In Our Time
BBC Radio 4
Spanning history, religion, culture, science and philosophy, In Our Time from BBC Radio 4 is essential listening for the intellectually curious. In each episode, host Melvyn Bragg and expert guests explore the characters, events and discoveries that have shaped our world.
History fans can learn about pivotal wars and societal upheavals, such as the rise and fall of Napoleon, the Sack of Rome in 1527, and the political intrigue of the Russian Revolution. Those fascinated by the lives of kings and queens can journey to Versailles to meet Marie Antoinette and Louis XIV the Sun King, or to Ancient Egypt to meet Cleopatra and Nerfertiti. Or perhaps you’re looking to explore the history of religion, from Buddhism’s early teachings to the Protestant Reformation.
If you’re interested in the stories behind iconic works of art, music and literature, dive in to discussions on the artistic genius of Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel and Van Gogh’s famous Sunflowers. From Gothic architecture to the works of Shakespeare, each episode of In Our Time offers new insight into humanity’s cultural achievements.
Those looking to enrich their scientific knowledge can hear episodes on black holes, the Periodic Table, and classical theories of gravity, motion, evolution and relativity. Learn how the discovery of penicillin revolutionised medicine, and how the death of stars can lead to the formation of new planets.
Lovers of philosophy will find episodes on the big issues that define existence, from free will and ethics, to liberty and justice. In what ways did celebrated philosophers such as Mary Wollstonecraft and Karl Marx push forward radical new ideas? How has the concept of karma evolved from the ancient Sanskrit texts of Hinduism to today? What was Plato’s concept of an ideal republic, and how did he explore this through the legend of the lost city of Atlantis?
In Our Time celebrates the pursuit of knowledge and the enduring power of ideas.
History fans can learn about pivotal wars and societal upheavals, such as the rise and fall of Napoleon, the Sack of Rome in 1527, and the political intrigue of the Russian Revolution. Those fascinated by the lives of kings and queens can journey to Versailles to meet Marie Antoinette and Louis XIV the Sun King, or to Ancient Egypt to meet Cleopatra and Nerfertiti. Or perhaps you’re looking to explore the history of religion, from Buddhism’s early teachings to the Protestant Reformation.
If you’re interested in the stories behind iconic works of art, music and literature, dive in to discussions on the artistic genius of Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel and Van Gogh’s famous Sunflowers. From Gothic architecture to the works of Shakespeare, each episode of In Our Time offers new insight into humanity’s cultural achievements.
Those looking to enrich their scientific knowledge can hear episodes on black holes, the Periodic Table, and classical theories of gravity, motion, evolution and relativity. Learn how the discovery of penicillin revolutionised medicine, and how the death of stars can lead to the formation of new planets.
Lovers of philosophy will find episodes on the big issues that define existence, from free will and ethics, to liberty and justice. In what ways did celebrated philosophers such as Mary Wollstonecraft and Karl Marx push forward radical new ideas? How has the concept of karma evolved from the ancient Sanskrit texts of Hinduism to today? What was Plato’s concept of an ideal republic, and how did he explore this through the legend of the lost city of Atlantis?
In Our Time celebrates the pursuit of knowledge and the enduring power of ideas.
Episodes
Mentioned books
12 snips
Oct 19, 2017 • 49min
The Congress of Vienna
The Congress of Vienna was a meeting of European powers after devastating wars, aiming to establish peace and prevent future conflicts. The podcast discusses the impact of Napoleon on the Holy Roman Empire and the decision-making of the great powers, as well as the extravagant parties and political maneuvering during the Congress. It also explores the restoration of the Holy Roman Empire, the failed plan for a buffer state in France, and the purpose and outcomes of the Congress in suppressing revolutionary movements. The lack of revisionism after 1815 is also highlighted.
Oct 12, 2017 • 50min
Aphra Behn
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss Aphra Behn (1640-1689), who made her name and her living as a playwright, poet and writer of fiction under the Restoration. Virginia Woolf wrote of her: ' All women together, ought to let flowers fall upon the grave of Aphra Behn... for it was she who earned them the right to speak their minds'. Behn may well have spent some of her early life in Surinam, the setting for her novel Oroonoko, and there are records of her working in the Netherlands as a spy for Charles II. She was loyal to the Stuart kings, and refused to write a poem on the coronation of William of Orange. She was regarded as an important writer in her lifetime and inspired others to write, but fell out of favour for two centuries after her death when her work was seen as too bawdy, the product of a disreputable age. The image above is from the Yale Center for British Art and is titled 'Aphra Behn, by Sir Peter Lely, 1618-1680' With Janet Todd
Former President of Lucy Cavendish College, Cambridge UniversityRos Ballaster
Professor of 18th Century Literature at Mansfield College, University of Oxfordand Claire Bowditch
Post-doctoral Research Associate in English and Drama at Loughborough UniversityProducer: Simon Tillotson.
Oct 5, 2017 • 48min
Constantine the Great
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the life, reputation and impact of Constantine I, known as Constantine the Great (c280s -337AD). Born in modern day Serbia and proclaimed Emperor by his army in York in 306AD, Constantine became the first Roman Emperor to profess Christianity. He legalised Christianity and its followers achieved privileges that became lost to traditional religions, leading to the steady Christianisation of the Empire. He built a new palace in Byzantium, renaming it Constantinople, as part of the decentralisation of the Empire, an Eastern shift that saw Roman power endure another thousand years there, long after the collapse of the empire in the West. With Christopher Kelly
Professor of Classics and Ancient History at the University of Cambridge
and President of Corpus Christi CollegeLucy Grig
Senior Lecturer in Roman History at the University of Edinburghand Greg Woolf
Director of the Institute of Classical Studies, University of LondonProducer: Simon Tillotson.
Sep 28, 2017 • 50min
Wuthering Heights
Delving into the world of Emily Brontë's 'Wuthering Heights', this podcast explores the themes of passion and revenge. It discusses the origins of the violent and explosive temperament in the characters, the construction of the novel, and the complexities of the narrative voices. The podcast also touches on Emily Brontë's childhood and collaborations with her siblings, as well as analyzing the character of Nellie. Overall, it provides a fascinating insight into the creation of this great English novel.
Sep 21, 2017 • 49min
Kant's Categorical Imperative
Delve into Kant's rational approach to morality, emphasizing universal laws and the intrinsic value of humanity. Explore his influence on human rights and the concept of duty over personal happiness. Contrast Kant's moral theory with utilitarianism, highlighting the importance of individual treatment. Examine Kant's unwavering commitment to truth-telling and moral integrity in all situations.
Aug 31, 2017 • 42min
al-Biruni
Melvyn Bragg and his guests discuss the Central Asian polymath al-Biruni and his eleventh-century book the India.Born in around 973 in the central Asian region of Chorasmia, al-Biruni became an itinerant scholar of immense learning, a master of mathematics, medicine, astronomy and many languages. He corresponded with the age's greatest scientist, Avicenna, and made significant contributions to many fields of knowledge.In 1017 al-Biruni became a member of the court of the ruler Mahmud of Ghazna. Over the course of the next thirteen years he wrote the India, a comprehensive account of Hindu culture which was the first book about India by a Muslim scholar. It contains detailed information about Hindu religion, science and everyday life which have caused some to call it the first work of anthropology.With:James MontgomeryProfessor of Classical Arabic at the University of CambridgeHugh KennedyProfessor of Arabic in the School of Oriental and African Studies at the University of LondonAmira BennisonSenior Lecturer in Middle Eastern and Islamic Studies at the University of CambridgeProducer: Thomas Morris.
Jul 6, 2017 • 51min
Bird Migration
In a programme first broadcast in 2017, Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss why some birds migrate and others do not, how they select their destinations and how they navigate the great distances, often over oceans. For millennia, humans set their calendars to birds' annual arrivals, and speculated about what happened when they departed, perhaps moving deep under water, or turning into fish or shellfish, or hibernating while clinging to trees upside down. Ideas about migration developed in C19th when, in Germany, a stork was noticed with an African spear in its neck, indicating where it had been over the winter and how far it had flown. Today there are many ideas about how birds use their senses of sight and smell, and magnetic fields, to find their way, and about why and how birds choose their destinations and many questions. Why do some scatter and some flock together, how much is instinctive and how much is learned, and how far do the benefits the migrating birds gain outweigh the risks they face?With Barbara Helm
Reader at the Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine at the University of GlasgowTim Guilford
Professor of Animal Behaviour and Tutorial Fellow of Zoology at Merton College, Oxfordand Richard Holland
Senior Lecturer in Animal Cognition at Bangor UniversityProducer: Simon Tillotson.
Jun 29, 2017 • 49min
Plato's Republic
Is it always better to be just than unjust? That is the central question of Plato's Republic, discussed here by Melvyn Bragg and guests. Writing in c380BC, Plato applied this question both to the individual and the city-state, considering earlier and current forms of government in Athens and potential forms, in which the ideal city might be ruled by philosophers. The Republic is arguably Plato's best known and greatest work, a dialogue between Socrates and his companions, featuring the allegory of the cave and ideas about immortality of the soul, the value of poetry to society, and democracy's vulnerability to a clever demagogue seeking tyranny.With Angie Hobbs
Professor of the Public Understanding of Philosophy at the University of SheffieldMM McCabe
Professor of Ancient Philosophy Emerita at King's College LondonandJames Warren
Fellow of Corpus Christi College and a Reader in Ancient Philosophy at the University of Cambridge Producer: Simon Tillotson.
Jun 22, 2017 • 49min
Eugene Onegin
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss Alexander Pushkin's verse novel, the story of Eugene Onegin, widely regarded as his masterpiece. Pushkin (pictured above) began this in 1823 and worked on it over the next ten years, while moving around Russia, developing the central character of a figure all too typical of his age, the so-called superfluous man. Onegin is cynical, disillusioned and detached, his best friend Lensky is a romantic poet and Tatyana, whose love for Onegin is not returned until too late, is described as a poetic ideal of a Russian woman, and they are shown in the context of the Russian landscape and society that has shaped them. Onegin draws all three into tragic situations which, if he had been willing and able to act, he could have prevented, and so becomes the one responsible for the misery of himself and others as well as the death of his friend.With Andrew Kahn
Professor of Russian Literature at the University of Oxford and Fellow of St Edmund HallEmily Finer
Lecturer in Russian and Comparative Literature at the University of St Andrewsand Simon Dixon
The Sir Bernard Pares Professor of Russian History at University College LondonProducer: Simon Tillotson.
25 snips
Jun 15, 2017 • 50min
The American Populists
Lawrence Goldman, a historian at the University of London, along with Mara Keire from Oxford and Christopher Phelps from Nottingham, dive deep into the significance of the American Populist movement during the Gilded Age. They discuss the challenges faced by struggling farmers and their formation of the People's Party as a political response. The conversation highlights how themes of race and class intertwined with economic issues, and they even explore how 'The Wizard of Oz' symbolizes these populist ideals, revealing the enduring impact of this movement on American society.
