Intelligence Squared

For many of us, our relationships with our siblings are the longest of our lives. They shape our earliest experiences of love, rivalry, identity and belonging. Yet despite their lasting influence, they are often overlooked in favour of relationships with parents, partners or children.

In this episode, journalist and critic Mythili Rao speaks with broadcaster Catherine Carr about the overlooked significance of sibling relationships. Together they explore how these lifelong bonds shape who we become, from birth order and family dynamics to estrangement, grief and the challenges of caring for ageing parents.

Why do we place so much weight in birth-order stereotypes? Are only children really different? And what happens when sibling relationships break down? Drawing on personal stories, psychological research and expert interviews, Carr challenges familiar assumptions and examines how changing family structures, falling birth rates and longer lives are reshaping what it means to be a sibling today.

Catherine Carr is a broadcaster and journalist. She is the author of Who's the Favourite?: The Loving, Messy Realities of Sibling Relationships.

Mythili Rao is a journalist, critic and podcaster whose work explores literature, culture and society.

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Ben Rhodes served as one of Barack Obama’s closest foreign-policy aides, holding the role of Deputy National Security Advisor for Strategic Communications and Speechwriting from 2009 to 2017. He acted as the lead negotiator in secret talks that normalised U.S.–Cuba relations and was central in building political support for the Iran nuclear deal. Since leaving government, Rhodes has been an outspoken critic of Donald Trump and his efforts to dismantle Obama’s foreign policy legacy, moves Rhodes argues have destabilised the world and left America vulnerable.;

In June 2026 Rhodes came to Intelligence Squared to make sense of America in 2026 and chart a path back to its democratic ideals. Drawing on his new book All We Say: A History of the United States in Fifteen Speeches, Rhodes traced the long battle over what it means to be American — from Benjamin Franklin’s case for compromise to the culture war speeches that foreshadowed Donald Trump. He revealed the extraordinary power that words and oratory have had in redirecting the nation, and asked what they might still achieve at a time when American identity, and truth itself, is fiercely contested.

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Ben Rhodes served as one of Barack Obama’s closest foreign-policy aides, holding the role of Deputy National Security Advisor for Strategic Communications and Speechwriting from 2009 to 2017. He acted as the lead negotiator in secret talks that normalised U.S.–Cuba relations and was central in building political support for the Iran nuclear deal. Since leaving government, Rhodes has been an outspoken critic of Donald Trump and his efforts to dismantle Obama’s foreign policy legacy, moves Rhodes argues have destabilised the world and left America vulnerable.; 

In June 2026 Rhodes came to Intelligence Squared to make sense of America in 2026 and chart a path back to its democratic ideals. Drawing on his new book All We Say: A History of the United States in Fifteen Speeches, Rhodes traced the long battle over what it means to be American — from Benjamin Franklin’s case for compromise to the culture war speeches that foreshadowed Donald Trump. He revealed the extraordinary power that words and oratory have had in redirecting the nation, and asked what they might still achieve at a time when American identity, and truth itself, is fiercely contested.

This is the first instalment of a two-part episode. If you'd like to become a Member and get access to all our full ad free conversations, plus all of our Members-only content, just visit intelligencesquared.com/membership to find out more.

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Since the United States and Israel launched coordinated strikes on Iran in late February, the world has changed dramatically. More than fourteen countries have now become embroiled in the conflict and there is widespread fear the war could impact the world for years to come.

Clarissa Ward, CNN’s multi-award-winning Chief International Correspondent, has been reporting on the ground in the Middle East since the outbreak of the war. Ward is no stranger to war and has reported from the front lines of the world’s most dangerous conflicts – including in Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan, Gaza and Ukraine. And since the war with Iran began, she has been stationed in Erbil, Iraq, witnessing Iranian drones flying overhead and speaking to sources across a region gripped by fear about where the conflict could lead.

In June 2026 Ward came to Intelligence Squared to discuss the remaking of the world order she has witnessed firsthand throughout her career – and what it costs, in human terms, when order breaks down.

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This is the first instalment of a two-part episode. If you'd like to become a Member and get access to all our full ad free conversations, plus all of our Members-only content, just visit intelligencesquared.com/membership to find out more.

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Since the United States and Israel launched coordinated strikes on Iran in late February, the world has changed dramatically. More than fourteen countries have now become embroiled in the conflict and there is widespread fear the war could impact the world for years to come.

Clarissa Ward, CNN’s multi-award-winning Chief International Correspondent, has been reporting on the ground in the Middle East since the outbreak of the war. Ward is no stranger to war and has reported from the front lines of the world’s most dangerous conflicts – including in Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan, Gaza and Ukraine. And since the war with Iran began, she has been stationed in Erbil, Iraq, witnessing Iranian drones flying overhead and speaking to sources across a region gripped by fear about where the conflict could lead.

In June 2026 Ward came to Intelligence Squared to discuss the remaking of the world order she has witnessed firsthand throughout her career – and what it costs, in human terms, when order breaks down.

