Sideways

In the 1960s and 70s, Maisie Barrett and Noel Gordon were two black British children wrongly labelled as “educationally subnormal”. They were sent to schools where children were never taught to read or write.They’re just two examples of a scandal that affected hundreds of children in the UK, one that has never been officially acknowledged.As adults, Noel and Maisie made a surprising discovery - they were both dyslexic. And with that diagnosis came a profound reimagining of themselves and what had happened to them.Matthew Syed considers the relationship between ableism, racism and eugenics - concepts with roots that stretch back centuries and which continue to have a profound impact on society today.With Maisie Barrett, Noel Gordon, sociologist Dr Chantelle Jessica Lewis, Assistant Professor Dr Robert Chapman, and occupational therapist Jenny Okolo.Presenter: Matthew Syed Producer: Tej Adeleye & Tom Wright Series Editor: Katherine Godfrey Sound Design and Mix: Rob Speight Theme music by Ioana Selaru A Novel production for BBC Radio 4

As a teenager, Raven Saunders dreamt of playing basketball, but their physique led them down a different path. Exceptional strength and size destined them for shot put, ultimately earning them a place on the US track and field team.In 2021, amid the pandemic, Raven became known for their choice of distinctive protective masks at competitions. But the day they chose to wear a mask of The Incredible Hulk, they not only captured the world's attention, but they also showed hidden parts of themselves.Throughout history, masks have served various roles including spiritual, entertainment, and protective purposes. Since we’ve all been reacquainted with masks in recent years thanks to COVID-19, Matthew Syed explores how masks have the power to reveal more than they conceal and examines how these coverings, while ostensibly meant to protect, can also become powerful symbols of personal and cultural expression.With American shot putter Raven “The Hulk” Saunders, mask maker and psychodrama therapist Mike Chase, and Professor of International Politics at Loughborough University Aidan McGarry.If you are suffering distress or despair, details of help and support are available at bbc.co.uk/actionlinePresenter: Matthew Syed Producer: Julien Manuguerra-Patten Editor: Katherine Godfrey Sound Design and Mix: Rob Speight Theme music by Ioana SelaruA Novel production for BBC Radio 4.

Jen Simonic and Masey Kaplan have bonded over a mutual love for knitting for decades.In 2022, the pair of avid knitters decided to search for strangers to help finish an incomplete blanket their bereaved friend’s mother had started. It kickstarted a movement of ‘finishers’ - people around the world who complete the half-knitted works left behind by others. Their concept challenges the idea that we are successful only when we finish what we start, an idea entrenched in our present culture.Matthew Syed traces the psychological roots of valuing completion and explores alternative outlooks that subvert the merits of finishing. He hears remarkable stories that reveal beautiful possibilities in leaving creative work half-done and asks whether reappraising the unfinished can enable an imaginative process to unfold, connect people more deeply to one another and even ease grief.With Loose Ends founders, Jen Simonic and Masey Kaplan, their friend Patty Gardner, artist and composer Jan Hendrickse and Nina Collins, daughter of filmmaker Kathleen Collins.Featuring excerpts from Nafas ar Rahman, commissioned by the MUSARC Choir.Presenter: Matthew Syed Producer: Vishva Samani Series Editor: Katherine Godfrey Sound Design and Mix: Rob Speight Theme music by Ioana Selaru A Novel production for BBC Radio 4

When astronauts journeyed to the moon in the early 1970s, few were paying attention to the psychological impact of the experience. Yet many among those who have left the Earth’s boundary say it is extraordinary and life-changing. They experience a cognitive shift known as the "overview effect".Matthew ponders the potential of staring down at Earth for our collective good and charts how, decades on, the overview effect has found its place at the heart of space tourism. He also delves into the unlikely religious roots and moral complexity behind the billionaires striving to make it possible for humans to live in space one day.With former NASA astronaut Nicole Stott, new astronaut Ed Dwight, Space Philosopher and author Frank White, Anthropologist of Space and Religion, Deana Weibel, Professor of Religion at Knox College Robert Geraci and former ISRO scientist, Jijith Nadumari Ravi.Presenter: Matthew Syed Producer: Vishva Samani Editor: Katherine Godfrey Sound Design and Mix: Rob Speight Theme music by: Ioana Selaru A Novel production for BBC Radio 4.