podcasts
Podcast of Ideas: Has Coronavirus put an end to the generation wars?
A Podcast of Ideas special.
Sportscast of Ideas: missing the beautiful game
A SPORTScast of Ideas special.
Podcast of Ideas: Facing the lockdown from Singapore to Johannesburg
A Podcast of Ideas special.
Podcast of Ideas: the European response to Corona Virus
A Podcast of Ideas special.
Resisting wokeness
Listen to the discussion between Andrew Doyle and Douglas Murray at the Battle of Ideas festival 2019
How fear works
With the COVID-19 coronavirus dominating headlines around the world, listen to Professor Frank Furedi discuss his most recent book at the Battle of Ideas 2018.
Health and genomics: what’s the score with polygenic scores?
Listen to the debate from the Battle of Ideas festival 2019.
How can we create a new industrial revolution?
Listen to the debate from the Battle of Ideas festival 2019.
What’s the point of going to university?
Listen to this debate from the Battle of Ideas festival 2019.
From zero hours to apprenticeships: young people at work
Listen to this debate from the Battle of Ideas festival 2019.
Artificial intelligence in the classroom: where’s the humanity?
Listen to the debate from the Battle of Ideas Festival 2019.
Does the world need a government?
Listen to the debate from the Battle of Ideas Festival 2019.
A waste of a good crisis? A decade after the crash, with Larry Elliott
Listen to the discussion from the Battle of Ideas festival 2019.
What is the future of the Union?
Listen to the debate from the Battle of Ideas Festival 2019.
Caster Semenya running into controversy: genes, gender and sport
Listen to the debate from the Battle of Ideas Festival 2019.
Podcast of Ideas: first thoughts on General Election 2019
Listen to the Academy of Ideas team discuss the elections results.
Assisted Dying: a doctor’s poisoned chalice?
Listen to the debate from the Battle of Ideas festival 2019.
The rise of toxic politics: can we be civil?
Listen to the debate from the Battle of Ideas festival 2019.
Woke corporations: responsible capitalism or virtue signalling?
Listen to the debate from the Battle of Ideas Festival 2019.
What does it mean to be normal?
Listen to the debate from the Battle of Ideas festival 2019.
The Life of Brian at 40: are we more easily offended today?
Listen to the debate from the Battle of Ideas festival 2019.
Titania McGrath: satire in the age of social justice
Listen to the debate from the Battle of Ideas Festival 2019.
Interrogating anti-Semitism with Deborah Lipstadt and Frank Furedi
Listen to the debate from the Battle of Ideas Festival 2019.
Are the old political parties dying?
Listen to the debate from the Battle of Ideas festival 2019.
Tearing up the rule book: the end of the new world order?
Listen to the debate from the Battle of Ideas Festival 2018.
The moral case for abortion
Listen to the debate at the Battle of Ideas Festival 2016
The crisis of diplomacy in the era of Trump
Listen to the debate at the Battle of Ideas Festival 2018.
Feminism: in conversation with Camille Paglia
Listen to the American social critic at the Battle of Ideas Festival 2016.
Can we revive Britain’s ‘Rust Belt’?
Listen to the debate from the Battle of Ideas Festival 2018.
Culture: who pays?
Listen to the debate from the Battle of Ideas Festival 2018.
From robots to UBI: is capitalism digging its own grave?
Listen to the debate from the Battle of Ideas Festival 2018.
Do the right thing? The moral responsibility of the artist
Listen to the debate from the Battle of Ideas Festival 2018.
From anti-vaxers to Alfie’s army: have we lost faith in medical science?
Listen to the debate from the Battle of Ideas Festival 2018.
Understanding anti-Semitism today
Listen to the debate from the Battle of Ideas Festival 2018.
Automatic lovers: should we be worried about sex robots?
Listen to the debate from the Battle of Ideas 2018.
Does our DNA define us?
Listen to the discussion from Battle of Ideas Festival 2018.
Democracy under siege?
