Intelligence Squared

Who gets to win power and how do they keep it – and lose it? These are the questions that Mary Beard and Rory Stewart addressed when they came to Intelligence Squared on in November 2023. Beard, Britain’s best known classicist, has won legions of fans through her enthusiasm for the ancient world and her exploration of our cultural assumptions about powerful women, as depicted in her bestseller Women & Power. In her new book Emperor of Rome, she shines her spotlight on the men who ruled the Roman Empire. Stewart has seen the workings of power up close – and he has yielded it. Over the course of a decade from 2010, he went from being a backbench MP, though several ministerial positions, to standing for prime minister – before being sacked from a Conservative Party that he had come to barely recognise. In his new memoir Politics on the Edge he reveals how he bore witness to cronyism and incompetence, which he believes laid the foundations for our current political and economic chaos.  This is Part One of a three

Helen Fielding, creator of the Bridget Jones novels and films, and Gill Hornby, author of the bestseller Miss Austen, join Sotheby’s books specialist Kalika Sands and novelist Kate Mosse for a conversation in partnership with Sotheby's and held at Sotheby’s in London about the enduring appeal of the 19th-century novelist Jane Austen. Fielding explains that when it came to turning her newspaper column about Bridget into a book, it seemed natural to borrow the tried and tested plot of Austen’s Pride and Prejudice. Hornby reveals how she was inspired by real events when she created her fictional account of Austen’s life. They discuss whether marriage or spinsterhood was the better option for a woman at that time, and debate exactly how we should interpret Austen’s portrayal of Mrs Bennet, a figure desperate to marry off her four daughters, in Pride and Prejudice. Become a supporter of Intelligence Squared to get access to all of our longer form interviews and members-only content. Just visit intelligencesquared.

Robin Lane Fox, the classicist, ancient historian and also green-fingered gardening writer, discusses his most recent book: Homer and His Iliad. The Iliad, and epic poem written by the ancient Greek poet, Homer, has been a constant source of inspiration and reinterpretation for historians and writers over the centuries. Fox is an expert in Greek and Roman history and is Emeritus Fellow of New College, Oxford. Joining in him in conversation on the podcast is fellow author and classicist, Daisy Dunn, whose upcoming book is The Missing Thread: How Women Shaped the Course of Ancient History. Become a supporter of Intelligence Squared to get access to all of our longer form interviews and members-only content. Just visit intelligencesquared.com/membership to find out more.  For £4.99 per month you'll receive: - Full-length and ad-free Intelligence Squared episodes, wherever you get your podcasts - Bonus Intelligence Squared podcasts, curated feeds and members exclusive series, wherever you get your podcasts - 15%

For this episode, Yascha Mounk, the writer and political scientist discusses his recent book The Identity Trap, which explores what Mounk refers to as the modern world’s counterproductive obsession with group identity in all its forms. Joining Mounk in conversation is writer Tomiwa Owolade, author of the book This is Not America.  Want the hear the full extended conversation right now? Become a supporter of Intelligence Squared to get access to all of our longer form interviews and members-only content. Just visit intelligencesquared.com/membership to find out more.  For £4.99 per month you'll receive: - Full-length and ad-free Intelligence Squared episodes, wherever you get your podcasts - Bonus Intelligence Squared podcasts, curated feeds and members exclusive series, wherever you get your podcasts - 15% discount on livestreams and in-person tickets for all Intelligence Squared events - Our member-only newsletter The Monthly Read, sent straight to your inbox Or Subscribe on Apple for £4.99: - Full-length an

Can we love the art of monstrous men? Can we truly separate the art from the artist? To answer these questions author and critic Claire Dederer came to Intelligence Squared to discuss the debate, which is the topic of her recent book: Monsters: A Fan’s Dilemma. Our host for the this episode is acclaimed writer Lisa Taddeo, author of Three Women.  Want the hear the full extended conversation right now? Become a supporter of Intelligence Squared to get access to all of our longer form interviews and members-only content. Just visit intelligencesquared.com/membership to find out more.  Become an Intelligence Squared Supporter Member today for £4.99: - Full-length and ad-free Intelligence Squared episodes, wherever you get your podcasts - Bonus Intelligence Squared podcasts, curated feeds and members exclusive series, wherever you get your podcasts - 15% discount on livestreams and in-person tickets for all Intelligence Squared events - Our member-only newsletter The Monthly Read, sent straight to your inbox Or

