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PODCAST

explore words discover worlds

Bradford Literature Festival

Expand your horizons with "explore words discover worlds", the podcast that brings the world of Bradford Literature Festival to your ears. From the classics to the cutting edge, we"ll introduce you to the most exciting and thought-provoking authors, poets, and thinkers.

society & culture documentary

All Episodes

66:52

The Rise of the Far Right: What is at stake for the West

explore words discover worlds ·

2025/10/22

Across the West, far right movements are gaining ground — not just at the margins, but in the mainstream. From fiery rhetoric to policy influence, they’re reshaping the way we talk about identity, belonging, and power. What’s fuelling this rise, and why now?  Join us for a timely and urgent discussion as our experts explore the deeper forces at play — from economic anxiety and online radicalisation to political polarisation and cultural backlash.  In this discussion we consider what this could mean

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58:43

Gods, Guns and Missionaries: The Making of Modern...

explore words discover worlds ·

2025/10/15

Join historian and author, Manu S. Pillai and Saeed Khan, for an illuminating talk on his latest book, Gods, Guns and Missionaries. Drawing on rich historical research, Pillai explores the complex interplay of religion, colonial power, and armed conflict in shaping the Indian subcontinent’s past. Through compelling narratives, he reveals how faith, force, and imperial ambition intertwined to influence culture, politics, and society.

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49:45

From Civilisation to Civil War: A History of Syria

explore words discover worlds ·

2025/10/08

For millennia, Syria has stood at the heart of global history — from the Bronze Age cities of Ebla and Ugarit to Roman Antioch and Umayyad Damascus. A land of prophets, poets, and empires, it was shaped by Persian, Greek, Roman, Islamic, and Ottoman rule. This talk explores Syria’s extraordinary past: a centre of faith, culture, and commerce where civilisations met and ideas flourished. As we trace its path through colonialism and independence to the early years of the Assad regime, we uncover the

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54:42

The Roma: A Travelling History

explore words discover worlds ·

2025/10/01

Join writer and researcher Madeline Potter for a deeply personal and timely conversation about her acclaimed book The Roma, a powerful portrait of Europe’s Romani communities, past and present. Blending memoir, reportage, and historical investigation, Potter sheds new light on a people too often excluded from mainstream narratives. From artists and boxers to survivors of persecution and injustice, The Roma uncovers extraordinary lives, and challenges the stereotypes and prejudices that continue to

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50:30

Crimea: Conflict, Conquest and Consequence

explore words discover worlds ·

2025/09/24

Long before it became a flashpoint in today’s geopolitics, Crimea was the site of one of the 19th century’s most consequential wars. This event revisits the Crimean War — a clash of empires, religion, and ambition that saw Britain and the Ottoman Empire allied against an expansionist Russia. While Florence Nightingale and the Charge of the Light Brigade remain in public memory, the war’s deeper geopolitical legacy is often forgotten. What does this earlier conflict reveal about imperial rivalry,

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87:51

Al-Qaswa - the beloved she-camel of the Prophet Muhammad

explore words discover worlds ·

2025/09/17

Professor Abdullah Alkadi shares the remarkable story of Al-Qaswāʾ, the beloved she-camel of the Prophet Muhammad. ﷺ Faithfully accompanying the Prophet across the Hijaz, the western region of the Arabian Peninsula, Al-Qaswāʾ is mentioned numerous times in hadith literature, from the Hijrah to the Farewell Hajj. Joining Professor Alkadi for an engaging discussion is Shaykh Hamza Yusuf, President of Zaytuna College, California. Together, they will explore the Islamic emphasis on compassion, care, and

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51:54

Poetry for the Many: Jeremy Corbyn & Len McCluskey

explore words discover worlds ·

2025/09/10

Jeremy Corbyn and Len McCluskey share a passionate belief in a fairer, more equal Britain, encapsulated in Labour’s 2017 election slogan ‘For the many, not the few’. This slogan, inspired by Shelley’s famous poem The Masque of Anarchy, points to something else the two men have in common: a lifelong enthusiasm for poetry. Their selected poems travel over centuries and continents, with poets ranging from William Blake to Emily Dickinson, and Stevie Smith to Linton Kwesi Johnson. Featuring guest

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45:48

50 Years After Saigon

explore words discover worlds ·

2025/09/03

Join us for a thought-provoking talk with Professor Saeed Khan as we mark 50 years since the fall of Saigon, the event that ended the Vietnam War on April 30th,1975. Known in Vietnam as Reunification Day, it reshaped the political and cultural landscape of Southeast Asia. Professor Khan will explore the global impact of the war’s conclusion, the legacy of U.S. involvement, and how its memory continues to influence contemporary geopolitics. A concise, insightful session that offers historical

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56:38

40 Years On: The Lasting Legacy of the Miner’s Strike

explore words discover worlds ·

2025/08/27

Join us for a powerful conversation reflecting on the 40th anniversary of the 1984-85 miners’ strike, one of the most pivotal events in Britain’s industrial and political history. Featuring Emily P. Webber, author of Mining Men: Britain’s Last Kings of the Coalface, and Craig Oldham, author of In Loving Memory of Work, the event explores the strike’s lasting impact on working-class identity, community, and resistance.

