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Intelligence Squared

Intelligence Squared
Artificial Intelligence
Climate Change
Russia
Mental Health
Donald Trump
China
Afghanistan
United States
World War II
Ukraine
Clean Water
Philosophy
Taliban
Wateraid
Sotheby's
Iran
Populism
United Kingdom
Democracy
Iranian Revolution

Ideas shape the world. Intelligence Squared brings you the conversations that explain them. In every episode, we bring together leading thinkers, writers, scientists, policymakers and entrepreneurs, to challenge assumptions, test ideas and debate the questions shaping our future. If you want to think more clearly about the world and where it's heading, you're in the right place. If you’d like to s... more

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Artwork for Intelligence Squared

Latest Episodes

Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine has placed not only lives and cities under attack, but also the country’s language, history and culture. Museums have been looted, cultural sites destroyed and a generation of writers, artists and performers dr... more

George Michael wrote Careless Whisper, one of the biggest pop songs of our age, in an hour in his childhood bedroom. Alongside his childhood best friend Andrew Ridgeley he founded Wham!, a revolutionary pop group which became one of the defining band... more

George Michael wrote Careless Whisper, one of the biggest pop songs of our age, in an hour in his childhood bedroom. Alongside his childhood best friend Andrew Ridgeley he founded Wham!, a revolutionary pop group which became one of the defining band... more

By the early 1980s Francis Ford Coppola, Steven Spielberg and George Lucas were the richest, best-known filmmakers in the world, with an empire of their own. Coppola had directed The Godfather, then the highest-grossing film of all-time, until Spielb... more

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Recent Guests

Paul Fischer
Author, screenwriter, filmmaker
The Last Kings of Hollywood (book)
Episode: Spielberg, Coppola and Lucas: The Remaking of Modern Cinema, With Paul Fischer
Colm Tóibín
Award-winning novelist
Author
Episode: Colm Tóibín on Stories of Exile (Part Two)
Colm Toibín
Award-winning novelist discussing exile, memory, and storytelling
Author
Episode: Colm Tóibín on Stories of Exile (Part One)
Amy Wallace
journalist and author, Epstein survivor advocate
Episode: Uncovering the Epstein Story, with Emily Maitlis and Amy Wallace (Part Two)
Ione Gamble
Founding editor of Polyester (Polyester zine)
Polyester
Episode: Is the Algorithm Destroying Taste? With Polyester Editor-In-Chief Ione Gamble
Catherine Carr
Author of Who's the Favourite, The Loving, Messy Realities of Sibling Relationships
Author
Episode: How Do Our Sibling Relationships Shape Us? With Catherine Carr
Ben Rhodes
Former White House Deputy National Security Advisor, co-host of Pod Save the US
Pod Save the US / Cricket Media
Episode: Can the US Survive Donald Trump? With Pod Save the US’ Ben Rhodes (Part One)
Lyse Doucet
BBC Chief International Correspondent
BBC
Episode: What Everyone Gets Wrong About Iran, with Clarissa Ward and Lyse Doucet (Part Two)
Clarissa Ward
CNN Chief International Correspondent
CNN
Episode: What Everyone Gets Wrong About Iran, with Clarissa Ward and Lyse Doucet (Part One)(Part One)

Host

Hannah Lucinda Smith
Multiple episode host and moderator with involvement in live events and debates.

Reviews

4.2 out of 5 stars from 2.3k ratings
  • “Hotels with History”: the wet lettuce leaf of podcasts … Is it really even a podcast?

