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Big issues. Fresh perspectives. Open Conversations brings together researchers, experts and changemakers to explore the ideas, evidence and lived experiences behind today's biggest social challenges. From equality and democracy to...
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Big issues. Fresh perspectives. Open Conversations brings together researchers, experts and changemakers to explore the ideas, evidence and lived experiences behind today's biggest social challenges. From equality and democracy to technology, wellbeing and climate, each episode features thought-provoking conversations that connect research with the real world we live in.
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Episodes & Posts
Episodes
Posts
8 SEP 2026 · Young people are speaking up on some of the biggest issues shaping our society, from climate change and housing to equality and social justice. But when it comes to formal politics and decision-making, are young people's voices really being heard?
In this episode of Open Conversations, Dr Karen Bowen is joined by Dr Donna Smith, a researcher in political engagement and citizenship, and postgraduate researcher Helen Stonelake to explore youth voice, activism, citizenship and representation.
Together, they discuss how young people are engaging with politics and civic life, why traditional political systems can leave them feeling excluded, and the growing role of social media, campaigning and issue-based activism. They also explore barriers to political participation, political education, voting at 16 and what institutions can do to give young people a meaningful voice rather than simply a seat at the table.
What needs to change to ensure young people aren't just seen as citizens of the future, but as citizens with the power to make change today?
🎓 OU Modules and Qualifications:
Supporting children and young people's wellbeing (KE207):
https://www.open.ac.uk/courses/modules/ke207/
Global challenges: social science in action (DD113):
https://www.open.ac.uk/courses/modules/d113/
📚 Resources:
The OpenLearn free short course ‘An introduction to making political and social change’:
https://www.open.edu/openlearn/society-politics-law/introduction-making-political-and-social-change/content-section-0?active-tab=description-tab
The Changemakers website – for young people living in Wales who want to make change in Wales, the UK and globally:
English: https://changemakers.wales/en/
Welsh: https://changemakers.wales/en/
PolicyWISE ‘Wise in Five’ briefing on whether the voting age should be lowered to 16:
https://www.policywise.org.uk/sites/www.policywise.org.uk/files/Wise_In_Five_voting%20age_2.pdf
Engaging the disengaged: a guide for policymakers and campaigners. This toolkit provides practical insights for policymakers and campaigners on methods to engage disengaged groups:
https://fass.open.ac.uk/sites/fass.open.ac.uk/files/files/politics/Engaging-the-disengaged-V8.pdf
Changemakers project page:
https://fass.open.ac.uk/research/projects/changemakers
⏱️ Chapters:
00:00 Why Youth Voice Matters
01:33 How Young People Engage With Politics
04:37 Youth Activism and Social Media
07:53 What Stops Young People Getting Involved?
09:18 Young People in Politics
11:31 When Youth Voice Becomes Tokenistic
12:35 How to Include Young People Meaningfully
14:08 Barriers to Political Participation
16:05 Young People as Citizens Today
18:20 Whose Voices Actually Get Heard?
20:33 Should Politics Be Taught in Schools?
22:25 Youth Representation in the UK
24:01 How Institutions Can Empower Young People
26:16 What Gives Us Hope for the Future?
1 SEP 2026 · What does equality really mean in practice? In this episode of Open Conversations, Open University experts explore equality, social justice, intersectionality and lived experience – and why equality on paper doesn’t always mean equality in real life.
Professor Caroline Derry, an expert in criminal justice, law and gender, and social scientist Manik Gopinath, whose research focuses on structural inequality, diversity and co-production, join host Dr Karen Bowen to explore what needs to change to create a fairer society.
Drawing on research, policy and lived experience, they discuss the difference between formal and substantive equality, how overlapping inequalities can shape people’s experiences, and why treating everyone the same doesn’t necessarily lead to equal outcomes.
The conversation explores how lived experience and activism can expose systemic inequalities and help drive legal and policy reform, including examples from sexual offences law, Grenfell and Awaab’s Law. They also consider the limits of current legal systems, the challenges of turning policy into meaningful change, and how emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence could reinforce existing inequalities and bias.
🎙️ Guests
Professor Caroline Derry – Expert in criminal justice, law and gender, drawing on feminist legal theory.
Manik Gopinath – Social scientist researching structural inequality, diversity and co-production, with a particular focus on older people and minority ethnic communities.
Host: Dr Karen Bowen
⏱️ Chapters
00:00 What does “equal means equal” really mean?
01:34 Formal equality vs real-world equality
05:01 Equality, fairness and lived experience
07:09 When equal laws create unequal outcomes
11:18 Why lived experience matters
13:06 How activism can drive change
15:10 When law and activism collide
18:49 Why change and legal reform take time
20:31 Equality, activism and political backlash
21:24 Is the legal system equipped for inequality?
23:51 Could AI reinforce existing inequalities?
25:47 Emerging threats to equality
27:35 What would create genuine equality?
29:59 Final thoughts
🔗 Explore more
What Is Law?
https://www.open.edu/openlearn/society-politics-law/law/what-law
Myths in Law
https://www.open.edu/openlearn/society-politics-law/myths-law/content-section-0?active-tab=description-tab
Most judges are old white men
https://www.open.edu/openlearn/society-politics-law/myths-law/content-section-4
🎓 Study with The Open University
Business and law – Access module:
https://www.open.ac.uk/courses/modules/y035/
Bachelor of Laws (Honours):
https://www.open.ac.uk/courses/law/degrees/bachelor-of-laws-llb-r81/
Master of Laws:
https://www.open.ac.uk/postgraduate/qualifications/f25/
Big issues. Fresh perspectives. Open Conversations brings together researchers, experts and changemakers to explore the ideas, evidence and lived experiences behind today's biggest social challenges. From equality and democracy to technology, wellbeing and climate, each episode features thought-provoking conversations that connect research with the real world we live in.
🎧 Subscribe for more Open Conversations, or listen wherever you get your podcasts.
#Equality #SocialJustice #Intersectionality
Big issues. Fresh perspectives. Open Conversations brings together researchers, experts and changemakers to explore the ideas, evidence and lived experiences behind today's biggest social challenges. From equality and democracy to...
show more
Big issues. Fresh perspectives. Open Conversations brings together researchers, experts and changemakers to explore the ideas, evidence and lived experiences behind today's biggest social challenges. From equality and democracy to technology, wellbeing and climate, each episode features thought-provoking conversations that connect research with the real world we live in.
show less
Information
| Author | The Open University |
| Organization | The Open University |
| Categories | Education |
| Website | - |
| lucy.gilbert@open.ac.uk |
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