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PODCAST

Intelligence Squared

Intelligence Squared

Intelligence Squared is the home of lively debate and deep-dive discussion. Follow Intelligence Squared wherever you get your podcasts and enjoy four regular episodes per week taking you to the heart of the issues that matter in the company of the world’s great minds. 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 podcasts@intelligencesquared.com or Tweet

society & culture news commentary

All Episodes

54:34

How Has Translation Transformed Shakespeare? With...

Intelligence Squared ·

2026/04/11

What does it mean to translate some of the most recognisable and revered works in the English language? When the wordplay, poetry, and syntax of Shakespeare are all changed, is it still truly Shakespeare? In this episode, host Mythili Rao speaks with translator Daniel Hahn about his new book If This Be Magic: The Unlikely Art of Shakespeare in Translation. From Hamlet in Italian to Romeo and Juliet in Thai, Hahn explores how Shakespeare’s plays are continually reshaped as they move across

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44:17

Should You Be Talking To AI? with Jamie Bartlett

Intelligence Squared ·

2026/04/09

Hundreds of millions of people now talk to AI, such as ChatGPT, Claude or Gemini every day. They organise their finances and holidays, ask advice, seek therapy and find love – via machines. Almost overnight, chatbots are transforming society, politics and business. This is one of the biggest and fastest technological changes in history. In this episode journalist and author, Jamie Bartlett, speaks to Intelligence Squared’s Head of Programming, Conor Boyle, about the consequences both good and ill

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42:35

Who Are Renoir’s Mystery Girls? With Catherine Ostler

Intelligence Squared ·

2026/04/07

Could one of Renoir’s most iconic paintings conceal one of the most astonishing true stories of scandal and tragedy in Golden Age Paris? In 1881, Pierre-Auguste Renoir painted two young sisters from a Jewish banking dynasty at their home in Paris’s grand 8th arrondissement. Pink and Blue, a portrait of Elisabeth and Alice Cahen d’Anvers, is one of Renoir’s most celebrated works. But behind the evoked glamour of the Belle Époque, a darker story was unfurling. In this episode, journalist and author

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38:26

Stalin vs Trotsky: The Assassination That Changed...

Intelligence Squared ·

2026/04/05

On August 20, 1940, in a quiet study in Mexico, one of the 20th century’s most consequential political exiles was assassinated with an ice pick. The killing of Leon Trotsky marked the culmination of a relentless campaign orchestrated by Joseph Stalin, stretching across continents and years of pursuit. But how did the plot unfold — and who was the man who carried it out? In this episode, historian and author Tim Bouverie speaks with writer Josh Ireland about his new book The Death of Trotsky

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36:31

Can Discomfort Be the Key to a Better Life? With Ken...

Intelligence Squared ·

2026/04/04

Dr Radha Modgil is joined by endurance athlete, investor and author Ken Rideout for an inspiring Intelligence Squared conversation on what it really takes to transform your life. Drawing on the ideas in his book Everything You Want Is On The Other Side of Hard, Rideout argues that growth, confidence and fulfilment are only found by deliberately choosing discomfort over ease.Together, they explore why so many of us avoid difficult challenges, how modern life conditions us to seek convenience, and

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39:10

How and Why did Sexual Reproduction Evolve on our...

Intelligence Squared ·

2026/04/02

Before sex evolved on our planet, two billion years ago, all reproduction happened asexually. So why and how did sexual reproduction evolve? Dr Lixing Sun is Distinguished Research Professor in behavior and evolution at Central Washington University. In a new book, On the Origin of Sex, he explores the fascinating, varied and complex ways reproduction happens across the natural world: from whiptail lizards, capable of immaculate conception, to clownfish and bearded dragons who regularly switch

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33:40

Hungry for Life! An Evening with Prue Leith (Part Two)

Intelligence Squared ·

2026/03/31

According to Great British Bake Off judge and national treasure Prue Leith the secret to a happy life lies in embracing everyday with joy while accepting our inevitable end. Prue has had an exhilarating career. She has been a Michelin-starred restaurateur, author, broadcaster, and beloved Bake Off judge. Yet her passion for life has also been shaped by the loss of her brother and first husband. These experiences inspired her to become a leading campaigner for assisted dying in the UK. In February

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34:01

Hungry for Life! An Evening with Prue Leith (Part One)

Intelligence Squared ·

2026/03/30

According to Great British Bake Off judge and national treasure Prue Leith the secret to a happy life lies in embracing everyday with joy while accepting our inevitable end.Prue has had an exhilarating career. She has been a Michelin-starred restaurateur, author, broadcaster, and beloved Bake Off judge. Yet her passion for life has also been shaped by the loss of her brother and first husband. These experiences inspired her to become a leading campaigner for assisted dying in the UK. In February

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47:57

How deeply was the British Crown involved in the...

Intelligence Squared ·

2026/03/29

How deeply was the British Crown involved in the transatlantic slave trade? New research by historian Brooke Newman argues that, from the reign of Queen Elizabeth I, until well into the 19th century, the Crown and its navy helped expand, finance and protect the trade in enslaved African people. In this episode, Newman joins historian and broadcaster Helen Carr to examine how the monarchy’s links to slavery complicate Britain’s national story about abolition and its colonial past. Drawing on her new

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17:52

The Specialist | The Coin Worth More Than Its Weight...

