Social & Political Reform

The roots of our (generally) open attitude to sex lie not in the sixties but the 1760s, says the historian and author of The Origins of Sex, who explores this earlier sexual revolution through its literature.

It's not the first period in history that American society has suffered from a crisis of inequality. Former labour secretary, Robert Reich, recommends books to help us understand the response of previous generations to the same kinds of challenges we now face.

Until the 1970s, Britain was predominantly a working class society, says the historian David Kynaston. He tells us about books that explore how this changed, giving rise to the turbulent Thatcher years.

If you were starting from scratch, no one would design a healthcare system like America’s. The health economist tells us how it evolved and what needs to change. He picks the best books on US healthcare reform.

Cecile Richards, American pro-choice activist and former president of the Planned Parenthood Federation of America, discusses the stories of struggle and resilience that have inspired her and can give encouragement to others seeking change

The former union boss shares his reading list for American progressives, and tells us what makes a good leader and how it takes only a few committed people to bring change

In the latest instalment of our series on American progressivism, the environmental advocate and human rights activist tells us why the age of Obama will really only begin after the president has left office

The academic and former government official suggests which book to read if you want to grasp the dynamics of extremism, but says there’s a lot more to his country’s problems than terrorism

Britain votes on Thursday in a referendum on changing the electoral system. The political consequences could be great, says one of the country's top constitutional experts.

The China specialist and UCLA professor Richard Baum (1940-2012) says that he sometimes feels genuine admiration for China’s technocratic leaders. Other days, he shakes his head at their obsessive intransigence and China's endemic political insecurity.