LSE: Public lectures and events

What does it truly mean to achieve a sustainable future — and what kinds of change will get us there?

Since its origins, sociology has shaped—and been shaped by—multiple political traditions, including liberalism, radicalism, progressivism, and conservatism. This lecture examines the conservative tradition in sociology, a tradition central to yet insufficiently recognised within the discipline’s formation.

In the week before COP31, the annual platform for negotiating and advancing global action on climate change, this event will reflect on the state of national transition planning in 2026.

How do capitalist economies change over time? And what political consequences follow?

Barry Buzan is one of Europe’s most influential scholars of international relations, renowned for his interdisciplinary collaborations and for making complex ideas accessible to a wide audience. This panel discussion marks the launch of The Big Picture as an Approach to the Study of International Relations: Thinking With and Beyond Barry Buzan, and reflects on his intellectual legacy and enduring contribution to the discipline.