John sits down with sociologist and author Frank Furedi to discuss why millions of people across the West are turning against the political establishment, the rise of populism, the collapse of trust in traditional institutions, and the growing divide between ordinary citizens and the elites who govern them. From immigration and multiculturalism to education, free speech, national identity and the future of democracy, Furedi argues that populism is not simply a threat to the political order — it is a response to people feeling ignored by it. The conversation explores what has been lost, why citizenship matters, and whether Western democracies can rebuild a shared culture strong enough to survive. Frank Furedi is Emeritus Professor of Sociology at the University of Kent and the author of 26 books, including most recently In Defence of Populism. His work has focused on cultural developments in Western societies, including the culture of fear, education, identity, national sovereignty and the changing relationship between citizens and political institutions. He is a regular commentator on radio and television and has contributed extensively to media outlets across the UK and internationally. A long-time friend of the program, Frank was one of John’s earliest Conversations guests, first appearing on the show in April 2018. Sign up to John's newsletter here: https://johnanderson.net.au/contact/ -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Conversations feature John Anderson, former Deputy Prime Minister of Australia, interviewing the world's foremost thought leaders about today's pressing social, cultural and political issues. John believes proper, robust dialogue is necessary if we are to maintain our social strength and cohesion. As he puts it; "You cannot get good public policy out of a bad public debate." If you value this discussion and want to see more like it, make sure you subscribe to the channel here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtnYSEGViOnb7k8ezUaWUww?sub_confirmation=1 And stay right up to date with all the conversations by subscribing to the newsletter here: https://johnanderson.net.au/contact/ Follow John on X: https://www.twitter.com/JohnAndersonAC Follow John on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/johnandersonac Follow John on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/johnandersonac/ Subscribe to John's Substack: https://www.ourcivilisationalmoment.com/ Support the channel: https://johnanderson.net.au/support/ Website: https://johnanderson.net.au/ Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/6Qh2fEsC7nEVxXxQzwTv54 2QH0QLLWRVNX5LFA -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Follow Frank on X: https://x.com/Furedibyte?s=20 Subscribe to Frank's Substack: https://substack.com/@frankfuredi