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Dr. Timothy Larsen writes about serious, energetic faith in the places other historians assume the faith cannot really be. A Victorian Christian fantasist. A Westminster canon who quietly set aside biblical authority. And, in his newest and most acclaimed book, seventeen Anglican chaplains who came out of the trenches of World War I as radicals. Tim is McManis Professor of Christian Thought at Wheaton College and the 2025 president of the American Society of Church History, and this hour is us moving through three of his books at once. The Fires of Moloch takes its title from H. G. Wells's line describing Britain sending its sons into the fires of a false god during the Passchendaele Offensive. George MacDonald in the Age of Miracles takes the mid-nineteenth-century Scottish theological turn from the Age of Atonement to the Age of the Incarnation and shows what happens when a rigorously Calvinist minister-turned-fantasy-writer decides doubt is the door in, and therefore the door out, of a mature faith. Every Leaf, Line, and Letter returns to Tim's PhD supervisor David Bebbington's famous quadrilateral for defining evangelicalism and asks what it takes to keep that word doing honest work now that polls will code Muslim Trump voters as evangelical. Come for Anglo-Catholic sacramental confession as battle-tested ministry. Stay for the George MacDonald grandmother who burned her son's violin because he enjoyed music too much. You can WATCH the conversation on YouTube Dr. Timothy Larsen is McManis Professor of Christian Thought and Professor of History at Wheaton College, an Honorary Fellow of the School of Divinity at the University of Edinburgh, and an Honorary Research Fellow at the University of Wales Trinity Saint David. He is a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society and a Fellow of the Royal Anthropological Institute. He has been a Visiting Fellow at Trinity College, Cambridge, All Souls College, Oxford, and Christ Church, Oxford. In 2025 he served as President of the American Society of Church History. He has authored or edited more than twenty books. Books at the center of this conversation: The Fires of Moloch: Anglican Clergymen in the Furnace of World War One; George MacDonald in the Age of Miracles: Incarnation, Doubt, and Reenchantment ; and Every Leaf, Line, and Letter: Evangelicals and the Bible from the 1730s to the Present. JOIN OUR OPEN ONLINE CLASS: The Empire Christ Couldn't Keep Ever notice how Christian nationalism gets talked about like it's some bizarre new glitch in the faith? It isn't — it's a 2,000-year-old arrangement wearing new clothes, and once you see how the pattern works, you can also spot the Christ who keeps slipping free of it. Join theologian Joerg Rieger and Tripp Fuller for The Christ Empire Couldn't Keep, a free six-week online class tracing the holy alliances, imperial creeds, and stubborn resistance that have shaped Christianity from Paul to the present. You'll get six lectures from Joerg, six live Q&As, weekly readings from his book Christ and Empire, and a community of fellow troublemakers thinking it through together. It's free to join, every session is recorded, and it kicks off Thursday, August 27. Grab your spot at HomebrewedClasses.com. This podcast is a Homebrewed Christianity production. Follow the Homebrewed Christianity, Theology Nerd Throwdown, & The Rise of Bonhoeffer podcasts for more theological goodness for your earbuds. Join over 75,000 other people by joining our Substack - Process This! Get instant access to over 50 classes at www.TheologyClass.com Follow the podcast, drop a review, send feedback/questions or become a member of the HBC Community. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Yascha Mounk and Katja Hoyer also discuss what the Islamist attack on Berlin's Pride parade says about the state of Germany. Katja Hoyer is a visiting Research Fellow at King's College London and a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society. Her latest book is Weimar: Life on the Edge of Catastrophe. In this week's conversation, Yascha Mounk and Katja Hoyer discuss why the Weimar comparison is so tempting (and so often misleading), what genuine enthusiasm for democracy in 1919 Germany can teach us about how democracies fail, and whether political fragmentation or economic crisis was the more decisive factor in Weimar's collapse. If you have not yet signed up for our podcast, please do so now by following this link on your phone. Email: leonora.barclay@persuasion.community Podcast production by Mickey Freeland and Leonora Barclay. Connect with us! Spotify | Apple X: @Yascha_Mounk & @JoinPersuasion YouTube: Yascha Mounk, Persuasion LinkedIn: Persuasion Community Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Fakers: A Top-Secret Tale of Phantoms and Forgeries on the Disinformation Front Line (Oxford UP, 2026) reveals the rise and fall of the mavericks running Britain's Cold War forgery empire. Their secret mission was audacious: to disrupt and discredit adversaries across the world using phantom groups, fake sources, and counterfeit documents. The leader was a remarkable character, wrestling with personal and professional dilemmas: Hans Welser. An Austrian refugee and one-time MI5 suspect interned behind barbed wire, Welser was a great survivor who rose to become special operations adviser to the Foreign Office, working hand in glove with MI6. His second in command was an eccentric, hard drinking, and high-flying journalist-turned-propagandist called John Rayner. Brought out of semi-retirement, for one final posting. Their team of bowler-hatted refugees, voluble ex-journalists, trailblazing women, and licentious literary sorts navigated loyalty and betrayal — both professionally and romantically — from the diplomats' attic, in the most sensitive part of the Foreign Office's secret propaganda department. The newly declassified files expose an array of plots, some comically absurd and others dangerously controversial. The forgery empire impersonated everything from hippies and ghosts to Islamists and ballet composers in their campaign to smear hostile politicians, stir tensions among adversaries, and even stymie the career of a contentious British historian. All took place against a high stakes backdrop — both overseas as states competed beneath the looming threat of nuclear war and in the corridors of power at home where grey-suited bureaucrats circled, keen to shut down the team for good. With timely insight into how propaganda works and how to respond to disinformation, Fakers is a thrilling journey into a secret world where nothing was as it seemed. Rory Cormac is a Professor of International Relations at the University of Nottingham and a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society. Caleb Zakarin is CEO and Publisher of the New Books Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network
Fakers: A Top-Secret Tale of Phantoms and Forgeries on the Disinformation Front Line (Oxford UP, 2026) reveals the rise and fall of the mavericks running Britain's Cold War forgery empire. Their secret mission was audacious: to disrupt and discredit adversaries across the world using phantom groups, fake sources, and counterfeit documents. The leader was a remarkable character, wrestling with personal and professional dilemmas: Hans Welser. An Austrian refugee and one-time MI5 suspect interned behind barbed wire, Welser was a great survivor who rose to become special operations adviser to the Foreign Office, working hand in glove with MI6. His second in command was an eccentric, hard drinking, and high-flying journalist-turned-propagandist called John Rayner. Brought out of semi-retirement, for one final posting. Their team of bowler-hatted refugees, voluble ex-journalists, trailblazing women, and licentious literary sorts navigated loyalty and betrayal — both professionally and romantically — from the diplomats' attic, in the most sensitive part of the Foreign Office's secret propaganda department. The newly declassified files expose an array of plots, some comically absurd and others dangerously controversial. The forgery empire impersonated everything from hippies and ghosts to Islamists and ballet composers in their campaign to smear hostile politicians, stir tensions among adversaries, and even stymie the career of a contentious British historian. All took place against a high stakes backdrop — both overseas as states competed beneath the looming threat of nuclear war and in the corridors of power at home where grey-suited bureaucrats circled, keen to shut down the team for good. With timely insight into how propaganda works and how to respond to disinformation, Fakers is a thrilling journey into a secret world where nothing was as it seemed. Rory Cormac is a Professor of International Relations at the University of Nottingham and a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society. Caleb Zakarin is CEO and Publisher of the New Books Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/world-affairs
Fakers: A Top-Secret Tale of Phantoms and Forgeries on the Disinformation Front Line (Oxford UP, 2026) reveals the rise and fall of the mavericks running Britain's Cold War forgery empire. Their secret mission was audacious: to disrupt and discredit adversaries across the world using phantom groups, fake sources, and counterfeit documents. The leader was a remarkable character, wrestling with personal and professional dilemmas: Hans Welser. An Austrian refugee and one-time MI5 suspect interned behind barbed wire, Welser was a great survivor who rose to become special operations adviser to the Foreign Office, working hand in glove with MI6. His second in command was an eccentric, hard drinking, and high-flying journalist-turned-propagandist called John Rayner. Brought out of semi-retirement, for one final posting. Their team of bowler-hatted refugees, voluble ex-journalists, trailblazing women, and licentious literary sorts navigated loyalty and betrayal — both professionally and romantically — from the diplomats' attic, in the most sensitive part of the Foreign Office's secret propaganda department. The newly declassified files expose an array of plots, some comically absurd and others dangerously controversial. The forgery empire impersonated everything from hippies and ghosts to Islamists and ballet composers in their campaign to smear hostile politicians, stir tensions among adversaries, and even stymie the career of a contentious British historian. All took place against a high stakes backdrop — both overseas as states competed beneath the looming threat of nuclear war and in the corridors of power at home where grey-suited bureaucrats circled, keen to shut down the team for good. With timely insight into how propaganda works and how to respond to disinformation, Fakers is a thrilling journey into a secret world where nothing was as it seemed. Rory Cormac is a Professor of International Relations at the University of Nottingham and a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society. Caleb Zakarin is CEO and Publisher of the New Books Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/national-security
