Best Impunity Observer Podcasts (2025)

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Martin Litwak: There Can Be No Argentine Renaissance without Tax Cuts, Labor Reform 26:42

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6 days ago26:42

26:42

The Javier Milei administration has brought some stability to the Argentine peso through spending cuts, lower inflation, market liberalization, and improved access to capital flows. However, for Martín Litwak—an international lawyer specializing in wealth management—these measures fall short. He argues Argentina still needs deeper reforms, particul…

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Ethan Zuckerman: How to escape the internet hellscape 42:27

7 days ago42:27

42:27

How do you resist the ‘enshittification’ of the internet? This week, Prospect tech columnist Ethan Zuckerman joins Ellen and Alona to talk about artificial intelligence, social media and the state of the online world. Ethan, who teaches at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, shares how AI has shaped his students—and how his teaching has had to…

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The Trump-Musk feud 15:04

11 days ago15:04

15:04

The world’s richest man and the world’s most powerful man have had a very public fall out—but what does it mean for American government? In a short, bonus episode, Ellen and Alona speak with Jill Abramson, former executive editor of the New York Times, about the long predicted clash. Jill explains the implications for US space policy, and reviews h…

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Devi Sridhar: How to live to 100 46:23

14 days ago46:23

46:23

Everyone wants to live a long and healthy life—so what’s the best way to do it? This week, Ellen and Alona are joined by Devi Sridhar, professor of global public health at Edinburgh University and personal trainer, whose new book, How Not to Die (Too Soon), is a guide to living longer and better, and challenges everything we think we know about per…

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Carys Afoko: Is Labour losing the left? 46:38

21 days ago46:38

46:38

Can Labour afford to keep ignoring its left? This week on the Prospect Podcast, Alona and Imaan are joined by Carys Afoko, writer and podcast host of Over the Top, Under the Radar. Carys discusses whether Starmer’s rightward shift will pay off. She analyses why the last general election was a “breakaway election” away from the major parties—with th…

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Surse Pierpoint: Let People Choose Their Own Currency 29:15

26 days ago29:15

29:15

Buy Fergus Hodgson's "The Latin America Red Pill" on Amazon! Kindle: https://amzn.to/4fAv4AnPaperback: https://amzn.to/49Q01zd Panama’s road to prosperity began with its separation from Colombia at the turn of the 20th century. While economic motivations fueled the secession, Panamanian business leader Surse Pierpoint emphasizes that cultural diffe…

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Starmer’s immigration gamble 42:26

28 days ago42:26

42:26

This week, Ellen and Alona are joined by journalist Nicola Kelly, whose new book Anywhere But Here investigates the UK’s broken asylum system. Nicola used to work for the Home Office as a press officer on the immigration desk. But why did she leave? On the podcast, she unpacks Labour’s controversial new immigration white paper and why the party is …

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Prospect Lives: What if the teenagers are alright? 33:36

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about a year ago33:36

33:36

This month, Vitali Vitaliev recalls love and magic in Kyiv, Sheila Hancock embraces the word “valour,” Alice Garnett celebrates deep friendships, and Alice Goodman wonders—what if the teenagers are actually alright? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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Quinn Slobodian on the far right’s neoliberal roots 55:30

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about a year ago55:30

55:30

This week, Ellen and Alona are joined by Canadian historian Quinn Slobodian. The rise of the populist right is often framed as a backlash against neoliberalism—a revolt by those “left behind” by globalisation. But in his new book Hayek’s Bastards, Quinn argues the opposite: that movements like Maga are not a reaction to neoliberalism, but its lates…

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Gabriela Calderón: Ecuador's Dollarization Is Undefeated 37:03

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about a year ago37:03

37:03

Buy Fergus Hodgson's "The Latin America Red Pill" on Amazon! Kindle: https://amzn.to/4fAv4AnPaperback: https://amzn.to/49Q01zd Gabriela Calderón, an Ecuadorian classical-liberal advocate, publisher at ElCato.org, and columnist for El Universo, explains that opposing dollarization has become political suicide. For now, she argues, the US dollar rema…

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Robert Macfarlane: Is a River Alive? 44:51

