Free Thinking

American author Jonathan Franzen's interest in the Austrian satirist and journalist resulted in him publishing The Kraus Project. He joins Philip Dodd, novelist Lawrence Norfolk and literary historian, Heide Kunzelmann for a programme exploring the writing and politics of Karl Kraus (1874–1936) - whose artistic achievements include 700 one man performances of works by Brecht, Goethe, Shakespeare and others - plus performances of Offenbach's operettas, accompanied by piano and singing all the roles himself; whose magazine Die Fackel published Oskar Kokoschka, Adolf Loos, Heinrich Mann, Arnold Schönberg, August Strindberg and Oscar Wilde and whose support for other artists included assisting Frank Wedekind in staging his controversial play Pandora's Box.

Part of Radio 3's Breaking Free series of programmes exploring music and culture in Vienna.

Producer: Zahid Warley

Anne McElvoy explores the history and possible future of the Union Jack or Union flag in a year which has seen the Brexit Vote.

At the Conservative Party Conference Theresa May's speech argued that the establishment must stop sneering at the patriotism of ordinary Britons. With renewed discussions about Scottish independence in the wake of the Brexit vote, what might this mean for the idea of patriotism in Britain - and for the flag which was created in 1606 as ‘the flag of Britain’, and which gained the name ‘Union’ in 1625.

Part of a week-long focus on Free Thinking on the idea of patriotism and why politicians of all stripes are claiming that their parties are the most patriotic.

Producer: Eliane Glaser.

Rana Mitter debates the meaning of patriotism in Russia, China, Japan and Latin America with guests including historian and policy analyst Michael Auslin, David Priestland who is Professor of Modern History at Oxford University, Chinese-British novelist and filmmaker Xiaolu Guo (whose autobiography is published in January) and Oscar Guardiola-Rivera, lawyer and author of What If Latin America Ruled the World?

Part of a week of programmes on Free Thinking exploring the way patriotism has become a subject of intense debate amongst politicians and thinkers in countries across the world.

Definition of patriotic. : having or showing great love and support for your country/ being proud of it

This summer saw Russia opening a “patriotic” summer camp for hundreds of veterans' children and President Putin talked about patriotism being the only possible unifying national idea. In China a directive, issued earlier this year by the Communist Party organization of the Ministry of Education, called for “patriotic education” to thread through the curriculum in schools and tensions in the South China Sea have seen a rise in political rhetoric talking about patriotism.

Producer: Torquil MacLeod

At the end of a year which has seen Britain vote for Brexit, the rise of political parties claiming patriotism in other European countries and a sense of national pride being invoked by politicians in Russia and China - Free Thinking hears from some of the key thinkers exploring these current debates.

Our week long focus begins in France where Philip Dodd talks to the public intellectual, Alain Finkielkraut and the novelist and film-maker Karim Miské.

Karim Miské is the author of the award winning novel, Arab Jazz, and of an essay, N'Appartenir which charts his search for a sense of belonging in contemporary France.

Producer: Zahid Warley.

Are public enquiries good government? At the end of a year where we have seen the Hillsborough and Chilcot reports are these the best way of calling to account? Margaret Hodge and Bronwen Maddox join Anne McElvoy to discuss. Plus, Matthew Parris considers the concept of scorn and those who are best at pouring it.

Matthew Parris has written an updated version of Scorn: The Wittiest and Wickedest Insults in Human History

Producer: Craig Smith.

John Simpson joins Philip Dodd to discuss fifty years of reporting from around the world for the BBC and what the future holds for foreign correspondents.

Once our news came from three primary sources: newspapers, radio and TV. But in a digital world which offers a proliferation of 'news' how do we separate fact from opinion or even fakery? Former director general of the BBC and current CEO of The New York Times Company, Mark Thompson, journalist Susie Boniface (aka Fleet Street Fox), author and TV producer, Peter Pomerantsev, and academic, Martin Moore, consider what we mean by news in 2016.

We Chose to Speak of War and Strife: The World of the Foreign Correspondent is by John Simpson.

Nothing Is True and Everything Is Possible: The Surreal Heart of the New Russia is by Peter Pomerantsev

Enough Said: What's gone wrong with the language of politics? is by Mark Thompson.

Producer: Craig Templeton Smith

Classicist Professor Edith Hall, New Generation Thinker Chris Kissane, novelist Elif Shafak, and Dr Alan Mendoza from the Henry Jackson Society join Matthew Sweet to consider what might be on a reading list to prepare for a post Brexit world.

Reading List:

Producer: Luke Mulhall

Shahidha Bari and guests look at our relationship with animals.

Anne McElvoy meets David Rooney curator of the Winton Mathematics gallery at the Science Museum which has been redesigned by Zaha Hadid architects and explores the way maths skills are increasingly needed for jobs. She discusses the changing attitudes to mathematics in history and the present day with Alex Bellos, writer on maths puzzles, maths historian Serafina Cuomo and maths lecturer Vicky Neale. They are joined by astro-physicist Neil de Grasse Tyson who is director of the Hayden Planetarium at the American Museum of Natural History.

Alex Bellos is the author of Alex Through The Looking Glass and his latest book called Can You Solve My Problems.

Producer: Harry Parker.

Colin Grant, author of a book exploring his brother's epilepsy, joins presenter Matthew Sweet, New Generation Thinker Clare Walker Gore who writes about Wilkie Collins and Charles Fernyhough - who studies hearing voices. Plus director Josie Rourke on Joan of Arc on stage at the Donmar Warehouse and theatre critic David Benedict.

St Joan by George Bernard Shaw starring Gemma Arterton is at the Donmar Warehouse in London from December 9th - January 18th. It will be broadcast

Producer: Torquil MacLeod.