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Incisive analysis, fearless debates and nightly surprises. Explore the serious, the strange and the profound with David Marr.
This LNL podcast contains the stories in separate episodes. Subscribe to the full podcast wherever you get your podcasts.
This LNL podcast contains the stories in separate episodes. Subscribe to the full podcast wherever you get your podcasts.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Feb 13, 2025 • 24min
Poet Francis Webb: an under-appreciated genius?
Francis Webb is a relatively uncelebrated Australian poet, whose artistry was highly regarded by fellow poets. He was also the first significant poet in Australia to address mental health themes in his work. Guest: Toby Davidson, author of a tribute piece in the current Australian Book Review Producer: Ann Arnold

Feb 13, 2025 • 29min
South Korea: A president's gamble
In the last six weeks, South Korea has seen a six hour declaration of martial law, protests on the streets and an impeachment of its president, Yoon Suk Yeol. What are the political repercussions of this recent unrest?GUEST: Kathleen Stephens, former US Ambassador to South Korea.PRODUCER: Ali Benton

Feb 12, 2025 • 25min
How white nationalism infiltrated the wellness industry
A deep dive behind the scenes in the wellness industry in the United States and the UK has uncovered a strange connection between a number of soap, tea and other wellness products, and companies supporting white supremacy. The people behind them want to build a parallel economy, where white people support other white people to be pure, fit and strong. GUEST: Mark Hay, freelance journalist covering extremism and niche subcultures. His investigation for Al Jazeera is called Soap to supremacy: The rise of white wellnessPRODUCER: Catherine Zengerer

Feb 12, 2025 • 26min
Life in Predappio – Italy’s fascist Disneyland
Predappio in Italy's Emilia-Romagna region is the birthplace and burial site of former Italian Prime Minister Benito Mussolini. It’s also Italy’s premier neo-fascist tourist site, with hundreds of thousands of fascist sympathisers descending on the town annually. But what of the people who actually live there? What does “ordinary life” look like in the shadow of Mussolini’s grave? GUEST: Paolo Heywood, Associate Professor of Social Anthropology at Durham University (UK) and author of Burying Mussolini - ordinary life in the shadows of fascism, published by Cornwell University PressPRODUCER: Catherine Zengerer

Feb 11, 2025 • 18min
Are the Oscars losing their relevance?
The Oscars are nearly one hundred years old: in early March the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences will host its 97th awards ceremony. But viewership has collapsed and the Academy has yet to find a way to grapple with the move to streaming over cinema releases. So how relevant are the awards? And does Hollywood have anything new to offer? GUEST: Bill Wyman, journalist, arts editor, and columnist with the Sydney Morning Herald. PRODUCER: Catherine Zengerer

Feb 11, 2025 • 18min
Degrowth economics - future or fringe?
The degrowth movement seeks to challenge a central plank of global economic policy — that more is always better. Instead, to avoid future crises, advocates of degrowth say it is time to embrace a model that prioritises quality of life and sustainability over economic expansion Guests:Alvaro Alvarez, documentary maker, "Less is more: Can degrowth save the world?"Anitra Nelson, Associate Professor and Honorary Principal Fellow, University of Melbourne and co author of Exploring Degrowth: A Critical Guide

Feb 11, 2025 • 13min
Ian Dunt's UK: Brexit, 5 years on
Ian Dunt gives his frank assessment of Britain after Brexit, five years since it became official. Plus calls to "stop the boats" have returned to British parliament, as thousands of migrants continue to attempt the dangerous English Channel crossing. GUEST: Ian Dunt, columnist with "i" news, co-host of the Origin Story podcast

Feb 10, 2025 • 14min
Uncovering the artistry of Roman Britain - the mosaics that shaped an empire
Roman mosaics found in Britain are remarkable examples of ancient artistry, showcasing intricate designs and craftsmanship. A number of finds in the last fifty years have been described as the greatest archaeological discoveries in a century.Guest: Dr David Neal, former archaeologist with English Heritage and leading expert in Roman mosaics.

Feb 10, 2025 • 22min
Is it time to decriminalise jaywalking?
In recent years, a number of states and cities in the US have decriminalised 'jaywalking', relaxing laws that campaigners argue have been disproportionately enforced on black and Latino residents. Jaywalking first emerged as a traffic offence in the US a century ago, when radical new ordinances gave priority to high-speed vehicles on the roads. Australia followed suit. A campaign of public ridicule shamed pedestrians into following the rules, but are (jay)walkers now reclaiming the streets? Guest: Peter Norton, Associate Professor of History at the University of Virginia, author of Street Rivals: Jaywalking and the Invention of the Motor Age Street

Feb 10, 2025 • 13min
Laura Tingle's Canberra: shutting down Mark Dreyfus
Attorney-General and Jewish MP Mark Dreyfus has lashed out at the Opposition for politicising anti-Semitism, but there was outrage in parliament today when the Coalition's Manager of Opposition Business, Michael Sukkar, tried to shut him down while he was discussing his family history during the Holocaust. Guest: Laura Tingle, Chief Political Correspondent, 7.30