Fiona Hill: The World in 2026 (Part Two)
March 9, 2026
The UK's defense posture must shift from an expeditionary focus to one prioritizing homeland vulnerability against asymmetric threats like drone attacks and infrastructure sabotage, as highlighted in the Strategic Defence Review.
Fiona Hill: The World in 2026 (Part One)
March 8, 2026
Donald Trump's deference to Vladimir Putin stems not from a relationship, but from an unrequited desire for Putin's adulation and the hope of achieving a Nobel Prize by brokering peace in Ukraine.
How has American hubris shaped Iran? With Scott Anderson
March 6, 2026
The Iranian Revolution was not inevitable, driven by a mystery of how it unfolded with periods of calm interspersed with sudden crises, and was heavily influenced by the decisions of a very small inner circle around the Shah, Khomeini, and President Carter.
What Does It Take to Run Goldman Sachs During a Meltdown? With Former CEO Lloyd Blankfein
March 4, 2026
Lloyd Blankfein wrote his memoir, *
CNN's Christiane Amanpour on Trump, Iran and the World in 2026 (Part Two)
March 2, 2026
Christiane Amanpour expresses deep concern over the inability of international journalists to access Gaza since October 7th, rendering the situation largely opaque to outside reporting.
CNN's Christiane Amanpour on Trump, Iran and the World in 2026 (Part One)
March 1, 2026
Christiane Amanpour argues that journalists have a duty to be truthful rather than neutral, as false moral equivalence can make them an accomplice in dire circumstances.
Fatima Bhutto on Grief, Survival, and the Life-Affirming Love of Canine Companions
February 27, 2026
Fatima Bhutto's memoir, *
Are Lithium and Cobalt the New Oil? The Elements of Power, with Nicolas Niarchos
February 25, 2026
The global green transition, while necessary to combat climate change, is currently built upon "incredibly dirty" supply chains characterized by deep human rights abuses, corruption, and environmental destruction in resource-rich nations like the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
The New Yorker’s Jon Lee Anderson on Afghanistan: An American Catastrophe (Part Two)
February 23, 2026
Anderson's decades of reporting reveal that the US involvement in Afghanistan was characterized by a fundamental distancing from the local culture, resulting in an American experience rather than a deeply integrated one, which ultimately led to the failure to build anything lasting.
The New Yorker’s Jon Lee Anderson on Afghanistan: An American Catastrophe (Part One)
February 22, 2026
Afghanistan's identity is shaped by conflict, where peace has historically resulted from total war and the vanquishing of an enemy, rather than purely diplomatic negotiation.
The Specialist | Jackie O's Faux Pearls, with Frank Everett
February 21, 2026
The string of faux pearls belonging to Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis sold for \$211,000, vastly exceeding its \$500-\$700 estimate, demonstrating the immense power of provenance in the jewelry world.
Could Silicon Valley Billionaires Cure Aging? With Aleks Krotoski
February 20, 2026
The pursuit of radical life extension by Silicon Valley technologists is driven by a fundamental belief in technology as a savior, often overlooking unintended social consequences, similar to past tech revolutions.
Will AI Design New Organisms From Scratch? With Adrian Woolfson
February 18, 2026
The genome is conceptualized as a "gene kit" lacking an instruction manual, which AI is now helping to reverse-engineer, effectively learning the "grammar of life."
Is it Game Over for Keir Starmer? Martin Wolf for The Intelligence Squared Economic Outlook 2026 (Part Two)
February 16, 2026
Populist governments, both left and right-wing, tend to entrench themselves for about 15 years by subverting electoral institutions, leading to significant GDP per head declines (10% for right-wing, 15% for left-wing).
Is it Game Over for Keir Starmer? Martin Wolf for The Intelligence Squared Economic Outlook 2026 (Part One)
February 15, 2026
Martin Wolf suggests that the current UK Prime Minister's insistence on staying in power signals their likely departure, which could introduce significant fiscal risks if a subsequent Labour government pursues spending without corresponding tax increases.
