Events

The Campaign for Social Science in partnership with the Social Research Association and the UK Evaluation Society, hosts this webinar as part of our joint series on different aspects of the AI revolution. In this session Jonathan Hall of the Bank of England explores AI in the Financial sector. Jonathan will discuss how AI can create ‘deep trading agents’, the risks these might create and the potential implications on market stability if new technologies are not managed correctly. Jonathan will also explore how we can mitigate the risks and ensure that AI technology is a positive force in FinTech rather than a threat to economic stability. This webinar will be chaired by Professor Jonathan Beaverstock FAcSS of University of Bristol.

Image credit: Nicholas Cappello on Unsplash

This year’s Campaign for Social Science Annual Sage Lecture will be delivered by the Honourable Julia Gillard AC, 27th Prime Minister of Australia and Chair of the Global Institute for Women’s Leadership.

In her lecture, Julia will share her insights from the world of politics and her role chairing the Global Institute for Women’s Leadership at the King’s Business School on how social science can still have global impact in an era of political polarisation and widespread misinformation, public scepticism, political interference, and funding reductions. Following Julia’s talk, Yuan Yang, the Labour MP for Earley and Woodley, and Stian Westlake FAcSS, Executive Chair of the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), will reflect on Julia’s lecture and share their own thoughts on the vital role of social science in our increasingly divided world.

To mark the launch of our forthcoming Campaign policy report, The contemporary relevance of the social sciences, produced in partnership with Sage, we have invited an expert panel to draw on their own experiences, from their research and work, of why the social sciences matter. Chaired by the Academy’s President, Will Hutton FAcSS, the webinar will see our speakers reflect on the essential role played by the social sciences in harnessing the key opportunities and mitigating the many and varied challenges we face in our contemporary human world.

Our speakers are:

• Professor Linda Bauld FAcSS (Chief Social Policy Adviser, Scottish Government)
• Michael Davis (Chief Executive, National Centre for Social Research)
• Gavin Kelly (Chief Executive, Nuffield Foundation)
• Professor Rosie McEachan (Director, Born in Bradford research programme)

Following contributions from each of our speakers, there will be an opportunity for attendees to engage in a Q&A.

In partnership with The Productivity Institute and University of Manchester, the Campaign for Social Science presents this event as part of its work on Good Growth. This event explores how new towns can play a vital role in meeting England’s housing needs while also supporting environmentally sustainable and inclusive growth.

The event features reflections from Dame Kate Barker, the deputy chair of the New Towns Taskforce which reports to Government,  plus a panel of leading experts in urban planning, regional development, and policy.

The panel includes James Evans (Professor of Geography, Associate Dean for Research (Humanities), University of Manchester); Andrew McIntosh (Director of Place, Greater Manchester Combined Authority); Cecilia Wong (Professor of Spatial Planning and Director of the Spatial Policy & Analysis Lab, Manchester Urban Institute); and Philip McCann (Sir Terry Leahy Chair of Urban and Regional Economics, Alliance Manchester Business School, The Productivity Institute).

In association with the Campaign for Social Science, University of York presents this event as part of the ESRC Festival of Social Science 2025. This is Day 2 of The York Festival of Social Enterprise, a 3-day event which brings together the city’s communities, businesses, and institutions to explore the unique role social enterprises play in tackling deep-rooted challenges, creating inclusive opportunity, and building stronger, fairer local economies.  These events aim to showcase social enterprise, facilitate meaningful partnerships, and influence regional, place-based policy. Day 3 focuses on exploring how social enterprises can shape people-first, place-based policy.

In association with the Campaign for Social Science, University of Birmingham presents this event as part of the ESRC Festival of Social Science 2025.  This event explores how local authorities secure place-based funding, with insights from bid writers and policymakers.

In association with the Campaign for Social Science, University of Manchester presents this event as part of the ESRC Festival of Social Science 2025.  Manchester is aiming to be a carbon neutral city-region by 2038 and social science is playing its part through supporting the development of green skills.  This event offers an opportunity to learn about ways to help make Manchester a fairer, cleaner, greener place for all.

In association with the Campaign for Social Science, Lancaster University presents this event as part of the ESRC Festival of Social Science 2025. This event is a panel discussion featuring researchers from Lancaster University’s School of Social Sciences, exploring the impact of AI on our relationship with work.