Fakers: A Top-Secret Tale of Phantoms and Forgeries on the Disinformation Front Line (Oxford UP, 2026) reveals the rise and fall of the mavericks running Britain's Cold War forgery empire. Their secret mission was audacious: to disrupt and discredit adversaries across the world using phantom groups, fake sources, and counterfeit documents. The leader was a remarkable character, wrestling with personal and professional dilemmas: Hans Welser. An Austrian refugee and one-time MI5 suspect interned behind barbed wire, Welser was a great survivor who rose to become special operations adviser to the Foreign Office, working hand in glove with MI6. His second in command was an eccentric, hard drinking, and high-flying journalist-turned-propagandist called John Rayner. Brought out of semi-retirement, for one final posting. Their team of bowler-hatted refugees, voluble ex-journalists, trailblazing women, and licentious literary sorts navigated loyalty and betrayal — both professionally and romantically — from the diplomats' attic, in the most sensitive part of the Foreign Office's secret propaganda department. The newly declassified files expose an array of plots, some comically absurd and others dangerously controversial. The forgery empire impersonated everything from hippies and ghosts to Islamists and ballet composers in their campaign to smear hostile politicians, stir tensions among adversaries, and even stymie the career of a contentious British historian. All took place against a high stakes backdrop — both overseas as states competed beneath the looming threat of nuclear war and in the corridors of power at home where grey-suited bureaucrats circled, keen to shut down the team for good. With timely insight into how propaganda works and how to respond to disinformation, Fakers is a thrilling journey into a secret world where nothing was as it seemed. Rory Cormac is a Professor of International Relations at the University of Nottingham and a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society. Caleb Zakarin is CEO and Publisher of the New Books Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Fakers: A Top-Secret Tale of Phantoms and Forgeries on the Disinformation Front Line (Oxford UP, 2026) reveals the rise and fall of the mavericks running Britain's Cold War forgery empire. Their secret mission was audacious: to disrupt and discredit adversaries across the world using phantom groups, fake sources, and counterfeit documents. The leader was a remarkable character, wrestling with personal and professional dilemmas: Hans Welser. An Austrian refugee and one-time MI5 suspect interned behind barbed wire, Welser was a great survivor who rose to become special operations adviser to the Foreign Office, working hand in glove with MI6. His second in command was an eccentric, hard drinking, and high-flying journalist-turned-propagandist called John Rayner. Brought out of semi-retirement, for one final posting. Their team of bowler-hatted refugees, voluble ex-journalists, trailblazing women, and licentious literary sorts navigated loyalty and betrayal — both professionally and romantically — from the diplomats' attic, in the most sensitive part of the Foreign Office's secret propaganda department. The newly declassified files expose an array of plots, some comically absurd and others dangerously controversial. The forgery empire impersonated everything from hippies and ghosts to Islamists and ballet composers in their campaign to smear hostile politicians, stir tensions among adversaries, and even stymie the career of a contentious British historian. All took place against a high stakes backdrop — both overseas as states competed beneath the looming threat of nuclear war and in the corridors of power at home where grey-suited bureaucrats circled, keen to shut down the team for good. With timely insight into how propaganda works and how to respond to disinformation, Fakers is a thrilling journey into a secret world where nothing was as it seemed. Rory Cormac is a Professor of International Relations at the University of Nottingham and a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society. Caleb Zakarin is CEO and Publisher of the New Books Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/british-studies
Fakers: A Top-Secret Tale of Phantoms and Forgeries on the Disinformation Front Line (Oxford UP, 2026) reveals the rise and fall of the mavericks running Britain's Cold War forgery empire. Their secret mission was audacious: to disrupt and discredit adversaries across the world using phantom groups, fake sources, and counterfeit documents. The leader was a remarkable character, wrestling with personal and professional dilemmas: Hans Welser. An Austrian refugee and one-time MI5 suspect interned behind barbed wire, Welser was a great survivor who rose to become special operations adviser to the Foreign Office, working hand in glove with MI6. His second in command was an eccentric, hard drinking, and high-flying journalist-turned-propagandist called John Rayner. Brought out of semi-retirement, for one final posting. Their team of bowler-hatted refugees, voluble ex-journalists, trailblazing women, and licentious literary sorts navigated loyalty and betrayal — both professionally and romantically — from the diplomats' attic, in the most sensitive part of the Foreign Office's secret propaganda department. The newly declassified files expose an array of plots, some comically absurd and others dangerously controversial. The forgery empire impersonated everything from hippies and ghosts to Islamists and ballet composers in their campaign to smear hostile politicians, stir tensions among adversaries, and even stymie the career of a contentious British historian. All took place against a high stakes backdrop — both overseas as states competed beneath the looming threat of nuclear war and in the corridors of power at home where grey-suited bureaucrats circled, keen to shut down the team for good. With timely insight into how propaganda works and how to respond to disinformation, Fakers is a thrilling journey into a secret world where nothing was as it seemed. Rory Cormac is a Professor of International Relations at the University of Nottingham and a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society. Caleb Zakarin is CEO and Publisher of the New Books Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/book-of-the-day
Fakers: A Top-Secret Tale of Phantoms and Forgeries on the Disinformation Front Line (Oxford UP, 2026) reveals the rise and fall of the mavericks running Britain's Cold War forgery empire. Their secret mission was audacious: to disrupt and discredit adversaries across the world using phantom groups, fake sources, and counterfeit documents. The leader was a remarkable character, wrestling with personal and professional dilemmas: Hans Welser. An Austrian refugee and one-time MI5 suspect interned behind barbed wire, Welser was a great survivor who rose to become special operations adviser to the Foreign Office, working hand in glove with MI6. His second in command was an eccentric, hard drinking, and high-flying journalist-turned-propagandist called John Rayner. Brought out of semi-retirement, for one final posting. Their team of bowler-hatted refugees, voluble ex-journalists, trailblazing women, and licentious literary sorts navigated loyalty and betrayal — both professionally and romantically — from the diplomats' attic, in the most sensitive part of the Foreign Office's secret propaganda department. The newly declassified files expose an array of plots, some comically absurd and others dangerously controversial. The forgery empire impersonated everything from hippies and ghosts to Islamists and ballet composers in their campaign to smear hostile politicians, stir tensions among adversaries, and even stymie the career of a contentious British historian. All took place against a high stakes backdrop — both overseas as states competed beneath the looming threat of nuclear war and in the corridors of power at home where grey-suited bureaucrats circled, keen to shut down the team for good. With timely insight into how propaganda works and how to respond to disinformation, Fakers is a thrilling journey into a secret world where nothing was as it seemed. Rory Cormac is a Professor of International Relations at the University of Nottingham and a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society. Caleb Zakarin is CEO and Publisher of the New Books Network.
Forget what you think you know about medieval holy wars. Move over, Richard the Lionheart—the most action-packed, technologically wild campaign happened in the land of the pyramids, and it's time to stop ignoring it!In this live episode of History Rage, host Paul Bavill sits down with public historian, fellow of the Royal Historical Society, and author Thomas Smith to rescue the Fifth Crusade from historical obscurity. If you think the Crusades were just knights waiting around in a dusty Syrian desert, prepare to have your mind blown by a campaign dominated by amphibious warfare, terrifying medieval technology, and a truly jaw-dropping twist ending.What You'll Discover in This Episode:The Strategic Shift: Why Western Europe realized that the true key to holding Jerusalem was actually conquering Egypt—the wealthy breadbasket of the Near East.D-Day in 1218: Discover the incredible engineering behind flat-bottomed landing craft, complete with bow ramps for cavalry charges, used 800 years before Normandy.Medieval Napalm & Hand Grenades: Get a breakdown of Greek fire, the terrifying incendiary weapons used on the Nile, and the highly unpleasant acidic liquids required to put them out.The Floating Siege Engine: Meet Oliver of Cologne, the genius German schoolmaster who built a rotating wooden fortress on stilt-ships to conquer the Nile's impenetrable Chain Tower.Snatching Defeat from the Jaws of Victory: How a combination of apocalyptic prophecy, a flooding River Nile, and a massive, poorly-timed wine-drinking session brought the entire campaign crashing down.Links & Resources Mentioned:Buy the Book: Grab your copy of Thomas Smith's ground-breaking new book, The Fifth Crusade: A History of the Epic Campaign to Conquer Egypt, from the History Rage Bookshop.Recommended Episodes:Episode 174: Steve Tibble rages about crime during the Crusades.Episode 300: Aleks Pluskowski rages that Crusades are not all in the Middle East.Connect with the Guest:Instagram: Follow Tom for more incredible medieval insights @medieval_tomSupport & Follow History Rage:Join the Rage Train and make sure you never miss an episode where truth is liberated from the infidels!Support us on Patreon: Get exclusive access to live streams, ask questions directly to our guests, and join the community at patreon.com/HistoryRage.Apple Subscriptions: Listen completely ad-free for just £3 per month via your Apple Podcasts app.Spread the Word: If you love the show, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, and tell a friend to hop aboard the rage train!Are you ready to look past the myths? Stay angry! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
J.J. and Dr. Benjamin Elton comment on one of Britain's most influential chief rabbis. This series is generously sponsored by Larry and Sarah Krauss in honour and gratitude to Larry's mother, Kato Krauss, and in loving memory of his father, Nathan "Noteh" Krauss. This episode is dedicated to the memory of Sarah's father, Joe Casse. Yosef ben Zvi v'Koyna.Benjamin Elton read history at Queens' College Cambridge and has a PhD from Birkbeck, University of London in Anglo-Jewish religious history. He has written and lectured on Anglo-Jewish and Australian Jewish history and theology, on Jewish philosophy and architecture, and on contemporary challenges facing the Jewish world. He has Semicha from rabbis in the UK, the USA and Israel and is Rabbi of The Great Synagogue in Sydney. He holds honorary positions at the University of Sydney and the University of Notre Dame, Australia and is a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society of London.If you or your business are interested in sponsoring an episode or mini-series, please reach out at podcasts@torahinmotion.org Follow us on Bluesky @jewishideaspod.bsky.social for updates and insights!Please rate and review the the show in the podcast app of your choice.We welcome all complaints and compliments at podcasts@torahinmotion.org For more information visit torahinmotion.org/podcasts
In this episode, we have a conversation between the four co-authors of a new textbook in the field of royal studies, Exploring Monarchy in Medieval Europe 1000-1500, Elena (Ellie) Woodacre, Lucinda Dean, Simon Lambe and Patrik Pastrnak. They discuss the challenges that they faced in the composition of the book, the intended audience and use for the textbook and the contributions of colleagues in the field which enabled them to achieve a wide ranging survey of monarchical practices across the continent. Guest Bios:Elena Woodacre is Reader in Renaissance History at the University of Winchester. She is a specialist in queenship and royal studies and has published extensively in this area.See Elena's staff profile pageQueens and QueenshipLucinda H.S. Dean is Senior Lecturer at the Centre for History, UHI. Her research expertise includes medieval and early modern ritual, ceremony, kingship, material culture, gender, and the life cycle.See Lucinda's staff profile pageDeath and the Royal Succession in Scotland, c.1214-c.1543Simon Lambe is Associate Fellow of the Institute of Historical Research, University of London, and Associate Fellow of the Royal Historical Society. His academic background is in gentry and royal relations in late medieval and early Tudor England.See Simon's staff profile pagePatrik Pastrnak is Associate Professor at Palacký University, Olomouc. He specialises in royal weddings, wedding journeys, queenship, and rulership in late medieval and early modern Central Europe and Italy.See Patrik's academia.edu profile pageConfiguring Bohemian Queenship Project (and project Instagram account)
