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Edgy Ideas

Edgy Ideas

De: Simon Western
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Welcome to Edgy Ideas, where we explore what it means to live a ‘good life’ and build the ‘good society’ in our disruptive age.

This podcast explores our human dynamics in today's networked society. Addressing topical themes, we explore how social change, technology and environmental issues impact on how we live, and who we are - personally and collectively. Edgy Ideas podcast aims to re-insert the human spirit, good faith, ethics and beauty back into the picture, offering new perspectives and psycho-social insights. We pay particular attention to how the ‘unconscious that speaks through us’, entrapping us in repetitive patterns and shaping our desires. Each podcast concludes by contemplating what it means to live a ‘good life’ and create the ‘good society’. Enjoy!

Edgy Ideas is sponsored by the Eco-Leadership Institute

A radical think tank and developmental hub for leaders, coaches and change agents.

Join our community of practice and work live with many of our podcast guests

Discover more here: https://ecoleadershipinstitute.org
Contact simon@ecoleadershipinstitute.org

Simon Western Ciencias Sociales Economía Gestión Gestión y Liderazgo Higiene y Vida Saludable
Episodios
  • 95: The Leadership of Pope Francis

    95: The Leadership of Pope Francis
    Jul 9 2025
    Show Notes
    In this episode of Edgy Ideas, Simon Western is joined by Fr. David McCallum, a Jesuit priest and Executive Director of the Program for Discerning Leadership. Together, they explore the unique leadership style of Pope Francis and what it means for the future of the Catholic Church - and humanity at large.
    The conversation unfolds around the radical shift Pope Francis has led, prioritizing humility, listening, and symbolic action over institutional command. Fr. David shares moving anecdotes from his encounters with the Pope, offering insight into how leadership rooted in deep presence and discernment can inspire systemic change. They reflect on synodality as a leadership practice - a process rooted in dialogue, participation, and inclusion - and the ways it reorients traditional hierarchies toward relational and collective discernment.
    They discuss how change often emerges from the margins rather than the center, and how Pope Francis embraced paradox and complexity rather than rushing to resolve it. In a world increasingly polarized, this leadership invites us to see difference as generative and to engage across divides with empathy and courage.
    Looking ahead, the conversation calls on leaders across sectors to let go of rigid structures and embrace more inclusive, compassionate and participatory ways of leading. Through stories, reflection, and critical insight, this episode challenges the dominant narratives of leadership and offers a deeply human alternative.

    Key Reflections
    • Leadership is a relational and spiritual practice, not a role tied to status or control.
    • Navigating polarity and difference is essential in an increasingly divided world.
    • The Church’s transformation under Pope Francis offers broader insights into how leaders can hold space for complexity.
    • Leadership rooted in presence, encounter, and discernment can offer healing and direction in times of global uncertainty.
    • Every meaningful interaction has the potential to be a transformative leadership act.

    Keywords
    Pope Francis, Jesuit leadership, synodality, listening, symbolic action, humility, Catholic Church, polarity, discernment, relational leadership, spiritual leadership, inclusion, soul at work

    Brief Bio
    Fr. David McCallum, S.J., Ed.D, is a Jesuit priest from the USA who serves as the founding Executive Director of the Program for Discerning Leadership, a special initiative of the Society of Jesus headquartered in Rome. The Program provides leadership formation and organizational development support for senior Vatican officials and major superiors of religious orders headquartered in Rome and internationally. From 2021-2024, Fr. McCallum has worked with the Secretariat for the Synod of Bishops on the Commission on Methodology, as a member of the international group that developed the synthesis of the National and Regional Bishop’s Conferences reports at Frascati, and as a facilitator expert at the Synods in October 2023 and 2024. Formerly, Fr. McCallum served as faculty member and then the Dean of the Madden School of Business and as the VP of Mission Integration and Development at Le Moyne College in Syracuse, NY. His doctoral research at Teachers College, Columbia University, focused on the implications of developmental diversity in meeting the leadership challenges of conflict, complexity, and ambiguity.
    Más Menos
    38 m
  • 94: Building Civil Society: Reflections from a Lebanese Activist

