Perspective

From the post-colonial era, to the rise of religious fundamentalism, to the Arab Spring in 2011, the Middle East has undergone radical changes over the past five decades. They've transformed not only geopolitics at large, but also individuals. Kamal al-Solaylee's 2012 book "Intolerable: A Memoir of Extremes" intertwines his personal journey of coming out as a gay man with more than 50 years of history in the Middle East offering a microcosm of life in the region. He joined us on perspective.

An award-winning charity, the Home of Hope for Girls, provides services to survivors of sexual abuse and child sex trafficking in Johannesburg. Sexual violence rates in South Africa are among the highest recorded in the world. The charity's founder, Khanyisile Motsa, joined us for Perspective to tell us more about the crucial work she is doing under difficult circumstances.

It was an unprecedented attack on the peaceful transition of power that had defined democracy in the United States for more than two centuries. On January 6, 2021, a mob of Donald Trump supporters besieged the US Capitol in rioting that ultimately killed five people. War reporter Luke Mogelson was there that day. His book, "The Storm is Here: An American Crucible," recounts how months of budding discontent led to that moment. He joined us for Perspective.

"Who's Black and Why?" is the title of a fascinating new book about the origins of racism. Back in 1739, the Royal Academy of Sciences in the French city of Bordeaux announced a contest for the best essay on the sources of "blackness". The questions: what is the physical cause of "blackness" and African hair? What is the cause of "Black degeneration"? The result was 16 essays, written in French and Latin, from European authors who ranged from naturalists to physicians to theologians. Our guest Andrew Curran helped translate the essays, which lay bare the origins of anti-Black racism in the West. He joined us for Perspective.

The 2022 World Cup in Qatar façade is state-of-the-art installations with new stadiums, hotels and tourist facilities. But the horrific human cost behind the glittering image is shocking: unpaid wages, seized passports, physical abuse and even deaths. Photojournalist Pete Pattisson has investigated the situation and joins us for Perspective.

Major developments in current affairs are rarely isolated events, but often the result of decades of history in the making. Historians and international affairs experts have argued that Russia's war in Ukraine is no exception, though they don't all agree about the cause. So what can recent history tell us? Peter Conradi's prescient 2017 book “Who Lost Russia? How the World Entered a New Cold War” traces the breakdown in relations between Russia and the West. He joined us on Perspective to tell us more.

You probably know that when a water bottle in a freezer reaches zero degrees, its volume changes, causing the bottle to explode. If you've studied thermodynamics, you may know that magnets gradually lose their magnetic charge when heated. These are both examples of phase transition, which athough seen in everyday life is very difficult to prove mathematically. Hugo Duminil-Copin won the prestigious Fields Medal in 2022 for his work on the topic. He joined us for Perspective.

France is marking the bicentenary of the deciphering of the Rosetta Stone hieroglyphs by linguist Jean-François Champollion. In Perspective, we spoke to Vanessa Desclaux, who looks after the ancient Egyptian manuscripts at France's Bibliothèque Nationale, the National Library in Paris. She told us more about her passion and work, as well as a special project to preserve and teach the work of Champollion.

As the world struggles to overcome the huge problems of today, it would do well to turn towards indigenous peoples for solutions. That's the message from Julian Brave NoiseCat, a writer, journalist and advocate for indigenous peoples. He believes that First Peoples can make a significant contribution to understanding and addressing the world's most pressing challenges, such as climate change. NoiseCat has even been named on the Time 100 list of emerging leaders. He joined us for Perspective.

It's just one aspect of the seemingly endless list of horrors brought on by Russia's war in Ukraine: Ukrainian authorities say they have already removed some 80,000 landmines and explosive devices across the country. While Washington has pledged $89 million to help Kyiv clear the weapons, the process could take decades. The conflict is now dragging into its seventh month, with no end in sight. Olga Savchenko works for the French NGO Humanity & Inclusion (formerly known as Handicap International), where she heads the explosive risk and education project. She joined us for Perspective.