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about a year ago44:51

44:51

This week, poet and nature writer Robert Macfarlane joins Prospect’s Ellen Halliday and Imaan Irfan to explore the ideas in his new book Is a River Alive? They each share what ‘their rivers are’ and the waterbodies they feel most connected to. Robert discusses his travels to Ecuador, India and the Canadian wilderness: places that rivers are being d…

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Joanna Guerra Teaches Liberalism to the App Generation 28:52

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about a year ago28:52

28:52

Joanna Guerra—a classical-liberal lawyer, philosopher, and university professor in Mexico—explains that younger generations lack an entrepreneurial mindset. This tragically stems from the ideological indoctrination they receive through schools, films, music, and more. She believes transmitting the principles of classical liberalism requires transla…

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What Is Ottawa's Mandate? | Meghan Murphy, Louis Groarke, Marco Navarro-Génie 43:03

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about a year ago43:03

43:03

The Impunity Observer gathered three leading Canadian thinkers to analyze the results of the parliamentary elections, where the Liberal Party secured yet another term in office. Our expert guests included:• Meghan Murphy, a journalist in exile known for her outspoken stance against prostitution, pornography, and violence toward women. • Professor L…

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Trump’s 100 days, with Ruth Ben-Ghiat 44:52

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about a year ago44:52

44:52

Has the United States become an autocracy? As Donald Trump marks his 100th day in office, Ellen and Alona are joined by Ruth Ben-Ghiat, scholar of authoritarianism and author of Strongmen: from Mussolini to the present (2020). She also writes a Substack called “Lucid” which focuses on autocracy. Ruth analyses the Trump administration’s rapid shift …

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Does Reform have a plan for power? 45:15

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about a year ago45:15

45:15

Could a populist right-wing party take power in the UK? And if one did, what would it do? This week, Ellen and Alona are joined by Prospect’s contributing editor Philip Collins who analyses Reform UK’s strategy for the local elections taking place in parts of England next week. With Labour, the Tories and Reform neck-and-neck in the polls, will the…

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Joselo Andrade: Ecuadorian Voters Dodged a Bullet (Spanish) 27:12

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about a year ago27:12

27:12

On April 13, Ecuadorians reelected President Daniel Noboa for a full four-year term (2025–2029). Joselo Andrade, executive director of the Ecuadorian Institute for Economic Policy (IEEP), argues both candidates represented left-leaning principles. However, he emphasizes that Noboa at least defends democracy and civil liberties, essential pillars fo…

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Slavoj Žižek: ‘Elon Musk lives like a communist’ 41:14

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about a year ago41:14

41:14

This week on the Prospect Podcast, philosopher and public intellectual Slavoj Žižek joins Ellen and Alona. Slavoj discusses fatherhood and Netflix’s Adolescence, as awareness grows around young male radicalisation via the “manosphere”. He also talks about feminism and his criticisms of #MeToo. Plus, with the release of his latest book, in which he …

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Simon Hankinson: Asylum Law Must Put America First 28:27

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about a year ago28:27

28:27

Buy Fergus Hodgson's "The Latin America Red Pill" on Amazon! Kindle: https://amzn.to/4fAv4AnPaperback: https://amzn.to/49Q01zd Simon Hankinson, senior research fellow at the Heritage Foundation's Border Security and Immigration Center, joined the Impunity Observer podcast to discuss his recent major report on the US asylum system. Hankinson contend…

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Prospect Lives: Why I pray for Putin 29:16

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about a year ago29:16

29:16

This month on Prospect Lives: Vitali Vitaliev hits 60 and gets slammed with funeral ads, while Sarah Collins finds unexpected wisdom at the nail salon. Alice Garnett wonders how to plan for the future on a burning planet, while Alice Goodman wrestles with whether you can—or should—pray for someone like Putin. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy …

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Philippe Sands on Trump and the age of impunity 48:28

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about a year ago48:28

48:28

This week, writer and human rights lawyer Philippe Sands joins Ellen and Alona to discuss the ‘age of impunity'. Are international systems crumbling, or will they stand the test of time? Philippe reflects on the process of writing his most recent book 38 Londres Street, and the relationship between storytelling and the law. He also discusses repres…

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Jim McMurtry: Let's Take Back Canada from Virtue-Signaling Nihilists 27:32

