Episodes

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Dangerous Dogs20171220

How do you judge whether a dog is dangerous enough to be destroyed?

Two people come together to swap one story which helped shape their views. They each listen to the other then they retell the story as if it had happened to them. Does this attempt at understanding one another bring new empathy? Can you really step into another's shoes and see the world from their perspective?

Postlady, Sharon was seriously injured when she endured an attack by two dobermans on her mail-round. The owner was prosecuted but the court didn't order the destruction of the dogs. Sharon fears that another innocent person could be attacked by the same dogs.

Michelle's boyfriend owns a cane corso, an Italian hunting dog. Michelle and her children adore 'soppy git', Reggie but last May her son ran to her with blood pouring from his head. She insists that the dog didn't bite, but just grazed her son as he squirmed free from an over-enthusiastic cuddle. The police seized Reggie but Michelle and her boyfriend fought to have him returned to the family.

Can Sharon and Michelle agree on how to define a dangerous dog? What should happen if they injure a person? When should a dog's life become forfeit?

Presented and Produced by Polly Weston.

Two people with different views come together to see if they empathise with each other.

People with different views swap identities to see if they can empathise with each other.

Dangerous Dogs2017122020180328 (R4)

How do you judge whether a dog is dangerous enough to be destroyed?

Two people come together to swap one story which helped shape their views. They each listen to the other then they retell the story as if it had happened to them. Does this attempt at understanding one another bring new empathy? Can you really step into another's shoes and see the world from their perspective?

Postlady, Sharon was seriously injured when she endured an attack by two dobermans on her mail-round. The owner was prosecuted but the court didn't order the destruction of the dogs. Sharon fears that another innocent person could be attacked by the same dogs.

Michelle's boyfriend owns a cane corso, an Italian hunting dog. Michelle and her children adore 'soppy git', Reggie but last May her son ran to her with blood pouring from his head. She insists that the dog didn't bite, but just grazed her son as he squirmed free from an over-enthusiastic cuddle. The police seized Reggie but Michelle and her boyfriend fought to have him returned to the family.

Can Sharon and Michelle agree on how to define a dangerous dog? What should happen if they injure a person? When should a dog's life become forfeit?

Presented and Produced by Polly Weston.

Two people with different views come together to see if they empathise with each other.

People with different views swap identities to see if they can empathise with each other.

Death Knocking20171227

The press response to the Manchester Attacks and the Grenfell Fire has reignited debate about how journalists should contact people affected by tragedies. Death knocking - visiting the home of a grieving person to get an interview - is a controversial practice, but one which many journalists defend as a vital tool of their trade.

Two people come together to swap one story which helped shape their views on death knock journalism. Then they retell each other's story as if it had happened to them. Can this help them to better understand each other's perspective?

Sheron Boyle has been a journalist for nearly 30 years and has written several stories that started with a death knock. Claire Throssell was thrust into the media spotlight after her partner killed their children and himself in a fire. She talks about giving an interview in her home that she felt was an intrusion on her grief.

Produced and presented by Viv Jones.

Two people with different views come together to see if they empathise with each other.

People with different views swap identities to see if they can empathise with each other.

Death Knocking2017122720180330 (R4)

The press response to the Manchester Attacks and the Grenfell Fire has reignited debate about how journalists should contact people affected by tragedies. Death knocking - visiting the home of a grieving person to get an interview - is a controversial practice, but one which many journalists defend as a vital tool of their trade.

Two people come together to swap one story which helped shape their views on death knock journalism. Then they retell each other's story as if it had happened to them. Can this help them to better understand each other's perspective?

Sheron Boyle has been a journalist for nearly 30 years and has written several stories that started with a death knock. Claire Throssell was thrust into the media spotlight after her partner killed their children and himself in a fire. She talks about giving an interview in her home that she felt was an intrusion on her grief.

Produced and presented by Viv Jones.

Two people with different views come together to see if they empathise with each other.

People with different views swap identities to see if they can empathise with each other.

Landlords and Tenants20171213

Two people with different views on a difficult subject come together to see if they can empathise with each other.