    What the heck? How can such a potentially interesting topic with a great narrator, Mr Grant, be such a wet limp thing. Aggrandising trivialities and never really getting into the heart of anything. Just run an ad … honestly. Not just a waste of effort, this is worse; giving “ick” on these hotels I used to enjoy. And now Raffles is also dead to me … uggh. Why are these Hotels With History podcast episodes so bad? Well done, chaps

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    Charlotte Burgman
    United States2 months ago
  • UFO Misinformation

    The latest UFO episode was garbage! 👎🏻

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    PawdKast
    United States3 months ago
  • Consistently Exceptional

    I listen to many and varied podcasts. Intelligence2 is consistently exceptional, nuanced, well researched, thought through and….witty!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Palafoxiana
    United States4 months ago
  • Great, with one « but »

    One issue: the journalist Adam talks way too much. His questions are too long and convoluted. Would really replace him. I find that he takes away from the guests and makes the podcast difficult to listen to.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    UmbBra
    Switzerland4 months ago
  • Afraid

    Intelligence squared always seemed a great place for debate until the

    Israeli genocide started. Then silence.

    Apple Podcasts
    3
    Lonnach123
    Ireland6 months ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Sound quality and access for non-subscribers are common criticisms.
Nuanced, well-researched debates with engaging guests.
Episodes on complex topics are praised for depth and context.
Some viewers feel pacing or guest balance could improve.
Live-event energy and guest authority are often highlighted positives.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Colm Tóibín on Stories of Exile (Part One)
Q: You spoke about teaching Joyce's Ulysses—what does teaching add to your craft as a writer?
Teaching helps refine my own understanding of narrative structure, voice, and how to reveal depth through close reading of episodes and the deliberate pacing of details.
Colm Tóibín on Stories of Exile (Part One)
Q: What was it like seeing Brooklyn adapted for screen, and did that change how you think about your work?
The experience was mixed—exciting but disorienting; the process showed how cinema can reinterpret a novel, but the core of writing remains the imaginative work.
Colm Tóibín on Stories of Exile (Part One)
Q: How do you handle difficult subjects like the convicted pedophile in A Free Man within a humane, human-centered narrative?
I focus on the perspective of the character, dramatizing his humanity and complexity while avoiding sensationalism, to explore what evil means without turning empathy into endorsement.
Colm Tóibín on Stories of Exile (Part One)
Q: Why return to short stories after 15 years of novels or longer fiction?
Because the short story form allows a condensed, precise rendering of a moment or crisis, where the outcome is left open and the reader must engage more actively with the characters' inner lives.
Colm Tóibín on Stories of Exile (Part One)
Q: So you have to persuade yourself that writing fiction makes a difference in 'insane times'—do you still feel that writing matters?
Yes, because fiction can illuminate moral and emotional truths that moments of crisis can obscure, offering a way to understand people and societies by following intimate, lived experiences.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

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Age Range
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Frequently Asked Questions About Intelligence Squared

What is Intelligence Squared about and what kind of topics does it cover?

Lively, idea-driven conversations that mix in-depth interviews with expert authors and live debates. Recent episodes span economics, language preservation, science and health, UFO culture, history, and AI ethics, all explored through accessible storytelling, data-driven analysis, and personal anecdotes. The format often pairs a prominent host with leading researchers, journalists, and thinkers, producing thoughtful takes on complex topics while weaving in audience questions at live events. It's probably especially appealing to curious, well-educated listeners who enjoy big-picture thinking, rigorous argument, and cross-disciplinary views, with a penchant for clear explanations and engaging narrative.

Where can I find podcast stats for Intelligence Squared?

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How many listeners does Intelligence Squared get?

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What are the audience demographics for Intelligence Squared?

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How many subscribers and views does Intelligence Squared have?

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Which podcasts are similar to Intelligence Squared?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Intelligence Squared:

1. Past Present Future
2. The Rest Is Politics
3. The News Agents
4. The Audio Long Read
5. The LRB Podcast

How many episodes of Intelligence Squared are there?

Intelligence Squared launched 13 years ago and published 1734 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact Intelligence Squared?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for Intelligence Squared?

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What guests have appeared on Intelligence Squared?

Recent guests on Intelligence Squared include:

1. Paul Fischer
2. Colm Tóibín
3. Colm Toibín
4. Amy Wallace
5. Ione Gamble
6. Catherine Carr
7. Ben Rhodes
8. Lyse Doucet

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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