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about a year ago27:32

27:32

Subscribe to Global Analyst by Adrian Day. Receive a 10 percent discount when you subscribe with the FERG coupon code: https://www.adriandayglobalanalyst.com/subscribe-nowIn 2021, a public school fired Jim McMurtry, a 40-year teacher in British Columbia, and he subsequently was banned from practicing his profession. McMurtry is raising his voice th…

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Maxime Bernier: Only the People's Party Opposes Mass Immigration 27:41

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about a year ago27:41

27:41

Buy Fergus Hodgson's book "Financial Sovereignty for Canadians": https://econamericas.com/financial-sovereignty-canadians/ In Canada, especially given the housing crisis, 65 percent of the population want an end to mass immigration. However, neither the Conservatives nor the Liberals have addressed the problem. Maxime Bernier, the PPC leader, conte…

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David Olusoga: History is under attack from Trump 39:15

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about a year ago39:15

39:15

Historian and broadcaster David Olusoga joins Ellen and Alona to discuss political attacks on American history, the challenges facing academia in the UK—and how future generations will view England’s colonial history. Our newsfeeds are dominated by towering figures like Trump and Elon Musk—but does the “great man” theory still hold? Is history real…

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Olav Dirkmaat: Foreign Aid Exports Culture Wars to Third World 26:27

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about a year ago26:27

26:27

Buy Fergus Hodgson's "The Latin America Red Pill" on Amazon! Kindle: https://amzn.to/4fAv4An Paperback: https://amzn.to/49Q01zd Olav Dirkmaat, who holds a PhD in economics from Rey Juan Carlos University, joins the Impunity Observer podcast to discuss his latest research on the ideological influence of foreign aid. His study, “Foreign Aid: An Ideol…

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Killer dust: asbestos and corporate coverups 39:30

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about a year ago39:30

39:30

Asbestos might seem like a problem of the past, but it is still killing thousands every year. In the March issue of Prospect, Charlotte wrote about how her father’s death from mesothelioma—a cancer caused by asbestos—led her into years of research, uncovering a shocking history of corporate negligence and government inaction. This week, Charlotte j…

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Big oil and the real story of Kyoto 46:19

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about a year ago46:19

46:19

This week, the Prospect podcast meets Kyoto, the new West End play dramatising the high-stakes negotiations behind the 1997 Kyoto Protocol. Written by Joe Murphy and Joe Robertson, the play brings to life the power struggles, disruptors, and unexpected alliances that shaped the first major international climate treaty. Prospect’s Isabel Hilton sits…

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Prospect Lives: My best sex work clients are married men 36:54

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about a year ago36:54

36:54

This month’s episode features journalist Kiran Sidhu on the power of communal dance, and actor and writer Sheila Hancock on the need for more women in global politics. Gen Z-er Alice Garnett imagines a world without TikTok, and journalist and host Sarah Collins grapples with the news that her therapist is retiring. Plus, Anglican priest Alice Goodm…

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Francisco Zalles: Misguided Environmentalism Has Harmed the Galápagos 30:42

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about a year ago30:42

30:42

Francisco Zalles, a professor at Hespérides University and a researcher at the Ecuadorian Institute of Economic Policy (IEEP), moved to the Galápagos and quickly identified these pressing challenges. Alongside IEEP, Zalles led the creation of the Galápagos Observatory. This initiative recently published its first investigative report, analyzing the…

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Donald Trump and the new world order 37:00

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about a year ago37:00

37:00

Has the United States switched sides, acting in Russia’s interests and abandoning its European allies? Or is the transatlantic alliance still intact—albeit under strain? Prospect’s contributing editor Isabel Hilton joins this week’s podcast to untangle increasingly urgent questions of European defence and security. From Trump cutting intelligence-s…

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Responding to Your Comments about Canada's Future 8:07

about a year ago8:07

8:07

Buy the books:- "Time to Leave", Michael Wagner: https://amzn.to/4hiUIv5- "Financial Sovereignty for Canadians" Fergus Hodgson: https://econamericas.com/financial-sovereignty-canadians/Some topics justify more coverage, and Canada's constitutional crisis is one of them. Perhaps because the Canadian media are so bought off, with notable exceptions, …

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Keon West: Racism, science and alternative facts 39:57

