Free Thinking

The first of a series of six events looking at Shakespeare's depiction of different professions in his plays. Colonel Tim Collins OBE, whose rousing eve of battle speech to his troops as they prepared to go into Iraq in March 2003 has become famous, and Shakespearean expert Professor Emma Smith will discuss soldiers and war in plays including Henry V with presenter Rana Mitter. Recorded in front of an audience at the Imperial College Union earlier this evening.

Producer: Torquil MacLeod.

From the wily Figaro to the murderous Sweeny Todd, barbers and the politics of shaving cast an interesting light on the history of 18th and 19th century Britain. Historian and expert on the Victorian Body, Kathryn Hughes and Alun Withey from the University of Exeter, who is studying hair and health over the centuries consider why clean-shaven Georgians gave way to the hairy wonders of bearded Victorians and why soldiers returning from Empire were the fore-runners of increasingly hirsute fashions and tell Shahidah Bari about muscular Christianity, bearded ladies and a range of products no man would be without.

Rana Mitter talks to the novelist Philip Hensher and Professor Philip Horne about the impact of Italy on the writing of Henry James, James, the centenary of whose death falls this year, first visited Italy when he was 26. It was love at first sight. Over the next forty years he made many more trips to the country and published an acclaimed collection of essays called Italian Hours.

Henry James: A Life in Letters edited by Philip Horne is out now.

Producer: Zahid Warley

Marking the bicentenary of Charlotte Brontë’s birth, Claire Harman, her biographer and Yorkshire-born novelist and author of ‘Chocolat’ Joanne Harris discuss her life and work. The discussion is presented by Dr Gregory Tate from the University of St Andrews who teaches Brontë's work and was recorded earlier as a free audience event held at the Imperial College Union. For more details go to the Proms website.

Gregory Tate is one of the New Generation Thinkers selected by BBC Radio 3 and the Arts and Humanities Research Council in a scheme to find academics interested in turning their research into radio.

Charlotte Brontë: A Life by Claire Harman is out now.

The most recent novel published by Joanne Harris is called Different Class.

The Brontë Society Anniversary Conference takes place in Manchester from August 19th to the 21st.

For information about a series of exhibitions at the Haworth Parsonage in Yorkshire, the National Portrait Gallery, the National Media Museum in Bradford go to the website of The Brontë Society. https://www.bronte.org.uk/whats-on/news/149/bronte200

Producer: Torquil MacLeod.

Rana Mitter introduces author Frank Cottrell-Boyce to deliver this year’s Proms Lecture. Four years ago he was involved in writing the Olympic Opening Ceremony for the London Olympic Games. His lecture looks at the cultural legacy, the importance of arts in education and the wider influence of arts on society.

Producer: Fiona McLean

Anne McElvoy looks ahead to the Rio Olympics discussing Brazilian culture with author, politics lecturer and former National Secretary for Public Security Luis Eduardo Suárez and with Dr Edward King from the University of Bristol. The RSC is exploring saying the unsayable this summer with a season of plays, Anne talks with the writer and the director of 'Fall of the Kingdom, Rise of the Foot Soldier' - Somalia Seaton and Nadia Latif. Neuroscientist Marc Lewis explains why he is convinced that addiction is a behavioural problem and not a disease. And Raqib Shaw talks about his new exhibition of self-portraits.

Rio de Janeiro: Extreme City by Luis Eduardo Suárez published by Allen Lane is out now.

Producer: Ruth Watts

Philip Dodd explores war and modern memory with former Colonel Lincoln Jopp MC, the historians, Lloyd Clark, Anna Feigenbaum and Ana Carden-Coyne and the New Generation Thinker, Anindya Raychaudhuri.

Lloyd Clark teaches War Studies at the University of Buckingham and is writing a book on generalship.

Dr Ana Carden-Coyne is co-director of the Centre for the Cultural History of War at Manchester University.

Dr Anna Feigenbaum teaches at Bournemouth University and is currently writing Tear Gas: 100 Years in the Making.

Former Colonel Lincoln Jopp MC studied philosophy and theology at university before taking up a commission with the Scots Guards. He was decorated for gallantry in Sierra Leone and served in Northern Ireland, Iraq and Afghanistan before finishing his military career as assistant head of the MOD's strategy unit.

Dr Anindya Raychaudhuri is a lecturer in the School of English at the University of St Andrews and is conducting oral history research into the impact of Partition.

The New Generation Thinkers prize is an initiative launched by BBC Radio 3 and the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) to find the brightest minds from across the UK who have the potential to transform their research into engaging broadcast programmes. You can hear more about the research topics of all 10 2016 New Generation Thinkers on our website on a programme broadcast on May 31st and available as an arts and ideas podcast and find clips where you can hear their newly commissioned written pieces on a range of subjects.

Producer: Zahid Warley

Matthew Sweet and the critic, Natalie Haynes report from Liverpool where art has taken over the city. They talk to the artists, Marvin Gaye Chetwynd, Betty Woodman and Krzysztof Wodiczko as well as the Biennial director, Sally Tallant and the poet and 2015 New Generation Thinker Sandeep Parmar, who is curating a literary programme for the festival.

The Liverpool Biennial runs until October 16th

New Generation Thinker Victoria Donovan explores the links between Wales and Ukraine. Later this month the Wales Book of the Year Awards take place. We hear from Dr Emma Schofield about the way Welsh fiction has reflected debates since devolution. And talk to Lidudumalingani - winner of this year's Caine Prize for African Writing. And Alex Massie and Professor Richard Wyn Jones discuss the view from Scotland and Wales after the Brexit referendum.

Dr Victoria Donovan researches Russian history and culture at the University of St Andrews.

The Wales Book of the Year Awards are announced on Thursday 21 July. The shortlists are:

Producer: Ruth Watts

As Georgia O'Keeffe images of New Mexico go on display at Tate Matthew Sweet discusses the idea of the desert with writers Geoff Dyer and Laurence Scott and Tanya Barson, the exhibition curator.

Georgia O'Keeffe runs at Tate Modern from 6 July – 30 October 2016