Intelligence Squared ·

2026/03/28

This is an episode of The Specialist, your weekly dose of wonder. In The Specialist, explore the significance and journey of an extraordinary work through the eyes of those that know it best. On today’s episode, the extraordinary saga of the 1933 Double Eagle, America’s last gold coin; stolen, smuggled, and seized. Selby Kiffer is Sotheby's Senior International Specialist of Books and Manuscripts. Over the last half century, he has overseen the sale of many of the most celebrated private

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54:15

Why Are Populists Winning? With Liam Byrne and Will...

Intelligence Squared ·

2026/03/27

Populism has been winning big in recent years. It is the wave that has buoyed Donald Trump’s second term in office, Marine Le Pen’s popularity in France, and Reform UK’s recent leaps and bounds in British polling. Across the West, authoritarian populists now govern one-quarter of the world's democracies. But what explains the surge of populism across the democratic world - and can it be reversed? In this episode, economist and commentator Will Hutton speaks with Labour MP Liam Byrne about his new

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33:43

How To Overcome Trauma, With Psychotherapist Dr Gwen...

Intelligence Squared ·

2026/03/25

Dr Gwen Adshead is one of Britain’s leading forensic psychiatrists. She is the author of The Sunday Times bestseller, The Devil You Know, which inspired her series of BBC Reith Lectures in 2024. In February 2026, she came to the Kiln Theatre for a compelling conversation about trauma, resilience and the transformative power of psychiatry. Drawing on case stories and the themes of her new book, Unspeakable, she asked questions that touch us all: What does a traumatic event do to someone’s identity

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39:04

How To Overcome Trauma, With Psychotherapist Dr Gwen...

Intelligence Squared ·

2026/03/23

Dr Gwen Adshead is one of Britain’s leading forensic psychiatrists. She is the author of The Sunday Times bestseller, The Devil You Know, which inspired her series of BBC Reith Lectures in 2024. In February 2026, she came to the Kiln Theatre for a compelling conversation about trauma, resilience and the transformative power of psychiatry. Drawing on case stories and the themes of her new book, Unspeakable, she asked questions that touch us all: What does a traumatic event do to someone’s identity

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43:06

How Has Living With Animals Shaped Our Brains? With...

Intelligence Squared ·

2026/03/22

Humans are animals. 40,000 years ago our ancestors considered themselves inseparable from the landscape and the wild animals that lived alongside them. But over generations, we developed an idea that still shapes modern life: the belief that we are separate from, and superior to, other species. In this episode, together with Dr Güneş Taylor, science writer Michael Bond draws on insights from neuroscience, anthropology and cultural studies to explore how animals have profoundly influenced our

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15:25

The Specialist | From Canvas to Canon: Joan...

Intelligence Squared ·

2026/03/21

This is an episode of The Specialist, your weekly dose of wonder. In The Specialist, explore the significance and journey of an extraordinary work through the eyes of those that know it best. On today’s episode, the female pioneer of abstract expressionism whose lyrical compositions came to reset market expectations. Courtney Kremers examines King of Spades, Joan Mitchell’s formative masterpiece, which signalled the convergence of her critical acclaim and market recognition. Courtney is Vice

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42:07

Why Are Ancient Myths Resurfacing in Modern Britain?...

Intelligence Squared ·

2026/03/20

Are Pagan Traditions Shaping a New British Identity?In this episode, Academic, broadcaster and critic Shahidha Bari speaks to journalist, DJ and author Zakia Sewell about her book Finding Albion: Myth, Folklore and the Quest for a Hidden Britain which has been longlisted for the Women’s Prize for Non-Fiction 2026. In this episode, Sewell recounts her discovery of an alternative Britain, which lies beyond divisive national myths and symbols. On her quest – punctuated by folk festivals, seasonal

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37:44

Sex, Gender and Christianity: A 3,000 Year History,...

Intelligence Squared ·

2026/03/18

In the twenty-first century, Christianity or historically Christian societies have witnessed one of the most extraordinary revolutions in attitudes to sex and gender in human history, bringing liberation for some and fury and fear for others. Understanding the history of Christianity and its influence on our cultural identity is essential to understanding debates around the role of women in society, same-sex relationships and the public exploration of gender and trans identity. In March

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34:44

Sex, Gender and Christianity: A 3,000 Year History,...

Intelligence Squared ·

2026/03/16

In the twenty-first century, Christianity or historically Christian societies have witnessed one of the most extraordinary revolutions in attitudes to sex and gender in human history, bringing liberation for some and fury and fear for others. Understanding the history of Christianity and its influence on our cultural identity is essential to understanding debates around the role of women in society, same-sex relationships and the public exploration of gender and trans identity. In March

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49:39

Is the Russia–Ukraine War a Failure of Strategy? With...

Intelligence Squared ·

2026/03/15

In an age of grinding wars, nuclear brinkmanship, and political volatility, what does strategy really mean - and how do leaders make decisions when the world feels chaotic?In this episode, Lawrence Freedman draws on decades of scholarship and his experience as official historian of the Falklands War and adviser to the UK’s Iraq inquiry to explore how strategy evolves under pressure. Together with Adam McCauley, Freedman discusses the long arc of the Russia–Ukraine conflict and the opportunities

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48:23

What Is Really at Stake at the North Pole? With Neil...

Intelligence Squared ·

2026/03/13

What Do Wolves, Caribou, and Global Superpowers Have in Common? In this episode, Professor Helen Czerski speaks to journalist and author Neil Shea about the Arctic’s changing face and the struggles that its indigenous wildlife must now endure. In this expansive yet intimate revelation, Shea explores the Arctic during a time of crisis. With Czerski, he recounts his experiences tracking caribou in Alaska, communing with the wolves on Canada’s Ellesmere Island, and his travels among the Indigenous

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455 results

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