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about a year ago39:57

39:57

How do we measure racism? In such politically charged terrain, the need for objective data is clear. By some surveys, half of Brits don’t believe that racism exists. Keon West, social psychologist and visiting professor at LSE, joins the podcast to discuss this phenomenon. Keon explains what data can tell us, and delves into the surprising ways tha…

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Paths to a Value-Added Cacao Harvest for Honduras 13:10

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about a year ago13:10

13:10

My Yojoa premium options are now live: * the full selection (eight) https://ebay.com/itm/388032482652 * 10 dark (70 percent cacao) https://ebay.com/itm/388032562183 * 10 milk (45 percent cacao) https://ebay.com/itm/388032562183 In this episode, Elmer Pineda shares how they faced a pivotal moment: shut down the business or innovate. They chose innov…

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Prospect Lives: Stop telling me to ‘take it easy’ at 91! 32:00

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about a year ago32:00

32:00

In this episode of Prospect Lives, journalist Kiran Sidhu mourns her lost cat, while actor and writer Sheila Hancock grapples with ageism at 91. Gen Z-er Alice Garnett attains “regular status” at a London chicken shop, while host and journalist Sarah Collins discusses the end of her honeymoon phase with Athens. Plus, Tilly Lawless explores the two …

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China: The greatest threat to human rights 43:24

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about a year ago43:24

43:24

What is the biggest threat to the international human rights system today? And, in such an unstable world, what hope is there for the future of human rights? This week, Ellen and Alona are joined by Kenneth Roth, who served as the executive director of Human Rights Watch, the NGO, for almost 30 years. During his tenure, Human Rights Watch uncovered…

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San Pedro Sula Mayor: Remittances Are Blood Money 23:29

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about a year ago23:29

23:29

.Buy Fergus Hodgson's "The Latin America Red Pill" on Amazon!Kindle: https://amzn.to/4fAv4AnPaperback: https://amzn.to/49Q01zd Roberto “Pollo” Contreras, the mayor of San Pedro Sula, argues remittances are blood money. Emigration from Honduras means leaving behind siblings, children, and other family members—many of whom end up joining gangs. San P…

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Bonus episode: Why Australia is better than Britain 47:59

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about a year ago47:59

47:59

Australia is often referred to as “the lucky country”, a place where good fortune has delivered greater wealth, longer lives and better healthcare. But, as Andrew Low argues in We Should Be So Lucky, Australia’s achievements are not merely a matter of luck—they stem from a distinctive blend of political, social and economic institutions and values.…

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Sudan’s ‘war of opportunity’, with Yassmin Abdel-Magied 46:10

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about a year ago46:10

46:10

Sudanese-born writer and broadcaster Yassmin Abdel-Magied joins Ellen and Alona on this week’s episode of the Prospect podcast. Sudan’s war has been called the “worst humanitarian crisis in the world”. And yet, media coverage is staggeringly low. But is the war really “forgotten”? Or is it being made invisible? Yassmin breaks down the situation for…

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Three Reasons Why Canada's Days Are Numbered 13:24

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about a year ago13:24

13:24

The new US president has done more for provincial separatism than any Albertan or Quebecker in recent years. His tariffs and the retaliatory escalation have revealed an incompetent and disconnected Ottawa political class, but that scratches the surface of the confederation's precariousness. As Michael Wagner notes in Time to Leave (2024), “Canada c…

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Mehdi Hasan: “The media doesn’t want to hear certain people” 41:40

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about a year ago41:40

41:40

Mehdi Hasan joins the Prospect podcast this week, talking to Prospect’s Ben Clark about Trump, tech bros, cancel culture and…“Gish galloping”. He opens up about his departure from MSNBC after the network cancelled The Mehdi Hasan Show and discusses his move from mainstream to alternative media, almost a year since founding Zeteo on Substack. Zeteo’…

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Has Labour abandoned the left? 34:35

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about a year ago34:35

34:35

Would a young Starmer join the Labour party today? Ellen and Alona are joined by Tom Clark, contributing editor at Prospect, who thinks not. From defending misfit environmentalists to denouncing them in the Daily Mail, Starmer’s evolution might dismay some on the left of the party. Once he was a young human rights lawyer and now he is a prime minis…

