99 Percent Invisible: the impact of design and architecture on our lives, especially in places we might not notice it. The episode about air conditioning relates to Nesta’s sustainable future mission, thinking about how new home technologies have shaped where and how people live.
London School of Economics LSEIQ Podcast:
Podcasts for Change: various podcasts that address social justice, environmental sustainability, and community development through research and actionable insights.
The Empathy Edge: Maria Ross; The role of empathy in leadership and social change; research on how empathy can drive positive change in communities and organizations.
The TED Interview podcast
How to Save a Planet: Hosted by Alex Blumberg and Adam Davidson; explores solutions to climate change; experts and researchers; actionable steps individuals and communities can take. (Look for early episodes — sometime before 2021 — with Dr. Ayana Elizabeth)
The Social Change Diaries (Apple podcasts for audio): Vanessa Wakeman / Wakeman Agency: stories and research that highlight effective strategies for addressing social issues
The Long Now: long-term thinking and the implications of technology and culture on future generations.
Future Perfect: Produced by Vox; innovative ideas and research-based solutions for improving global welfare, often with a focus on effective altruism.
The Happiness Lab: Dr. Laurie Santos delves into the science of happiness and well-being; research-backed insights and practical strategies for improving individual and societal happiness.
Talks at Google: various thought leaders, wide range of topics, including technology’s ecological impact and societal improvements, often grounded in research and data.
Breaking Binaries: important political and social issues from a critical perspective.
Data Skeptics: topics such as machine learning, statistics and AI that underpin social change policy.
The Mission: innovative ways to tackle big social challenges. Topics range from fast food to what makes social movements successful.
Intelligence Squared covers a lot of ground for potential social changemakers. Each week they speak to a different expert to discuss topics ranging from running a sustainable business to doughnut economics.
The Economist has a podcast on science and technology. It’s perhaps a little over-optimistic but does raise interesting issues. The episode about how technology could improve diets is worth a listen and relates to the work of our healthy life mission.
I Am The Law – Hosted by LawHub, which is a resource for people considering which law school to attend. “We interview law school graduates with thought-provoking questions for an insider look into the realities of a career in law, recipes for success, and the biggest challenges lawyers face today.”