Night Waves

Robert Hanks talks to Nobel prize-winning economist Amartya Sen about his analysis of India - which is far more diverse and accommodating than many descriptions from outsiders suggest - and how its argumentative tradition has a lot to offer the current debate around democracy.

Programme Details

On Night Waves this evening Robert Hanks talks to Nobel prize-winning economist Amartya Sen about his new book, the Argumentative Indian, which proposes that there is an India far more diverse and accommodating than many descriptions from outsiders suggest. Sen argues that this atmosphere of tolerance and secularism supports a healthy argumentative tradition and climate for debate which, in turn, has much to offer the current debate around democracy.

Also on Night Waves, the first night review of the National Theatre's version of Gogol's The Government Inspector; renamed and re-constituted, in a new translation, as The UN Inspector .

Robert also talks to the director of Memento, Christopher Nolan, on directing the new Batman film, Batman Begins - and explores the absence of men in tights and the unusual engagement with ideas and moral complexity found in it.

Night Waves, live at 9.30pm here on BBC Radio 3.


Presenter: Robert Hanks
Producer: Kirsty Pope



Additional Information:
1) Amartya Sen's The Argumentative Indian is published by Penguin
2) Batman Begins is in cinemas from today, certificate 12a
3) To find out more about A Picture of Britain, the website is: http://www.bbc.co.uk/arts/apictureofbritain/
4) The UN Inspector is at the National Theatre in London in repertory until early October.

Night Waves

Episode and Playlist Information

• 16 June 2005