Fascism, Exile, and Redefining Home in the 21st Century, with Ece Temelkuran
February 13, 2026
Ece Temelkuran argues that the term 'fascism' should be used emphatically for current political movements because avoiding it allows people to relax and wait for the movement to pass, whereas calling it fascism demands action.
Why Changing How You Breathe Can Transform Your Health, with James Nestor
February 11, 2026
Dysfunctional breathing habits, which are common, are closely linked to conditions like asthma and anxiety, and fixing this core issue is foundational for treating these ailments.
The Trillion Dollar Battle For Your Attention, with Peter Schmidt and D. Graham Burnett
February 9, 2026
The core argument of *
Sir Sajid Javid – Lessons From the Front Bench (Part Two)
February 8, 2026
Sajid Javid joined the Young Conservatives at university based on intellectual alignment with Thatcherite economics, despite the party's contemporary reputation regarding race, and was once ejected from a party conference for distributing leaflets criticizing the government's ERM policy.
Sir Sajid Javid – Lessons From the Front Bench (Part One)
February 6, 2026
Sir Sajid Javid chose to write a memoir about his childhood, *
Can Water Shape Our Future?
February 4, 2026
The climate crisis is fundamentally a water crisis, requiring climate-resilient water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) systems built on holistic, community-led planning rather than siloed approaches.
Julian Barnes in conversation with Ian McEwan (Part Two)
February 3, 2026
Julian Barnes is rereading *
Julian Barnes in conversation with Ian McEwan (Part One)
February 2, 2026
The conversation between Julian Barnes and Ian McEwan opens by reflecting on the nearly 50-year friendship and literary careers of the two authors, prompted by the announcement that *
Why Can’t We Stop Money Laundering? With Oliver Bullough
February 1, 2026
The entire global anti-money laundering (AML) infrastructure, costing over $200 billion annually, is largely ineffective, generating massive paperwork (regulatory pageantry) without significantly reducing the estimated 2-5% of global GDP derived from criminal origins.
Is the Arctic the World’s Next War Zone? With Kenneth R. Rosen
January 30, 2026
The Arctic's definition is fluid, depending on the actor (scientist, military, politician) and their operational interests, rather than strictly the Arctic Circle.
Implementing and scaling AI agents in business
January 29, 2026
Successful AI adoption hinges not on ambition, but on establishing solid data foundations, clear governance, and purposeful experimentation to move beyond initial hype.
Happy Mind, Happy Life, with Dr Rangan Chatterjee
January 28, 2026
Focusing on personal happiness is crucial even amidst global crises because allowing external negativity to dictate internal well-being leads to passivity and limits one's ability to help others.
Can Britain Become an AI Superpower? The Intelligence Squared Economic Outlook (Part Two)
January 26, 2026
High energy costs and inadequate infrastructure are cited as the absolute number one factor currently holding back the UK's AI ambitions, particularly concerning the energy demands of data centers.
Can Britain Become an AI Superpower? The Intelligence Squared Economic Outlook (Part One)
January 25, 2026
Despite having world-class talent and research facilities, the UK risks falling behind as an AI superpower due to a critical lack of physical infrastructure, specifically data centers and semiconductors.
How To Take the Pressure Off and Live Well, with Claudia Hammond (Part Two)
January 23, 2026
Self-compassion, particularly treating oneself with the kindness one would offer a friend, is the single most important takeaway for managing stress and imposter syndrome.
How To Take the Pressure Off and Live Well, with Claudia Hammond (Part One)
January 21, 2026
Stressful moments can be turned to an advantage by reframing them as excitement, which leads to better performance, as demonstrated by research using the Trier social stress test.
Is Greece Becoming the New Borderland Between East and West? With Sean Matthews
January 19, 2026
Greece's geopolitical identity is shifting from a Western-aligned state back toward the East, driven by the decline of Western powers and the rise of new Middle Eastern actors.
