True crime is a huge cultural industry, yet behind its stories lies real victims and uncomfortable ethical implications.

In this podcast, Richard Kemp speaks with Ian Cummins and Martin King, two of the authors of ‘True Crime: Key Themes and Perspectives’, about the impact true crime has on society.

They discuss Serial, the groundbreaking podcast, and how it sparked the industry anew, the media’s reaction to the Lucy Letby case, and the wider issue of using crime stories to push sales and clicks.

Ian Cummins is Senior Lecturer in the School of Health and Society at the University of Salford. Martin King is an independent scholar and author.

Find out more about the book at: https://bristoluniversitypress.co.uk/true-crime

The transcript is available here: https://www.transformingsociety.co.uk/2025/12/04/podcast-how-true-crime-stories-shape-society/

Timestamps:

00:01:55 - Why does true crime fascinate us?

00:08:27 - What is the importance of 'In Cold Blood' by Truman Capote?

00:11:14 - What effects does the interplay between fact and fiction in true crime have?

00:19:10 - What is the relationship between the Central Park Five and true crime media?

00:28:25 - What does the reverence of famous serial killers tell us about our culture's values?

00:42:59 - What ethical issues do podcasts like Serial have?

00:53:34 - What do cases like Sutcliffe tell us about our collective attitude towards violence against women?

00:57:31 - What does the media coverage of the Lucy Letby case tell us about our media landscape?

01:08:33 - Does our celebritisation of criminals pose issues, and how could we change things going forward?

Intro music:

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In this episode of the podcast, N.J. Enfield, professor of linguistics at the University of Sydney, joins George Miller to discuss 'What Is Truth For?' — a book that sees truth not as a battlefield but as a shared practice of collaboration, error correction and trust. Together they explore what it takes to keep words and reality aligned when confidence in institutions and expertise is low and misinformation rife.

N. J. Enfield is professor of linguistics at the University of Sydney.

Find out more about the book at: https://bristoluniversitypress.co.uk/trade/what-is-truth-for

The transcript is available here: https://www.transformingsociety.co.uk/2025/11/26/podcast-is-there-snow-on-mount-everest-why-truth-still-matters/

Timestamps:

01:33 - Has there been a shift in 'The Truth' over the last 20 or so years?

05:59 - Can you tell us about the 'Fighting Truth Decay' project?

09:03 - What does a linguist bring to a project like this that's different from other specialists?

13:56 - Is the truth always going to be contingent and to some degree subjective?

28:58 - What do you make of the apparent loss of credibility accorded to institutions such as universities?

33:43 - What about people who have very different belief systems from our own?

41:01 - How do you retain your optimism and what would you say to someone so that they don't themselves give up hope?

Intro music:

Cold by yoitrax | @yoitrax

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Have you ever been part of an HR investigation? Whether you were the subject, the investigator or simply an outside observer, there is growing evidence of the significant harm they can cause.

In this episode of our Transforming Business podcast series with Martin Parker, Andrew Cooper and Adrian Neal, editors of ‘Under Investigation: Transforming Disciplinary Practice in the Workplace’, discuss the issues with these processes.

They explore the impact employee investigations can have on organisational culture and show that prioritising employee wellbeing, alongside the application of these processes, is not only possible but essential.

Andrew Cooper is the Head of Programmes for Employee Wellbeing in Aneurin Bevan University Health Board in NHS Wales. Adrian Neal is the Head of Employee Wellbeing in Aneurin Bevan University Health Board in NHS Wales and a Consultant Psychologist.

Find out more about the book at: https://bristoluniversitypress.co.uk/professional-business/under-investigation

The transcript is available here: https://www.transformingsociety.co.uk/2025/11/11/podcast-when-hr-hurts-why-workplace-discipline-needs-a-rethink/

Timestamps:

1:23 - What is your book doing?

2:30 - What potential harms are there, outside of the person going through the process?

6:19 - What angles are you both approaching this issue from?

8:17 - What stories stand out to you?

13:19 - What should we be doing instead?

17:12 - How does giving voice open these processes for investigation?

24:59 - How does scale affect the application of these processes?

31:21 - How do these findings apply on a broader scale?

35:04 - Who would you like to read this book?

Intro music:

Cold by yoitrax | @yoitrax

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Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License

creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/deed.en_US

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.