Intelligence Squared

In this live debate, our expert panel decides whether the UK's private schools should continue to enjoy their tax advantages. The UK has an education system that perpetuates inequality. Seven per cent of its children go to private schools and yet these institutions receive around three times the funding per student as the average state school. Privately educated people then go on to dominate our elite institutions. They are seven times as likely to win a place at Oxford and Cambridge universities as their state-educated peers, and they make up 65 per cent of senior judges and 29 per cent of members of parliament. Who could possibly object to a tax that would benefit the majority of Britain’s schoolchildren? Those who believe in aspiration, that’s who, argue the champions of private schools. People like Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s parents, who, as he has explained, were not wealthy or privileged but who worked hard so that they could send their son to one of this country’s top independent schools. Removing th

In a world of chaos and disaster where many of us already feel powerless, it can be humbling to consider the idea of chance and fate having a big hand in all of our destinies, all of the time. But is it all just random? Someone who knows more about chaos and disaster than most is Dr Brian Klaas, political scientist at UCL and a contributing writer at The Atlantic. His latest book is Fluke: Chance, Chaos, and Why Everything We Do Matters. In it he explores how events of historic significance have been shaped from the smaller seemingly chance occurrences found within our highly interconnected society. Klaas's previous books have investigated despots and rigged elections with his research often focusing on democracy, authoritarianism, Trumpism, the nature of power, political violence and US foreign policy. He is also host of the award-winning podcast, Power Corrupts. Joining Klaas in conversation for this episode is Poppy Damon, the journalist and podcast producer based in New York City, whose most recent projec

This is the second instalment of our two-part discussion. Tim Marshall is one of the world’s most successful authors on foreign affairs. He’s the writer who put the ‘geo’ into geopolitics with his multi-million selling books Prisoners of Geography and The Power of Geography. Marshall’s principal argument is that without geography we cannot understand the world. His latest book is The Future of Geography: How Power and Politics in Space will Change our World. In February 2024 Tim joined journalist and presenter Ritula Shah for an Intelligence Squared live event, How Geography Explains Our World, at London’s Conway Hall. It was a packed house. And Tim answered questions on topics ranging from the lay of the land on planet Earth to how mapping out outer space will be the next big geographical frontier. He also reflected on the crisis in Israel and Gaza – a location he spent years reporting from. The discussion is in two halves. If you’re an Intelligence Squared Member you can get the whole thing right now – no

Tim Marshall is one of the world’s most successful authors on foreign affairs. He’s the writer who put the ‘geo’ into geopolitics with his multi-million selling books Prisoners of Geography and The Power of Geography. Marshall’s principal argument is that without geography we cannot understand the world. His latest book is The Future of Geography: How Power and Politics in Space will Change our World. In February 2024 Tim joined journalist and presenter Ritula Shah for an Intelligence Squared live event, How Geography Explains Our World, at London’s Conway Hall. It was a packed house. And Tim answered questions on topics ranging from the lay of the land on planet Earth to how mapping out outer space will be the next big geographical frontier. He also reflected on the crisis in Israel and Gaza – a location he spent years reporting from. The discussion is in two halves. If you’re an Intelligence Squared Member you can get the whole thing right now – no waiting around. Head to intelligencesquared.com/membership

In this episode, Helen Newman, Chairman of Sotheby’s Europe is joined by Paul Signac’s great granddaughter Charlotte Hellman, artist Erik Madigan Heck, and the National Gallery’s Christopher Riopelle for a conversation about the revolutionary impact made by the Impressionists. This podcast was originally recorded at Sotheby’s in London in February 2024 to celebrate the 150th anniversary of Impressionism. To see the works discussed in this episode and to step further into the world of Sotheby’s, you can visit any of their galleries around the world, which are open to the public. For more information, visit sothebys.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this archive listen from 2022, Professor Jim Al-Khalili is the physicist who makes science look easy. He’s the author of several books including The Joy of Science, which offers eight core scientific principles that can be applied to everyday life. As a broadcaster Jim is perhaps best known as the voice of BBC Radio 4’s The Life Scientific and he holds the position of Distinguished Chair in physics and University Chair in public engagement at the University of Surrey. Our host for this discussion is Media Editor for The Sunday Times, Rosamund Urwin. If you'd like to become a Member and 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 also receive: - Full-length and ad-free Intelligence Squared episodes, wherever you get your podcasts - Bonus Intelligence Squared podcasts, curated feeds and members exclusive series - 15% discount on livestreams and in-person tickets for all Intelligence Squa