An Evening with Alan Davies (Part Two)
January 18, 2026
Alan Davies revealed that writing his memoir, *
An Evening with Alan Davies (Part One)
January 16, 2026
Alan Davies's current stand-up and memoir, *
How is Artificial Intelligence Transforming our Relationships? With James Muldoon
January 14, 2026
The appeal of AI companions lies in their 24/7 availability, agreeableness, and personalization, but this risks fostering dependency and potentially displacing human relationships.
Julia Ioffe and Clarissa Ward on Putin, Russia and the Women Fighting For A Better Future (Part Two)
January 12, 2026
The shift toward traditionalism in Russia began during the late Soviet era in the 1980s, driven by economic hardship and a perceived crisis of masculinity among men.
Julia Ioffe and Clarissa Ward on Putin, Russia and the Women Fighting For A Better Future (Part One)
January 11, 2026
The Soviet emancipation of women, while granting access to education and professions like medicine, resulted in women being burdened with a second full-time job due to the state failing to collectivize domestic labor as promised.
Jonathan Freedland on The Secret Rebels who Defied Hitler (Part Two)
January 9, 2026
The aristocratic privilege of some German rebels, while not sufficient for resistance, provided the necessary self-belief and confidence to defy the Gestapo, though Hitler cleverly co-opted many elites by promising to restore their titles.
Jonathan Freedland on The Secret Rebels who Defied Hitler (Part One)
January 7, 2026
The story of *
The Remarkable True Story of The Extremists Who Hijacked the 1970’s, with Jason Burke (Part Two)
January 5, 2026
The conversation highlights a significant transition in Middle Eastern political violence from secular, nationalist, left-leaning movements of the 1970s to the Islamist strain emerging post-1979, exemplified by the death of PLO moderate Ali Hassan Salami.
The Remarkable True Story of The Extremists Who Hijacked the 1970’s, with Jason Burke (Part One)
January 4, 2026
The 1970s saw a significant evolution in political violence, shifting from the relatively performative hijackings of early figures like Leila Khaled to more lethally violent attacks later in the decade.
How Tech Platforms Threaten Our Future, With Former White House Advisor Tim Wu (Part Two)
January 2, 2026
The dominant business model in modern economies, exemplified by tech platforms and extending into sectors like housing and pharmaceuticals, is shifting from normal profit-taking to aggressive 'extraction' of value relative to the cost of goods/services provided.
How Tech Platforms Threaten Our Future, With Former White House Advisor Tim Wu (Part One)
December 31, 2025
The fundamental concept driving the discussion is that civilization happens in 'spaces' (like the Roman Forum or a pub), and the modern, privately-owned, and profit-seeking online platforms are the new, potentially dangerous, spaces where essential societal functions now occur.
How Philosophy Explains Our World, with Julian Baggini (Part Two)
December 29, 2025
Political leaders should be judged primarily on their underlying values rather than adherence to broad political 'isms,' as values often drive voting behavior (e.g., Trump, Brexit).
How Philosophy Explains Our World, with Julian Baggini (Part One)
December 28, 2025
Good thinking relies more on epistemic virtues, such as attending closely to details and maintaining accuracy and sincerity, than purely on analytical or logical processing power.
Michael Rosen on Hope, Happiness and Finding Joy in the Small Things (Part Two)
December 26, 2025
Michael Rosen illustrates the philosophy of holding the ideal (perfect hummus) alongside the acceptance of the 'good enough' (the hummus available) as a necessary balance for happiness.
Michael Rosen on Hope, Happiness and Finding Joy in the Small Things (Part One)
December 24, 2025
Michael Rosen's new book, *
Women’s Prize-winner Rachel Clarke in conversation with Rob Delaney (Part Two)
December 22, 2025
The humanity of medicine, particularly in pediatrics and palliative care, is crucial because roles like play specialists can be literally life-saving by providing joy and context to suffering children, which technical skill alone cannot achieve.
