Thinking Allowed

Race in Police Disciplinaries; Protestant Fishermen in Scotland

19 Mar 2014

Contributed by Lukas

Race in police 'misconduct' proceedings - Laurie Taylor considers new research exploring the perception that ethnic minority police officers are dispr...

Post-Katrina New Orleans; The Capitalist Personality

12 Mar 2014

Contributed by Lukas

Post-Katrina New Orleans: how disaster recovery became a lucrative business. Laurie Taylor talks to Vincanne Adams, US Professor of Medical Anthropolo...

Elite Graduates in France and UK; Surnames and Social Mobility

05 Mar 2014

Contributed by Lukas

Surnames and social mobility - How much of our fate is tied to the status of our parents and grandparents? Laurie Taylor talks to Gregory Clark, Profe...

Generational Divide; Webcam

26 Feb 2014

Contributed by Lukas

'Webcam' - the use of webcam, especially through Skype, has recently become established as one more standard media technology, but one with profound i...

The Great Indoors

19 Feb 2014

Contributed by Lukas

The Great Indoors. Laurie Taylor talks to cultural theorist Ben Highmore about his history of the family home in the 20th century and how houses displ...

Stuart Hall (1932-2014)

12 Feb 2014

Contributed by Lukas

In memory of Stuart Hall: a special programme paying tribute to the leading cultural theorist and former director of the Birmingham Centre for Cultura...

Numbers in Global Politics; Gay Rights and Religion in Belfast

05 Feb 2014

Contributed by Lukas

The power of 'numbers' in global politics: Laurie Taylor talks to the economist, Lorenzo Fioramonti, about the hidden agendas which may underpin the u...

Prostitution in the Community; Drinking and Moderation

29 Jan 2014

Contributed by Lukas

Prostitution in the community: The criminologist, Sarah Kingston, discusses her study of the impact of sex work on local residents and businesses. Pol...

Why Music Matters?; Bhangra and Belonging

22 Jan 2014

Contributed by Lukas

Why Music Matters: David Hesmondhalgh, Professor of Music and Media Industries, examines the role of music in our lives and the ways in which it enric...

Waiting in A&E; Faith and Doubt

15 Jan 2014

Contributed by Lukas

Faith and doubt: an ethnographic study into political and spiritual convictions in an age of uncertainty. Laurie Taylor talks to the Lecturer in Anthr...

Sensory Multiculturalism in an East End Market; Cultural Passions

08 Jan 2014

Contributed by Lukas

Cultural passions - From a love of Proust to an enthusiasm for tennis and tarot readings; a diverse range of aesthetic pleasures excite human beings. ...

Santa Helpers; Christmas Tradition

25 Dec 2013

Contributed by Lukas

A Thinking Allowed special on our construction of Christmas tradition. What does Christmas mean to you - a visit to Santa's grotto with the little one...

Couples and Chronic Illness; Fashion and Dress in Later Life

18 Dec 2013

Contributed by Lukas

Fashion and dress in later life: Laurie Taylor talks to the sociologist, Julia Twigg, about her study into the links between clothing and age. Through...

Pocket Calculator in Papua New Guinea; Chicago

11 Dec 2013

Contributed by Lukas

The Great American City - US Professor of Social Sciences, Robert J Sampson, discusses his landmark research project with Laurie Taylor. Following in ...

Tooth Loss; Communist Utopia in a Spanish Village

04 Dec 2013

Contributed by Lukas

Communist 'utopia' in a Spanish village. Laurie Taylor talks to the writer, Dan Hancox, about his research into a tiny community in Andalucia which se...

Boxing in Gleason's Gym; Sport and Capitalism

27 Nov 2013

Contributed by Lukas

Sport and capitalism: Laurie Taylor talks to Professor of History, Tony Collins, about his new book which argues that modern sport is as much a produc...

The Poppy; Traveller Children in Schools

20 Nov 2013

Contributed by Lukas

The Poppy - a cultural history. Laurie Taylor talks to renowned archaeologist and anthropologist, Nicholas Saunders, about his account of the origins,...

Work and Consumption; Neo-liberal Economics

13 Nov 2013

Contributed by Lukas

The truimph of Neoliberal economics in the post Recession world. Laurie Taylor talks to US Professor of Economics, Philip Mirowski, about his analysis...

Richard Hoggart; The Anti-Social Family

06 Nov 2013

Contributed by Lukas

Richard Hoggart: Laurie Taylor talks to Professor of Cultural Studies, Fred Inglis, about his biography of this leading cultural commentator and acade...

