Ways to Change the World with Krishnan Guru-Murthy

Naz Shah first came to public attention through her campaign to free her mother, who was imprisoned after killing an abusive partner - a case that raised difficult questions about domestic violence, justice and the way the system treats women who fight back.Before entering politics, her early life was marked by poverty, abuse and coercion. She was sent to Pakistan as a child, forced into marriage as a teenager, and later returned to the UK to care for her younger siblings while her mother served a long prison sentence.She has since written extensively about her experiences in her memoir Honoured, and built a political career rooted in her formative years. Since 2015, she has been the Labour MP for Bradford West, advocating on issues including violence against women, poverty and inequality.In this episode of Ways to Change the World, Krishnan Guru-Murthy speaks to Naz Shah about honour, shame and the silence that surrounds abuse, the structural inequalities that shape life chances, and why she believes education is the key to changing the world.This episode includes conversation around abuse, sexual exploitation and suicide.

Chris McCausland is perhaps now best known as the first blind contestant on Strictly Come Dancing and the show's 2024 champion.His famous waltz with dancer Diane Buswell even won a Bafta as the most memorable moment in TV.He first started losing sight as a young boy due to a genetic condition, and was fully blind in his early twenties. But he has never let disability define him.In his latest autobiography, Keep Laughing, Chris details the journey of a boy from Liverpool who goes on to win the hearts of the nation.On this episode of Ways to Change the World, he talks to Krishnan Guru-Murthy about why it was important for him to take part in Strictly Come Dancing, the frustrations and identity challenges he faced as he grappled with losing sight, and how he continues to challenge perceptions.

Cory Doctorow has spent decades helping to shape the way we think about the modern internet. He is a campaigner against monopolies, surveillance and digital rights. His new book Enshitification: Why Everything Suddenly Got Worse and What to Do About It analyses how the internet giants have captured us and become not quite as good as we had thought they were. On this episode of Ways to Change the World, Krishnan Guru-Murthy speaks to Cory about the broken systems we are living in and what we can do to try and make things better.Strong language warning.

Ben Cohen, co-founder of Ben & Jerry’s, is calling on Unilever to “free” the ice cream brand after years of clashes over its social mission and stance on issues like Gaza.In this episode of Ways to Change the World, Ben tells Krishnan Guru-Murthy why he believes business has become the strongest force in society - and why it must care about more than profit. Unilever maintains that it’s working to create “a fairer, more socially inclusive world”.

Founding member of Pussy Riot and one of the most high-profile political activists in Russia imprisoned by Vladimir Putin's government - in this Ways to Change the World Podcast, Krishnan Guru-Murthy speaks to Masha Alyokhina.She became internationally known after the group's protest performance in Moscow's Cathedral of Christ the Saviour in 2012, which led to her arrest and two years in prison. Since her release, Masha has continued to challenge Putin's regime and fight for freedom of expression through her art, writing and activism. And her new book, Political Girl, is an account of protest, prison and her thoughts about Russia today.

Jimmy Wales is the co-founder of Wikipedia - the free digital encyclopedia that just about everyone in the Western world goes to if they need to quickly know anything.It has been going for almost 25 years, determinedly democratic, non-profit and user-run, but increasingly under attack by right-wing influencers, Republican politicians and Elon Musk for being biased and with an overly-progressive ideology. And now AI models like ChatGPT are parking their tanks firmly on Wikipedia's lawn, claiming to be the real fount of all knowledge. Wikipedia calls them "conversational chatbots".On this episode of Ways to Change the World, Jimmy Wales speaks to Krishnan Guru-Murthy about the “crisis of trust”, AI and why Wikipedia will continue to lead the way.

Husam Zomlot was born in a refugee camp in Gaza and has since become one of the most prominent Palestinian voices on the world stage. In 2017, Zomlot was appointed envoy to the United States, until the Trump administration shut down the PLO mission in Washington. The following year he became Head of the Palestinian Mission in London, a role that has now been elevated to Ambassador after the UK’s formal recognition of the State of Palestine. He has been a leading voice for Gaza throughout the recent conflict, while also enduring devastating personal loss, with members of his own family killed in the violence. In this episode of Ways to Change the World, Husam Zomlot speaks with Krishnan Guru-Murthy about his childhood, the growing recognition of a Palestinian state and the hope for him and his people.