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The first interracial kiss on American TV, a decidedly internationalist cast of characters: Star Trek has always been a deeply political programme, but what are those politics? How did they arise in the Cold War America in which the show was initially developed? And where does the vision of an international (or even intergalactic) Federation developed in the series fit into the politics of today?

Matthew Sweet is joined by George Takei, who played Lieutenant Sulu in the original Star Trek series, novelist and screenwriter Naomi Alderman, screenwriter and academic Una McCormack, and academic José-Antonio Orosco, author of Star Trek's Philosophy of Peace and Justice: A Global, Anti-Racist Approach.

Producer: Luke Mulhall

You can find more on https://intl.startrek.com/
Free Thinking has a collection of episodes exploring landmark TV series, plays, films, books etc. Episodes which are all available to download as Arts and Ideas podcasts and on ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Sounds include discussions of Ghostwatch, Nigel Kneale's Quatermass, the children's' TV series of Oliver Postgate, the Daleks, My Neighbour Totoro, Enter the Dragon and Bruce Lee and Touki Bouki /programmes/p01jwn44