The past decade has seen political polarisation – accelerated by social media’s filter bubbles and echo chambers – deepen and mutate. An ominous era of a polycrisis has shattered any remaining societal consensus. Meanwhile, powerful anti-establishment voices have stepped into the void.

Trust in the police was gradually declining in the UK before the pandemic. But confidence has fallen sharply in the wake of multiple shocking scandals and revelations of systemic failures, combined with long-standing evidence of discriminatory practices and a broader lapse of faith in institutions.

A campaign for the Social Mobility Foundation highlights the class pay gap using the imagery of horror movies to dramatise the social stigma felt by working-class Britons. Popular culture has begun to reflect changing attitudes about class, and campaigns like this are reflecting this social unease.

From some angles, the Democratic party is as strong as it has ever been. From others, it’s on the brink of collapse. Its fate lies in the hands of three groups of American voters who will decide the future of the political party and democracy for generations to come – if they show up, that is.

Germany may have been reunified over 30 years ago, but several invisible divides remain between people on the opposing sides of the Berlin Wall. How are political and economic differences impacting consumption habits? And how can brands appeal to a wider market in light of the past?