In the age of reason and rationality, what room is there for the transcendent? Authors of the bestselling book God, the Science, the Evidence, Michel-Yves Bollore and Olivier Bonnassies, challenge the materialist consensus and argue that the origins of the universe could still be the work of a creator. They join UnHerd's Freddie Sayers to discuss their research and what it might reveal... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Hitchens & Moore vs. Gove & Ibrahim: The Thatcher Debate
On what would have been her 100th birthday, Freddie Sayers chairs a spirited debate on Thatcherism and the Iron Lady’s place in Britain’s story. How should we understand her legacy in 2025? Did she transform the country for the better — or does she bear responsibility for many of today’s problems? In this all-star debate, journalists Peter Hitchens and Suzanne Moore go head-to-head with former Conservative politician and Spectator editor Michael Gove, and political analyst Reem Ibrahim, in a lively clash over the most divisive figure in modern British history. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Deep dive: Is this the end of trans?
Freddie Sayers sits down with Professor of Politics at the University of Buckingham, Eric Kaufmann, to discuss his latest report on “The Decline of Trans and Queer Identity among Young Americans”, which reveals a significant and surprising shift in the landscape of gender and sexual identity among Generation Z. Professor Kaufmann explains his findings, which show a sharp drop in both trans and queer identification since 2023. Drawing on data from large-scale surveys of US undergraduates, he details how the share of trans-identified students has nearly halved in just two years. Their discussion explores the data, including trends in elite institutions, and delves into the potential reasons for this decline. Is it linked to changes in mental health, the growing distance from the pandemic and lockdowns, or the so-called “anti-woke” vibe shift? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Steven Pinker: Questions that shouldn't be asked
Freddie Sayers sits down with renowned cognitive psychologist, author, and Harvard Professor of Psychology Steven Pinker to discuss his latest book, When Everyone Knows That Everyone Knows... and explore how common knowledge shapes our social, political, and economic worlds. Their conversation delves into the power and pitfalls of collective thinking, the dynamics of cancel culture and censorship, and the Trump administration’s clashes with academic institutions like Harvard. They also consider whether democracy is in decline, if society is losing its shared sense of reality, and whether there’s still reason to be optimistic about the future. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Lord Maurice Glasman: Could Blue Labour stop Reform?
UnHerd’s Contributing Editor Jonny Ball (aka Despotic Inroad) sits down with Lord Maurice Glasman, the Labour peer and political theorist behind Blue Labour, at Labour party conference 2025 in Liverpool. UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer is under fire and polling as the least popular on record — Glasman argues that the party faces a battle for its very soul.In this conversation, he traces the history of the movement he founded, Blue Labour, and its critique of the Labour party’s transformation into what he sees as metropolitan and liberal, detached from its working-class roots. Glasman highlights how the working class and young voters are drifting to Nigel Farage’s Reform, why the best predictor of whether you vote Labour is whether you went to private school, and what it would take to reverse Labour’s decline: a renewed focus on industrial strategy, job creation, and working-class empowerment.Can Blue Labour stop Reform’s rise and save Labour? Could Reform actually replace Labour as the voice of working people? And what, if anything, should Labour learn from MAGA and Trump’s populist success? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Freddie Sayers from online magazine UnHerd seeks out top scientists, writers, politicians and thinkers for in-depth interviews to try and help us work out what’s really going on. What started as an inquiry into the pandemic has broadened into a fascinating look at free speech, science, meaning and the ideas shaping our world.Due to popular demand here is a podcast version of our YouTube — available to watch, for free here or by searching ‘LockdownTV’.Enjoy! And don't forget to rate, like and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.