The Government has introduced new legislation requiring annual rounds of oil and gas licensing in the North Sea. What is the relationship between licensing policy and the energy transition?  In the third instalment of the new podcast series from Intelligence Squared, Tides of Transformation: An Oil Story, produced in partnership with the Fraying Ties? project, Gavin Bridge from Durham University and Gisa Weszkalnys from the London School of Economics are joined by Andy Samuel, the former Chief Executive of the North Sea Transition Authority, and Catherine Howarth, the CEO of ShareAction for a conversation about licensing and regulation in the oil sector – how policy has evolved, and where it’s going wrong.  Other contributors include former Chair of the Climate Change Committee Lord Deben; co-founder of Extinction Rebellion Gail Bradbrook; and, Head of Oil, Gas and Mining at Carbon Tracker Initiative Mike Coffin.  –  This episode was recorded on September 26 2023, the day before the regulator gave approval to

In the final instalment of POWER TRIP, Carl Miller is looking towards the future and asking: will it be as dystopian as many fear? The difference between a well-trained algorithm and human emotional sophistication is still vast but as technology learns to mimic humanity, Carl learns that our perceptions of what feels human enough are evolving too. Featuring Henry Ajder, Generative AI & Deepfakes Expert Advisor; Michael Wooldridge, Director of Foundational AI Research at the Turing Institute and professor of computer science at the University of Oxford; and Kenneth Cukkier, Deputy executive editor at The Economist. This podcast was produced by Catharine Hughes Want the future right now? Become a supporter of Intelligence Squared to get all five episodes of POWER TRIP to binge in one go.  Just visit intelligencesquared.com/membership to find out more.  Become an Intelligence Squared Supporter Member today for £4.99: - Full-length and ad-free Intelligence Squared episodes, wherever you get your podcasts - Bonus

Academic, activist and author Kehinde Andrews is Professor of Black Studies at Birmingham City University. His books include Back to Black: Retelling Black Radicalism for the 21st Century and Resisting Racism: Race, Inequality and the Black Supplementary School Movement. His latest is The Psychosis of Whiteness, which explores why society cannot face up to the racism at its heart and in its history. Andrews says that while we look to self-help books and vote in leaders who do not represent a diverse electorate, society's actions are akin to delusions, irrationalities, hallucinations and what could be described as a psychosis. Joining Andrews in conversation is psychiatrist, broadcaster and author, Femi Oyebode. If you’d like to support Intelligence Squared's mission to foster honest debate and compelling conversations, as well as being able to enjoy exclusive bonus content, early access and much more, become a supporter of Intelligence Squared. Just visit: https://www.intelligencesquared.com/membership Learn

For almost 40 years, the Parthenon Marbles, or Elgin Marbles as they are also known, have been at the centre of the great restitution debate. Taken from Greece in contested circumstances by Lord Elgin in the 19th century, the marble sculptures that were part of the Parthenon and other structures on the Acropolis are housed in the British Museum. UK law prevents the museum from giving away objects in its collection, but the organisation’s chair, former chancellor George Osborne, is said to be in talks to loan the statues to Greece long term in exchange for other ancient artworks. So should the marbles go back? Joining us to debate the issue are Ed Vaizey, former UK Government Culture and Digital Minister from 2010-16, who writes and broadcasts regularly on politics and culture, and Sir Noel Malcolm, Senior Research Fellow at All Souls College, Oxford. Chair for this debate is Manveen Rana, senior investigative journalist and host of The Times and Sunday Times' flagship podcast Stories of Our Times. If you’d li

Is China’s ascendance to world leadership an unstoppable force or a challenge we can overcome? Axios reporter Bethany Allen-Ebrahimian's recent book, Beijing Rules: How China Weaponized Its Economy to Confront the World, looks to help answer that question. For several decades Chinese ascendancy has been supported by an astonishingly broad and deep portfolio of quiet coercion. The stories are breathtaking – Chinese-sponsored reporting in national newspapers and academia; the gagging of sports stars and huge Western brands; Hollywood self-censorship; utilisation of private companies for surveillance. Joining Allen-Ebrahimian in conversation is Intelligence Squared's Conor Boyle.  If you’d like to hear the extended version of this conversation while supporting Intelligence Squared's mission to foster honest debate and compelling conversations, as well as being able to enjoy exclusive bonus content, early access and much more, become a supporter of Intelligence Squared. Just visit: https://www.intelligencesquared