Sex Workers and International Migration; Poverty in Britain

30 Oct 2013

Contributed by Lukas

'Low pay, no pay' Britain. Laurie Taylor talks to the sociologist, Tracy Shildrick, about her prize winning study of individuals and families who are ...

Muslim Fundamentalism; Customer Abuse to Service Workers

23 Oct 2013

Contributed by Lukas

Muslims against Muslim Fundamentalism - Laurie Taylor talks to Karima Bennoune, US Professor of Law and author of a groundbreaking book which addresse...

Section 136 and Mental Health Act; BBC World Service

16 Oct 2013

Contributed by Lukas

Laurie Taylor explores The World Service, talking to Marie Gillespie about her study into the role of the diasporic broadcasters at the heart of the B...

Twitter; Elite University Admissions

09 Oct 2013

Contributed by Lukas

TWITTER - Laurie Taylor talks to the sociologist, Dhiraj Murthy, about his new book 'Twitter: Social Communication in the Twitter Age'. This form of s...

Backpacking food tourist; Touring poverty

02 Oct 2013

Contributed by Lukas

Slum Tourism - the transformation of impoverished neighbourhoods into attractions for international tourists. Laurie Taylor talks to the sociologist, ...

Noodle narratives; British men dancing Capoeira

25 Sep 2013

Contributed by Lukas

Noodle narratives - Laurie Taylor talks to US anthropologist, Deborah Gewertz, about the invention, production and consumption of instant ramen noodle...

Holiday hedonism in Ibiza; White working class voters

18 Sep 2013

Contributed by Lukas

Holiday hedonism - Laurie Taylor talks to the criminologist, Daniel Briggs, about his study into young British tourists' risk taking behaviour in Ibiz...

Bohemian Soho

11 Sep 2013

Contributed by Lukas

Bohemian Soho - Laurie Taylor talks to the writer, Sophie Parkin, about her book on the Colony Room Club, a private members bar whose doors opened in ...

Drug users and enforcement; 'Militant' Liverpool

14 Aug 2013

Contributed by Lukas

Drug enforcement - does it change the drugs market? Laurie Taylor talks to Neil McKeganey about his research into police crackdowns on illegal drugs i...

The Minutemen; 'Lay' Witnesses in Court

07 Aug 2013

Contributed by Lukas

The Minutemen - who are they? Laurie Taylor talks to US sociologist, Harel Shapira about the right wing activists who patrol the US border in search o...

'Teddies' and 'Gollies'; Smart-casual dining

31 Jul 2013

Contributed by Lukas

Smart/casual dining - Once fine dining meant chandeliers, white tablecloths, and suited waiters. Yet today many of us will queue up for a seat at a lo...

Food Work in Hospital Wards; The Bangladesh/India Border

24 Jul 2013

Contributed by Lukas

The Bangladesh/India border - As India sets about constructing a metal curtain along the full length of its border with Bangladesh, Cambridge anthropo...

Raising Middle-Class Black Children; Neon

17 Jul 2013

Contributed by Lukas

Neon - Laurie Taylor discusses a history of the flickering light which illuminated the modern world. Professor of American Studies, Christoph Ribbat, ...

Terrorism Studies

10 Jul 2013

Contributed by Lukas

'Terrorism Studies' - how it emerged as a new academic field in the post 9/11 world. Laurie Taylor talks to Harvard social scientist, Lisa Stampinitzk...

Northern Ireland Sectarianism and Civility; The Global Pigeon

03 Jul 2013

Contributed by Lukas

The Global Pigeon - our complex and contradictory relationship with the quintessential city bird. Laurie Taylor talks to Colin Jerolmack, an American ...

Welfare reform; Crime in the Armed Forces

26 Jun 2013

Contributed by Lukas

Crime in the Armed Forces - Laurie Taylor talks to Emeritus Professor of History, Clive Emsley, about his pioneering, historical study into criminal o...

Remembering Diana; Ethnography Award

19 Jun 2013

Contributed by Lukas

Remembering Diana - did Princess Diana's death lead to a major shift in British culture? Professor of Sociology, Vic Seidler, talks to Laurie Taylor a...

Scottish nationalism and identity; Austerity

12 Jun 2013

Contributed by Lukas

Does Austerity Kill? Laurie Taylor talks to political economist, David Stuckler, about the human costs of the financial crisis as documented in his bo...

