Love has become widely seen as a democracy of salvation open to all. The reality is more complex. Is our religion of love doing more harm than good? Read by Leighton Pugh.
In our latest episode of Worldview hosted by Adam Boulton we consider the role outer space will play in the future of conflict. How soon will conflicts on Earth spill out into space? What form might these conflicts take and how can we regulate them? Adam speaks to Jacob Geer, Dr Stuart Eves and Professor von der Dunk to find out.
Albert Camus’ final work on his childhood and adolescence is the key to fully understanding his philosophy and politics.
Islam — unlike Christianity — may not have a central motif of pain, sin and suffering, but it reveals so much about what it means to live with adversity. Read by Leighton Pugh.
As the old adage goes, Nepal is a yam between two boulders. However, slowly but surely Nepal is unsticking itself from its southern neighbour and turning north towards China.
Acts of extreme self-sacrifice – such as suicide bombing – are not aberrations. They tell us something about our deepest instincts for group loyalty. Read by Leighton Pugh.
Pachyderms have proved remarkably versatile to European history – used, among other things, as symbols of conquering and colonisation, the lives of these creatures, and the way they have been treated, can stand as metaphor for the Continent’s own relationship to the rest of the world.
Untangling abstract words from one language to another is a subjective task – and translations often reveal as much about their translator as their original text
There is frequently no real reason why one person has more claim to live or even rule over a piece of land than another. A reason, however, must be provided and it can often be found in a fantastical interpretation of history. Read by Leighton Pugh.
The famous flea market inspired Tintin’s creator, Hergé, and remains a place of glorious disorderliness where economics are boiled down to their simplest form.
Lying awake in the dead of night is anathema to modern sensibilities – and an insomniac’s worst fear. But our pre-industrial ancestors understood (and experienced) night-time in richly complex ways.
On the latest episode of History Lessons, Mattias Hessérus talks to Adrian Wooldridge on the history and future of meritocracy, spanning from Tang dynasty China to Trump’s America.
Teenagers first emerged as a distinct group seventy years ago, sparking outrage and moral panic – as well as a rush by corporations to cash in on a new demographic. But adolescents have caused chaos, concern and confusion throughout history and in a variety of cultures.
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