Laurie Taylor explores new research that resonates in society. In the recent Arab Spring a Syrian singer has his vocal chords cut after singing at protest rallies. Forty years ago the Chilean musician Victor Jara had his hands chopped off before being murdered by government forces. In both cases, music was seen as challenging the power of a dictatorship. Thinking Allowed explores popular music as a threat to national security.John Street, Professor of Politics at the University of East Anglia joins Laurie to discuss a paper on the subject written by Thierry Cote, Research Associate at the York Center for International and Security Studies in Toronto, Canada

Laurie also looks at a new book co-authored by economist Professor Ian Goldin, a former Vice President of the World Bank, which examines the history, present and future of immigration and argues that, overall, immigration is essential for economic and cultural prosperity.

Producer. Chris Wilson.