Research Centre, De Montfort University Sunder Katwala, Director, British Future

Presenter: Mobeen Azhar Producer: Dan Hardoon Editor: Clare Fordham Sound Engineer: Rod Farquhar Production Coordinators: Maria Ogundele and Helena Warwick-Cross

If you want to do good in the world, should you be a doctor, or an aid worker? Or should you make a billion or two any way you can, and give it to good causes? Billionaire Sam Bankman-Fried argues this is the best use of his vast wealth. But philosophers argue charitable giving is often driven not by logic, but by a sense of personal attachment. David Edmonds traces the latest developments in the effective altruism movement, examining the questions they pose, and looking at the successes and limitations.

Just over a decade ago, President Xi Jinping was a virtual unknown. Few would say that now. In ten years, he?s reworked the Chinese Communist party, the military and the government so that he?s firmly in control. He?s also vanquished all of his obvious rivals. And now, he?s about to extend his time in office. Some say Xi might stay in the top job indefinitely. So how did Xi Jinping do it? Celia Hatton, the BBC?s Asia Pacific Editor, speaks to fellow China watchers to find out.

Producer: Rob Walker Editor: Clare Fordham Researcher: Ben Cooper Studio Manager: James Beard Production Coordinators: Maria Ogundele and Helena Warwick-Cross

With special thanks to Kerry Allen.

(Photo: Chinese President Xi Jinping attends the art performance celebrating the 100th anniversary of the Founding of the Communist Party of China in 2021. Credit: Lintao Zhang/Getty Images)

Does becoming a surrogate mother exploit or empower a woman? UK surrogacy law is under review, and there's a renewed debate around how it should be regulated. The war in Ukraine highlighted this, as the spotlight shone on the surrogate mothers, the babies they'd given birth to, and the overseas parents struggling to collect the newborns. In the UK the numbers of children born through surrogacy are still relatively small but they're expected to rise, not just because of medical infertility but also as more gay male couples and single men look to have their own biological children. For some surrogacy is extremely contentious, for others it's life changing. Sonia Sodha asks whether surrogacy is the ultimate commercialisation of a woman's body or whether it's the greatest gift a woman can give.

Producer Caroline Bayley Editor Clare Fordham Sound Engineer: Rod Farquhar Production Coordinators: Maria Ogundele and Helena Warwick-Cross

Is a protest march worth your effort? About a million people attended the Stop the War street protest in 2003. About half a million had marched to protest against the fox hunting ban a year earlier. More recently, hundreds of thousands of people took to the streets to demonstrate against the decision to leave the EU. Nonetheless, the Iraq war happened, the hunting ban remains and Britain did leave the EU. James Tilley, a professor of politics at Oxford, finds out if street protests achieve anything, why people take part and what effect they have on politicians and voters. Produced by Bob Howard

Are we past the point of no return when it comes to our obsession with online technology? Elaine Moore considers her own tech use and explores our future in the metaverse.

According to a YouGov poll, the majority of Brits can?t get through dinner without checking their phone. Children and young adults can now be treated on the NHS for ?gaming and internet addiction?. So, with the arrival of the metaverse, which promises to seamlessly blend our real and virtual worlds, are we facing a future which could potentially turbocharge this issue?

Elaine asks if addiction to technology is real, and as it becomes more entwined in our everyday lives, what?s being done about it? Speaking to addiction specialists, tech experts, and others, she finds out how we can live more harmoniously with technology and develop healthier relationships with our screens.

With contributions from: James Ball, author of 'The System: Who Owns the Internet, and How it Owns Us'.

Anna Lembke, Professor of Psychiatry at Stanford University School of Medicine and author of 'Dopamine Nation'.

Dr Rebecca Lockwood from the National Center for Gaming Disorder.

Catherine Price, science journalist and founder of ScreenLifeBalance.com.

Professor of AI and Spatial Computing, David Reid.

Producer: Craig Templeton Smith

Throughout the 1960s and 1970s, the United Kingdom was sometimes characterised as the 'sickman of Europe' due to industrial strife and poor economic performance compared to other European countries.

Today, inflation is once again rising and growth is forecast to slow considerably and economists predict that the UK could suffer a greater hit to living standards next year than any other major European country.

BBC economics correspondent Dharshini David asks just how hard the times ahead will be and how might we find a cure to avoid the mantle of 'sick man of Europe' once more?

Producer: Caroline Bayley Editor: Richard Fenton - Smith Sound Engineer: Rod Farquhar Production Coordinators: Maria Ogundele and Helena Warwick-Cross

Is formal childcare for pre-school children there to provide an early years education? Or to allow parents to go out to work?