A shortage of housing and soaring property prices mean that more people than ever are renting their home. For this second episode of Encounters a landlord and a tenant swap one story which has helped shape their view on who holds the power in a tenant and landlord relationship. They each listen to the other's story, and then retell it as if it had happened to them. Does this attempt at understanding one another bring new empathy?

Produced and presented by Viv Jones.

Landlords and tenants: who holds the power?

People with different views swap identities to see if they can empathise with each other.

Landlords and Tenants2017121320180327 (R4)

Two people with different views on a difficult subject come together to see if they can empathise with each other.

A shortage of housing and soaring property prices mean that more people than ever are renting their home. For this second episode of Encounters a landlord and a tenant swap one story which has helped shape their view on who holds the power in a tenant and landlord relationship. They each listen to the other's story, and then retell it as if it had happened to them. Does this attempt at understanding one another bring new empathy?

Produced and presented by Viv Jones.

Landlords and tenants: who holds the power?

People with different views swap identities to see if they can empathise with each other.

Sexual Politics20171206

Does no always mean no?

Two people come together to swap one story which helped shape their views. They each listen to the other then they retell the story as if it had happened to them. Does this attempt at understanding one another bring new empathy? Can you really step into another's shoes and see the world from their perspective?

In the first programme, Luke, a 34 year-old musician, meets Ellie, a 24 year-old masters student to talk about sexual politics.

Earlier this year, Luke performed a very public romantic gesture to try and tell a girl who had dumped him how he felt. He bought a piano, set it up in central Bristol and said he was playing to let a girl know that he loved her. He received a huge backlash on social media - people said "no means no", that he was pressurising her. Hurt and confused, Luke wants to understand what makes actions acceptable or unacceptable today. He doesn't think no always means no - when someone is hurting they push those around them away. It should be okay to try and stick around in those situations. He wants others to understand that it's unfair to cut off relations with someone you've got close to without a proper explanation.

Eight years ago, Ellie broke up with her boyfriend of three years, and after declaring his love for her, he became more persistent. For a year he pursued her. He'd wait outside her house in his red car. To this day she still thinks of it whenever she sees a red car on the road. As a result of her experience, she thinks that a gesture isn't romantic unless you're absolutely sure it's reciprocated and that persistence and entitlement are male phenomena. Every woman she has ever spoken to has had an experience of a man not taking no for an answer.

Producer: Polly Weston.

Two people with different views come together to see if they empathise with each other.

People with different views swap identities to see if they can empathise with each other.

Sexual Politics2017120620180326 (R4)

Does no always mean no?

Two people come together to swap one story which helped shape their views. They each listen to the other then they retell the story as if it had happened to them. Does this attempt at understanding one another bring new empathy? Can you really step into another's shoes and see the world from their perspective?

In the first programme, Luke, a 34 year-old musician, meets Ellie, a 24 year-old masters student to talk about sexual politics.

Earlier this year, Luke performed a very public romantic gesture to try and tell a girl who had dumped him how he felt. He bought a piano, set it up in central Bristol and said he was playing to let a girl know that he loved her. He received a huge backlash on social media - people said "no means no", that he was pressurising her. Hurt and confused, Luke wants to understand what makes actions acceptable or unacceptable today. He doesn't think no always means no - when someone is hurting they push those around them away. It should be okay to try and stick around in those situations. He wants others to understand that it's unfair to cut off relations with someone you've got close to without a proper explanation.

Eight years ago, Ellie broke up with her boyfriend of three years, and after declaring his love for her, he became more persistent. For a year he pursued her. He'd wait outside her house in his red car. To this day she still thinks of it whenever she sees a red car on the road. As a result of her experience, she thinks that a gesture isn't romantic unless you're absolutely sure it's reciprocated and that persistence and entitlement are male phenomena. Every woman she has ever spoken to has had an experience of a man not taking no for an answer.

Producer: Polly Weston.

Two people with different views come together to see if they empathise with each other.

People with different views swap identities to see if they can empathise with each other.