With the growing friction between China and the world, exacerbated in the wake of the pandemic, the need to understand the political legacy of Mao is urgent and growing. In Maoism: A Global History, eminent British scholar, author and translator Julia Lovell takes on the ambitious and challenging task of covering the sweeping and turbulent history of Maoism in one accessible text, bringing attention to Mao and his ideas in a new light. Through a series of interviews, archival references and ethnographic study, Lovell synthesises concurrent narratives and conceptions, providing a re-evaluation of the ideology in the present context. She discusses her exciting work in conversation with historian and writer Michael Puett in an essential session on the enduring appeal of Maoism.