Intelligence Squared

International Women's Week on Intelligence Squared. Equality is no longer enough, women need equity - that's the message of former US 5000m champion, Lauren Fleshman who joins us on this episode of the podcast to speak about the vital need for the world of sport to be reimagined for women. In conversation with host Sophie Penney, sports journalist for Reuters and The Athletic, Lauren looks back at her own career to examine the damaging mental and physical effects of young women being trained in line with the physiological development of a male body, the financial realities of being a professional female athlete, and what it means to be a successful athlete. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

International Women’s Week on Intelligence Squared. Change is never easy, it requires putting up a fight, going against the status quo, and if you’re a woman - this may require you to be difficult. In 2020 Helen Lewis, staff writer for The Atlantic, joined us on stage to discuss the lives of some of history’s complicated and contradictory fighters for female freedom, and their refusal to conform to societal expectations. Helen was joined by Caroline Criado Perez, journalist and author of Invisible Women, which is now also a podcast. And the conversation was chaired by broadcaster Samira Ahmed who had just won the employment tribunal she brought against the BBC in a dispute over equal pay. Together they examine why women who challenge the status quo are often seen as threatening or intimidating and why the fight for change is far from perfect. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

International Women’s Week on Intelligence Squared. On this episode we hear from some of the women who helped sparked the 2017 MeToo movement. Jodi Kantor and Meghan Twohey are the Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative journalists who first broke the story of Harvey Weinstein’s alleged sexual misconduct with dozens of Hollywood’s most elite actresses. The journalists were joined on stage by three women who had previously worked with Weinstein and broke their long-buried, and legally bound, silence over his sexual abuse allegations; Rowena Chiu - Former assistant to Harvey Weinstein; Laura Madden - Former production executive at Harvey Weinstein’s Miramax Films London; and Zelda Perkins - Former assistant to Harvey Weinstein and a campaigner against non-disclosure agreements. In this conversation they recount their work to publish a story which had been silenced for decades and how this sparked a movement for societal change. Our host for this conversation was Carrie Gracie, Former BBC China Editor and author of Equal: A Story of Women, Men and Money. This recording took place in central London in 2019 as part of the series “Intelligent Times” – a partnership between Intelligence Squared and The New York Times. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

For the Sunday Debate this week, a dip back into the archive to 2019 when we partnered with Waitrose to invite three of the UK’s top wine experts to settle a rivalry for the ages: the so-called Old World vs New World. Which region makes the best wine? Representing the Old World – wine producers such as France, Italy, Spain and Germany – was the award-winning writer and broadcaster Jancis Robinson, wine columnist for the Financial Times and a qualified Master of Wine. Fighting for the modernising spirit of the New World – that’s regions such as California, Australia, South Africa and Chile – was Oz Clarke, presenter, author and a winner of British Wine Taster of the Year. Our host for the debate was Amelia Singer, wine writer, broadcaster and founder of Amelia’s Wine. ... Did you know that Intelligence Squared offers way more than podcasts? We’ve just launched a new online streaming platform Intelligence Squared+ and we’d love you to give it a go. It’s packed with more than 20 years’ worth of video debates and conversations on the world’s hottest topics. Tune in to live events, ask your questions or watch back on-demand totally ad-free with hours of discussion to dive into for just £14.99 a month. Visit intelligencesquaredplus.com to start watching today. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

How has Western culture depicted powerful women down the ages? To what extent have they been packaged into a male template? And how much have they been able to control their own image? Featuring classicist Mary Beard and Sotheby’s specialist Holly Braine, and chaired by cultural critic Shahidha Bari, the conversation will range from sculptures of ancient goddesses such as Aphrodite and Athena, to portraits of Queen Elizabeth I as ‘Gloriana’, to the empowered politicians and cultural icons of today. This conversation was produced in partnership with Sotheby's for Sotheby’s Talks: (Women) Artists. To view the accompanying images for this conversation please visit: https://intelligencesquared.com/sothebys-women-artists-women-in-power/ This event was recorded on the 26th of February 2023, at Sotheby's in London. It was produced by Executive Producer Hannah Kaye and editing was by Producer Catharine Hughs. — We’d love to hear your feedback and what you think we should talk about next, who we should have on and what our future debates should be about. Send us an email or voice note with your thoughts to [email protected] or Tweet us at @intelligence2. At Intelligence Squared we’ve got our own online streaming platform, Intelligence Squared+ and we’d love you to give it a go. It’s packed with more than 20 years’ worth of video debates and conversations on the world’s most important topics as well as exclusive podcast content. Tune in to live events, ask your questions or watch on-demand, totally ad-free with hours of discussion to dive into. Visit intelligencesquaredplus.com to start watching today Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Senator Bernie Sanders is seen by many as the leader of the progressive movement in the United States. On this episode of the podcast, recorded in central London, he spoke to BBC broadcaster Justin Webb about corporate greed, identity politics and the direction of America today. Sanders' new book It's OK to Be Angry About Capitalism is available now. This podcast was produced by Senior Producer Conor Boyle with editing by Producer Catharine Hughes — We’d love to hear your feedback and what you think we should talk about next, who we should have on and what our future debates should be about. Send us an email or voice note with your thoughts to [email protected]. At Intelligence Squared we’ve got our own online streaming platform, Intelligence Squared+ and we’d love you to give it a go. It’s packed with more than 20 years’ worth of video debates and conversations on the world’s most important topics as well as exclusive podcast content. Tune in to live events, ask your questions or watch on-demand, totally ad-free with hours of discussion to dive into. Visit intelligencesquaredplus.com to start watching today Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We have some really exciting news for you, we're launching a brand new podcast – Intelligence Squared Arts & Culture. Join us every week as we delve into the artistic and cultural moments, movements and conversations that have shaped, and are still shaping, our world. Over the years we’ve produced hundreds of Arts and Culture debates, live events, discussions and interviews, working with some of the world's greatest minds, including Kate Winslet, Salman Rushdie, Helena Bonham Carter, Christopher Hitchens, Bernardine Evaristo, Tom Hiddleston, Stephen Fry and many others. Search Intelligence Squared Arts & Culture, wherever you get your podcasts. This podcast was produced by Executive Producer Rowan Slaney — We’d love to hear your feedback and what you think we should talk about next, who we should have on and what our future debates should be about. Send us an email or voice note with your thoughts to [email protected]. At Intelligence Squared we’ve got our own online streaming platform, Intelligence Squared+ and we’d love you to give it a go. It’s packed with more than 20 years’ worth of video debates and conversations on the world’s most important topics as well as exclusive podcast content. Tune in to live events, ask your questions or watch on-demand, totally ad-free with hours of discussion to dive into. Visit intelligencesquaredplus.com to start watching today Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Journalist Tania Branigan has spent years covering China and is Foreign Leader writer for the Guardian. Her new book, Red Memory: Living, Remembering and Forgetting China’s Cultural Revolution, explores the traumatic legacy of the era helmed by China's Chairman Mao throughout the 1960s and 1970s, which left a devastating mark on the psyche of future generations. Joining Branigan in conversation is journalist, author and former China Editor for BBC News, Carrie Gracie. ... Did you know that Intelligence Squared offers way more than podcasts? We’ve just launched a new online streaming platform Intelligence Squared+ and we’d love you to give it a go. It’s packed with more than 20 years’ worth of video debates and conversations on the world’s hottest topics. Tune in to live events, ask your questions or watch back on-demand totally ad-free with hours of discussion to dive into for just £14.99 a month. Visit intelligencesquaredplus.com to start watching today. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

As the war in Ukraine reaches its one year anniversary, there is still no clear end in sight. And while Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy anticipates Russia’s spring offensive, he’s been clear in asking the West for one thing - fighter jets. On this episode of the podcast defence expert Rajan Menon and policy expert Anatol Lieven discuss how crucial jets could be for Ukraine’s defence, what the western countries’ national interest is in giving them, and whether support for Ukraine in this war could wane as time goes on. Our host for this episode is The Sunday Times Special Correspondent, Josh Glancy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On this episode of the podcast we look back on one year of Russia’s war in Ukraine by revisiting 10 Intelligence Squared conversations over the past 12 months with historians, politicians, journalists, military, security, and defence experts. From questioning the effectiveness of economic sanctions and the likelihood of nuclear weapon use, to analysing the rise of Vladimir Putin in modern Russia, join us on this retrospective Intelligence Squared episode with producers Hannah Kaye, Conor Boyle, and Catharine Hughes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Emmanuel Iduma is a Nigerian author and critic whose new book, I Am Still With You, explores the legacy of the Nigerian Civil War, which began in 1967 and lasted nearly three years. In the book, Iduma asks questions about how the conflict has affected the generations since, many of whom have had to live with difficult questions hanging over their family histories. Joining Iduma in conversation is our host, Dipo Faloyin, author of Africa Is Not A Country and Senior Editor for Vice. ... Did you know that Intelligence Squared offers way more than podcasts? We’ve just launched a new online streaming platform Intelligence Squared+ and we’d love you to give it a go. It’s packed with more than 20 years’ worth of video debates and conversations on the world’s hottest topics. Tune in to live events, ask your questions or watch back on-demand totally ad-free with hours of discussion to dive into for just £14.99 a month. Visit intelligencesquaredplus.com to start watching today. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Language is perhaps humanity's most astonishing accomplishment but one that remains poorly understood. On this episode of the podcast we were joined by Nick Chater, Professor of Behavioural Science at Warwick Business School, and Morten H. Christiansen, Professor of Psychology at Cornell University. Together in their latest book "The Language Game," they upend our traditional understanding of language, arguing that it's not based on a set of fixed rules, but on a constantly evolving series of flexible conventions. Our host for this episode was journalist Christine Ro. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Does God exist? In this archive debate from 2009, we invited a panel of expert speakers to discuss whether atheism had replaced religion as the new faith of the secular age. Are atheists as blinkered and dogmatic as they claim religious believers to be? Arguing for the motion were former Bishop of Oxford Richard Harries and former Editor of the Daily Telegraph Charles Moore. Arguing against the motion were evolutionary biologist and science author Richard Dawkins and philosopher AC Grayling. The debate was chaired by historian, author and commentator Anthony Seldon. ... Did you know that Intelligence Squared offers way more than podcasts? We’ve just launched a new online streaming platform Intelligence Squared+ and we’d love you to give it a go. It’s packed with more than 20 years’ worth of video debates and conversations on the world’s hottest topics. Tune in to live events, ask your questions or watch back on-demand totally ad-free with hours of discussion to dive into for just £14.99 a month. Visit intelligencesquaredplus.com to start watching today. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Investigative journalist Patrick Radden Keefe joins us on the podcast to tell the story of an unlikely criminal mastermind, Sister Ping - a middle-aged, hardworking woman who is highly respected among her community. Originally from Fujian province, China, for years she runs an incredibly lucrative people smuggling business from New York's Chinatown until she comes into trouble with violent gangsters and then later the FBI. In conversation with our host Poppy Damon, they discuss immigration, the dark underbelly of the American Dream, and the questions of who gets to stay. They also speak about Patrick's involvement in the Oscar-nominated documentary starring Nan Goldin and directed by Laura Poitras, All The Beauty And The Bloodshed. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It’s been 25 years since the release of James Cameron’s cult classic, Titanic. The epic movie, which early fans will remember came out on VHS in two parts because it was so long, is now being rereleased in cinemas. But more importantly, James Cameron has finally admitted that Jack might have survived had he been allowed on the now infamous door, and if he were to make this film again today the raft would be a lot smaller. On this episode we hear an interview from our series How I Found My Voice with Kate Winslet. In conversation with journalist and broadcaster Samira Ahmed, they discuss the great raft debate and the Academy Award winning actress' even greater career. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Intelligence Squared and Harewood House partner for this live podcast exploring the power of portraiture in representing Britain’s complex history. The expert panel includes artist Thomas J Price, Director of the National Portrait Gallery, Nicholas Cullinan, and Contributing Editor at Novara Media, Moya Lothian-McLean. Joining our speakers are the Earl of Harewood David Lascelles and our host, writer and presenter Yassmin Abdel-Magied. The event coincides with the recent launch of Missing Portraits, a new series commissioned by David and Diane Lascelles to be part of the permanent collection at Harewood House, that depicts people of Afro-Caribbean heritage with a connection to Harewood – the inaugural portrait being of Arthur France, founder of the Leeds West Indian Carnival. The series is part of an effort to better reflect the history of Harewood, which was built on the vast fortune made by Henry Lascelles through the Transatlantic Slave Trade. Harewood acknowledges the troubled roots of its wealth and seeks to address the historic lack of diversity within its vast art collection. This situation is not unique to Harewood, which since 1986 has been an educational charity. Whether it’s in the school curriculum or the collections of museums and galleries, the diversity and complexity of Britain’s colonial history is not fully reflected in our understanding of the past. Find out more at https://harewood.org/ ... Did you know that Intelligence Squared offers way more than podcasts? We’ve just launched a new online streaming platform Intelligence Squared+ and we’d love you to give it a go. It’s packed with more than 20 years’ worth of video debates and conversations on the world’s hottest topics. Tune in to live events, ask your questions or watch back on-demand totally ad-free with hours of discussion to dive into for just £14.99 a month. Visit intelligencesquaredplus.com to start watching today. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It’s an issue that only gets more contentious with time - is porn good for us? To debate this issue in 2013, host Viv Groskop was joined by Germaine Greer, Dr Robert Lefever, Anna Arrowsmith, and Dr Clarissa Smith. But how has our cultural outlook swayed and shifted over the past decade? Have conversations about sexual liberation or concerns over children’s access and early exposure to pornographic content moved us beyond the panellists arguments in 2013? Or are we still just as confused as a society. Listen now to find out. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Los Angeles, 1981. A group of beautiful, rich, high school students are playing adult in their absentee parents' empty mansions, fueled by lust and prescription drugs, and filled with fear and disaffection. This is the world of The Shards, Bret Easton Ellis’ first novel in 13 years, part auto-fiction, part horror. The provocative and polarising author joins Alex Preston, award-winning author and journalist, to speak about the emptiness of adolescence, the lawlessness of the 80s, and how it feels to look back at it all aged 56 in 2023. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

When world-renowned economist Ha-Joon Chang first arrived in Britain in the 1980s he recoiled in horror at how dull and dreary British food was at that time. But it was not just the food that caused him to despair: it was mainstream economic thinking too. Neoclassical liberalism was, and still is, the only item he found on Britain’s menu of economic ideas. Rethinking that menu is the theme of his new book, Edible Economics: A Hungry Economist Explains the World. Through a series of culinary anecdotes Chang explains that just as a rich and varied diet nourishes the body, moving beyond the narrow confines of neoclassical economics can help to build a better and fairer world. Speaking with Chang for this episode is Victoria Scholar, Head of Investment at Interactive Investor. ... Did you know that Intelligence Squared offers way more than podcasts? We’ve just launched a new online streaming platform Intelligence Squared+ and we’d love you to give it a go. It’s packed with more than 20 years’ worth of video debates and conversations on the world’s hottest topics. Tune in to live events, ask your questions or watch back on-demand totally ad-free with hours of discussion to dive into for just £14.99 a month. Visit intelligencesquaredplus.com to start watching today. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On 27 January 2023, broadcaster Mahmoud Al-Mossallami hosted BBC Arabic radio’s final transmission after 85 years on air. It's the latest strategy shift for BBC World Service, which launched in 1932 as the BBC Empire Service. Over the years its radio content has transformed in order to meet historical challenges, cater to growing audiences and adapt under financial constraints. But with a listenership of millions across multiple nations, is something larger and more important than just a radio service being lost with the shuttering of BBC Arabic radio? To discuss the history and future of Britain's soft power as a broadcasting powerhouse, former BBC producer and Intelligence Squared's Head of Podcasts, Farah Jassat, is joined by Emma Robertson, historian and co-author of BBC World Service: Overseas Broadcasting, 1932–2018, and Hosam El Sokkari, former Head of BBC Arabic. Plus, BBC World Service anchor Mahmoud Al-Mossallami himself reflects on his long career and that final broadcast. ... Did you know that Intelligence Squared offers way more than podcasts? We’ve just launched a new online streaming platform Intelligence Squared+ and we’d love you to give it a go. It’s packed with more than 20 years’ worth of video debates and conversations on the world’s hottest topics. Tune in to live events, ask your questions or watch back on-demand totally ad-free with hours of discussion to dive into for just £14.99 a month. Visit intelligencesquaredplus.com to start watching today. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week marked the three year anniversary of Brexit, the withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union. On this episode of The Sunday Debate we’re revisiting what some would call a simpler time, pre-Brexit Britain. In May 2016, a month before the referendum, Intelligence Squared staged The Great Brexit Debate. Our chair for the debate was Jonathan Freedland, Guardian columnist, author and broadcaster, and he was joined by a panel of six influential voices including Nick Clegg and Gisela Stuart. Now we’re on the other side of this once in a generation vote, were the predictions correct? Did the fears or hopes come into fruition? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Samira Ahmed speaks to journalist, satirist, and editor of the magazine Private Eye, Ian Hislop. They speak about his life and career, from an upbringing in Nigeria, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and Hong Kong before returning to Britain to attend boarding school where he began his satirical career. Ian Hislop became editor of the British satirical magazine Private Eye at just 25, in his 37 years as editor he has been reported as the most sued man in English legal history. This episode was recorded in April 2021 when Boris Johnson was still the prime minister of the UK. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Between 1993 and 1997 Natasha Lance Rogoff, award-winning television producer and filmmaker, was the executive producer of Ulitsa Sezam, the Russian adaptation of Sesame Street. She joins us on Intelligence Squared to tell the extraordinary story of her determination to bring entertainment and democratic values to Russian children amid a backdrop of bombings, assassinations and a military pressure. Drawing on her new book, Muppets in Moscow, she shares her unique perspective of Russia’s people, their culture and their complicated relationship with the West. Hosting this discussion is Carl Miller, Research Director at the Centre for the Analysis of Social Media at the think tank, Demos. ... Did you know that Intelligence Squared offers way more than podcasts? We’ve just launched a new online streaming platform Intelligence Squared+ and we’d love you to give it a go. It’s packed with more than 20 years’ worth of video debates and conversations on the world’s hottest topics. Tune in to live events, ask your questions or watch back on-demand totally ad-free with hours of discussion to dive into for just £14.99 a month. Visit intelligencesquaredplus.com to start watching today. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mark Galeotti is one of the world’s leading experts on modern Russia. His new book, Putin’s Wars: From Chechnya to Ukraine, details how Vladimir Putin and his conflicts have shaped Russia in the 21st century. In conversation with the New Statesman’s Katie Stallard, Galeotti shows how Putin has used warfare through incursions into Georgia, Crimea and Ukraine, to influence both Russia’s domestic politics and the geopolitics that play out on the world stage. ... Did you know that Intelligence Squared offers way more than podcasts? We’ve just launched a new online streaming platform Intelligence Squared+ and we’d love you to give it a go. It’s packed with more than 20 years’ worth of video debates and conversations on the world’s hottest topics. Tune in to live events, ask your questions or watch back on-demand totally ad-free with hours of discussion to dive into for just £14.99 a month. Visit intelligencesquaredplus.com to start watching today. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

For this archive debate from 2019, we invited a panel of top speakers to discuss the motion: The West Should Pay Reparations For Slavery. Should there be a broad programme of reparations – not just financial compensation, but acknowledgement of the crimes committed and the lasting damage caused by slavery? Or would this just worsen social tensions by reopening old wounds? Arguing for the motion were Kehinde Andrews, Professor of Black Studies at Birmingham City University; and Esther Stanford-Xosei, reparations activist and lawyer. Arguing against the motion were Katharine Birbalsingh, headmistress and co-founder of Michaela Community School in London; and Tony Sewell, educational consultant and CEO of the charity Generating Genius. The debate was chaired by social historian, author and academic, Emma Dabiri. ... Did you know that Intelligence Squared offers way more than podcasts? We’ve just launched a new online streaming platform Intelligence Squared+ and we’d love you to give it a go. It’s packed with more than 20 years’ worth of video debates and conversations on the world’s hottest topics. Tune in to live events, ask your questions or watch back on-demand totally ad-free with hours of discussion to dive into for just £14.99 a month. Visit intelligencesquaredplus.com to start watching today. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Are eggs now a luxury item? For the past year an economic crisis has been brewing in Egypt, only to be dramatically exacerbated by Russia's war in Ukraine. And now while inflation reaches new heights, the Egyptian pound has reached an all-time low. Everyday life is becoming tougher and tougher for Egyptians but will the IMF continue to offer lifelines? Can President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi can find a solution? And is another revolution on the horizon for Cairo? To discuss these issues, Gregg Carlstrom, Middle East correspondent for The Economist and Vivian Yee, Cairo Bureau Chief for the New York Times, join our host for this episode, international reporter Lama Khayer. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In the current cost of living crisis it has never been more important to understand the financial world and take control of your money. For over 40 years, Paul Lewis has been arming the public with everything they need to know about personal finances on his BBC Radio 4 programme Money Box. In this discussion for Intelligence Squared, he answers your questions and discusses the tools you need to balance your budget, stop wasting money and make better use of the finances you have. He also explores how to beat the banks at their own game, and treat the finance industry not as a friend, but more like a vague acquaintance you don’t really trust, but have to see from time to time (and who always makes you pay for the drinks). Our host for this episode is Felicia Odamtten, Founder and Director of The Black Economists Network. ... Did you know that Intelligence Squared offers way more than podcasts? We’ve just launched a new online streaming platform Intelligence Squared+ and we’d love you to give it a go. It’s packed with more than 20 years’ worth of video debates and conversations on the world’s hottest topics. Tune in to live events, ask your questions or watch back on-demand totally ad-free with hours of discussion to dive into for just £14.99 a month. Visit intelligencesquaredplus.com to start watching today. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Juicing, biohacking, mindfulness apps, collagen supplements: the wellness industry has exploded into a $4.4 trillion movement. Wellness industry journalist Rina Raphael says that the self-care movement has taken sound ideas about nutrition and fitness and packaged them up into exploitative offerings with questionable claims. Drawing on her new book, The Gospel of Wellness: Gyms, Gurus, Goop and the False Promise of Self-Care, Raphael discusses how women in particular are targeted and pressured into a cycle of sacrifice and performance, encouraged to purge their bodies of excess fat, rid their minds of negative thoughts and cleanse their organs of ’toxins’ – in order to maintain an illusion of control. In conversation with journalist Nelufar Hedayat, Raphael shows us how we can find evidence-based, personalised solutions to our problems and get ourselves onto the path of genuine wellbeing. ... Did you know that Intelligence Squared offers way more than podcasts? We’ve just launched a new online streaming platform Intelligence Squared+ and we’d love you to give it a go. It’s packed with more than 20 years’ worth of video debates and conversations on the world’s hottest topics. Tune in to live events, ask your questions or watch back on-demand totally ad-free with hours of discussion to dive into for just £14.99 a month. Visit intelligencesquaredplus.com to start watching today. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

