Politics and Society Podcasts
Series 14, Eps 11
1hr 1min
Alison Fragale – How Women Can Get the Success They Deserve
Behavioural scientist Alison Fragale reveals a practical playbook for women to advance in any workplace, while remaining authentic to themselves.
Series 14, Eps 8
1hr 31mins
Yuval Noah Harari – Humanity in the Age of AI
Humanity has always evolved with its technology, but now a new threat looms. Yuval Noah Harari joins us to explore how the rise of artificial intelligence is reshaping humanity as we know it.
Series 14, Eps 5
1hr 2mins
Harvard Historian Serhii Plokhy – Chernobyl Under Russian Occupation
What happens when a hostile power occupies the site of a nuclear catastrophe? Ukrainian-born historian Serhii Plokhy returns to Chernobyl to tell a harrowing and profoundly important story.
Series 14, Eps 3
1hr 5 mins
Pulitzer Prize winners Russ Buettner and Susanne Craig – How Donald Trump Squandered His Fortune
He claimed he could do for America what he had done for business. But Trump’s acumen was a house of cards. Pulitzer Prize winners Russ Buettner and Susanne Craig dismantle the myth of America’s luckiest loser.
Series 14, Episode 1
42mins
Anthropologist Webb Keane – Animals, Robots, Gods
What can animals, robots, and gods teach us about what it means to be human? In this episode, anthropologist Webb Keane investigates how our morality entwines with the non-human world.
Series 13, Eps 31
1 hr 18 mins
David Olusoga and Alan Lester – The Truth About the British Empire
David Olusoga and Alan Lester reveal the dark realities of the British Empire, and reflect on the importance of historians amid the resurgence of nationalism and misinformation.
Series 13, Eps 26
1hr 15mins
Superstar Election Forecaster Nate Silver – The Art of Risking Everything
Legendary forecaster Nate Silver joins Jeremy Vine to present a new paradigm of power, progress, and chaos, that takes risk-taking to the extreme.
Season 13, Eps 25
31 mins
Stefan Stern – The Lady Macbeth Guide to Ambition
What do Shakespearean tragic heroines and the Financial Times have in common? Journalist and business scholar Stefan Stern joins us to unpack the nature of ambition — with practical insights for all of our lives.
Season 13, Eps 24
58 mins
Mark Galeotti – Putin, Prigozhin and the Future of Russia
The life of rebel-in-chief Yevgeny Prigozhin offers a chilling lens on Russia’s future. Expert Russia-watcher Mark Galeotti reveals the chaotic new direction of late Putinism.
Series 13, Eps 21
1hr 14mins
Yuval Noah Harari Meets Katherine Rundell – Unstoppable Us (Summer Repeat)
In a special podcast for children and families, the author of the multi-million bestselling Sapiens tells the incredible story of the human race to Katherine Rundell.
Series 13, Eps 17
58 mins
Pulitzer Prize winner Anne Applebaum – The Dictators Who Want to Run the World
For the first time in history, autocracies are working together to stay in power. Celebrated journalist Anne Applebaum joins Luke Harding to uncover the networks trying to destroy the democratic world – and how we can stop them.
Series 13, Eps 16
27 mins
World Record Breaking Mountaineer Lhakpa Sherpa and Filmmaker Lucy Walker
Lhakpa Sherpa, the first Nepali woman to summit and descend Everest, joined filmmaker Lucy Walker to reveal her lifelong dream of empowering women and her own extraordinary journey against all odds.
Series 13, Eps 11
1hr 1 min
Conservationists Isabella Tree and Charlie Burrell – When the Wild Things Returned
Conservationists Isabella Tree and Charlie Burrell share their inspiring story of rewilding a failing farm – and reveal how you can help bring wildness back into your corner of the world.
Series 13, Episode 8
1hr 4mins
FT columnist Ruchir Sharma – How Capitalism Went Wrong
Chairman of Rockefeller Capital and Financial Times columnist Ruchir Sharma joins Gillian Tett to share a capitalist’s guide to capitalism’s many problems – and what we can do to fix them.
