Intelligence Squared

On August 20, 1940, in a quiet study in Mexico, one of the 20th century’s most consequential political exiles was assassinated with an ice pick. The killing of Leon Trotsky marked the culmination of a relentless campaign orchestrated by Joseph Stalin, stretching across continents and years of pursuit. But how did the plot unfold — and who was the man who carried it out? In this episode, historian and author Tim Bouverie speaks with writer Josh Ireland about his new book The Death of Trotsky. Drawing on archival research and narrative history, Ireland reconstructs the parallel lives of Trotsky, Stalin and Ramón Mercader, the Soviet agent who infiltrated Trotsky’s inner circle under a false identity. The conversation explores the machinery of Stalinist power, the psychological and political forces that drove the pursuit of Trotsky into exile, and of how political violence at the highest levels of power continues to echo today, from targeted killings in Putin’s Russia to attempted assassinations in Western de

Dr Radha Modgil is joined by endurance athlete, investor and author Ken Rideout for an inspiring Intelligence Squared conversation on what it really takes to transform your life. Drawing on the ideas in his book Everything You Want Is On The Other Side of Hard, Rideout argues that growth, confidence and fulfilment are only found by deliberately choosing discomfort over ease. Together, they explore why so many of us avoid difficult challenges, how modern life conditions us to seek convenience, and what is lost when we do. Rideout shares lessons from his own journey—from addiction and adversity to elite-level endurance sport—and explains how discipline, accountability and doing “hard things” can reshape not just your mindset, but your entire future. Blending personal storytelling with practical insight, this episode offers a clear, uncompromising perspective on resilience, mental toughness and the pursuit of a more meaningful life. ...  Or Subscribe on Apple for £4.99: - Full-length and ad-free Intelligenc

Before sex evolved on our planet, two billion years ago, all reproduction happened asexually. So why and how did sexual reproduction evolve? Dr Lixing Sun is Distinguished Research Professor in behavior and evolution at Central Washington University. In a new book, On the Origin of Sex, he explores the fascinating, varied and complex ways reproduction happens across the natural world: from whiptail lizards, capable of immaculate conception, to clownfish and bearded dragons who regularly switch gender roles. In this episode he sat down with Dr Güneş Taylor to explore the biological advantages of sexual reproduction, the differences between sex and gender and the variety of ways in which our planet is populated.  On The Origin of Sex: The Weird and Wonderful Science of Reproduction by Dr Lixing Sun,  is available now online and in stores. If you'd like to become a Member and get access to all our full conversations, plus all of our Members-only content, just visit intelligencesquared.com/membership to find

According to Great British Bake Off judge and national treasure Prue Leith the secret to a happy life lies in embracing everyday with joy while accepting our inevitable end. Prue has had an exhilarating career. She has been a Michelin-starred restaurateur, author, broadcaster, and beloved Bake Off judge. Yet her passion for life has also been shaped by the loss of her brother and first husband. These experiences inspired her to become a leading campaigner for assisted dying in the UK. In February 2026 Prue joined Intelligence Squared live at the Royal Geographical Society to reflect on her remarkable life and share insights from her new memoir Being Old … and Learning to Love It! Expect reflections on love, ageing, joy, and grief — from strutting the catwalk and finding love again in her seventies, to facing life’s hardest goodbyes with humour and grace. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

According to Great British Bake Off judge and national treasure Prue Leith the secret to a happy life lies in embracing everyday with joy while accepting our inevitable end. Prue has had an exhilarating career. She has been a Michelin-starred restaurateur, author, broadcaster, and beloved Bake Off judge. Yet her passion for life has also been shaped by the loss of her brother and first husband. These experiences inspired her to become a leading campaigner for assisted dying in the UK. In February 2026 Prue joined Intelligence Squared live at the Royal Geographical Society to reflect on her remarkable life and share insights from her new memoir Being Old … and Learning to Love It! Expect reflections on love, ageing, joy, and grief — from strutting the catwalk and finding love again in her seventies, to facing life’s hardest goodbyes with humour and grace. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