Can AI be controlled? In this episode Carl Miller discovers what governments and governing bodies are doing to ensure AI is evolving in a way that can benefit society. Law and regulation look to balance safety and innovation – but are they at odds with one another? Will nations regulating with a light touch speed ahead in the global AI arms race? Featuring Darren Jones MP Chair of the Commons business select committee; Joanna Bryson, Professor of Ethics and Technology at the Hertie School; and Connor Leahy, CEO of Conjuncture. Want the future right now? Become a supporter of Intelligence Squared to get all five episodes of POWER TRIP to binge in one go.  Just visit intelligencesquared.com/membership to find out more.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Gillian Tett is one of the world’s most in-demand economists. An acclaimed columnist and author at the Financial Times, she has long used her training as an anthropologist to break new ground on economic affairs, notably predicting the 2007–8 financial crisis after she observed the way bankers were behaving around the world. In partnership with Y TREE, In October 2023 she came to the the Intelligence Squared Economic Outlook stage to explore the biggest challenges we face today with BBC broadcaster Jonny Dymond. What are the potential implications for the global economy of a second Trump presidency? Will the Conservatives be able to rein in inflation in time for next year’s general election? How fast will AI transform our lives for better and worse? And what can an anthropologist’s insights teach us about the cultural shifts driving global investments? Y TREE provides pure financial advice, powered by the latest technology, combining data, technology and human experience to provide a layer of intelligence ove

As Black History Month in the UK draws to a close, Intelligence Squared's Feyi Adegbite reflects on how the Black identity in the UK has changed over the years and highlights some of the best contemporary cultural picks from Black creatives across the worlds of fashion, theatre, art and music. This the audio version of Intelligence Squared's The Monthly Read newsletter, which takes a deep dive into topics making the headlines or making a big impact on us at Intelligence Squared. Sign up to The Monthly Read by becoming an Intelligence Squared Member.  If you’d like to support our mission to foster honest debate and compelling conversations, as well as enjoy ad-free podcasts, exclusive bonus content, early access and much more, become a supporter of Intelligence Squared. Just visit intelligencesquared.com/membership to find out more.  You can also learn more about antiracism and some of the topics featured in this edition of The Monthly Read with Intelligence Squared's special podcast collection, Black History

This is the second instalment of a three-part discussion. Michael Lewis is the renowned author of bestselling nonfiction hits including Moneyball, The Big Short, Flash Boys and Liar’s Poker. His latest is his most anticipated book to date: Going Infinite: The Rise and Fall of a New Tycoon, a gripping, real-time narrative chronicling the enigmatic protagonist behind one of the most catastrophic financial meltdowns of the 21st century. This character is Sam Bankman-Fried, who became the world’s youngest billionaire before his thirtieth birthday. And Lewis is uniquely positioned to tell his story, having been granted unprecedented access by Bankman-Fried, allowing him to witness his entire tumultuous journey. Joining Lewis in conversation is our host the journalist and presenter Ritula Shah. We’d love to hear your feedback and what you think we should talk about next. Send us an email or voice note with your thoughts to podcasts@intelligencesquared.com or Tweet us @intelligence2.  And while you’re listening, why

Michael Lewis is the renowned author of bestselling nonfiction hits including Moneyball, The Big Short, Flash Boys and Liar’s Poker. His latest is his most anticipated book to date: Going Infinite: The Rise and Fall of a New Tycoon, a gripping, real-time narrative chronicling the enigmatic protagonist behind one of the most catastrophic financial meltdowns of the 21st century. This character is Sam Bankman-Fried, who became the world’s youngest billionaire before his thirtieth birthday. And Lewis is uniquely positioned to tell his story, having been granted unprecedented access by Bankman-Fried, allowing him to witness his entire tumultuous journey. Joining Lewis in conversation is our host the journalist and presenter Ritula Shah. This is the first of a three-part discussion.  We’d love to hear your feedback and what you think we should talk about next. Send us an email or voice note with your thoughts to podcasts@intelligencesquared.com or Tweet us @intelligence2.  And while you’re listening, why not visit

