Japan is facing a new social and economic crossroads as tourism and foreign labor surge amid a demographic crisis. Rising xenophobia is feeding nationalist rhetoric, with political leaders blaming outsiders for everything from perceived disrespect at sacred sites to soaring property costs. At the same time, businesses and rural communities warn that hostility toward foreigners could undermine the very economy the country depends on. In this episode, we explore how Japan is balancing political opportunism, public resentment, and the practical necessity of international integration.

https://www.economist.com/asia/2026/01/05/why-is-japan-souring-on-foreign-workers-and-tourists

High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) promises a radical idea: get fitter in less time. Instead of logging hours of steady cardio, HIIT relies on short bursts of near-maximal effort to trigger powerful physiological adaptations in minutes. Research led by Izumi Tabata suggests these intense intervals can improve aerobic capacity even more effectively than traditional endurance training—but often at the cost of serious discomfort. With newer, less punishing variations now gaining popularity, in this episode we explore whether HIIT is a sustainable shortcut for busy lives or a demanding trade-off that only sounds efficient on paper.

https://www.economist.com/science-and-technology/2026/01/02/can-high-intensity-interval-training-get-you-fit-in-a-hurry

A religious liberty hearing becomes the flashpoint for a widening rift within the Republican Party, as “America First” influencers challenge the long-standing pro-Israel consensus once championed by leaders like William F. Buckley Jr.. Fueled by social media and faith-based arguments, this debate reflects a resurgence of isolationist and populist ideas that clash with traditional conservative alliances. In this episode, we explore how these ideological and theological conflicts are reshaping the identity and future of American conservatism.

https://www.economist.com/united-states/2026/02/19/different-ideas-about-faith-are-dividing-republicans-over-israel

Religious fundamentalism is often dismissed as a relic of the past, yet it is deeply entwined with the modern world it claims to reject. Across Islam, Christianity, Judaism, and Hinduism, movements have emerged that idealize a lost golden age and resist the pluralism, secularism, and moral ambiguity of globalized life. In this episode, we explore why these movements are frequently led by educated, westernized elites, how they use modern media and technology to wage war on liberal values, and why some retreat from society while others seek to seize the state itself. Rather than simple nostalgia or ignorance, the story frames fundamentalism as a deliberate, identity-driven revolt—one that turns the tools of modernity against modernity itself.

Ruthven, Malise, 'The scandal of difference', Fundamentalism: A Very Short Introduction, Very Short Introductions (Oxford, 2007; online edn, Oxford Academic, 24 Sept. 2013), https://doi.org/10.1093/actrade/9780199212705.003.0002

At the shores of Lake Toba, a cultural festival has become something more than a celebration—it is an act of defiance. As Indonesia promotes halal-friendly tourism to attract visitors, the Batak people, many of them Christian, see their food, dress, and traditions squeezed by a rising tide of religious conservatism. In this episode, we explore how symbols as ordinary as pork have taken on political meaning, why local residents fear the erosion of ancestral identity, and how debates over tourism reveal a deeper struggle over who gets to define Indonesia’s future. The tension at Lake Toba captures a national question: can pluralism survive when culture, religion, and development pull in opposite directions?

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/08/world/asia/indonesia-lake-toba-pig-festival.html

Indonesia is quietly redefining what political Islam can look like in the modern world. In the world’s largest Muslim-majority country, influential movements led by Nahdlatul Ulama are pushing back against extremism by embracing pluralism, protecting religious minorities, and rooting faith firmly within the framework of the nation-state. In this episode, we explore how Indonesia’s syncretic Islamic traditions, combined with government crackdowns on hardline groups, are reshaping the country’s religious and political balance. As public piety rises alongside democratic norms, the story asks whether Indonesia’s model of inclusive Islam can offer a compelling alternative to more rigid, legalistic visions competing for influence across the Muslim world.

https://www.economist.com/asia/2023/08/16/indonesia-wants-to-export-moderate-islam

For decades, Singapore’s stability has rested on a simple bargain: limited political freedom in exchange for competent, predictable rule by the People’s Action Party. That bargain now looks less secure. The abrupt withdrawal of Heng Swee Keat as heir apparent has shaken confidence in the PAP’s famed succession planning, exposing unease about leadership depth and direction. In this episode, we explore how weaker election results, an increasingly diverse electorate, and an insular recruitment culture have combined to create rare uncertainty at the top. The story examines whether these cracks signal a temporary stumble—or a deeper challenge to the city-state’s long-standing model of technocratic, tightly managed governance.

https://www.economist.com/asia/2021/04/17/singapores-ruling-clique-loses-its-reputation-for-predictability

Jordan Peterson’s latest book promises a wrestling match with God—but leaves many readers struggling to follow along. Dense with biblical exegesis, psychology, and pop-culture detours, We Who Wrestle With God has been met with skepticism even as its author’s celebrity continues to grow. In this episode, we explore how Jordan Peterson has evolved from controversial academic into a cultural phenomenon, drawing crowds that resemble rock concerts more than lectures. The story looks past the prose to ask why Peterson still resonates so powerfully with young men searching for structure, meaning, and validation in a changing world—and whether his influence says more about modern anxieties than about theology or scholarship itself.

https://www.economist.com/culture/2024/11/19/the-cult-of-jordan-peterson

Tiny words are carrying an outsized political weight. Pronouns—once barely noticed—have become flashpoints in cultural debates, prompting claims that language itself is under threat. Drawing on his latest book, John McWhorter argues that this panic misunderstands how English actually works. In this episode, we explore how pronouns have always shifted over time, from the disappearance of “thou” to the long, uneven rise of the singular “they,” and why many grammatical rules are more historical accident than sacred law. By placing today’s arguments in a much longer linguistic story, the episode suggests that discomfort with new pronouns is not evidence of decline—but a familiar stage in the endless evolution of language.

https://www.economist.com/culture/2025/04/10/pronouns-have-become-extremely-divisive

Religious fundamentalism is often framed as a relic of the past, but it is better understood as a modern response to rapid change. From its origins in American Protestantism to militant and traditionalist movements within Islam, Judaism, and Hinduism, fundamentalism has emerged wherever believers feel besieged by secular values, scientific authority, or cultural pluralism. In this episode, we explore how literal readings of scripture became tools of identity and resistance, why clashes like the Scopes Monkey Trial still echo today, and how these movements position themselves against elite institutions they see as hostile. The story suggests that fundamentalism is less about rejecting the modern world outright than about struggling to survive within it—by drawing hard boundaries in an age that relentlessly erodes them.

Ruthven, Malise, 'Family resemblances', Fundamentalism: A Very Short Introduction, Very Short Introductions (Oxford, 2007; online edn, Oxford Academic, 24 Sept. 2013), https://doi.org/10.1093/actrade/9780199212705.003.0001