explore words discover worlds

In this episode, join us for a compelling discussion with Dr Husam Zomlot, Palestinian Ambassador to the UK, on the unfolding humanitarian crisis in Gaza. Dr Zomlot explores the challenges, opportunities for peace, and the future of Palestinian diplomacy.

In this episode, explore what makes arguably the most enigmatic of Haworth’s famous literary siblings, Emily Brontë, such an attractive subject for filmmakers and biographers.

In this episode, poets Khadijah Ibrahiim and Karen McCarthy Woolf, discuss the state of poetry in the UK; highlighting key themes preoccupying poets today and how poetry is changing. We also hear the shortlist for The Forward Prizes for Poetry 2023 awards, including a new category: Best Single Poem – Performed.

In this episode, our special guest Damian Bradfield, author of Algorithmic Reality, explores the state of the internet, the addictive effects of social media, invasion of privacy, data misuse, and the current use of your data to power AI – and how we can take back control.

In this episode, delve into the Golden Age of Islam in a captivating conversation with Dr Shamim Miah, author of Ibn Khaldun: Education, History and Society , and Saeed Khan.

In this episode, we hear from Ben Aaronovitch and Jonathan Stroud – two stellar names in the world of British Fantasy. Aaronovitch’s Rivers of London series has become a runaway success, and Stroud is author of the acclaimed Lockwood and Co series.

In this episode, our panel discuss how society has changed and ask whether our obsession with individualism has eroded community values. Has life in the 21st century become all about the cult of the individual?

In this episode, Mark Jones, author of 1923: The Forgotten Crisis in the Year of Hitler’s Coup, explores how and why Hitler and the Nazis were able to come to power, and how they remained in power for so long.

In this episode, we delve into a new category of thought called ‘Alt-Wallah’ within the Islamicate, based around a supposed crisis of masculinity, the Alt Right, and Muslim men.

In this episode, hear from Rachel Louise Snyder as she tells her own story, which is as dramatic as many of those she has covered during her career as an award-winning journalist.

In this episode, our panel of experts explore China’s increasing involvement in brokering deals in the Middle East, Russia and China’s shared and separate agendas, and the potential for a new global power structure.

In this episode, we are joined by Leyla Jagiella, cultural anthropologist, scholar of religion and author of Among the Eunuchs. From an early age, she knew she would be defined by being Muslim and being trans. Struggling to negotiate these identities in her conservative hometown, she travelled to India and Pakistan, where her life was changed by her time among third-gender communities.

In this episode, step into the vividly colourful and wildly contrasting world of bestselling author, Kit De Waal, as she shares her captivating memoir. Iman Amrani will lead you on a journey through De Waal’s childhood, growing up in a household that defied convention and expectation.

In this episode, delve into the history and legend of one of Britain’s most iconic figures – Boudica, the warrior queen who led the greatest rebellion the country has ever seen.

In this episode, hear from Sara Wheeler, whose adventures have taken her to some of the most exciting and far-flung places on the planet, and award-winning journalist and bestselling author, Christina Lamb, one of Britain’s leading foreign correspondents.

In this episode, Tolkien biographer John Garth and Professor Diane Purkiss hold a fascinating discussion exploring the bonds between J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis, and the impact they had on each other’s work.

In this episode our panellists Anthony Anaxagorou, Nikita Gill, Jeremy Noel-Tod, and chair Sanah Ahsan, as they ask whether in our information-saturated age and with ethics evolving over the years: has it become impossible to separate artists from their work?

In this episode, travel on a spiritual journey with renowned writer, scholar and translator Rana Safvi, as she delves into the rise of Sufism in India. Safvi discusses her book, In Search of the Divine, which evokes in vivid detail the sacred atmosphere she encountered during her research.

In this episode, poet and author, Blake Morrison and actor, Yusra Warsama explore the Bronte sisters’ remarkable legacy, and discuss some of the sisters’ rare manuscripts and first editions that form part of the Blavatnik Honresfield Library.

In this episode, writer and sociologist Keith Kahn-Harris and award-winning photographic artist and journalist Robert Stothard discuss their book: What Does A Jew Look Like? Fed up with media clichés around a ‘typical’ Jewish person, they set out to illustrate the diversity of the Jewish community, and celebrate the countless ways that men and women can be Jewish in Britain today.

In this episode, join Reza Aslan for an enlightening talk about the enduring legacy of Hussain ibn Ali, a figure who, while often seen as polarising within Islam, has the potential to be a unifying force for social justice and freedom of speech.

In this episode, immerse yourself in the fascinating tales of two extraordinary musicians, Ian Abdal Latif Whiteman and Richard Thompson, as they take the stage with filmmaker Ovidio Salazar for a captivating conversation about the power of music, faith, and their encounters with real holy men and not-so-holy men.

In this episode, we take a closer look at the film Our River...Our Sky. Set in Baghdad during winter 2006, Our River...Our Sky is a remarkable and moving view of everyday life in a war zone. We’d suggest watching Our River...Our Sky before listening to this episode.

In this episode, join us for a thought-provoking discussion which draws parallels between the current refugee crisis and the experiences of prophets from the Jewish, Christian, and Islamic traditions.

What does it mean to be a feminist right now? In this episode, you can hear a series of short, inspirational talks from our panel on what being a feminist means to them.