Solomon Mujuru served as head of the Zimbabwean Defence Forces from 1981 until 1992, having been one of the most important figures in Zimbabwe's struggle for independence in the 1970s. A brilliant military leader, his fiery relationship with President Robert Mugabe has been the subject of much speculation, especially in the light of Mujuru's mysterious death in 2011.

My guest for this episode is Miles Tendi (@MilesTendi on Twitter), author and associate professor in African Politics at the University of Oxford. He has written a biography of Mujuru, The Army and Politics in Zimbabwe. 

I had a bad cold when I was recording the opening of this podcast, so I apologise for the even lower voice than usual...

Eamon de Valera served as Irish Taoiseach (Prime Minister) four times, and as Irish President between 1959 and 1973. The most significant figure in the independent country's century-long history, de Valera was a key figure in securing and moulding Irish independence for six decades. His long public life has led to a popular image of de Valera as austere, pious, and as representing the economic and cultural stagnation that gripped Ireland for much of the 20th century. 

My guest for this episode is Diarmaid Ferriter, lecturer in Irish history at University College Dublin. 

Jacob Zuma served as President of South Africa from 2009 until 2018. A hero of the anti-apartheid struggle, Zuma's time in power is remembered for corruption and self-indulgence- the rural complex he built for himself reportedly cost nearly $25 million. 

My guest today is Alec Russell, former News Editor of the Financial Times, and currently the Editor of FT Weekend (@AlecuRussell on Twitter). Alec spent many years reporting from South Africa, and interviewed Zuma on a number of occasions. We discuss Zuma’s role in the anti-apartheid struggle, his disastrous presidency, the evolution of the African National Congress from a protest movement to a party of power, and the complex political legacy of apartheid in modern day South Africa. 

In a first, my guest and I examine a group of people, rather than one single politician. Adventure Capitalists are a loosely connected group of libertarian-leaning businessmen, dedicated to creating "exit projects". These projects are private polities outside the control of the constitutions and laws of traditional nation states, meaning that the adventure capitalists become the kings (or queens) of their own domains. These projects may be found on land, out to sea, in space, or online. The activities of super-rich Americans such as Jeffrey Epstein makes the leaders of these exit projects deserving of much greater scrutiny than they receive at present. My guest for this episode was Raymond B. Craib, historian at Cornell University in New York state (@raycraib on Twitter). 

Margaret Thatcher served as UK prime minister between 1979 and 1990. Arguably the most divisive British politician ever, her reputation as a beacon of controversy and dogmatism precedes her. Thatcher, however, serves as an example of a politician whose reputation is so controversial that it has become very difficult to make an objective assessment of her time in office. My guest for this conversation is Lord Peter Lilley, who served in the cabinets of both Margaret Thatcher and John Major. 

Tony Blair served as prime minister of the United Kingdom between 1997 and 2007. The first Labour prime minister in 18 years, Blair took Labour away from its left-wing roots towards a less ideological position focused on winning elections. Whilst successful in this aim (Labour won three general elections in a row), Blair is now deeply unpopular among the British public, and Labour has not won an election since he left. Why (and when) Blair's popularity took such a drubbing is the central investigation of today's episode. My guest is Jon Cruddas, who worked for Blair in the late 1990s before becoming member of parliament for Dagenham and Rainham in 2001. 

Sheikh Hasina has been the prime minister of Bangladesh since 2009. Her early credentials as a pioneer of democracy have been tainted by election fraud, and a spate of extrajudicial killings and torture. My guest for this episode was Tasneem Khalil (@tasneem on Twitter), a Bangladeshi journalist who was forced to leave his country after being imprisoned by the Bangladeshi authorities in 2007. He is Editor in Chief of Netra News.

After successful careers in bodybuilding and Hollywood, Arnold Schwarzenegger served as Governor of California from 2003 until 2011. His reputation as a moderate Republican, in a party that has moved far to the right since, makes Schwarzenegger  an interesting character to study- as does his surprisingly serious governing style. My guest for this one was Seth Masket of the University of Denver (@smotus on Twitter- one of the best Twitter handles going).

Saunders Lewis was a Welsh writer and the founder of Welsh nationalist party Plaid Cymru. His reactionary, anti-socialist views put him at odds with the all-conquering socialist movement in the South Wales of the 1930s, and indeed with the centre-left Plaid Cymru of today. My guest for this conversation was T Robin Chapman, senior lecturer in Welsh Studies at Aberystwyth University.

Lee Kuan Yew served as prime minister of Singapore between 1959 and 1990. A  calculating control freak, Lee's rule was highly authoritarian, and left a mark on Singapore that has, so far at least, proved indelible. My guest for this was author and historian PJ Thum, founder of pro-democracy group New Naratif (@NewNaratif on Twitter).