Why was the response of the UK and US to the coronavirus pandemic so bungled? How can we be better prepared when the next disaster strikes? These are the questions that historian Niall Ferguson discussed with Rana Mitter in this week's episode. Drawing from his new book 'Doom: The Politics of Catastrophe' he explains that while blaming populists like Boris Johnson and Donald Trump for their poor leadership is trendy, the story of Covid-19 as a political failure is to miss the more profound pathologies that were at work – pathologies already visible in our responses to earlier disasters.


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Niall Ferguson on the Politics of Catastrophe

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Oxford University economist Kate Raworth has been described by the author and environmentalist George Monbiot as, "The John Maynard Keynes of the 21st century." In 2018, she came to Intelligence Squared to talk through the set of ideas that has seen her influential book, Donut Economics, find fans in audiences ranging from members of the UN General Assembly to Pope Francis and Extinction Rebellion. Hosting the discussion was Matthew Taylor, at the time of the interview Chief Executive of the RSA and latterly Chief Executive of the NHS Confederation.
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Archive: Doughnut Economics, with Kate Raworth

Joe Roman is a conservation biologist and marine ecologist fascinated with the natural processes that go on within animal biology and how those in turn shape the natural world around us. His new book is Eat, Poop, Die,  which as the title suggests, takes a no-nonsense look at how the biology of individual living things on planet Earth forms an integral part of the chain of natural ecology that keeps the world working. Speaking to Roman for this episode is molecular biologist and science communicator Dr Gunes Taylor, who is postdoctoral research scientist at the Francis Crick Institute. 
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The Circle of Life, with Joe Roman

This is a the second instalment of a three-part discussion. There are few big thinkers better placed to explain global events than historian Niall Ferguson. He has not just a profound understanding of past crises, but also an exceptional ability to map out the longer term impact that present crises will have on world affairs. For this episode, Ferguson joins us on the Intelligence Squared stage to discuss the predicaments we are currently facing. How can the West deal with the geopolitical and ideological threats posed by what Ferguson calls the axis of ill will – Russia, China and Iran? With localised wars in Ukraine and the Middle East and the threat of a crisis over Taiwan, are we sleepwalking towards a Third World War? And what are the likely consequences of the ongoing conflicts for the world economy? Joined onstage by journalist and presenter Ritula Shah, Ferguson explores these pressing questions and shares his insights into the fast-changing global landscape.
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This is the second of a three-part discussion. Intelligence Squared Members can listen to all three instalments, including the Members-only Part Three, immediately.
We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to Indeed.com/IS for £100 sponsored credit.
This is the first of a three-part discussion. Intelligence Squared Members can listen to all three instalments, including the Members-only Part Three, immediately.
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The World in 2024 with Niall Ferguson: Crisis, Conflict and Consequences, Part Two

There are few big thinkers better placed to explain global events than historian Niall Ferguson. He has not just a profound understanding of past crises, but also an exceptional ability to map out the longer term impact that present crises will have on world affairs. For this episode, Ferguson joins us on the Intelligence Squared stage to discuss the predicaments we are currently facing. How can the West deal with the geopolitical and ideological threats posed by what Ferguson calls the axis of ill will – Russia, China and Iran? With localised wars in Ukraine and the Middle East and the threat of a crisis over Taiwan, are we sleepwalking towards a Third World War? And what are the likely consequences of the ongoing conflicts for the world economy? Joined onstage by journalist and presenter Ritula Shah, Ferguson explores these pressing questions and shares his insights into the fast-changing global landscape.
We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to Indeed.com/IS for £100 sponsored credit.
This is the first of a three-part discussion. Intelligence Squared Members can listen to all three instalments, including the Members-only Part Three, immediately.
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For £4.99 per month you'll also receive:
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Or Subscribe on Apple for £4.99:
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The World in 2024 with Niall Ferguson: Crisis, Conflict and Consequences, Part One

As a performer, London-based George the Poet has helped elevate genres ranging from traditional spoken word to rap and grime over recent years as well as having become a well-known voice commentating on social issues. He has a popular BBC podcast, Have You Heard George's Podcast?, which won the Peabody Award. Plus, last year he curated the writing collection Part of a Story That Started Before Me: Poems about Black British History. This year he returns with a new book – a memoir – Track Record: Me, Music, and the War on Blackness. As well as reflecting on George Mpanga’s own life, it’s a study of broader issues including the cultural forces shaping the music industry and the inherent discrimination within wider capitalism. Joining him in conversation for this episode is Symeon Brown, the award-winning journalist whose work often focuses on how culture and technology interacts with race and class. Brown is a correspondent for Channel 4 News and the author of Get Rich Or Lie Trying, his book focusing on the influencer economy.
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Niall Ferguson on the Politics of Catastrophe

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