Women’s Prize-winner Rachel Clarke in conversation with Rob Delaney (Part One)
December 21, 2025
The core of Rachel Clarke's book, *
The Specialist | The Anonymous Altarpiece: Decoding a Renaissance Enigma, with Alex Bell
December 20, 2025
The episode of The Specialist, presented by Intelligence Squared in partnership with Sotheby's, focuses on the acquisition of a highly enigmatic, high-quality early Netherlandish altarpiece (c. 1500-1505) by the National Gallery in London.
Have We Finally Solved The Mystery of Vermeer's Girl with a Pearl Earring? With Andrew Graham-Dixon
December 19, 2025
Andrew Graham-Dixon argues that Johannes Vermeer's paintings were created for a specific, hidden religious sect—the Remonstrants/Collegiants—who emphasized pacifism, proto-feminism, and direct engagement with scripture, which explains why his work was obscure during his lifetime.
Everything Starts With Water
December 17, 2025
Clean water is the foundational element for health, education, livelihoods, and overall economic growth, often being overlooked in national development priorities in favor of transport or energy.
Putin, The Soviet Union and The Rise of Russian Imperialism, with Mikhail Zygar (Part Two)
December 15, 2025
The collapse of the Soviet Union created a profound societal vacuum where the sudden abandonment of communist ideology led to pervasive cynicism, which Mikhail Zygar identifies as the new de facto ideology in Russia.
Putin, The Soviet Union and The Rise of Russian Imperialism, with Mikhail Zygar (Part One)
December 14, 2025
The prevailing Western narrative of the Soviet Union's collapse as a straightforward triumph of democracy is flawed; the event was more like the end of 'Season One' of a longer historical drama, setting the stage for current events like the war in Ukraine.
The Intelligence Squared Economic Outlook with Jeremy Hunt
December 12, 2025
Jeremy Hunt defines a 'great' country as one that can shape the world as well as be shaped by it, arguing the UK remains influential across major global challenges despite domestic pessimism.
Rory Stewart on Trump, Nationalism and The Value of Rural Life (Part Two)
December 12, 2025
Rewilding, if implemented at a landscape scale without considering human culture and history, risks erasing millennia-old integrated landscapes, such as those in Cumbria, by removing farming communities and the cultural markers they leave behind.
Rory Stewart on Trump, Nationalism and The Value of Rural Life (Part One)
December 10, 2025
Rory Stewart argues that the traditional narrative of English history, centered on Saxon origins in Hampshire, ignores older kingdoms like Cumbria, which he calls the 'imaginative soul of Britain' due to its role in the Romantic movement and unique cultural identity.
Is Alex Karp the Philosopher of Silicon Valley? With Michael Steinberger
December 8, 2025
Alex Karp's background as a progressive academic, deeply involved in social justice activism at Haverford, stands in stark contrast to his current role leading Palantir, a company central to the national security state.
The Courage to Lead, with Sanna Marin, Former Prime Minister of Finland (Part Two)
December 7, 2025
Female leaders, like Sanna Marin, often face disproportionate moralistic scrutiny and sexist double standards regarding their private lives that male politicians are exempt from, as evidenced by the media frenzy over her dancing.
The Courage to Lead, with Sanna Marin, Former Prime Minister of Finland (Part One)
December 5, 2025
Sanna Marin's unexpected rise to Prime Minister at age 34 was preceded by the severe illness of her predecessor, forcing her into leadership roles she initially resisted.
Trump, Markets and The Greatest Crash in U.S. History, with Andrew Ross Sorkin (Part Two)
December 3, 2025
The current massive investment in large language model AI technology mirrors historical speculative manias, where companies bet on a single technology (like BetaMax) that could be leapfrogged by emerging alternatives (like neurosymbolic AI).
