Introducing The History of The Future

Can we be better digital citizens? In the concluding episode, we reflect on a theme that emerges throughout the series: the power of the individual. We return to our conversation with Sophia Smith Galer to discuss accountability and digital footprints. We learn about the confidence mindset with Ian Robertson. And finally, we talk about the importance of engaging critically with media and technology with Jennifer Edmond.

How do you future-proof freedom of speech? In this episode, Karlin Lillington helps us to navigate the changing digital environment shaping freedom of expression since the early days of the internet. We find out more about the origins, evolution, and practices of cancel culture with Eve Ng and we discuss the dangers of selective application of the principle of Free Speech with Jacob Mchangama.

Does the age of identity mean the end of community? In this episode, we find out about how media has shaped identities, created communities, and fractured and polarised societies in the past with Adrian Bingham. We discuss all things TikTok with Sophia Smith Galer and ask how the media can reinvent itself in a world of radical decentralisation. We talk to Leon Diop about their experience of identity and working to build community from the ground up. Adrian Bingham is Professor of Modern British History at the University of Sheffield and has written extensively on the popular press, gender and sexuality. His works include Gender, Modernity, and the Popular Press in Inter-War Britain (2004); Family Newspapers? Sex, Private Life and the British Popular Press 1918-1978 (2009); and United KIngdom (2022).

How do we find the right kind of fear? In this episode, we talk about horror stories and what we are scared of with Bernice Murphy. We discuss the effect fear has on the brain with Ian Robertson, and we examine the relationship between the media and fear with Bruce Shapiro.

How do we navigate the age of information overload? In this episode, we learn about polluted information systems, bad actors, and the importance of community with Claire Wardle. We also discuss truth and how we decide what to believe with Julian Baggini. Claire Wardle is Professor of the Practice and co-founder and director of the Information Futures Lab at Brown University. She is considered a leader in the field of misinformation, verification and user-generated content, co-authoring the foundational report, Information Disorder: An interdisciplinary Framework for Research and Policy for the Council of Europe.