In the past few years, underprivileged groups have felt ‘left behind’ and voted for demagogues, who have often gone on to undermine democracy. However, this is nothing new. Reading classics by writers as diverse as Dostoevsky, Plato and Rousseau can provide an answer to the current malaise.

Language shapes our thinking – in science as well as in everyday life. That is why we urgently need to re-think outdated concepts and terms such as “good genes”, says Psychology professor Claus-Christian Carbon.