Trump, Markets and The Greatest Crash in U.S. History, with Andrew Ross Sorkin (Part One)
December 1, 2025
The 1929 crash was not a single event but the first domino in a series of policy mistakes that led to the Great Depression, a lesson learned and applied differently in the 2008 crisis.
The Future of Prostate Cancer Care
November 30, 2025
Prostate cancer care must evolve beyond clinical treatment to address the profound, holistic, and long-term impact the disease has on patients' daily lives, mental health, and relationships.
The Specialist | Virgil Abloh’s Reimagining of the Iconic Nike Air Force 1 for Louis Vuitton, with Brahm Wachter
November 29, 2025
The auction of Virgil Abloh's Louis Vuitton and Nike Air Force 1 collaboration, orchestrated by Brahm Wachter at Sotheby's, was an overnight global phenomenon that raised $25 million for the Virgil Abloh Postmodern Scholarship Fund.
Why Do Authoritarians Want To Control The News? With Martin Moore
November 28, 2025
Governments globally, not just autocracies, are actively fighting back against the decentralized public sphere by deliberately regaining control over political narratives through media manipulation.
What Does Test Cricket Reveal About the Legacy of Empire? With Tim Wigmore
November 26, 2025
Test Cricket's 150-year history reveals it has always been intertwined with political and social structures, serving as a prism for examining issues of empire, race, and national identity, as exemplified by the South African apartheid era and the political significance of captaincy.
Does modern medicine need to drop the distinction between mental and physical health? With Professor Edward Bullmore
November 24, 2025
Schizophrenia is a severe psychotic disorder characterized by delusions and hallucinations, which exists on a spectrum with more common mental health issues, though it requires persistent symptoms for a formal diagnosis.
Is Vivaldi Still the Soundtrack of the Seasons? With Dr Hannah French
November 23, 2025
Dr. Hannah French's book, *
What Stories Are Written in The Rock Beneath Us? With Dr Anjana Khatwa
November 21, 2025
Rocks are archives of time, climate, catastrophe, and culture, holding stories that are often overlooked due to their perceived inaccessibility or constancy compared to other parts of nature.
Debate: Sanctions Don’t Work as a Tool of Foreign Policy
November 19, 2025
The initial audience vote showed a slight majority (41% vs 36%) against the motion that sanctions do not work as a tool of foreign policy, with 23% undecided.
How does a nation’s language shape its identity? Hannah Kent on her year in Iceland
November 17, 2025
Hannah Kent's memoir, *
How To Lose Your Country, with Ece Temelkuran (Part Two)
November 16, 2025
The urgency of the current political situation demands the use of strong language like "fascism" to spur immediate action, solidarity, and organization, rather than getting lost in academic distinctions with populism.
How To Lose Your Country, with Ece Temelkuran (Part One)
November 14, 2025
Ece Temelkuran argues that what the world has lost is not hope, but faith in ourselves, each other, and politics, suggesting that people can do better than merely hoping for change.
Why Are We So Addicted to Everything? With Nicklas Brendborg
November 12, 2025
Modern health crises like obesity, anxiety, and loneliness are tied together by the underlying phenomenon of "supernormal stimuli," which are exaggerated versions of stimuli that exploit our evolved biological instincts.
Sotheby’s Talks | The Leonard A. Lauder Collection: Klimt and the Art of Connoisseurship
November 10, 2025
Gustav Klimt's *
Is This the Twilight of American Supremacy? Simon Jenkins on Why the World Needs the USA
November 9, 2025
American success stems from the enduring, careful constitutional balance and compromise between state freedoms and federal rule, a tension that has kept the union intact despite deep divisions.
