Thinking Allowed
BBC Radio 4New research on how society works
| Publishes | Weekly | Episodes | 579 | Founded | 19 years ago |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number of Listeners | Categories | Society & CultureScience | |||
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Latest Episodes
What does an 18-month study of residents on a housing estate in southern England tell us about living with debt? Laurie Taylor talks to Ryan Davey from Cardiff University about his new book The Personal Life of Debt - Coercion, Subjectivity and Inequ... more
What can the worlds of mountaineering and endurance running reveal about changing ideas of freedom, identity and the body? Laurie Taylor talks to Sarah Lonsdale, Senior Lecturer in Journalism at City, University of London, about her new book Wildly D... more
What explains the apparent decline of grand theory in sociology, and what does this shift mean for the discipline today? Laurie Taylor asks whether sociologists are now less inclined to engage with large, overarching theoretical frameworks, and explo... more
What do we learn when a city’s future is defined not by rapid change, but by who leaves and who stays? Laurie Taylor looks at two neighbourhoods in different countries, during different periods in history and explores the human cost of gentrification... more
Key Facts
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Reviews
- Thinking Not Allowed
Interesting topics but always one sided views.
Apple Podcasts2SamMahony
United Statesa year ago - Trips down memory lane
Always love Laurie’s anecdotes about his childhood,teens & as a YP re food,going to a dance,hanging out in a coffee bar,music!!!
Apple Podcasts5jaxvarese
United Kingdoma year ago A sad decline
I used to really enjoy this podcast. However, it's become more and more lightweight. The depressingly trivial, lazy and one-sided last straw was the episode on capitalism.
Podcast Addict22 years agoCeriseThe absolute state of the political bias from recent contributors. I remember this programme being an excellent contribution to the Western canon, however that time has long since pasted.
Podcast Addict12 years ago64bitAtheist- The art of intellectual conversation
You got to hand it to old BBC radio heads like Laurie — they’ve perfected the form back then and continue to do so in the digital era. Thoughtful conversation without gimmicks, which respects the audience’s intelligence. Moreover Thinking Allowed truly embodies the spirit of old sociology, which not for nothing they used to call the queen of the social sciences. There is no such thing, then, as a bad topic of conversation when it is animated by a sociological imagination and inquiry into the ori... more
Apple Podcasts5pvk prasad
India2 years ago
Listeners Say
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Chart Rankings
How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.
Apple Podcasts | #122 |  South Africa/Society & Culture |
Apple Podcasts | #184 |  Finland/Society & Culture |
Apple Podcasts | #186 |  Argentina/Society & Culture |
Apple Podcasts | #248 |  Netherlands/Society & Culture |
Talking Points
Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.
Audience Metrics
Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Thinking Allowed
What is Thinking Allowed about and what kind of topics does it cover?
Thoughtful, long-form conversations on how society works, drawing on sociology, politics, history, and culture. Episodes spotlight researchers and thinkers who unpack complex topics—debt, wealth inequality, urban change, death, media, and state power—through expert interviews and case studies. A notable strength is the habit of weaving rigorous scholarly analysis with accessible storytelling, often linking theory to everyday life. Listeners can expect in-depth, reflective discussions that reward careful listening, with occasional critiques about pacing or balance across viewpoints.
Where can I find podcast stats for Thinking Allowed?
Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for Thinking Allowed. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to Thinking Allowed and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.
How many listeners does Thinking Allowed get?
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What are the audience demographics for Thinking Allowed?
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How many subscribers and views does Thinking Allowed have?
To see how many followers or subscribers Thinking Allowed has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.
Which podcasts are similar to Thinking Allowed?
These podcasts share a similar audience with Thinking Allowed:
1. In Our Time
2. Start the Week
3. More or Less
4. Arts & Ideas
5. Great Lives
How many episodes of Thinking Allowed are there?
Thinking Allowed launched 19 years ago and published 579 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.
How do I contact Thinking Allowed?
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Where can I see ratings and reviews for Thinking Allowed?
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How do I access podcast episode transcripts for Thinking Allowed?
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What guests have appeared on Thinking Allowed?
Recent guests on Thinking Allowed include:
1. Ryan Davey
2. Sarah Kerr
3. Carl Morris
4. Sarah Lonsdale
5. Imogen Tyler
6. Les Back
7. Matt Houlbrook
8. Sharon Cornelissen
To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.