Sarah Dillon and Manvir Singh talk to Rory Cellan-Jones about the value of stories, some of the dangers of endorsing stories and the need for narrative evidence to inform decision-making.

Stories can provide new insights into current policy challenges and problems but while listening to them could improve political decision-making, how do we know which ones to trust?

This episode unpacks the value of stories to understand the past and inform current policy debates. Leading experts discuss the origin of stories, the status of storytellers, and the crucial need to listen to stories to improve policymaking. 

This episode is hosted by Rory Cellan-Jones (former technology correspondent for the BBC), and features guest experts Sarah Dillon (Bennett Institute for Public Policy) and Manvir Singh (Institute for Advanced Study in Toulouse). 

Listen to this episode on your preferred podcast platform

Season 2 Episode 5 transcript

For more information about the podcast and the work of the institutes, visit our websites at bennettinstitute.cam.ac.uk/ and iast.fr/

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Audio production by Steve Hankey
Associate production by Stella Erker
Visuals by Thomas Devaud

Why are stories important for society?

University of Cambridge