“THE Age of the Strongman: Understanding Netanyahu” in Intelligence Squared, with Anshel Pfeffer (Part One, released 7 September), provides valuable background on the Israeli Prime Minister. It explores his notoriety, power base, and dual ability to present himself both as a strongman and as a victim when criticised. This episode offers intriguing insights into the man entwined in the current chaos and disaster.
Shifting from international to national politics, we turn to Zack Polanski, the new leader of the Green Party in the UK. Also Jewish, Mr Polansky has a markedly different political approach from Netanyahu’s. The Westminster Insider episode “Can Britain Have a Proper Green Party?” (6 September) is beautifully scripted, slightly whimsical, and infused with gentle humour, all while being thoroughly researched. It examines the rise of the Green Party from its inception as the People’s Party in the early 1970s. The podcast reflects on what it takes to design and grow a political movement from scratch, with mentions of figures such as Nigel Farage and Jeremy Corbyn. It also features an engaging discussion with Green counterparts in Germany.
The Hope Not Hate podcast aired Episode 57 on 3 July, “Nigel Farage’s First Year Report Card”. These short podcasts, ranging from five to 25 minutes, analyse the rise of the far Right in modern Britain. They are punchy and provocative, likely to raise your blood pressure rather than calm your nerves. This particular episode scrutinises Mr Farage, holding him accountable for his words and actions as an MP, and questioning his integrity. In contrast, we can look to history for someone whose actions backed up his words.
Currently available on BBC Sounds is a charming historical drama, Origin, which presents Charles Darwin not just as a disembodied scientist, but as a husband and father deeply connected to his surroundings. The play depicts his writing of the famous book, its reception, and its subsequent revisions. Cleverly structured around the chapters of the book, it thoughtfully considers whether Darwin was a man of faith or a man of science, and what responsibility he bears for shaping the religious landscape and challenging the Christian paradigm.
The British Christian paradigm is once again shifting. In the Religion Media Centre podcast “Briefing: Future of Theology and Religious Studies in British Universities”, a panel discusses the part played by theology in universities (News, Leader comment, 12 September). A panel of academics examines why A-level students may not view theology as a valuable degree, and how university departments are integrating theology with other subjects — sometimes obscuring it, but in other cases enriching it through interdisciplinary approaches.
“Smells Like Teen Spirit: The secret diary of Adrian Mole”, in The Secret Life of Books, features an engaging conversation that examines the popular series of books, its author, her context, her trauma, and how she wrote a serious commentary on the socio-political landscape using a light-hearted comedic guise. The discussion draws back the curtain on how creators can tell the truth in ways that reveal both their outer and inner worlds.