For almost two years, the war on the Continent had been raging. The Battle of Verdun has already happened, but the real bloodshed had not even started yet, with the Battle of the Somme only a month away.While the European land armies have been fighting on a scale not seen since Napoleon a century earlier, major conflicts at sea were rare in spite of the major belligerents having great and powerful fleets. Like two heavyweight boxers wary of each other, the surface fleets of the Royal Navy and the Kaiserliche Marine stared at each other across the North Sea, throwing a jab here or there, but not committing for a hard fight.Then, in the early morning hours of May 31st, Vice Admiral Franz von Hipper's I Scouting Group got underway from the Jade estuary and headed north.This episode, we are going to look back at the Battle of Jutland with Simon Harley, naval historian, Associate Fellow of the Royal Historical Society, and co-editor of The Dreadnought Project online resource. For his day job he sells vintage British motorcycle spares.You can at this link, or via the Spotify widget below.Show LinksSimon Harley on XBattle of Jutland Timeline, Imperial War MuseumThe Dreadnought ProjectThe Fighting Fleets, by Ralph Delahaye PaineCastles of Steel: Britain, Germany, and the Winning of the Great War at Sea, by Robert K. MassieClash of Fleets: Naval Battles of the Great War, 1914-18, by Vincent O'Hara, Leonard R HeinzSummaryIn this episode, naval historian Simon Harley discusses the Battle of Jutland, its strategic lessons, leadership personalities, and technological aspects, providing insights relevant to modern naval strategy.Sound bites“The German fleet has assaulted its jailer but it's still in jail”“Luck really does play a massive part in naval battles”“Always make sure you've got the bigger fleet”Chapters00:00: Introduction to the Battle of Jutland05:04: Context of World War I and Naval Warfare11:46: Intelligence and Communication Failures19:26: Leadership Dynamics in Naval Command27:02: Shipbuilding and Technological Advancements30:26: The Cordite Controversy32:33: Tactical Decisions and Luck in Naval Warfare35:08: Fire Control Systems: A Comparative Analysis37:15: Strategic Objectives of the German and British Navies40:25: Mines and Their Impact on Naval Strategy52:08: Lessons from Jutland: Fleet Size and Preparedness
In this episode, we discuss the rise to power of the Nazis and what it meant for ordinary Germans. Featuring Prof Nick Stargardt, Professor of Modern European History at Magdalen College, Oxford University, and Katja Hoyer, historian and journalist, Visiting Research Fellow at King's College London and a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society.
⚠️ Disclaimer: This episode features a deep-dive discussion into sensitive and complex historical events, religious histories, and political figures. The insights and analyses presented are those of the guest, based on their research, and do not necessarily reflect the viewpoints of the production team or host. Something Bigger does not intend to offend, defame, or hurt the sentiments of any individual, community, or religious group. Our goal is to facilitate nuanced academic exploration and peaceful civic discourse.In this insightful episode of Something Bigger, we dive deep into the complexities of Indian history, exploring how the impact of colonialism, manipulated historical narratives, and the layered legacy of figures like Mahatma Gandhi continue to shape modern India's national identity and future.About the Guest: Dr. Vikram Sampath is a highly acclaimed historian, author, and fellow of the Royal Historical Society, widely recognized for his rigorous archives-based research into Indian history. Specializing in biographies and historical reconstructions that challenge mainstream, post-colonial consensus, he has penned definitive works on figures like V.D. Savarkar and Gauhar Jaan, as well as explorations of India's forgotten regional resistance movements.HighlightsThe Weight of Colonial Legacy: The British colonial apparatus systematically dismantled and reframed India's historical narrative to instill a psychological "loser complex," effectively capturing the minds of the colonized to legitimize foreign rule.The Whitewashing of Traumas: Critical and uncomfortable historical realities, including the brutal destruction of ancient universities like Nalanda and the severe nature of the Islamic conquests, have been historically suppressed under the guise of maintaining contemporary social harmony.The Myth of Solely Nonviolent Success: While Mahatma Gandhi's mass movements successfully galvanized the public consciousness, India's independence was a dual-track victory heavily accelerated by aggressive, armed revolutionary movements and the pivotal 1946 naval mutinies.Gandhi's Enigmatic Scrutiny: Stripped of hagiography, Gandhi emerges as an incredibly complex, patriarchal political patriarch who utilized deep emotional manipulation (such as fasts unto death) to enforce his worldview and conducted highly controversial personal lifestyle experiments.TimestampsIntroduction to Historical Manipulation – 00:00The Impact of Invasions on National Psyche – 00:27The British Colonial Project and the "Loser Nation" Myth – 02:15A Nation vs. A Nation-State: Emotional Connect Beyond Borders – 03:40The Suppression of Medieval Traumas & Ancient Universities – 04:27The Holocaust and Apartheid Models – 06:15Intergenerational Trauma – 08:30The Fragmented Reality of Modern Indian Identity – 10:38The Case of Tipu Sultan and Controversial Historical Monikers – 21:11How Education and Historians Warped the Mainstream Narrative – 24:40The Unsung Warrior Kings & Five Centuries of Indian Resilience – 28:15The Historian as a Blind Man Describing the Elephant: A Lesson in Humility – 01:04:12
This lecture was recorded by Ronald Hutton on the 6th May 2026 at Barnard's Inn Hall, LondonProfessor Hutton is Professor of History at the University of Bristol. He took degrees at Cambridge and then Oxford Universities, and was a fellow of Magdalen College, Oxford. He is now a Fellow of the British Academy, the Royal Historical Society, the Society of Antiquaries and the Learned Society of Wales, and has won awards for teaching and research.He has lectured all over the world, authored twenty books and ninety-six essays, appeared in or presented scores of television and radio programmes, and sits on the editorial boards of six journals concerned with the history of religion and magic.He is currently working on the third volume of his biography of Oliver Cromwell. The transcript of the lecture is available from the Gresham College website: https://www.gresham.ac.uk/watch-now/god-dionysusGresham College has offered free public lectures for over 400 years, thanks to the generosity of our supporters. There are currently over 2,500 lectures free to access. We believe that everyone should have the opportunity to learn from some of the greatest minds. To support Gresham College's mission, please consider making a donation: https://www.gresham.ac.uk/get-involved/support-us/make-donation/donate-today Website: https://gresham.ac.ukX: https://x.com/GreshamCollegeFacebook: https://facebook.com/greshamcollegeInstagram: https://instagram.com/greshamcollegeBluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/greshamcollege.bsky.social TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@greshamcollegeSupport Us: https://www.gresham.ac.uk/get-involved/support-us/make-donation/donate-todaySupport the show
On the Saturday May 30, 2026 edition of the Richard Crouse Show we meet Andrew Lownie, renowned royal biographer and literary agent. A Cambridge history graduate and President of the Union, Fellow of the Royal Historical Society, and founder of the Andrew Lownie Literary Agency, he’s known for his meticulously researched biographies that have reshaped our understanding of key 20th-century figures. His previous works include the acclaimed Stalin’s Englishman on Guy Burgess, The Mountbattens, and Traitor King on Edward VIII. His latest book, Entitled: The Rise and Fall of the House of York, is already being called one of the most explosive royal biographies in years. Today we’re talking about his latest book, “Entitled: The Rise and Fall of the House of York,” a book The Times called, “A catalyst for Andrew’s de-princing.” It is first joint biography of the Duke and Duchess of York, that’s Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, formerly Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson, and the first full biography of either of them. Chronicling their lives in parallel, the picture that emerges is of a spoilt prince unable to connect and a duchess pushed by her insecurities into a desperate need to maintain the attention her ‘royal’ status brought. Rigorously researched and packed full of revelations, this is a royal biography Camilla Long, writing in the Sunday Times called, “a case for revolution.” Then, we meet Niagara-based wine, food, and travel expert Magdalena Kaiser. Daughter of the late Karl Kaiser (co-founder of Inniskillin Wines), she grew up immersed in Ontario’s wine scene—starting with tours and tastings as a teen and even helping bottle wine at age five. She serves as Director of Public Relations for Wine Country Ontario (formerly Ontario VQA), where she has spent the past 15+ years elevating the region’s international profile through media, trade, and export initiatives. Today we talk about her new book “Niagara Wine + Food: Signature Recipes from Ontario’s Iconic Terroir—A Cookbook” which highlights the region's terroir, varietals, and unique features, and profiles 44 of the region's best and most promising producers alongside 88 delectable wine-pairing recipes featuring iconic wine styles from the region.
On the Saturday May 30, 2026 edition of the Richard Crouse Show we meet Andrew Lownie, renowned royal biographer and literary agent. A Cambridge history graduate and President of the Union, Fellow of the Royal Historical Society, and founder of the Andrew Lownie Literary Agency, he's known for his meticulously researched biographies that have reshaped our understanding of key 20th-century figures. His previous works include the acclaimed Stalin's Englishman on Guy Burgess, The Mountbattens, and Traitor King on Edward VIII. His latest book, Entitled: The Rise and Fall of the House of York, is already being called one of the most explosive royal biographies in years. Today we're talking about his latest book, “Entitled: The Rise and Fall of the House of York,” a book The Times called, “A catalyst for Andrew's de-princing.” It is first joint biography of the Duke and Duchess of York, that's Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, formerly Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson, and the first full biography of either of them. Chronicling their lives in parallel, the picture that emerges is of a spoilt prince unable to connect and a duchess pushed by her insecurities into a desperate need to maintain the attention her ‘royal' status brought. Rigorously researched and packed full of revelations, this is a royal biography Camilla Long, writing in the Sunday Times called, “a case for revolution.” Then, we meet Niagara-based wine, food, and travel expert Magdalena Kaiser. Daughter of the late Karl Kaiser (co-founder of Inniskillin Wines), she grew up immersed in Ontario's wine scene—starting with tours and tastings as a teen and even helping bottle wine at age five. She serves as Director of Public Relations for Wine Country Ontario (formerly Ontario VQA), where she has spent the past 15+ years elevating the region's international profile through media, trade, and export initiatives. Today we talk about her new book “Niagara Wine + Food: Signature Recipes from Ontario's Iconic Terroir—A Cookbook” which highlights the region's terroir, varietals, and unique features, and profiles 44 of the region's best and most promising producers alongside 88 delectable wine-pairing recipes featuring iconic wine styles from the region.