'Long Hours' work culture; Empty labour

05 Jun 2013

Contributed by Lukas

Empty labour - international statistics suggest that the average time an employee spends engaged in private activities is 1 and a half to 2 hours a da...

Multicultural Prison; Jellied Eels

29 May 2013

Contributed by Lukas

The multicultural prison - a unique analysis of the daily lives and interactions of both white and ethnic minority inmates in the closed world of the ...

Live Music - from Dance Hall to the 100 Club

22 May 2013

Contributed by Lukas

Live music - from Dance Hall to the 100 Club.The social history of music in Britain since 1950 has long been the subject of nostalgic articles and pro...

Stammering and Identity; Land of Too Much

15 May 2013

Contributed by Lukas

Poverty versus abundance in the US - why does America have more poor people than any other developed country? How can its great wealth fail to impact ...

Middle Class Enclaves and Escapes

08 May 2013

Contributed by Lukas

Middle class enclaves and escapes. A special edition of Thinking Allowed partly recorded at the British Sociological Association's 2013 conference.Pri...

British class survey; Tribute to Geoff Pearson

01 May 2013

Contributed by Lukas

Laurie Taylor discusses the 'Great British Class Survey', a unique piece of research conducted by BBC Lab UK and academics from six different universi...

English Heritage; Clergy Lives

17 Apr 2013

Contributed by Lukas

Heritage politics in the UK - Laurie Taylor talks to Ruth Adams, the author of a new study which argues that powerful interest groups have championed ...

Thrift Chic; Thatcherism

10 Apr 2013

Contributed by Lukas

'Thatcherism' - was it a distinct ideology? In the light of Margaret Thatcher's death, Laurie Taylor considers whether or not she had a coherent and r...

Women and the Armed Forces

03 Apr 2013

Contributed by Lukas

Women in combat - the US secretary of defence announced in January 2013 that, from 2016, women will be allowed to serve in ground-combat roles in the ...

Gang labour in UK; Industrial ruination

27 Mar 2013

Contributed by Lukas

Industrial Ruination - the landscapes and legacies of post Industrial decline. Laurie Taylor talks to Alice Mah about her comparative study into urban...

Language of food politics; Italian food market

20 Mar 2013

Contributed by Lukas

An Italian food market - Rachel Black talks to Laurie Taylor about her ethnographic account of Porto Palazzo, one of Europe's largest outdoor markets....

Guatemalan cemetery; Art auctions

13 Mar 2013

Contributed by Lukas

Art Auctions - How do auctioneers and buyers transact sales in seconds? Laurie Taylor hears from Professor Christian Heath who discusses his detailed ...

Drugs for Life; Subcultural Identity

06 Mar 2013

Contributed by Lukas

Drugs for life - Laurie Taylor talks to the US anthropologist, Joseph Dumit, about his research into the burgeoning consumption of medicine in the US....

Fashion, Class and Mums; Red Racisms

27 Feb 2013

Contributed by Lukas

'Red Racisms' - Laurie Taylor talks to the Professor of Racism and Ethnicity Studies, Ian Law, about his study of racism in Communist and Post Communi...

'Ned' Pride in Scotland; Weapon Dogs

20 Feb 2013

Contributed by Lukas

Weapon dogs - Laurie Taylor discusses the phenomenon of status dogs with Simon Harding, the author of 'Unleashed..' Also, the growth of 'Ned' pride in...

Stan Cohen (1942 - 2013)

13 Feb 2013

Contributed by Lukas

Stan Cohen - Laurie Taylor presents a special programme which pays tribute to the work and legacy of one of the most significant sociologists of our t...

Rock climbing in conflict; women in Russian prisons

30 Jan 2013

Contributed by Lukas

Russian women prisoners - in the light of Pussy Riot's imprisonment, timely research on Russia's distinctive penal geography. The sociologist, Judith ...

Class and Commuting; Engaging with Climate Change

23 Jan 2013

Contributed by Lukas

Climate change - what lies beneath its widespread denial? Laurie Taylor talks to Sally Weintrobe, the editor of the first book of its kind which explo...

Birth of Neo-Liberalism; Music, Race and Difference

16 Jan 2013

Contributed by Lukas

Neo liberalism - its genesis and development. Laurie Taylor talks to Daniel Stedman Jones, the author of a new book which traces the origins of neo li...

Contagion; changing masculinity in retail

09 Jan 2013

Contributed by Lukas

Contagion - how commerce spreads disease. Laurie Taylor talks to Mark Harrison, Professor of the History of Medicine, about the close intertwining bet...

