The Exchange | Long-form interviews from the New Statesman

For decades, George Saunders was known for his short stories. In 2013, in a Time Magazine 100 most influential people listing, he was described as “the best short-story writer in English". In 2017, he released his first novel, Lincoln in the Bardo, a reimagining of President Abraham Lincoln’s grief in the aftermath of his son Willie’s death. It’s a genre-defying piece of literature, narrated by no...

Last week Yanis Varoufakis, the former Greek finance minister and darling of the European left, turned 65. He celebrated his birthday on stage in London, gathering figures from across the left together. Zack Polanski was there, so was Jeremy Corbyn. Varoufakis' mission? To explore what resistance means today across the left. In this episode of The Exchange Oli Dugmore sits down with Varoufakis to...

Since leaving politics, Rory Stewart has become one of the most influential voices on the matter in Britain. In this episode, the former diplomat and cabinet minister reflects on his upbringing and his unconventional path into politics. He also discusses the Middle East, arguing that Western countries continue to misunderstand the region’s history and dynamics. The conversation then turns to Brita...

When Amia Srinivasan published The Right to Sex: Feminism in the Twenty-First Century in 2021, it sparked widespread debate about the politics of desire, consent, and sexual justice. In this episode of The Exchange, the Oxford academic joins Tanjil Rashid to discuss how philosophy can illuminate some of the most contentious questions in contemporary culture: from incels and pornography to whether...

Were the strikes on Iran illegal? What's next for the controversial courts bill? Are Labour leaders aware of the existential crisis within their party?   On this week's episode of The Exchange, we speak with Deputy Prime Minister and Secretary of State for Justice, David Lammy.   To watch more episodes of The Exchange find us on  YouTube . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for...

Pussy Riot's 2012 "Punk Prayer" was a global flashpoint - a defining test of free expression in Putin’s Russia. When co-founding member Masha Alyokhina was arrested, she told her son she would be back the next day. She was gone for two years. In 2022, she fled the motherland, but continues to fight Putin from afar. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This winter, Ai Weiwei returned to Beijing after a decade in exile. He found himself airbrushed from public memory. An international icon everywhere else. At home, a ghost. The artist joined Michael Prodger soon after that trip to discuss the cost of personal freedom, in both China and in the West. The Exchange is a new series from the New Statesman. Look out for new interviews every Wednesday. Ho...

In his 30s, Rutger Bregman, the Dutch historian, had what he described as “an early midlife crisis”. After a decade spent as a pundit, commenting on the global state of politics and economics, as well as publishing optimistic titles such as Utopia for Realists and Humankind: A Hopeful History - Bregman felt stuck. Something had to change. And if he wanted to see that change in the world, he needed...

The Exchange: long form, in-depth interviews from the New Statesman. Featuring guests including Salman Rushdie, Ai Weiwei, Masha Alyokhina (Pussy Riot) and more. Hosted by Oli Dugmore and New Statesman journalists. Hit follow in Spotify or Apple Podcasts now. Find full video episodes on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLSfumUEfFlcI6Ikce00MGPSvU5fu-MCWu Hosted on Acast. See acast.com...