How does culture shape us?

In the final episode of the fifth series of Crossing Channels, Richard Westcott talks to Prof Tim Whitmarsh and Cammie Curtin about how culture shapes our identities, behaviour and relationships – from the ancient Greek and Roman worlds to the societies we live in today. They explore how shared norms and rituals foster cooperation, why some cultural practices endure while others change, and what understanding cultural differences can teach us about belonging and public policy. In this episode of Crossing Channels, Richard Westcott talks to Prof Tim Whitmarsh from the University of Cambridge and Cammie Curtin from the Toulouse School of Economics about how culture shapes who we are. They explore how culture influences the way people think and behave, how social norms and institutions support cooperation, and why practices that may seem universal can vary widely across societies. The conversation looks at identity and cultural change in the ancient Greek and Roman worlds, how rituals and shared obligations bind communities together, why some cultural traits endure while others change, and what understanding cultural differences can teach us about belonging, public policy and social cooperation. Season 5 Episode 10 transcript (MS Word / PDF) Listen to this episode on your preferred podcast platform For more information about the Crossing Channels podcast series and the work of the Bennett School of Public Policy and Toulouse School of Economics, visit our websites at https://www.bennettschool.cam.ac.uk/ and https://www.tse.fr/ Follow us on Linkedin, Bluesky and X. With thanks to: Audio production by Alice Whaley Associate production by Burcu Sevde Selvi Visuals by Tiffany Naylor and Pauline Alves