Wir springen in dieser Folge ins Jahr 1438. Die norditalienische Stadt Brescia wird von Streitkräften Mailands belagert, und der einzige Ausweg: Entsatzung durch Venedig, dem sich Brescia in den 1420er Jahren unterworfen hat. Das Problem: der einzig sinnvolle Weg für Venedig das zu tun führt über den Gardasee, der allerdings im Süden, genau dort, wo venezianische Schiffe Zugang hätten, von Mailand kontrolliert wird. Also wird beschlossen, einen anderen Weg zu gehen: über die Berge! Wir sprechen über diesen Plan, über Venedig als Landmacht und vor allem über die mächtigen Söldnerführer jener Zeit, die Condottieri. // Erwähnte Folgen - GAG389: Spieglein, Spieglein an der Wand – https://gadg.fm/389 - GAG429: Der Eimerkrieg – https://gadg.fm/429 - GAG467: Das Leben der Lucrezia Borgia – https://gadg.fm/467 - GAG67: Palladio, der erfolgreichste Architekt aller Zeiten – https://gadg.fm/67 - GAG447: Christina, Hans und Heinrich oder Wie ein Gemälde entsteht – https://gadg.fm/447 - GAG342: Das Stockholmer Blutbad – https://gadg.fm/342 // Literatur - La battaglia di Desenzano del 1439 e la Val Lagarina (Galeas per montes), ‚Quaderni del Borgoantico‘, 17, 2016, pp. 59-61“. - Andenna, Giancarlo. Il contesto politico-sociale dell'assedio del 1438-1439. Brescia tra i Visconti e Venezia. ITA, 2019. - Capulli, Massimo. „The Venetian Warships of Lake Garda. News of the Benacus Project: What If Fresh Water Is No Longer Protective?“ Heritage 6, Nr. 2 (2023): 1594–604. - Law, John E. „The Venetian Mainland State in the Fifteenth Century“. Transactions of the Royal Historical Society 2 (Dezember 1992): 153–74. - M. E. Mallett. The Military Organisation of a Renaissance State. 2010 - Michael Mallett. Mercenaries and Their Masters. Pen & Sword, 2019 - Romano, Dennis, 1951-. The Likeness of Venice : A Life of Doge Francesco Foscari, 1373-1457. 2023 - Zenobi, Luca. Venice's Terraferma Expansion and the Negotiation of Territories in Late Medieval Italy. 15. September 2020. Das Episodenbild zeigt einen Ausschnitt einer Darstellung der Unternehmung aus dem 19. Jh. //Aus unserer Werbung Du möchtest mehr über unsere Werbepartner erfahren? Hier findest du alle Infos & Rabatte: https://linktr.ee/GeschichtenausderGeschichte //Geschichten aus der Geschichte jetzt auch als Brettspiel! Werkelt mit uns am Flickerlteppich! Gibt es dort, wo es auch Becher, T-Shirts oder Hoodies zu kaufen gibt: https://geschichte.shop // Wir sind jetzt auch bei CampfireFM! Wer direkt in Folgen kommentieren will, Zusatzmaterial und Blicke hinter die Kulissen sehen will: einfach die App installieren und unserer Community beitreten: https://www.joincampfire.fm/podcasts/22 //Wir haben auch ein Buch geschrieben: Wer es erwerben will, es ist überall im Handel, aber auch direkt über den Verlag zu erwerben: https://www.piper.de/buecher/geschichten-aus-der-geschichte-isbn-978-3-492-06363-0 Wer unsere Folgen lieber ohne Werbung anhören will, kann das über eine kleine Unterstützung auf Steady oder ein Abo des GeschichteFM-Plus Kanals auf Apple Podcasts tun. Wir freuen uns, wenn ihr den Podcast bei Apple Podcasts oder wo auch immer dies möglich ist rezensiert oder bewertet. Wir freuen uns auch immer, wenn ihr euren Freundinnen und Freunden, Kolleginnen und Kollegen oder sogar Nachbarinnen und Nachbarn von uns erzählt! Du möchtest Werbung in diesem Podcast schalten? Dann erfahre hier mehr über die Werbemöglichkeiten bei Seven.One Audio: https://www.seven.one/portfolio/sevenone-audio
durée : 00:58:13 - Les Grandes Traversées - par : Romain Weber - Rex, Régis, Max… Sa grande œuvre, Jean Moulin l'a accomplie sous pseudonyme. Au cours de ces deux années qui lui ont valu sa légende, il a unifié la Résistance et l'a mise sous le contrôle du général de Gaulle. Jean Moulin n'est pas un poseur de bombes, c'est un homme d'Etat clandestin. - réalisation : Yvon Croizier - invités : Laurent Douzou Professeur émérite d'histoire contemporaine à Sciences Po Lyon et à l'université Lumière Lyon 2; Bénédicte Vergez-Chaignon Historienne, spécialiste de la Seconde Guerre mondiale et de l'Occupation; Christine Levisse-Touzé Historienne, présidente du conseil scientifique du musée de l'ordre de la Libération; Thomas Rabino Historien et journaliste français; Olivier Wieviorka Historien, professeur à l'École normale supérieure de Cachan; Julian T. Jackson Historien, professeur d'Histoire à Queen Mary (Université de Londres), membre de la British Academy et de la Royal Historical Society.; Jean-Marie Besset; Charles Berling Comédien, metteur en scène, directeur de théâtre, chanteur; Marie-Liesse Zambeaux Médiatrice culturelle du Centre d'Histoire de la Résistance et de la Déportation
durée : 00:58:13 - Les Grandes Traversées - par : Romain Weber - Rex, Régis, Max… Sa grande œuvre, Jean Moulin l'a accomplie sous pseudonyme. Au cours de ces deux années qui lui ont valu sa légende, il a unifié la Résistance et l'a mise sous le contrôle du général de Gaulle. Jean Moulin n'est pas un poseur de bombes, c'est un homme d'Etat clandestin. - réalisation : Yvon Croizier - invités : Laurent Douzou Professeur émérite d'histoire contemporaine à Sciences Po Lyon et à l'université Lumière Lyon 2; Bénédicte Vergez-Chaignon Historienne, spécialiste de la Seconde Guerre mondiale et de l'Occupation; Christine Levisse-Touzé Historienne, présidente du conseil scientifique du musée de l'ordre de la Libération; Thomas Rabino Historien et journaliste français; Olivier Wieviorka Historien, professeur à l'École normale supérieure de Cachan; Julian T. Jackson Historien, professeur d'Histoire à Queen Mary (Université de Londres), membre de la British Academy et de la Royal Historical Society.; Jean-Marie Besset; Charles Berling Comédien, metteur en scène, directeur de théâtre, chanteur; Marie-Liesse Zambeaux Médiatrice culturelle du Centre d'Histoire de la Résistance et de la Déportation
The town of Weimar looms large in German history. This ancient town nestled in the heart of the country was home to some of Europe's greatest thinkers, Goethe and Schiller, Liszt and Nietzsche among them. It gave its name to the ambitious Weimar Republic crafted in the aftermath of the First World War. But it was also where fascism took hold. Where Bauhaus architects first experimented with new ways of living, Buchenwald was dug out of a beech forest. German-British historian Katya Hoyer has drawn on a wealth of new archival research to tell the story of Weimar through the lives of some of its citizens from the years 1919-1939. In this episode, she talks to historian Sophie Scott-Brown about some of these vividly drawn characters who, as the events of history swept them up, became witnesses, perpetrators, victims and bystanders. How did Germany, within a few years, turn from one of the most liberal democracies in the world to a genocidal dictatorship? What choices did individual Germans make that enabled this? And what lessons can we learn to avoid repeating their mistakes? Katja Hoyer is Visiting Research Fellow at King's College London and a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society. She is the author of Weimar: Life on the Edge of Catastrophe. Dr Sophie Scott-Brown is Lecturer in Philosophy at the University of East Anglia 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 exclusive series - 15% discount on livestreams and in-person tickets for all Intelligence Squared events ... Or Subscribe on Apple for £4.99: - Full-length and ad-free Intelligence Squared podcasts - Bonus Intelligence Squared podcasts, curated feeds and members exclusive series … Already a subscriber? Thank you for supporting our mission to foster honest debate and compelling conversations! Visit intelligencesquared.com to explore all your benefits including ad-free podcasts, exclusive bonus content and early access. … Subscribe to our newsletter here to hear about our latest events, discounts and much more. https://www.intelligencesquared.com/newsletter-signup/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Fairy history, folklore, and belief across two thousand years of European culture: that is what we are diving into today with historian of religion and belief Dr. Francis Young, author of the new book Fairies: A HistoryDr. Young holds a doctorate in History from Cambridge University, is a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society, a folklorist, a Balticist, a lay canon of St Edmundsbury Cathedral, and a series editor for Cambridge University Press. He teaches for Oxford University's Department for Continuing Education and broadcasts regularly for BBC Radio on history, religion, and folklore. He is the author, editor, or co-author of over two dozen books.Fairies: A History is a complete survey of fairy belief from prehistoric animism through the Middle Ages, the Reformation, the Enlightenment, and into the present day. In this episode, Josh Hutchinson and Sarah Jack ask Dr. Young the big questions: What are fairies? Where do they come from? How do fairy beliefs vary across Europe? What is the relationship between fairy folklore and witch trial testimony? And why is fairy belief still very much alive today?In this episode you will learn:In this episode you will learn:What exactly is a fairy?What do fairies want from humans?How is a fairy different from a ghost, a witch, or an angel?Why should you never eat food in fairy land?Where did the fairy godmother really come from?Have fairies always had wings?Why do children seem more attuned to fairy belief than adults?Could fairies be a feature of human consciousness itself?Are people still seeing fairies today?Links:drfrancisyoung.comFairies: A History is available for pre-order in our online bookstoreLearn more about witchcraft accusations past and present at endwitchhunts.org and aboutwitchhunts.comThe Thing About Witch Hunts is hosted by Josh Hutchinson and Sarah Jack.#fairyhistory #fairyfolklore #fairybelief #witchtrials #folklore #folklorehistory #witchcraft #fairies #changeling #fairytales #historypodcast #folklorepodcast
0:30 - Karoline Leavitt: shooter's manifesto indistinguishable from Left's daily rap 14:44 - Hakeem Jeffries responds to Leavitt 37:55 - Cop killer, judge 59:54 - Strauss Center Senior Fellow and former Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense Simone Ledeen pushes back on Washington foreign policy voices, arguing the Iran campaign is not over. 01:15:14 - In Depth History w/ Frank from Arlington Heights 01:18:56 - Why Dan Proft is Single 01:35:17 - Wirepoints founder Mark Glennon questions the proposed Chicago Bears deal, saying, “It’s a massive amount of bureaucracy they’re creating.” 01:52:32 - Dominic Green, columnist for The Washington Examiner, contributor to the Wall Street Journal and Fellow of the Royal Historical Society, reacts to King Charles III’s U.S. visit and what it signals for U.S.–U.K. relations 02:13:09 - Retired FBI Special Agent and Unabomber case profiler James Fitzgerald weighs in on the White House Correspondents’ Dinner shooting, saying, “It’s almost like there’s an ideologically violent subculture out there.” James is also co-host of the “Cold Red” podcastSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
