Intelligence Squared

A deep look at Joan Mitchell’s breakthrough painting and why its scale and palette changed perceptions. Discussion of her fierce independence within the male-dominated New York School. Exploration of sensory influences like synesthesia and the painting’s creation in Paris, exhibitions, and market twists that shaped its legacy.

Zakia Sewell, journalist, broadcaster and DJ, author of Finding Albion. She traces a modern folk revival through music, pagan rituals and seasonal celebrations. She explores Glastonbury gatherings, Carnival links to Caribbean traditions, and how myths are being repurposed to reshape British identity amid climate and political anxieties.

Diarmaid MacCulloch, Emeritus Professor of the History of the Church at Oxford, surveys 3,000 years of Christianity meeting sex and gender. He traces celibacy, evolving views on same-sex relations, translation pitfalls, medieval moral panics, Reformation shifts, contraception’s disruption, and why churches change slowly. Short, historical snapshots that reframe today’s debates.

Diarmaid MacCulloch, Emeritus Professor of the History of the Church at Oxford, unpacks 3,000 years of Christian interaction with sex, gender and family. He traces shifting attitudes from Judaic and Greco-Roman roots to diverse Christian traditions. Topics include marriage rituals, Jesus on marriage and divorce, celibacy and monastic origins, and how history shapes modern debates on gender and sexuality.

Lawrence Freedman, Emeritus Professor of War Studies and noted historian of strategy, offers a concise walk through strategic thinking. He discusses how tactics and implementation often decide outcomes. He reflects on four years of the Russia–Ukraine conflict, authoritarian decision-making, nuclear signaling and the challenge of unpredictable leaders in global affairs.

Neil Shea, National Geographic reporter and author of Frostlines, shares vivid stories from the High North. He recounts tracking caribou, walking with wolves, and meeting Inuit elders. He also explores how melting ice has turned the region into a new geopolitical battleground as ships, tourists, and superpowers rush in.

Helena Newman, Sotheby’s auctioneer and market specialist; Xa Sturgis, Ashmolean director and museum curator; Sir Grayson Perry, Turner Prize–winning artist known for ceramics. They debate what makes an object iconic. They trace routes to iconhood from theft and auction lore to museum storytelling. They riff on famous works like The Scream, Warhol’s Marilyn and Frida Kahlo’s rise to poster fame.

Fiona Hill, former senior White House adviser on European and Russian affairs and co-leader of the UK Strategic Defence Review. She discusses Ukraine's resilience and innovation in war. She warns about UK homeland vulnerabilities and infrastructure risk. She assesses shifting US commitment, European defence responses, covert Russian sabotage, and the need for civic education to counter misinformation.

Fiona Hill, former senior White House adviser on European and Russian affairs and co-lead of the UK Strategic Defence Review, speaks on shifting global dangers. She examines Trump–Putin dynamics and performative politics. She highlights asymmetric threats like sabotage and disinformation. She outlines risks to election integrity and to Ukraine’s security.

Scott Anderson is a veteran foreign reporter and war correspondent, and a contributing writer for The New York Times. Over his career he has reported from Bosnia, Libya, Palestine and across the Middle East. In this episode, he spoke to host Hannah Lucinda Smith about his new book, King of Kings, a gripping account of the fall of the Shah of Iran, the 1979 Iranian Revolution and the rise of the Islamic Republic. Together, they explore the flaws that led to the Shah’s downfall, and why Western powers fundamentally misunderstood what was happening in the country in the months before the revolution. They also examine how these events shaped Iran and the Middle East today, and the political future of a country whose power has been diminished in the region, but whose population is again rallying around the flag in response to external aggression. --- 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/membership to find out more. For £4.99 per month you'll also receive: - Full-length and ad-free Intelligence Squared episodes, wherever you get your podcasts - Bonus Intelligence Squared podcasts, curated feeds and members exclusive series - 15% discount on livestreams and in-person tickets for all Intelligence Squared events  ...  Or Subscribe on Apple for £4.99: - Full-length and ad-free Intelligence Squared podcasts - Bonus Intelligence Squared podcasts, curated feeds and members exclusive series … Already a subscriber? Thank you for supporting our mission to foster honest debate and compelling conversations! Visit intelligencesquared.com to explore all your benefits including ad-free podcasts, exclusive bonus content and early access. … Subscribe to our newsletter here to hear about our latest events, discounts and much more. https://www.intelligencesquared.com/newsletter-signup/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices