Tariq Modood, a Professor of sociology, politics, and public policy at the University of Bristol, delves into his insightful new book on secularism and multiculturalism. He tackles the complexities of contemporary secularism, emphasizing the need for a nuanced understanding of political secularism in multicultural settings. Modood critiques the oversimplification of Muslim identities and discusses how far-right movements exploit Christian imagery. His call for accommodation rather than separation aims to foster a more inclusive approach to religious and cultural diversity.

Arguments over the value of nationalism seem to have been raging for centuries, even though the nation state as we know it has only become widespread in the last two hundred years.In this programme, David Edmonds tracks the emergence of the nation state and the debate surrounding it. From post-colonial Ghana to contemporary Britain, we hear what nationalism has meant to different people in different contexts, as well as the social and philosophical principles that underlie it.Contributors:Professor Michael Billig, Emeritus Professor of Social Sciences at Loughborough University,Professor Richard Bourke, professor of the history of political thought, University of Cambridge. Elizabeth Ohene, former Minister of State in Ghana. Dr Sandra Obradovic, Lecturer in Psychology, The Open University.Professor Tariq Modood, director of the Bristol University Research Centre for the Study of Ethnicity and Citizenship.Dr Sarah Fine, Senior Lecturer in Philosophy, University of Cambridge Producer: Nathan Gower Studio Manager: James Beard Editor: Richard Fenton-Smith Production Co-ordinators: Maria Ogundele and Helena Warwick-Cross