Best Jacob Johnston Podcasts (2025)

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208: Pianist Hanni Lang 30:26

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4d ago30:26

30:26

Hello Grab a pillow and lay down. Drift off. Allow yourself to dream. Such overt direction wouldn't normally feature in a Thoroughly Good Podcast introduction, but its fitting for this one with pianist Hanni Liang who, ever the experimenter with concert formats, tests out an element of her forthcoming Edinburgh Festival appearance on me in a bit of…

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Decomputing For a Better Future w/ Dan McQuillan 58:21

4d ago58:21

58:21

Paris Marx is joined by Dan McQuillan to discuss the global push by governments to rapidly adopt AI at all costs and how citizens can critically rethink our dependence on these technologies while imagining a collective future that benefits everyone. Dan McQuillan is a lecturer at Goldsmiths College, University of London and the author of Resisting …

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Jay McElroy, Author, Lunch Box Poetry, A DotCom Magazine Exclusive Interview 21:21

7d ago21:21

21:21

About Jay McElroy and Lunch Box Poetry: Jay McElroy grew up in Texas and was very active throughout his early years, playing football, baseball and basketball. After his high school years had been completed, he moved on to Texas A&M University, majoring in electrical engineering and graduating at the age of 21. He spent the next 15 years as an elec…

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207: Pianist Mariam Batsashvili 20:55

9d ago20:55

20:55

Georgian pianist Mariam Batsashvili shares her journey from student to international artist. She reflects on her roots in Georgia’s rich musical culture, her transformative experience as a BBC New Generation Artist, and the thrill of returning to the Royal Albert Hall. Mariam discusses the emotional depth of Liszt’s music, recounts how reading Dant…

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136. Mo Ibrahim on Good Governance in Africa 43:31

12d ago43:31

43:31

This Kickback episode features Mo Ibrahim, who joins Liz David-Barrett to share his transition from entrepreneurship to philanthropy, by establishing the Mo Ibrahim Foundation to promote good governance and leadership in Africa. Mo shares the primary mechanisms to achieving the Foundations goals, including the Ibrahim Index of African Governance, a…

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Microsoft is Gutting the Video Game Industry w/ Nathan Grayson 55:09

12d ago55:09

55:09

Paris Marx is joined by Nathan Grayson to discuss the latest round of Microsoft layoffs and how the company’s ambition to remake the video game industry around its streaming service has had significant consequences. Nathan Grayson is a co-founder of Aftermath and author of Stream Big: The Triumphs and Turmoils of Twitch and the Stars Behind the Scr…

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Stephanie Malbasa, Author, Musings for Madie: Quotes to Live by When Life Gives Us Life, A DotCom Magazine Exclusive Interview 24:22

14d ago24:22

24:22

About Stephanie Malbasa and Musings for Madie: Quotes to Live by When Life Gives Us Life: Stephanie H. Malbasa, recently published author of Musings for Madie, is a woman of many roles—an accomplished attorney, an entrepreneur, a philanthropist, a wife, a mother, and a grandmother. Since beginning her legal career in 1979, she has dedicated herself…

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206: Wigmore Hall's John Gilhooly 40:48

18d ago40:48

40:48

London chamber music venue Wigmore Hall stages something in the region of 600 events a year. That’s partly why its season brochure stretches to 206 pages — and that’s just for September to December 2025. A weighty piece of print that, for some (myself included), reads more like a guaranteed programme of discovery. An in depth syllabus. A prospectus…

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How the US Weaponizes Tech in the Middle East w/ Laleh Khalili 53:32

19d ago53:32

53:32

Paris Marx is joined by Laleh Khalili to discuss how the United States uses its control of key technologies to shift global power dynamics, and how that specifically plays out in the Middle East. Laleh Khalili is Professor of Gulf Studies at the University of Exeter and author of the forthcoming book Extractive Capitalism. Tech Won’t Save Us offers…

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In Denver, Mike Johnston Confronts Success 18:33

