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The Prospect Podcast
by Prospect Magazine
Join our deputy editor Ellen Halliday and senior editor Alona Ferber as they interview some of the brightest minds to discuss the ideas that matter most in politics, society and culture. The Prospect Podcast is produced by Prospect Magazine. Subscribe to Prospect and enjoy our rigorously fact-checked, truly independent analysis and perspectives. Get one free issue of Prospect when you sign up today: https://subscription.prospectmagazine.co.uk/OCT1MFBG/prospect-magazine/OCT1MFG Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Episodes
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Tell Me Why... AI has killed the author
Would you care if AI wrote your favourite novel? In the second episode of Tell Me Why, tech journalist and Londoner editor Alys Key joins Prospect’s Alona Ferber and Imaan Irfan. They explore how artificial intelligence is shaping literature, after recent awards became mired in scandal over…
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Tell Me Why... Fascism has a new face, ft. Naomi Klein and Astra Taylor
Religious zealots, tech accelerationists and ethnonationalists are trying to fast-track the apocalypse. But why? In the first ever episode of Tell Me Why, Naomi Klein and Astra Taylor join Imaan Irfan and Alona Ferber in the Prospect studio to discuss the ideas behind their new book End Times...
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Ethan Zuckerman: Will artificial intelligence destroy us all?
As tech insiders warn about an impending apocalypse, Ellen and Imaan are joined by Ethan Zuckerman, Prospect contributor and associate professor at the University of Massachusetts Amherst to examine those claims. He discusses AI agents going rogue in the Hugging Face incident, as well as recent...
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Prospect Lives: Unexpected lessons from my alcoholic father
This month, Rural life writer Kiran Sidhu shares her love for her late father, who was an imperfect but brilliant parent. Meanwhile, Second life writer Vitali Vitaliev is reminded of his former, Soviet life when he reads about the hounding of Cambridge academic Jason Arday. Mindful life writer...
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Elon Musk, space solar and eternal power
Have scientists found the secret to eternal power? Engineers, inventors and sci-fi writers have long dreamed of harvesting the constant power of the sun. Now, plans to build solar panels in space are tantalisingly close to fruition. This week, Ellen is joined by Prospect contributing editor…
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Andy Burnham’s theory of power
Who really runs the United Kingdom? Power is badly misallocated, argues journalist and author Phil Tinline, and Andy Burnham understands that better than most of his recent predecessors. But there is still a major gap in the prime minister’s analysis. This week, he joins Ellen and Alona in a...
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Daron Acemoglu: How to save liberal democracy
According to Nobel prize-winning economist Daron Acemoglu, liberal democracy made three promises: that prosperity would be shared equitably, that capable government would deliver public services and that citizens would have voice to express their opinions and participate in governance. But in...
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How cabbies see England
What can a taxi ride tell us about the state of the UK? Driving home is an immersive documentary staged inside a real black cab where audiences hear from taxi drivers across the UK about migration, belonging, politics, and community. Today on the podcast, Daphna Attias and Terry O’Donohue, the...
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Eternal youth and billionaire biohacking: The politics of longevity
Billionaires, millionaires and biohackers are plying themselves with supplements and consulting AI to extend their lives indefinitely. But would you want to live forever? This week, Ellen and Alona are joined by journalist and author Katherine Stewart, who investigates the politics of the…
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How long will the ‘Burnham bounce’ last?
As Andy Burnham marks his first two weeks in Downing Street, the polls are registering a bump in support for Labour. This week, Ellen and Imaan are joined by Prospect’s contributing editor Tom Clark to assess the prime minister’s first steps in office. Tom discusses surprising policy pledges,...
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Prospect Lives: I’ve had an old-lady fall!
This month Rural life writer Kiran Sidhu decides to embrace materialism, while Anglican priest Alice Goodman recounts the ballad of the Tithe pig. Actor and writer Sheila Hancock is taken to hospital after a fall and is very impressed by the attractive doctors treating her. Hosted on Acast. See...
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Stateless: How the UK government strips citizenship—and why it matters
Citizenship has been described as “the right to have rights”. But, in recent years, the UK government has increasingly stripped people of their citizenship— effectively leaving many stateless. This week, Ellen and Alona are joined by journalist and author Samira Shackle, who tracks the rapid...