Olivia Laing on Passion and Heartbreak in the Golden Age of New Italian Cinema
November 7, 2025
Olivia Laing's novel, *
Salman Rushdie on Mortality, Memory and The Eleventh Hour
November 5, 2025
Salman Rushdie views his new collection, *
What led to the Iranian Revolution the rise of the Islamic Republic? With Scott Anderson
November 3, 2025
The Iranian Revolution was not inevitable, characterized by unpredictable lulls and surges, which fascinated author Scott Anderson, leading to his book *
The Intelligence Squared Economic Outlook with Jeremy Hunt (Part Two)
November 2, 2025
Welfare reform must be framed as an opportunity to transform individual prospects (e.g., funding talking therapies) rather than solely as a cost-saving measure to avoid tax hikes that kill growth.
The Intelligence Squared Economic Outlook with Jeremy Hunt (Part One)
October 31, 2025
Jeremy Hunt defines a 'great' country as one that can shape the world as well as be shaped by it, arguing the UK remains highly influential across major global challenges despite perceived pessimism.
What Are The Essentials for Reimagining Work with AI Agents?
October 29, 2025
Most enterprises are currently underutilizing AI, operating at the basic 'chatbot' level, while the real value lies in deploying AI agents capable of looping, reasoning, and completing complex, multi-step tasks autonomously.
The Age of the Strongman: Understanding Trump, with Anne Applebaum (Part Two)
October 27, 2025
While the U.S. legal system has temporarily halted some of the Trump administration's most egregious actions, the method of 'break the law first and then wait for everybody to catch up' is fundamentally undermining the rule of law.
The Age of the Strongman: Understanding Trump, with Anne Applebaum (Part One)
October 25, 2025
Anne Applebaum argues that Trump's second term feels more radical because his attempt to overturn the 2020 election attracted new, more radical contingents, including Christian nationalists and tech figures seeking government reconfiguration.
Lyse Doucet on Reporting from the Frontlines (Part Two)
October 23, 2025
Lyse Doucet's book, *
Lyse Doucet on Reporting from the Frontlines (Part One)
October 21, 2025
Lyse Doucet's career path into foreign correspondence was characterized by taking calculated risks, leveraging volunteer work, and relying on the kindness of strangers when official channels were blocked, such as securing her first visa to Britain and later her entry into Kabul in 1988.
An Evening with Dan Jones on War, Plague and Lion Hearts (Part Two)
October 19, 2025
Dan Jones found the biggest challenge in writing the final book of the Essex Dogs trilogy, *
An Evening with Dan Jones on War, Plague and Lion Hearts (Part One)
October 19, 2025
Dan Jones transitioned from non-fiction to fiction writing, initially fearing it would expose a lack of understanding of human nature, but found the process required a challenging surrender to the story, unlike his architect-like approach to non-fiction.
Why Does It Feel Like Everything is Getting Worse? With Cory Doctorow
October 17, 2025
The 'enshittification' of digital platforms is not a technical glitch but a deliberate technique, following a three-stage process where platforms initially serve users well to gain lock-in, then exploit business customers (publishers/advertisers), and finally claw back value from those customers, resulting in a worse experience for everyone.
Can the West Hold Together? Lessons from WWII with Tim Bouverie and Michael Gove (Part Two)
October 14, 2025
Stalin consistently emerged as the winner in WWII conferences because he leveraged the threat of a separate Soviet-German peace and the advance of the Red Army, while utilizing superior espionage, including bugging the British and American compounds.
Can the West Hold Together? Lessons from WWII with Tim Bouverie and Michael Gove (Part One)
October 12, 2025
The initial Anglo-French alliance in WWII was driven by necessity, not affection, stemming from deep-seated distrust and perceived betrayals from WWI and the interwar period.
How Will the US Fight China? With Franz-Stefan Gady
October 11, 2025
The US military's preferred approach to a conflict with China relies heavily on achieving information superiority through systems warfare, which risks accelerating vertical escalation toward nuclear conflict if that superiority is not attained.
The Specialist | The Most Valuable Car in the World, with Gord Duff And Marcus Breitschwerdt
October 10, 2025
The 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupé, one of only two prototypes built for endurance racing, was sold to establish a global educational fellowship program rooted in the founders' history of relying on public support.
