Intelligence Squared

This discussion is a dip back into the extensive Intelligence Squared archive, first aired in late 2022. Jerk chicken, curried goat, ackee and saltfish - these are just some of the famous dishes which make up the varied patchwork of Jamaican cuisine. With influences from West Africa, Spain, China and the East India region, each dish can tell a different story ranging from the influence of indigenous groups to the arrival of settlers, colonialists, and enslaved people who have lived on the Caribbean island throughout history. In this episode of the podcast we're joined by cooks and food writers Melissa Thompson, author of Motherland: A Jamaican Cookbook, and Riaz Phillips, author of West Winds: Recipes, History and Tales from Jamaica, to explore how Jamaican food has evolved and travelled throughout the world. Let us know your thoughts! Take a moment to fill in our Intelligence Squared Audience Survey and be in with the chance of winning a £50 Amazon gift card. If you'd like to become a Member and get access

Many liberals believe that in recent years we have seen an erosion of the right to air unpopular opinions without the risk of being cancelled. We are in an ever-intensifying shutting down of conversation, they maintain, with constituencies on both the left and the right demanding that opinions they don’t like be declared out of bounds, socially, morally or legally. But some argue otherwise: that the so-called free speech crisis is completely a fiction. What we’re really seeing is a rebalance of power in elite institutions where privileged groups are being held to account for their words by others who have been historically excluded and marginalised. Intelligence Squared’s new book series THINK AGAIN, published in partnership with The Bodley Head invites two authors to debate the way forward. For the release of the first book, Is Free Speech Under Threat? Our authors are CEO of PEN America Suzanne Nossel and historian Charlotte Lydia Riley. The two recently joined Intelligence Squared live onstage in London to

Academic, author, broadcaster and ordained deacon Diarmaid MacCulloch is Emeritus Professor of the History of the Church at Oxford University, and Fellow of St Cross College and of Campion Hall. His latest book is Lower than the Angels: A History of Sex and Christianity, which explores how Christianity or historically Christian societies have witnessed one of the most extraordinary about-turns in attitudes to sex and gender in human history across the centuries and in recent years. Joining him to talk about it is Helen Carr, the writer, historian and broadcaster specialising in medieval history and public history. Let us know your thoughts! Take a moment to fill in our Intelligence Squared Audience Survey and be in with the chance of winning a £50 Amazon gift card. If you'd like to become a Member and get access to all our full conversations, plus all of our 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-

This discussion is a dip back into the extensive Intelligence Squared archive, first aired in early 2022. 'Sprakkar' is an ancient Icelandic word meaning extraordinary or outstanding women. It forms the basis of a book by Eliza Reid, author, co-founder of the Iceland Writers Retreat, and at the time of recording was also the nation's First Lady. Rosamund Urwin from the Sunday Times joins Eliza to discuss the book, which tells the stories of Iceland’s women and also the country’s efforts to elevate them while striving for increased gender equality. Let us know your thoughts! Take a moment to fill in our Intelligence Squared Audience Survey and be in with the chance of winning a £50 Amazon gift card. If you'd like to become a Member and get access to all our full conversations, plus all of our 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

Paul Johnson is the economist who has set the terms of so much political debate over the past few decades in Britain. Having served as Director of the Institute for Fiscal Studies since 2011, his expertise on matters of public spending and global economic trends have provided invaluable insight to the public and policymakers alike. Johnson’s column for the Times, as well as his acclaimed Austerity Audit for Radio 4, continue to define public discourse on economic policy and its implications. In October 2024 Johnson brought his expertise to the Intelligence Squared stage to reflect on a year of seismic change and assess the impact of the 2024 general election on the country’s economic future. Does Starmer have what it takes to grow the economy? How can Britain hope to compete with innovation in tech and AI on the global stage? What shape should defence spending take in an increasingly volatile world, and how can we begin to tackle domestic issues such as child poverty, cost of living, a crippled NHS and a stub