In association with the Campaign for Social Science, University of York presents this event as part of the ESRC Festival of Social Science 2025. This is Day 2 of The York Festival of Social Enterprise, a 3-day event which brings together the city’s communities, businesses, and institutions to explore the unique role social enterprises play in tackling deep-rooted challenges, creating inclusive opportunity, and building stronger, fairer local economies.  These events aim to showcase social enterprise, facilitate meaningful partnerships, and influence regional, place-based policy. Day 2 focuses on celebrating collaborative projects and fostering connections across sectors.

In association with the Campaign for Social Science, Lancaster University presents this event as part of the ESRC Festival of Social Science 2025.  This event explores findings from a year-long project themed around land and provides participants with the opportunity to explore their own experiences of and relationship to particular landscapes.

Photo credit: Gautier Pfeiffer on Unsplash

In association with the Campaign for Social Science, University of Sheffield presents this event as part of the ESRC Festival of Social Science 2025. This event is the opening day of the Research Arcade which runs from 31 October – 2 November 2025. The Research Arcade is a showcase exhibition featuring multiple projects from different social science disciplines covering topics including finance & economics, education, environment, health and wellbeing, migration, sustainability an technology.

In association with the Campaign for Social Science, University of Oxford presents this event as part of the ESRC Festival of Social Science 2025.  This event looks behind the polished ‘face’ of AI, to explore a sprawling web of people, data, and decisions that acts as both innovation engine and power broker, deciding who reaps the rewards and who gets left behind.  Through interactive sessions and insightful discussions with researchers, those attending can find out how we can make the use of AI fair for all.

In association with the Campaign for Social Science, University of Southampton presents this event as part of the ESRC Festival of Social Science 2025.  Leading experts will explore how AI is affecting workers’ rights, well-being, and productivity. The event will focus on how adoption of AI technologies is unfolding both nationally and locally in Southampton, and there will be an opportunity to discuss how we might ensure that everyone has access to good work.

Photo Credit: Igor Omilaev on Unsplash

In association with the Campaign for Social Science, University of York presents this event as part of the ESRC Festival of Social Science 2025. This is Day 1 of The York Festival of Social Enterprise, a 3-day event which brings together the city’s communities, businesses, and institutions to explore the unique role social enterprises play in tackling deep-rooted challenges, creating inclusive opportunity, and building stronger, fairer local economies.  These events aim to showcase social enterprise, facilitate meaningful partnerships, and influence regional, place-based policy. Day 1 focuses on practical skills, enterprise learning, and social impact training.

In association with the Campaign for Social Science, University of Birmingham presents this event as part of the ESRC Festival of Social Science 2025.  This event explores how AI affects employment and work experiences, with insights from disabled people, researchers, NGOs, and business leaders.

In association with the Campaign for Social Science, LSE presents this event as part of the ESRC Festival of Social Science 2025.  This event will explore how helping employees to align their personal purpose with their work boosts performance and wellbeing, creating more fulfilled, motivated, and high-performing workplaces.

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In partnership with UKES and SRA, the Campaign for Social Science presents this webinar featuring Reema Patel, Founder of Elgon Social and leading expert in deliberative participatory processes, who will talk about how AI systems are currently deployed in public service delivery, and what this means for those tasked with evaluating their impact. Reema will take a close look at the risks and opportunities AI presents for equity and inclusion, and the role of evaluation in addressing systemic bias, safeguarding rights, and upholding public trust.

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The Campaign for Social Science, University of Sussex, and UK in a Changing Europe jointly present this panel event reflecting on key challenges and opportunities for UK trade policy, focusing in particular on how it influences UK economic growth and productivity.  Speakers include:  Sasha Roseneil FAcSS, VC, University of Sussex; Anand Menon (Chair), Director, UK in a Changing Europe and Professor of European Politics and Foreign Affairs, Kings College London; Meredith Crowley, Professor of Economics, University of Cambridge; Emily Lydgate, Co-Director of the UK Trade Policy Observatory and Professor of Environmental Law, University of Sussex; and Michael Gasiorek, Director of the Centre for Inclusive Trade Policy, Co-Director of the UK Trade Policy Observatory, and Professor of Economics, University of Sussex

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We’re delighted to announce that Professor Mariana Mazzucato FAcSS, Professor in the Economics of Innovation and Public Value at University College London, will be delivering this year’s Academy of Social Sciences’ Annual Lecture on Tuesday 3 June 2025 online between 5pm and 6pm.