How deeply was the British Crown involved in the transatlantic slave trade? New research by historian Brooke Newman argues that, from the reign of Queen Elizabeth I, until well into the 19th century, the Crown and its navy helped expand, finance and protect the trade in enslaved African people. In this episode, Newman joins historian and broadcaster Helen Carr to examine how the monarchy’s links to slavery complicate Britain’s national story about abolition and its colonial past. Drawing on her new book, The Crown’s Silence, she explores the evidence, considers how the subject of reparations has become caught up in the culture wars, and reflects on what a formal apology from King Charles III could mean.  Brooke Newman is an Associate Professor of history at Virginia Commonwealth University and a fellow of the Royal Historical Society. The Crown’s Silence: The Hidden History of Slavery and the British Monarchy is out now.  If you'd like to become a Member and get access to all our full conversations, plus a

This is an episode of The Specialist, your weekly dose of wonder. In The Specialist, explore the significance and journey of an extraordinary work through the eyes of those that know it best. On today’s episode, the extraordinary saga of the 1933 Double Eagle, America’s last gold coin; stolen, smuggled, and seized. Selby Kiffer is Sotheby's Senior International Specialist of Books and Manuscripts. Over the last half century, he has overseen the sale of many of the most celebrated private libraries offered at auction. A lecturer and expert, with a unique knowledge of Americana, he has also handled significant letters by Abraham Lincoln, Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, and Benjamin Franklin. Selby is joined by David Tripp, former Director of Sotheby’s Coin, Tapestry and Musical Instruments departments and widely recognised as the leading expert on the Double Eagle. ⁠Further details about the episode subject⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Populism has been winning big in recent years. It is the wave that has buoyed Donald Trump’s second term in office, Marine Le Pen’s popularity in France, and Reform UK’s recent leaps and bounds in British polling. Across the West, authoritarian populists now govern one-quarter of the world's democracies. But what explains the surge of populism across the democratic world - and can it be reversed? In this episode, economist and commentator Will Hutton speaks with Labour MP Liam Byrne about his new book Why Populists Are Winning: And How to Beat Them. Drawing on original polling, international reporting and interviews with leading thinkers, Byrne narrows down the meaning of populism, interrogates the funding, media ecosystems and language deployed by populist leaders, and the psyches of those who are persuaded to vote for them. Byrne explains how populist leaders mobilise what he calls five distinct ‘tribes’ of voters, and which of these can be appealed to. He sets out his argument for rebuilding what he cal

Dr Gwen Adshead is one of Britain’s leading forensic psychiatrists. She is the author of The Sunday Times bestseller, The Devil You Know, which inspired her series of BBC Reith Lectures in 2024.  In February 2026, she came to the Kiln Theatre for a compelling conversation about trauma, resilience and the transformative power of psychiatry. Drawing on case stories and the themes of her new book, Unspeakable, she asked questions that touch us all: What does a traumatic event do to someone’s identity? How do we talk about loss? What happens when trauma goes unspoken? And how can we overcome deeply traumatic experiences?  Drawing on three decades of experience, she will tell the stories of her patients struggling in the wake of life-altering events. Through these conversations, she will show how post-traumatic growth is as possible as post-traumatic stress, how psychiatry has a profound role in helping people to find new ways of thinking, and make the case that language is a vital part of recovery. --- If you

Dr Gwen Adshead is one of Britain’s leading forensic psychiatrists. She is the author of The Sunday Times bestseller, The Devil You Know, which inspired her series of BBC Reith Lectures in 2024.  In February 2026, she came to the Kiln Theatre for a compelling conversation about trauma, resilience and the transformative power of psychiatry. Drawing on case stories and the themes of her new book, Unspeakable, she asked questions that touch us all: What does a traumatic event do to someone’s identity? How do we talk about loss? What happens when trauma goes unspoken? And how can we overcome deeply traumatic experiences?  Drawing on three decades of experience, she will tell the stories of her patients struggling in the wake of life-altering events. Through these conversations, she will show how post-traumatic growth is as possible as post-traumatic stress, how psychiatry has a profound role in helping people to find new ways of thinking, and make the case that language is a vital part of recovery. --- This i

