Free Thinking Episodes Episode guide
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Holocaust history
Ahead of Holocaust Memorial Day (Jan 27) Anne McElvoy hears testimony and new research.
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The Kyoto School
Chris Harding investigates the flourishing of Japanese philosophy in the 1930s and beyond.
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Heidegger and Anti-Semitism
Matthew Sweet discusses the influential German philosopher's relationship with Nazism.
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What is normal?
Sarah Chaney, Louise Creechan and Robert Chapman discuss neurodiversity with Matthew Sweet
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Shakespeare's Women
The women who crop up in Shakespeare's life, his plays and who helped conserve his legacy.
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Dust, dirt and domesticity
From mould to desertification Naomi Paxton and guests on the impact of dirt,heat and damp
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Essay writing
From Montaigne to modern Scottish writing - Rana Mitter discusses what makes a good essay.
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Game playing
Shahidha Bari finds out how to win at rock, paper, scissors and to make a Windrush game.
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Travel, pleasure and peril
From preventing strangulation on the railways to guide maps and the art of travel posters.
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Dickens, Disney and copyright
Matthew Sweet looks at copyright rules for Mickey Mouse and Dickens in C19th America.
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Greek myth, goddesses and art
From classic myths rewritten by Natalie Haynes to the art of John Craxton in Crete.
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Prize Winners 2023
Nandini Das, Tania Branigan, Halik Kochanski, Ed Yong, John Vallaint talk to Rana Mitter
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Harry Belafonte's career
The long career of the American singer, film star & activist with Matthew Sweet & guests.
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Margaret Cavendish
Nandini Das and guests discuss the Duchess of Newcastle - philosopher, poet and scientist.
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The Life of Objects
Timothy Morton, Steve Connor, Caroline Edwards and Rachele Dini talk to Lisa Mullen.
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JG Ballard's Crash
Iain Sinclair, Mark Blacklock, Muriel Zagha and Jo Stanley join Matthew Sweet.
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Narnia and CS Lewis
Exploring the literary and theological terrain of C.S. Lewis's Narnia
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Humboldt, soil, gardens and Frank Walter
Jago Cooper, Barbara Paca, Jim Scown and Camilla Allen talk trees, soil, art and advocacy.
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Kadare, Gospodinov, Kafka and Dickens
Lea Ypi and Roger Luckhurst join Matthew Sweet to look at novels, dreams and bureaucracy.
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Libraries
From Alexandria to mid-Wales, Laurence Scott and guests look at library history.
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Lorca
As the National Theatre stages The House of Bernarda Alba, Rana Mitter discusses Lorca
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AS Byatt and The Children's Book
AS Byatt discussed her writing life with Matthew Sweet as she published a novel in 2009.
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Postwar Germany
Forging the modern German nation from the moral and material ruins of World War II.
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Sam Selvon and The Lonely Londoners
Selvon's evocative 1956 novel discussed at the British Library by Shahidha Bari & guests.
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Ursula Le Guin and The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas
Naomi Alderman, Esmie Jikiemi-Pearson and others discuss the politics of this 1973 fable.
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Women, art and activism
Naomi Paxton and guests on exhibitions at Tate Britain, the Barbican and Modern Art Oxford
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Food
Lisa Mullen hears about new research into eating habits and ideas about hospitality.
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How and why we talk
John Gallagher hears about Gaelic consonants, tongue shapes and accent prejudice
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Shakespeare as inspiration
From Bollywood films and Pre-Raphaelite art to productions of Shakespeare in places at war
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The Imperial War Museum Remembrance discussion 2023
As the IWM unveils its new art galleries, Anne McElvoy & guests discuss photographing war