Listen to the debate from the Battle of Ideas 2018.
What is a woman anyway?
Listen to the debate from the Battle of Ideas 2018.
Podcast of Ideas: the 2018 culture wars
The team discuss the big political events and debates of the year.
Podcast of Ideas: Brexit special
The team discuss the past, present and future of Brexit.
Podcast of Ideas: sports review 2018
The team discuss the big sporting events and debates of the year.
All change: navigating the new political disruption
Listen to the debate from Battle of Ideas 2018.
Rule Book Britain: are we in love with legislation?
Listen to the debate from the Battle of Ideas 2018.
Advertising: all-powerful or overrated?
Listen to the debate from the Battle of Ideas 2018.
From SJW to gammon: weaponising political language
Listen to the keynote debate from the Battle of Ideas 2018.
Is free speech a fiction? In conversation with Lionel Shriver
Listen to the discussion from Battle of Ideas 2018.
Drones: will they ever take off?
Listen to the debate from the Battle of Ideas 2018.
Me, Me, Me! Narcissism and the new politics of identity
Listen to the debate from the Battle of Ideas 2018.
The ideal of the liberal nation state
Listen to the lecture by Dr Jim Panton from The Academy 2018.
The transformation of the concept of popular sovereignty in early-modern Europe
Listen to the lecture by Dr Rachel Hammersley at The Academy 2018.
Globalism and neo-liberalism
Listen to Phil Mullan's lecture from The Academy 2018.
Nation, nationalism and national consciousness
Listen to the opening plenary lecture of The Academy 2018 by Professor Frank Furedi.
Podcast of Ideas - World Cup special, episode 6
The team reflect on the past month of football action.
Podcast of Ideas - World Cup Special, episode 5
The team discuss the latest developments from Russia 2018.
Podcast of Ideas - World Cup special, episode 4
The team discuss the latest developments at Russia 2018.
Podcast of Ideas - World Cup special, episode 3
The team discuss England's prospects, Germany's exit and FIFA's interventions.
Podcast of Ideas - World Cup special, episode 2
Our World Cup squad reflect on the first week of Russia 2018.
Podcast of Ideas - World Cup Special, episode 1
The Academy's World Cup squad discuss the latest developments around Russia 2018.
How fear works
Professor Frank Furedi in conversation with Claire Fox
The international abortion wars
Listen to the debate from the Battle of Ideas 2017.
Are science and medicine threatened by borders?
Listen to the debate from the Battle of Ideas 2017.
Religious freedom: a critical right or a license to discriminate?
Listen to the lecture from Living Freedom 2018.
Medical dilemmas: who decides?
With the case of Alfie Evans in the news, listen to the debate from the Battle of Ideas 2017.
From the Enlightenment to the Industrial Revolution
Listen to the lecture from Living Freedom 2018.
Genetics, genomics and society - determinism vs free will
Listen to this lecture from Living Freedom 2018.
Xi’s China: new global power?
Listen to the debate from the Battle of Ideas 2017.
Silicon Valley: from heroes to zeroes?
Listen to the debate from the Battle of Ideas 2017.
Was it Big Data wot won it?
After the furore about Cambridge Analytica and Facebook, listen to the debate from the Battle of Ideas 2017
Safety first: do we live in a ‘cotton-wool society’?
Listen to the debate from the Battle of Ideas 2017.
Putin’s Russia: a new Cold War?
Listen to the debate from the Battle of Ideas 2017.
From Sandy Hook to Boston: guns, bombs and a changing America
Listen to the Battle of Ideas 2013 debate.
Diversity: does it matter?
Podcast: listen to the debate from Battle of Ideas 2017
Podcast of Ideas, 26 January 2018
The Academy of Ideas team discuss the latest news.
Do you trust the media?
Listen to the debate at the Battle of Ideas 2017.
Millennials: youthquake or snowflakes?
Listen to the debate at the Battle of Ideas 2017.
Can biotech lead an economic revolution?
