Novara Media

Journalist and historian Sathnam Sanghera rejects the 'balance sheet' reading of history to discuss the contradictory legacies of the British Empire. Topics include exporting racism, ecological impacts such as national parks and quinine production, and the complex origins of environmental and animal charities. Disease's role in colonization, challenges of decolonization, and potential steps towards justice and repair are also explored.

Ingrid Robeyns discusses the case against extreme wealth and advocates for a wealth cap to tackle poverty. They address criticisms, explore ways to implement limitarianism, analyze the influence of Christian theology and the problems of philanthropy, and discuss the impact of wealth concentrations on politics. They also delve into Marx's perspective on society and emphasize the importance of implementing concrete policies.

The podcast explores the impact of UFOs on political thought, including the connections to right-wing ideologies. They discuss the belief among some communists that aliens will bring about world revolution. The concept of apophenia, finding meaning in abstract data, is examined. The popularity and controversy surrounding the ancient aliens theory is also discussed. The ontological status of aliens and UFOs is explored, including cultural anxieties and fears. They delve into abduction testimonies, UFO sightings, hidden structures, and the formation of communities around them.

Aaron Bastani and Ash Sarkar discuss the influence of religion on values, politics, and personal beliefs. They explore Marx's critique of religion, the origins and messages of Jesus Christ, forgiveness in Christianity, status of women in Abrahamic religions, the impact of dating apps and shame on female sexuality, Greek history's influence on democracy and sexuality, same-sex marriage in the Catholic Church, and the role of religion and secular atheism in society.

David Wengrow, archaeologist and co-author of The Dawn of Everything, challenges conventional narratives of human history, discussing topics such as the origins of inequality, misconceptions about the agricultural revolution, contradictions within the family unit, interpreting violence in prehistoric societies, reimagining human nature and history, and the experience of co-writing the book with David Graeber.

Philip Pilkington, macroeconomist and podcaster, discusses the shift from a unipolar to a multipolar world, highlighting China's influence. They explore the Israeli war in Gaza and emerging technologies, as well as the implications of inflation for the US election. The podcast also delves into the ChIPs Act, China's governance model, China's potential future wealth, the Conservative Party, and understanding the dollar-based financial system.

Music expert Jeremy Gilbert takes us on a narrated playlist journey through 60 years of plugged-in protest music. From hip-hop campaign boosters to new wave takes on British imperialism, Gilbert reveals the manifold methods of musical persuasion.

Mark Steven, author and literary critic, joins Juliet Jacques and Nihal El-Aasar in a discussion on the role of literature in revolution. They explore the relationship between literature and politics, the global scope of revolutionary moments, the influence of Antonio Gramsci on the autonomous movement in Italy, Lenin's perspective on Tolstoy, the importance of strikes as a tactic in class war, and contemporary literature that inspires collective action.

Author and broadcaster Gaia Vince argues that we need to focus on how we'll deal with the already happening and about to get much worse effects of climate change, such as huge swaths of the planet becoming uninhabitable and 2 billion people needing to find somewhere new to live. She proposes a radical reframing of how we think about migration. Topics discussed include wet bulb temperatures, demographic aging, the Japanese nappy market, rising sea levels, tipping points, electric vehicle infrastructure, the warping of time, lessons from COVID-19, declining birth rates, special economic zones, anti-migrant rhetoric, and the multicultural nature of Britain.

Anthropologist Dean MacCannell discusses the manipulation of tourism by capitalism, staged authenticity in travel, and the environmental guilt associated with tourism. The podcast explores the shift from collecting objects to collecting experiences, the search for authenticity in relation to Airbnb, tourists' fascination with disaster zones, and tips for becoming more organic tourists. It also emphasizes the importance of embracing local experiences and the significance of unexpected events while traveling.