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Marie Le Conte: Britain's youth and the death of social mobility
The UK’s young adults are ready to be taken seriously—so why aren’t they? This week, Alona and Imaan are joined by journalist and author Marie Le Conte to discuss why a whole generation seems stuck in an extended adolescence, priced out of housing and routinely ignored by politicians. In an...
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Big money, big problems: Reform’s donation problem—with Peter Geoghegan
As Nigel Farage continues to face scrutiny over his finances and undeclared donations, is big money hurting our democracy? This week, Alona and Imaan are joined by Peter Geoghegan, investigative journalist and founder of Democracy for Sale. Peter unpacks the scandal and introduces a cast of…
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A history of power: the creation of data empires
Humans have collected data for thousands of years—but now we’re doing it on a whole new level. This week, Ellen and Alona and joined by Roopika Risam, professor of Digital Humanities and Social Engagement at Dartmouth College in New Hampshire, whose new book Data Empire explores the ancient roots...
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A barrel of rotting apples: Political corruption in modern Britain
Lying, lobbying, and luxury donor gifts—has UK politics gone crooked? This week, Ellen and Imaan are joined by Robert Barrington, professor of anti-corruption practice at Sussex University’s Centre for the Study of Corruption. He argues that corruption is more widespread than assumed in Britain,...
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Prospect Lives: I can’t stop singing my thoughts
This month, our Mindful life writer Sarah Collins explains how her OCD had her singing her thoughts, while Second life writer Vitali Vitaliev asks: what’s in a nose? A trip to the Museum of Brands takes actor Sheila Hancock down memory lane, while Alice Garnett asks her parents for advice on...
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Jens Beckert: Democracy won’t beat climate change
As a heatwave sweeps across Europe, Ellen and Imaan are joined by sociologist Jens Beckert, the author of 'How We Sold Our Future: The Failure to Fight Climate Change'. He argues that the cultural, political and economic structures of capitalist modernity are themselves barriers to fighting the...
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It's time to take maternal mental health seriously
The UK has a maternal mental health support crisis. The leading cause of maternal deaths in the UK is mental health issues, including suicide, with maternal deaths from suicide having risen by seventy-four per cent in the last seven years alone. How can we address this urgent need for improved...
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World Cup 2026: Does Maga hate football?
What does the World Cup mean to you? This year’s tournament has been highly political so far: as it began, one of the host nations was at war with one of the competitors and referees and staff have been banned from the United States. This week, Philip and Ellen are joined by sports writer and...
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Ravi Gurumurthy has a plan for Britain
The country feels stuck. But can Britain prosper again? On the Prospect podcast this week, Prospect editor Philip Collins is joined by Ravi Gurumurthy to discuss this question. Ravi is CEO of Nesta, which is a research foundation and “innovation agency”. He is a lead non-executive of the…
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Sarah O’Connor: Should we fight the AI revolution?
Would you want to work with a robot? A new technological revolution is underway—but what that revolution looks like, and where it takes us, is still being determined. This week, Ellen and Alona are joined by Sarah O’Connor, award-winning reporter and associate editor at the Financial Times, whose...
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Hettie O’Brien: The hidden cost of private equity
From nurseries to nursing homes, private equity increasingly affects all of us. This week, Ellen and Alona are joined by journalist Hettie O’Brien, who investigates the rise of private equity in her book The Asset Class: How Private Equity Turned Capitalism Against Itself. Hettie traces the rise…
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Sally Hayden: Finding love in a war zone
Although the world seems full of war and conflict, love—of all kinds—is everywhere. This week, Ellen and Alona are joined by Sally Hayden, award-winning journalist and author of This is Also a Love Story: Searching for Good in a Divided World. As a reporter, Sally has witnessed first-hand the...
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Prospect Lives: Restroom censorship and mates rates
This month our family of writers is in a whimsical mood: Vitali Vitaliev reflects on the very different purpose toilet paper once had in Soviet Ukraine, while Anglican priest Alice Goodman laments the poor quality of the Church’s Cheeky Pandas cartoons for children. Actor and writer Sheila…
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Starmer's leadership nightmare
It’s been a nightmare week for Keir Starmer. After devastating results for Labour in the 7th May elections, pressure has this week mounted on the prime minister to resign. He has said that he will stay, and that he wants to lead Labour into the next general election—but how long can he hang on…
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Election special! With Carys Afoko
It’s the week every political nerd has been waiting for. Tomorrow, voters go to the polls in England, Scotland and Wales to elect local councils, Holyrood and the Senedd. Just how bad do things look for Labour—and Keir Starmer? Why are Reform UK and the Greens surprisingly similar? And how come...