Corey Keyes is a sociologist and a professor at Emory University in Georgia who studies positive wellbeing: how humans thrive and flourish. He coined the term “languishing” to describe the opposite of flourishing. When you’re languishing you may not be mentally unwell, but you’re probably feeling low, directionless or undervalued, you might feel disconnected from others and like your life lacks meaning and purpose. He has recently published a book, Languishing: How to Feel Alive Again in a World That Wears Us Down, outlining his life’s research into the components of a life well-lived and offering tips for how all of us can nudge ourselves closer to flourishing. Joining Keyes in conversation for this episode is Sophie McBain, who is a contributing editor at New Statesman magazine and writes about books and ideas for The Guardian and The Sunday Times. If you'd like to become a Member and get access to all of our longer form interviews and Members-only content, just visit intelligencesquared.com/membership to

In Part Two of our double episode discussion, we're once again joined by head of TED, Chris Anderson. He has had a ringside view of the world’s most influential thinkers in action – TED’s annual conference in Vancouver sees thousands of delegates flock from across the world to hear presentations from pre-eminent scientists, artists, entrepreneurs, political leaders and CEOs on the biggest issues of the day. Speakers have included Elon Musk on artificial intelligence, Bill Gates on how to prevent future pandemics and Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie on how to create a better future for women and girls. Anderson has a new book, Infectious Generosity, which draws from some of those learnings, in order to spread a bit more of an idea in short supply in recent years – optimism. In it, he offers real world case studies showing how a more generous outlook can make small changes that lead to bigger ones. This conversation is a recording of our Intelligence Squared event at London’s Union Chapel. Joining Anderson onstage to d

As head of TED, Chris Anderson has had a ringside view of the world’s most influential thinkers in action. TED’s annual conference in Vancouver sees thousands of delegates flock from across the world to hear presentations from pre-eminent scientists, artists, entrepreneurs, political leaders and CEOs on the biggest issues of the day. Speakers have included Elon Musk on artificial intelligence, Bill Gates on how to prevent future pandemics and Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie on how to create a better future for women and girls. Anderson has a new book, Infectious Generosity, which draws from some of those learnings, in order to spread a bit more of an idea in short supply in recent years – optimism. In it, he offers real world case studies showing how a more generous outlook can make small changes that lead to bigger ones. This conversation is a recording of our Intelligence Squared event at London’s Union Chapel. Joining Anderson onstage to discuss the book and his work was Jon Ronson, the writer and podcaster behin

The recent death of Russian anti-corruption activist, opposition leader and political prisoner Alexei Navalny while serving a decades-long sentence in a remote Arctic penal colony shocked the world last week. But for those watching the erosion of free expression in Russia closely over recent years, sadly the news may have felt like more of a matter of grim inevitability rather than one of complete surprise. Back in July 2022, we heard from British investigative journalist and author, John Sweeney. In 2022 he had just published a book, Killer in the Kremlin, a study of the brutal tyranny of Russian president Vladimir Putin, who has maintained his grip on power in Moscow for now nearly a quarter of a century. Putin’s rule has left a trail of political opponents imprisoned, exiled, silenced or worse in its wake. As well as reporting from the war in Ukraine, John Sweeney has covered stories for the BBC confronting dictators, despots, cult leaders, con artists and crooked businessmen for many years. For this episo