Podcast: recording of the debate at the Battle of Ideas 2017.
Is globalisation over? The future of world trade
Listen to the debate from Battle of Ideas 2017.
In the wake of Weinstein: #MeToo, calling out and sexual harassment
Podcast: recording of the Battle of Ideas Stockholm debate
Censorship and identity: free speech for me, but not for you
Podcast: recording of the debate at Battle of Ideas 2017
Battle Cry: Jamie Bartlett on the reaction against Silicon Valley
The author and presenter talks to Max Sanderson about the impact of the rise of the tech giants.
Battle Cry: Joanna Williams on contemporary feminism
The author of Women vs Feminism talks to Max Sanderson.
Podcast of Ideas: Battle of Ideas preview
The team discuss some of the key debates at this year's festival.
Battle Cry: Professor Tim Ingold on evolutionary psychology
Can evolution explain modern human psychology, from gender differences to empathy?
Battle Cry: Cathy Young on the alt-right
Max Sanderson talks to the US author and columnist.
Who do you think you are?
Listen to the lecture by Dr Tim Black on autonomy, authenticity and the emergence of identity politics from The Academy 2017.
Narcissism and identity-determinism
A lecture by Claire Fox at The Academy 2017.
Podcast of Ideas - 3 August 2017
The team discuss the Trump administration, rewriting gender identities and the latest on Brexit.
The emergence of the self in history
A lecture by Professor Frank Furedi at The Academy 2017.
Liberty of conscience, freedom of speech
A lecture by Dr Teresa Bejan at The Academy 2017.
Podcast of Ideas: 20 June 2017
The team discuss the events of the past week, including the Grenfell Tower fire, Brexit, Northern Ireland and more.
Podcast of Ideas: further reflections on Election 2017
The team discuss the weekend's reactions to the election result and the prospects for the future.
Podcast of Ideas: the morning after Election 2017
The team give their first impressions on the results.
Podcast of Ideas: UK general election - episode 4
The team discuss the latest developments in the campaign.
The emergence of the individual
Podcast: lecture by Angus Kennedy recorded at The Academy 2016
Podcast of Ideas: UK general election - episode 3
The team discuss the reaction to the Manchester bombing, the pause in the election campaign and the Tories' social-care u-turn.
Culture wars: the roots of Islamist terrorism
Plenary lecture delivered by Josie Appleton at The Academy 2016.
Podcast of Ideas: General Election special, episode 2
The team discuss the state of the parties in the run-up to 8 June.
Podcast of Ideas: elections in the UK and France
The team discuss the 'Brexit election' and the collapse of the traditional parties in France.
The limits of free will
Podcast: philosopher and author Julian Baggini talks about one of the thorniest issues in philosophy.
Creative Destruction: how to start an economic renaissance
Listen to the discussion at the launch of Phil Mullan's new book.
Cosmopolitanism and sovereignty: what next for Europe?
Podcast: listen to the lecture and discussion from Battle of Ideas 2016.
What next for Brexit?
Listen to this Podcast of Ideas special on what happens beyond Article 50.
Tax wars and inequality
Listen to the debate from the Battle of Ideas 2016.
Who are we? Identity politics dissected
Listen to the debate from the Battle of Ideas 2016.
Immigration: what is the future of free movement?
Podcast: listen to the debate from the Battle of Ideas 2016.
Does Britain need an industrial strategy?
Podcast: Patrick Hayes discusses the UK government's recent green paper.
Podcast of Ideas: 10 February 2017
Listen to the team chew over the week's news.
What is gender?
Listen to the debate from the Battle of Ideas 2016.
The UK economy after Brexit: sink or swim?
Podcast: listen to the debate from the Battle of Ideas 2016.
Podcast of Ideas: 20 January 2017
The team discuss the new US president and Brexit.
The new populism
Podcast: listen to the debate from the Battle of Ideas 2016.
Is utopian thinking dead?
Podcast: listen to the debate at the Battle of Ideas 2016
Have we lost the art of conversation?
