The Prospect Podcast

Journalist Kim Ghattas joins the Prospect Interview to explain the political conflict between Saudi Arabia and Iran—where did it come from, and how has it fundamentally transformed the region? She also gives her perspectives on lessons from the Arab Spring, and why her own background growing up in Lebanon means she’s able to tell stories that challenge popular Western narratives.  Kim’s book,...

Early modern historian and polyglot John Gallagher joins the Prospect Interview this week to talk about language learning in Britain from the 16th century to today. What was it like when the English language was, in the words of one early modern writer, useless anywhere past Devon? And why do Brits today perform so poorly on language acquisition, especially against their continental peers? John’s...

His previous book, Capital in the Twenty-First Century , became a worldwide sensation. Now the French economist is back with another sweeping history of inequality and capitalism: Capital and Ideology . Thomas joins the Prospect Interview this week to talk about what’s changed in the world—and his own life—since his tome on inequality topped the bestselling charts in 2014. He tells us his thoughts...

From the warriors who inspired the Amazons to Joan of Arc, women have served in the military for centuries—some in disguise. Historian and academic Julie Wheelwright joins the Prospect Interview to talk about the long history of women in the military forces and what drew them to take up arms—as well as a little-known fact about the historic significance of London’s Deptford region.  Julie’s n...

From Edward Heath to Margaret Thatcher, David Cameron to Tony Blair—what makes a good opposition leader? Broadcaster and journalist Steve Richards joins the Prospect interview to talk about what it takes for politicians to best their opponents across the dispatch box.  You can read Steve’s essay on the politics of the opposition leader here: https://www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/other/ill-tell-y...

Is artificial intelligence really that close to reaching “human-level intelligence”? Will hit television shows like Westworld and Humans feel quaint in the era of robot dominance?  Science writer Philip Ball joins the Prospect interview this week to discuss everything you need to know about artificial intelligence today—and why, despite all the brouhaha around super-intelligent robots, we’re...

Who will triumph in the battle for Britain's courts: Johnson or the judiciary? In the new issue of Prospect , our cover story goes behind the simmering politicisation of Britain’s judges in the era of Brexit, and we talk to senior judges and former Supreme Court justices on what they think will happen to the courts under Boris Johnson’s government. Judicial independence no more? Prospect has teame...

Brown sauce, like many things in the UK, came from the spoils of empire. Also, like many things in the UK, it’s become a lightning rod for endless debates about class, snobbery, and English identity. Where did brown sauce come from, and why does it occupy such a fraught space in Britain’s public imagination? Writer and novelist Caroline O’Donoghue has just joined Prospect as a life columnist,...

A WhatsApp group that got started on Twitter helped journalist Suchandrika Chakrabarti process personal grief that she had been carrying for decades. Adult orphans around the world have started a group chat in which members amongst themselves about loneliness, grief—and just about everything else. At a time when social media seems to be dominated by shouty voices, division and trolls, could this W...

Veganuary; fake cheese; lab-grown meat. "Plant-based" diets have become trendier and more mainstream over the past few years. It's often said that in the era of environmental disaster, we should all eating less meat. But can going vegan really help fend off climate change? Journalist Hephzibah Anderson joins the Prospect interview to talk about the curious history of veganism, the academic debates...

From Rebecca Long-Bailey to Jess Phillips, Lisa Nandy to Keir Starmer and beyond—who will win the top spot? Former political adviser and Labour Party insider Tom Hamilton joins the Prospect podcast this week to discuss everything you need to know about the Labour leadership contest. We run through the timetable for the vote, the procedures, and what this means for the broader direction for the par...

Brexit, Trump, international protests, the era of the “strongman”: Is liberalism really in crisis, or will it come out of this historical era changed, but essentially unscathed? Political theorist Katrina Forrester joins the Prospect podcast to talk about liberalism past and present, and the thought of icon of 20th century liberalism, John Rawls.  Katrina’s book, In the Shadow of Justice: Pos...

