Oxford SOC25: Shaping a Better-Governed World 🌍⚖️

Although I attended SOC25 remotely from abroad, the ideas, debates, and energy were felt as powerfully as if I were in the room. SOC25 wasn’t just another conference — it was a reminder of why governance, justice, and reform matter, and why voices like ours must help shape the future.

Why SOC25 Resonated with Me

Professor Ngaire Woods captured it perfectly: we need to flourish in a better-governed world. That is exactly why I want to join this mission — because I have the drive and determination to help govern for the common good.

The School’s purpose is clear: to find, nurture, and accelerate individuals who can lead this charge. That is not just an ambition; it’s a responsibility.

Politics & Public Trust

One phrase stuck with me: self-interested, corrupt — how too many describe politicians. This must change.

At Cambridge, I experienced first-hand the challenges students face when protections and accountability mechanisms fall short. I made it my role to speak directly to institutions about what was working, what wasn’t, and why reform is necessary. That experience connects directly to the themes SOC25 raised: trust, justice, and the urgent need for systems that truly protect those they serve.

A Social Agenda for the Impact Economy

Keynote speaker Mario Calderini spoke powerfully about the impact economy — the need to design systems where impact is not an afterthought, but the organising principle. Drawing on John Rawls’ A Theory of Justice, he gave structure, consistency, and rank to the social agenda.

It wasn’t just abstract philosophy — it was a call to align governance with fairness and outcomes that genuinely serve people, not bureaucracy.

Louisa Mitchell reminded us of the foundation: trust. Without it, no system endures.

Richard Hawkes spoke with clarity: we must focus spending on outcomes that matter. The truth is stark — you don’t reform a broken system by simply asking for more money. Reform requires redesign, not just resources.

Why This Matters for Me

This conference re-affirmed why I care so deeply about governance reform. From my own journey at Cambridge, to the High Court, to the wider debates across Europe, one thread runs through it all:

• Institutions fail when they lose sight of trust, justice, and accountability.

• Reform is possible when we align resources with outcomes, not bureaucracy.

• The next generation deserves systems that work for them, not against them.

Looking Ahead

SOC25 gave me both ideas and momentum. It connected me with thinkers and doers — Mario before the conference, others after — and reinforced the truth that change happens when people connect around shared purpose.

The impact economy is not an abstract concept. It is a lived reality — one where governance, trust, and justice decide whether societies flourish or falter.

That’s the world I want to help build. ⚖️🛡️