Podcast: listen to the debate at the Battle of Ideas 2016.
What’s the truth about ‘post‑truth’ politics?
Podcast: listen to the debate from the Battle of Ideas 2016.
The rise of the Busybody State
Podcast: Josie Appleton, director of the Manifesto Club, talks about her new book.
Are political parties over?
Recording of the debate at the Battle of Ideas 2016
Podcast of Ideas: public health, the view from Australia
Rob Lyons speaks to Australian policy consultant Terry Barnes.
Podcast of Ideas: Trump’s victory
Claire Fox, Geoff Kidder and Rob Lyons discuss the fallout from the US election.
Can America be great again?
Recorded at the Battle of Ideas 2016
Big Data: does size matter?
Podcast: recording of the debate at the Battle of Ideas 2016.
Battle Cry: Munira Mirza on reinvigorating London
Max Sanderson talks to London's former deputy mayor for education and culture.
What’s the truth about generational inequality?
Podcast: Rob Lyons speaks to sociologist Jennie Bristow.
Battle Cry: Anders Sandberg on ethical AI
Max Sanderson profiles Anders Sandberg from the Future of Humanity Institute
Battle Cry: Ian Dunt on populism
Max Sanderson profiles Ian Dunt, editor of Politics.co.uk
Battle Cry: Timandra Harkness on Big Data
Max Sanderson profiles writer, broadcaster and comedian Timandra Harkness
After Ferguson: policing and race in America
Podcast: Recorded at the Battle of ideas 2015.
How will we feed Britain after Brexit?
Rob Lyons speaks to Dr Guy Smith from the National Farmers Union
Three snapshots of the Age of Enlightenment
Podcast: Three short lectures on Isaac Newton, John Milton and Enlightenment coffee houses and salons
The totalitarian moment: Europe in the Thirties to Fifties
Podcast: lecture by Bruno Waterfield recorded at The Academy 2016
The EU: the project with no name
Professor Frank Furedi's plenary lecture at last month's Academy of Ideas Academy.
Brexit: a democratic awakening?
Podcast: Invoke Democracy Now's Rob Killick speaks to Rob Lyons
The UK economy after Brexit
Podcast of Rob Lyons' opening remarks from this week's Academy of Ideas Economy Forum
Podcast of Ideas: China’s cities
Rob Lyons speaks to architect Austin Williams.
JS Mill, On Liberty
Recorded as part of the Academy in One Day at the Battle of Ideas 2015
Brexit: the battle for democracy starts here
Podcast: listen to this week's public event in London.
Podcast of Ideas: post-referendum special
Rob Lyons, Claire Fox and David Bowden discuss the fallout from the Brexit vote.
We the People, you the Mob?
Podcast: listen to the debate from the Battle of Ideas 2015.
Podcast of Ideas
How should we respond to the murder of Labour MP Jo Cox and what effect might it have on the EU referendum campaign?
Is recycling a waste of time?
Podcast: Rob Lyons talks to New York Times journalist John Tierney.
Podcast of Ideas: Brexit, fracking, public health infighting and more
Claire Fox, David Bowden and Rob Lyons discuss the week's news.
Podcast: European Referendum: what will decide the vote?
Recorded at this week's Academy of Ideas event at Goodenough College.
Podcast of Ideas
Claire Fox, David Bowden and Rob Lyons discuss the recent elections in the UK, mad anti-Brexit arguments and the 'kid's strike' over SATS.
Podcast: The Personal is Political: is identity politics eating itself?
Recorded at the Battle of Ideas 2015
Podcast: Can we manufacture a new economy?
Recorded at the Battle of Ideas 2015.
Podcast: monarchy, Brexit, German free speech under attack and more
Claire Fox, David Bowden and Rob Lyons discuss the week's news
The NHS: still worth defending?
Podcast: listen to this debate from our Battle of Ideas archive.
Podcast of Ideas: British steel, the Panama papers and Brexit
Claire Fox, David Bowden and Rob Lyons discuss the week's news
Chewing the facts: what’s the truth of the obesity crisis?