In the eighteenth century, Samuel Johnson famously argued that Shakespeare is enduringly popular because he “is above all writers, at least above all modern writers, the poet of nature; the poet that holds up to his readers a faithful mirror of manners and of life.” Johnson's view largely prevailed until the late twentieth century, when it was challenged by a growing scepticism about the existence of a general human nature. In Thinking Through Shakespeare (Princeton UP, 2026), eminent literary critic David Womersley pushes back against this change by exploring how Shakespeare's plays think through—and invite us to think through—deep human questions of lasting importance.Thinking Through Shakespeare explores four perennial human problems: personal identity, the distinction between civilization and barbarism, the relation between political power and religious authority and the tension between means and ends. It examines the history of these problems, from antiquity to today, and traces how Shakespeare engages with them in the great tragedies—Othello, Hamlet, Macbeth and King Lear—but also in his other plays. Without arguing that human nature is universal or unchanging, or that Shakespeare has some special access to timeless wisdom, the book makes the case that his drama is powerful because it serves as a forensic tool, probing rival perspectives on questions that have preoccupied many people in many societies over many centuries.By revealing in new ways how Shakespeare's plays are animated and driven by central human problems, and why he should again be viewed as the great poet of human nature, Thinking Through Shakespeare opens up a richer understanding and appreciation of his work. David Womersley is the Thomas Warton Professor of English Literature at the University of Oxford. His books include Divinity and State, Gibbon and the “Watchmen of the Holy City” and The Transformation of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire. He is also the editor of many books, including the Penguin Classics editions of Gibbons's Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, Boswell's Life of Samuel Johnson and David Hume's complete essays. He is a Fellow of the British Academy and of the Royal Historical Society. Morteza Hajizadeh is a Ph.D. graduate in English from the University of Auckland in New Zealand. His research interests are Cultural Studies; Critical Theory; Environmental History; Medieval (Intellectual) History; Gothic Studies; 18th and 19th Century British Literature. YouTube Channel: here Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network
In the eighteenth century, Samuel Johnson famously argued that Shakespeare is enduringly popular because he “is above all writers, at least above all modern writers, the poet of nature; the poet that holds up to his readers a faithful mirror of manners and of life.” Johnson's view largely prevailed until the late twentieth century, when it was challenged by a growing scepticism about the existence of a general human nature. In Thinking Through Shakespeare (Princeton UP, 2026), eminent literary critic David Womersley pushes back against this change by exploring how Shakespeare's plays think through—and invite us to think through—deep human questions of lasting importance.Thinking Through Shakespeare explores four perennial human problems: personal identity, the distinction between civilization and barbarism, the relation between political power and religious authority and the tension between means and ends. It examines the history of these problems, from antiquity to today, and traces how Shakespeare engages with them in the great tragedies—Othello, Hamlet, Macbeth and King Lear—but also in his other plays. Without arguing that human nature is universal or unchanging, or that Shakespeare has some special access to timeless wisdom, the book makes the case that his drama is powerful because it serves as a forensic tool, probing rival perspectives on questions that have preoccupied many people in many societies over many centuries.By revealing in new ways how Shakespeare's plays are animated and driven by central human problems, and why he should again be viewed as the great poet of human nature, Thinking Through Shakespeare opens up a richer understanding and appreciation of his work. David Womersley is the Thomas Warton Professor of English Literature at the University of Oxford. His books include Divinity and State, Gibbon and the “Watchmen of the Holy City” and The Transformation of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire. He is also the editor of many books, including the Penguin Classics editions of Gibbons's Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, Boswell's Life of Samuel Johnson and David Hume's complete essays. He is a Fellow of the British Academy and of the Royal Historical Society. Morteza Hajizadeh is a Ph.D. graduate in English from the University of Auckland in New Zealand. His research interests are Cultural Studies; Critical Theory; Environmental History; Medieval (Intellectual) History; Gothic Studies; 18th and 19th Century British Literature. YouTube Channel: here Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/literary-studies
In the eighteenth century, Samuel Johnson famously argued that Shakespeare is enduringly popular because he “is above all writers, at least above all modern writers, the poet of nature; the poet that holds up to his readers a faithful mirror of manners and of life.” Johnson's view largely prevailed until the late twentieth century, when it was challenged by a growing scepticism about the existence of a general human nature. In Thinking Through Shakespeare (Princeton UP, 2026), eminent literary critic David Womersley pushes back against this change by exploring how Shakespeare's plays think through—and invite us to think through—deep human questions of lasting importance.Thinking Through Shakespeare explores four perennial human problems: personal identity, the distinction between civilization and barbarism, the relation between political power and religious authority and the tension between means and ends. It examines the history of these problems, from antiquity to today, and traces how Shakespeare engages with them in the great tragedies—Othello, Hamlet, Macbeth and King Lear—but also in his other plays. Without arguing that human nature is universal or unchanging, or that Shakespeare has some special access to timeless wisdom, the book makes the case that his drama is powerful because it serves as a forensic tool, probing rival perspectives on questions that have preoccupied many people in many societies over many centuries.By revealing in new ways how Shakespeare's plays are animated and driven by central human problems, and why he should again be viewed as the great poet of human nature, Thinking Through Shakespeare opens up a richer understanding and appreciation of his work. David Womersley is the Thomas Warton Professor of English Literature at the University of Oxford. His books include Divinity and State, Gibbon and the “Watchmen of the Holy City” and The Transformation of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire. He is also the editor of many books, including the Penguin Classics editions of Gibbons's Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, Boswell's Life of Samuel Johnson and David Hume's complete essays. He is a Fellow of the British Academy and of the Royal Historical Society. Morteza Hajizadeh is a Ph.D. graduate in English from the University of Auckland in New Zealand. His research interests are Cultural Studies; Critical Theory; Environmental History; Medieval (Intellectual) History; Gothic Studies; 18th and 19th Century British Literature. YouTube Channel: here Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/performing-arts
In the eighteenth century, Samuel Johnson famously argued that Shakespeare is enduringly popular because he “is above all writers, at least above all modern writers, the poet of nature; the poet that holds up to his readers a faithful mirror of manners and of life.” Johnson's view largely prevailed until the late twentieth century, when it was challenged by a growing scepticism about the existence of a general human nature. In Thinking Through Shakespeare (Princeton UP, 2026), eminent literary critic David Womersley pushes back against this change by exploring how Shakespeare's plays think through—and invite us to think through—deep human questions of lasting importance.Thinking Through Shakespeare explores four perennial human problems: personal identity, the distinction between civilization and barbarism, the relation between political power and religious authority and the tension between means and ends. It examines the history of these problems, from antiquity to today, and traces how Shakespeare engages with them in the great tragedies—Othello, Hamlet, Macbeth and King Lear—but also in his other plays. Without arguing that human nature is universal or unchanging, or that Shakespeare has some special access to timeless wisdom, the book makes the case that his drama is powerful because it serves as a forensic tool, probing rival perspectives on questions that have preoccupied many people in many societies over many centuries.By revealing in new ways how Shakespeare's plays are animated and driven by central human problems, and why he should again be viewed as the great poet of human nature, Thinking Through Shakespeare opens up a richer understanding and appreciation of his work. David Womersley is the Thomas Warton Professor of English Literature at the University of Oxford. His books include Divinity and State, Gibbon and the “Watchmen of the Holy City” and The Transformation of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire. He is also the editor of many books, including the Penguin Classics editions of Gibbons's Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, Boswell's Life of Samuel Johnson and David Hume's complete essays. He is a Fellow of the British Academy and of the Royal Historical Society. Morteza Hajizadeh is a Ph.D. graduate in English from the University of Auckland in New Zealand. His research interests are Cultural Studies; Critical Theory; Environmental History; Medieval (Intellectual) History; Gothic Studies; 18th and 19th Century British Literature. YouTube Channel: here
In the eighteenth century, Samuel Johnson famously argued that Shakespeare is enduringly popular because he “is above all writers, at least above all modern writers, the poet of nature; the poet that holds up to his readers a faithful mirror of manners and of life.” Johnson's view largely prevailed until the late twentieth century, when it was challenged by a growing scepticism about the existence of a general human nature. In Thinking Through Shakespeare (Princeton UP, 2026), eminent literary critic David Womersley pushes back against this change by exploring how Shakespeare's plays think through—and invite us to think through—deep human questions of lasting importance.Thinking Through Shakespeare explores four perennial human problems: personal identity, the distinction between civilization and barbarism, the relation between political power and religious authority and the tension between means and ends. It examines the history of these problems, from antiquity to today, and traces how Shakespeare engages with them in the great tragedies—Othello, Hamlet, Macbeth and King Lear—but also in his other plays. Without arguing that human nature is universal or unchanging, or that Shakespeare has some special access to timeless wisdom, the book makes the case that his drama is powerful because it serves as a forensic tool, probing rival perspectives on questions that have preoccupied many people in many societies over many centuries.By revealing in new ways how Shakespeare's plays are animated and driven by central human problems, and why he should again be viewed as the great poet of human nature, Thinking Through Shakespeare opens up a richer understanding and appreciation of his work. David Womersley is the Thomas Warton Professor of English Literature at the University of Oxford. His books include Divinity and State, Gibbon and the “Watchmen of the Holy City” and The Transformation of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire. He is also the editor of many books, including the Penguin Classics editions of Gibbons's Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, Boswell's Life of Samuel Johnson and David Hume's complete essays. He is a Fellow of the British Academy and of the Royal Historical Society. Morteza Hajizadeh is a Ph.D. graduate in English from the University of Auckland in New Zealand. His research interests are Cultural Studies; Critical Theory; Environmental History; Medieval (Intellectual) History; Gothic Studies; 18th and 19th Century British Literature. YouTube Channel: here Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/british-studies
