As the Biden administration fires a $1.9trn pandemic-relief bazooka, we consider how governments might <a href="https://www.economist.com/leaders/2021/03/06/how-to-make-a-social-safety-net-for-the-post-covid-world?utm_campaign=the-intelligence&amp;utm_medium=podcast&amp;utm_source=third-party-host&amp;utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">rethink welfare</a>: providing more-flexible benefits, investing in human capital and acting as an insurer against the gravest risks. The simple pleasure of human touch, so constrained of late, is not an emotional luxury—it’s a <a href="https://www.economist.com/international/2021/02/20/the-pandemic-made-the-world-realise-the-importance-of-human-contact?utm_campaign=the-intelligence&amp;utm_medium=podcast&amp;utm_source=third-party-host&amp;utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">physical need</a>. And why it’s <a href="https://www.economist.com/books-and-arts/2021/03/13/making-up-new-words-is-easy-getting-them-used-is-harder?utm_campaign=the-intelligence&amp;utm_medium=podcast&amp;utm_source=third-party-host&amp;utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">so hard</a> to coin a word.For full access to print, digital and audio editions of The Economist, subscribe here <a href="http://www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer</a> &#10;&nbsp; <hr>See <a style='color: grey; ' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for privacy and opt-out information.

Casting the net wider: remaking the welfare state

Literary power couple Zadie Smith and Nick Laird chat to Nihal Arthanayake about their collaborative project, ‘Weirdo’, a children’s book featuring exquisite illustrations from Magenta Fox. 

In this episode, Zadie and Nick discuss the joy of removing words from their work, the virtues of rawness in writing, and the inspiration they take from the internal life of their ageing pug, Maud. #PenguinPodcast   

‘Weirdo’ is available to buy as an audiobook now - https://apple.co/3eC4wkr

The Penguin Podcast: Zadie Smith and Nick Laird with Nihal Arthanayake

Musica Irlandesa - Canciones Celtas para la Navidad

The First Noel - The Christmas Song

Christmas Cello Music - Piano and Cello Music for Christmas Dinner

Plaisir d'Amour Christmas Piano and Cello

Toucans and macaws making a racket at dawn in the Amazon rainforest. A Thrush-like Wren also makes an appearance.

More sounds and stories at https://mindful-audio.com

Amazon Rainforest - Dawn - Toucans and Macaws

Forest

The Cradle

When We Sleep

Hallucinations

Journalist and podcast host Pandora Sykes chats to Nihal about her debut book ‘How Do We Know We’re Doing It Right? - a collection of essays which question the perceived wisdom of modern life. 

Pandora chooses objects which inspire her and talks to Nihal about her life-long love of books, why it is so important to shop less and she reads out some of her favourite quotes from when she was a teenager. #PenguinPodcast 

‘How Do We Know We’re Doing It Right?’ is available to buy as an audiobook now - https://apple.co/2E1LmGg

The Penguin Podcast: Pandora Sykes with Nihal Arthanayake

A radio anthology of George Orwell's finest novels, memoirs and essays, plus four biographical dramas and a bonus documentary, The Road to Nineteen Eighty-Four

Visionary author and journalist George Orwell was the man behind two of the best-loved and most influential novels of the 20th century, Nineteen Eighty-Four and Animal Farm. This collection celebrating his life and work features dramatisations of both these classic books, with stellar casts including Christopher Eccleston, Pippa Nixon, Tim Pigott-Smith, Tamsin Greig and Nicky Henson.

Also included is a drama based on his autobiographical account of the Spanish Civil War, Homage to Catalonia, starring Joseph Millson and Lyndsey Marshal. Four biographical radio plays by Mike Walker and Jonathan Holloway - Burma, Dreaming, Loving and Jura - explore further episodes in Orwell's fascinating life, showing the disconnection between the man who was Eric Blair and the writer who was George Orwell.

Timeless examples of his essays and journalism are showcased here, including 'A Hanging', 'Confessions of a Book Reviewer', 'My Country Right or Left', 'Pleasure Spots' and 'As I Please' (all read by Clive Merrison), while Joseph Millson narrates Down and Out in Paris and London, Orwell's vivid memoir of his time living among the poor in Europe's two great cities.

Finally, in The Road to Nineteen Eighty-Four, David Aaronovitch examines what led avowed socialist George Orwell to write a book beloved of the Right, revealing how the novel grew from a forgotten political world shaped by the atom bomb.

George Orwell worked for BBC Radio from August 1941 to November 1943, and even went on air himself. Sadly, none of the programmes in which he took part survive - in those days, radio was essentially a live medium, and broadcasts were not recorded for posterity. But Orwell's connection to the BBC remains a fascinating part of its wartime history.