As the world ushered in a new year on the 31st of December 2022, it also said goodbye to possibly its most well-known religious leader, Pope Benedict XVI. As a cardinal, Joseph Ratzinger’s uncompromising conservative views earned him the nickname "God's Rottweiler". As Pope, his work was often perceived as a continuation of the conservative agenda of his predecessor, Pope John Paul II. On this episode of The Sunday Debate we’re discussing the legacy of Pope Benedict XVI, asking whether his most radical act was retiring in 2013, and how his influence was received by the world's 1.3 billion Catholics. To discuss these issues, our host Philippa Thomas is joined by Massimo Faggioli, Professor of Theology at Villanova University Pennsylvania, and Mathew Walther, writer and editor of Catholic literary journal, The Lamp. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Observed from afar, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine might appear to be a replay of the Cold War stand-off between Russia and the West. But according to political scientist Ivan Krastev a closer look complicates the picture. In a recent op-ed in the Financial Times Krastev argued that while America’s allies in Europe came together in support of Ukraine, other states, especially Turkey, India and Saudi Arabia have offered a different response. Turkey’s role in the Russia-Ukraine war is a classic example of middle power activism. President Tayyip Erdoğan has downplayed the country’s identity as a NATO member at the same time as he has positioned his country as a potential mediator between Moscow and Kyiv. India has used the war to capitalise on Western sanctions and import cheap Russian gas. And the Saudis have cosied up to Beijing and Moscow as a reminder to the United States that the US/Saudi security alliance is not unconditional. Middle powers have different goals and agendas but they all share one fundamental feature: they are determined to sit at the table of global politics and have a say in shaping their own regions. On this episode, Krastev, with journalist and academic Philippa Thomas, explores the rising activism of middle powers and how it is reshaping the world. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Does the conversation on race need a reset? That is the question that Coleman Hughes and Kenan Malik explored when they came to Intelligence Squared in January 2022. Hughes is an acclaimed American writer and host of the award-winning podcast Conversations with Coleman. In 2019 at the age of 23 he testified before Congress against reparations for slavery and has roundly criticised the work of other Black writers on race such as Ibram X. Kendi and Robin DiAngelo. In his view, their brand of anti-racism encourages a sense of victimhood among Black Americans and sows division between different racial groups. Malik is a British author and broadcaster, whose new book Not So Black and White explores the history of the idea of race and invites us to challenge many of the assumptions behind today’s culture wars. If you would like to support Coleman Hughes and his work, you can do so at colemanhughes.org. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Why does the world appear different when we’re in love? How can one colour make us feel anger and another calm? Why do sounds like chewing and yawning cause emotional distress for some people? Aristotle said that there were five senses but scientific research suggests that there could be many more than that, with some studies claiming that there are up to 52. On this episode we’re joined by Ashley Ward, Professor in Animal Behaviour at the University of Sydney. In discussion with zoologist and broadcaster Lucy Cooke, he explores some of the fascinating findings in his brand new book, Sensational: A New Story of Our Senses, and the mechanisms at the heart of how we navigate the world. ... Did you know that Intelligence Squared offers way more than podcasts? We’ve just launched a new online streaming platform Intelligence Squared+ and we’d love you to give it a go. It’s packed with more than 20 years’ worth of video debates and conversations on the world’s hottest topics. Tune in to live events, ask your questions or watch back on-demand totally ad-free with hours of discussion to dive into for just £14.99 a month. Visit intelligencesquaredplus.com to start watching today. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Statues and memorials to famous figures of the past adorn our towns and cities but what should be done when some of these figures have come to be seen by many people as controversial symbols of oppression and discrimination? In Britain, the Rhodes Must Fall campaign hit the headlines when it demanded the removal of the statue of Cecil Rhodes from Oxford’s Oriel College, of which he was a leading benefactor, because of his colonialism. In the US, violent protests in Charlottesville were sparked by a decision to remove from a park a statue of Robert E. Lee, a Confederate general in the American Civil War, because of the association of the Confederacy with slavery. Passions run high on both sides. Are those calling for the removal of controversial statues seeking to right an historical injustice or are they trying to erase history? And are those who object to removing memorials defending the indefensible or are they conserving historical reality, however unpalatable that may be? To discuss these emotive questions and examine the broader cultural conflicts which lie behind them, Intelligence Squared joined forces with Historic England to bring together a stellar panel including historians David Olusoga and Peter Frankopan, the journalist and author Afua Hirsch and the cultural commentator Tiffany Jenkins. The event was chaired by Guardian columnist, broadcaster and author Jonathan Freedland. This debate was made in Partnership with Historic England, on the 14th of May 2018 in London and was produced by Executive Producer Hannah Kaye — We’d love to hear your feedback and what you think we should talk about next, who we should have on and what our future debates should be. Send us an email or voice note with your thoughts to [email protected] or Tweet us @intelligence2. And if you’d like to support our mission to foster honest debate and compelling conversations, as well as ad-free podcasts, exclusive bonus content, early access and much more, become a supporter of Intelligence Squared today. Just visit