Podcast: listen to this debate from our Battle of Ideas archive.
Podcast of Ideas: Must Rhodes Fall?
Claire Fox and Ian Dunt discuss the Rhodes Must Fall movement
Podcast of Ideas, 11 March
The team discusses the EU referendum debate so far and the UK government's latest public health campaign.
Reassessing paternalism: is autonomy a myth?
Keynote debate from the Battle of Ideas 2015.
Podcast of Ideas: Free Speech at Manchester Univeristy
Student Elrica Degirmen on her fight for free speech on campus
Podcast of Ideas: Martin Durkin on Brexit
The polemical filmmaker talks about his crowdfunded documentary making the case for leaving the EU.
Podcast of Ideas: gravitational waves
Physics teacher and communicator Gareth Sturdy discusses a major scientific discovery.
Power of Reading: from Socrates to Twitter
Podcast: Frank Furedi discusses his new book in conversation with Russell Celyn Jones.
Podcast of Ideas
Listen to the team discuss Brexit, the US presidential election and public-health naggers.
From literature to Twitter: the death of the reader?
Podcast: listen to the debate from the Battle of Ideas 2015
Podcast of Ideas: the battle for free speech on campus
Tom Slater, deputy editor of spiked, on this year's Free Speech University Rankings.
Podcast: Campus Wars: safe or sanitised?
Listen to the debate from the Battle of Ideas 2015
Podcast: Is technology limiting our humanity?
Listen to the debate from the Battle of Ideas 2015
Podcast of Ideas, 7 January
Charlie Hebdo one year on, Corbyn's reshuffle, debating Brexit and more
Can the UK economy survive Brexit?
Podcast: Listen to the Battle of Ideas 2015 debate at the Barbican in London.
From Islamic State to Oxford: a monumental war on the past?
Podcast: Listen to the debate from the Battle of Ideas 2015.
Podcast of Ideas
Listen to the team discuss the Paris attacks, bombing Syria and the climate change talks
Podcast: Paris and the threat to an open society
Listen to the special debate at the Battle of Ideas satellite event in Stockholm.
Shifting sands: understanding the Middle East today
Listen to this session from the International Battles strand of the recent Battle of Ideas festival
Podcast: Planet of the Vapes: why is there a war on e-cigarettes?
Audio and video of the recent Battle of Ideas session on e-cigarettes.
Are we living in the ‘Anthropocene’?
Podcast: Dr Alex Standish talks about why an apparently dry academic debate reflects uncertainty about the role of humanity today.
The battle over geek culture
Battle of Ideas podcast: listen to the opening panel remarks from this debate on Gamergate, free expression and the trouble with identity politics.
Are greens the enemies of progress?
Listen to the introductory remarks from last week's Battle of Ideas satellite in Amsterdam
A tale of two cities: is inequality killing London?
Podcast: Listen to the opening remarks from the Battle of Ideas launch event at the Barbican in London.
What’s so great about happiness?
Podcast: Rob Lyons speaks to philosopher Piers Benn about what it means to be happy and whether it should be the aim of policy.
Podcast of Ideas 15
US shootings, migrant crisis, robot wars and the UK education system.
Alexis de Tocqueville: Democracy in America
Podcast: Professor Giorgios Varouxakis's lecture from The Academy 2015
Podcast of Ideas, episode 14
Discussion of the news, race and policing in America and Immanuel Kant
A house divided: The American Civil War
Podcast: Listen to Dr Adam Smith's lecture from The Academy 2015
Podcast of Ideas, episode 13
The team discusses Jeremy Corbyn, Lord Sewel, ISIS and smoking bans.
Podcast: The liberal retreat and the privatisation of the public
Professor Frank Furedi at this year's Academy
Podcast: Highlights from our Justice Money Power series
Highlights from the Academy's Justice Money Power debates at the City of London Festival
Podcast of Ideas, episode 12
Fighting for free speech in education, a great Renaissance thinker, plus our take on the week's news
The First World War: a quest for meaning?
