
The Academy of Ideas has been organising public debates to challenge contemporary knee-jerk orthodoxies since 2000. Subscribe to our channel for recordings of our live conferences, discussions and salons, and find out more at www.academyofideas.org.uk
| Publishes | Twice weekly | Episodes | 412 | Founded | 12 years ago |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number of Listeners | Categories | NewsArtsPoliticsBooks | |||

Recorded at the Battle of Ideas festival 2025 on Sunday 19 October at Church House, Westminster.
ORIGINAL INTRODUCTION
‘I have the feeling that this competition is going to be as important, if not more important, than the Champions League’, said Ch... more
Recorded at the Battle of Ideas festival 2025 on Saturday 18 October at Church House and the Abbey Centre, Westminster.
ORIGINAL INTRODUCTION
Jane Austen turns 250 this year, prompting the question: is one of the world’s greatest female novelists s... more
Lots of people are converting to Christianity and, across the country, church attendance is increasing. While the numbers vary, one survey shows the number of people attending church at least once a month is up from eight per cent in 2018 to 12 per c... more
Recorded at the Battle of Ideas festival 2025 on Saturday 18 October at Church House and the Abbey Centre, Westminster.
ORIGINAL INTRODUCTION
Genocide, Holocaust, Never Again. Phrases that once conjured up only one image: the Nazis’ systematic atte... more
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In a world of extreme views and vicious personal attacks Claire Fox and the Academy of Ideas is a refuge where decency and intellectual enquiry prevail.
Occasionally some interesting debates but too much time given to justifiably marginalised speakers who are amusingly unaware that no one’s listening because their ideas are inherently contradictory or willingly ignorant. The unearned arrogance is borderline comic.
Generally like the podcast when they have a variety of speakers. Hate when Claire’s appointed staff get together to generally regurgitate one idea ... no diversity of ideas there
These discussions are almost always lively, interesting, and full of intelligent points that make you think.
The topics are often pertinent but I’m afraid the analysis and information offered rarely confronts the subject properly. The Institute of ideas is not as original as pretends to be.
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Apple Podcasts | #185 |
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A climate of brisk, multi-voice debates spanning politics, public policy, culture, and economics. Panels mix academics, journalists, policymakers, and think-tank voices to probe timely topics such as infrastructure and housing, energy policy, national identity, free speech, and bioethics, often featuring contrarian or challenging viewpoints. Noteworthy is the emphasis on civil discourse and open inquiry, with specialists from think tanks and public institutions joining to test ideas and expose assumptions, making it a potential fit for listeners who crave rigorous discussion that pushes beyond conventional orthodoxies.
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These podcasts share a similar audience with Academy of Ideas:
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3. The Sceptic
4. The Brendan O'Neill Show
5. Planet Normal
Academy of Ideas launched 12 years ago and published 412 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.
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Recent guests on Academy of Ideas include:
1. Hilary Salt
2. Paul Finch
3. Christopher Worrall
4. Ben Flatman
5. Shelagh McNerney
6. Stephen Balloch
7. Tim Samuels
8. Sonya Douglas
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