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Europe’s forgotten Muslim history
Twenty years ago, Tharik Hussain moved from the United Kingdom to Saudi Arabia with a sense that he and other Muslims didn’t belong in Europe. But, as he explains today on the podcast, he has since been on a journey to uncover some 1,400 years of rich Muslim history and culture on the continent....
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The Mandelson affair—and the price of factionalism
After the explosive revelation that Peter Mandelson had “failed” his vetting before being waved through as US ambassador, Alona and Imaan are joined by contributing editor Tom Clark to discuss the root cause of this political disaster. It wasn’t the vetting process, argues Tom, but the power...
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Prospect Lives: “I’m delighted to see my 93rd Spring”
This month, actor and writer Sheila Hancock is grateful to be reunited once more with daffodils, while Anglican priest Alice Goodman laments the lack of Church wardens in her parish. Meanwhile, Vitali Vitaliev explains why he thinks AI is rubbish at writing. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy...
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Daniel Trilling: How centrists mainstreamed the far right
The term “far right” is frequently invoked in British political discourse. But who really fits the bill? This week, journalist and author Daniel Trilling joins Ellen and Alona to discuss how previously fringe positions have gained traction and entered mainstream politics. Daniel defines the far...
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The rise of facial recognition policing
Facial recognition technology is being rolled out by police forces across the country—and there are no clear limits on how it can be used. This week, Ellen is joined by Mark Wilding, investigative journalist at Liberty Investigates, who discusses how artificial intelligence is being used to…
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Kim Darroch: Three ways the Iran war can end
The UK has chosen not to follow Trump into the war on Iran. Has Starmer damaged the “special relationship”—or was it the right call? This week Philip and Ellen are joined by Kim Darroch, former national security adviser and UK ambassador to the United States. He analyses the US-Israel war with...
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Sven Beckert: How capitalism made the world
Is capitalism inevitable? This week, Prospect contributing editor Tom Clark is joined by Sven Beckert, Harvard professor and author of Capitalism: A Global History. Sven discusses the evolution of capitalism, from its development by Arab, African and Chinese traders, to its place in the modern...
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Has Reform peaked? Peter Kellner on politics
The Gorton and Denton byelection was a sensation for the Greens—and it hurt Labour’s pride. With the May elections approaching, the UK’s governing party looks set for a beating. But what about Reform? Peter Kellner, former director of polling company YouGov, joins Ellen and Alona on the podcast…
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Prospect Lives: “I enjoy the adverts more than the telly!”
This month, Gen Z-er Alice Garnett commands her peers to get down to the pub, while Rural life writer Kiran Sidhu recounts the mystery disappearance of a statue from her neighbouring village. Actor and writer Sheila Hancock celebrates television adverts, while Vitali Vitaliev cherishes the small...
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The Iran war: it’s not over
Donald Trump said the Iran war was “very complete”—but is it? Renad Mansour, a senior research fellow in the Middle East and North Africa Programme at the Chatham House thinktank, joins Ellen and Alona to make sense of the latest from Iran. As US-Israeli strikes continue, Mansour explains that...
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David Aaronovitch on unaccountable power in America
This week, Ellen is joined by journalist David Aaronovitch, who warns about the extreme wealth and unaccountable power of America’s new elite. From John D Rockefeller to Jeff Bezos, David explores the parallels between the “robber barons” of the late 19th century and today’s tech titans. He…
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The battle for Gorton and Denton’s soul
This week, Alona is joined by contributing editor Tom Clark and political columnist Ben Ansell to discuss what’s at stake in the upcoming Manchester byelection. With the polls showing a three-way-race between the Greens, Labour and Reform, the area has become a microcosm for wider political…
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Ukraine: four years of tracking war crimes
Ahead of the fourth anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Ellen and Alona are joined by researcher Maksimas Milta. Maksimas is the Ukraine Country Director at The Reckoning Project, which trains journalists to document war crimes and human rights violations. He talks about the...