A short Q&A, chaired by the Academy’s President, Will Hutton FAcSS, will take place following Mariana’s lecture. The event is open to all – register now so you don’t miss out.

In partnership with UKES and SRA, the Campaign presents this webinar featuring speakers from Ofsted and the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) who will talk about their use of AI in analysis and how it can drive productivity and improve outcomes whilst dealing with large volumes of responses.   The speakers are Dr. Verena Braehler (Deputy Director for Research and Evaluation, Ofsted); James Bowsher-Murray (Head of Data Systems and Data Science, Ofsted); and Kiyoshi Bhuiyan (social researcher at DESNZ, currently working in the Social and Behavioural Energy Research team).

Join us for the latest in the Social Science Perspectives series in collaboration with Sage and The Conversation. This networking event features  Professors Melissa Butcher and Scott Williamson discussing the forces currently challenging global democracy. Drawing on recent research, they’ll examine global and generational perceptions of democracy and authoritarianism, and what these perspectives could reveal for the future.  There will be opportunities to network after the panel discussion.

Social Science Perspectives is a quarterly series of informal talks co-hosted by the Campaign for Social Science, The Conversation, and Sage Publishing

Since the financial crisis of 2007-2009 the UK’s economic growth has been slow, with the nation languishing in the lower half of the OECD rankings on productivity. The UK also has high levels of inequality in terms of wealth, income and opportunity when compared to its OECD peers. These challenges are in many ways linked but tackling them is no straightforward task.

In this webinar, three experts from different strands of the social sciences offered their perspectives, based on research evidence, for how the new UK Government might seek to balance its economic priorities against large and growing inequalities across society.

This is the first of several panel events throughout the year examining the theme of ‘good growth’ from different standpoints as part of the Campaign for Social Science’s new hub. We will ask what sort of growth might we want in the UK – and where, how, and for whom? Are there ways that the UK can achieve growth that is fair, inclusive, carefully targeted, and environmentally sustainable?

Many would agree that it’s important for human morality to shape our development and use of rapidly evolving Artificial Intelligence technologies. But what if it also works the other way around? In this seminar Professor Iyad Rahwan, Director of the Max Planck Institute for Human Development, will discuss behavioural experiments that explore how AI can influence human morality, from providing novel moral affordances in domains previously impervious to ethics, to changing the way people frame moral choices. Professor Rahwan will also introduce the concept of science-fiction science: behavioural experiments that anticipate the behavioural impacts of novel technologies before their wide-spread adoption.

The Campaign is excited to be partnering with the UK Evaluation Society and the Social Research Association for a free webinar with Professor Oliver Hauser on evaluating AI in the public and private sector. In a world of fast paced change where AI promises to be able to do anything and everything for us, Oliver will highlight the importance of “test, learn, adapt” and discuss how policymakers, researchers and evaluators should think about evaluating the causal effects of AI in policymaking and business.

University of Essex in association with the Campaign for Social Science presents this event exploring how the social sciences provide essential insights into how we can understand and manage the ways digital technologies increasingly define our daily lives.  This panel discussion will demonstrate that social science is not just an observer but an architect of progress, as it explores a selection of different aspects of the digital age. The event showcases interdisciplinary research covering themes such as the changing nature of how we communicate, protecting public safety and privacy, fostering sustainable and equitable practices in a tech-driven world, the future of humans in the world of work, and even how we can use digital technology to reduce food waste.

Photo credit: Marvin Meyer on Unsplash

This year’s lecture will be delivered by Dr Hannah White, Director and CEO of the Institute for Government.

With over 50 countries around the world holding major elections during 2024 it has been a hugely significant year for democracy as well as for the global political landscape. In her lecture, Hannah will offer her reflections on this year of elections and provide some insights and ideas as to how the political landscape has shifted and what the implications might be, especially for the UK.