How has feminist thought evolved throughout the ages? Beginning in the fifteenth century with Christine de Pizan, who imagined a City of Ladies that would serve as a refuge from the harassment of men, historian of ideas Hannah Dawson has magnificently drawn together an anthology of six hundred years of feminist thinking from all over the world in her latest book, The Penguin Book of Feminist Writing. Alongside traditional feminist icons such as Mary Wollstonecraft, who stated that she did ‘not wish them [women] to have power over men; but over themselves,’ we find perhaps lesser known women such as Qiu Jin who proclaimed ‘Why should women lag behind?’ Joining Dawson for this episode to discuss the book is literary critic, scholar and editor Merve Emre, who is Shapiro-Silverberg Professor of Creative Writing and Criticism at Wesleyan University. If you'd like 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

There are six crucial substances in human history, according to writer and broadcaster Ed Conway: sand, iron, salt, oil, copper and lithium. They took us from the Dark Ages to the present day. They build our homes and offices, power our computers and phones, and create life-saving medicines. But most of us take them completely for granted. As Sky News Economics Editor, Ed Conway has travelled the globe in search for the origins of these vital substances – from the sweltering darkness of the deepest copper mine in Europe to the eerie green pools where lithium originates – to uncover a secret world we rarely see. In June 2023 he came to Intelligence Squared to tell their story and the little-known companies that turn raw materials into products of astonishing complexity. As we wrestle with climate change, energy crises and the threat of new global conflict, Conway argues that we need a greater understanding of the substances that underpin our lives. Speaking with Conway for this episode is Intelligence Squared'

Solar panel installers, architects, environmental scientists, recycling coordinators, wind turbine engineers, geologists, project managers, electric vehicle manufacturers – these are just a small subset of the countless jobs connected to the green revolution. For renewable energy to be a sustainable part of our lives, we need to ensure it offers both economic growth and climate security. How do we ensure the social and economic benefits of clean energy are available to all, and not just those at the top of the food chain? How can the public and private sector work together to encourage people to work in the green energy sector? What are the best ways to increase investment in green jobs? And is it possible for us to create an economy in which the health of the planet and the wellbeing of its inhabitants is a priority and profit isn’t the only goal? To answer all these questions and more, Intelligence Squared brought together a panel of expert speakers to discuss their plans for creating economic growth and jo

The latest book from critically acclaimed writer Helen Oyeyemi, Parasol Against the Axe, is a novel set among the city of Prague’s streets. It’s often said that a city can feel like a character in a book but in a skilled feat of unconventional storytelling, Oyeyemi’s tale uses the city as the literal narrator of its story. That  plot involves a lost weekend set around a hen party and some surreal storytelling to make outlandish ideas come alive, while also focusing in on themes such as love and addiction. Oyeyemi’s previous novels and short stories have won awards including the Somerset Maugham Award for her book White is for Witching, and she’s been shortlisted for the Goldsmiths Prize, too. Joining her in conversation for this episode is the journalist and podcaster Ruchira Sharma, host of the podcasts Everything is Content and Anatomy of a Stalker. If you'd like to get access to all of our longer form interviews and members-only content, just visit intelligencesquared.com/membership to find out more. For

Richard Sennett is a sociologist and the Centennial Professor of Sociology at the London School of Economics, whose work has given particular focus to areas such as how we co-exist in urban spaces and our places of employment. But his new book looks at the role of performance in society. The Performer explores how the spectacle of the arts can be mirrored in roles found elsewhere in life, such as in politics and wider everyday business, where we’re often being encouraged to try and make ourselves the main attraction. Joining Sennett in conversation for this episode is someone who is no stranger to the merits of a good performance, Philip Colins. He was chief speechwriter for Tony Blair and has been an influential writer and columnist at publications ranging from The Times to Prospect magazine and The Evening Standard. Collins also heads up Writing Company, The Draft. If you'd like to get access to all of our longer form interviews and members-only content, just visit intelligencesquared.com/membership to find