intelligencesquared.com/membership to find out more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In today's episode of Intelligence Squared, we hear from our podcast dedicated to exploring the possibilities of what lies ahead: The Futureverse. What if the solution to solving extreme poverty was as simple as giving cash to those who need it? GiveDirectly, the fastest growing NGO founded this century, does just that. By allowing donors to send money directly to the world’s poorest, it has revolutionised the aid sector. In the last decade, GiveDirectly has delivered $580M+ to over 1.37 million people across eleven countries. Cash in hand, no strings attached. In this episode, Kamal Ahmed is joined by the President of GiveDirectly Rory Stewart to discuss GiveDirectly’s work, the profound implications of direct cash transfers and why we all have a duty to do what we can to uplift the global poor. Rory’s career, which has taken him from Iraq, where he was Deputy-Governor of two provinces following the invasion in 2003, to the UK Government, where he served as Secretary of State for International Development, has shaped his approach to his own legacy, and what it means to be a good ancestor. Kamal and Rory discuss this and more in this wide-ranging interview with one of the most knowledgeable and compelling voices on international development and the charity sector. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In his new memoir, Spare, Prince Harry has opened a Pandora's box of revelations on the carefully managed public image of the world’s most famous yet guarded family. The book reflects on his difficult relationship with senior royals, as well as sharing candid stories about his early life, the number of fighters the Prince killed while serving as a soldier in the army, and his interactions with the UK press. Could this be a historic turning point for the British monarchy? Rosamund Urwin, media editor for The Sunday Times, is joined to discuss it by author and filmmaker Robert Hardman, who has covered aspects of royal life for more than 20 years and who writes for the Daily Mail; his latest book is Queen of Our Times: The Life of Elizabeth II, and David Aaronovitch, columnist for The Times. ... Did you know that Intelligence Squared offers way more than podcasts? We’ve just launched a new online streaming platform Intelligence Squared+ and we’d love you to give it a go. It’s packed with more than 20 years’ worth of video debates and conversations on the world’s hottest topics. Tune in to live events, ask your questions or watch back on-demand totally ad-free with hours of discussion to dive into for just £14.99 a month. Visit intelligencesquaredplus.com to start watching today. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Russia's war on Ukraine, Liz Truss's mini budget and soaring inflation have all hammered the UK in recent months. But as the country begins a new year with a new Prime Minister – how much drama and uncertainty should we expect in 2023? In this episode we bring together an expert panel to debate and discuss the big questions facing the British economy. Will inflation be brought under control? Can the country cope without closer ties to the EU? And how prepared is Europe for more geopolitical tension with Russia and China? Our chair Manveen Rana is joined by Jonathan Portes, economist and Professor of Economics and Public Policy at King's College, London; Victoria Scholar, Head of Investment at Interactive Investor, and Gerard Lyons, Chief Economic Strategist at the wealth manager Netwealth. ... Did you know that Intelligence Squared offers way more than podcasts? We’ve just launched a new online streaming platform Intelligence Squared+ and we’d love you to give it a go. It’s packed with more than 20 years’ worth of video debates and conversations on the world’s hottest topics. Tune in to live events, ask your questions or watch back on-demand totally ad-free with hours of discussion to dive into for just £14.99 a month. Visit intelligencesquaredplus.com to start watching today. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Some of the richest people in the world have decided against bequeathing their fortunes to their children; from Bill Gates and Warren Buffett, to Daniel Craig and Michael Sheen. The proponents of this view offer many arguments, including the idea that inheriting huge wealth can detrimentally impact children, distorting anything they might do with their life. They also argue that the wealthy are morally obliged to give most, or all, of their wealth away to effective causes – children, or no children. Nonetheless, historically, the vast majority of parents have decided to hand down their wealth to their children, believing it will help rather than harm them. In this episode, three leading thinkers come together to debate the motion ‘The kindest thing a parent can do for their child is to leave them nothing.’ Utilitarian philosopher Professor Peter Singer champions the moral imperative for the wealthy to give to the global poor; Julia Davies, a member of Patriotic Millionaires UK, advocates for a wealth tax, arguing that it should not be down to the rich to decide whether – and how – to give their wealth away; and author and academic Adrian Wooldridge argues that wealthy individuals are a net positive for society. Expertly moderated by journalist and broadcaster Kamal Ahmed, this conversation is a thought-provoking insight into one of the biggest decisions any parent has to make. The Futureverse is brought to you by Intelligence Squared in partnership with Y TREE. The past is in your head. The future is in your hands. For more information visit y-tree.com/futureverse Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Powerful women have too often been overlooked by history. Of course we know about Boudica, Cleopatra, Elizabeth I and Catherine the Great. But there are many others whose stories are just as dramatic and deserve to be better known. For this episode of Intelligence Squared, acclaimed historian Simon Sebag Montefiore, author of the new book The World: A Family History and the historical novelist Kate Mosse, whose latest publication is Warrior Queens and Quiet Revolutionaries: How Women (Also) Built the World, talk about how to reframe the role of women in historical narratives. In conversation with historian and broadcaster Kate Williams they discuss great women from across the globe and the whole span of human history – how they gained power, how they wielded it and how, given that it was largely men who wrote history and often distorted it to suit their own ends, we can establish the truth about these women and celebrate their contribution to the human story. ... Did you know that Intelligence Squared offers way more than podcasts? We’ve just launched a new online streaming platform Intelligence Squared+ and we’d love you to give it a go. It’s packed with more than 20 years’ worth of video debates and conversations on the world’s hottest topics. Tune in to live events, ask your questions or watch back on-demand totally ad-free with hours of discussion to dive into for just £14.99 a month. Visit intelligencesquaredplus.com to start watching today. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Are narwhals the closest creature to unicorns that we can ever know? How does the Greenland shark fill its 500 years on our planet? Is the iridescent golden mole a mole or an elephant? On this episode of the podcast we're joined by award-winning author and academic Katherine Rundell. In conversation with environmental historian and broadcaster Eleanor Rosamund Barraclough, they discuss the individual strangeness and beauty of the animal kingdom and the fragility of our natural world. — We’d love to hear your feedback and what you think we should talk about next, who we should have on and what our future debates should be about. Send us an email or voice note with your thoughts to [email protected]. At Intelligence Squared we’ve got our own online streaming platform, Intelligence Squared+ and we’d love you to give it a go. It’s packed with more than 20 years’ worth of video debates and conversations on the world’s most important topics as well as exclusive podcast content. Tune in to live events, ask your questions or watch on-demand, totally ad-free with hours of discussion to dive into. Visit intelligencesquaredplus.com to start watching today Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

To celebrate some of the most influential and impactful speeches ever made, we invited Barack Obama’s director of speechwriting, Cody Keenan and Tony Blair’s former speechwriter, Philip Collins, to discuss the power of the spoken word. Our host was journalist and presenter Emily Maitlis, with actors including Jeremy Irons and Carey Mulligan joining us to reenact speeches that have defined pivotal moments in history. — We’d love to hear your feedback and what you think we should talk about next, who we should have on and what our future debates should be about. Send us an email or voice note with your thoughts to [email protected]. At Intelligence Squared we’ve got our own online streaming platform, Intelligence Squared+ and we’d love you to give it a go. It’s packed with more than 20 years’ worth of video debates and conversations on the world’s most important topics as well as exclusive podcast content. Tune in to live events, ask your questions or watch on-demand, totally ad-free with hours of discussion to dive into. Visit intelligencesquaredplus.com to start watching today Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Letters grant us a glimpse into fascinating lives, whether through the eyes of a genius, a monster or of an ordinary person. For this archive event, we matched up award-winning historian Simon Sebag Montefiore and No 1 bestselling novelist Kate Mosse to discuss the letters of Michelangelo, Catherine the Great, Sarah Bernhardt, Rosa Parks, Nelson Mandela, Virginia Woolf, Alan Turing and more. A cast of performers including Young Vic director Kwame Kwei-Armah, plus actors Jade Anouka, Jack Lowden and Tamsin Greig provided readings live onstage. — We’d love to hear your feedback and what you think we should talk about next, who we should have on and what our future debates should be about. Send us an email or voice note with your thoughts to [email protected]. At Intelligence Squared we’ve got our own online streaming platform, Intelligence Squared+ and we’d love you to give it a go. It’s packed with more than 20 years’ worth of video debates and conversations on the world’s most important topics as well as exclusive podcast content. Tune in to live events, ask your questions or watch on-demand, totally ad-free with hours of discussion to dive into. Visit intelligencesquaredplus.com to start watching today Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Continuing our series of cultural highlights from the Intelligence Squared archive, we revisit the event The Power of Poetry, which saw actors Helena Bonham Carter and Jason Isaacs bringing the words of the great poets alive onstage. The event also featured William Sieghart telling the extraordinary story of his bestselling book, The Poetry Pharmacy, award-winning author Jeanette Winterson and presenter, comedian and writer Sue Perkins. ... Did you know that Intelligence Squared offers way more than podcasts? We’ve just launched a new online streaming platform Intelligence Squared+ and we’d love you to give it a go. It’s packed with more than 20 years’ worth of video debates and conversations on the world’s hottest topics. Tune in to live events, ask your questions or watch back on-demand totally ad-free with hours of discussion to dive into for just £14.99 a month. Visit intelligencesquaredplus.com to start watching today. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Intelligence Squared has been producing agenda-setting events for over a decade. During the holiday season we're looking back over that extensive archive to pick out some of our favourite and most enlightening listens. For this episode we revisit 2018 and our event with James Rhodes and Armando Iannucci reflecting on the Transformative Power of Music. The chair was broadcaster, author and leading voice on all things musical, Clemency Burton-Hill. ... Did you know that Intelligence Squared offers way more than podcasts? We’ve just launched a new online streaming platform Intelligence Squared+ and we’d love you to give it a go. It’s packed with more than 20 years’ worth of video debates and conversations on the world’s hottest topics. Tune in to live events, ask your questions or watch back on-demand totally ad-free with hours of discussion to dive into for just £14.99 a month. Visit intelligencesquaredplus.com to start watching today. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What is it about Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol that has enchanted the public since its publication in 1843? Few people are as well placed to answer that question than John Mullan and Simon Callow. Mullan is a professor of English literature, whose recent book, The Artful Dickens, reveals the tricks and ploys of this most eccentric of literary geniuses. Callow, renowned actor, director and author, has written two books on Dickens, portrayed him on film and television, and has been thrilling audiences since 2011 with his sold-out one-man performances of A Christmas Carol. Mullan and Callow join us on the podcast to celebrate this most beloved of Dickens’ stories and discuss how a work which Dickens originally intended to be a political tract about the misery of the Victorian poor became one of the most enduring Christmas classics. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

