Thinking Allowed is BBC Radio 4's weekly focus on the social sciences in partnership with The Open University.
Here, we bring you exclusive content from The Open University's academic experts responding to the subjects Laurie Taylor and his guests explore, as well as links to teaching materials such as the Open University module, Introducing The Social Sciences.
You may also like to try one of our FREE courses we have compiled to complement the programme.
See below for more information about each episode and exclusive content produced by our academics on a range of subjects. You may also like to watch these exclusive videos with presenter Laurie Taylor on all things to do with social sciences.
We also host Society Matters, a blog that seeks to inform, stimulate and challenge your perceptions of everyday life and our changing world.
You can also get involved with the topics discussed on the programme every week by visiting the The Open University - Social Science's Facebook page and participating in the Friday Thinker posts.
You may be interested in taking it further with The Open University by seeing what courses and modules we have to offer.
Thinking Allowed is on BBC Radio 4 on Wednesdays at 4.00pm and repeated on Monday mornings at 12.15am. Full broadcast details, and listen again links, can be found on bbc.co.uk
Current episodes
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Thinking Allowed: Factory music and volunteering post-recession
On this week's programme, Laurie Taylor and guests discuss pop music in worker's culture and how the 2008 recession affected voluntary work.
Read nowThinking Allowed: Factory music and volunteering post-recessionLevel: 1 Introductory
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Thinking Allowed: White working class boys and French thought
This episode of Thinking Allowed looks at British boys' underachievement in education and French intellectuals.
Read nowThinking Allowed: White working class boys and French thoughtLevel: 1 Introductory
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Thinking Allowed: The 'Precariat' and humour in sociology
On this episode of Thinking Allowed, Laurie Taylor and guests dicuss an emerging new class, the 'Precariat' and also neglecting humour in social science academia.
Read nowThinking Allowed: The 'Precariat' and humour in sociologyLevel: 1 Introductory
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Thinking Allowed: Lesbian lives in Russia and big data
On this epiosde of Radio 4's Thinking Allowed lesbian relationships in Russia in a post communist era are explored as is mass surveillance and its consequences.
Read nowThinking Allowed: Lesbian lives in Russia and big dataLevel: 1 Introductory
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Thinking Allowed: Anthropology - the future of the A-level; Crime and blame
This week's Thinking Allowed looks at the proposals to scrap Anthropology and blame in the criminal justice system.
Read nowThinking Allowed: Anthropology - the future of the A-level; Crime and blameLevel: 1 Introductory
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Thinking Allowed: Happiness industry and wellness syndrome
Laurie Taylor and guests discuss why policy makers are focused on measuring happiness in this week's Thinking Allowed.
Read nowThinking Allowed: Happiness industry and wellness syndromeLevel: 1 Introductory
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Thinking Allowed: Poverty in Britain and unemployment as a choice
Joanna Mack, Learning and Teaching producer at the Open University, joins Thinking Allowed to talk about 'Breadline Britain' and poverty.
Read nowThinking Allowed: Poverty in Britain and unemployment as a choiceLevel: 1 Introductory
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Thinking Allowed: The social history of the gym and tattoos at work
Laurie Taylor discusses the social history of the gym and prejudices against tattoos with his guests on Thinking Allowed.
Read nowThinking Allowed: The social history of the gym and tattoos at workLevel: 1 Introductory
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Thinking Allowed: Gentrification and division of domestic labour
Dr Melissa Butcher, lecturer in Human Geography at The Open University joins this episode of Thinking Allowed to discuss gentrification and its impact on the working class.
Read nowThinking Allowed: Gentrification and division of domestic labourLevel: 1 Introductory
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Thinking Allowed: Post traumatic stress; managing beds in the NHS
This week's Thinking Allowed looks at notions of male bravery and the relation to post traumatic stress, as well as bed issues within the NHS.
Read nowThinking Allowed: Post traumatic stress; managing beds in the NHSLevel: 1 Introductory
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Thinking Allowed: The Ethnography Award winner 2015
In this episode of BBC Radio 4's Thinking Allowed, Laurie Taylor announces the Ethnography award winner 2015.
Read nowThinking Allowed: The Ethnography Award winner 2015Level: 1 Introductory
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Thinking Allowed: The Ethnography Award 'Shortlist' 2015
This week's Thinking Allowed hosts a special programme dedicated to academic research in ethnography.
Read nowThinking Allowed: The Ethnography Award 'Shortlist' 2015Level: 1 Introductory
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Thinking Allowed: Free will explored
Laurie Taylor and guests delve deeper into the concept of freedom on this week's Thinking Allowed.
Read nowThinking Allowed: Free will exploredLevel: 1 Introductory
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Thinking Allowed: Citizenship ceremonies and family ties
Laurie Taylor and guests discuss studies into citizenship and the links between family ties and stories.
Read nowThinking Allowed: Citizenship ceremonies and family tiesLevel: 1 Introductory
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Thinking Allowed: Global clothing and poverty, fur inheritance in Poland
Laurie Taylor and guests discuss fast fashion and hand-me-downs regarding the links to class and poverty.
Read nowThinking Allowed: Global clothing and poverty, fur inheritance in PolandLevel: 1 Introductory
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Thinking Allowed: Hoarders and microbreweries
On this episode of Thinking Allowed Laurie Taylor hears about the sociological perspective on hoarding and microbreweries in the UK is discussed.
Read nowThinking Allowed: Hoarders and microbreweriesLevel: 1 Introductory
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Thinking Allowed: A lost avant garde and biologising parenthood
Laurie Taylor and guests discuss the exclusive nature of art and parenting being central to a child's development.