George Orwell: A BBC Radio Collection

Magic mushrooms have hit the headlines, with people saying that shrooms cured their depression and anxiety. But is this for real? How can taking a trip on psychedelics fix your brain? Today, magic mushrooms ditch their tie dye for a lab coat as we go on a magical journey into the science. We talk to clinical psychologists Dr. Alan Davis and Dr. Albert Garcia-Romeu, and neuropsychologist Dr. Katrin Preller.

Here’s a link to our transcript: https://bit.ly/37Th8QX

This episode does deal with depression. Here are some crisis hotlines: 
- United States: US National Suicide Prevention Lifeline 1-800-273-TALK (2755) (Online chat available) http://www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org/;
- US Crisis Text Line Text “GO” to 741741: https://www.crisistextline.org/text-us/
- Australia: Lifeline 13 11 14 (Online chat available): https://www.lifeline.org.au/
- Canada: Canadian Association for Suicide Prevention(See link for phone numbers listed by province): https://suicideprevention.ca/Need-Help
- United Kingdom: Samaritans 116 123 (UK and ROI): http://www.samaritans.org/how-we-can-help-you/contact-us
- Full list of international hotlines here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines 

This episode was produced by Meryl Horn and Michelle Dang with help from Wendy Zukerman, Nick DelRose, Rose Rimler and Hannah Harris Green. We’re edited by Blythe Terrell. Fact checking by Diane Kelly. Mix and sound design by Peter Leonard. Music written by Peter Leonard, Marcus Bagala, Emma Munger, and Bobby Lord. A huge thanks to all the researchers we got in touch with for this episode, including Prof. David Nichols, Dr. James Rucker, Prof. Bryan Roth, Dr. Erika Dyck, Dr. Daniel Wacker, Mary Cosimano, Dr. Fred Barrett, Dr. Natalie Gukasyan, Dr. Jeff Guss, Dr. Suresh Muthukumaraswamy, Prof. Harriet de Wit, Dr. Nadia Hutten, Dr. Vince Polito, Dr. Kim Kuypers and Dr. Matt Kasson. Thanks to all the clinical trial participants and ‘psychonauts’ who spoke to us. And special thanks to Lexi Krupp, the Zukerman family and Joseph Lavelle Wilson.

Science Vs

Magic Mushrooms: Trip Through the Science

To subscribe on Apple podcasts please visit apple.co/2r40QPA or on Andriod subscribeonandroid.com/www.lse.ac.uk…unesStore.xml or search for 'LSE IQ' in your favourite podcast app or visit lse.ac.uk/iq

Welcome to LSE's award-winning podcast, LSE IQ, where we ask leading social scientists - and other experts - to answer an intelligent question about economics, politics or society.

In this month’s episode of the LSE IQ podcast we ask, ‘What’s the point of social science in a pandemic?’.

On the 23rd March 2020 Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced the country’s first national lockdown. In the months since, there has been a seismic shift in all our lives. As we embark on 2021 and, hopefully, the latter stages of the pandemic, now is an apt moment to reflect on how we’ve got to where we are. While the scientific community has taken centre stage in the fight to overcome the virus, how have social scientists helped us navigate – and evaluate –the UK’s response?

In this episode we talk to anthropologists Professor Laura Bear and Nikita Simpson, Economic historians Professor Patrick Wallis and Professor Joan Roses, Assistant Professor of Global Health Policy Dr Clare Wenham and behavioural economist Dr Adam Oliver. 



Research

’A good death’ during the Covid-19 pandemic in the UK: a report on key findings and recommendations, by the COVID and Care Research Group

A Right to Care: The Social Foundations of Recovery from COVID-19, by the COVID and Care Research Group

The Redistributive Effects of Pandemics: Evidence of the Spanish Flu. By Sergi Basco,  Jordi Domenech, and Johanne Rohses

Separating behavioural science from the herd by Adam Oliver

Reciprocity and the art of behavioural public policy by Adam Oliver

What is the future of UK leadership in global health security post Covid-19? By Clare Wenham

A Dreadful Heritage: Interpreting Epidemic Disease at Eyam, 1666-2000, by Patrick Wallis

Eyam revisited: lessons from a plague village, by Patrick Wallis

Contributors

Professor Laura Bear

Nikita Simpson

Professor Joan Roses

Dr Adam Oliver

Dr Clare Wenham

Professor Patrick Wallis

LSE iQ is a university podcast by the London School of Economics and Political Science.

LSE IQ podcast

What’s the point of social science in a pandemic?

Penguin Books publishes blockbusting, prize-winning, celebrated, controversial, heart-warming, thought-provoking and inspiring books by a range of authors from Ali Smith to Zadie Smith, Jeremy Clarkson to Jeremy Paxman and Jamie Oliver to Oliver Goldsmith.

The Penguin Podcast: Zadie Smith and Nick Laird with Nihal Arthanayake

Penguin Books UK