The EI Podcast
The anatomy of the spy novel
From the gung-ho glamour of Ian Fleming’s James Bond to the disorder of Mick Herron’s Slow…
April 20, 2026
Meritocracy Week
It’s Meritocracy Week on Engelsberg Ideas. Leading writers explore the global history of merit in culture and politics. Do meritocracies deliver on their promise? Is meritocracy working? Can the concept be fixed?
Podcast episodes
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The EI Podcast
The roots of the West’s identity crisis
Marie Kawthar Daouda, author of ‘Not Your Victim: How our Obsession with Race Entraps and …
April 16, 2026
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The EI Podcast
Iran’s Scottish obsession
From placard-waving crowds in Yazd to troll farms on social media, the Islamic Republic ha…
April 13, 2026
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The EI Podcast
Washington’s return to Latin America
Following the capture of Venezuela’s Nicolás Maduro earlier this year, President Donald Tr…
April 9, 2026
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The EI Podcast
The Houthis’ forever war
Elisabeth Kendall speaks to EI’s Jack Dickens about what motivates the Houthis. Following …
April 3, 2026
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The EI Podcast
Can epic poetry revive History?
When combined, as the ancients knew, history and poetry offer an incomparable insight into…
March 30, 2026