Festival of Debate presents Kate Pickett: The Good Society

A fairer, healthier, more caring and sustainable society is entirely within our grasp. The new book by Kate Pickett, co-author of The Spirit Level and The Inner Level, shows us the way.

• How do we ensure that everyone has good health and receives the care they need?
• How do we provide education that allows every child to flourish?
• How do we ensure safety, justice and a sustainable environment for all?

Kate Pickett is a world-leading social scientist whose life’s work has been to identify the underlying causes of society’s most important problems – and the long-term solutions that will actually work.

In this inspiring book, she shows that to make a good society – in which everyone has what they need to be well, and everyone would be better off – we must prioritise the health, care, education and rehabilitation of those who have the least and suffer the most.

This means confronting once and for all the fundamental problems of poverty and inequality that lie behind all the others.

Drawing on over three decades of evidence, and an array of proven solutions and real-world success stories from across the globe, The Good Society cuts to the essence of the challenges we face and presents us with a practical, galvanising, perspective-shifting vision for how to tackle them.

The conversation will be hosted by philosopher and social innovator Simon Duffy.

Kate Pickett is Professor of Epidemiology at the University of York, where she leads the Public Health and Society Research Group.

Her landmark book The Spirit Level: Why Equality is Better for Everyone, co-written with Richard Wilkinson, was an international bestseller, chosen by the Guardian as one of the 100 most influential books of the century and by the New Statesman as a top ten book of the decade.

Simon Duffy is the Director of Citizen Network. His work focuses on the ideal of citizenship and how each of us can be fully equal and unique. Simon is a regular public speaker, writer and policy advisor.

6.30pm doors, 7pm start

All tickets will include one complementary drink of red wine / white wine / beer / or soft drink.

Access information: There is step-free access to the Sheffield Energy Hub from Pinstone Street. A disabled toilet is available. Please be aware that parking spots close to the venue are limited.

For more information on accessibility, please contact access@weareopus.org