Prospect's editors talk last night's election in this special edition of the podcast. What lessons were learned, what were the high and low points of the campaigns, and will the Union remain in tact? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sure it's a good idea in theory, but does meritocracy really work in real life? Yale law school professor Daniel Markovits joins the Prospect podcast and tells us why he's sceptical. Far from seeing a world where people can get ahead regardless of one's social background, Markovits instead argues that meritocracy has also emerged alongside a greater concentration of wealth and privilege, more so t...

Did the death of one man radically alter the course of modern English philosophy? Biographer and philosopher Ray Monk joins the Prospect Podcast to talk about the life and work of RG Collingwood, a 20th century intellectual whose premature death may have led to discipline to take a different—and according to Monk, less rich—direction today.  Ray Monk’s article on RG Collingwood can be read he...

What really was the East India Company, and how does its legacy affect Britain today? Historian William Dalrymple joins the Prospect podcast this week to talk about Britain’s imperial legacy and how the company grew from being a silks and spices trader to an engine of colonialism.  William’s book, The Anarchy: The Relentless Rise of the East India Company is out with Bloomsbury. Plus: Steve B...

The Windrush scandal was just the tip of the iceberg. It was a result of, and part of a long-ranging Home Office strategy to create a hostile environment for Britain’s immigrants. Writer and researcher Maya Goodfellow joins the Prospect podcast this week to discuss the UK’s current and historic immigration policies, and what she learned from talking to migrants and asylum seekers while writing her...

Donald Trump has a long history with the US courts – 3,500 cases, it has been estimated. Journalist and author James D. Zirin joins the Prospect podcast to discuss the president’s history with the law, and what that can tell us about how Trump views politics. Also—what can we expect from the impeachment inquiry against Donald Trump? Plus: Steve Bloomfield and Stephanie Boland on the 2020 race Host...

How will Brexit affect the vote this December? What about other burning issues, like the economy and the NHS? In this election special, Prospect’s editors debate whether this will truly be the “Brexit election,” and what seats to look out for.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Two years on from the New York Times ' publication of the Harvey Weinstein allegations, Megan Twohey and Jodi Kantor join Prospect's Steve Bloomfield to discuss what it was like to report on the story—and how their article helped ignite a global movement. Plus: Stephanie Boland on Britain's #metoo moment and what comes next. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Germans have a word for it—can the rest of the world learn from them, too? Philosopher Susan Neiman joins the Prospect podcast to discuss her book Learning From the Germans . From her travels in the American South to the complex arguments over Vergangenheitsaufarbeitung , and from Hannah Arendt to the Enlightenment focus on happiness, Professor Neiman explores what it means to work with our hi...

Journalist Charles Moore has spent over 20 years mapping the life and work of former prime minister Margaret Thatcher. The final instalment of his trilogy of Thatcher’s life, Margaret Thatcher: Herself Alone is published this month. Editor Tom Clark talks to Moore about Thatcher’s contested legacy, her attitudes to the EU and referendums, and what he’s learned at the end of his long journey. Hoste...

American social psychologist Jonathan Haidt joins the Prospect podcast to discuss political anger on both sides of the Atlantic, from Boris Johnson’s discussion of Brexit to the American 2020 election.  Plus: how the internet is affecting today’s younger generations Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In recent months, the climate change movement reach new heights with global strikes and large-scale marches. Journalist and author of The Uninhabitable Earth David Wallace-Wells joins the Prospect podcast and takes stock of where the global climate movement is today, and what change needs to happen to avoid the alarming futures we may face. Plus: Tom Clark and Steve Bloomfield on the climate chang...

At the end of an extraordinary week for the British constitution, we've brought you an extraordinary podcast. The Institute for Government's Catherine Haddon and barrister Adam Wagner join the Prospect podcast to talk about this week's Supreme Court ruling and what that means for Brexit. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.