Humans are animals. 40,000 years ago our ancestors considered themselves inseparable from the landscape and the wild animals that lived alongside them.  But over generations, we developed an idea that still shapes modern life: the belief that we are separate from, and superior to, other species.  In this episode, together with Dr Güneş Taylor, science writer Michael Bond draws on insights from neuroscience, anthropology and cultural studies to explore how animals have profoundly influenced our minds and cultures, and challenges our longheld assumption that we are superior to animals. Are we as exceptional as we have come to believe? And how should we be treating the animals we live alongside? Michael Bond’s new book, Animate: How Animals Shape The Human Mind, is available to buy now. If you'd like to become a Member and get access to all our full conversations, plus all of our Members-only content, just visit intelligencesquared.com/membership to find out more. For £4.99 per month you'll also receive: -

This is an episode of The Specialist, your weekly dose of wonder. In The Specialist, explore the significance and journey of an extraordinary work through the eyes of those that know it best. On today’s episode, the female pioneer of abstract expressionism whose lyrical compositions came to reset market expectations. Courtney Kremers examines King of Spades, Joan Mitchell’s formative masterpiece, which signalled the convergence of her critical acclaim and market recognition. Courtney is Vice Chairman, Sotheby's New York, and oversees strategy for Private Sales across fine art categories, and advises major clients on acquisitions and consignments. ⁠⁠Further details about the episode subject⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Are Pagan Traditions Shaping a New British Identity? In this episode, Academic, broadcaster and critic Shahidha Bari speaks to journalist, DJ and author Zakia Sewell about her book Finding Albion: Myth, Folklore and the Quest for a Hidden Britain which has been longlisted for the Women’s Prize for Non-Fiction 2026. In this episode, Sewell recounts her discovery of an alternative Britain, which lies beyond divisive national myths and symbols. On her quest – punctuated by folk festivals, seasonal celebrations and mystic stone circles – she uncovers how new identities are being formed. Folk and pagan groups are increasing in numbers across the country and are taking ancient myths and repurposing them, in order to make sense of past and present struggles. From the ghosts of Empire that still haunt the nation to increasingly siloed politics, Sewell discusses how and why ancient British folklore and mythology is more relevant than ever.  Zakia Sewell is a broadcaster, writer and DJ from London with a passion for

In the twenty-first century, Christianity or historically Christian societies have witnessed one of the most extraordinary revolutions in attitudes to sex and gender in human history, bringing liberation for some and fury and fear for others. Understanding the history of Christianity and its influence on our cultural identity is essential to understanding debates around the role of women in society, same-sex relationships and the public exploration of gender and trans identity.  In March 2026, Diarmaid MacCulloch, one of Britain’s foremost experts on the history of Christianity, and Mary Beard, acclaimed and award winning classicist best known for her work on the history of women and power, came to Intelligence Squared to help us understand the 3000-year-long story of Christians, and Jews before them, encountering sex, gender and the family.  --- If you'd like to become a Member and get access to all our full ad free conversations, plus all of our Members-only content, just visit intelligencesquared.com/me

In the twenty-first century, Christianity or historically Christian societies have witnessed one of the most extraordinary revolutions in attitudes to sex and gender in human history, bringing liberation for some and fury and fear for others. Understanding the history of Christianity and its influence on our cultural identity is essential to understanding debates around the role of women in society, same-sex relationships and the public exploration of gender and trans identity.  In March 2026, Diarmaid MacCulloch, one of Britain’s foremost experts on the history of Christianity, and Mary Beard, acclaimed and award winning classicist best known for her work on the history of women and power, came to Intelligence Squared to help us understand the 3000-year-long story of Christians, and Jews before them, encountering sex, gender and the family.  --- This is the first instalment of a two-part episode. If you'd like to become a Member and get access to all our full ad free conversations, plus all of our Members

