Episode 12. Wicked problems in the world of debt advice, by Ryan Davey and Carl Packman

When credit is an essential means of getting by, how can debt advice organisations help those who are struggling to repay? This episode of the podcast considers some of the conundrums that debt advisers face in Britain today, as a result of credit having become a vital means of subsistence for millions of people. It is an attempt to explore the normative implications of anthropological research for this particular field of social practice, and considers the viability of advocating debt refusal and debt cancellation. The episode comprises a conversation between Carl Packman, Research and Good Practice Manager at the anti-poverty charity Toynbee Hall, and Ryan Davey, a researcher in the Anthropology Department at the London School of Economics. The presenters would love to hear from any debt advisers who listen to the podcast, to find out your views about what’s being discussed. Please contact Ryan at [email protected] or Carl at [email protected]. Further information about the research can be found here: http://www.lse.ac.uk/anthropology/research/An-Ethnography-of-Advice