Read nowThinking Allowed: A lost avant garde and biologising parenthoodLevel: 1 Introductory
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Thinking Allowed: Commercial surrogacy in India and money
Reproductive tourism and being unable to keep up with the transformation in money across the world is spoken about on this week's Thinking Allowed.
Read nowThinking Allowed: Commercial surrogacy in India and moneyLevel: 1 Introductory
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Thinking Allowed: Migration to London and South Africa
This week's Thinking Allowed features The Open University's Dr Daniel Conway and looks at migration in contrasting contexts
Read nowThinking Allowed: Migration to London and South AfricaLevel: 1 Introductory
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Thinking Allowed: Conservatism and emotional labour in a care home
This week's Thinking Allowed focuses on the intellectual roots of Conservatism and also the emotional labour of care workers in a private residential care home.
Read nowThinking Allowed: Conservatism and emotional labour in a care homeLevel: 1 Introductory
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Thinking Allowed: The Harvard Business School and the cultural history of pain
This week's Thinking Allowed focuses on the complex moral world of Harvard Business School and the cultural history of pain.
Read nowThinking Allowed: The Harvard Business School and the cultural history of painLevel: 1 Introductory
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Thinking Allowed: The Muslim Brotherhood and privately educated girls
This week's Thinking Allowed focuses on an in-depth study of The Muslim Brotherhood and whether class means you'll receive an elite education as a young female.
Read nowThinking Allowed: The Muslim Brotherhood and privately educated girlsLevel: 1 Introductory
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Thinking Allowed: Migraines - social stigma and negative labels
In this week's programme guests discuss cultural beliefs towards migraines and gender, a study on marginalised young men and women is also reviewed.
Read nowThinking Allowed: Migraines - social stigma and negative labelsLevel: 1 Introductory
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Thinking Allowed: Dissident Irish Republicans and Ulrich Beck
On this week's Thinking Allowed, guests discuss whether the upsurge in dissident Republican violence is explained by the history of splits within the movement.
Read nowThinking Allowed: Dissident Irish Republicans and Ulrich BeckLevel: 1 Introductory
Episodes from the last series
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Thinking Allowed episodes 2014
View the episode guides from the 2014 series of Thinking Allowed.
Read nowThinking Allowed episodes 2014
View our FREE social sciences courses
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How arguments are constructed and used in the Social Sciences
This free course will enable you to understand how arguments are constructed and used in the Social Sciences. Using extracts from a Radio 4 broadcast, you will look at the different viewpoints that are taken by the participants and analyse how the different arguments are being put together.
Learn moreHow arguments are constructed and used in the Social SciencesLevel: 2 Intermediate
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Social construction and social constructionism
Within the field of social sciences the terms 'social construction' and 'social constructionism' are frequently used, particularly in relation to social policy. This free course, Social construction and social constructionism, will enable you to achieve a greater definition and understanding of these terms.
Learn moreSocial construction and social constructionismLevel: 2 Intermediate
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Living and working in the new economy
The new 'service economy': is it a direct result of globalisation? This free course, Living and working in the new economy, examines the switch from manufacturing to services and looks at the impact of information and communication technologies on the economy as a whole. The 'new economy' has many benefits, but at what cost?
Learn moreLiving and working in the new economyLevel: 2 Intermediate
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Engendering citizenship
How do you create citizenship? How do you feel you belong? This free course, Engendering citizenship, examines social citizenship. With particular reference to women and disabled people, you will look at the rights and obligations that develop within society to link people together.
Learn moreEngendering citizenshipLevel: 2 Intermediate
Want to take it further with The Open University?
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BA (Honours) Social Sciences
What causes riots? Is commercialisation eroding childhood? Does poverty lead to crime? Social science explores such questions and helps inform others – from police officers to civil servants to business executives – who want to base their decisions on the best evidence. The BA (Honours) Combined Social Science is designed to be very flexible, enabling you to develop a variety of knowledge and skills from a combination of subjects including psychology, sociology, social policy, criminology, geography, politics and economics. You can choose to follow a named specialism by concentrating on one of these areas, or create your own combination of subjects. This degree course will equip you with skills highly valued by employers, such as using IT for the retrieval and effective presentation of information and data; critical evaluation; and concise writing. You’ll have your own specialist, subject-based academic support as well as opportunities to join in online communities of other social sciences students for teaching, learning and peer support.
Learn moreBA (Honours) Social Sciences -
BA (Honours) Criminology and Law
Crime, justice and the workings of the law are matters that affect us all and often dominate the news. This degree takes a critical and analytical view of the role and functions of the legal system, and examines its relationship with criminal behaviour. You’ll explore issues such as anti-social behaviour, poverty, discrimination, hate crimes, child labour, as well as global threats from cyber-crime, terrorism and human rights violations, and their implications for justice.
Read moreBA (Honours) Criminology and Law -
BA (Honours) Politics, Philosophy and Economics
Where do social order (and disorder) come from? How can we make ourselves richer, and does society always gain? What does justice mean, how do we define our rights? Politics, philosophy and economics (PPE) – and the ideas and values that inform them – are central to how modern societies are organised and governed. This degree explores fundamental questions of power and ideology, beliefs and values, and how income and wealth are produced and distributed. As well as gaining insight into debates that dominate the daily news, you’ll learn a range of skills and techniques to help you analyse and contribute to the discussion. You’ll also gain a deeper understanding of the way arguments (and public policies) are constructed in theory and tested in practice. These analytical and critical skills are highly valued by employers in a broad range of occupations, across the private and public sectors.
Learn moreBA (Honours) Politics, Philosophy and Economics
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