Paul Johnson is the economist who has set the terms of so much political debate over the past few decades in Britain. Having served as Director of the Institute for Fiscal Studies since 2011, his expertise on matters of public spending and global economic trends have provided invaluable insight to the public and policymakers alike. Johnson’s column for the Times, as well as his acclaimed Austerity Audit for Radio 4, continue to define public discourse on economic policy and its implications. In October 2024 Johnson brought his expertise to the Intelligence Squared stage to reflect on a year of seismic change and assess the impact of the 2024 general election on the country’s economic future. Does Starmer have what it takes to grow the economy? How can Britain hope to compete with innovation in tech and AI on the global stage? What shape should defence spending take in an increasingly volatile world, and how can we begin to tackle domestic issues such as child poverty, cost of living, a crippled NHS and a stub

This is the second instalment of a three-part discussion. Philippa Gregory and Tracy Chevalier have defined the genre of historical fiction for decades. Both renowned for bringing to life women’s stories from the past and making them relevant to today’s reader, between them they’ve produced a multitude of global bestsellers including The Other Boleyn Girl and Girl with a Pearl Earring. In September 2024 they joined Reeta Chakrabarti on the Intelligence Squared stage to transport us through time and place. They explored the art of weaving history into compelling narratives, delving into the research that underpins their work and the challenges of crafting authentic voices from the past for those who have had no voice. This was one of the first events at which Tracy discussed her spellbinding new novel The Glassmaker, a richly-drawn tale of artisan craftsmanship, female perseverance, and the beauty of Venice. Philippa talked about her ground-breaking study, Normal Women, which takes women out of the footnotes a

This is the first instalment of a three-part discussion. Philippa Gregory and Tracy Chevalier have defined the genre of historical fiction for decades. Both renowned for bringing to life women’s stories from the past and making them relevant to today’s reader, between them they’ve produced a multitude of global bestsellers including The Other Boleyn Girl and Girl with a Pearl Earring. In September 2024 they joined Reeta Chakrabarti on the Intelligence Squared stage to transport us through time and place. They explored the art of weaving history into compelling narratives, delving into the research that underpins their work and the challenges of crafting authentic voices from the past for those who have had no voice. This was one of the first events at which Tracy discussed her spellbinding new novel The Glassmaker, a richly-drawn tale of artisan craftsmanship, female perseverance, and the beauty of Venice. Philippa talked about her ground-breaking study, Normal Women, which takes women out of the footnotes an

For this episode we're joined by Eliza Filby, an academic, writer and public speaker specialising in contemporary values and most recently generational wealth. Her new book is Inheritocracy: It’s Time to Talk About the Bank of Mum and Dad. It explores how wealth passed down from parents to their children is now quietly underpinning some major pillars of the economy and how society works, from house buying to going to university and even our dating lives. Joining her to talk about it is Roisín Dervish-O'Kane, a health writer, editor, and Features Director at Women's Health UK. Let us know your thoughts! Take a moment to fill in our Intelligence Squared Audience Survey and be in with the chance of winning a £50 Amazon gift card. If you'd like to become a Member and get access to all our full conversations, plus all of our 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, whe

This is the second instalment of a three-part episode. How many women artists do you know? Despite the work of activist groups and scholars alike, women are still troublingly absent from the history of art. Historian and broadcaster Katy Hessel wants to change that. In September 2024 she came to the Intelligence Squared stage in conversation with the journalist, author and podcaster Pandora Sykes to write women back into art history. Discussing her bestselling book The Story of Art Without Men, she paid homage to the greats such as Artemisia Gentileschi, Frida Kahlo, Hilma af Klint, Tracey Emin and Kara Walker while also shining a light on lesser known figures such as Lavinia Fontana, thought to be one of the first women in Western art to paint female nudes in 1595. This is the second instalment of a three-part episode. If you'd like to become a Member and get access to the full conversation immediately as an early access subscriber, plus all of our Members-only content, just visit intelligencesquared.com/me

