Top Society & Culture Podcasts

World of Secrets

1

World of Secrets

BBC
The Documentary Podcast

2

The Documentary Podcast

BBC World Service
Radio Rental

3

Radio Rental

Tenderfoot TV & Audacy
Unique Scotland

4

Unique Scotland

John Harbour
past // forward

5

past // forward

Agneya Singh
The HE Word

6

The HE Word

Frank Zammit
A Good Length - Conversations for men

7

A Good Length - Conversations for men

Dr. Venu Bhamidi

1 day ago

How (not) to flop

MONDAY ANALYSIS: Coming up on today’s show: inspired by the Raygun documentary on Netflix, we wanted to explore what a person should do if they flop on a global stage. How do you recover? Even better…how do you flip the narrative so the world gets back on your side? Thankyou so much to Oura for making this episode of Shameless possible – check out Oura Ring 5, the world’s smallest smart ring for sleep, health and daily balance. Also, shout-out to Burberry Goddess Amber Vanilla, now available at Myer. Your hosts are Zara McDonald (@zamcdonald) and Michelle Andrews (@michelleandrews1). Shameless Podcast is produced by Annabelle Lee and Eilish Gilligan, executive-produced by Lucy Hunt and audio-edited by Eilish Gilligan. Our social media team consists of Naima Fatema, Divya Simmie and Eilish Gilligan, and our partnerships manager is Cindy Luu. Want to support our show? Clicking ‘follow’ on Apple and Spotify is the best way to do that, and we're super grateful to anyone who leaves a five-star review while they're at it. Also! An old-fashioned 'Tell a Friend In Real Life' is equally appreciated. Want more? We've got more… Subscribe to our newsletter Smart, Dumb Stuff: https://tinyurl.com/4yasjphn Follow us on Instagram: https://tinyurl.com/2mf557ux Aaaand we’re on TikTok: https://tinyurl.com/2hchchrp Everything else your heart could ever desire is here: https://linktr.ee/shamelesspodcast Thanks for listening! We’re huge fans of yours. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
4 days ago · Video

Back-To-School

Summer's not over yet, but school is back in session. Hunter and Peyton throwback to their high school superlatives, the worst trouble they got into and memories of Blockbuster summers. Plus, some moments in the summer of 2026 that deserve their own superlatives. Follow @lemmesaythispod on Instagram, Tik Tok and Youtube for more from Lemme Say This. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
22 hr ago

Democracy v the machine: the birth of the digital age and the warnings that were ignored

Many hoped that the march of technology would usher in an egalitarian utopia – but some foresaw the threat it would pose to liberal society. Why did nobody listen? By Jill Lepore. Read by Laurel Lefkow. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/longreadpod
1 Sept · Video

X-RATED: Did he just TOE me?!

Could introducing a toe into the deed really be the answer our Sarahs are looking for? For some it may not be, but it's the solution S+C are giving out to our Sarahs in X RATED need! Are we really getting turned on by a Brian undoing a bra with one hand? New episodes every Wednesday! Email us your dilemma at hello@thegirlsbathroom.com Follow us on instagram @thegirlsbathroom Join us on Patreon for an extra ep every week!! https://www.patreon.com/TheGirlsBathroom Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
2 Sept

Watching for Smoke

People set fire to the land they call home. “If we can turn it black, it can't burn again in August.” We're going on tour - and it's a different kind of show than any we've done before. Upcoming dates in Durham, NC, and Portland, ME, are on sale now. Find ticket links and updates at ⁠thisiscriminal.com/live⁠. Say hello on Facebook and Instagram. Follow the show and review us on Apple Podcasts. Want to listen to This is Love ad-free? Sign up for Criminal Plus – you’ll get to listen to This is Love, Criminal, and Phoebe Reads a Mystery without any ads. Plus, you’ll get behind-the-scenes bonus episodes of Criminal and other exclusive benefits. Learn more and sign up here. We also make Criminal and Phoebe Reads a Mystery. Artwork by Julienne Alexander. Check out our online shop. Episode transcripts are posted on our website. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
25 Aug

Brought to You by the Common Loon Pt. I

Baby's back! Gaby joins Hannah and Marcelle for a long, Canadian-forward check in and a very important (and also Canadian) Consumer Retorts. Join us on Patreon for Part II and plenty of BoCo (bonus content, just a new thing we're trying out). Support Material Girls To learn more about the show, head to our Instagram at instagram.com/ohwitchplease! Or check out our website ohwitchplease.ca (you can also find transcripts here!). You can gift a Patreon subscription at this link: https://www.patreon.com/ohwitchplease/gift! Music Credits: “Shopping Mall”: by Jay Arner and Jessica Delisle ©2020 Used by permission. All rights reserved. As recorded by Auto Syndicate on the album “Bongo Dance”. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
3 days ago

