大象传媒

Matthew Syed traces the origins and evolution of a term that's become synonymous with our era of angry debate.

Once a watchword for African Americans in the early 1900s, 'woke' is now used as an insult across the political spectrum. As the word has spread, what people actually mean by it has become less clear than ever. In this series, Matthew follows the evolution of 'woke' through five key stories.

In this final episode, Matthew looks into the actions of Governor Ron DeSantis, tipped by some to be the next President of the United States. The politician has labelled his state of Florida as 'Where Woke Goes To Die', introducing a 'Stop W.O.K.E.' bill aimed at reducing the spread of identity politics in education and the workplace. Matthew hears from Sam Rechek, the student who has successfully challenged the bill in the courts over its restriction to free speech. DeSantis is just one example of the embrace of 'woke' by the political right. As the word appears commonly in the media today, Matthew considers its multiple meanings, including whether it corresponds to a new set of ideas on the rise in society.

Contributors: Nicole Holliday, linguist at Pomona College, writer James O'Malley, Prof Matthew Goodwin, University of Kent, Women of Keele Educate.

Presented by Matthew Syed
Produced by Sam Peach