As the US election approaches, MSNBC notes that the question of “what it means to be a man” is now a defining theme. In this episode, Jess Miles and Karen Lee Ashcraft revisit Karen's concept of 'viral masculinity' — a powerful current of aggrieved manhood fuelling far-right ideologies worldwide.

They explore the manosphere, the online ecosystem where this resentment takes root, analysing how figures like JD Vance and Andrew Tate tap into youthful discontent and guide it toward political extremism. Ashcraft argues that, much like a public health crisis, the rapid spread of aggrieved masculinity affects society at every level, shaping policies, identities and even environmental stances.

Offering tools for positive change, Karen discusses her concepts of 'lateral empathy' and 'critical feeling' as an alternative approach to defusing the far-right’s emotional momentum.

Karen Lee Ashcraft is Professor of Communication at the University of Colorado Boulder. She grew up in the lap of evangelical populism, and her research examines how gender interacts with race, class, sexuality, and more to shape organizational and cultural politics.

Find out more about the book at: https://bristoluniversitypress.co.uk/wronged-and-dangerous

The full transcript of the podcast is available here: https://www.transformingsociety.co.uk/2024/10/29/podcast-viral-masculinity-and-the-far-right-karen-lee-ashcraft-on-gender-in-the-us-election/

Timestamps:

01:19 - Why do we need to consider gender when talking about the rise of populism?

08:26 - How do you get from the manosphere to voting and politics?

15:23 - How do you explain female far right leaders like Giorgia Meloni and Marine Le Pen?

22:08 - Why is it important to envision the feeling of aggrieved manhood?

24:14 - Why do you see aggrieved manhood as a public health problem?

35:49 - What's the problem with feeling and emotion being ignored in many contexts?

40:05 - How do individuals like JD Vance represent this viral masculinity?

48:25 - What is lateral empathy, and why is it an important tool?

56:11 - What are you working on now and what are your plans?

Intro music:

Cold by yoitrax | @yoitrax

Music promoted by www.free-stock-music.com

Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License

creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/deed.en_US

Follow the Transforming Society blog to be told when new articles and podcasts publish: https://www.transformingsociety.co.uk/follow-the-blog/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Generosity, rooted in love, courage and equality, shapes the Moomin ethos, underpinning not just the brand, but the business.

In this episode, Jess Miles speaks with Paul Savage and Janne Tienari, co-authors of 'Moomin Management: Redefining Generosity', about what business can learn from Tove Jansson's beloved troll creatures.

They discuss the Moomin principles for businesses around people management, strategic partnerships, digitisation and more, to create organisations that are kinder, curious and more successful.

Paul Savage is Assistant Professor in Entrepreneurship at United Arab Emirates University. Janne Tienari is Professor of Management and Organisation at Hanken School of Economics.

Find out more about the book at: https://bristoluniversitypress.co.uk/moomin-management

The full transcript of the podcast is available here: https://www.transformingsociety.co.uk/2024/10/22/podcast-what-can-business-learn-from-the-moomins/

Timestamps:

01:15 - Who are the Moomins?

01:55 - What's your involvement with the Moomin organisation?

05:38 - Can you explain what the Moomin ecosystem looks like?

09:19 - Did the Moomin characters or the business come first?

10:50 - Can you talk about generosity and the Moomin business?

16:52 - Does the ethos of generosity make things faster?

19:56 - Can you tell us about the emotion, relationality and humour at Moomin?

24:44 - Why are parties so important at Moomin?

27:32 - What first steps can people take to be a bit more Moomin?

30:34 - How would Moomin deal with challenges businesses are currently facing like hybrid working and AI?

35:55 - What's the one thing you want people to take away from the book?

Intro music:

Cold by yoitrax | @yoitrax

Music promoted by www.free-stock-music.com

Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License

creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/deed.en_US

Follow the Transforming Society blog to be told when new articles and podcasts publish: https://www.transformingsociety.co.uk/follow-the-blog/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A compelling discussion on the challenges faced by Black PhD students in academia. Guests William Ackah and Madina Wane, co-editors of 'The Black PhD Experience', offer a nuanced exploration of the lived experiences of Black scholars.

Through personal narratives the book examines systemic barriers, microaggressions, the psychological toll faced by Black students and the strategies they employ to persist.

This episode offers valuable insights for educators, researchers and policymakers seeking to understand and address the urgent need for greater equity and inclusion in higher education.

William Ackah is Senior Lecturer in Black and Community Geographies at Birkbeck, University of London. Madina Wane is a research scientist working in the biomedical sector and the co-founder of the non-profit organisation, Black In Immuno.

Find out more about the book at: https://policy.bristoluniversitypress.co.uk/the-black-phd-student-experience

The full transcript of the podcast is available here: https://www.transformingsociety.co.uk/2024/10/09/podcast-the-black-phd-experience/

Read the Leading Routes report: https://leadingroutes.org/the-broken-pipeline

Timestamps:

1:06 - What are your stories and how did you come to edit the book?

5:59 - Can you talk about the approach you've taken with the book?

9:24 - In what ways are widening participation efforts in academia performative?

14:26 - How do individual actions align with structural racism to influence the experience?

19:00 - Can you speak about the drain of the PhD experience?

25:40 - How do black scholars support each other?

35:25 - What fundamental shifts in thinking are needed in higher education to make change possible?

40:17 - Can you talk about the 5 areas for specific action?

49:22 - Can you talk about the fictional last chapter?

Intro music:

Cold by yoitrax | @yoitrax

Music promoted by www.free-stock-music.com

Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License

creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/deed.en_US

Follow the Transforming Society blog to be told when new articles and podcasts publish: https://www.transformingsociety.co.uk/follow-the-blog/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.