BBC Radio Podcasts from AntiSocial
Pop stars, boundaries and toxic fandom
Music artists are cancelling gigs to protect their mental health. What do they owe fans?
What are “furries”?
Furry fandom, “fursonas”, and the people who identify with animal characters
Claims children are identifying as animals
Are the claims true? What are 'furries'? And is it all really about gender identity?
The origins of racial terms like “coconut”
Making sense of the words used to claim people are being ethnically inauthentic
Coconuts, race and hate speech
Is it racist for a person of colour to call someone a coconut? Should it be a crime?
What is dwarfism?
Dr Melita Irving gives a medical perspective on the term “dwarfism”
Snow White and the dwarfism debate
Are the seven dwarfs perpetuating dangerous stereotypes or harmless fantasy figures?
When the Nazis banned smoking
Why did the Nazis launch the first anti-smoking campaign in history and how did it work?
Outdoor smoking ban
Is banning smoking outdoors good for our health or state overreach?
A history of Received Pronunciation
How did Received Pronunciation come about?
Accent and class
Is it classist to stop Geordies using the term of endearment 'pet'?
What is the ‘manosphere’?
What kind of online content could be considered ‘extreme misogyny’?
'Extreme' Misogyny
Should some forms of misogyny be classed as extremism?
A history of anti-fascist protest
Did counter-protests at the ‘Battle of Cable Street’ prove a hammer blow to fascism?
Counter-protests
Are counter-protests important for sending a message or can they make things worse?
How planet-friendly is your diet?
The greenhouse gas emissions caused by meat, dairy, and plant-based alternatives
Meat-free menus and choice
Should meat and dairy be taken off menus to help save the planet from climate change?
Who were the “Anglo-Saxons”?
The term “Anglo-Saxon” has become controversial, but where does it come from?
'Anglo-Saxon' and racism
Should the term Anglo-Saxon be dropped because it’s been adopted by racists?
Divestment: A beginner’s guide
It’s become a common protest demand, but what does divesting really entail?
Pro-Palestinian student camps
The debate about protestors calling for their universities to cut ties with Israel.
How schools got strict
Where did the trend for tough discipline in schools come from?
Discipline in schools
How strict is too strict, and do tougher schools get better results?
Man vs Bear
The viral TikTok question that’s prompted a big debate about women’s safety
Dangers to women: man vs bear
Women online are being asked: would you rather be stuck in a forest with a man or a bear?
When do you become an adult?
Marriage, kids, and the history of our ideas about adulthood
Are ‘kidults’ a problem?
Are young people refusing to grow up, or just enjoying harmless escapism?
The Highway Code
How well do you know the rules of the road?
Should cyclists stay in their lane?
Cyclists shaming drivers online, fights over bike lanes and the politics of pedal power.
What is “minority stress theory”?
Exploring the idea that people in minority groups experience unique forms of stress
Homosexuality and "sin"
The clash between the rights of LGBT people and freedom to express Christian views.
Racism and the countryside
The UK countryside is very white, but is it racist?
A history of Eurovision and politics
Eurovision is meant to be apolitical, but over the years it’s been caught in controversy
Eurovision and Israel
The war in Gaza prompts calls to boycott this year’s song contest.
How does the law handle misgendering?
Amid arguments about misgendering and hate crime - what does existing UK law say?
Misgendering and Hate Crime
Exploring the debate around gender, pronouns, and Scotland’s new hate crime law.
Why are statues such flashpoints in the culture wars?
Statues: tearing them down or putting them up, why so they make people so angry?
Does Britain need a Muslim war memorial?
Plans for a Muslim war memorial have sparked debate about history, identity, and monuments
What is the ‘white gaze’?
What does it mean, and where does the idea come from?
'Black Out' performances
Are stage shows aimed at black audiences inclusive or divisive?
Culture wars in Europe
Surrogacy in Italy, feminism in Spain, and culture wars activism across borders.
Patriotism and ‘progressive activists’
How does a small but outspoken group influence the debate about UK national identity?
The National Anthem
The debate about whether we should sing God Save the King.
What is ‘social transitioning’?
What are the impacts of a young person wanting to be treated as a different gender?
Trans kids and schools
How schools should deal with kids who want to change their gender identity.
What is ‘Misogynoir’?
