As Russia’s war on Ukraine continues, the historian Orlando Figes’s latest book considers how Russia and its rulers see the country.
He speaks to Alix Kroeger about why his book is called The Story of Russia, rather than The History of Russia, what drives Vladimir Putin and the low chances of the country liberalising any time soon.
The Story of Russia is published by Bloomsbury and available from 1 September
Read more:
Serhii Plokhy: “The Ukrainian army that no one ever knew existed is winning” Vladimir Putin has failed to learn Stalin’s lessons How Vladimir Putin views the world Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How Russia sees itself, with Orlando Figes

World Review is the global affairs podcast from the New Statesman, hosted by Jeremy Cliffe in Berlin and Emily Tamkin in Washington D.C. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

News & Politics

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Politics

The ongoing war between Israel and Hamas has now passed the 100 day mark. On the 14 January Alona Ferber attended the Jewish Labour Movement conference, which happened to take place on the 100th day of the war. In this podcast she speaks with Susan Neiman, the American moral philosopher, about the splits this war has caused on the left and tensions she sees between tribalist currents on the left and universalist principles, which Neiman believes are the values of a true left. 
Read Susan Neiman's essay: The universalist tradition has been forgotten, the Enlightenment betrayed
Switch on with 50% off Refresh your perspective in 2024 with free-thinking journalism and 50% off our annual subscriptions. Simple use the code JAN50 at the checkout. *Offer ends 31st January and applies to the first year only. www.newstatesman/subscribe   
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Susan Neiman: "It's not about being pro-Israel or pro-Palestine, but pro-human rights"

In 2024 countries with more than 4 billion people will be sending their citizens to the polls. The US, Russia, and India to name a few; this is set to be the biggest election year in history.   In this episode of the podcast Anoosh Chakelian is joined by the New Stateman's foreign correspondent Bruno Maçães and senior data journalist Ben Walker to review some of the major political forces at play around the globe in 2024.   Download the app: iOS: https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/new-statesman-magazine/id610498525 Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.progressivemediagroup.newstatesman&hl;=en_GB&gl;=US   Subscribe to the New Statesman WhatsApp channel: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Va9latS0wajogms2z02c Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How will elections shape the world in 2024?

Earlier this month we published a magazine with the cover ‘Being Jewish Now’. At this time of crisis in the Middle East, with divisions over the Gaza war and rising anti-Semitism, we asked a group of writers, thinkers, and activists to reflect on the question of what it means to be Jewish and on the left today.     
In this episode of the podcast senior editor Alona Ferber speaks to five of the writers who contributed to this essay collection, delving deeper into the themes explored in the magazine.
Fania Oz-Salzberger: This generation will never see Gazans and Israelis become fellow citizens Sam Adler-Bell: Jews in the diaspora must resist the inhumanity being done by Israel in our name Omer Bartov: Both Netanyahu’s cabinet and Hamas see this crisis as an opportunity Chanda Prescod-Weinstein: Lessons of growing up black and Jewish Howard Jacobson: The founding of Israel wasn’t a colonial act – a refugee isn’t a colonist
Being Jewish Now: https://www.newstatesman.com/ideas/2023/11/what-it-means-to-be-jewish-now
Download the app: iOS: https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/new-statesman-magazine/id610498525 Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.progressivemediagroup.newstatesman&hl;=en_GB&gl;=US Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What does it mean to be Jewish and on the left today?

Iran, Hamas and Hezbollah – all of whom operate out of Beirut’s southern suburbs – have coordinated their positions in various ways for years in pursuit of what they see as the greater good.
John Jenkins, former British ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Libya, Iraq, Syria and Burma, speaks to senior editor Katie Stallard about Iran's interest in the Israel-Hamas conflict and how this will play out across the region.

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Iran's interest in Israel, with former ambassador John Jenkins

**NEW EPISODE** As Israel prepares a ground attack on Gaza, Katie Stallard is joined by Alona Ferber and Professor Lina Khatib to explore the wider geo-political situation in the Middle East - including mounting violence on Israel's west bank and the looming shadow of Hezbollah in Iran.
This episode was originally published in the New Statesman podcast feed. We now regularly publish Ideas and Global Affairs content on Mondays on the New Statesman podcast. Follow or subscribe here: https://podfollow.com/new-statesman
Follow the New Statesman's reporting and analysis of the crisis in Israel and Gaza at www.NewStatesman.com.
Subscribers get ad-free access to all our podcasts via the New Statesman app. Download it in the iOS app store or the Google Play store.
Download the app: iOS: https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/new-statesman-magazine/id610498525 Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.progressivemediagroup.newstatesman&hl;=en_GB&gl;=US
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How Russia sees itself, with Orlando Figes

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