The ESRC Centre for Socio-Digital Futures at University of Bristol, in association with the Campaign for Social Science and the British Sociological Association, presents a workshop which is part of the 2024 Festival of Social Science.  How can our communities take control of the technology that has become central to so many aspects of our lives? And, if we do, what are we going to do with it?  This event takes inspiration from diverse and innovative community technology practices to explore these questions through a participatory workshop.  The event will demonstrate how social science can support communities to better harness the technologies that we are all surrounded by and use them in positive and more advantageous ways.

University of Stirling in association with the Campaign for Social Science presents this event as part of the the ESRC Festival of Social Science 2024.  This event will reflect on the big challenges facing UK and devolved politicians over the coming quarter century. Speakers include Dr Mark Wong, University of Glasgow (Governments, AI and AI Bias); Professor Murray Leith, University of West of Scotland (Chair); Talat Yaqoob FRSE, Independent Consultant and Researcher (Tackling Systemic Inequality); and Dr Sandra Engstrom, University of Stirling (Society and the Climate Crisis)

Join us for the latest in the Social Science Perspectives series in collaboration with Sage and The Conversation. This networking event features a panel of experts discussing why the result of this US election is just as important to the rest of the world as it is to the US. We will explore the potential implications and global shifts that might occur depending on who takes over the White House, why the Midwest vote matters, and whether the vice-presidential candidates make a difference to the turnout. There will be opportunities to network after the panel discussion.

Social Science Perspectives is a quarterly series of informal talks co-hosted by the Campaign for Social Science, The Conversation, and Sage

Many Western nations are experiencing chronically low levels of citizen trust in public institutions, including our police. In a UK context, several recent high-profile stories have damaged the public’s relationship with and perception of law enforcement. The police themselves, meanwhile, face the same funding restrictions as other critical public services and are having to rely more and more on technology to fulfil their role, often at the expense of relationship-building. In this webinar, our speakers, Dr Rick Muir of The Police Foundation (chair), Professor Jyoti Belur of UCL and Professor Martin Innes FAcSS of the Security, Crime & Intelligence Innovation Institute at Cardiff University, will examine some of these challenges and identify potential solutions for policymakers.

If the UK wants to retain resilient food and farming systems, which can deal with the demands of a changing climate and technological innovation, we need farming communities and rural communities which are healthy and sustainable. A steep rise in mental health problems within rural parts of the country, exacerbated by reduced access to support services, could be the biggest barrier. Our panel will unpack these challenges and identify the policy solutions which need to be put in place. This free joint event with the University of Exeter will see contributions from farmer and former NFU President Minette Batters (event chair), Professor Matt Lobley and Dr Rebecca Wheeler of the University of Exeter, and farmer, consultant and Farming Community Network (FCN) volunteer Christine Malseed. Event attendees are invited to join a panel discussion, followed by audience Q&A and a networking drinks reception.

There is clear research evidence that reducing car travel delivers benefits to the climate and to public health – but there is political and public caution and scepticism. How can policymakers understand and shape public opinion to deliver the potential carbon, health and social benefits that can come from reduced car use? And what needs to happen at a population and at an individual level? This webinar features contributions from Professor Charles Musselwhite of the Research Centre for Transport and Mobility (CeTrAM) at Aberystwyth University, Dr Siobhan Campbell FAcSS of the National Manufacturing Institute Scotland (NMIS) and Professor Iain Docherty FAcSS of the University of Stirling. It will be chaired by Dr Matthew Niblett of the Independent Transport Commission.

The morning after election day, conference delegates are invited to join a panel for bacon rolls and strong coffee to examine what the likely new government (whatever its political hue) might prioritise in its social policies, and how social scientists can contribute towards evidence-based policymaking. This is a joint event between the Social Policy Association, the University of Strathclyde and the Academy of Social Sciences, which we will seek to record for later viewing by a wider audience. The event features contributions from Professor Ian Rivers FAcSS (event chair) and Professor Katherine Smith FAcSS of the University of Strathclyde, Professor Heejung Chung of King’s College London and Professor Matthew Johnson FAcSS of Northumbria University.

The Campaign for Social Science is supporting the 10th biennial Appearance Matters Conference presented by the Centre for Appearance Research at UWE Bristol.  The event is a great opportunity to learn about the latest important research on body image and appearance and explore its impact on people and society at large.

