From the French Revolution to the social media age, Fara Dabhoiwala charts the surprising history of the idea that people should be able to say what they like
From America's founding fathers via John Stuart Mill to today's social media giants, humanity has long wrestled with the idea of free speech. What does it mean? Can it really apply to everyone? And ... Show More
Oct 7
The dark side of Samuel Pepys
Samuel Pepys is well-known for his brilliantly evocative diary, which gives an unsurpassed insight into daily life in Restoration London. However, it turns out Pepys also had a sinister side. Something that has been overlooked or ignored in his diaries for centuries, is that Pepy ... Show More
38m 21s
Oct 5
Britain's female slaveowners: the heiresses who made fortunes from enslavement
Women's role as slaveowners is often overlooked – but, just like men, they both profited from and maintained the institution of slavery. Speaking to Ellie Cawthorne, historian Miranda Kaufmann profiles several 'Caribbean heiresses' who married into the British aristocracy and bro ... Show More
38m 12s
Oct 3
Preview: Should historians be celebrities?
Historian, author and broadcaster David Olusoga is among the famous faces to feature on new TV series The Celebrity Traitors, which launches in the UK next Wednesday, 8 October on BBC One. But what are the opportunities, and dangers, when historians become celebrities? And to wha ... Show More
10m 42s
Aug 2024
Origins of Political Campaigns: Publicity Stunts & Fake News
How do our politicians use the media? Throughout the 2024 election we have seen a boom in the use of social media and cable news, so how far back does this go?
To find out, Don speaks first to crisis public relations expert and TikTok star, Molly McPherson, to hear about this yea ... Show More
50m 58s
Nov 2024
Nazis in America: Fascism in the 1930s
In 1933, The Pittsburgh Courier published an editorial entitled 'Hitler Learns from America'. So how and why was fascism on the rise in the United States from the Great Depression to the Second World War?
In this episode, Don speaks with Rachel Maddow, host of 'The Rachel Maddow ... Show More
24m 50s
Sep 23
The Red Channels Whisper Network (1950) [Chilled Speech Week Pt 1]
It's September 22nd. This week, we're bringing you two episodes that highlight periods in American history where political speech was being policied, repressed, and persecuted -- much like it is today.Today: A look back at "Red Channels," an anti-Communist newsletter that started ... Show More
27m 56s
Dec 2024
The 12 Books of Christmas | Think Again: Is Free Speech Under Threat? with Suzanne Nossel and Charlotte Lydia Riley
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 ... Show More
1 h
Jul 14
The Protocols of the Elders of Zion
First published in Russia in 1903, The Protocols of the Elders of Zion purported to demonstrate evidence of a global Jewish conspiracy. Though it has repeatedly been proven to be a forgery, the text has helped fuel antisemitism across the world, from Henry Ford in America, to Naz ... Show More
32m 7s
Sep 25
Post-911 Patriotic Mania (2001) [Chilled Speech Week Pt 2]
This week, we're bringing you two episodes that highlight periods in American history where political speech was being policied, repressed, and persecuted -- much like it is today.Today: A look back at the way speech was policed in the wake of the 9-11 attacks. Bill Maher lost hi ... Show More
31m 42s