Intoxication

26 Dec 2012

Contributed by Lukas

Intoxication - In a special programme, Laurie Taylor explores the role and meaning of both alcohol and drugs in human life. Why do so many people chos...

Female jockeys; military migrants

19 Dec 2012

Contributed by Lukas

Military Migrants and the British Army. From Fiji to Ghana, the British military recruits soldiers to fight Britain's wars. Since 1998 overseas recrui...

Children in hospitals; History, heritage and tradition in British politics

12 Dec 2012

Contributed by Lukas

British politics, heritage and history. Laurie Taylor explores the divergent stories political parties construct about our history and their own histo...

Work identity on the railway; how to be gay

05 Dec 2012

Contributed by Lukas

How to be Gay - Laurie Taylor talks to David Halperin, the US Professor of History and Theory of Sexuality, whose controversial new book explores the ...

Family funerals; red tape

28 Nov 2012

Contributed by Lukas

Red Tape in India - a major new study by the renowned anthropologist, Akhil Gupta, seeks to understand why state bureaucracy hinders the fight against...

Archaeology of homelessness; residential care revisited

21 Nov 2012

Contributed by Lukas

Residential care revisited - Laurie Taylor considers Peter Townsend's landmark research, 'The Last Refuge', fifty years after its publication. Retraci...

Decline of the weekend; British riots of 2011

19 Nov 2012

Contributed by Lukas

What was behind the British riots? From Blackberry and gossip to hard facts and first hand accounts. Laurie Taylor talks to Daniel Briggs about his re...

Couchsurfing - Trauma Advocacy

07 Nov 2012

Contributed by Lukas

Ever in need of a new way to travel? 'Couchsurfing', in the form of online social networking, allows users to travel with and stay at the homes of fel...

The UK strip and lap-dancing industry; blue jeans

31 Oct 2012

Contributed by Lukas

Growth of the strip clubs - Why has erotic dance and stripping become a staple of the night time economy in the UK? Kate Hardy tells Laurie Taylor why...

Trouble at work, travellers vs tourists

24 Oct 2012

Contributed by Lukas

Trouble at work: Laurie Taylor considers the findings of the largest UK study on ill treatment in the workplace ever undertaken. He's joined by the re...

Sociologists and the financial crisis - Against security

17 Oct 2012

Contributed by Lukas

Are the stringent checks at airports really for our benefit? 'Against Security', a new book by the acclaimed American sociologist, Harvey Molotch, exp...

The New Arab Man, Lords Club Affiliation

10 Oct 2012

Contributed by Lukas

The 'New' Arab Man: Middle Eastern, Muslim men are often represented as 'zealots' and oppressors of women. But Laurie Taylor hears how 2 decades of re...

Sickness Benefit Recipients - New Society 50 Years On

03 Oct 2012

Contributed by Lukas

Sickness benefit claimants and their fear of the 'brown envelope'. Laurie Taylor hears about a new study into the views and experiences of the long te...

Race in an English village; decoding organisation

26 Sep 2012

Contributed by Lukas

Bletchley Park, the decoding organisation, was at the heart of British intelligence operations in the Second World War. A mythology has grown around i...

Ethnic pay gap, racial segregation

19 Sep 2012

Contributed by Lukas

Segregation: a Global History of Divided Cities' Laurie Taylor talks to Carl Nightingale, the author of a groundbreaking new book about the ideology a...

Odd couples, student drinking

12 Sep 2012

Contributed by Lukas

'Odd Couples' - friendships which cross the boundaries of gender and sexuality. A new book challenges the widespread assumption that men and women are...

Italian Family 3: Studio discussion

05 Sep 2012

Contributed by Lukas

What has cause the Italian family to decline so fast? What are the prospects for encouraging Italians to start having more children? Laurie is joined ...

Italian Family 1: Milan

31 Aug 2012

Contributed by Lukas

Italy, home to the Pope and the Holy See, perhaps the most Catholic of all countries, is undergoing a peculiarly un-Catholic crisis; it now has one of...

Italian Family 2: Naples

29 Aug 2012

Contributed by Lukas

Italy, home to the Pope and the Holy See, perhaps the most Catholic of all countries, is undergoing a peculiarly un-Catholic crisis; it now has one of...

Breaking rules; Wall Street women

15 Aug 2012

Contributed by Lukas

The first generation of women to establish themselves on Wall Street began their careers in the 1960s. Laurie Taylor hears from Melissa Fisher about h...