In an age of grinding wars, nuclear brinkmanship, and political volatility, what does strategy really mean - and how do leaders make decisions when the world feels chaotic? In this episode, Lawrence Freedman draws on decades of scholarship and his experience as official historian of the Falklands War and adviser to the UK’s Iraq inquiry to explore how strategy evolves under pressure. Together with Adam McCauley, Freedman discusses the long arc of the Russia–Ukraine conflict and the opportunities seized and missed along the way. They examine the uneasy balance between rational calculation and irrational impulse in global conflict, whether Putin could be serious about nuclear escalation, and whether Donald Trump’s unpredictable actions on the world stage represent the absence of strategy - or a strategy in itself. If you'd like to become a Member and get access to all our full conversations, plus all of our Members-only content, just visit intelligencesquared.com/membership to find out more. For £4.99 per m

What Do Wolves, Caribou, and Global Superpowers Have in Common? In this episode, Professor Helen Czerski speaks to journalist and author Neil Shea about the Arctic’s changing face and the struggles that its indigenous wildlife must now endure.  In this expansive yet intimate revelation, Shea explores the Arctic during a time of crisis. With Czerski, he recounts his experiences tracking caribou in Alaska, communing with the wolves on Canada’s Ellesmere Island, and his travels among the Indigenous Netsilingmiut and Tlicho peoples of Nunavut and the Northwest Territories. But he also explores how the Arctic has become the centre of a new Cold War between Russia, China, Europe, and the United States. A new conflict is underway, with everyone fighting to control the pole, in order to reap its riches as the ice melts. Neil Shea has written for the National Geographic for 20 years, reporting around the world at the intersection of conflict, climate science, and cultural change. His first book, Frostlines gathers

On today’s episode, an episode from our friends at Sotheby's exploring the question: How do objects achieve iconic status? Taking inspiration from the book Icons: 100 Extraordinary Objects from Sotheby’s History, published by Phaidon, the discussion explores how a work of art can transform beyond its material form to become a universal cultural image – instantly recognisable, endlessly reproduced, and symbolically charged. Joining the discussion are artist Sir Grayson Perry; Xa Sturgis, Director of the Ashmolean Museum; and Helena Newman, Chairman of Sotheby’s Europe and Chairman of Impressionist & Modern Art Worldwide. This podcast was recorded at Sotheby’s London in February 2026.  And, to step further into the world of Sotheby’s, you can visit any of our galleries around the world; they’re open to the public. For more information, visit Sothebys.com.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Fiona Hill is one of the most authoritative voices on the forces reshaping global politics today. Born in County Durham, from 2017 to 2019 she was a senior adviser on European and Russian Affairs at the White House and in October 2019 she was a key witness in President Trump’s first impeachment inquiry. In 2024 and 2025 she co-led the British Government’s Strategic Defence Review, which sets out how the UK should scale up its response to risks from an emboldened Russia and a less predictable United States.  Hill cautions that we are not in a second Cold War, but in a more volatile era of asymmetric threats. She warns that Trump’s engagement with autocratic leaders such as Putin and Xi is strengthening authoritarian regimes and eroding long‑standing alliances, and highlights sabotage and disinformation – the kind of threats seen in recent incidents such as the Russian spy‑ship Yantar encroaching on UK waters and the rail explosion in Poland.  Hill came to the Intelligence Squared stage in February 2026 where

Fiona Hill is one of the most authoritative voices on the forces reshaping global politics today. Born in County Durham, from 2017 to 2019 she was a senior adviser on European and Russian Affairs at the White House and in October 2019 she was a key witness in President Trump’s first impeachment inquiry. In 2024 and 2025 she co-led the British Government’s Strategic Defence Review, which sets out how the UK should scale up its response to risks from an emboldened Russia and a less predictable United States.  Hill cautions that we are not in a second Cold War, but in a more volatile era of asymmetric threats. She warns that Trump’s engagement with autocratic leaders such as Putin and Xi is strengthening authoritarian regimes and eroding long‑standing alliances, and highlights sabotage and disinformation – the kind of threats seen in recent incidents such as the Russian spy‑ship Yantar encroaching on UK waters and the rail explosion in Poland.  Hill came to the Intelligence Squared stage in February 2026 where