Politicians would say both, but many argue the UK?s system is failing to do either.

Charlotte McDonald explores what improvements could be made and ask ? do we want a big overhaul of our current system?

The Bank of England says inflation might reach 11 per cent this year. There are warnings that some people will have to choose between heating and eating.

But what does it mean for the whole economy when prices just keep rising? In the 1970s inflation in the UK led to prices and wages spiralling as workers fought for wages that would keep up with prices.

Those years were dominated by waves of strikes and social unrest as inflation became embedded in the economic system. The current situation is being exacerbated by Covid 19, the war in Ukraine and Brexit so is there anything that government can do to stop it? How bad could it get? And are the days of low inflation gone forever?

Reporter Philip Coggan talks to: Manoj Pradhan consultant at Talking Macroeconomics Andy Haldane, Chief Executive of the RSA and former Chief Economist at the Bank of England Jagjit Chadha: Director of the National Institute of Economic and Social Research (NIESR) Helen Dickinson, Chief Executive of the British Retail Consortium Ruth Gregory, Economist at Capital Economics Kenneth Rogoff, Professor of Economics at Harvard University

Producer: Claire Bowes Editor: Richard Fenton-Smith Production co-ordinators: Helena Warwick-Cross and Maria Ogundele Sound engineer: Neil Churchill

Some countries have legalised cannabis, often with the hope of kick-starting a lucrative new source of tax revenue - but just how profitable has it been?

Aside from a few fact-finding trips, the prospect of legalising cannabis is not on the political agenda here in the UK - but could it be missing out?

Advocates say it's a bad call to let criminals continue to profit when legal businesses and the government could reap the financial rewards instead. Opponents counter that no amount of money is worth the associated public health risks.

But in the past decade countries including Canada, Malta, Uruguay and parts of the United States have decided to embrace the so-called green rush.

But how is it working out for them economically and what lessons could other places considering legalisation learn?

Reporter Datshiane Navanayagam talks to:

Christopher Snowden, Head of Lifestyle Economics at the Institute of Economic Affairs

Adam Spiker, executive director of a cannabis trade association in California

Amanda Chicago Lewis, a US based investigative reporter covering cannabis

Laura Schultz, executive director of research at Rockefeller Institute of Government in New York

Rishi Malkani, Cannabis Leader at Deloitte

Charlotte Bowyer, Head of Advisory at Hanway Associates

Producer: Ben Carter Editor: Richard Fenton-Smith Production co-ordinators: Helena Warwick-Cross and Maria Ogundele Sound engineer: James Beard

In late February, three days after the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the German Chancellor Olaf Scholz made a landmark speech in the German parliament, the Bundestag. The invasion, he declared, represented a 'Zeitenwende' - a turning point.

The speech has been much discussed since - was Mr Scholz referring simply to the fact of the invasion, or to the way Germany needed to respond to it?

The speech contained a number of policy statements, the boldest of which was the commitment to set up a 100 billion Euro fund to re-equip Germany's outdated armed forces.

The question now is whether Germany will live up to Mr Scholz' promises, or will the cultural, political and economic bonds that have tied Germany and Russia together get in the way?

Presenter: Caroline Bayley Producer: Tim Mansel

Digital advertising fuels the digital economy, but is it all based on smoke and mirrors?

Ed Butler investigates what some claim is a massive collective deception - a trillion dollar marketing pitch that simply does not deliver value to any of those paying for it. He asks, do online ads actually work, or could it be that some of the biggest names in global tech are founded on a false prospectus?

Arguments over the value of nationalism seem to have been raging for centuries, even though the nation state as we know it has only become widespread in the last two hundred years.

In this programme, David Edmonds tracks the emergence of the nation state and the debate surrounding it. From post-colonial Ghana to contemporary Britain, we hear what nationalism has meant to different people in different contexts, as well as the social and philosophical principles that underlie it.

Contributors:

Professor Michael Billig, Emeritus Professor of Social Sciences at Loughborough University,

Professor Richard Bourke, professor of the history of political thought, University of Cambridge.

Elizabeth Ohene, former Minister of State in Ghana.

Dr Sandra Obradovic, Lecturer in Psychology, The Open University.

Professor Tariq Modood, director of the Bristol University Research Centre for the Study of Ethnicity and Citizenship.

Dr Sarah Fine, Senior Lecturer in Philosophy, University of Cambridge

Producer: Nathan Gower Studio Manager: James Beard Editor: Richard Fenton-Smith Production Co-ordinators: Maria Ogundele and Helena Warwick-Cross