20d ago18:33

18:33

Denver Mayor Mike Johnston, in an interview for the Mayor’s Desk series, details work on housing affordability, homelessness, and other growing pains amid the city’s increasing popularity. Solutions include reducing building costs, incentivizing new construction, and taking better advantage of the metro region’s extensive light rail network for tra…

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135. Nicole Rose & AJ Brown on Corruption in Australia 43:48

26d ago43:48

43:48

For this episode, regular host Robert Barrington is joined by two anticorruption experts from Australia. Nicole Rose is the Deputy Commissioner at The National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC), and AJ Brown is a Professor of Public Policy and Law at Griffith University and the Chair of Transparency International’s (TI) Australian chapter. Some of …

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The Geopolitical Fight Over Huawei w/ Yangyang Cheng 54:05

26d ago54:05

54:05

Paris Marx is joined by Yangyang Cheng to discuss how Huawei became one of the most powerful companies in China and how current geopolitical narratives distract from the issues at the heart of surveillance capitalism in the US and China. Yangyang Cheng is a Research Scholar in Law and Fellow at Yale Law School’s Paul Tsai China Center. Tech Won’t S…

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Chatbots Are Repeating Social Media’s Harms w/ Nitasha Tiku 53:48

1M ago53:48

53:48

Paris Marx is joined by Nitasha Tiku to discuss how AI companies are preying on users to drive engagement and how that’s repeating many of the problems we’re belatedly trying to address with social media companies at an accelerated pace. Nitasha Tiku is a technology reporter at the Washington Post. Tech Won’t Save Us offers a critical perspective o…

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134. Oguzhan Dincer & Michael Johnston on Corruption in America 42:14

1M ago42:14

42:14

This episode features Oz Dincer and Michael Johnston, who join regular Kickback host Robert Barrington to discuss their new book 'Corruption in America', which explores corruption in various policy areas across all fifty states. Dincer O, Johnston M. Corruption in America: A Fifty-Ring Circus. Cambridge University Press; 2025.…

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Brazil's Battle to Rein In Big Tech w/ Laís Martins 57:52

1M ago57:52

57:52

Paris Marx is joined by Laís Martins to discuss the recent enforcement measures against tech companies like X and Rumble in Brazil, how the country is grappling with the overreach of US tech companies, and the wider discussion about tech policy in Brazil. Laís Martins is a technology reporter at The Intercept Brasil. Tech Won’t Save Us offers a cri…

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205: Composer Daniel Kidane 30:27

2M ago30:27

30:27

Four years after the premiere of ‘Woke’ at the BBC Proms in 2021, composer Daniel Kidane is riding high, this year Composer in Residence at the 2025 Aldeburgh Festival. Kidane reflects on his training, his mindset for composing, and what’s changed (or not) since the work that promoted empathy, compassion and togetherness. The BBC Symphony Orchestra…

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We All Suffer from OpenAI’s Pursuit of Scale w/ Karen Hao 51:18

2M ago51:18

51:18

Paris Marx is joined by Karen Hao to discuss how Sam Altman’s goal of scale at all costs has spawned a new empire founded on exploitation of people and the environment, resulting in not only the loss of valuable research into more inventive AI systems, but also exacerbated data privacy issues, intellectual property erosion, and the perpetuation of …

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204: Britten Sinfonia at Addenbrooke's Hospital 22:41

2M ago22:41

22:41

In this episode, Jon Jacob joins Britten Sinfonia and medical professionals at Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge to explore how live music brings moments of connection and calm in clinical settings. Recorded during hospital visits, the conversation reveals how music supports recovery and emotional wellbeing in the most challenging of environments…

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133. Rebecca Dobson Phillips, Helen Taylor & Alex Jacobs on the UK's Anti-Corruption Ecosystem 42:40

2M ago42:40

42:40

Is Anti-Corruption work an inclusive movement deeply connected to its grassroots origins, or a self-serving, hierarchical entity that partially manufactures the problems for which it offers solutions?To critically examine this dichotomy, and the UK’s anticorruption ecosystem more broadly, Kickback host Robert Barrington is joined by Rebecca Dobson-…

