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The Reith Lectures

Significant international thinkers deliver the BBC's flagship annual lecture series

Radio 4,312 episodes

Episodes

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Rutger Bregman - Moral Revolution
1. A Time of Monsters
Dutch historian Rutger Bregman delivers his first BBC Reith Lecture: Moral Revolution.
25 Nov 2025,57 mins
Rutger Bregman - Moral Revolution
2. How to start a moral revolution
Rutger Bregman gives the second of his 2025 BBC Reith Lectures called Moral Revolution.
02 Dec 2025,57 mins
Rutger Bregman - Moral Revolution
3. A conspiracy of decency
Dutch historian Rutger Bregman gives the third of his 2025 BBC Reith Lectures.
09 Dec 2025,57 mins
Rutger Bregman - Moral Revolution
4. Fighting for Humanity in the Age of the Machine.
Dutch historian Rutger Bregman gives his fourth and final Reith Lecture.
16 Dec 2025,57 mins
Moral Maze debate: Rutger Bregman’s call for a moral revolution
Michael Buerk chairs a debate examining Rutger Bregman’s call for a moral revolution.
25 Nov 2025,56 mins
Gwen Adshead - Four Questions about Violence
Is Violence Normal?
Forensic psychiatrist Dr Gwen Adshead asks if violence is normal.
26 Nov 2024,58 mins
Gwen Adshead - Four Questions about Violence
Aren't they all evil?
Forensic psychiatrist Dr Gwen Adshead asks: Aren't they all evil?
03 Dec 2024,58 mins
Gwen Adshead - Four Questions about Violence
Does Trauma Cause Violence?
Forensic psychiatrist Dr Gwen Adshead asks if trauma causes violence.
10 Dec 2024,57 mins
Gwen Adshead - Four Questions about Violence
Can we change violent minds?
In her final Reith Lecture, Dr Gwen Adshead asks if we can change violent minds.
17 Dec 2024,57 mins
Ben Ansell: Our Democratic Future
1. The Future of Democracy
Professor Ben Ansell delivers the first 2023 Reith Lectures on Our Democratic Future.
29 Nov 2023,58 mins
Ben Ansell: Our Democratic Future
2. The Future of Security
Professor Ben Ansell gives the second of his 2023 Reith Lectures on why politics fails.
06 Dec 2023,57 mins
Ben Ansell: Our Democratic Future
3. The Future of Solidarity
Ben Ansell's third 2023 Reith Lecture on why politics fails.
13 Dec 2023,57 mins
Ben Ansell: Our Democratic Future
4. The Future of Prosperity
Ben Ansell concludes his series of Reith Lectures on why politics fails
20 Dec 2023,57 mins
The Four Freedoms
1. Freedom of Speech
Best-selling author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's BBC Reith Lecture on freedom of speech.
30 Nov 2022,69 mins
The Four Freedoms
2. Freedom of Worship
Rowan Williams delivers his BBC Reith Lecture on faith and liberty
07 Dec 2022,71 mins
The Four Freedoms
2. Rhyddid i Addoli
Rowan Williams delivers his BBC Reith lecture on faith and liberty in Welsh.
07 Dec 2022,28 mins
The Four Freedoms
3. Freedom from Want
Author and musician Darren McGarvey, delivers his Reith Lecture on 'Freedom from Want'.
14 Dec 2022,73 mins
The Four Freedoms
4. Freedom from Fear
Foreign affairs expert Dr Fiona Hill gives her BBC Reith Lecture on Freedom from Fear.
21 Dec 2022,62 mins
The Four Freedoms
The Four Freedoms discussion
The 2022 Reith Lecturers discuss what FDR's Four Freedoms mean now.
28 Dec 2022,42 mins
Stuart Russell - Living With Artificial Intelligence
The Biggest Event in Human History
Stuart Russell asks how artificial intelligence could transform our world
01 Dec 2021,58 mins
Stuart Russell - Living With Artificial Intelligence
AI in warfare
Stuart Russell warns of the dangers of developing autonomous weapon systems
08 Dec 2021,57 mins
Stuart Russell - Living With Artificial Intelligence
AI in the economy
What will artificial intelligence mean for the future of work?
15 Dec 2021,58 mins
Stuart Russell - Living With Artificial Intelligence
AI: A Future for Humans
Stuart Russell suggests a way forward for human control over artificial intelligence.
22 Dec 2021,58 mins
Mark Carney - How We Get What We Value
From Moral to Market Sentiments
Why have financial values come to be considered more important than human ones?
02 Dec 2020,42 mins
Mark Carney - How We Get What We Value
From Credit Crisis to Resilience
Mark Carney assesses what lessons have been learnt from the 2008 financial crash.
09 Dec 2020,57 mins
Mark Carney - How We Get What We Value
From Covid Crisis to Renaissance
Mark Carney looks at the tensions between economic and human values during the pandemic.
16 Dec 2020,57 mins
Mark Carney - How We Get What We Value
From Climate Crisis to Real Prosperity
Mark Carney argues that the market can be redirected to alleviating climate change.
23 Dec 2020,57 mins
Jonathan Sumption - Law and the Decline of Politics
Law's Expanding Empire
Jonathan Sumption argues that the law is taking over the space once occupied by politics.
21 May 2019,57 mins
Jonathan Sumption - Law and the Decline of Politics
In Praise of Politics
Jonathan Sumption explains how democracy can accommodate opposing opinions and interests
28 May 2019,42 mins
Jonathan Sumption - Law and the Decline of Politics
Human Rights and Wrongs
Jonathan Sumption argues that courts have usurped power via human rights law.
04 Jun 2019,42 mins