Upstream

The Conciliators Guild
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Upstream is a politics and society podcast that takes a deeper look at our world, going beyond conventional analysis and media punditry. We interview big picture thinkers on issues and events "upstream" at their source. We bring psychology, history, culture, philosophy and human nature into the mix to gain a better understanding of what is happening, and why. Episodes are co-hosted by John Bell and/or John Zada, two co-founders of The Conciliators Guild, an organization highlighting the role of underlying motivations in politics.

  1. 2 juin

    Is Anger Poisoning our Politics? A Conversation with Author and Journalist Saira Shah

    John Bell speaks with award-winning documentary filmmaker and author Saira Shah about the different psychological outlooks that are needed to deal with today's global political challenges. Drawing on her experiences in Gaza and Afghanistan, and on the works of Sufi scholar Idries Shah and scientist Iain McGilchrist, she explains how self-observation and generosity of spirit can shake us out of the politics of resentment and anger fuelling conflict today. The Idries Shah Foundation - https://idriesshahfoundation.org/

    1 h 5 min

  2. 21/12/2025

    How understanding India's past can diminish polarization today - Anirudh Kanisetti

    Indian historian Anirudh Kanisetti takes us through a tour of medieval Deccan India, how its rulers used religion in politics, as many do today, and how it was part of an intricate web of commercial and cultural ties stretching from China to Constantinople. https://www.anirudhkanisetti.com/

    1 h 3 min

  3. 20/11/2025

    A Journalist’s 20 Years of Travel in the Middle East — “The Patchwork Cloak of Kamal Bey” | John Zada Interview

    Are 'East' and 'West' really as far apart as our notions of them suggest? Canadian journalist and author John Zada discusses his latest nonfiction work, The Patchwork Cloak of Kamal Bey: An East–West Memoir. The book, a travelogue and work of reportage written from a dual-identity perspective, chronicles more than two decades of journeys through the Arab and Islamic worlds. Zada reflects on the writing process, shares stories from his Middle East travels, and explores questions of cultural identity, belonging, and the shifting notions of “East” and “West." ORDER THE BOOK: The Patchwork Cloak of Kamal Bey: An East-West Memoir https://geni.us/fh5uX REVIEWS: Kirkus Review of ‘The Patchwork Cloak of Kamal Bey’ https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/john-zada/the-patchwork-cloak-of-kamal-bey-an-east-west-memoir/ BookLife Review: https://booklife.com/project/the-patchwork-cloak-of-kamal-bey-an-east-west-memoir-101098 ABOUT THE AUTHOR: https://www.johnzada.com Keywords: Middle East travel, travel memoir, East and West identity, Arab world reportage, author interview, cultural belonging #MiddleEast #Memoir #AuthorInterview

    40 min

  4. 31/08/2025

    Johan Norberg – Are We Living in a Golden Age?

    Johan Norberg, historian and commentator, describes golden ages throughout human history, what it took to build them and how they declined. Above all, what does this mean for today? Are the Anglosphere and its allies able to rise to the challenges ahead and maintain an open, prosperous and inclusive culture?

    53 min

  5. 21/08/2025

    Simon Lee Maryan - Lessons in Resilience from a Former Royal Marine

    Simon Lee Maryan, psychologist, resilience coach and former British Royal Marine, explains how his psychological training helped him survive dire straits and how that in turn can help others manage the highly emotional and inflamed world we are living in today. He looks back to the Stoic wisdom of Marcus Aurelius and forward to how that applies today.

    32 min

  6. 16/07/2025

    Naomi Alderman - The Third Information Crisis

    Author Naomi Alderman (The Power) examines how pasttechnological revolutions—writing, the printing press—reshaped human cognition and society. Her insights reveal a pattern: each wave of innovation brought both empowerment and dislocation. Today’s challenge is to harness AI without letting it erode agency or meaning and her views provide context from history in that regard.   The Third Information Crisis - https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0020xrs https://naomialderman.com/

    49 min

  7. 30/05/2025

    Richard Overy - Understanding the Causes of War May Be the Key to Peace

    Richard Overy, Honorary Research Professor of History at the University of Exeter and best-selling author, speaks with John Bell about the many causes of war, from evolutionary biology to the hubris of today’s leaders. They discuss evolutionary psychology as well as how the pursuit of innate needs such as security or meaning - through belief, religious or ideological - can lead to war. Professor Ovary is one of Britain’s most distinguished historians and has published extensively on the Second World War and the Third Reich. His latest book, the excellent ‘Why War?’, explores why warfare has been endemic throughout human history and what this means for the future. ‘Why War?’ will soon be available in paperback edition.

    45 min

  8. 13/02/2025

    Antone Martinho Truswell - Insularity vs. Connectivity Between Global Cultures

    Antone Martinho Truswell, an evolutionary biologist and Dean of Graduate House at St Paul’s College, University of Sydney, talks to John Bell about the rise of a global monoculture and the endangerment of local ideas and practices.Read Antone's great article for Psyche on the subject, "Insularity can be a good thing, for creatures and cultures alike.":https://psyche.co/ideas/insularity-ca...

    58 min
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À propos

Upstream is a politics and society podcast that takes a deeper look at our world, going beyond conventional analysis and media punditry. We interview big picture thinkers on issues and events "upstream" at their source. We bring psychology, history, culture, philosophy and human nature into the mix to gain a better understanding of what is happening, and why. Episodes are co-hosted by John Bell and/or John Zada, two co-founders of The Conciliators Guild, an organization highlighting the role of underlying motivations in politics.

Informations

  • Création
    The Conciliators Guild
  • Années d’activité
    2025 - 2026
  • Épisodes
    16
  • Classification
    Tous publics
  • Copyright
    © The Conciliators Guild
  • Site web de l’émission
    Upstream

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