Focusing on topics such as social housing issues, London’s massively overheated housing market, and second-home owners pushing out locals in areas like Cornwall or the Welsh coast, this session asks whether there is good practice that could be followed in the different nations and regions of the UK, and what national measures a new UK Government should take. The webinar features contributions from Polly Neate CBE FAcSS LLD(hc), Professor Glen Bramley FAcSS, and Professor Nick Gallent FAcSS. It will be chaired by Gavin Smart FAcSS of the Chartered Institute of Housing.

This event is part of Election 24: Ideas for change based on social science evidence, a Campaign for Social Science project which draws on a range of social science research to suggest evidence-based social policy directions ahead of a UK general election in 2024.

In this webinar in partnership with the ACCESS network, Professor Lorraine Whitmarsh will outline how behavioural science can inform efforts to engage the public with climate change, and how policy choices can drive social action to achieve net zero. Chaired by Professor Birgitta Gatersleben.

This event is part of Election 24: Ideas for change based on social science evidence, a Campaign for Social Science project which draws on a range of social science research to suggest evidence-based social policy directions ahead of a UK general election in 2024.

With 2024 confirmed as a general election year, this event will see representatives from Welsh Labour, the Welsh Conservatives, and Plaid Cymru set out their priorities for Wales and respond to questions posed by social science researchers. Attendees will also have the opportunity to ask their own questions. In partnership with Swansea University.

This event is part of Election 24: Ideas for change based on social science evidence, a Campaign for Social Science project which draws on a range of social science research to suggest evidence-based social policy directions ahead of a UK general election in 2024.

In this webinar, in partnership with Sense about Science, Professor Kaska Porayska-Pomsta, Professor Fraser Sampson and Tracey Brown OBE will discuss on AI regulation and security, including what the most pressing considerations for the incoming government are, how persuaded (and persuadable) the public are about the merits of AI, and how technology can be adopted in socially equitable ways.

This event is part of Election 24: Ideas for change based on social science evidence, a Campaign for Social Science project which draws on a range of social science research to suggest evidence-based social policy directions ahead of a UK general election in 2024.

The UK ranks among the most unequal countries in Europe, with inequalities in wealth and health particularly pronounced – and rising – in the North East of England. Posing the question of whether we can achieve a more equal North East, this event brings together distinguished social scientists and practitioners, and political representatives.

This event is part of Election 24: Ideas for change based on social science evidence, a Campaign for Social Science project which draws on a range of social science research to suggest evidence-based social policy directions ahead of a UK general election in 2024.

What do the public think about taxation and welfare? Drawing on the British Social Attitudes Survey, this webinar with Sir John Curtice and Professor Ben Baumberg Geiger examines whether voters want to see a rise or a fall in taxation, what it would mean for public spending and welfare, and how those attitudes map onto the parties’ positions.

This event is part of Election 24: Ideas for change based on social science evidence, a Campaign for Social Science project which draws on a range of social science research to suggest evidence-based social policy directions ahead of a UK general election in 2024.

Honorary Professor Rt Hon Liam Byrne MP reflects on the findings of his upcoming book and discusses a bold plan to renew one of the oldest ideas in British politics: the wealth-owning democracy.

This event is part of Election 24: Ideas for change based on social science evidence, a Campaign for Social Science project which draws on a range of social science research to suggest evidence-based social policy directions ahead of a UK general election in 2024.

This year’s lecture will be delivered by Gary Younge FAcSS, author, broadcaster, and Professor of Sociology at the University of Manchester.

This event is part of Election 24: Ideas for change based on social science evidence, a Campaign for Social Science project which draws on a range of social science research to suggest evidence-based social policy directions ahead of a UK general election in 2024.

A roundtable style presentation hosted by the Faculty of Social Sciences at the University of Southampton.  The event will take place in Southampton City Centre with a panel of local journalists, politicians and academics (to be announced). There will be an opportunity for attendees to submit questions to the panel in advance.

This event is part of Election 24: Ideas for change based on social science evidence, a Campaign for Social Science project which draws on a range of social science research to suggest evidence-based social policy directions ahead of a UK general election in 2024.

The Campaign for Social Science is supporting UWE Bristol’s EDHIT Research Conference – Gender & Eating Disorders.  This online event is a great opportunity to learn about the latest important research on eating disorders amongst under-represented and minoritized groups.