For our final look at some of the best books to have hit shelves in 2022, we dive back into standout discussions from the past 12 months including Jonathan Freedland, whose book, The Escape Artist, tells the story of Auschwitz escapees Rudolf Vrba and Alfréd Wetzler. We also revisit our discussion with philosopher Will MacAskill, whose book, What We Owe The Future, claims that society needs to take a far longer-sighted view of how altruism can be effective. The book has also come under scrutiny in the latter half of 2022 due to its influence on the behaviour of billionaire philanthropists. We finish the 12 Books of Christmas with a sneak preview from our upcoming episode with author Katherine Rundell. Her latest book, The Golden Mole, celebrates the irreplaceable diversity found within the animal kingdom. ... Did you know that Intelligence Squared offers way more than podcasts? We’ve just launched a new online streaming platform Intelligence Squared+ and we’d love you to give it a go. It’s packed with more than 20 years’ worth of video debates and conversations on the world’s hottest topics. Tune in to live events, ask your questions or watch back on-demand totally ad-free with hours of discussion to dive into for just £14.99 a month. Visit intelligencesquaredplus.com to start watching today. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

For the third in our 12 Books of Christmas episodes, we revisit a thought-provoking discussion with Dipo Faloyin, whose book Africa Is Not A Country challenges the stereotypical thinking that can misrepresent African nations. Another highlight book of 2022 was Lea Ypi's Free, and the writer joined us to discuss her memoir that tells the story of her upbringing in Albania amid the shifting geopolitics of nations affected by the break up of the Soviet Union. We also listen back to our conversation with food writer Melissa Thompson, whose book Motherland celebrates the traditions and influence of Jamaican cuisine. ... Did you know that Intelligence Squared offers way more than podcasts? We’ve just launched a new online streaming platform Intelligence Squared+ and we’d love you to give it a go. It’s packed with more than 20 years’ worth of video debates and conversations on the world’s hottest topics. Tune in to live events, ask your questions or watch back on-demand totally ad-free with hours of discussion to dive into for just £14.99 a month. Visit intelligencesquaredplus.com to start watching today. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

For the second instalment of our 12 Books of Christmas series, we hear from three more authors who have set the agenda for original thinking and progressive literature in 2022. Brown University economist Oded Galor discusses his book that takes an expansive view of global history, The Journey of Humanity. Pulitzer Prize-winning writer Andrea Elliott speaks with fellow author Alex Preston about her account of the homelessness crisis in New York as told in her book, Invisible Child, and Orhan Pamuk, one of the world’s best-loved novelists discusses his latest work, Nights of Plague. ... Did you know that Intelligence Squared offers way more than podcasts? We’ve just launched a new online streaming platform Intelligence Squared+ and we’d love you to give it a go. It’s packed with more than 20 years’ worth of video debates and conversations on the world’s hottest topics. Tune in to live events, ask your questions or watch back on-demand totally ad-free with hours of discussion to dive into for just £14.99 a month. Visit intelligencesquaredplus.com to start watching today. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Intelligence Squared has enjoyed hundreds of great conversations on the podcast, across our online talks and onstage at our live events across 2022. For the festive season, we’re highlighting 12 voices whose books and work have both encapsulated the big themes of the year and enriched our listening over the past 12 months. For the first instalment, we listen back to conversations with writer Reni Eddo-Lodge discussing the new edition of her bestseller, Why I'm No Longer Talking to White People About Race. Plus, historian Orlando Figes on his book, The Story of Russia, and The New York Times' Elizabeth Williamson talks through her book, Sandy Hook: An American Tragedy, with fellow author and filmmaker Jon Ronson. ... Did you know that Intelligence Squared offers way more than podcasts? We’ve just launched a new online streaming platform Intelligence Squared+ and we’d love you to give it a go. It’s packed with more than 20 years’ worth of video debates and conversations on the world’s hottest topics. Tune in to live events, ask your questions or watch back on-demand totally ad-free with hours of discussion to dive into. The usual price is £14.99 a month, but we want to give our podcast listeners a special offer to try it out. For 10 days only, we’re offering a subscription for only £10 a month. Offer ends at midnight GMT on Tuesday 20th December. Visit intelligencesquaredplus.com and use the discount code MONTH10 or ANNUAL10 to start watching today. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Given the disruptive events unfolding in China in recent weeks, what does the future holds for Xi Jinping and the country? Some say that this is a pivotal moment for Xi’s strongman rule, especially given that the Chinese economy is also suffering. And what do China’s political and economic challenges mean for the rest of the world? To answer these questions we’re joined by Yasheng Huang professor at MIT and author of Capitalism with Chinese characteristics and Kerry Brown, Director of the Lau China Institute at Kings College London and author of Xi: A study in power. Our host for this episode is Carl Miller. Did you know that Intelligence Squared offers way more than podcasts? We’ve just launched a new online streaming platform Intelligence Squared+ and we’d love you to give it a go. It’s packed with more than 20 years’ worth of video debates and conversations on the world’s hottest topics. Tune in to live events, ask your questions or watch back on-demand totally ad-free with hours of discussion to dive into. The usual price is £14.99 a month, but we want to give our podcast listeners a special offer to try it out. For 10 days only, we’re offering a subscription for only £10 a month. Offer ends at midnight GMT on Tuesday 20th December. Visit intelligencesquaredplus.com and use the discount code MONTH10 or ANNUAL10 to start watching today. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Why are women known as the slimier sex? How did the US Navy replicate hagfish slime for ballistics protection? In this episode we’re joined by science journalist Susanne Wedlich to look at the weird and wonderful, cultural and biological, history of slime. And for those of you who don’t love slime, we encourage you to listen for some great facts about the powers and potential of this substance and learn why we shouldn't be so repulsed by slime. Our host for this episode is journalist Amelia Tait. Did you know that Intelligence Squared offers way more than podcasts? We’ve just launched a new online streaming platform Intelligence Squared+ and we’d love you to give it a go. It’s packed with more than 20 years’ worth of video debates and conversations on the world’s hottest topics. Tune in to live events, ask your questions or watch back on-demand totally ad-free with hours of discussion to dive into. The usual price is £14.99 a month, but we want to give our podcast listeners a special offer to try it out. For 10 days only, we’re offering a subscription for only £10 a month. Offer ends at midnight GMT on Tuesday 20th December. Visit intelligencesquaredplus.com and use the discount code MONTH10 or ANNUAL10 to start watching today. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices