In this thought-provoking interview series from the RSA, Matthew Taylor, puts a range of leading thinkers on the spot - from writers to business leaders, politicians to journalists - by asking for big ideas to help build effective bridges to our new future. 

In this special festive edition, Matthew selects his favourite conversations from 2021.

Highlights include: Oliver Bullough exposes Britain’s major role in the world of corruption; Phil Tinline on why collective political nightmares can shape political horizons; Hannah Rose Woods, author of ‘Rule Nostalgia, on why yesterday’s events take a grip on today’s ambitions; Christine Emba explores how masculine attitudes to sex have shaped women’s expectations; and Sharon Blackie reveals why older woman are often the most powerful drivers of change in the world.

More about the guests from this year's episode:

Sharon Blackie is an award-winning writer, psychologist and mythologist. Her books, courses, lectures and workshops are focused on the development of the mythic imagination, and on the relevance of myth, fairy tales and folk traditions to the personal, cultural and environmental problems we face today. Her latest book is, 'Hagitude: Reimagining the Second Half of Life'. 

Oliver Bullough is the author of the financial expose Moneyland, and two celebrated books about the former Soviet Union: The Last Man in Russia and Let Our Fame Be Great. His journalism appears regularly in the Guardian, The New York Times and GQ. His latest book is Butler to the World: The book the oligarchs don’t want you to read - how Britain became the servant of tycoons, tax dodgers, kleptocrats and criminals. 

Christine Emba is a columnist for The Washington Post writing about ideas and society. Her previous posts include the Hilton Kramer Fellow in Criticism at the New Criterion and as a deputy editor at the Economist Intelligence Unit. Her latest book is Rethinking Sex: A Provocation. 

Phil Tinline works for BBC Radio; he has made and presented documentaries about how political history shapes our lives. Formerly executive producer of Radio 4’s investigative history series, Document, he has written for The Guardian, The Independent on Sunday, The Daily Telegraph, BBC History Magazine and the New Statesman. His new book is, 'The Death of Consensus: 100 Years of British Political Nightmares'. 

Hannah Rose Woods is a writer and cultural historian. She has a PhD from the University of Cambridge, where she taught modern British history, and in 2016 captained her college's team to victory on the BBC quiz show, University Challenge. She has written on history, politics and culture for the New Statesman, the Guardian, History Today, Art UK and Elle magazine. Her latest book is, "Rule, Nostalgia: A Backwards History of Britain".

A Tempo & Talker production for the RSA. 

In this time of global change, strong communities and initiatives that bring people together are more invaluable than ever before. The RSA Fellowship is a global network of problem solvers. We invite you to join our community today to stay connected, inspired and motivated in the months ahead. 

You can learn more about the Fellowship or start an application by clicking here.