In November 1979, Margaret Thatcher exposed the distinguished art historian Anthony Blunt as a former Soviet spy - part of the infamous Cambridge Spy Ring who traded secrets with Moscow during the Second World War. Blunt’s unmasking provoked a media outcry that turned him into a national hate figure. In this 10-Minute Talk, President of the British Academy David Cannadine discusses the background to this extraordinary story. And he reveals how the British Academy itself got caught up in the public furore, leading to a showdown at its Annual General Meeting forty years ago this month, on the question of whether Blunt should be expelled from its membership.

'A Question of Retribution? The British Academy and the Matter of Anthony Blunt', edited by David Cannadine, was published on 23 July 2020.

Image: Anthony Blunt at a press conference, 20th November 1979 © Central Press / Stringer / Hulton Archive / Getty Images

Transcript: https://www.thebritishacademy.ac.uk/podcasts/10-minute-talks-art-historian-professor-writer-spy-the-extraordinary-story-of-anthony-blunt/ 

The 'Spanish Flu' of 1918-19 remains the most devastating pandemic of modern times, possibly killing up to 100 million people world wide. The loss of life massively exceeded the numbers killed during the First World War. Yet curiously its political, military and social impact was largely unrecognised at the time and is barely considered today. In this talk, Hew Strachan discusses the challenges the flu epidemic presents for the modern historian and provides some context for our own predicament today.

The British Academy's Shape the Future programme examines the societal, economic and cultural implications of the pandemic

Speaker: Professor Sir Hew Strachan FBA, Professor of International Relations, University of St Andrews; Emeritus Fellow, All Souls College, Oxford; Life Fellow, Corpus Christi College, Cambridge

Image: A typist wearing a flu face mask © PhotoQuest / Archive Photos / Getty Images

Transcript: https://www.thebritishacademy.ac.uk/podcasts/10-minute-talks-war-revolution-and-pandemic-1918-19/ 

Elizabeth Barrett Browning (1806–1861) was one of the most popular poets of the Victorian period, remembered for her challenging poetry and courage of her views. In this 10-Minute Talk Isobel Armstrong discusses key stages of her life and work, from the courtship letters she wrote to her future husband through to the 19th century social and political issues which fed into her work.

Speaker: Professor Isobel Armstrong FBA Emeritus Professor of English, Birkbeck, University of London; Senior Research Fellow, Institute of English Studies; International Scholar, American Academy

Transcript: https://www.thebritishacademy.ac.uk/podcasts/10-minute-talks-the-life-and-work-of-elizabeth-barrett-browning/ 

The idea that climate change has caused, and will cause, war has been embraced by journalists and politicians, popular science writers and academics alike. However, this concept is not new. In this 10-Minute Talk David Livingstone looks back in history, tracing links between earlier writings about climate and violence and contemporary thinking.

Speaker: Professor David Livingstone FBA, Professor of Geography and Intellectual History, Queen's University Belfast

Image: Demonstrators hold placards © Daniel Leal-Olivas / AFP via Getty Images

Transcript: https://www.thebritishacademy.ac.uk/podcasts/10-minute-talks-climate-and-war/

As ongoing protests against racial injustice and police brutality in the United States are met with militarised police action, tear gas, the National Guard, and threats of military intervention from representatives of the Trump administration and U.S. Congress, many observers are asking if this is what American fascism looks like. It is a question the Trump campaign itself raised when it decided to revive a forgotten political slogan, "America First" in 2016. In this 10-Minute Talk, Sarah Churchwell offers a brief history of "America First" and answers the perennial question of American fascism: can it happen here?

Speaker: Professor Sarah Churchwell, Chair of Public Understanding of the Humanities and Professorial Fellow in American Literature, IES, School of Advanced Study University of London and Director, Being Human Festival.

Transcript: https://www.thebritishacademy.ac.uk/podcasts/10-minute-talks-america-first-and-american-fascism/

Westminster Abbey has a fascinating history to tell. As well as being a place of worship, it is an architectural masterpiece and treasure house of artefacts; the final resting place for some of the most significant people in Britain’s history; and the setting for every coronation since 1066 and numerous other royal occasions. In this talk, President of the British Academy David Cannadine discusses Westminster Abbey’s unique place in history and its meaning, significance and impact within society both in Britain and beyond.

Speaker: Professor Sir David Cannadine PBA, President, British Academy; Dodge Professor of History, Princeton University

Transcript: https://www.thebritishacademy.ac.uk/podcasts/10-minute-talks-westminster-abbey-a-church-in-history/

Why are Shakespeare plays filled with songs – not all of them relevant to the story? In this 10-Minute Talk, Tiffany Stern discusses sales of printed songtexts in Shakespeare’s London. She asks whether songs performed in, about or after plays were ‘product placement’ for theatre sales.

Speaker: Professor Tiffany Stern FBA, Professor of Shakespeare and Early Modern Drama, Shakespeare Institute, University of Birmingham

Image: Performance at the Globe Theatre © Leon Neal / AFP / Getty Images

Transcript: https://www.thebritishacademy.ac.uk/podcasts/10-minute-talks-theatre-marketing-and-ballads-in-the-time-of-shakespeare

Reflecting on years spent talking to parents, teachers and children about the influx of digital technologies in their lives, Sonia Livingstone will dispel some popular myths about screen time along with other techno-hype and fear-mongering, and offer some evidence-based suggestions to help maximise digital opportunities for children and minimise the risks.

Speaker: Professor Sonia Livingstone FBA, Professor of Social Psychology, Department of Media and Communications, LSE

Transcript: https://www.thebritishacademy.ac.uk/podcasts/10-minute-talks-parenting-for-a-digital-future/