Series 13, Eps 4
1 hr 2 mins
Naomi Klein – The Mirror World of Conspiracists and the Far-Right
Winner of the inaugural Women’s Prize for Non-Fiction, Naomi Klein’s Doppleganger takes us down the rabbit hole of far-right conspiracy theories. She joined Moya Lothian-McLean to tell us more.
Series 12, Eps 39
1 hr 21 mins
George Monbiot Meets Nish Kumar – The Secret History of Neoliberalism
How can you fight something if you don’t know it exists? Legendary environmentalist and Guardian columnist George Monbiot deconstructs the narratives of neoliberalism in conversation with Nish Kumar.
Series 12, Eps 35
1 hr 21 mins
James O’Brien Meets Ian Dunt – How They Broke Britain
Radio sensation James O’Brien reveals the dark forces who have broken Britain and reveals why he is confident of a brighter political landscape.
Series 12, Eps 33
1hr 17 mins
Slavoj Žižek Meets Ash Sarkar – A 75th Birthday Celebration
As he turns 75, rockstar philosopher and revolutionary Slavoj Žižek joins us to share what life has taught him about dialectics, diet and death.
Series 12, Eps 31
1hr 12mins
George the Poet – Me Music and the War on Blackness
The ground-breaking rapper, poet, and podcaster George the Poet joins Gary Younge to share life lessons on education, politics and feeling at home.
Series 12, Eps 30
44 mins
Economist Andrew Scott — How We Can Sustain Longer, Healthier Lives
Economist and longevity expert Andrew Scott joins us to call for a revolution in the way we think about health, ageing, and the future.
Bonus Episode
Outrage + Optimism with Christiana Figueres
Christiana Figueres’ podcast Outrage + Optimism is essential listening for anyone who wants to understand the complexity of the climate situation. This podcast is a preview of the O+O mini-series, Our Story of Nature.
Series 12, Eps 25
1hr 14 mins
Gary Stevenson – Confessions of a Trader
Gary Stevenson once dealt in nearly a trillion dollars a day. He joins Sam Knight to reveal why he left the dark heart of an intoxicating world.
Series 12, Eps 24
1hr 9 mins
Mary Beard and Jo Quinn – Who Made The West?
Forget what you think you know about the Roman Empire and the story of the West. Two renowned classicists join us to debunk myths and reveal new and thrilling histories of power.
Series 12, Eps 21
1hr
Diplomat Christiana Figueres and former Unilever CEO Paul Polman – Fighting the Climate Crisis
Global leader on climate change Christiana Figueres joins former CEO of Unilever Paul Polman to rally the world to choose a better future.
Series 12, Eps 20
1hr 11 mins
Professor of Global Politics Brian Klaas – Why Everything We Do Matters
Justin Webb joins award-winning broadcaster, podcaster and politics professor Brian Klaas for a provocative new vision of how our world really works – and why chance determines everything.
Series 12, Eps 14
1hr 5mins
Daniel Goleman – Emotional Intelligence at Work
The pioneer of the paradigm-shifting concept of Emotional Intelligence reveals why being wired isn’t the key to performing well.
Series 12, Eps 11
36 mins
Amitav Ghosh – How The Opium Trade Shaped Capitalism
Novelist Amitav Ghosh reveals the rarely told true history of opium, from the Enlightenment all the way to the present day.
Series 12, Episode 3
37mins
Oxford Data Scientist Hannah Richie – Climate Anxiety
In this episode of our sister podcast Found in Conversation, researcher Hannah Richie and ESG investor Rosa Sangiorgio outline how we can overcome the climate crisis.
Series 12, Episode 2
1hr20mins
Economist Mariana Mazzucato – The Entrepreneurial State and the Future of Innovation
Mariana Mazzucato’s ideas have changed how governments see their role in the economy – but where do we go from here?
Series 12, Episode 1
45mins
Psychologist Dan Ariely – Why People Are Drawn to Conspiracy Theories, and How to Help
The superstar social scientist joins us for an eye-opening exploration of the misinformation crisis, examining what drives otherwise rational people to adopt deeply irrational beliefs.
Series 11, Eps 28
33mins
Hein de Haas – Debunking Myths About Migration
Why do people really migrate and what does it mean for their destination nations?