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The New Military Industry Complex w/ Sam Biddle 57:06

2M ago57:06

57:06

Paris Marx is joined by Sam Biddle to discuss how Silicon Valley is shamelessly courting government military contracts, using tactics to silence employee dissent and normalize the situation to the public, and what it all means for the future of military geopolitics. Sam Biddle is a senior technology reporter at The Intercept. Tech Won’t Save Us off…

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New Era for New Urbanism 37:11

2M ago37:11

37:11

Demand for walkable urbanism is stronger than ever, according to Mallory Baches, president of the Congress for the New Urbanism, an organization that has been promoting compact, mixed-use, transit-oriented development for more than three decades.By Lincoln Institute

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The Case for a Digital Detox w/ Casey Johnston 55:18

2M ago55:18

55:18

Paris Marx is joined by Casey Johnston to discuss why she pared back on social media, made her smartphone much dumber, and what she learned about how bodies are treated online through her fitness journey. Casey Johnston is the creator of the She’s A Beast newsletter and author of A Physical Education: How I Escaped Diet Culture and Gained the Power…

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203: Composer Oliver Davis introduces his new album 'Life' 32:25

2M ago32:25

32:25

This episode spotlights contemporary classical composer Oliver Davis talking about his new album Life. Davis writes music that makes a montage of your own life. Had author Augesten Burroughs had access to Davis he'd have had access to soundtracks that would have consoled and celebrated the very life BUrroughs ended up documenting in Running with Sc…

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Generative AI is Not Inevitable w/ Emily M. Bender and Alex Hanna 53:13

2M ago53:13

53:13

Paris Marx is joined by Emily M. Bender and Alex Hanna to discuss the harms of generative AI, how the industry keeps the public invested while companies flounder under the weight of unmet promises, and what people can do to push back. Emily M. Bender is a Professor in the Department of Linguistics at University of Washington. Alex Hanna is Director…

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132. Nishan de Mel on Sri Lanka's governance-linked bond 39:28

2M ago39:28

39:28

This episode features Nishan de Mel, the Executive Director of Verite Research, to discuss their development of Sri Lanka’s innovative governance-linked bond, which seeks to break the country’s vicious cycle of poor governance and financial instability. Learn more about:Verite Research - https://www.veriteresearch.orgThe Civil Society Governance Di…

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Elon Musk is Remaking the US Space Program w/ Tim Fernholz 1:00:57

2M ago1:00:57

1:00:57

Paris Marx is joined by Tim Fernholz to discuss how Elon Musk’s influence in the White House is shaping the US Space Program, why he’s pushing NASA toward Mars instead of the Moon, and whether the Starship rocket is in trouble. Tim Fernholz is a senior reporter at Payload Space and the author of Rocket Billionaires: Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, and the N…

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202: Bristol Beacon CEO Simon Wales 41:53

3M ago41:53

41:53

Bristol Beacon CEO Simon Wales reflects on leadership, legacy, and launching the 2025/26 orchestral season. We talk classical music, innovation, and why Bristol deserves its place as one of the UK’s great music cities.

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The Roots of Elon Musk’s War On Empathy w/ Julia Carrie Wong 52:20

3M ago52:20

52:20

Paris Marx is joined by Julia Carrie Wong to discuss Elon Musk’s recent opposition to empathy, how it comes out of the Christian right, and the relationship it has to previous discussions of longtermism. Julia Carrie Wong is a features writer at The Guardian. Tech Won’t Save Us offers a critical perspective on tech, its worldview, and wider society…

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How Brainrot AI is Upending the Internet w/ Jason Koebler 53:38

3M ago53:38

53:38

Paris Marx is joined by Jason Koebler to discuss the economy behind AI slop generation, how people are building businesses on AI-generated images, and the wider consequences of their proliferation on social media. Jason Koebler is a cofounder of 404 Media and cohost of the 404 Media Podcast. Tech Won’t Save Us offers a critical perspective on tech,…

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201: Britten Pears Arts CEO Andrew Comben 34:19

3M ago34:19

34:19

Andrew Comben, Chief Executive of Britten Pears Arts, reflects on leading an organisation where legacy, place, and innovation intersect. We explore the 2025 Aldeburgh Festival, the return of Festival Extra, and how collaboration across the sector is vital to sustaining new artistic work.

