Are Vladimir Putin's days numbered? Or is the Russian leader as strong as ever? New from Intelligence Squared we bring you a subscriber exclusive series 'After Putin' where we explore whether after twenty three years of rule in Russia Putin's time in power is coming to an end. Through interviews with policy-makers, military personnel, journalists and academics, we reflect on whether a mutiny led by Yevgeny Prighozin's Wagner forces on Saturday June 24 2023 has set the wheels in motion for a Russ...
Jun 27, 2023•23 min•Season 1Ep. 965
To understand the world you need to understand the ocean. That’s the argument of physicist Helen Czerski who has long studied the complex ecosystems and forces that drive the ‘blue machine’ which covers 71% of our planet. Czerski joins Intelligence Squared to discuss her new book Blue Machine: How the Ocean Shapes Our World, and what we should know about these vast bodies of water – the waves, currents, invisible ocean walls and underwater waterfalls that are part of an interlinked system that s...
Jun 25, 2023•45 min•Season 1Ep. 964
In recent years movements to change school curricula have argued that all students at schools and universities should be able to see themselves reflected in the books they read. But others argue that moves to recolonise the curriculum to include more diverse authors should be based on the universal value of their work rather than the identity of the individual. So how do we best go about updating those reading lists that include some of the most well-established classics in literature and academ...
Jun 24, 2023•42 min•Season 1Ep. 962
Why are middle-aged women these days subject to so much rage and hatred? In her new book, "Hags: The Demonisation of Middle-Aged Women," author Victoria Smith confronts the disdain and vitriol she encountered as a woman entering mid-life. and she dissects the ageism and misogyny that have historically plagued older women, shedding light on its resurgence in recent years. In conversation with Hadley Freeman from The Sunday Times, they examine the societal dismissal of women who dare to exist beyo...
Jun 23, 2023•38 min•Season 1Ep. 961
In part two of this partnership with the Swedish publishing house and ideas forum Fri Tanke we hear from Anders Ynnerman, Professor of Scientific Visualization at Linköping University and the Program Director of the Wallenberg AI, Autonomous Systems and Software Program (WASP), and Henrik Kugelberg, Interdisciplinary ethics fellow Stanford University - who react to philosopher David Chalmer's keynote speech on VR, AI, and the Mystery of Consciousness. We’d love to hear your feedback and what you...
Jun 20, 2023•51 min•Season 1Ep. 960
Throughout the year, AI development has taken significant strides. We are living in a society that is becoming increasingly reliant on digital technology, which soon could be flooded with computer-generated content. As technology advances, it will become harder to distinguish between the virtual and the real, eventually almost impossible. Is this a cause for concern? In part one of this partnership with the Swedish publishing house and ideas forum Fri Tanke we hear from keynote speaker David Cha...
Jun 19, 2023•42 min•Season 1Ep. 959
VS is the new podcast from Intelligence Squared exploring those little debates that are always a big deal to someone. For the first episode, two expert guests go head to head to decide once and for all who is king of the road for the debate Cars VS Bicycles. Yassmin Abdel-Magied is a writer, broadcaster, social advocate and one-time racing car engineer. Her upcoming book later this summer is Stand Up and Speak Out Against Racism. Roma Agrawal – also known as Roma the Engineer – is a structural e...
Jun 17, 2023•30 min•Season 1Ep. 958
The great dilemmas of geopolitics are not battles of good against evil, where the choices are clear. They are contests of good against good, where the choices are often painful, incompatible and fraught with consequence. That’s the argument that political scientist Robert Kaplan who's joined here in conversation by political philosopher John Gray. Together they discuss how the insights of the Greek tragedians – Aeschylus, Sophocles and Euripides – as well as Shakespeare and modern philosophers a...
Jun 16, 2023•42 min•Season 1Ep. 957
Since the Wall Street Crash in 1929, financial meltdowns have repeatedly sent shockwaves through our world. From the currency crises of the 1980s and 1990s, to Japan’s housing crash, the dot com boom and bust, the global financial meltdown, the euro crisis and the COVID pandemic. In May 2023, economist Linda Yueh came to Intelligence Squared to tell the stories of these historic events and what we can learn from them. Drawing from her new book The Great Crashes, Yueh warns about where the next c...
Jun 14, 2023•42 min•Season 1Ep. 956
This episode is part two of our live event on economic growth. In May 2023, journalist Kamal Ahmed, was joined by three influential economists, Kate Raworth, Helen Thompson, and Bim Afolami to discuss if we can indeed have prosperity without growth. Part three of this event is available ad free, for subscribers now. This conversation is part of Intelligence Squared’s live debate partnership with the Southbank Centre. We’d love to hear your feedback and what you think we should talk about next, w...