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Starmer’s days of peril aren’t over
This week, Ellen and Alona are joined again by Prospect editor and former Labour speechwriter Philip Collins to unpack the government’s ongoing crisis. With Peter Mandelson currently under investigation by the Metropolitan Police, Starmer’s premiership came close to collapse. He appears to have...
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Prospect Lives: Jesus was a sissy
This month, Anglican priest Alice Goodman observes that Jesus would not be considered manly enough by today's far-right, while actor and writer Sheila Hancock ditches The Traitors in favour of a programme about Irish dancing. Sarah Collins, who lives with OCD, faces a collapse in her emotional...
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Peter Geoghegan on the Epstein files, power and impunity
More of the Epstein files have been released—but why now, and what do they really tell us? This week, Ellen and Alona are joined by investigative journalist Peter Geoghegan, editor of the Democracy for Sale newsletter, to unpack what the documents reveal about power, money and impunity. Peter...
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Does devolution help builders or blockers?
Britain needs new infrastructure and housing—and devolution could be a help or a hindrance. Will giving a greater say to local communities through devolution increase the legitimacy of infrastructure and housing plans and accelerate their delivery? Or does it add complexity and aid the ‘blockers’...
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The party is over: Is this the end for Labour and the Tories?
Politics in Britain was once dominated by two big parties with predictable voter bases. But times have changed—and for the first time, new parties are on the rise.This week, Ellen and Imaan are joined by Prospect’s new editor Philip Collins, to discuss the breakdown of British politics as we know...
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After the protests: What does Iran’s future hold?
A crackdown by the Iranian government has quietened protests that swept across the country in recent weeks, but tensions remain high. This week, Ellen and Alona are joined by Aniseh Bassiri Tabrizi, a Middle East analyst at Control Risks, who dials in from Abu Dhabi to explain how these protests...
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Greenland, Venezuela and the new American interventionism
This week, Ellen and Alona are joined by Isabel Hilton—former Latin America editor, expert in Arctic security and Prospect contributing editor—to discuss how American foreign policy has evolved under the Trump administration, particularly after the US abduction of Venezuelan president Nicolás...
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Ed Miliband and Bill McKibben: The solar revolution is here—and it isn’t going anywhere
What hope is there for the future? Global greenhouse gas emissions continue to rise and right-wing populists rage against net zero. But, according to the UK’s climate minister and a leading American environmentalist, though, the economics of electrification will make the future brighter than it...
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Prospect Lives: Behind the clerical curtain on Christmas Eve
Anglican priest Alice Goodman explains how clerics manage their Christmas “turnaround time’, while Gen Z-er Alice Garnett takes us behind the scenes on a comedy panel show. Vitali Vitaliev is reminded of his first life in Soviet Russia by a museum of banned books in Tallinn, while Sarah Collins...
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‘Despair is a luxury’: A year of hope with Zizek, Mehdi Hasan, Robert Macfarlane and others
In the final podcast of the year, Ellen and Alona look back at their favourite episodes from 2025. During a dark year, Prospect has been collecting glimmers of hope. They asked some of the most interesting thinkers today—from politics, to environment to tech—for their perspectives on hope and...
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
Join our deputy editor Ellen Halliday and senior editor Alona Ferber as they interview some of the brightest minds to discuss the ideas that matter most in politics, society and culture.
The Prospect Podcast is produced by Prospect Magazine.
Subscribe to Prospect and enjoy our rigorously fact-checked, truly independent analysis and perspectives. Get one free issue of Prospect when you sign up today: https://subscription.prospectmagazine.co.uk/OCT1MFBG/prospect-magazine/OCT1MFG
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Prospect Magazine
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How many episodes does The Prospect Podcast have?
The Prospect Podcast currently has 498 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is The Prospect Podcast about?
Join our deputy editor Ellen Halliday and senior editor Alona Ferber as they interview some of the brightest minds to discuss the ideas that matter most in politics, society and culture. The Prospect Podcast is produced by Prospect Magazine. Subscribe to Prospect and enjoy our rigorously...
How often does The Prospect Podcast release new episodes?
The Prospect Podcast publishes regularly with 498 episodes available. Check the episode list for the typical release schedule.
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