Quirky Politicians and Global Birth Rates

This week: Power play. The Spectator’s Svitlana Morenets writes the cover article in this week’s magazine exploring Zelensky’s plan for his Russian conquests. What’s his aim? And how could Putin respond? Svitlana joins the podcast alongside historian and author Mark Galeotti (02:10).
 
Next: Will and Gus discuss their favourite pieces from the magazine, including Richard Madeley’s diary and Lara Prendergast’s argument that bankers are hot again.
 
Then: how concerned should we be about falling fertility rates? In the magazine this week Jesus Fernandez-Villaverde argues that the problem is already far more grave, and far more global, than we realise. Why should we worry about this, and what can be done to stem this? Jesus joined the podcast with filmmaker and demographer Stephen J. Shaw (16:56).

And finally: why is nostalgia such a powerful emotion? The Spectator’s broadcast editor – and host of the Chinese Whispers podcast – Cindy Yu writes in the magazine about the ‘thriving industry’ of nostalgia in China. What’s behind this and, more generally, what drives humans to feel nostalgic? Cindy joined the podcast alongside historian and author Dr Agnes Arnold-Forster who argues that nostalgia doesn’t deserve its negative reputation (28:32). 
 
Hosted by William Moore and Gus Carter. 
 
Produced by Patrick Gibbons and Oscar Edmondson.