    94: Building Civil Society: Reflections from a Lebanese Activist
    May 30 2025
    Show Notes
    In this episode, Simon Western speaks with Lebanese scholar and activist Karim Safieddine. Together, they discuss the vibrant and volatile political landscape of Lebanon, exploring how social movements, intellectual traditions, and grassroots activism collide and coalesce in the streets of Beirut. Karim shares his personal story of growing up amidst conflict, complexity, and contradiction, offering a lens into how identity is formed in a fractured society and how hope emerges through resistance.
    They explore themes of secularism, anti-establishment politics, and the evolving role of intellectuals in social change. The conversation touches deeply on what it means to live a good life and how ordinary people - through organising, dissent, and imagination - shape the possibility of a good civile society.
    Key Reflections
    · Elites often suppress transformative movements; activism persists through localised, organic mobilisation.
    · Intellectuals must step beyond theory and engage meaningfully with activist work.
    · A good life is not about material excess but about meaningful relationships, creativity, and communal survival.
    · Resistance is necessary for vitality; dissent keeps societies alive and evolving.
    · Bridging academia and activism is essential for sustainable change.
    · Empowering local voices and grassroots movements is crucial to Lebanon’s future.

    Keywords
    social movements, political sociology, secularism, identity, intellectuals, activism, anti-establishment, cosmopolitanism
    Brief Bio
    Karim Safieddine is a PhD student in Sociology at the University of Pittsburgh whose work explores the intersection of social movements, intellectual history, and political power in Lebanon. With a particular focus on the Lebanese Left, Karim investigates how oppositional movements both contest and reproduce dominant ideological frameworks and structures of authority from the late 20th century to the present.
    Rooted in a Gramscian tradition yet open to diverse theoretical tools, his research engages with questions of leadership, resistance, and hegemony. His work bridges political sociology and historical analysis, offering critical insights into how movements emerge, evolve, and navigate Lebanon's sectarian and neoliberal political terrain.
    Karim holds an MSc in Comparative Politics from the London School of Economics (2020) and a BA in Economics from the American University of Beirut (2019). His academic interests include political and historical sociology, social movements, and the role of intellectuals in shaping public discourse.
    Más Menos
    38 m
  • 93: Living Through Conflict: Insights from Ukraine

    93: Living Through Conflict: Insights from Ukraine
    May 1 2025
    Show Notes
    In this compelling and deeply human episode, Simon speaks with Daria (Dasha) Kuznetsova, a Ukrainian humanitarian professional working amidst the war in Ukraine.
    Daria brings a grounded yet emotionally resonant perspective on what it means to live in a war zone - not just physically, but psychologically and spiritually. She discusses how individuals and communities survive amidst collapse, and what it takes to begin imagining a future beyond trauma.
    Simon and Daria discuss themes of self-awareness, trauma recovery, and the embodied experience of conflict. Daria shares how the first years of war were marked by survival, scarcity of time, and emotional suppression, and how she has come to understand the necessity of listening to the body, building emotional resilience, and holding space for others.
    The conversation moves from personal coping mechanisms to wider systemic reflections - offering a rare insight into how community support and relational containment become lifelines in the face of collective breakdown. This episode invites us to consider how diversity, freedom, and emotional truth-telling are vital elements in rebuilding not just Ukraine, but any society fractured by violence or division.
    This episode will speak to leaders, coaches, and listeners who are drawn to the depths of human experience, particularly when systems are under strain. It also speaks to the power of Eco-Leadership, where relationality, resilience, and emotional intelligence create the conditions for regenerative futures.

    Key Reflections
    • War reshapes both the physical environment and the emotional lives of those affected.
    • Developing self-awareness is essential for navigating the psychological strain of conflict.
    • Small, everyday actions can provide stability and a sense of control in times of crisis.
    • The body often holds trauma that the mind cannot yet process or articulate.
    • Strong community connections are vital for emotional and practical survival during war.
    • Rebuilding society requires a foundation of safety, freedom of expression, and inclusion.
    • Honest conversations about pain and recovery are the first steps toward collective healing.
    Keywords
    humanitarian aid, war experiences, emotional resilience, community support, trauma recovery, self-awareness, coping mechanisms, rebuilding society, relational depth, Eco-Leadership

    Brief Bio
    Daria Kuznetsova is a humanitarian and recovery professional with over a decade of experience leading multisectoral and multipartner portfolios in Ukraine. Her work spans international humanitarian principles, large-scale project management, and strategic partnership development, guided by results-driven leadership approaches.
    Following the full-scale invasion, Daria played a key role in scaling up humanitarian efforts, managing projects funded by the EU, FCDO, USAID, SDC, BMZ, and other major donors. She currently expands her expertise into the areas of Partnership and Localization, overseeing a portfolio of more than 100 partnerships.
    Her current focus is on strategic development, mentoring, and fostering impactful, sustainable change within organizations and communities.
    Más Menos
    33 m
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