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.

Against a backdrop of uncertainty, people are searching for new sources of control and stability. Where science and ancient wisdom have been conventionally pitted against one another, many are moving towards an integrated approach to authority that draws from the best of both worlds.

Britons' trust in news outlets is declining due to misrepresentation, perceived biases, and the mental health impact of constant negativity. So, how can the industry win back audiences? Canvas8 spoke to eight people from across the UK about their news consumption habits and trust in the media.

As meme culture has blossomed online, so too has the political meme become a significant aspect of online political debate and a vehicle for irreverent reaction to political events. Looking at which memes are widely circulated or adapted helps to offer a ‘temperature check’ to gauge popular opinion.

A survey has revealed that Britons trust more the EU Parliament than the UK Parliament for the first time in 30 years. With mass polarisation fuelling growing mistrust of political leadership, brands are being charged with taking the lead in forging bonds that can unite and reconcile people.

With division running deep in many facets of modern Britain, the need for empathy and greater understanding is stronger than ever. After investigating this in our Citizenship Sector Snapshot, Canvas8 spoke to nine people from the UK to find out how interested they were in bridging divides.