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52:54

WritersMosaic Presents: Global Crime Queens

explore words discover worlds ·

2025/08/20

Join WritersMosaic and The Royal Literary Fund’s John Siddique for a gripping exploration into the dark hearts of storytelling with three of today’s leading voices in global crime fiction. Sunday Times bestseller, Saima Mir, City University’s Crime Writing Award winner, Nadine Matheson, and critically acclaimed author, Kia Abdullah – whose work has been hailed as ‘thriller of the year’ by The Guardian and The Telegraph – come together to discuss the creative drive, personal journeys, and cultural

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53:21

Rumi and Iqbal: Divine Love

explore words discover worlds ·

2025/08/13

Join Ustadh Feraidoon Mojadedi, one of the best-known and most respected community leaders and academics in the Bay Area, California, as he guides us on a journey of spiritual enlightenment through the profound contributions of two remarkable poets, Rumi and Iqbal.At the age of five, Mojadedi began to memorise poems by Rumi and other great poets. His love of poetry continued to grow and eventually developed into a passion and calling that would allow him to teach regular classes on Rumi throughout

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42:41

Free Word Lecture

explore words discover worlds ·

2025/08/06

Join us for our annual Free Word Lecture, which aims to uphold the ethos of free speech with a focus on the power and politics of words. Continuing the legacy of the Free Word Centre, an international centre for literature, literacy and free expression, this annual event creates a platform for writers to spark stimulating conversations and challenge our assumptions about the world. Following in the footsteps of previous speakers Ben Okri and Rana Ayyub, this year’s lecture promises to be another

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53:27

Anne Brontë and Agnes Grey: Parallels of Resilience...

explore words discover worlds ·

2025/07/30

On the 175th anniversary of the death of Anne Brontë, we are joined by authors and Brontë experts, Adelle Hay and Nick Holland, to explore her life, legacy, and her debut novel, Agnes Grey. Set against the backdrop of 19th-century England, this poignant novel follows the experiences of Agnes, a governess, as she navigates the complexities of love, morality, and social class, which is argued to mirror Anne’s own life. Whether you’re a lifelong fan of the Brontës or new to their literary legacy,

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54:53

The End of Liberal Democracy

explore words discover worlds ·

2025/07/23

What is fact when the leaders of your country deny it? Disinformation is the new weapon in the political warfare that dominates the headlines, and social media has enabled it to spread like wildfire. Are we heading towards a world of mass surveillance and repressive regimentation of people and behaviours within society? Are we unwittingly experiencing the end of liberal democracy, and what are the alternatives? Political scientist Anne Norton, in her new book Wild Democracy, questions the principles

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53:16

The Essential Martin Lings

explore words discover worlds ·

2025/07/16

Discover the essential writings of the late scholar, Martin Lings, curated by Dr Reza Shah-Kazemi. This collection brings together some of the most remarkable chapters from Lings’ extensive body of work, including his insights into the perennial philosophy, and writings on Islam and Sufism. Delve into Lings’ reflections on the spiritual dimensions within Shakespeare’s mature plays, such as Hamlet, as well as his exploration of Qur’anic calligraphy and illumination, and celebrated translations of

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50:31

Sairish Hussain: Hidden Fires

explore words discover worlds ·

2025/07/09

Join Bradford’s own Sairish Hussain as she returns to the festival for a special event on her latest novel, Hidden Fires, in-conversation with Yousra Samir.Set during Ramadan 2017, the story weaves a poignant narrative between Yusuf, haunted by a nightmarish past, and his granddaughter, Rubi, who confronts the cultural clash of their lives when she moves to London.As Rubi uncovers deeply buried secrets, they both grapple with painful memories that challenge their perceptions and forge a new bond

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45:08

So You're Published, Now What?

explore words discover worlds ·

2025/07/02

You’ve been published, you’ve made a splash (or a sprinkle) and your first book is out in the world. Now what? Whether you’re grappling with motivation, facing inspiration hurdles, or doubting your next steps, this event is designed to guide emerging authors through the complex post-publication landscape. Join us for an insightful session with Saeida Rouass, acclaimed author of Eighteen Days of Spring in Winter, and Kasim Ali, renowned for his work, Good Intentions. They will share their personal

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56:15

The Big Book of Cyberpunk

explore words discover worlds ·

2025/06/25

Jared Shurin, award-winning anthologist and editor of The Big Book of Cyberpunk, is joined by two of the book’s contributing writers, Lauren Beukes and EJ Swift. Cyberpunk fiction offers space for imaginative storytelling to discuss and even predict the future. Since the 1980s, the genre has posited questions and scenarios that examine virtual reality, cybernetics and AI, and their effect upon ordinary lives, communities and culture – realities we are now facing today. Join us for a lively

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48:08

Bee Rowlatt: One Woman Crime Wave

explore words discover worlds ·

2025/06/18

Join Bee Rowlatt as she discusses her anticipated debut novel, One Woman Crime Wave. In this gripping event, Rowlatt introduces us to 15-year-old Ashleigh, the neighbourhood’s favourite babysitter, but Ashleigh has an appetite for secrets… Drawing inspiration from JB Priestley’s An Inspector Calls in this fast-paced, witty and scalpel-sharp debut, Rowlatt examines the limits of what money can buy and how easily the fragile web of middle-class privilege can be torn. Don’t miss this opportunity to

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56:17

Echoes of The Orisha

explore words discover worlds ·

2025/06/11

Join acclaimed novelist, poet and playwright, Inua Ellams, author of The Half-God of Rainfall and hit play, Barber Shop Chronicles, Ashley Thorpe, author of The Boy to Beat the Gods, and Chikodili Emelumadu, author of Dazzling, to celebrate the extraordinary tales of West African mythology. You may be familiar with Greek mythology, but have you encountered the trickster Anansi, the spider, or the Orisha, the pantheon of Gods whose seeds are scattered across the African continent? Whether you’re a

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133 results

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