The Prospect Podcast

Prospect Magazine
  • 3.6 (16)
  • POLITICS
  • UPDATED WEEKLY
The Prospect Podcast

The brightest minds discussing the ideas that matter most in politics, society and culture. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  1. Weightlifting, snogging and the power of nature

    2 DAYS AGO

    Weightlifting, snogging and the power of nature

    This month we introduce a new Lives columnist, Kiran Sidhu, who writes about the rural Welsh village where she lives. Kiran celebrates the power of nature, as does actor and writer Sheila Hancock, who welcomes a robin to her roof garden. Alice Garnett asks whether Gen Z have killed the office romance, while Anglican priest Alice Goodman explains her secret love of weightlifting. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    37 min

  2. 4 DAYS AGO

    Temporary accommodation: a national scandal

    Families are spending years living in hotels, households are being moved miles across the country, and government is spending billions on a system that harms those it is designed to protect. What can be done? This week, Ellen and Alona are joined by researcher and local government expert Jack Shaw to talk about his exclusive investigation into the growing scandal of temporary accommodation. This form of homelessness is worse in the UK than in any other nation in the OECD and has a terrible impact on families and individuals. Jack reveals what goes into an investigation and shares his most shocking discoveries, including the millions that councils are doling out to private hoteliers. He explains why this is a problem—and which councils are trying to fix a broken system. Plus, the hosts take on a hard-hitting Daily Mail article which condemned gen-Z’s embrace of “woke sandwiches”. Are fancy sandwiches a “banger” or a “dud”? Ellen and Alona discuss. To read Jack’s article “Temporary accommodation nation” from the latest issue of the magazine, click here. And to order tickets to our special book event with Lionel Barber, go here: https://www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/gamblingman Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    47 min

  3. NOV 13

    The online gender wars

    Why do some women like tradwife videos? And why does it even matter? This week, Ellen and Alona are joined by writer Sarah Manavis to discuss the small but significant group of women who promote anti-feminist values online—and why so many others watch their videos. Sarah argues that the success of right-wing young men with large social media followings has distracted from a boom in similarly reactionary gen-Z women. Lifestyle influencers—from the overtly political to the unassuming—are using social media to championing a return to traditional gender roles. Sarah reported on the story for the most recent issue of Prospect magazine. While researching her article, she spoke with academics to analyse why so many women gravitate towards making and consuming this brand of content online. Is this harmless escapism, or a form of radicalisation? What about the paradox of self-made women making their careers out of promoting domestic lifestyles? And in the aftermath of Trump’s victory over Kamala Harris, Sarah discusses what trends on social media tell us about the US more broadly. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    40 min

  4. NOV 6

    Is assisted dying moral? Rowan Williams and Brenda Hale in conversation

    Would legalising assisted dying end unnecessary suffering? Or would it instead enable the abuse of some of society’s most vulnerable people? As parliament discusses assisted dying once again, Prospect invited two of our most profound thinkers—Rowan Williams and Brenda Hale—to debate the issue. As archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams led a Church that publicly opposes any form of assisted dying, while, as a Supreme Court judge, Brenda Hale was involved in life-or-death judgements. In a moving discussion, Hale discusses her own Christian faith, while Williams shares his pastoral experience in the company of the dying. They join Prospect’s editor Alan Rusbridger and commissioning editor Emily Lawford for a thoughtful and vitally important conversation. To read this conversation from the magazine, visit our website. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    59 min

  5. NOV 2

    Q&A US election special, with Jill Abramson

    For the first time, Ellen and Alona host a special Q&A episode, recorded with a live audience. They’re joined by Jill Abramson, former executive editor of the New York Times, who has been has been covering the presidential election for Prospect. Jill describes how this American election compares to what she’s seen in the past, and answers listeners’ questions. What’s the mood in the US? Can we trust the polls? And what might happen between now and election day to move the dial? To watch this episode, head to the Prospect magazine YouTube channel. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    39 min

  6. OCT 30

    Witches, conspiracies and the US election

    As Halloween approaches, Ellen and Alona are joined by journalist Gabriel Gatehouse to discuss his plunge into the world of conspiracy theories, QAnon and the extreme fringes of US politics. What have witches in the dark ages got to do with American democracy? How has the internet destabilised state power? And what does that mean for this November’s election? Conspiracy theories about satanic cabals took off in America after the 2020 election—and 41 per cent of Americans now believe that the politicians they elect aren’t actually the people governing the country. To many, the truth seems increasingly murky. Gabriel’s reporting has taken him deep into the rabbit hole of this strange and eerie world. On the podcast, he shares the stories that went into his most recent book, The Coming Storm: A Journey into the Heart of the Conspiracy Machine, based on his BBC Radio 4 series of the same name. Listen to this spooky episode—or watch on YouTube—to find out about America’s old ghosts, new superstitions, burgeoning evil and unravelling reality. The Coming Storm is available here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    50 min

  7. OCT 23

    Climate culture wars and COP

    This week, Ellen and Alona look ahead to COP29, the annual climate summit, hosted this year in Baku, Azerbaijan. They are joined by Isabel Hilton, Prospect’s contributing editor who shares her experiences at COP, and Sam Alvis, a policy advisor and director of energy and environment at Public First. 25 out of the 35 key “planetary vital signs” are out of bounds, and biodiversity is rapidly dwindling. At the same time, a growing culture war means consensus about action is increasingly contested in the political space. Last year, a government minister left the conference early to vote on the Rwanda scheme—now, is Labour doing any better? Isabel and Sam discuss the government’s climate plans and rank its performance out of ten. But why do leaders struggle to make progress? And, amid growing climate-related anxiety, how can we avoid a sense of paralysis? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    47 min

  8. OCT 16

    Peter Geoghegan: Labour and “dark money”

    This week, Ellen and Alona talk to investigative journalist Peter Geoghegan. Peter is the former editor-in-chief of the award-winning website openDemocracy and is the author of Democracy for Sale: Dark Money and Dirty Politics. Public faith in democracy has been undermined by hidden influence and undisclosed donations—but how susceptible is the new government to this? In an entertaining conversation, spanning from Mongolian wrestling to Keir Starmer’s glasses, Peter shares his journey doing investigative work, the corrosive impact of what he calls “dark money”, and what Labour is getting wrong. To watch this interview and others—including with Baroness Warsi and Jon Sopel—search for ‘Prospect Magazine’ on YouTube. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    52 min
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Ratings & Reviews

3.6
out of 5
16 Ratings

About

The brightest minds discussing the ideas that matter most in politics, society and culture. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Information

  • Creator
    Prospect Magazine
  • Years Active
    2016 - 2024
  • Episodes
    389
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Prospect Magazine
  • Show Website
    The Prospect Podcast

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