America is at a crossroads. It is a time of moral reckoning, an opportunity for the nation to choose whether it will become a genuinely multiracial democracy. That’s the view of Eddie Glaude, African American scholar and author of the New York Times bestseller, Begin Again: James Baldwin’s America and Its Urgent Lessons For Our Own. He believes that Baldwin, the great novelist and essayist who bore witness to American racial strife in the mid-20th century, is a man for our times and that we can look to him for guidance as we think about colonial history, slavery, race and identity.In March 2022 Glaude came to Intelligence Squared when, in conversation with historian Christienna Fryar, he shared the insight and inspiration he has drawn from Baldwin’s writing. He set out the urgent need to abolish the idea of white America and to confront the truth about the country’s past – slavery and Jim Crow segregation – not to posit the greatness of America, but to establish the ground upon which to imagine the country an

There isn't one narrative that fits all around AI. In this episode Carl Miller looks at how the future of artificial intelligence will be one beset by bias, whether that's a recruitment algorithm preferring men to women, racial bias in law and policing, or the failures of facial recognition technology to truly see diversity in an objective light. Featuring Judy Wajcman, Principal Investigator of the Women in Data Science and AI project at The Alan Turing Institute; Henry Ajder, Generative AI & Deepfakes Expert Advisor; and Olivier Sibony, writer, educator and consultant specializing in strategy, strategic decision making and the organization of decision processes.  Want the future right now? Become a supporter of Intelligence Squared to get all five episodes of POWER TRIP to binge in one go.  Just visit intelligencesquared.com/membership to find out more.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Oliver Burkeman is the anti-self-help author that everyone interested in self-help should read. He encourages us to embrace uncertainty and imperfection in a world obsessed with self-improvement and relentless goal-setting. For over ten years he wrote the popular ‘This Column Will Change Your Life’ column for The Guardian and his latest book, Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management For Mortals, was a huge bestseller on both sides of the Atlantic. Sarah Wilson is the founder of the global ‘I Quit Sugar’ movement, was editor of Cosmopolitan Australia at the age of 29, and has interviewed two Australian prime ministers, Beyoncé, Brené Brown, the Dalai Lama and dozens of moral philosophers, effective altruists and existential risk experts during her career. Her most recent book, This One Wild and Precious Life, won the US Gold Nautilus Prize and describes how she spent three years hiking around the world, following in the footsteps of Nietzsche and Wordsworth and emerging with a blueprint for living a wilder, more c

This is the second instalment a two-part discussion. Bestselling author, historian and broadcaster Simon Schama discusses Foreign Bodies, his new epic history of vulnerable humanity caught between the terror of contagion and the ingenuity of science. Produced in partnership with the British Library, the talk looks at how the narrative of cities and countries engulfed by panic and death, desperate for vaccines but fearful of what inoculation may bring, is one we have seen before in the past as well as during the Covid-19 pandemic. Joining Schama in conversation is our host, Kavita Puri, the award-winning journalist, broadcaster and author of Partition Voices: Untold British Stories. We’d love to hear your feedback and what you think we should talk about next. Send us an email or voice note with your thoughts to podcasts@intelligencesquared.com or Tweet us @intelligence2.  And while you’re listening, why not visit Intelligencesquared.com and sign up to our newsletter to be the first to hear about some of our gr

For this first episode of a two-part discussion, bestselling author, historian and broadcaster Simon Schama discusses Foreign Bodies, his new epic history of vulnerable humanity caught between the terror of contagion and the ingenuity of science. Produced in partnership with the British Library, the talk looks at how the narrative of cities and countries engulfed by panic and death, desperate for vaccines but fearful of what inoculation may bring, is one we have seen before in the past as well as during the Covid-19 pandemic. Joining Schama in conversation is our host, Kavita Puri, the award-winning journalist, broadcaster and author of Partition Voices: Untold British Stories. We’d love to hear your feedback and what you think we should talk about next. Send us an email or voice note with your thoughts to podcasts@intelligencesquared.com or Tweet us @intelligence2.  And while you’re listening, why not visit Intelligencesquared.com and sign up to our newsletter to be the first to hear about some of our great