Origin Story

The recent violent events in British cities spark a debate over terminology: protest, riot, or pogrom? Speakers discuss the moral complexities communities face in addressing far-right extremism and the ethical dilemmas of media portrayals. They highlight the normalization of far-right rhetoric and its impact on public perception of multiculturalism. The conversation emphasizes the need for accountability in media reporting and the potential consequences of labeling political actions inaccurately, urging a nuanced understanding to combat fascism.

Reflecting on the post-election chaos, the hosts dissect political figures' performances, electoral reform, and far-right percentages. They explore apocalyptic conservatism, personality types, and a wild Tory conspiracy theory. Additionally, they analyze post-election policies, fascist ideologies, and contrasting approaches to populism by Biden and Starmer. The episode concludes with reflections on leadership, accountability on trans rights, and the evolution of political perspectives.

The final episode of season five covers the Rushdie Affair. On 14 February 1989, the Ayatollah Khomeini’s fatwa against Salman Rushdie made The Satanic Verses the most famous novel in the world — for all the wrong reasons. The controversy had far-reaching implications for free speech, international relations and the political identity of British Muslims. Although the issue seemed to have been resolved in 1998, the attempted murder of Rushdie in 2022 showed that it was far from over.Dorian and Ian tell the whole story from all angles: Rushdie’s decade in hiding, Iran’s rivalry with Saudi Arabia, community relations in Britain, divisions in the literary scene, and the conflicted responses of politicians around the world.What exactly did The Satanic Verses say that made people so angry? Which public figures were on Rushdie’s side and which ones thought he had it coming? How did Rushdie get his life back, only to almost lose it decades later? And what is the cultural and political legacy of the affair today? It is a tale of artistic freedom colliding with religious dogma and political calculations to turn a work of fiction into an international incident for the first time.Reading listAbdulrazak Gurnah, ed. – The Cambridge Companion to Salman Rushdie (2007)Christopher Hitchens – Hitch-22: A Memoir (2010)Daniel Pipes – The Rushdie Affair: The Novel, the Ayatollah, and the West (1990)Salman Rushdie – The Satanic Verses (1988)Salman Rushdie – Imaginary Homelands: Essays and Criticism 1981-1991 (1991)Salman Rushdie – Joseph Anton (2012) Salman Rushdie – Knife: Meditations After an Attempted Murder (2024)ArticlesJohn Cunningham – ‘Sentenced to the prison of the word’, The Guardian (1990)Will Lloyd – How We Gave Up on Salman Rushdie, UnHerd (2022)Dorian Lynskey – Salman Rushdie on Quichotte: “The world as I knew it seems to be coming to an end” the i (2019)Sean O’Grady – The Satanic Verses 30 Years On review, The Independent (2019)David Remnick – The Defiance of Salman Rushdie, New Yorker (2023)Salman Rushdie – The Disappeared, New Yorker (2012)Words for Salman Rushdie – New York Times (1989)Written and presented by Ian Dunt and Dorian Lynskey. Music by Jade Bailey. Art by Jim Parrett. Logo by Mischa Welsh. Audio production by Simon Williams. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. Origin Story is a Podmasters production Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The season five finale coincides with the general election, so we’ve decided to get very topical indeed with the story of Labour leader and likely prime minister Keir Starmer. To his admirers, he’s the master strategist who took Labour from doom to Downing Street in a single term. To his foes, he’s a ruthless liar who will stop at nothing to crush the left. To the average voter, he remains a bit of a blank slate. What kind of prime minister will he be?Ian and Dorian trace Starmer’s youthful journey from working-class Surrey socialist to indie-loving, centrist-bashing law student, explaining the legacy of a difficult childhood. He was the star human rights lawyer, at the heart of 1990s controversies from the McLibel case to policing in Northern Ireland, who became the country’s top prosecutor and then a knight of the realm. At the age of 52, he entered politics and soon found himself on the frontline of the Brexit wars, butting heads with Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn. We end with his leadership of the party and the price of victory.Why is Starmer such a closed book in public? How did he go from radical socialist to centrist dad? What went down between him and Corbyn? Was he really an arch-remainer? When did he almost throw in the towel? And what are the core values that might define his premiership? Discover all this and more in the story of our next prime minister.• Pre-order the forthcoming Origin Stories books on Centrism, Fascism and Conspiracy Theory and get 20% off using the special discount code revealed in the podcast. • Support Origin Story on PatreonReading listTom Baldwin - Keir Starmer: The Biography (2024)Oliver Eagleton – The Starmer Project: A Journey to the Right (2022)Gabriel Pogrund and Patrick Maguire – Left Out: The Inside Story of Labour Under Corbyn (2020)Tim Shipman – Fall Out: A Year of Political Mayhem (2017)Articles and podcastsEmily Ashton, ‘Keir Starmer Is Not Who You Think He Is’, Buzzfeed (2020)Elliott Chappell, ‘Interview with Keir Starmer’, Labour List (2020)Desert Island Discs: Sir Keir Starmer (2020)George Eaton, ‘What Is Starmerism?’, The New Statesman (2024)Charlotte Edwardes, ‘“You asked me questions I’ve never asked myself”: Keir Starmer’s most personal interview yet’The Guardian, ‘In Praise of… Keir Starmer’, The Guardian (2009)Billy Kenber, ‘Keir Starmer: Radical who attacked Kinnock in Marxist journal’, The Times (2020)Keir Starmer, ‘Sorry, Mr Blair, but 1441 does not authorise force’, The Guardian (2003)Written and presented by Ian Dunt and Dorian Lynskey. Producer: Simon Williams. Music by Jade Bailey. Art by Jim Parrett. Logo by Mischa Welsh. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. Origin Story is a Podmasters production Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The podcast delves into the history of vaccines and anti-vaxx movements, highlighting key events from the fight against smallpox to the MMR panic. It explores the influence of Dr. Andrew Wakefield, the spread of misinformation, and the impact on public health. The hosts discuss the weaponization of doubt in science, contrasting narratives in journalism, and the dangerous consequences of anti-vaccine beliefs.

