Society & Culture Episodes

Janet Ellis, the Blue Peter presenter, actress, novelist and new President of Humanists UK, talks to James Hodgson about how she came to humanism, why she finds real comfort in the fact that life is finite, and how to find joy without guilt in anxious times. She discusses her Humanists UK film All We Have Is Each Other, grief after losing her husband, whether Blue Peter was quietly humanist, talking to children about belief without indoctrination, the joy of writing, assisted dying, and why more humanists should say so openly.

Quickfire interviews from day one in Ottawa, with humanist leaders from Luxembourg, the US, Lithuania, Norway and Humanists International.

The American Humanist Association's Shay Leonia on discovering humanism through a job posting, learning out loud, and meeting people where they are.

Survivor and campaigner Rachael Reign on life inside a high-control group, how she got out, and why UK coercive control law needs to reach beyond the home.

"Inclusion isn’t about ticking boxes. It’s about creating a space where people feel safe enough to stay." - JC Candanedo Artist, activist, and humanist JC Candanedo shares his journey from a Catholic school in Panama to the art studios of London. His work weaves together identity, displacement, and community action, exploring how creativity can challenge injustice and build inclusive, compassionate societies. In this episode, JC reflects on growing up atheist in a deeply religious cult...

“Transcendence is the connection with something wider; the world, the cosmos, nature, other fellow human beings, and doing good in this life.” — Dr Lindsay de Wal

When Dr Lindsay de Wal became the first non-religious head of chaplaincy in the NHS, she redefined what spiritual support can look like in modern healthcare. From sceptical colleagues to international media headlines, her appointment marked a turning point for inclusive pastoral care. In this personal conversation, Lindsay shares how she built a humanist framework for care grounded in deep listening, horizontal transcendence and unwavering compassion.

“The highest value, the most precious value we have is not peace—it’s freedom.” — Michael Bauer This week on Humanism Now, we’re joined by Michael Bauer, CEO of Germany’s Humanistische Vereinigung—a 175-year-old humanist organisation offering professional community services without religion, grounded in ethics, dignity, and freedom. From ceremony to solidarity, Bauer shows how organised humanism is more than a philosophy—it’s a movement of services, institutions, and action. Dis...

“If we focus so much on the 5% that divides us, we miss the 95% we already share.” — Alan Palmer Alan Palmer is the former Chair of Central London Humanists, a trustee of Humanists UK, and a long-time NHS Trust Director. With over 17 years of experience in grassroots organising, Alan shares how London’s most active humanist group grew from pub chats to public campaigns, and how dialogue, ethics, and diversity remain central to its mission. In This Episode How Central London Humanists became ...

"It's difficult to think of an area of work life that isn't connected to humanistic thought. If you start with ideas around the dignity of each human, compassion, kindness, ambitions, ways to behave, being evidence-based and being equitable, fair and not biased wherever possible, you start to understand that those are the foundational concepts of humanism" - Paul Harrison, Humanists in Business Network

This week on Humanism Now, new panellist Christian joins AJ to discuss activism and campaigni...

Roslyn Mould of Humanists International on growing up non-religious in Ghana, freedom of belief and human rights across Africa, plus James and AJ on why start a humanism podcast now.