What Can Criminal Psychology Teach Us About Climate Change? With Julia Shaw
October 9, 2025
Applying criminal psychology to environmental issues, as explored in Julia Shaw's book *
Anthony Scaramucci on Trump and the Threat to American Democracy (Part Two)
October 7, 2025
Anthony Scaramucci argues that Donald Trump employs a playbook mirroring the 12 characteristics of the Nazi rise to power, including scapegoating and projection, which effectively immunizes his base against factual challenges.
Anthony Scaramucci on Trump and the Threat to American Democracy (Part One)
October 5, 2025
Anthony Scaramucci attributes Donald Trump's 2016 success to his accurate recognition of the economic despair among working-class Americans whose wages had stagnated or declined since the signing of NAFTA, a reality Scaramucci himself missed due to his immersion in elite financial circles.
The Thick of It: 20 Years On, with Armando Iannucci, Peter Capaldi, Chris Addison and Rebecca Front (Part Two)
October 4, 2025
The filming of the inquiry episode of *
The Thick of It: 20 Years On, with Armando Iannucci, Peter Capaldi, Chris Addison and Rebecca Front (Part One)
October 3, 2025
The creation of *
Is AI About to Automate War? With Anthony King
September 30, 2025
The current debate around AI in warfare often relies on a teleological belief in approaching superintelligence, which Professor Anthony King refutes by focusing on the actual, more limited applications of AI over the last decade.
Sir Tim Berners-Lee on the Internet, AI and the Future of Humanity (Part Two)
September 28, 2025
Platform accountability is crucial, as companies running platforms like X or Facebook have a responsibility to ensure their systems, especially advertising algorithms, do not deliberately harm users, such as teenage girls.
Sir Tim Berners-Lee on the Internet, AI and the Future of Humanity (Part One)
September 27, 2025
Sir Tim Berners-Lee felt compelled to write his memoir, *
Hotels with History | Raffles Hotel, Singapore, with Richard E. Grant and Jules Perowne
September 25, 2025
The Raffles Hotel in Singapore, originally a 10-room beach bungalow, was transformed into a Neo-Renaissance palace by four visionary Armenian brothers, the Sarkis, who capitalized on Singapore's strategic importance as a coaling station and a hub for global travel following the opening of the Suez Canal.
What Did Twenty Years of Western Intervention in Afghanistan Achieve? With Jon Lee Anderson
September 23, 2025
Afghanistan's enduring relevance stems from its historical resistance to foreign invaders and its capacity to become a proving ground for global conflicts, as evidenced by the Soviet invasion and the post-9/11 US intervention.
Who are the Trailblazing Women Hidden From Our History? With Women's Prize Founder Kate Mosse
September 21, 2025
Kate Mosse's book, "Feminist History for Every Day of the Year," aims to reclaim and celebrate the often-overlooked achievements of women throughout history, serving as a vital counter-narrative to deliberate erasure and societal neglect.
Is the Data on Climate Change More Optimistic than We Thought? With Hannah Ritchie
September 20, 2025
Data, when presented with context and comparative examples, can shift perspectives from climate change pessimism to optimism by revealing progress and the effectiveness of solutions.
Ian McEwan on Speculative Fiction, Lost Poems and 'What We Can Know
September 18, 2025
Ian McEwan's novel 'What We Can Know' explores the complex relationship between art, memory, and reputation, questioning how much we can truly know about the past and others.
Sotheby’s Talks | Custodians of Taste: Pauline Karpidas and the Women who Shape the Art World
September 16, 2025
Collecting art is presented as a deeply personal and creative act, driven by passion and instinct rather than purely financial or strategic goals.
Arundhati Roy on Storytelling, Memory and The Human Condition (Part Two)
September 14, 2025
Humor and compassion are essential tools for navigating societal cruelty and despair, providing 'pockets of oxygen' to maintain sanity.