This album Investigates recent debates in sociology, cultural theory and psychoanalysis, and explores the nature of social identity, ‘socialisation’, subjectivity and personhood. The case studies explore the value and relevance of different theoretical frameworks for understanding identity by applying the main concepts in real situations. The material is taken from The Open University course D853 Identity in question.

The COVID-19 pandemic led to an increased focus on the value of participating in nature. This article explores how outdoor spaces can improve our mental health.

Donatien Alphonse François, better known as The Marquis de Sade, is infamous throughout literature and popular culture for a life and body of work that pushed boundaries. Literally synonymous with sexual and violent excess, his reputation as a writer is often clouded by the extreme nature of his work. In a series of lively and engaging discussions, Alex Barber, Angelica Goodden and Timo Airaksinen re-assess both the man and his writing in social, historical and literary contexts, providing an insight into an often-misunderstood figure with much to say about the culture that produced him. This material forms part of The Open University course A207 From Enlightenment to Romanticism c.1780-1830.

The nature of royal weddings as very public declarations of love can cause us to reflect on love and partnership – and on 29th April 2011 when Prince William and Kate Middleton tied the knot, the royal couple took a vow that declared a commitment to love and cherish ‘til death do us part’. But what is ‘love’? What is it that makes us fall in love with someone and can we put a meaning on it? We’ve all experienced love, whether it is a friend, partner, family member, or a pet – but these are all very different kinds of love. So how do we define love when it encompasses such a variety of emotions? Carolyn Price, senior lecturer in Philosophy, and Timothy Chappell, director of the Ethics Centre, at The Open University, discuss the nature of love, from love as a function, to ‘the Doppelganger problem’ – should we also love another person with the same traits and qualities as the person we already love? Finally, the notion of love as a duty within marriage is explored.

What is biodiversity and why does it matter? How can everyday observations and online databases help to increase our knowledge about the diversity of species? On this album, Jonathan Silvertown, Professor of Ecology at The Open University, presents a guided tour of iSpot, a nature website that gives anybody and everybody a chance to share their observations and learn more about wildlife. In the audio track, Professor Silvertown describes his work in South Africa, protecting the delicate ecosystem of a unique heath-land habitat called 'fynbos'.

What is ecological restoration? How will it change lives in the developing world? Leading Open University academics Joe Smith and Vince Gauci introduce this three part film ‘Hope in a Changing Climate’ which focuses on restoration projects in China, Ethiopia and Rwanda. Local villagers work together to rebuild the ecosystem which in turn has restored their environment. By changing their farming practices and re-vegetating these barren lands farmers are significantly improving their way of life. Additional video tracks include interviews with Rwandan president H.E. Paul Kagame and the Wang Family, a success story from China's Loess Plateau.

Hope in a Changing Climate, is a new documentary co-produced by The Open University and EEMP for BBC World, with support from the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), The Open University, The Rockefeller Foundation, and the Syngenta Foundation for Sustainable Agriculture and The World Bank.

Ensuring outside areas have a good variety of plants and wildlife is crucial for ecosystems to thrive.

Ann Storr explores simple options to tackle food waste.

Jo Hand explores carbon footprints and how we can all make an environmental impact.