Two years on from COP26 in Glasgow, and ahead of the next COP in the United Arab Emirates, where do we stand in the UK and internationally on the transition to net zero? Is sufficient progress being made in public policy to limit the increase in global warming to 1.5°? Our keynote speaker, Chris Stark, Chief Executive of the UK Climate Change Committee, will share his thoughts on the challenges ahead. This will be followed by a panel of social scientists and industry representatives, as well as audience Q&A.

This event is part of Election 24: Ideas for change based on social science evidence, a Campaign for Social Science project which draws on a range of social science research to suggest evidence-based social policy directions ahead of a UK general election in 2024.

In this event, experts from Cardiff University, Swansea University and Bangor University offer thought-provoking research insights to demonstrate how the social sciences contribute to enhancing the lifelong wellbeing of the nation.

This event is part of Election 24: Ideas for change based on social science evidence, a Campaign for Social Science project which draws on a range of social science research to suggest evidence-based social policy directions ahead of a UK general election in 2024.

This webinar, with Professor Heaven Crawley, Professor Paul Whiteley, Lord David Blunkett and Dr Heather Rolfe, will shine a light on what academic research tells us about migration within a UK context and explore both what the public think about the topic and the considerations which inform politics and policy-making on migration.

This event is part of Election 24: Ideas for change based on social science evidence, a Campaign for Social Science project which draws on a range of social science research to suggest evidence-based social policy directions ahead of a UK general election in 2024.

Join Professor Trish Greenhalgh, University of Oxford, and Professor Petra Meier, University of Glasgow, as they explore the UK’s health inequalities.

This event is part of Election 24: Ideas for change based on social science evidence, a Campaign for Social Science project which draws on a range of social science research to suggest evidence-based social policy directions ahead of a UK general election in 2024.

The Academy is hosting their 24th Annual General Meeting followed by the Annual Lecture. The Annual Academy Lecture will be given by Professor Lucie Cluver (University of Oxford and the University of Cape Town) on the topic of: ‘Can social science protect us against global threats?’

The AGM and Annual Lecture are open to all Fellows and representatives of our member social science societies.  Fellows and Member Learned Society representatives can book by using the online link. If you are not a Fellow and would like to attend the Lecture, please email us.

Anglia Ruskin University, in partnership with the Campaign for Social Science, presents this event in the Safe and Inclusive Communities programme.  This will be the official launch of the Safe and Inclusive Communities theme at ARU. The event is a great opportunity to network and to hear from expert researchers working within this area of study.

UWE Bristol, in partnership with the Campaign for Social Science, presents this discussion panel event focusing on social barriers impeding access to higher education. The event will bring together academics, practitioners, advocates and researchers from across a range of educational, community based and public sector settings and is a great chance to hear from experts and to network.

The Policy Institute at King’s College London, in partnership with UK in a Changing Europe and the Campaign for Social Science, presents this event focusing on the future of the levelling up agenda in the context of the UK’s economic crisis.

University of Glasgow, in partnership with the Campaign for Social Science, presents this event which part of a series of public lectures focusing on how we respond to global shocks. This event focuses on building a more resilient economy.

The Campaign for Social Science Annual SAGE Lecture 2022

This year’s lecture will be delivered by Torsten Bell, Chief Executive Officer of the Resolution Foundation. Torsten will focus on what the research evidence says about the current economic situation in the UK. He’ll talk about how we’ve arrived here and will look in detail at some of the issues around living standards/cost of living and the economic inequalities in our society.

University of Essex, in association with the Campaign for Social Science, presents this event which is part the ESRC Festival of Social Science.

A free online event run by the Academy of Social Science’s Campaign for Social Science in partnership with SAGE Publishing. This event explores the urgent need to combine both social and technological solutions in order to address the challenges of climate change.

Registration has now closed.

Please find the links below for the meeting papers:

AGM 2022 agenda

Minutes from the 2021 AGM

Professor Sir Geoff Mulgan will explore the history of future-shaping in social science; why this work has been discouraged in recent years; and what methods can be used to guide us through the difficult transitions ahead. Register free.

There is widespread agreement that contemporary capitalism needs a reset. This lecture, delivered by Will Hutton, will try to bring together theory, evidence and practice to point the way to a new capitalism.