Episode 212:For today's guest episode it is a warm welcome back to the podcast for Darren Freebury Jones. On this occasion Darren is here to discuss Thomas Kyd and the works that have been attributed to him in a new two-volume edition of his collected works, for which Darren is the associate editor. It is always a pleasure to talk to Darren and as a friend of the podcast he needs only the briefest of introductions:Dr Darren Freebury-Jones is author of several works on early modern theatre including: ‘Reading Robert Greene: Recovering Shakespeare's Rival', ‘Shakespeare's Tutor: The Influence of Thomas Kyd' and his latest work ‘Shakespeare's Borrowed Feathers', has now just been published in a paperback edition.In addition to these works and his role as Associate Editor for the first critical edition of The Collected Works of Thomas Kyd since 1901 he has also investigated the boundaries of John Marston's dramatic corpus as part of the Oxford Marston project and is General Editor for ‘The Collected Plays of Robert Greene' published by Edinburgh University Press. His findings on the works of Shakespeare and his contemporaries have been discussed in national newspapers in the UK and on BBC Radio. His debut poetry collection, ‘Rambling' was published by Broken Sleep Books in 2024. In 2023 he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society in recognition of his contributions to historical scholarship. Links to 'The Collected Thomas Kyd' and 'Shakespeare's Borrowed Feathers'https://boydellandbrewer.com/book/the-collected-works-of-thomas-kyd-2-volume-set-9781843846994/?https://www.amazon.co.uk/Shakespeares-Borrowed-Feathers-Playwrights-Greatest/dp/152617734X/ref=sr_1_1?https://www.amazon.com/Shakespeares-borrowed-feathers-playwrights-greatest/dp/152617734X/ref=sr_1_1?https://manchesteruniversitypress.co.uk/9781526177346/Support the podcast at:www.thehistoryofeuropeantheatre.comwww.patreon.com/thoetpwww.ko-fi.com/thoetpYou can find an advertisement free version of the latest podcast episodes by joining on Patreon at the lowest paid tier level – that's for just £1 per month. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Kristan Stoddart's Russia's Hybrid Warfare Offensive Against the West (de Gruyter, 2025) is a timely and systematic analysis of Russian hybrid warfare with a particular focus on Russian cyberespionage and cyberwarfare. It especially analyzes Russian policy from the election of President Vladmir Putin in 2000 to date. It takes a long term, long lens, view of Russian policies and actions internationally and domestically, fundamentally questioning the relationship and boundaries between active measures, espionage, cyberespionage, and hybrid warfare. The most up-to-date and systematic analysis of Russia's hybrid warfare. Draws on a wide range of multi-disciplinary literature. Questions the boundaries between active measures, espionage, cyberespionage, and hybrid warfare. Dr. Kristan Stoddart is an Associate Professor at Swansea University where he is director of the Geopolitical Challenges Research Institute. Previously he was a Reader in the Department of International Politics at Aberystwyth University. From 2014 to 2017, Kristan was part of a £1.2 million project examining Cyber Security Lifecycles funded by Airbus Group and the Welsh Government. He also was a member of the UK's Independent Digital Ethics in Policing Panel for around four years through to 2018. He is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society, and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts. He is the author of eight books and many articles and book chapters.Stephen Satkiewicz is an independent scholar with research areas spanning Civilizational Sciences, Social Complexity, Big History, Historical Sociology, Military History, War Studies, International Relations, Geopolitics, and Russian and East European history. He is currently the Book Review Editor for Comparative Civilizations Review. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network
Kristan Stoddart's Russia's Hybrid Warfare Offensive Against the West (de Gruyter, 2025) is a timely and systematic analysis of Russian hybrid warfare with a particular focus on Russian cyberespionage and cyberwarfare. It especially analyzes Russian policy from the election of President Vladmir Putin in 2000 to date. It takes a long term, long lens, view of Russian policies and actions internationally and domestically, fundamentally questioning the relationship and boundaries between active measures, espionage, cyberespionage, and hybrid warfare. The most up-to-date and systematic analysis of Russia's hybrid warfare. Draws on a wide range of multi-disciplinary literature. Questions the boundaries between active measures, espionage, cyberespionage, and hybrid warfare. Dr. Kristan Stoddart is an Associate Professor at Swansea University where he is director of the Geopolitical Challenges Research Institute. Previously he was a Reader in the Department of International Politics at Aberystwyth University. From 2014 to 2017, Kristan was part of a £1.2 million project examining Cyber Security Lifecycles funded by Airbus Group and the Welsh Government. He also was a member of the UK's Independent Digital Ethics in Policing Panel for around four years through to 2018. He is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society, and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts. He is the author of eight books and many articles and book chapters.Stephen Satkiewicz is an independent scholar with research areas spanning Civilizational Sciences, Social Complexity, Big History, Historical Sociology, Military History, War Studies, International Relations, Geopolitics, and Russian and East European history. He is currently the Book Review Editor for Comparative Civilizations Review. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/military-history
Kristan Stoddart's Russia's Hybrid Warfare Offensive Against the West (de Gruyter, 2025) is a timely and systematic analysis of Russian hybrid warfare with a particular focus on Russian cyberespionage and cyberwarfare. It especially analyzes Russian policy from the election of President Vladmir Putin in 2000 to date. It takes a long term, long lens, view of Russian policies and actions internationally and domestically, fundamentally questioning the relationship and boundaries between active measures, espionage, cyberespionage, and hybrid warfare. The most up-to-date and systematic analysis of Russia's hybrid warfare. Draws on a wide range of multi-disciplinary literature. Questions the boundaries between active measures, espionage, cyberespionage, and hybrid warfare. Dr. Kristan Stoddart is an Associate Professor at Swansea University where he is director of the Geopolitical Challenges Research Institute. Previously he was a Reader in the Department of International Politics at Aberystwyth University. From 2014 to 2017, Kristan was part of a £1.2 million project examining Cyber Security Lifecycles funded by Airbus Group and the Welsh Government. He also was a member of the UK's Independent Digital Ethics in Policing Panel for around four years through to 2018. He is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society, and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts. He is the author of eight books and many articles and book chapters.Stephen Satkiewicz is an independent scholar with research areas spanning Civilizational Sciences, Social Complexity, Big History, Historical Sociology, Military History, War Studies, International Relations, Geopolitics, and Russian and East European history. He is currently the Book Review Editor for Comparative Civilizations Review. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/world-affairs
Kristan Stoddart's Russia's Hybrid Warfare Offensive Against the West (de Gruyter, 2025) is a timely and systematic analysis of Russian hybrid warfare with a particular focus on Russian cyberespionage and cyberwarfare. It especially analyzes Russian policy from the election of President Vladmir Putin in 2000 to date. It takes a long term, long lens, view of Russian policies and actions internationally and domestically, fundamentally questioning the relationship and boundaries between active measures, espionage, cyberespionage, and hybrid warfare. The most up-to-date and systematic analysis of Russia's hybrid warfare. Draws on a wide range of multi-disciplinary literature. Questions the boundaries between active measures, espionage, cyberespionage, and hybrid warfare. Dr. Kristan Stoddart is an Associate Professor at Swansea University where he is director of the Geopolitical Challenges Research Institute. Previously he was a Reader in the Department of International Politics at Aberystwyth University. From 2014 to 2017, Kristan was part of a £1.2 million project examining Cyber Security Lifecycles funded by Airbus Group and the Welsh Government. He also was a member of the UK's Independent Digital Ethics in Policing Panel for around four years through to 2018. He is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society, and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts. He is the author of eight books and many articles and book chapters.Stephen Satkiewicz is an independent scholar with research areas spanning Civilizational Sciences, Social Complexity, Big History, Historical Sociology, Military History, War Studies, International Relations, Geopolitics, and Russian and East European history. He is currently the Book Review Editor for Comparative Civilizations Review. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/russian-studies
Kristan Stoddart's Russia's Hybrid Warfare Offensive Against the West (de Gruyter, 2025) is a timely and systematic analysis of Russian hybrid warfare with a particular focus on Russian cyberespionage and cyberwarfare. It especially analyzes Russian policy from the election of President Vladmir Putin in 2000 to date. It takes a long term, long lens, view of Russian policies and actions internationally and domestically, fundamentally questioning the relationship and boundaries between active measures, espionage, cyberespionage, and hybrid warfare. The most up-to-date and systematic analysis of Russia's hybrid warfare. Draws on a wide range of multi-disciplinary literature. Questions the boundaries between active measures, espionage, cyberespionage, and hybrid warfare. Dr. Kristan Stoddart is an Associate Professor at Swansea University where he is director of the Geopolitical Challenges Research Institute. Previously he was a Reader in the Department of International Politics at Aberystwyth University. From 2014 to 2017, Kristan was part of a £1.2 million project examining Cyber Security Lifecycles funded by Airbus Group and the Welsh Government. He also was a member of the UK's Independent Digital Ethics in Policing Panel for around four years through to 2018. He is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society, and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts. He is the author of eight books and many articles and book chapters.Stephen Satkiewicz is an independent scholar with research areas spanning Civilizational Sciences, Social Complexity, Big History, Historical Sociology, Military History, War Studies, International Relations, Geopolitics, and Russian and East European history. He is currently the Book Review Editor for Comparative Civilizations Review. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/eastern-european-studies
