The Practical Democracy Podcast. A podcast about practical change, with guests from public bodies and civil society.

Previous episodes

Episode 20: Building a better world with community-led development

Featuring Georgie Grant

Listen now

Inclusive design for me is elevating beyond that idea of technical conformance to the point where we’re creating experiences that are inclusive, in the sense of they are enjoyable to use, satisfying to use.

Leonie Watson, TetraLogical (Episode 14)

Episode 19: COVID Stressors and Political Participation

Featuring Dr Luca Bernardi

Listen now

Episode 18: Tackling unconscious bias in the geospatial sector

Featuring Julia Wagemann

Listen now

Episode 17: Does our mental health affect democratic participation? With Antonis Kousoulis

Featuring Dr Antonis Kousoulis

Listen now

One significant piece of change is that we are trying to change the relationship with our citizens: genuine citizen engagement as opposed to 'consultation'.

Carl Whistlecraft, Kirklees Council (Episode 2)

Episode 16: Transport through a gendered lens

Featuring Hirra Khan Adeogun

Listen now

Episode 15: What are TROs and why should you care?

Featuring Mark Philpotts

Traffic Regulation Orders and democracy

Listen now

How people use tech is not necessarily what you build it for – that’s not how the world works. People take things and make them their own. You really want to lean into that to make things more effective.

Dr Rebecca Rumbul, MySociety (Episode 1)

Episode 14: Accessibility By Default With Léonie Watson & Lauren LaRocca

Featuring Léonie Watson and Lauren LaRocca

What is accessibility by default? How do we go about making the internet more accessible to people with different needs? And how does it influence democracy?

Listen now

Episode 13: Democracy in a climate emergency

Featuring Myf Nixon and Siôn Williams from My Society

How are local authorities working towards their climate action plans, and how can we as citizens make sense of it and hold them accountable?

Listen now

Episode 12: Travel infrastructure for everyone

Featuring Will Norman, London's Walking & Cycling Commissioner

How do we get people out of their cars and into walking or cycling? Will Norman, London's Walking and Cycling Commissioner talks everything active travel.

Listen now

Episode 11: Young People & Local Democracy feat. Jackie Weaver

Featuring Jackie Weaver, Dr Rebecca Rumbul, Hattie Andrews

What are the barriers for young people engaging in local democracy and what are we doing about them?

Listen now

Co-creation meant that we genuinely engaged at a deep level with people in the community – to embed that ownership in the community. It also creates really exciting ideas.

Carolyn Hassan, Knowle West Media Centre (Episode 5)

Episode 10: End of Year Review

Featuring Dr Rebecca Rumbul, Dr Nicole Curato, Simon Parker

Delib rounds off Season 1 with a look back at some memorable moments from previous episodes of the Practical Democracy Podcast.

Listen now

Episode 9: Conservative Anarchism & Social Movements

Featuring Simon Parker, Director of Strategy at the London Borough of Redbridge

Simon and host Ben Fowkes discuss 'Conservative anarchism, self-organisation and the future of government'. There's also some 90s nostalgia and even a bit of singing.

Listen now

Episode 8: Resisting Change & Scrutiny

Featuring Ed Hammond from the Centre for Public Scrutiny

In this episode, Ed and host Ben Fowkes discuss scrutiny, what it actually is, how it's been affected by council culture and the coronavirus, and what the future holds.

Listen now

Episode 7: In Defence of Democracy

Featuring Dr. Roslyn Fuller, author and founder of the Solonian Democracy Institute

Dr. Roslyn Fuller is a wearer of many hats: she’s an author, a lecturer, and founder of the research group, the Solonian Democracy Institute. She’s an expert on Athenian democracy and participatory democracy, and the potential that the internet offers in combining the two.

Listen now

Episode 6: What is Tech for Good?

Featuring Bex Rae-Evans from Tech For Good Live

Bex (or Rebecca, she doesn't mind) is a service designer, serial podcaster and kitten fosterer who has dedicated her career to making tech for good. In practice, that means making things like apps and websites for charities, as well as organising events that connect third sector and tech people.

Listen now

Episode 5: Co-Creation & Accessible Arts

Featuring Carolyn Hassan, Knowle West Media Centre

Knowle West Media Centre (KWMC) is a pioneering arts charity in South Bristol. Founder Carolyn Hassan talks about about how KWMC came to be; hyperlocalism and the wider world into which it fits; and how the arts are needed for democracy to thrive.

Listen now

Episode 4: Democracy in a Time of Misery

Featuring Dr. Nicole Curato, Sociologist

Sociologist Dr. Nicole Curato chats to Delib's Ben Fowkes about her work and new book, 'Democracy in A time of Misery: From Spectacular Tragedies to Deliberative Action'.

Listen now

Episode 3: #NotWestminster Live Special Part 2

Featuring Kevin Davies, Head of Public Engagement at the National Assembly for Wales

Kevin Davies, Head of Public Engagement at the National Assembly for Wales, speaks to Delib’s Ben Fowkes when attending #NotWestminster 2020.

Listen now

Episode 2: #NotWestminster Live Special Part 1

Featuring Carl Whistlecraft from Kirklees Council, Kate Grigg from Centre for Public Scrutiny, Joe Mitchell from Democracy Club

Carl Whistlecraft from Kirklees Council, Kate Grigg from Centre for Public Scrutiny and Joe Mitchell from Democracy Club speak to Delib’s Ben Fowkes when attending #NotWestminster 2020.

Listen now

Episode 1: Participatory Budgeting & Citizens' Assemblies

Featuring Dr. Rebecca Rumbul, Head of Research at mySociety

Dr. Rebecca Rumbul, Head of Research at mySociety, speaks to Delib’s Ben Fowkes on making practical change.

Listen now

Got a suggestion for a good interviewee? Fancy making an appearance yourself? Get in touch