logo
episode-header-image
Jun 2023
56m 18s

Live Special: The American Century w/ Da...

David Runciman
About this episode
This week’s episode was recorded live at the Hay Festival, where David was joined on stage by David Miliband and Helen Thompson to discuss the past, present and future of American power. What explains American global dominance? Can it be justified? How will it be replaced? They discuss the fall-out of the Ukraine war, the threat posed by China, the challenge ... Show More
Up next
Oct 7
The History of Transhumanism: Origins
Today it’s the first episode in a new series about the weird and wonderful world of transhumanism: the idea that human beings can be transformed by technology and machines. David talks to historian of ideas Duncan Bell about transhumanism as science and as science fiction, as acc ... Show More
1h 1m
Oct 4
An Ageing World: Simone de Beauvoir on Old Age
For the final episode in our series on living in an ageing world David talks to Lyndsey Stonebridge about one of the most interesting and challenging of all writers on the subject of old age – Simone de Beauvoir. Why did Beauvoir believe that we are all duplicitous about the elde ... Show More
54m 8s
Sep 30
An Ageing World: The Problem of Gerontocracy
In today’s episode for our series about living in ageing societies, David talks to historian and legal scholar Samuel Moyn about the problem of gerontocracy, aka the rule of the old. Why do older generations now have so much wealth and so much power? Why is this particularly true ... Show More
59m 1s
Recommended Episodes
Aug 2020
#215 — A Conversation with David Miliband
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Sam Harris speaks with David Miliband about his work with the International Rescue Committee. They discuss the crisis of internally displaced peoples and refugees, the problem with open borders, the vetting of refugees, the limits of nation-buil ... Show More
49m 26s
Oct 2021
Great power rivals of the 21st century
tail spinning
23m 28s
Mar 2022
Political Gabfest - I Call On You To Do More
Emily and David are joined by guest host Juliette Kayyem to discuss the arming of Ukraine, how to prepare for the next pandemic or catastrophe, and daylight savings time debates.Here are some notes and references from this week’s show:Megan Garber for The Atlantic: “The Grim Stag ... Show More
58m 55s
Feb 2025
‘America is now an adversary’
<p>The future of Ukraine and the defence of Europe will dominate when Keir Starmer jets out to the White House for talks with Donald Trump next week. Can the UK prime minister help save 80 years of Pax Americana? Or is the US on the verge of becoming an ‘adversary’ to Europe? Hos ... Show More
43m 31s
Oct 2020
Terminator Trump: Judgement Day
On this week's episode of World Review from the New Statesman, Jeremy Cliffe in Berlin and Emily Tamkin in Washington DC are joined by Sir Kim Darroch, the former British ambassador to the United States, and author of Collateral Damage: Britain, America and Europe in the Age of T ... Show More
45m 17s
Aug 2025
#429 — The New World Order
<p dir="ltr">Sam Harris speaks with Anne Applebaum about the erosion of democracy at home and abroad. They discuss the Sudanese civil war and the outside forces involved, America's retreat from global leadership, the impacts of USAID cuts, gerrymandering, the integrity of U.S. el ... Show More
26m 52s
Jun 2008
American Dreams
<p>Chinese Vistas: Jonathan Spence lectures about China.</p><p>Recorded at The Asia Society in New York.</p><p>Spence explores the two centuries in which the United States gradually moved from its position as a dominant beacon of freedom and democracy for China, to becoming a mor ... Show More
43m 5s
Apr 2022
Political Gabfest - Hey, Groomer
Emily, John and David discuss Russia’s war crimes; Disney’s reaction to “don’t say gay”; and Amazon’s first union.Here are some notes and references from this week’s show:Andrew Exum for The Atlantic: “The Russian Military Has Descended Into Inhumanity”Noam Scheiber for The New Y ... Show More
1h 5m
Oct 2023
If Trump gets re-elected what does the world do?
David Aaronovitch and guests talk about what a second Trump presidency might mean for America's relationship with the world and discuss what countries are doing to prepare. Guests:Anthony Zurcher, BBC North America correspondent Inu Manak, fellow for trade policy at the Council o ... Show More
28m 39s