Does volunteering make young people more likely to vote?
Can volunteering as a teenager increase young people's engagement with politics?
Podcasts
Interviews with researchers and experts on findings and policy issues.
Some of our podcasts are short introductions to a topic, whilst others are more in-depth conversations. If you have a question about what you hear please do get in touch.
If you would like to feature in a podcast please contact our Communications team.
Public health and the COVID-19 pandemic
In the third episode of our new podcast series, we take a look at the health impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Universal Credit: How is it faring as a benefit system?
With the topic area of income and expenditure for the second episode in our new podcast series, we take a look at Universal Credit – how it’s designed, how it compares to the old benefits legacy system and the effects it has on people’s lives.
Who carried the work burden during COVID-19?
In the first episode of our new podcast series, we look at employment and the experience of working-class women during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Data linkage and sharing
In this podcast recorded at the ESRA conference Annette Jäckle, Florian Keusch and Emanuela Sala talk about asking respondents to do more than answer survey questions.
Our health and the environment we live in
The impact of deprivation on chronic stress markers and physical health.
The impact of working hours and job security on long term health
This episode explores how our jobs and job security affect our health and well-being. Our host Emma Houlton introduces us to two interviews, with Professor Tarani Chandola (University of Manchester) on the relationship between working hours and work-life balance and our health, and with Dr Claire Niedzwiedz (University of Glasgow) on the relationship between financial security and physical health.
Gender Equality – the pay gap and beyond
In this podcast we're talking to the four panellists from our Insights launch. Fran Bennett, Monica Costa Dias, Sam Smethers and Helen Wright explore research findings and ideas surrounding the gender pay gap in the UK and what can be done to close it.
Biomarkers and genetic data
Professors Michaela Benzeval and Meena Kumari give a short introduction to the Understanding Society biomarker and genetic data.
White flight and the rise of UKIP
Professor Eric Kaufman from Birkbeck College, University of London, discusses his research making use of the BHPS and Understanding Society to look at White Flight and discusses what his findings tell us about the apparent rise of UKIP.
Poverty triggers and household change
Professor Nick Buck, former Director of Understanding Society, discusses two pieces of research using the study to look at movements in and out of poverty and household change.
Can video gaming be good for young people?
Dr Andrew Przybylski from the Oxford Internet Institute talks about research on the effects of video gaming on children’s behaviour and development.
Beyond Greenspace: the links between nature, health & well-being
Dr Ben Wheeler from the European Centre for Environment and Human Health, part of the University of Exeter Medical School talks about the Beyond Greenspace research project, which is looking to develop a better understanding of the relationships between nature, health and wellbeing.
Being green – what we think and do when it comes to the environment
Professor Peter Lynn from the Institute for Social and Economic Research at the University of Essex talks about early findings from the ESRC funded project, The distribution and dynamics of UK citizens’ environmental attitudes, behaviours and actions.
Being a dad in 21st century Britain
Eloise Poole from NatCen talks about findings from the ESRC-funded study Fathers, work and families in twenty-first century Britain, which uses Understanding Society to explore fathers' role as breadwinners and parents in the UK and Europe.
Getting online – are older people included?
Are older people getting online and are they included? Age UK researcher Marcus Green looks at the evidence.
Does how we live influence how we sleep?
Dr Graham Law from the University of Leeds talks about new research published in the Open Journal of Epidemiology which uses Understanding Society to examine the links between the composition of households and how well and how long we sleep.
Living with sight loss
NatCen analyst Chris Lord explains the benefits of utilising Understanding Society in third sector research projects such as this project by the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB).
Balancing the books: managing financial wellbeing in later life
David Hayes from the Personal Research Finance Centre at the University of Bristol talks about a joint programme of research with the International Longevity Centre UK which uses Understanding Society to look at the financial wellbeing of people in later life.
Predictors of wellbeing
Jenny Chanfreau from NatCen discusses research undertaken for the Department of Health on predictors of well-being.
Life satisfaction and ethnicity
Dr Gundi Knies talks about new research exploring the links between ethnicity, neighbourhoods and life satisfaction.
Sexual orientation and poverty
Dr Noah Uhrig discusses ground-breaking new research commissioned by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation exploring the links between sexual orientation and poverty.
Just how much is a university degree worth?
Professor Adeline Delavande talks about research which uses the Understanding Society Innovation Panel to examine the perceptions of parents and children of the financial value of gaining a degree.
What makes a boomeranger? Moving back in with mum and dad
Anne Berrington talks about what makes young adults return to live with their parents.
Why sample size matters
Dr Olena Kaminska talks about why sample size matters when researching hard to reach sub-sections of the population and why Understanding Society offers not just great data but some innovative and original opportunities to research previously ignored groups.