686. Why Is It So Hard to Find an NFL Quarterback?

For decades, teams have tried (and mostly failed) to predict which college quarterbacks will thrive in the pros. Is the science finally catching up? Stephen Dubner speaks with a scout, a psychologist, a data warrior, and a Hall of Fame quarterback who nobody wanted. SOURCES:Scott Goldman, sports psychologist, owner of the Athletic Intelligence Quotient.Dan Hatman, director of scouting development at the Scouting Academy.Stephen Smith, founder and C.E.O. of Kitman Labs.Kurt Warner, Hall-of-Fame quarterback, N.F.L. Network analyst. RESOURCES:"Head in the game: the impact of cognitive abilities on performance of National Football League quarterbacks," by R. Thomas Boone, Nicholas Zambrotta, Andrew Manocchio, and James Bowman (Frontiers in Psychology, 2025)."The Quarterback Prediction Problem: Forecasting the Performance of College Quarterbacks Selected in the NFL Draft," by Julian Wolfson, Vittorio Addona, Robert Schmicker (Journal of Quantitative Analysis in Sports, 2011). EXTRAS:"The Merger You Never Knew You Wanted," by Freakonomics Radio (2025)."The Rooney Rule," series by Freakonomics Radio (2024). Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
21 hr ago

The cost of war: Inside Russia's economic unease

Economic unease is growing among Russian workers as fuel shortages and Ukrainian drone strikes disrupt key sectors of the economy. Ed Butler examines the pressures facing businesses, workers and consumers, from damaged refineries to attacks on Wildberries warehouses. As concerns grow over prices, jobs and supply chains, what do these disruptions reveal about the resilience of Russia's wartime economy? Presenter: Ed Butler
18 Aug

Part One: Francisco Solano Lopez: The Worst Military Leader In Human History

This week Robert sits down with James Stout to weave the story of the worst military leader in human history: Francisco Solano Lopez. Also known as 'El supremo', he nearly annihilated his own country through sheer incompetence. Sources: https://www.jstor.org/stable/26494384?googleloggedin=true&seq=22 https://www.historyisnowmagazine.com/blog/2021/11/22/the-paraguayan-president-who-brought-his-country-to-military-catastrophe-part-1-francisco-solano-lopezs-earlier-life https://www.historyisnowmagazine.com/blog/2021/12/8/the-paraguayan-president-who-brought-his-country-to-military-catastrophe-part-2-the-start-of-the-war-of-the-triple-alliance#.YcJFwy2cZAY= https://www.historyisnowmagazine.com/blog/2021/12/23/the-paraguayan-president-who-brought-his-country-to-military-catastrophe-part-3-devastating-battles-for-both-sides#.Yd9N0i2cZAY= https://www.historyisnowmagazine.com/blog/2022/1/12/the-paraguayan-president-who-brought-his-country-to-military-catastrophe-part-4-how-the-war-ended#.Yd9N0i2cZAY= https://warfarehistorynetwork.com/article/war-of-the-triple-alliance-bloodbath-in-paraguay/ https://www.thecollector.com/francisco-solano-lopez-paraguayan-war/ https://countrystudies.us/paraguay/10.htm https://mitpressbookstore.mit.edu/book/9780742537552 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8 Aug

Paul Farmer, charity leader

Paul Farmer is a charity leader who has spent his life campaigning, fundraising and changing the national conversation around some of the most challenging issues in our society. Currently at the helm of Age UK, he previously spent 16 years as the CEO of Mind, the UK’s largest mental health charity. Paul was born in Oxford, the son of a former Benedictine monk and a former nun. He read history at St Peter’s College, Oxford, where he met his future wife, Claire. After graduating, he found a role working for a heritage centre and fell in love with the charity sector, moving to the Samaritans. His experiences taking calls from those struggling with their mental health awakened a passion for working in the mental health sector. In 2006 he moved Mind, where he became CEO. He led a fifteen-year campaign that helped to change legislation, and the national conversation around mental health. For the past few years, he has campaigned for older people as Chief Executive at Age UK, and encouraged the public to prepare and plan for a happier, healthier later life. Paul lost his wife, Claire, to cancer in 2019. He lives in West London. DISC ONE: Think - Aretha Franklin DISC TWO: Part of the Agnus Dei from the Mass for Five Voices, performed by The Sixteen with Harry Christophers conducting - William Byrd DISC THREE: Don’t Leave Me This Way - The Communards DISC FOUR: Rotterdam (Or Anywhere) - The Beautiful South DISC FIVE: Feeling Good - Nina Simone DISC SIX: Into My Arms - Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds DISC SEVEN: Drunk Surfer - Westside Cowboy DISC EIGHT: Sunshine on Leith - The Proclaimers BOOK: A collection of Simon Armitage’s poetry LUXURY: A bowling machine with a combination of cricket and tennis balls CASTAWAY’S FAVOURITE: Sunshine on Leith - The Proclaimers Presenter: Lauren Laverne Producer: Sarah Taylor and Hannah Hufford Desert Island Discs has cast away many campaigners to the island over the years including Marjorie Wallace, Julia Cleverdon, and Sue Ryder, Baroness Ryder of Warsaw. You can hear their programmes if you search through BBC Sounds or our own Desert Island Discs website.

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