Social Europe Podcast

In this conversation, Henning Meyer and Mark Blyth discuss the significant developments and challenges of the Trump administration over the past year, including geopolitical shifts, the impact of technology on labour markets, immigration policies, and the evolving dynamics of US politics. They also explore Europe's strategic position in response to these changes and the implications of digital regulation as a key battleground between the US and Europe.

In this conversation, Henning Meyer and Mark Blyth discuss the current state of Trump's presidency, the chaos within his administration, and the implications of his economic strategies, particularly regarding tariffs and reindustrialization. They explore the impact of inflation on the working class and the political landscape shaped by populism. The discussion also delves into the future of political identity in the U.S. and Europe, emphasizing the need for a compelling vision and narrative to unite people and drive political engagement.

In this episode of the Social Europe Podcast, Henning Meyer and Almut Möller discuss the evolving landscape of European foreign and security policy as we enter 2025. They discuss the concept of strategic autonomy, the challenges posed by external threats such as Russia's aggression, and the internal divisions among EU member states. The conversation highlights the urgent need for a unified approach to security and defence, the impact of populism and external actors like Elon Musk, and the importance of collaboration with allies, particularly the UK. Both speakers emphasise the necessity for the EU to adapt its policies and strategies to ensure its future viability and effectiveness in a rapidly changing global environment.This podcast episode is part of the Social Europe - Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung Projekt "EU Forward: Shaping European Policy in the second half of the 2020s".

In this episode of Social Europe Podcast, Professor Peter A. Hall of Harvard University and Social Europe Editor-in-Chief Professor Henning Meyer explore the evolving landscape of populism in Western democracies. Reflecting on the economic and cultural factors that have contributed to its rise, they discuss the importance of perceptions of fairness and uncertainty about the future as key drivers of support for populist parties. The conversation also delves into the emotional aspects of immigration politics and the differing motivations behind support for left and right populism. Finally, they assess the health of Western democracies and the challenges mainstream political parties face in regaining public trust and addressing the grievances that fuel populism.

Philipp Ther, professor of central-European history at the University of Vienna and director of its Research Centre for the History of Transformations, talks to Robin Wilson of Social Europe about how societies which show hospitality to refugees in the long run benefit from their openness. Prof Ther is author of The Outsiders: Refugees in Europe Since 1492 (Princeton University Press).

Thomas Piketty is a French economist who is professor of economics at the School for Advanced Studies in the Social Sciences (EHESS), associate chair at the Paris School of Economics and centennial professor of economics in the International Inequalities Institute at the London School of Economics.

Mary Daly, professor of sociology and social policy at the University of Oxford and author of Gender Inequality and Welfare States in Europe, talks to Social Europe about how applying a gender lens changes our understanding of the welfare state and how it should be reconstructed after the pandemic.

Listen to Social Europe Editor-in-Chief Henning Meyer in conversation with Gabriel Zucman. They discuss wealth and income inequality as well as potential policy solution to address the widening gap between rich and poor. Gabriel Zucman is the Director of the James M. and Cathleen D. Stone Center on Wealth and Income Inequality at the University of California at Berkeley. He received his PhD in 2013 from the Paris School of Economics and taught at the London School of Economics before joining the Berkeley faculty in 2015. You might also find our regular articles, blogs and other written publications of interest. Just visit our website www.socialeurope.eu to read our latest output. If you want to stay up-to-date with all things Social Europe just sign up to our regular newsletter. You can do so on our website.

Listen to Social Europe Editor-in-Chief Henning Meyer in conversation with David Webber. They discuss the potential (institutional) power of working class shareholders and how this power could be used to further working class interests. David Webber is Associate Dean for Intellectual Life and Professor of Law at Boston University Law School. You might also find our regular articles, blogs and other written publications of interest. Just visit our website www.socialeurope.eu to read our latest output. If you want to stay up-to-date with all things Social Europe just sign up to our regular newsletter. You can do so on our website.

Listen to Social Europe Editor-in-Chief Henning Meyer in conversation with Branko Milanovic. They discuss the evolution of capitalism, inequality and technology based on Branko's new book "Capitalism, Alone" published by Harvard University Press. Branko Milanovic is one of the world's leading experts on inequality. He is a visiting presidential professor at the Graduate Center of the City University of New York and an affiliated senior scholar at the Luxembourg Income Study (LIS). He also teaches at the London School of Economics and the Barcelona Institute for International Studies. If you like our podcast you might also find our regular articles, blogs and other written publications of interest. Just visit our website https://www.socialeurope.eu to read our latest output. If you want to stay up-to-date with all things Social Europe just sign up to our regular newsletter. You can do so on our website.

Listen to Social Europe Editor-in-Chief Henning Meyer in conversation with Branko Milanovic. They discuss the evolution of capitalism, inequality and technology based on Branko's new book "Capitalism, Alone" published by Harvard University Press. Branko Milanovic is one of the world's leading experts on inequality. He is a visiting presidential professor at the Graduate Center of the City University of New York and an affiliated senior scholar at the Luxembourg Income Study (LIS). He also teaches at the London School of Economics and the Barcelona Institute for International Studies. If you like our podcast you might also find our regular articles, blogs and other written publications of interest. Just visit our website https://www.socialeurope.eu to read our latest output. If you want to stay up-to-date with all things Social Europe just sign up to our regular newsletter. You can do so on our website.

Listen to Social Europe Editor-in-Chief Henning Meyer in conversation with Katharina Pistor. They discuss "The Code of Capital - How the Law Creates Wealth and Inequality", the topic of Pistor's most recent book published by Princeton University Press. Katharina Pistor is the Edwin B. Parker Professor of Comparative Law at Columbia Law School and Director of the Law School’s Center on Global Legal Transformation. Her research and teaching spans corporate law, corporate governance, money and finance, property rights, and comparative law and legal institutions. If you like our podcast you might also find our regular articles, blogs and other written publications of interest. Just visit our website https://www.socialeurope.eu to read our latest output. If you want to stay up-to-date with all things Social Europe just sign up to our regular newsletter. You can do so on our website.

Listen to Social Europe Editor-in Chief Henning Meyer in discussion with Cas Mudde. They discuss the anatomy of the far right and far right populism and what progressive actors can do to counter the far right. Cas Mudde is the Stanley Wade Shelton UGAF Professor of International Affairs at the University of Georgia, a columnist for The Guardian newspaper and a world-leading expert on populism and the far right. If you like our podcast you might also find our regular articles, blogs and other written publications of interest. Just visit our website www.socialeurope.eu to read our latest output. If you want to stay up-to-date with all things Social Europe just sign up to our regular newsletter. You can do so on our website.