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Gabriela Guerrero: Foreign Alliances Loom Large over Ecuadorian Election 18:05

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about a year ago18:05

18:05

In our latest podcast, Gabriella Guerrero, executive director of La Politeka—a political education initiative—shares her insights on the upcoming presidential and congressional elections in Ecuador. Amid a complex landscape, Guerrero explores the potential scenarios should President Daniel Noboa win or lose against Luisa Gonzalez, the Revolución Ci…

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Trevor Loudon: Tulsi Gabbard Is Enemy within MAGA Movement 25:23

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about a year ago25:23

25:23

Trevor Loudon, one of the most authoritative experts on communist movements, joins the Impunity Observer to discuss US President Donald Trump's recent nominations. A key figure raising concerns is Tulsi Gabbard, who served as a Democratic representative from Hawaii in Congress from 2013 to 2021. After switching to the Republican Party in 2024, Trum…

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Exclusive: Top Thinker interview with Eliane Brum 26:16

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about a year ago26:16

26:16

In this week’s special episode, we bring you an exclusive interview with Prospect’s World’s Top Thinker of 2025, Brazilian journalist Eliane Brum. Eliane is the author of Banzeiro Òkòtó: The Amazon as the Centre of the World. In 2017, she co-founded Sumaúma, a journalism platform reporting on the Amazon from the inside, which trains young people fr…

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Prospect Lives: My priest friends send me memes 34:21

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about a year ago34:21

34:21

Welcome back to Prospect Lives. In this episode, journalist and author Kiran Sidhu shares her journey of finding a sense of community in her rural Welsh village, while Anglican priest Alice Goodman explains how her clerical friends help her weather political turbulence. Actor and writer Sheila Hancock explores the powerful legacies left by those wh…

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Progressivism and Liberalism Are Enemies | Jim Ostrowski 8:07

about a year ago8:07

8:07

Buy Fergus Hodgson's "The Latin America Red Pill" on Amazon!Kindle: https://amzn.to/4fAv4AnPaperback: https://amzn.to/49Q01zdAttorney Jim Ostrowski, based in Buffalo, New York, has for more than a decade been on a mission to convey the true nature of progressivism and retake the liberal tradition for the liberty movement.In "Progressivism: A Primer…

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Liberation Theology Outlives Gustavo Gutierrez, Popularizes Marxism | Marco Navarro-Génie 27:20

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about a year ago27:20

27:20

Marxism remains Marxism, even when it goes by different names. This is true for liberation theology, which has evolved into a religious partner to today’s progressivism.Marco Navarro-Génie—founding president of the Haultain Research Institute and author of Augusto "César" Sandino: Messiah of Light and Truth (2002)—contends that liberation theology …

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Trump’s inauguration, Musk’s salute and the special relationship 39:16

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about a year ago39:16

39:16

After Trump’s second inauguration, Ellen and Alona are joined by Labour peer and diplomat Catherine Ashton. Catherine was formerly leader of the House of Lords, as well as the EU's first High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security policy. She shares her experience working with previous US administrations, and what she’s expect…

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Will Lords reform be Starmer’s legacy? 46:57

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about a year ago46:57

46:57

As Labour plans to remove the remaining hereditary peers from the House of Lords progress through parliament, not everybody is happy about it. Critics have called the legislation “bungled piecemeal reform”, “high-handed” and “shoddy”. Meg Russell, professor of British and Comparative Politics at UCL, joins Ellen and Alona to unpick the conflict and…

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Ukraine: what lies ahead? 32:17

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about a year ago32:17

32:17

What's going on in Ukraine and what does 2025 hold for its people? Journalist Jen Stout has reported on the war in Ukraine for Prospect, the Sunday Post and others—and her prize-winning book Night Train to Odesa was published last year. Now, for our first episode of the year, she joins deputy editor Ellen Halliday to talk about the situation. What …

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Oliver Burkeman: The power of negative thinking 51:09

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about a year ago51:09

51:09

While you're making those New Year's resolutions, how can we harness negative thought patterns and put them towards something productive? What's the best way to live a good life? In September, journalist and author Oliver Burkeman joined Prospect’s Ellen Halliday and Mindful life columnist Sarah Collins to talk mental health and building a meaningf…