The origin of the term that describes a particular kind of prejudice faced by black women
Is reality TV stereotyping black women?
A contestant on the TV show I'm a Celebrity sparks a debate about racism and misogyny.
‘Lefty Lawyers’: where does the phrase come from?
When did people start using the phrase ‘lefty lawyers’ and why?
Lawyers: 'lefty' or right?
The debate around so-called 'lefty lawyers'. What's behind the use of the phrase?
What is a Central Bank Digital Currency?
Former Bank of England economist Dan Davies on how a digital version of cash might work.
The 'digital pound'
Would you swap cash for a central bank digital currency?
‘Bring your whole self to work’?
What does the phrase mean and where does it come from?
Political symbols at work
Should we be free to wear any political symbol at work?
How many people have Britons slept with?
Professor Cath Mercer on asking people about their sexual histories
Counting sexual partners
Does your sexual history matter, and is it relevant whether you’re a man or a woman?
What is ‘JewFace’?
Professor Bryan Cheyette on the history of the portrayal of Jewish characters
Jewish actors for Jewish roles?
The debate about whether Jewish characters should always be played by Jewish actors.
Defining “racism”
Monica Moreno-Figueroa from the University of Cambridge on the history of the word.
Can white people be victims of racism?
The argument about prejudice, power, and the disputed idea of “reverse racism”.
Traffic control measures and “The Great Reset”
BBC Climate Disinformation Reporter Marco Silva explains the link.
What is ‘queering’ a museum collection?
Josh Adair from Murray State University explains what’s meant by the term ‘queering’.
'Queering' museums
The debate sparked by reviewing historic collections through a queer or LGBT lens.
How can we measure the country’s mental health?
Ann John from Swansea University digs into the stats on mental illness
Hard work and mental health
Is better awareness of mental illness a good thing - or encouraging people out of work?
What is ‘woke’ capitalism?
A recent history of companies getting involved in social and political issues.
'Woke' capitalism
Should companies weigh-in on sensitive social issues?
What is “the patriarchy”?
Where does the term “patriarchy” come from and what does it mean?
Barbie and the patriarchy
What is 'the patriarchy' and does it still exist in the UK today?
Cultural appropriation and Afro wigs
Abba fans were asked not to wear Afro wigs over claims they are 'culturally insensitive'.
Covid vaccines and misinformation
An MP's speech about Covid vaccines was removed from YouTube for alleged misinformation.
Sex education and schools
Some school pupils are learning about pleasure, and parents think it’s too explicit.
Blasphemy laws and free speech
How do you balance respect for religion with free speech?
Body positivity and fat
The body positivity movement is accused of promoting obesity.
Asylum seekers and the far right
Protestors about asylum seekers in hotels have been called 'far right'.
15-minute Cities and Freedom
How talk of traffic restrictions in Oxford became a heated debate about freedom.
Delilah and cancelling songs
Calls for rugby fans to stop singing Delilah.
Trans women and prisons
The row over a trans woman convicted of rape sent to a women's prison in Scotland.
Neurodiversity and autism
What is neurodiversity, and how has it changed the way we talk about autism?
Brit Awards and gender
Is the music industry ready for gender neutrality?
Harry and Meghan
Prince Harry's autobiography is dividing the nation.
Milk and protestors
Direct action against dairies, animal cruelty and the climate crisis.
'Woke' police
The criticism of dancing police officers and rainbow police cars.
Trigger warnings
'Upsetting content' warnings at universities: a harmless courtesy or oversensitivity?
Fast fashion and class
The argument about whether shopping 'sustainably' is a privilege not everyone can afford.
Online justice and rape
Rape allegations about a footballer have led to debate online and protests in real life.
Drag queens and libraries
The row over drag queens reading stories to children.
Race and representation
Are ethnic minorities fairly represented in public life?
Gaslighting and relationships
Love Island has sparked debate about gaslighting and narcissism.
Free speech and online harm
Fears that clamping down on online harm means censorship.
Cars and the climate
The battle between gas-guzzlers and environmentalists.
White privilege and schools
How the concept of white privilege is being taught in schools.
Trans rights and free speech
Why is the conversation about trans rights and women's rights so toxic?
Introducing AntiSocial
Where there are angry-face emojis, AntiSocial brings understanding.