Jun 12, 2023•34 min•Season 1Ep. 954
As the UK and other countries around the world grapple with a bleak economic forecast and the creeping effects of climate change, the debate over economic growth and its role in our economies has come into sharp focus. In part one of this live event journalist Kamal Ahmed, was joined by three influential economists, Kate Raworth, Helen Thompson, and Bim Afolami to discuss if we can indeed have prosperity without growth. Part two and three of this event are available ad free, for subscribers now....
Jun 11, 2023•35 min•Season 1Ep. 953
VS is a light-hearted podcast about the little debates that are always a big deal to someone. Arsenal VS Spurs. McDonald’s VS KFC. Peep Show VS The Office. 80s VS 90s. And many more. Our host Coco Khan invites experts and fans to go head-to-head on the timeless debates that form the lifeblood of friendships. Who wins? You decide with our weekly vote. VS is an Intelligence Squared production. Tune in to new episodes every Friday. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoice...
Jun 10, 2023•7 min•Season 1Ep. 952
Today, we bring you a thought-provoking discussion with renowned journalist and best-selling author, Sathnam Sanghera. Here he delves into patriotism, the culture wars, and the nuanced narratives of the British Empire and its forgotten, and often purposefully destroyed, history. Sanghera is joined by fellow journalist and author Kavita Puri, prior to the release of his latest children's book, 'Stolen History'. This episode was recorded on the 17th of May 2023. The producer was Senior Producer Co...
Jun 09, 2023•32 min•Season 1Ep. 951
In this episode we explore the history of brainwashing - the process of pressuring someone into adopting radically different beliefs by using systematic and often forcible means. Daniel Pick, a Psychoanalyst, Historian, and Professor Emeritus of History at Birkbeck College, University of London, joins Subhadra Das, broadcaster, academic and writer, with a keen interest in the history of eugenics, to delve into the murky history and psychology of brainwashing and to discuss Pick's latest book, 'B...
Jun 07, 2023•42 min•Season 1Ep. 950
This episode is part two of our live Bach vs Beethoven. The BBC’s Reeta Chakrabarti was joined by world-renowned cellist Steven Isserlis and acclaimed music critic Norman Lebrecht to discuss who was greater, Bach or Beethoven? Mishka Rushdie Momen accompanies this conversation on the piano. Part three of this event is available ad free, for subscribers now. This conversation took place in April 2023. It was produced by Executive Producer Hannah Kaye, with editing by Lead Producer Catharine Hughe...
Jun 05, 2023•34 min•Season 1Ep. 949
Johann Sebastian Bach and Ludwig van Beethoven are without doubt two of the most sublime musical geniuses who ever lived. But which of the two was the greater? To battle it out In part one of this live event, Intelligence Squared brought to the stage two celebrated figures from the world of music: world-renowned cellist Steven Isserlis for Bach and acclaimed music critic Norman Lebrecht for Beethoven. The event was hosted by the BBC’s Reeta Chakrabarti, with Mishka Rushdie Momen on the piano. Pa...
Jun 04, 2023•31 min•Season 1Ep. 948
With roots in the Harlem Renaissance of the 1920s, ballroom culture evolved into a vibrant movement that has since been a haven of self-expression, creativity, and community for the LGBTQ individuals, particularly those from the black and latino community. It's a world of flamboyant fashion, fierce competition, and above all, a celebration of identity. In this episode, we're not just exploring the sequins and voguing, we're delving deeper. We discuss the significant impact of ballroom culture on...
Jun 02, 2023•35 min•Season 1Ep. 947
When writer and musician Eliza Hull was pregnant with her first child, like most parents-to-be she felt a mix of nerves and excitement. But as a disabled person she faced added complexities. Would the pregnancy be too hard? Would people judge her? Would she cope with the demands of parenting? On May 24th, 2023, Hull came to Intelligence Squared with host, writer, and campaigner Lucy Webster, where they discussed the themes of Hull's new book, 'We've Got This: Essays By Disabled Parents.' The ant...
May 31, 2023•38 min•Season 1Ep. 946
In this episode we bring you our event ‘The Battle for Your Brain’, recorded on the 2nd of May 2023. Imagine a world where people who suffer from epilepsy receive alerts moments before a seizure, where the average person can peer into their own mind to eliminate painful memories and we can easily cure addictions. This is also a world where your brain could be interrogated to learn your political beliefs, your thoughts can be used as evidence of a crime, and your own feelings can be held against ...
May 28, 2023•39 min•Season 1Ep. 945
Whether it's skiing in Afghanistan, eating lobster in Cuba, or a package tour in North Korea - here are some things to consider for when you plan your next holiday. In this episode of the podcast we explore the ethical boundaries of travel and tourism to countries under a repressive regime. Is it justifiable to travel to such places, potentially aiding oppressive governments with tourism dollars? Or, could these visits serve as a crucial bridge, creating an avenue for dialogue and cultural excha...