Series 11, Eps 26
1hr
New York Times columnist David Brooks – How to Know Others and Be Truly Seen
‘One of the most prominent public intellectuals of our time.’ (Washington Post), New York Times columnist David Brooks joins us with a guide to seeing others deeply – and being seen.
Series 11, Eps 24
1hr
Harvard Business School Prof. Amy Edmondson – How Learning to Fail Can Teach Us to Thrive
Drawing on a lifetime’s research, the world’s most influential organisational psychologist reveals how failures can lead us to happier, more successful lives.
Series 11, Eps 18
1hr5mins
Philippa Gregory – 900 Years of Women’s History
The beloved historical novelist tells the epic story of ordinary British women doing extraordinary things, from 1066 to modern times.
20mins
David Christian – A User’s Guide to the Future (Bonus Episode)
Historian David Christian investigates what we can know about the future in this episode of our sister podcast, Found in Conversation.
Series 10, Eps 27
45mins
Alan Philps – Stalin’s Disinformation War
How did Stalin manipulate foreign correspondents to stifle the truth about life in the Soviet Union? Alan Philps tells the story of the Metropol Hotel and its critical role in Stalin’s disinformation war.
Series 10, Eps 26
40mins
Victoria Belim – The Resilience of Art in Times of War
Victoria Belim is a Financial Times columnist and translator whose new memoir The Rooster House is both a detective story and a paean to her lost land.
Series 10, Eps 24
42mins
Malcolm Harris – How Palo Alto Conquered the World
How did the suburb of Palo Alto become the epicentre of a global tech revolution, changing not just American capitalism but the world?
Series 10, Eps 20
1hr
Christina Wallace – How To Futureproof Your Career and Live a Life Worthy of You
Christina Wallace has a radical new model for work and life that upends the notion they should have ever been at odds.
Series 10, Ep. 15
50 mins
Peter Heather – Will the West Fall Like Rome?
Is the West doomed to be the next Roman Empire? Can we learn something from its fall? Medieval historian Peter Heather thinks we can – and must.
Series 10, Ep. 13
48mins
Scott Shapiro – The Dark Art of Hacking
The Information Age is built on precarious architecture, leaving states, companies, and individuals open to hacking. Scott Shapiro joins us to bust the myths and reveal the truth about viruses, espionage, and cyberwar.
Series 10, Ep. 12
1hr 10mins
James Comey – The Pursuit of Justice in a Divided America
The former FBI director turned novelist joins us to share his insights into power and justice in a dangerous and divided America.
Series 10, Episode 7
30mins
Susie Alegre – Protecting Freedom of Thought in the Digital Age
Susie Alegre charts the history and fragility of our most important human right: freedom of thought.
Series 10, Episode 4
1hr 25mins
Alastair Campbell – Why Politics Has Gone So Wrong, and How You Can Help Fix It
Sky News’s Beth Rigby asks the legendary New Labour strategist and host of The Rest is Politics what we can each to do to confront policies that serve the interests of a privileged few.
Series 9, Episode 28
45mins
Alexa Hagerty – Genocide, Forensics, and What Remains
Bones can reveal brutality, beauty, trauma, and love – Alexa Hagerty used them to reveal the truth.
Series 9, Episode 26
36mins
Brad Smith – Tools and Weapons
Join us for a preview of Tools and Weapons, the new podcast with Microsoft President (and former How To Academy guest in London) Brad Smith.
Series 9, Episode 24
55mins
Luke Turner – Men at War
Award-winning journalist Luke Turner looks beyond the myths of heroes and villains to reveal a much more nuanced portrait of the multitude of men who served in the Second World War.
Series 9, Episode 22
1hr
Julian Baggini – How to Think Like a Philosopher
Join bestselling public philosopher Julian Baggini for a ‘complete treat: a breath of fresh air and a bracing detox for our beleaguered, battered brains’ (Derren Brown).
Series 9, Episode 19
42mins
Amantha Imber – How to Use Time Wisely
Organisational psychologist Amantha Imber has distilled the wisdom of the world’s most innovative people to help us all use our time more productively.
