In Our Time Podcast
Misha Glenny and guests discuss the ideas, people and events that have shaped our world.
A world-class seminar, every week.
In Our Time explores the ideas, people and discoveries that have shaped our world, spanning history, philosophy, religion, science, literature, art and culture.
On Thursdays, hear brand-new episodes hosted by Misha Glenny and leading academics. On Mondays, discover Misha's Archive Picks: classic conversations from the In Our Time archive, originally presented by Melvyn Bragg.
Recent episodes have featured topics as wide-ranging as the Roman Arena, Handel's Messiah, John Keats, On Liberty and the Mariana Trench, bringing expert insight to pivotal events, influential thinkers and remarkable discoveries.
Throughout the archive, you can hear discussions on historical figures such as Marie Antoinette, Nefertiti, Mary Wollstonecraft, Karl Marx and Albert Einstein; explore great works of literature such as Shakespeare’s Hamlet, Nineteen Eighty-Four, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and the poetry of John Donne; uncover the stories behind cultural masterpieces including Van Gogh's Sunflowers and Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel; or journey from Jupiter and the death of stars, to the theories of Plato and Aristotle.
In Our Time celebrates the pursuit of knowledge and the enduring power of ideas.
Episodes to download
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Writing and Political Oppression
Thu 8 Apr 1999
Melvyn Bragg examines whether writers have a political role in modern society.
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Good and Evil
Thu 1 Apr 1999
Melvyn Bragg examines how we judge good and evil in modern western civilisation.
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Architecture in the 20th Century
Thu 25 Mar 1999
Melvyn Bragg examines what the architecture of the 20th century says about the age.
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Animal Experiments and Rights
Thu 18 Mar 1999
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the role of animals in humankind’s search for knowledge.
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History as Science
Thu 11 Mar 1999
Melvyn Bragg examines the importance of geography and ecology in shaping world history.
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Shakespeare and Literary Criticism
Thu 4 Mar 1999
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the enduring popular and academic appeal of Shakespeare.
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The Avant Garde's Decline and Fall in the 20th Century
Thu 25 Feb 1999
Melvyn Bragg examines the history and legacy of 20th Century Avant Garde painting.
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Space in Religion and Science
Thu 18 Feb 1999
Melvyn Bragg looks at how cyberspace has introduced a new concept of space in our world.
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Language and the Mind
Thu 11 Feb 1999
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss whether the formation of language is innate or cultural.
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Psychoanalysis and its Legacy
Thu 4 Feb 1999
Melvyn Bragg examines the relevance of psychoanalysis at the end of the 20th century.
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Ageing
Thu 28 Jan 1999
Melvyn Bragg looks at the ethical, economic and biological implications of living longer.
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Modern Culture
Thu 21 Jan 1999
Melvyn Bragg examines the definition and state of modern culture in the 20th century.
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Genetic Engineering
Thu 14 Jan 1999
Melvyn Bragg examines the implications of the developments in genetic engineering.
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Feminism
Thu 7 Jan 1999
Melvyn Bragg examines the development of the empowerment of women in the 20th century.
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The British Empire's Legacy
Thu 31 Dec 1998
Melvyn Bragg examines the impact of Britain’s colonial past on its current identity.
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Neuroscience in the 20th century
Christmas Eve 1998
Melvyn Bragg examines the little we know and what we don’t yet know about the brain.
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The American Century
Thu 17 Dec 1998
Melvyn Bragg examines how legitimate it is to call the 20th century the American century.
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Cultural Rights in the 20th Century
Thu 10 Dec 1998
Melvyn Bragg examines what impact globalisation has had on human rights.
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History's relevance in the 20th century
Thu 3 Dec 1998
Melvyn Bragg considers the relevance of the study of history in the 20th century.
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Work in the 20th Century
Thu 26 Nov 1998
Melvyn Bragg examines the changing ideas about the function of work in the 20th century.
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The Brain and Consciousness
Thu 19 Nov 1998
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss our knowledge of memory and the functioning of the brain.
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The City in the 20th Century
Thu 12 Nov 1998
Melvyn Bragg looks at the innovative developments of the city in the 20th century.
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Science in the 20th century
Thu 5 Nov 1998
Melvyn Bragg examines how perceptions of science have changed in the 20th century.
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Science's Revelations
Thu 29 Oct 1998
Melvyn Bragg examines whether science has ruined our sense of poetic wonder at the world.
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Politics in the 20th Century
Thu 22 Oct 1998
Melvyn Bragg discusses politics and morality with Gore Vidal and Alan Clarke.
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War in the 20th Century
Thu 15 Oct 1998
Melvyn Bragg explores ideas that have influenced 20th century human rights and warfare.
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In Our Time Returns for a New Series
Mon 7 Sep 2026
The ideas, people and discoveries that have shaped our world.
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Archive: Emma
Thu 3 Sep 2026
Misha Glenny introduces a classic In Our Time episode: Emma, the novel by Jane Austen.
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Archive: The War of 1812
Thu 27 Aug 2026
Misha Glenny picks a classic In Our Time episode: the War of 1812 between USA and Britain
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Archive: Rosalind Franklin
Thu 20 Aug 2026
Misha Glenny picks a classic In Our Time episode: the eminent scientist Rosalind Franklin