2024 is set to be the biggest election year in history but what happens to politics when it’s always about the next election? We lose our sense of perspective, says Professor of Politics at London School of Economics, Jonathan White — and to our peril. The erosion of medium to long-term political thinking and the decaying of our political attention span has not only warped our political priorities, but has, he argues, endangered a pivotal idea central to democracy: the future. In conversation with host of the Past, Present, Future podcast, David Runciman, White draws from his recent book, In the Long Run: The Future as a Political Idea, to make the case for looking further ahead than your next 'x' at the polling station. If you'd like 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 also receive: - Full-length and ad-free Intelligence Squared episodes, wherever you get your podcasts - Bonus

This is the second instalment of a three-part discussion. Often described as the second most powerful figure in Britain during the Blair governments, Alastair Campbell was pivotal as a strategist in leading New Labour to victory in 1997. In recent years Campbell has become a podcasting sensation as the co-host of The Rest is Politics podcast, dissecting what’s gone wrong in British politics – and more – with former Conservative Party minister Rory Stewart. For this episode, he comes to the Intelligence Squared to discuss what to do about the chaos of current British politics. Drawing on his latest book But What Can I Do? he explores what he sees as the radicalisation of the Tory party, Labour's position on Gaza, and whether Keir Starmer has what it takes to be the first Labour leader since Tony Blair to lead Labour into government. This is the second of a three-part discussion. Intelligence Squared Members can listen to all three instalments, including the Members-only Part Three, immediately. If you'd like

Often described as the second most powerful figure in Britain during the Blair governments, Alastair Campbell was pivotal as a strategist in leading New Labour to victory in 1997. In recent years Campbell has become a podcasting sensation as the co-host of The Rest is Politics podcast, dissecting what’s gone wrong in British politics – and more – with former Conservative Party minister Rory Stewart. For this episode, he comes to the Intelligence Squared to discuss what to do about the chaos of current British politics. Drawing on his latest book But What Can I Do? he explores what he sees as the radicalisation of the Tory party, Labour's position on Gaza, and whether Keir Starmer has what it takes to be the first Labour leader since Tony Blair to lead Labour into government. This is the first of a three-part discussion. Intelligence Squared Members can listen to all three instalments, including the Members-only Part Three, immediately. If you'd like to become a Member and get access to all of our longer for

In uncertain times, people look to the stars and otherworldly influences for guidance. It has always been so, says Professor of History at Princeton University, Anthony Grafton, whose new book, Magus: The Art of Magic from Faustus to Agrippa, traces the story of the dark arts over the centuries with a focus on Renaissance Europe. The figure of the Magus — a learned magician — was common around the circles of kings and princes and could help push the limits of knowledge while unveiling the secrets of nature. Joining Grafton to discuss this influential but often misunderstood role is Dmitri Levitin, Fellow at All Souls College, Oxford, and a cultural and religious historian of early modern Europe. If you'd like 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 also receive: - Full-length and ad-free Intelligence Squared episodes, wherever you get your podcasts - Bonus Intelligence Squared podc

Hannah Durkin is a historian whose new book, Survivors: The Lost Stories of the Last Captives of the Atlantic Slave Trade, shines a light on the final years of a pivotal yet deeply troubling period in US and global history. The Clotilda, the subject of Durkin's book, was the last slave ship to land on American soil in 1860. This was despite a federal law banning the importation of captive individuals from the African continent having been passed over half a century prior. Some of the survivors onboard The Clotilda lived well into the 20th century and the book aims to highlight their stories. Joining Durkin in conversation for this episode is Christienna Fryar, the historian and broadcaster with a focus on modern Britain, the British Empire, and the modern Caribbean. Most recently she was Lecturer in Black British History at Goldsmiths, University of London. If you'd like to get access to all of our longer form interviews and members-only content, just visit intelligencesquared.com/membership to find out more.