Social capital; gentrification

10 Aug 2012

Contributed by Lukas

What happens when middle class white people move into vibrant, ethnically diverse and challenging areas in inner city London? Emma Jackson talks to La...

Jobs for the Boys

01 Aug 2012

Contributed by Lukas

'Jobs for the Boys?' New research presented at the British Sociological Association's 2012 conference claimed that middle class people hoard job oppor...

Sport under communism - Regeneration Games

25 Jul 2012

Contributed by Lukas

Advanced CCTV, security cordons and an £80 million pound electric fence: The security impact of the Olympics is already being felt in the London Boro...

Builders and Musicians

18 Jul 2012

Contributed by Lukas

Building workers constitute between five and ten per cent of the total labour market in almost every country. We rely on them to construct the infrast...

Immortality; Evil

11 Jul 2012

Contributed by Lukas

From Victorian seances to schemes which upload our minds into cyberspace, there are myriad ways in which human beings have sought to conquer mortality...

Urban Protest

04 Jul 2012

Contributed by Lukas

From the Paris Commune to the 'Right to the City', cities have long been the centre of utopian dreams and protests. They have generated riches, destit...

Evil; the morality of cycling

27 Jun 2012

Contributed by Lukas

'Evil' is a concept more readily associated with theology and psychology than the social sciences. Tabloid headlines denounce 'evil' crimes but offer ...

Hostility to tax; Mumbai slums

20 Jun 2012

Contributed by Lukas

Annawadi is a makeshift settlement in the shadow of luxury hotels near Mumbai's international airport. The Pulitzer prize winning writer, Katherine Bo...

Kinship

13 Jun 2012

Contributed by Lukas

Kinship is a key term in Anthropology. It describes the genealogical and biological ties which bind human beings to each other. The French anthropolog...

Working class alienation - Nottingham council estate

06 Jun 2012

Contributed by Lukas

Laurie Taylor explores new research from this year's British Sociological Association conference. Lisa Mckenzie describes the growth in working class ...

AIDS conspiracy theories; comics

30 May 2012

Contributed by Lukas

British comics are full of iconic and transgressive characters from Dan Dare to Minnie the Minx. Laurie Taylor talks to professor James Chapman the au...

Wine tasting; US philanthropy

23 May 2012

Contributed by Lukas

Philanthropy is most often associated with the fight against poverty and disease. But a new book claims that the philanthropic foundations established...

Why Love Hurts

16 May 2012

Contributed by Lukas

The agony of love is a classic trope of romantic literature and popular journalism. The suffering caused by failures in our personal lives seems timel...

Hebden Bridge; neighbours

09 May 2012

Contributed by Lukas

Hebden Bridge was once a working class textile town shaped by a culture of chapel and self help. But a new book finds its character transformed by a w...

Nationhood; recognising transgender

02 May 2012

Contributed by Lukas

What drives people to make the often difficult choices to change their bodies and change their gender? How is the everyday affection for one's country...

Raoul Moat - the media story; Indian sex workers

25 Apr 2012

Contributed by Lukas

The sad story of the hunt for the lone gunman Raoul Moat had many of the ingredients of classic crime fiction: a countryside location; an outsider aga...

The High-life and the Row-life

18 Apr 2012

Contributed by Lukas

What is the reality of life for a crack cocaine user in South London? Daniel Briggs new ethnography is a day to day observation of the people who use ...

Rubbish - Civil Partnerships

11 Apr 2012

Contributed by Lukas

We pay others to take away our household refuse from the front of our house whilst hoarding other junk in the attic. And while most of us wouldn't min...

Steeltown - Life after Burberry

04 Apr 2012

Contributed by Lukas

When the factories close, what happens to the communities they leave behind? In this week's programme, Laurie investigates the effects of industrial d...

Culinary Culture and Globalisation - Dignity

28 Mar 2012

Contributed by Lukas

Britain congratulates itself on the success of its restaurants and its stable of 21 multiple Michelin-starred eateries, but how many people know that ...

Home at RIBA

21 Mar 2012

Contributed by Lukas

What does the idea of home mean to us in Britain? How is that changing, and are those new needs being met? A new economic landscape and an irresistibl...

Private military security; whisky tourism

14 Mar 2012

Contributed by Lukas

The MIddle Eastern conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan have been characterised by widespread deployment of private military and security companies. Thei...

Boxing styles UK vs US - Why nations fail

07 Mar 2012

Contributed by Lukas

Why do some nations remain mired in poverty whilst others thrive? A new book argues that the clue to prosperity has less to do with a country's climat...