How does outside world contact impact isolated tribes?

If you’re a fan of Star Trek, you’ll be familiar with the concept of the ‘Prime Directive’. Put simply, the idea is that you avoid contact with people who haven’t reached your level of technological development.

This is more or less the approach of governments that still have uncontacted peoples living within the borders of their country today.

But, what do you do when initial contact has already been made? How do you manage that situation without creating a catastrophe?

John Reid is a Freelance Writer working with the Guardian on a series about uncontacted peoples and author of ‘Ever Green: Saving Big Forests to Save the Planet’. He joins guest host Tom Dunne to discuss.