Transforming Behaviour Change
This report seeks to temper and deepen the public discussion about the increasingly important relationship between Neuroscience, behaviour and society. By critically engaging with developments in self-knowledge we introduce a learning process that is acutely relevant to modern social challenges.
Connected Communities
Traditional approaches to community development that define communities in solely geographic terms have severe limitations. These traditional approaches have failed to deliver on key social capital improvements such as improving trust between residents or fostering a greater sense of belonging.
Beyond the Big Society
The Big Society is at its weakest when it is presented as a partisan technical solution to acute socio-economic problems, and at its strongest when viewed as a non-partisan long term challenge to enrich our social and human capital.
A New Agenda on Climate Change
About two thirds of the UK population appear to accept the reality of man-made climate change but are in denial about the responsibilities and actions that are necessary to deal with it. This ‘stealth' denial may be perpetuating contradictory behaviour, such as trying to minimise carbon emissions while maximising fossil fuel production. Understanding behaviour and behaviour change is key to creating consensus-based solutions.
Money Talks
We are the first generation to feel the effects of climate change and may be the last to be able to significantly mitigate them. The take home messages of the Paris Global Climate Summit will inevitably be ‘progress is possible’, ‘we could do better’ and ‘we need to keep at it’. The cultural question of what is ‘realistic’ is now the preeminent climate battleground.
Spiritualise
Spiritualise is a tenacious inquiry into the philosophical coherence, scientific grounding and cultural relevance of spiritual perspectives, experiences and practices.
Divided Brain, Divided World
Divided Brain, Divided World explores the significance of the scientific fact that the two hemispheres of our brains have radically different ‘world views’. It argues that our failure to learn lessons from the crash, our continuing neglect of climate change, and the increase in mental health conditions may stem from a loss of perspective that we urgently need to regain.
The Power of Curiosity
Perhaps if we better understand the nature of curiosity in general, we might find ways to cultivate curiosity about our shared energy needs, both in the energy industry and the population at large. If we can do that, it may help us spur the kinds of social and technical innovation that are now political, economic and ecological imperatives.