Podcast: Frank Furedi examines the ramifications of a key moment in twentieth-century history.
Podcast of Ideas, Episode 11
The idea of progress from Renaissance to Enlightenment, the politics of gender and race, and a look forward to the Debating Matters National Final.
Existentialism to neuroscience: are we condemned to be free?
Podcast: Listen to Professor Frank Furedi's lecture on the legacy of Jean-Paul Sartre at the Academy 2012
Podcast of Ideas 10
FIFA Scandal, professionalism in crisis and a new approach to primary-school teaching.
Podcast: Are we all vulnerable now?
Is the preoccupation with vulnerability sapping our resilience?
Podcast of Ideas, Episode 9
Fighting for the right to party, the history of theatre and our upcoming events on justice, money and power.
What does it mean to do ‘evil’?
Podcast: Angus Kennedy offers an introduction to morality.
Can conservatism survive the 21st century?
Listen to this podcast from the Battle of Ideas archive on the past, present and future of conservatism
Podcast of Ideas Episode 8
The EU in crisis, the UK economy and our round up of the General Election campaign.
Time to get serious about irony?
Podcast: has the culture of irony gone too far?
Podcast of Ideas Episode 7
Solving the housing crisis, repealing the Human Rights Act and a breakthrough in autism research.
Fascism and anti-modernity
Podcast: Bruno Waterfield at The Academy 2011 explains the origins of fascism.
Podcast of Ideas 6: Richard III, the UK General Election and rejuvenating the economy
In this edition, we talk to Tiffany Jenkins, Claire Fox and Vicky Pryce.
Adam Smith: value or price? The morality of commercial society
Podcast: listen to Frank Furedi's lecture from The Academy 2014
Podcast of Ideas: episode 5
This week we talk racial equality laws, childhood obesity and free speech on university campuses
Ukraine: Cold War rebooted?
Podcast: Listen to the Battle of Ideas debate.
The Podcast of Ideas: Episode 4
The moralism of the tax-avoidance debate, 'plain packs' and free speech, and the misplaced hype around the 'sharing economy'.
Immanuel Kant and the purity of subjective expression
Listen to Roger Scruton's lecture at The Academy 2012 - and get your Early Bird ticket for The Academy 2015.
Podcast of Ideas: Episode 3
After Copenhagen, theatre through the ages and the anti-FGM crusade.
The Podcast of Ideas: Episode 2
In this edition we talk about mitochondrial donation, The Academy and the London Legal Salon's upcoming series of debates on abortion
Do we live in a top shelf society?
Podcast: listen to the Battle of Ideas debate.
The Podcast of Ideas
In this edition of our new podcast series, we talk about Charlie Hebdo, Page 3, the Greek elections and Debating Matters.
America: the twilight years?
Podcast: listen to the Battle of Ideas debate.
Podcast: Shopping and fretting - the ethics of consumerism
Listen to the Battle of Ideas debate.
Podcast: To boldly go - what is the point of space exploration?
Listen to the Battle of Ideas 2014 debate.
Podcast: our morals, their moralism?
Listen to the Battle of Ideas 2014 debate.
Podcast: Kindergarten culture
Listen to the Battle of Ideas 2014 debate on why the government treats us like children.
Podcast: Immigration - who should control our borders?
Listen to the Battle of Ideas 2014 debate.
Podcast: should we fear democracy?
Recording of the Battle of Ideas 2014 keynote debate.
New podcast: do we need a British Bill of Rights?
Listen to the Battle Satellite discussion.
New podcast: ‘Opera: are we all invited?’
Does opera, or any other ‘difficult’ art form, by definition need to be held to different standards of accessibility than popular culture?
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The unintended consequences of lockdown
Wednesday 2 December, 7pm, online, via Zoom
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Podcast of Ideas: the lockdown lifts in Europe?
A Podcast of Ideas special.