John Laughland
Thursday 12 June 2008 21:45-22:30 (Radio 3)
Rana Mitter talks to journalist John Laughland about the history of political trials. Plus photographer Susan Meiselas on Kurdistan's history and a review of Bob Dylan's paintings.
Bob Dylan Art: The Drawn Blank
'Train Tracks' from The Drawn Blank Series. Copyright © 2007 Bob Dylan
Playlist
The History of Political Trial
The political trial is one of the features of modern life. Many of us are happy to applaud when the likes of Slobodan Milosevic and Saddam Hussein are brought to book as it seems that at last justice is being done. But are we right to be so confident? The journalist, John Laughland, is far from convinced. He's written a history of political trials and he says that too often they violate law and due process and are merely the continuation of war by another means. In Night Waves this evening he'll be sharing his reservations with Rana Mitter and the human rights lawyer, Sir Geoffrey Bindman.
The History of Political Trials by John Laughland is published by Peter Lang.
Bob Dylan Art
Richard Cork reviews and exhibition of the musicians Bob Dylan's paintings.
Bob Dylan Art: The Drawn Blank is on at the Halycon Gallery, London from 13 June.
River Elegy
The historian Jonathan Fenby will be joined by the poet Yang Lian to celebrate the 20th anniversary of what some believe is the greatest television series ever made - the Chinese epic, River Elegy.
Susan Meiselas
Rana will also be talking to the great Magnum photographer, Susan Meiselas about the new edition of her groundbreaking history of Kurdistan
Kurdistan: In the shadow of History by Susan Meiselas is published by chicago uni press.