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200: Mezzo-soprano Jennifer Johnston 41:58

3M ago41:58

41:58

Some people raise the bar just by walking into the room. Mezzo Soprano and Creative Consultant Jennifer Johnston is one of them. We talk about her award-winning creative work during the pandemic, her journey from barrister to singer, and her latest collaboration with the London Transport Museum — recorded at the Southbank Centre ahead of Mahler 8 w…

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131. Mario Hidalgo on corruption & organised crime in Ecuador 27:36

3M ago27:36

27:36

This episode of Kickback features Dr. Mario Hidalgo, from the Transparency and Anti-Corruption Laboratory at UTE university in Ecuador, to shed light on Ecuador's transition from the "Island of Peace" to a country facing widespread organised crime and violence, highlighting the significantly enabling role of corruption. The conversation also touche…

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How Masayoshi Son Shaped the Tech Industry w/ Laleh Khalili 52:17

3M ago52:17

52:17

Paris Marx is joined by Laleh Khalili to discuss Softbank CEO Masayoshi Son, the structural factors that allowed him to build an empire, and the many ways he’s shaped the modern tech industry. Laleh Khalili is Professor of Gulf Studies at the University of Exeter and the author of Sinews of War and Trade and her forthcoming book Extractive Capitali…

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199: Horn Player Martin Owen 48:11

3M ago48:11

48:11

Following a stunning opening concert in Manchester Camerata's new Mozart series, horn player Martin Owen talks about Mozart's Horn Concertos, working with Camerata, and a 30-year career spanning many of the UK's leading orchestras. Owen is warm, playful and generous, and that is reflected in his captivating performance. His is an instantly likeable…

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Digital Sovereignty in a Time of Rising Fascism 41:12

3M ago41:12

41:12

Paris Marx is doing a solo episode this week to bring together some important issues that have been on his mind lately. This is a recording of a talk Paris gave in Auckland, New Zealand on how Silicon Valley’s alliance with Donald Trump forces us to reassess the politics of the internet and challenge our collective dependence on US tech as it embra…

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Perpetuating the Providence Renaissance 24:25

3M ago24:25

24:25

At the helm in Providence,Rhode Island after 30 years of steady revitalization, Mayor Brett Smiley hopes to keep up the momentum while also addressing affordability and fiscal challenges. The latest municipal leader to be interviewed in the Mayor’s Desk series, he also talks bike lanes, nightlife, and the vagaries of community engagement.…

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130. Daniel Paget on authoritarianism & resistance in Tanzania 36:14

4M ago36:14

36:14

For this episode, regular host Liz David-Barrett is joined by Dr Daniel Paget, an assistant professor in politics at the University of Sussex, to unpack the nuances of electoral authoritarianism in Tanzania, the aspirations of a key opposition movement, and the power of alternative theoretical frameworks for understanding the fight against dominati…

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Can Europe End Its Dependence on US Tech? w/ Aline Blankertz 47:53

4M ago47:53

47:53

Paris Marx is joined by Aline Blankertz to discuss whether Europe is going to finally make a serious push to end its dependence on US tech and how different European interests are trying to take advantage of those debates. Aline Blankertz is an economist working on digital policy. She currently works with Rebalance Now and was previously at Wikimed…

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198: Pianist Jan Lisiecki 36:08

4M ago36:08

36:08

Jan returns to the podcast after what we both reckon is probably around 12 years. He remains, as I dimly recall from a sunny day in Verbier, candid, down to earth, and completely and utterly absorbed by his craft. But what’s evident now — and what I definitely don’t remember sensing then — is his resolute vision: a clear sense of what he wants to d…