Connecting Society: How everyday data can shape our lives
Ever wondered what happens to all the data collected about you by government and public services? Whenever you sit a school exam, visit your GP, go to court, or pay tax, a wealth of information is created to help these services run. But how is this data used, and could it actually improve your life?
Connecting Society explores the fascinating world of administrative data. Through conversations with experts, we reveal how linking data and making it available for research can uncover solutions to real-world, interconnected challenges - from improving health outcomes to tackling inequality and more.
Join our hosts, Mark Green, Professor of Health Geography at the University of Liverpool and ADR UK Ambassador, and Shayda Kashef, Senior Public Engagement Manager at ADR UK, to discover how the data shaping your life could also help shape the future.
Connecting Society is presented by Shayda Kashef and Mark Green, our producers are Eleanor Collard, Holly Greenland, Laura Mulvey and Shayda Kashef.
This podcast is brought to you by ADR UK (Administrative Data Research UK), a partnership transforming public sector data into research insights and policy evidence to improve lives. We are an investment by the Economic and Social Research Council, part of UK Research and Innovation.
Episodes
12 episodes
How can the science of storytelling drive action on climate change?
Climate change can often feel overwhelming, distant, or abstract. We’re surrounded by data about rising temperatures, emissions targets and future risks – yet knowing the facts doesn’t always translate into action. And this can be true for many...
What can the UK learn from the Netherlands about data, power, and trust?
Across Europe, governments are experimenting with new ways of using everyday data to understand society and improve people’s lives. In the Netherlands, a national infrastructure called ODISSEI has become a testbed for what can happen when infor...
Can evaluation be a violent act? Rethinking policy evaluation
Evaluation is often seen as a neutral and technical process: collecting data, measuring outcomes, and judging whether a policy or programme “worked”. But what if the way we evaluate is shaping - and sometimes harming - the very systems and comm...
Can administrative data save your life?
Good health is something we all need – but it doesn’t simply start and end with the body. Increasingly, we’re beginning to understand how different parts of our lives and circumstances can combine and interact to shape our health, including fro...
Bonus episode: All your data questions, unwrapped
Time flies - and yes, we have returned with another festive episode. After a hiatus, hosts Shayda and Mark return for a one-off Christmas bonus ahead of Connecting Society series two launching in 2026.This episode flips the format and ha...
Festive special: Data Claus is coming to town
On the first day of Christmas, your producers sent to thee… a bonus episode of Connecting Society 🎁Mark and Shayda are coming together in person for the very first time to bring you this special festive episode. They answer some burning...
Your data, your rights
In a data-driven world, administrative data holds the power to tackle society’s toughest challenges - from improving healthcare and education to boosting the economy. But how do we ensure this data is used securely, ethically, and for the publi...
Redefining research with care experienced young people
How can co-producing research with historically excluded groups drive impact? In Northern Ireland, a unique partnership between the charity Voice of Young People in Care (VOYPIC) and ADRC NI (Administrative Data Research Centre Northern Ireland...
How data is shaping a healthier Wales
Wales’s health and care system is grappling with complex, interconnected issues and opportunities, including an ageing population, inequalities, and the rise of new healthcare technologies. Tackling these now and in the future will require evid...
Inside the working lives of nurses and midwives
Nursing and midwifery form the backbone of the UK’s healthcare system, but the sector faces significant challenges - impacting both professionals' wellbeing and the quality of care patients receive. Administrative data collected by the Nursing ...
Justice in the age of data
In this episode, we examine how data collected by the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) is being used to drive positive change in the justice system. Our discussion explores the types of data the MoJ collects, why it is collected, and how de-identifyin...
To change the outcomes, change the system
Administrative data is about real people and their lives. So in the first episode of Connecting Society, we’re diving into the big picture behind the vision of ADR UK (Administrative Data Research UK): why does using administrative data for pub...