May 27, 2023•37 min•Season 1Ep. 944
In this episode we bringing you the recording of our event ‘Tory Nation: How One Party Took Over’, recorded on the 10th of May 2023. The Conservative Party has been in power in the United Kingdom since 2010, stumbling its way through corruption scandals, the turmoil of Brexit, a pandemic, and five prime ministers. And yet it has won the last four elections in a row. How? With host Commissioning Editor and Writer at the New Statesman, Will Lloyd, Samuel Earle came to Intelligence Squared to shed ...
May 25, 2023•38 min•Season 1Ep. 943
To mark the passing of one of Britain's most celebrated writers, we’re replaying an event recorded with us in November 2020. Martin Amis was often called the Mick Jagger of the British book world. As famous for his love affairs, his friendships and his complicated family history as for his dazzling prose, he dominated the literary scene for decades. In this exclusive Intelligence Squared event, made in partnership with Penguin Live, he speaks about his much anticipated autobiographical novel Ins...
May 24, 2023•31 min•Season 1Ep. 942
This episode is part two of our live event on the end of the war in Ukraine. In March 2023, the BBC’s Clive Myrie, was joined by four leading historians, Orlando Figes, Max Hastings, Anne Applebaum, and Olesya Khromeychuk, to discuss when - and how - this almost decade-long conflict could end. Part two and three of this event are available ad free, for subscribers now. And for our listeners who don’t subscribe part 2 will be available in our next episode. This conversation is part of Intelligenc...
May 21, 2023•26 min•Season 1Ep. 940
With the Russian army struggling to make gains in Eastern Ukraine and the devastating impact of the war taking its toll, many are wondering if Vladimir Putin’s war may be nearing an end point, and what a realistic end to this conflict may look like. In part one of this live event the BBC’s Clive Myrie, was joined by four leading historians, Orlando Figes, Max Hastings, Anne Applebaum, and Olesya Khromeychuk, to discuss when - and how - this almost decade-long conflict could end. Part two and thr...
May 21, 2023•36 min•Season 1Ep. 939
Human beings have been telling stories for thousands of years, but what actually makes for a good story? Authors have been trying to settle on the great principles of compelling writing for as long as people have been writing. Yet, as Deepa Anappara and Taymour Soomro argue, something has gone amiss in these manuals on the art of storytelling: they have tended to privilege a Western perspective. Anappara and Soomro came to Intelligence Squared to talk about their new anthology, Letters to a Writ...
May 18, 2023•41 min•Season 1Ep. 938
In this episode we're joined by renowned economist and China expert Keyu Jin to ask whether the West really understands it's biggest geopolitical and economic rival? Keyu Jin was born in China and educated in the United States. She's now a professor of economics at the London's LSE and author of The New China Playbook which seeks to dispel myths about China's economy and people. You may remember her from our 2019 debate ‘China: Friend or Foe?’ and she joins us again today with Gideon Rachman, C...
May 17, 2023•44 min•Season 1Ep. 937
In an age where the line between cultural appreciation and cultural appropriation seems ever more blurred, can anyone actually own a culture? In this conversation acclaimed author and public intellectual Martin Puchner explains that the history of mankind has always been a story of borrowing from one another and that this is something to be celebrated, not lamented. The idea of ownership implicit in debates about cultural appropriation, he argues, presents an insular tale about how culture evolv...
May 15, 2023•43 min•Season 1Ep. 936
Louise Perry has been described as the most influential young feminist in Britain. She claims in her book The Case Against the Sexual Revolution that the contemporary world of rough sex, hook-up culture and ubiquitous porn is harming women and she calls for a radical challenge to what she sees as the failed liberal feminism of the 20th century. Meanwhile writer Mary Harrington argues that the belief in the progressive march of history is misguided and that new technology, far from liberating wom...
May 14, 2023•42 min•Season 1Ep. 935
Mikhail Shishkin is one of the most celebrated living Russian novelists and the only author to have won all three major Russian literary prizes. All his books have been adapted for the stage in Russia and they have been translated into 30 languages. In conversation with historian Victor Sebastyen Shishkin traces the roots of Russia’s problems, from Kievan Rus via the Grand Duchy of Moscow, empire, revolution and the Cold War to the now thirty-year-old Russian Federation. He explores the uneasy r...
May 12, 2023•41 min•Season 1Ep. 934
In this episode we bring you part two of our live event, 'How To Win Every Argument,' with renowned interviewer and debater Mehdi Hasan. Hosted by columnist, author, and broadcaster Jonathan Freedland, Hasan shares his tips and techniques for mastering the art of persuasion, which he explores in-depth in his new book 'Win Every Argument: The Art of Debating, Persuading, and Public Speaking.' From Demosthenes to Elizabeth Warren, Hasan examines the historical importance of arguing and explains ho...
May 09, 2023•26 min•Season 1Ep. 933