The war in Gaza has led to accusations of genocide but that word operates on two levels. It’s both a strict legal term that has to be adjudicated by the International Criminal Court and an informal expression of moral outrage. The definition has been contested ever since the word was invented by the lawyer Raphael Lemkin in 1944, in the furnace of the Holocaust. In this two-part episode Dorian and Ian tell the story of genocide as a legal and political category. What exactly does it mean? How is it different from crimes against humanity or ethnic cleansing? Why is it so hard to prove? And how did it become seen as the ultimate crime?In part two, Ian and Dorian tell the story of Lemkin’s invention of genocide and his efforts to make it an international crime. They explain how legal wrangling during the Nuremberg trials led to the 1948 Genocide Convention, and why it took so long for anybody to be charged with the crime, let alone brought to justice. Why do so many of the twentieth century’s most horrendous offences not qualify as genocide? Why did international condemnation fail to prevent genocides in Rwanda, Darfur and the former Yugoslavia? And why is the case against Israel so contentious?It’s a disturbing story but a fascinating one, raising essential questions about the rights of the individual versus the rights of the group, the limits of international law, and humankind’s capacity for justifying mass murder.• See Origin Story live at the King’s Head Theatre, London on Mon 15 July. Tickets here.• Pre-order the forthcoming Origin Stories books on Centrism, Fascism and Conspiracy Theory and get 20% off using the special discount code revealed in the podcast. • Support Origin Story on PatreonReading list• Donald Bloxham and A. Dirk Moses (eds.) - The Oxford Handbook of Genocide Studies, 2013• Philip Gourevitch – We Wish to Inform You That Tomorrow We Will Be Killed with Our Families, 1998• Ben Kiernan – Blood and Soil: A World History of Genocide and Extermination from Sparta to Darfur, 2007• Norman N. Naimark – Genocide: A World History, 2016• Samantha Power – A Problem from Hell, 2002• Philippe Sands – East West Street, 2016Written and presented by Ian Dunt and Dorian Lynskey. Producer: Simon Williams. Music by Jade Bailey. Art by Jim Parrett. Logo by Mischa Welsh. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. Origin Story is a Podmasters production Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The podcast delves into the complex meanings of genocide amidst recent global turmoil. It explores the emotional weight of this term and its legal intricacies, especially in contexts like the Holocaust. Historical instances of mass violence, from biblical narratives to colonial atrocities, are examined, revealing a chilling pattern of human behavior. The hosts dissect moral ambiguities, the evolution of genocidal intent, and how these historical lessons inform modern definitions of this ultimate crime.

Delve into the tumultuous love story of John Stuart Mill and Harriet Taylor, the powerhouse duo behind modern liberalism. Discover how their intellectual partnership challenged societal norms, with Harriet's contributions often overshadowed. Topics include Mill's brave stance on women's suffrage, radical ideas on property and freedom, and the complexities of their unique three-way marriage. The conversation reveals how love intertwined with ideas to shape a legacy that remains relevant today, highlighting the importance of consent and individual autonomy.

Discover the passionate partnership of John Stuart Mill and Harriet Taylor Mill, the original power couple of liberalism. Their love story unfolds amid Victorian society's constraints, showcasing Harriet's unheralded influence on Mill's groundbreaking ideas. Explore Mill's emotional growth and Taylor's sharp social critiques, as they challenge norms and advocate for women's rights. Delve into the complexities of their collaboration, highlighting themes of freedom, feminism, and the enduring relevance of their philosophies in contemporary discussions.

Discover the journey of George Orwell during WWII, his remote escape to write '1984,' and his impactful legacy. Unravel the ambiguity of the novel, explore his philosophical reflections, and support the podcast for more engaging content.