Kristan Stoddart's Russia's Hybrid Warfare Offensive Against the West (de Gruyter, 2025) is a timely and systematic analysis of Russian hybrid warfare with a particular focus on Russian cyberespionage and cyberwarfare. It especially analyzes Russian policy from the election of President Vladmir Putin in 2000 to date. It takes a long term, long lens, view of Russian policies and actions internationally and domestically, fundamentally questioning the relationship and boundaries between active measures, espionage, cyberespionage, and hybrid warfare. The most up-to-date and systematic analysis of Russia's hybrid warfare. Draws on a wide range of multi-disciplinary literature. Questions the boundaries between active measures, espionage, cyberespionage, and hybrid warfare. Dr. Kristan Stoddart is an Associate Professor at Swansea University where he is director of the Geopolitical Challenges Research Institute. Previously he was a Reader in the Department of International Politics at Aberystwyth University. From 2014 to 2017, Kristan was part of a £1.2 million project examining Cyber Security Lifecycles funded by Airbus Group and the Welsh Government. He also was a member of the UK's Independent Digital Ethics in Policing Panel for around four years through to 2018. He is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society, and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts. He is the author of eight books and many articles and book chapters.Stephen Satkiewicz is an independent scholar with research areas spanning Civilizational Sciences, Social Complexity, Big History, Historical Sociology, Military History, War Studies, International Relations, Geopolitics, and Russian and East European history. He is currently the Book Review Editor for Comparative Civilizations Review. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/science-technology-and-society
This lecture was recorded by Ronald Hutton on the 10th of March 2026 at Barnard's Inna Hall, LondonProfessor Hutton is Professor of History at the University of Bristol. He took degrees at Cambridge and then Oxford Universities, and was a fellow of Magdalen College, Oxford. He is now a Fellow of the British Academy, the Royal Historical Society, the Society of Antiquaries and the Learned Society of Wales, and has won awards for teaching and research.He has lectured all over the world, authored twenty books and ninety-six essays, appeared in or presented scores of television and radio programmes, and sits on the editorial boards of six journals concerned with the history of religion and magic.The transcript and downloadable versions of the lecture are available from the Gresham College website: https://www.gresham.ac.uk/watch-now/goddess-bridgetGresham College has offered free public lectures for over 400 years, thanks to the generosity of our supporters. There are currently over 2,500 lectures free to access. We believe that everyone should have the opportunity to learn from some of the greatest minds. To support Gresham's mission, please consider making a donation: https://gresham.ac.uk/support/Website: https://gresham.ac.ukTwitter: https://twitter.com/greshamcollegeFacebook: https://facebook.com/greshamcollegeInstagram: https://instagram.com/greshamcollegeSupport the show
How deeply was the British Crown involved in the transatlantic slave trade? New research by historian Brooke Newman argues that, from the reign of Queen Elizabeth I, until well into the 19th century, the Crown and its navy helped expand, finance and protect the trade in enslaved African people. In this episode, Newman joins historian and broadcaster Helen Carr to examine how the monarchy's links to slavery complicate Britain's national story about abolition and its colonial past. Drawing on her new book, The Crown's Silence, she explores the evidence, considers how the subject of reparations has become caught up in the culture wars, and reflects on what a formal apology from King Charles III could mean. Brooke Newman is an Associate Professor of history at Virginia Commonwealth University and a fellow of the Royal Historical Society. The Crown's Silence: The Hidden History of Slavery and the British Monarchy is out now. 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 exclusive series - 15% discount on livestreams and in-person tickets for all Intelligence Squared events ... Or Subscribe on Apple for £4.99: - Full-length and ad-free Intelligence Squared podcasts - Bonus Intelligence Squared podcasts, curated feeds and members exclusive series … Already a subscriber? Thank you for supporting our mission to foster honest debate and compelling conversations! Visit intelligencesquared.com to explore all your benefits including ad-free podcasts, exclusive bonus content and early access. … Subscribe to our newsletter here to hear about our latest events, discounts and much more. https://www.intelligencesquared.com/newsletter-signup/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
durée : 00:58:33 - Concordance des temps - par : Jean-Noël Jeanneney - De Gaulle inspire, irrite et fascine : Julian Jackson montre comment, de 1940 à 1970, les caricaturistes du monde entier ont saisi ce géant de l'histoire, révélant, à travers leurs traits, les perceptions étrangères et les tensions politiques de son époque. - réalisation : Vincent Abouchar - invités : Julian T. Jackson Historien, professeur d'Histoire à Queen Mary (Université de Londres), membre de la British Academy et de la Royal Historical Society.
In this episode, host Victoria Barlow interviews Dr Brooke Newman about her recent book The Crown's Silence: The Hidden History of the British Monarchy and Slavery in the Americas. A story hereto relatively unknown to the public (though largely accepted in academic circles), the discussion delves into how, throughout the centuries, the British monarchy heavily invested into and greatly profited from the Atlantic Slave Trade. Dealing with such a contentious but important topic, Brooke explains why she wrote it for wider audiences, and the significance that this decision might have for the royal family. Guest bio:Dr. Brooke Newman is an Associate Professor at Virginia Commonwealth University and a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society. She specializes in the history of early modern Britain and the British Atlantic, with a focus on slavery and its legacies. She is the author of the award-winning book, A Dark Inheritance: Blood, Race, and Sex in Colonial Jamaica (Yale, 2018), and The Crown's Silence: The Hidden History of the British Monarchy and Slavery in the Americas (Mariner, 2026). Her writing and research have been featured in the Guardian, the Washington Post, Der Spiegel, and Smithsonian Magazine, and she has served as a historical expert for HBO's Last Week Tonight, Vox, the BBC, and NPR, among others. Follow Brooke Newman on social media: @drbrookenewman [instagram]@brookenewman.bsky.social [Bluesky]
Economic history has been written by men, for men and about men, giving the impression that – until recently – the economy was “just for men”. This lecture rescues from obscurity the many female producers, bankers, and economic revolutionaries who, over the course of human history, have transformed our economic fortunes. It reveals how as women's economic opportunities have ebbed and flowed, so too have the fortunes of nations, providing a fresh perspective on the “rise and fall” of civilisations and illuminating our own prospects for the future.This lecture was recorded by Dr Victoria Bateman on the 6th of November 2025 at Barnard's Inn Hall, LondonDr Victoria Bateman is an economic historian and author of books including Economica: A Global History of Women, Wealth and Power (Headline Press, August 2025), Naked Feminism: Breaking the Cult of Female Modesty (Polity, 2023) and The Sex Factor: How Women made the West Rich (Polity, 2019). She has twenty years' experience teaching economics and economic history at the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge, and is a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society and the Royal Society of Arts. Victoria was resident economic historian for BBC Radio 4's “Understand: the economy” and has written for Bloomberg, Times Higher Education, The Guardian, CapX and The Telegraph, offering longer-form perspectives on history and the economy. In addition to her writing, Victoria works behind the scenes as a historical consultant for period dramas. The transcript of the lecture is available from the Gresham College website: https://www.gresham.ac.uk/watch-now/women-economyGresham College has offered free public lectures for over 400 years, thanks to the generosity of our supporters. There are currently over 2,500 lectures free to access. We believe that everyone should have the opportunity to learn from some of the greatest minds. To support Gresham College's mission, please consider making a donation: https://www.gresham.ac.uk/get-involved/support-us/make-donation/donate-today Website: https://gresham.ac.ukX: https://x.com/GreshamCollegeFacebook: https://facebook.com/greshamcollegeInstagram: https://instagram.com/greshamcollegeBluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/greshamcollege.bsky.social TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@greshamcollegeSupport Us: https://www.gresham.ac.uk/get-involved/support-us/make-donation/donate-todaySupport the show
The cult of Mithras was by far the most famous of the mystery religions of the Roman Empire: private societies of worshippers devoted to a particular deity. It was supposed to have come from Persia, but was actually developed by the Romans themselves and was especially popular in the northern parts of the empire, including Britain. This lecture considers its shrines, myths, membership and rituals, to see how far we can penetrate the secrecy in which it was shrouded.This lecture was recorded by Ronald Hutton on the 28th of January 2026 at Bernard's Inn Hall, LondonProfessor Hutton is Professor of History at the University of Bristol. He took degrees at Cambridge and then Oxford Universities, and was a fellow of Magdalen College, Oxford. He is now a Fellow of the British Academy, the Royal Historical Society, the Society of Antiquaries and the Learned Society of Wales, and has won awards for teaching and research.He has lectured all over the world, authored twenty books and ninety-six essays, appeared in or presented scores of television and radio programmes, and sits on the editorial boards of six journals concerned with the history of religion and magic.He is currently working on the third volume of his biography of Oliver Cromwell. The transcript of the lecture is available from the Gresham College website: https://www.gresham.ac.uk/watch-now/god-mithrasGresham College has offered free public lectures for over 400 years, thanks to the generosity of our supporters. There are currently over 2,500 lectures free to access. We believe that everyone should have the opportunity to learn from some of the greatest minds. To support Gresham College's mission, please consider making a donation: https://www.gresham.ac.uk/get-involved/support-us/make-donation/donate-today Website: https://gresham.ac.ukX: https://x.com/GreshamCollegeFacebook: https://facebook.com/greshamcollegeInstagram: https://instagram.com/greshamcollegeBluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/greshamcollege.bsky.social TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@greshamcollegeSupport Us: https://www.gresham.ac.uk/get-involved/support-us/make-donation/donate-todaySupport the show
