Energetic and thriving, cities are the heartbeat of society. These talks offer viable ways to reinvigorate and strengthen the metropolises we love.

Insightful talks that can help improve political debate so that we can build toward a better society.

Here are some thoughtful ways to keep older generations rooted in our lives and society at large.

Demystify criminal networks by learning how they build roots in society and weave themselves into the shadows of everyday life.

The weekend. Social Security. Health insurance. What do these things have in common? They all exist thanks to the advocacy of labor unions. Political economist Margaret Levi explains how these organizations forge equality and protect worker rights, calling for a 21st-century revival of the labor movement in order to build a more equitable future.

Could visual illusions be a cure for polarization? (Credits: Director of Photography: William Atherton; Production Design: Adam Pruitt; Creative Partner: SpecialGuest; Production company: 1stAveMachine; Producers: Dave Kornfield, Andrew Geller, Matt Snetzko; Music: Bryn Bliska; Executive Producer, TED2018 Film Program: Sinéad McDevitt; Director ...

Learn about the detrimental (and even deadly) impact racism has on our minds and bodies — and what society can do to heal and support the wellbeing of all.

How do you find yourself when you belong to two seemingly opposing cultures? Embracing the paradoxes of dual identity, creative disruptor Farhad Mohit explores how being both Iranian and American allows him to navigate the tension between independence and interdependence, progress and presence — and to live fully in the here and now.

Want a different perspective of the world? Get a better, more friendly grasp of statistics -- one of the most understood and misused tools in modern society.

Vernā Myers is dedicated to promoting meaningful, lasting diversity in the workplace.

"Democracy is the most compelling vision we have for self-governance," says freedom advocate Yordanos Eyoel. Taking a stand against predatory and opportunist authoritarian forces, she shares how to reimagine, accelerate and protect the pro-democracy movement — to build societies that are both functional and inclusive.

How do politics affect psychology, influence behavior and create polarization? A quest to demystify what the political does to society and the mind (and vice versa).

Individuals who have shaped society and culture in homes around the world and on the big screen.

The pandemic brought into sharp focus the crisis in caregiving in the United States, which woefully under provides support for parents. Activist and Girls Who Code founder Reshma Saujani has a proposal to address that -- something she calls the Marshall Plan for Moms -- and she unpacks how it aims to build radically different systems in order to...

These engaging talks explore the systemic issues of the US criminal justice system and how they plague everyday people and society as a whole.

Every day, people around the world spend 16 billion hours on unpaid care work — cooking for families, caring for children and older relatives and other routine household tasks — often in addition to other jobs. Employment advocate Sharmi Surianarain says we need to not only acknowledge this labor but also build supportive workplaces that put pol...

Great, practical advice on ways to responsibly invest (time, money, and even your company's data) for the good of our global society.

These investigations into the dark underbelly of society shed light on some of the world’s most pressing issues.

How do you reach people trapped in a reality shaped by propaganda? Exploring the dark psychology of disinformation, author and academic Peter Pomerantsev draws on lessons from a forgotten World War II operation to suggest strategies for cutting through misinformation and rebuilding trust in facts today.

Jenna McCarthy writes about relationships, marriage and parenting.

A group of strangers have gathered to design a just society. To ensure none of them rig the system, they’ve been placed under a veil of ignorance. Under this veil, they’re blind to information about age, sex, profession, wealth, religion, and so on. Can they build a fair society where everyone has the resources they need? Joseph Lacey details Jo...

Memory-manipulation expert Elizabeth Loftus explains how our memories might not be what they seem -- and how implanted memories can have real-life repercussions.

Your agent has infiltrated a life or death poker game in a hidden back room of a grand casino. Your team is on the trail of an elite society of assassins, each of whom carries a signature playing card corresponding to their role— everyone at the table is either an assassin or a potential victim. Can you identify the assassins and save the victim...

Straddling Virginia and North Carolina is an area that was once described as the "most repulsive of American possessions." By 1728, it was known as the Great Dismal Swamp. But while many deemed it uninhabitable, recent findings suggest that a hidden society persisted in the Swamp until the mid-1800's. So, who lived there? And what happened to th...

PTSD, isolation, depression ... These talks tackle the visible and invisible wounds left behind by violent conflict.

Data can be used for good, harnessed for the betterment of society, but it can also be abused. Find out about some hidden not-so-sunny uses of Big Data.

You don't need political power to make real change, says activist Katie Fahey. She tells the story of how she led a successful movement in Michigan to end gerrymandering — the practice of drawing district lines to favor one political party — and how it all started with a simple social media post.

What if we treated the risk of pandemics the same way we treat the risk of fires? In this eye-opening talk, infectious disease epidemiologist Jennifer B. Nuzzo unpacks how the Great Baltimore Fire of 1904 sparked a cultural shift in how we defend against fires -- and explains why pandemics demand the same sort of reaction. She breaks down the da...

David Logan is a USC faculty member, best-selling author, and management consultant.

TED Fellow Uldus Bakhtiozina creates photo stories and video installations that challenge stereotypes and create diversity, involving all types of people from fashion models to ordinary people. She presents the world with humor and thoughtfulness.