This is the first instalment of a three-part episode. How many women artists do you know? Despite the work of activist groups and scholars alike, women are still troublingly absent from the history of art. Historian and broadcaster Katy Hessel wants to change that. In September 2024 she came to the Intelligence Squared stage in conversation with the journalist, author and podcaster Pandora Sykes to write women back into art history. Discussing her bestselling book The Story of Art Without Men, she paid homage to the greats such as Artemisia Gentileschi, Frida Kahlo, Hilma af Klint, Tracey Emin and Kara Walker while also shining a light on lesser known figures such as Lavinia Fontana, thought to be one of the first women in Western art to paint female nudes in 1595. This is the first instalment of a three-part episode. If you'd like to become a Member and get access to the full conversation immediately as an early access subscriber, plus all of our Members-only content, just visit intelligencesquared.com/memb

Hanno Sauer is a philosopher not shying away from the big questions. His recent book is The Invention of Good and Evil: A World History of Morality, which charts the evolution of moralistic thinking from our earliest ancestors through to the present day. But morality is not always about only right and wrong. When it’s wielded by the powerful, it can be restrictive, coercive and the source of many a guilty conscience. With his book, Sauer, who is Associate Professor of Philosophy at Utrecht University, asks us to consider not only what it means to be good but also what it means to be right. Joining him to discuss the book is Sophie Scott-Brown, Lecturer in Philosophy at the University of East Anglia.  Let us know your thoughts! Take a moment to fill in our Intelligence Squared Audience Survey and be in with the chance of winning a £50 Amazon gift card. If you'd like to become a Member and get access to all our full conversations, plus all of our Members-only content, just visit intelligencesquared.com/member

This episode was first aired in March, 2022. Cal Flyn’s Islands of Abandonment was one of the UK’s bestselling books of 2021. It was the Sunday Times Science and Environment book of the year and won her the Sunday Times Young Writer of the Year Award. In this episode she talks with broadcaster and science communicator Helen Czerski about the extraordinary places where humans no longer live – or survive in only tiny numbers – and about what happens when humanity’s impact on nature is forced into retreat. Let us know your thoughts! Take a moment to fill in our Intelligence Squared Audience Survey and be in with the chance of winning a £50 Amazon gift card. If you'd like to become a Member and get access to all our full conversations, plus all of our 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, curate

This is the second instalment of a three-part episode. Mustafa Suleyman, the CEO of Microsoft AI, knows what’s coming. And in September 2024 he returned to the Intelligence Squared stage in conversation with Amol Rajan, host of BBC Radio 4's Today programme, University Challenge and Amol Rajan Interviews, to share his fresh perspective into what AI can and cannot achieve in the next waves of disruption. Suleyman is the ultimate AI insider. In March 2024, a few months after he was last on our stage, he became the CEO of Microsoft AI, a new division bringing together Microsoft’s major consumer AI products and teams. Previously he co-founded DeepMind and Inflection AI. Suleyman says AI represents nothing less than a step change in human capability and society and believes we are approaching a critical threshold in the history of humankind, introducing both risks and innovations on an awe-inspiring scale. Suleyman discussed what has changed in the world of AI since he first published his book The Coming Wave: Tec

This is the first instalment of a three-part episode. Mustafa Suleyman, the CEO of Microsoft AI, knows what’s coming. And in September 2024 he returned to the Intelligence Squared stage in conversation with Amol Rajan, host of BBC Radio 4's Today programme, University Challenge and Amol Rajan Interviews, to share his fresh perspective into what AI can and cannot achieve in the next waves of disruption. Suleyman is the ultimate AI insider. In March 2024, a few months after he was last on our stage, he became the CEO of Microsoft AI, a new division bringing together Microsoft’s major consumer AI products and teams. Previously he co-founded DeepMind and Inflection AI. Suleyman says AI represents nothing less than a step change in human capability and society and believes we are approaching a critical threshold in the history of humankind, introducing both risks and innovations on an awe-inspiring scale. Suleyman discussed what has changed in the world of AI since he first published his book The Coming Wave: Tech

Divorcées, dark humour and the underbelly of 1920s New York form the basis of author and screenwriter Ursula Parrott's forgotten classic novel, Ex-Wife. It became a bestseller on its original release nearly a century ago in 1929 and was also made into an Oscar-winning film. Now reissued by Faber, it follows Patricia, a divorcée embarking on single life in the city while partying and holding down her fashion advertising day job. Today, some readers are calling it the ultimate millennial novel – a century early. Our guest to discuss the book is Marsha Gordon, Professor of Film Studies at North Carolina State University, a former Fellow at the National Humanities Center and the recipient of a National Endowment for the Humanities Public Scholar award. She is the author of numerous books including Becoming the Ex-Wife: The Unconventional Life and Forgotten Writings of Ursula Parrott. Joining her to discuss it is Hannah Dawson, editor of The Penguin Book of Feminist Writing and Senior Lecturer in the History of Id

This is an archive discussion first aired in early 2022. Morten Christiansen is Professor of Psychology at Cornell University and Nick Chater is Professor of Behavioural Science at Warwick Business School. Together, they've written The Language Game, a new book which explores the science and psychology of language and some of its mysteries too. Hosting the discussion is journalist Christine Ro, whose work covers areas ranging from science and culture to international development. Let us know your thoughts! Take a moment to fill in our Intelligence Squared Audience Survey and be in with the chance of winning a £50 Amazon gift card. If you'd like to become a Member and get access to all our full conversations, plus all of our 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 excl

This is the second instalment of a two-part episode. Arsenal Football Club is special. Its multicultural fandom reflects a changing city and a unique relationship with Black British popular culture – thanks to its decades of fielding iconic Black players on the pitch and the storied and diverse histories of its terraces. Clive Chijioke Nwonka and Matthew Harle are the co-editors of a book celebrating that sporting culture, Black Arsenal: Club, Culture and Identity. For this episode, they are joined live onstage to discuss the wider themes of the book with former professional footballer for Arsenal FC, Paul Davis, Baroness Lola Young, the academic, activist, actress, author and crossbench peer, and Clive Palmer, contributor to the ArsenalVision podcast. Let us know your thoughts! Take a moment to fill in our Intelligence Squared Audience Survey and be in with the chance of winning a £50 Amazon gift card. This is the second instalment of a two-part episode. If you'd like to become a Member and get access to

This is the first instalment of a two-part episode. Arsenal Football Club is special. Its multicultural fandom reflects a changing city and a unique relationship with Black British popular culture – thanks to its decades of fielding iconic Black players on the pitch and the storied and diverse histories of its terraces. Clive Chijioke Nwonka and Matthew Harle are the co-editors of a book celebrating that sporting culture, Black Arsenal: Club, Culture and Identity. For this episode, they are joined live onstage to discuss the wider themes of the book with former professional footballer for Arsenal FC, Paul Davis, Baroness Lola Young, the academic, activist, actress, author and crossbench peer, and Clive Palmer, contributor to the ArsenalVision podcast. Let us know your thoughts! Take a moment to fill in our Intelligence Squared Audience Survey and be in with the chance of winning a £50 Amazon gift card. This is the first instalment of a two-part episode. If you'd like to become a Member and get access to al

Leading social philosopher Roman Krznaric discusses his latest book, History for Tomorrow, which looks at what lessons we can learn from the past thousand years while also exploring how these learnings can help us better tackle some of the major challenges we face today. Krznaric is a senior research fellow at Oxford University’s Centre for Eudaimonia and Human Flourishing. Eudaimonia is a Greek word, which roughly translates as happiness or wellbeing. Joining him to discuss the book is Adam McCauley, who is a writer and researcher whose work focuses on the social, cultural, and political impacts of emerging technologies. McCauley also writes a regular newsletter, The View From Here. Let us know your thoughts! Take a moment to fill in our Intelligence Squared Audience Survey and be in with the chance of winning a £50 Amazon gift card. If you'd like to become a Member and get access to all our full conversations, plus all of our Members-only content, just visit intelligencesquared.com/membership to find out