A fascinating exploration of George Orwell--and his body of work--by an award-winning Orwellian biographer and scholar, presenting the author anew to twenty-first-century readers. We find ourselves in an era when the moment is ripe for a reevaluation of the life and the works of one of the twentieth century's greatest authors. This is the first twenty-first-century biography on George Orwell, with special recognition to D. J. Taylor's stature as an award-winning biographer and Orwellian. Using new sources that are now available for the first time, we are tantalizingly at the end of the lifespan of Orwell's last few contemporaries, whose final reflections are caught in this book. The way we look at a writer and his canon has changed even over the course of the last two decades; there is a post-millennial prism through which we must now look for such a biography to be fresh and relevant. This is what Orwell: The New Life (Pegasus Books, 2023) achieves. Charles Coutinho, PH. D., Associate Fellow of the Royal Historical Society, received his doctorate from New York University. His area of specialization is 19th and 20th-century European, American diplomatic and political history. He has written for Chatham House's International Affairs, the Institute of Historical Research's Reviews in History and the University of Rouen's online periodical Cercles. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/biography
A fascinating exploration of George Orwell--and his body of work--by an award-winning Orwellian biographer and scholar, presenting the author anew to twenty-first-century readers. We find ourselves in an era when the moment is ripe for a reevaluation of the life and the works of one of the twentieth century's greatest authors. This is the first twenty-first-century biography on George Orwell, with special recognition to D. J. Taylor's stature as an award-winning biographer and Orwellian. Using new sources that are now available for the first time, we are tantalizingly at the end of the lifespan of Orwell's last few contemporaries, whose final reflections are caught in this book. The way we look at a writer and his canon has changed even over the course of the last two decades; there is a post-millennial prism through which we must now look for such a biography to be fresh and relevant. This is what Orwell: The New Life (Pegasus Books, 2023) achieves. Charles Coutinho, PH. D., Associate Fellow of the Royal Historical Society, received his doctorate from New York University. His area of specialization is 19th and 20th-century European, American diplomatic and political history. He has written for Chatham House's International Affairs, the Institute of Historical Research's Reviews in History and the University of Rouen's online periodical Cercles. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network
A fascinating exploration of George Orwell--and his body of work--by an award-winning Orwellian biographer and scholar, presenting the author anew to twenty-first-century readers. We find ourselves in an era when the moment is ripe for a reevaluation of the life and the works of one of the twentieth century's greatest authors. This is the first twenty-first-century biography on George Orwell, with special recognition to D. J. Taylor's stature as an award-winning biographer and Orwellian. Using new sources that are now available for the first time, we are tantalizingly at the end of the lifespan of Orwell's last few contemporaries, whose final reflections are caught in this book. The way we look at a writer and his canon has changed even over the course of the last two decades; there is a post-millennial prism through which we must now look for such a biography to be fresh and relevant. This is what Orwell: The New Life (Pegasus Books, 2023) achieves. Charles Coutinho, PH. D., Associate Fellow of the Royal Historical Society, received his doctorate from New York University. His area of specialization is 19th and 20th-century European, American diplomatic and political history. He has written for Chatham House's International Affairs, the Institute of Historical Research's Reviews in History and the University of Rouen's online periodical Cercles. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/literary-studies
Jeremy Black's book A History of Artillery (Rowman & Littlefield, 2023) traces the development of artillery through the ages, providing a thorough study of these weapons. From its earliest recorded use in battle over a millennium ago, up to the recent Gulf War, Balkan, and Afghanistan conflicts, artillery has often been the deciding factor in battle. Black shows that artillery sits within the general history of a war as a means that varied greatly between armies and navies, and also across time. Charles Coutinho, PH. D., Associate Fellow of the Royal Historical Society, received his doctorate from New York University. His area of specialization is 19th and 20th-century European, American diplomatic and political history. He has written for Chatham House's International Affairs, the Institute of Historical Research's Reviews in History and the University of Rouen's online periodical Cercles. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network
Across the globe, democracy is in crisis - in the UK alone, it has been rocked by Brexit, the pandemic and successive attempts by governments to bypass legal norms. But how did this happen, and where might we go from here? Jonathan Sumption cuts through the political noise with acute analysis of the state of democracy today - from the vulnerabilities of international law to the deepening suppression of democracy activism in Hong Kong, and from the complexities of human rights legislation to the defence of freedom of speech. Timely, incisive and wholly original, Challenges of Democracy: And the Rule of Law (Profile Books, 2026) applies the brilliance of 'the cleverest man in Britain' to the most urgent and far-reaching political issue of our day. Jonathan Sumption is a British judge and historian, who served as a Supreme Court Justice for six years. He is the author of the Sunday Times Bestseller Trials of the State, Law in a Time of Crisis, and Divided Houses, which won the 2009 Wolfson History Prize. Charles Coutinho, PH. D., Associate Fellow of the Royal Historical Society, received his doctorate from New York University. His area of specialization is 19th and 20th-century European, American diplomatic and political history. He has written for Chatham House's International Affairs, the Institute of Historical Research's Reviews in History and the University of Rouen's online periodical Cercles. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network
Across the globe, democracy is in crisis - in the UK alone, it has been rocked by Brexit, the pandemic and successive attempts by governments to bypass legal norms. But how did this happen, and where might we go from here? Jonathan Sumption cuts through the political noise with acute analysis of the state of democracy today - from the vulnerabilities of international law to the deepening suppression of democracy activism in Hong Kong, and from the complexities of human rights legislation to the defence of freedom of speech. Timely, incisive and wholly original, Challenges of Democracy: And the Rule of Law (Profile Books, 2026) applies the brilliance of 'the cleverest man in Britain' to the most urgent and far-reaching political issue of our day. Jonathan Sumption is a British judge and historian, who served as a Supreme Court Justice for six years. He is the author of the Sunday Times Bestseller Trials of the State, Law in a Time of Crisis, and Divided Houses, which won the 2009 Wolfson History Prize. Charles Coutinho, PH. D., Associate Fellow of the Royal Historical Society, received his doctorate from New York University. His area of specialization is 19th and 20th-century European, American diplomatic and political history. He has written for Chatham House's International Affairs, the Institute of Historical Research's Reviews in History and the University of Rouen's online periodical Cercles. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/political-science
On the evening of December 14, 2025—the first night of Hanukkah—Rabbi Benjamin Elton was driving home from performing a wedding, looking forward to lighting candles with his family. Then his phone began to explode with messages. There were gunmen at Bondi Beach. His wife and children were in lockdown at a nearby event. Names of the dead were coming through—colleagues, community members. For several terrible minutes, he couldn't reach his wife. And he wondered whether he was going to come home to find that he had lost his family. By the time the shooting stopped, fifteen people were dead, among them two rabbis, an eighty-seven-year-old Holocaust survivor, and a ten-year-old girl. They had been gunned down at a public Hanukkah celebration on one of Australia's most iconic beaches, before a large crowd of Jews who had gathered to light the menorah in the open air—because that's what confident, integrated diaspora communities do. The massacre at Bondi Beach was the culmination of two years of escalating anti-Semitism that the community had been warning about since October 7. Synagogues firebombed with congregants inside. Cars set ablaze in Jewish neighborhoods. Swastikas painted on schools and daycares. Weekly pro-Palestinian marches past synagogues every week, with chants of "globalize the intifada." A van discovered full of explosives along with a list of the addresses of Jewish institutions. And through it all, a government that offered sympathy and money for security, but never quite confronted the deeper problem. Until, finally, the community's darkest warnings came true. Rabbi Benjamin Elton is the chief minister of the Great Synagogue in Sydney—Australia's oldest Jewish congregation, founded in the 1820s, whose pulpit has traditionally made its occupant a primary representative of Judaism to the wider society. He holds a PhD in Jewish history from the University of London, and before entering the rabbinate, he worked in Britain's Ministry of Justice. He is a scholar of Anglo-Jewish history, a fellow of the Royal Historical Society, and a Sacks scholar, and, just over a decade ago, spent a year in residence as a fellow at Tikvah. This week, Rabbi Elton has been burying his friends. He joined Jonathan Silver, the editor of Mosaic, to discuss the recent trials of his family and community, and the growing threat to Australian Jewish security.
Imprisoned for nearly 20 years by her cousin Queen Elizabeth I, Mary, Queen of Scots, fought her battles through words, sending and receiving coded letters hidden in books, garments, and even beer barrels. Historian Jade Scott, of the University of Glasgow, Scotland, has uncovered the human and political depths behind Mary's captivity through 57 recently decrypted letters, coded missives that reveal her as a strategist, an adept diplomat, and a woman navigating the perilous politics of Elizabethan England. In her new book, Captive Queen: The Decrypted History of Mary, Queen of Scots, Scott draws on these newly decoded letters to illuminate Mary's time in captivity, her alliances and betrayals, and the intricate game of espionage that ultimately led to her execution. From the Shakespeare Unlimited podcast. Published November 4, 2025. © Folger Shakespeare Library. All rights reserved. This episode was produced by Matt Frassica. Garland Scott is the executive producer. It was edited by Gail Kern Paster. We had help with web production from Paola García Acuña. Leonor Fernandez edits our transcripts. Final mixing services are provided by Clean Cuts at Three Seas, Inc. Jade Scott, PhD, is a historian specializing in Mary, Queen of Scots and is an expert on her letters. She is a lecturer in historical linguistics at the University of Glasgow and an associate fellow of the Royal Historical Society, researching early modern Scottish women and their correspondence. Fascinated by Mary since she was a child, Jade was contacted by the DECRYPT Project to consult on the translations of Mary's newly-decoded letters, which led to the writing of Captive Queen. Jade lives in Glasgow.