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This is an episode of Hotels with History, produced by Intelligence Squared on behalf of Perowne International⁠.

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Forensic science has transformed the way crimes are investigated and justice is delivered. From fingerprints and DNA to new forms of anatomical identification, its breakthroughs have helped solve cases once thought impossible. Yet when evidence is misunderstood or experts overreach, the consequences can be devastating.

In this episode, doctor and broadcaster Dr Radha Modgil speaks with Professor Lady Sue Black about her forty-year career as one of the world’s leading forensic anthropologists. From a childhood spent helping her father prepare animals to work in anatomy laboratories, mortuaries and courtrooms, Sue reflects on the experiences that led her into forensic science and the responsibilities that come with presenting evidence in court.

How certain can forensic science ever be? What happens when scientific evidence changes after a conviction? And how can juries be expected to understand complex findings? Drawing on landmark cases and her own pioneering research, Sue examines the role of the expert witness and the human cost of getting justice wrong.

Professor Lady Sue Black is an anatomist and forensic anthropologist. She is the author of An Expert Witness, the final book in a trilogy that also includes All That Remains and Written in Bone.

Dr Radha Modgil is a doctor, broadcaster and  author whose work explores health, wellbeing and the experiences that shape our lives.

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We are deeply confused about artificial intelligence: what it is, who it serves and whether it is leading us towards utopia or catastrophe. But according to AI ethicist Dr Eleanor Drage, these dramatic narratives often distract us from the urgent problems already embedded in the technology.

In this episode of the Intelligence Squared podcast, Drage joins researcher and author Carl Miller to explore the culture and ideas driving the AI arms race. From billionaires seeking to overcome death to biased policing algorithms and the growing influence of big tech over governments, they examine the forces shaping artificial intelligence and ask who stands to benefit.

Drawing on feminism, reparative justice and climate politics, Drage argues that we need new language and new ideas to decide what AI should be for. Can we move beyond the familiar stories of doom and technological salvation, and build a future in which machines serve society rather than control it?

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This is the first instalment of a two-part episode. If you'd like to become a Member and get access to all our full ad free conversations, plus all of our Members-only content, just visit intelligencesquared.com/membership to find out more.

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Robert Peston is one of Britain’s most trusted journalists. A fixture in British politics and business coverage, he came to national prominence as Business Editor and then Economics Editor at the BBC, where he revealed the crises at Northern Rock and RBS, the emergency rescue of HBOS, and the tumult around the credit crunch, bailouts, and austerity. 

Today he hosts his namesake flagship politics and current affairs show, Peston, as ITV’s Political Editor, and co-hosts The Rest is Money with Steph McGovern where he continues to help audiences make sense of the fast-evolving worlds of business and finance.

In July 2026 Peston joined us for the Intelligence Squared Economic Outlook. In conversation with BBC broadcaster Jonny Dymond, he explored the key challenges and opportunities facing today’s domestic, European, and global economies. 

Peston answered questions on our most pressing issues today. Has Keir Starmer successfully seen off a Labour Party coup, and will his government finally be able to deliver growth? In the face of war in the Middle East, how exposed is Britain to renewed instability in energy markets and the wider global economy? And what should policymakers do now to restore confidence, encourage investment and navigate a more volatile international landscape?

He also discussed The Kill Switch, the new novel in his bestselling crime thriller series, set at the intersection of media, money and political power.

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This recording is part of The Intelligence Squared Economic Outlook series of events made in partnership with Guinness Global Investors, an independent British fund manager that helps both individuals and institutions harness the future drivers of growth to achieve their investment goals.

To find out more visit: https://www.guinnessgi.com/

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Robert Peston is one of Britain’s most trusted journalists. A fixture in British politics and business coverage, he came to national prominence as Business Editor and then Economics Editor at the BBC, where he revealed the crises at Northern Rock and RBS, the emergency rescue of HBOS, and the tumult around the credit crunch, bailouts, and austerity. 

Today he hosts his namesake flagship politics and current affairs show, Peston, as ITV’s Political Editor, and co-hosts The Rest is Money with Steph McGovern where he continues to help audiences make sense of the fast-evolving worlds of business and finance.

In July 2026 Peston joined us for the Intelligence Squared Economic Outlook. In conversation with BBC broadcaster Jonny Dymond, he explored the key challenges and opportunities facing today’s domestic, European, and global economies. 

Peston answered questions on our most pressing issues today. Has Keir Starmer successfully seen off a Labour Party coup, and will his government finally be able to deliver growth? In the face of war in the Middle East, how exposed is Britain to renewed instability in energy markets and the wider global economy? And what should policymakers do now to restore confidence, encourage investment and navigate a more volatile international landscape?

He also discussed The Kill Switch, the new novel in his bestselling crime thriller series, set at the intersection of media, money and political power.

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This recording is part of The Intelligence Squared Economic Outlook series of events made in partnership with Guinness Global Investors, an independent British fund manager that helps both individuals and institutions harness the future drivers of growth to achieve their investment goals.

To find out more visit: https://www.guinnessgi.com/

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices